To be perfectly honest, I never saw a book out of this blog. I never started or continued the blog with that in mind as a goal or even a possibility. I have actually said that very thing to many people who have asked me.
So just over a month ago I was approached by a well known publisher to come meet with them to see if I had any interest in writing a book. At first I just stared at the email on my computer screen with my mouth open. I was speechless and a bit 'what do I do know?'. So I called on a few of my bloggy friends to firstly - squeal.... then secondly work out what to do next. One of these friends said 'reply YES with twenty million exclamation marks'.
So I went in and met with the publisher about a month ago, we talked through ideas and I agreed to work on an outline and title, what I envisaged the look, length to be, what the message was. Dutifully and excitedly I came home and started to write the outline. It was so much easier than I thought it would be and ironically it all flowed like it had been in my head for years...
I had a clear vision of it's look and length and message, but where I struggled - the title. It needed to say 'this is what it's about' in about 4 words, it couldn't be 'Frills in the Hills' because really - what does that tell someone who has never been to this site? I came to a title... I was kindasortahappy with it.
So off my outline went and then I was advised it would be reviewed by the acquisitions team on guess when.....? My 40th birthday. I advised that if there was any negative feedback - tell me the day after because I didn't want to know on my birthday.
So about 5.45pm just before I'm about to sit down to my dinner that my husband lovingly cooked and a cake my frills had lovingly iced... the email came in.
It's not a yes and it's not a no.
The outline was good, but the title wasn't strong enough and it's expensive to print colour photographs. We needed to do some more work to get it accepted.
I was devastated... and that was devastating in itself. Why was I devastated? Why when this wasn't something I had pursued? Maybe my ego was a little bruised because they didn't love it? Maybe I was pissed off with myself because I only kindasorta loved my title and I should have thought of a better one?
I took some days to work this out. At the end of the day I came to a conclusion. It was the photos. I personally don't connect to a cookbook that doesn't have photos. There are a few exceptions to these but if I think about it, a book by me and based on this blog needs photographs.
So I had a heart-to-heart with the publisher this week and I think I got the message across that photos weren't a negotiable element. I agreed about the title.. but the photographs I couldn't give up.
So now we're working on a way we can have photos before it goes back to the acquisitions team - I need you to wish us luck, and also - help me come up with a title! If you could sum up Frills in the Hills ethos in a hook-y title what would you choose ? I promise to give you a signed first copy if you can nail it, because it's driving me BONKERS.
I'll update you on this journey - I've felt a bit terrible keeping it from you this long! xx
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