• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

MsMarmiteLover

  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegan
  • Travel
    • France
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • UK
  • Wine
  • Gardens
  • Supperclubs/Events
  • About
    • Published Articles
    • Books
  • Shop
    • Cart

From blogger to author

October 3, 2011 5 Comments Filed Under: Food, Recipes, Uncategorized

Wednesday 5th October 7.00pm

Kerstin Rodgers Entertains us at The Supper Club
Always passionate about food, photographer Kerstin Rodgers slowly began to find herself cooking professionally for various cafes and festivals. In January 2009, Kerstin launched one of the first UK supperclubs, The Underground Restaurant. It was an immediate success. She’s been at the forefront of the underground food movement ever since, encouraging and giving advice to others with the group that she started Find a supper club, become a fan… a place to promote supperclub events.
And now, she has produced a lavish new book, The Supper Club, a homage to this secret restaurant phenomenon. In it you’ll find Kerstin’s inventive and delicious recipes and themed menus, peppered with her helpful hints, tips and wild experiences. You’ll also be treated to Kerstin’s down-to-earth advice on how to run your own home restaurant, and a directory of other supper clubs of note around the world. In few other cookbooks will you find recipes such as elderflower fritters alongside home favourites such as Macaroni and cheese.
Kerstin wil be reading from the book, answering questions and of course she will be happy to sign copies of the book, which is available in the bookshop. There maybe also some tasty morsels for you to sample too.
This is a free event, but please get here early, to ensure a place…
Taking place at the Big Green Book Shop in Wood Green, one of the few independent bookshops left… http://www.biggreenbookshop.com/events-diary/info_6.html

I love this bookshop! I went to see Bill Drummond do a truly trippy talk there. I hope I can live up to it.

Recently I was part of a panel at the SW11 Literary festival with other bloggers who became authors.
I shared what I had learned:
1) Getting published is mostly due to luck or connections. Mine was down to luck, I met my editor  at a party. We clicked. ‘I get you’ she said to me. 
2) You have to promote yourself. Authors that don’t use Twitter, Facebook, pimp themselves out to anybody they know in the press are making a mistake. You can’t live in an ivory tower. You gotta be a bit of a media ho.
3) It’s nice to have a launch party but not necessary. It rarely results in coverage or better book sales. I didn’t bother. I do entertaining as a day job.
4) You have approximately a two week window to promote your book once it comes out. Publishers bring out books twice a month on a Thursday. You’ve got a fortnight before a bunch of newer books come out. 
5) Cookbooks are rarely reviewed by serious newspapers, not even under non-fiction. Cookbooks account for 30% of all book sales however. 
6) Publishers want cookbook authors who are on TV as it’s almost a guaranteed sale. Cookery TV is basically advertising for cookbook authors, in half hour slots. My publisher Harper Collins took a risk on me: I’m not a TV chef, my book was expensive to produce and is visually luxurious. 
7) Sleb culture has infected cooking too. I was on Market Kitchen while a young soap actress who doesn’t cook for a living, demonstrated a recipe. I, on the other hand, was sitting on the sidelines, trying to elbow in a comment or two (as instructed by the producers). I thought ‘What is wrong with this picture?’
8) Publishers don’t really organise book signing tours anymore. 
9) Get your hair done, get your teeth done, spend money on a colourful outfit, a look. Most press is visually led, good photos lead to coverage. Coverage sells books.
10) Writing a book is lonely. Testing and writing recipes is really hard work. (Some cookbooks don’t test their recipes: unfair as readers are buying ingredients based on your advice, you have responsibility for their dinner!). While you are writing it you think it is shit. By the time you’ve finished, you hate your own book. 
11) Publishers don’t edit as much as you think they will. They have fewer resources nowadays. You need to get your grammar, punctuation, spelling and structure right. Unless you are famous, the publishers haven’t got time/budget to sort it out.
12) If you have guest recipes and want to send out copies to contributors you have to pay for the copies and the postage. 
13) If there is enough money, your publisher will make a ‘BLAD’, a glossy pamphlet/mini version of your book for the press or foreign rights purchasers. You want foreign countries to buy your book, you might actually make some money that way. 
14) Don’t expect to make any money. 
15) When you see the first copy of your book, you feel amazing.

If you have any questions, put them in the comments below and I’ll do my best to answer them honestly.

Recent posts

Yeni Raki dinner at Ruya, London

November 26, 2023

La Clique, a spiegeltent show in Leicester Square, London and a late dinner at Wong Kei

November 21, 2023

The real Maldives by Mary Wedgewood

November 19, 2023

Previous Post: « Divinely decadent dinner on a hot autumn night
Next Post: Secret Garden Club returns! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sarah, Maison Cupcake

    October 4, 2011 at 3:45 pm

    Having just submitted my first manuscript, I don't think there's anything here I wouldn't agree with!

    Reply
  2. SarahBHood

    October 4, 2011 at 3:55 pm

    Oh so true, especially the "hate your own book" part. 🙂 Next time (if I ever decide to go through this again) I might try to crowdsource some volunteer recipe testers for extra backup. And Twitter is great for authors, because so many kind people will make you feel really good about that book you barely feel like opening.

    Reply
  3. mrspao

    October 4, 2011 at 8:09 pm

    Great advice! 🙂

    Reply
  4. Sasha

    October 6, 2011 at 11:12 am

    So nice to meet you last night! Definitely want to come for dinner now, just waiting for one I can really get dressed up for.

    http://andnobodygotsick.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  5. chumbles

    October 6, 2011 at 11:17 am

    Fascinating stuff and point 11: "Publishers don't edit as much as you think they will." is so true it's painful. The worst of it is that sometimes they get a bright idea which carefully undermines the original structure and move stuff around as well as introducing typos…

    I've acted as midwife (editor) to three books now and I found that hard enough. When you edit you get to hate the books even more, because you can only 'suggest' changes!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

MsMarmiteLover aka Kerstin Rodgers.

Chef, photographer, author, journalist, blogger. Pioneer of the supperclub movement.

This is my food and travel blog, with recipes, reviews and travel stories. I also stray into politics, feminism, gardening.

Subscribe to my mailing list

msmarmitelover

Kerstin Rodgers/MsMarmiteLover
Yesterday I visited Noto in Sicily. It’s famous Yesterday I visited Noto in Sicily. It’s famous for baroque architecture. The churches, shops and streets are ready for Christmas, with nativity scenes, lights and wrapped presents. The light is beautiful, softly golden, as it is in all of these villages under the eaves of Mount Etna, puffing innocently in the background. Sicily has so much to discover. Of course I had an orange, olive and fennel salad. #citrus #travel #sicily #noto
Went to see the orange groves of @la_.deliziosa_ i Went to see the orange groves of @la_.deliziosa_ in Sicily, under the eaves of mount Etna which is glowing orange with streams of lava making their way down the snowy verges. The air smells of charcoal, smoke and occasionally sulphur. This grove is seven years old. The oranges 🍊 have stretch marks like the swollen belly of a pregnant woman. They will be ready to pick in two weeks. #citrusseason #sicily
The most brilliant focaccia from the Puglia region The most brilliant focaccia from the Puglia region, hot, oily, crispy, with sweet cherry 🍒 tomatoes, green olives and plenty of salt- which we ate in the fields with the farmers. Food always tastes better when eaten outside. @commissioneuvadatavola
More bits done to my dining room. Painting the bar More bits done to my dining room. Painting the bare woodwork in @littlegreenepaintcompany, moving furniture around, building a spice cupboard. Tablecloth from @dunelmuk I’m off to Naples and Sicily today so it’s all a bit rushed. More tidying, painting organising on my return. Hey interiors people, paint companies, homeware and tableware companies- I’m up for collabs! #tablescape #crockery #kitchens #diningrooms #pantry #reclaimedwindows #spicecupboards #scallops #stripes #rawplaster #london
I went to an amazing @yenirakiglobal lunch today @ I went to an amazing @yenirakiglobal lunch today @ruyalondon a gorgeous Turkish restaurant just off Park lLne. It was hosted by the lovely drink expert @douglasblyde (Evening Standard drinks columnist). It was nice to see some old faces from the blogging world. I loved the ‘Istanbul- bull’ cocktail made from elderflower ginger beer and Rami with a sliver of cucumber. We had a demonstration on how to make khachapuri Turkish style. In turkey they say ‘let’s go for a raki’ meaning shots of raki with mezze. The sea bass with a pistachio crust was a great match as was the smoked salmon with pink peppercorns. Raki goes great with fish. I also loved the ‘lonely’ dip ‘rafik’ which is something you order when you are lonely- then everybody joins you.  Raki is sometimes referred to as ‘lions milk’ because it goes white when you add water and it puts hairs on your chest. Raki is made from wild fennel and grape way de vie. Fennel, like liquorice, is 13  times sweeter than sugar. First week of December is #worldrakiday #raki #turkey #turkishfood
Christmas present suggestions for foodies: a month Christmas present suggestions for foodies: a monthly subscription to @thetinnedfishmarket I love the packaging, it’s so useful to have in the pantry for last minute meals. The top three tins are from the November selection: tuna, sardines and mackerel. The bottom 3 tins are anchovies, stuffed calamari and smoked oysters. I recently used their tinned smoked tuna in a recipe- it’s a revelation. I often buy my daughter tinned fish for birthday or Christmas #christmasgiftsideas #subscriptions #christmasforfoodies #tinnedfish #foodpackaging
Berenjenas de la abuela con miel. This is my Sagit Berenjenas de la abuela con miel. This is my Sagittarian recipe for @holidaygoddessguide sag loves fiery hot fried food, purple is Jupiter’s colour, and Spain a sag country. This tapas recipe is a dead cert for the archer. Topped with Venusian honey… #astrology #planetarydiet #recipes #tapas
I made Mas Huni, a Maldivian breakfast dish, using I made Mas Huni, a Maldivian breakfast dish, using smoked tuna from @thetinnedfishmarket I like a savoury breakfast and this hits the spot. I have a post up on the blog tomorrow by Mary Wedgewood who has just spent a year teaching in the Maldives- a very different experience from the sun, sand and luxury you get in the resorts. #tinnedfish #maldives #mashuni
Last night I went to see @lacliquetheshow in a spi Last night I went to see @lacliquetheshow in a spiegeltent (a kind of wooden tent) in Leicester Square, London. A series of neo-circus acts, some rather saucy with a wonderful torch singer with top bants entertained us. A real Christmas treat- it’s only on for 8 weeks. Probably not for children although I recall my parents taking me and my younger brother and sister to see the original cast of the Rocky Horror Show in kings road. Us kids were gob smacked yet inspired.  @multitudemedia thank you  #cabaret #circus #christmastheatre #london
A quick butternut squash soup in the @vitamixuk wi A quick butternut squash soup in the @vitamixuk with Austrian pumpkin oil and pistachios as I’d run out of pumpkin seeds. Served in enamel mugs (I love enamel, it’s lightweight and unbreakable . The chips just give it more character. #soup #autumn #enamelware
I went to the most fabulous dinner tonight in this I went to the most fabulous dinner tonight in this old theatre near London Bridge, with actors playing the roles of famous French cheeses. The food was great, the company charming, the atmosphere, like being at the Kit Kat club in cabaret, and le fromage divine. #enjoyitsfromeurope #cheeseatheart #cheesesfromfrance #frenchloveaffair
Lebu or Bengali lemon in Whitechapel. These are so Lebu or Bengali lemon in Whitechapel. These are so floral. You just use the zest, there isn’t much juice or flesh. A pound each which is cheap. Just turn left out of Whitechapel station and most of the greengrocers have them. Do not confuse with lime. These are big and knobbly. #london #citrus #elizabethline #bengalifood
Incredibly cute single grilled sandwich maker made Incredibly cute single grilled sandwich maker made in Singapore @brunohotplateuk it comes in pink, lilac and red. It has multiple attachments for donuts, tarts, waffles, taiyaki fish waffles. Going to try it out tomorrow. Love the design and colours, it’s sturdiness- it’s metal. It’s sort of barbie industrial. #kaiwai #kitchengadgets #design #toasties #taiyaki #
Home grown poblano chillies. They didn’t reach t Home grown poblano chillies. They didn’t reach the size of one’s from Mexico, which are more like bell papers. But it’s virtually impossible to get fresh poblanos in the UK. It’s a shame as they are very mild, a more interesting flavour than bell peppers. They are wonderful stuffed, in soup or to make the Mexican national dish - poblanos with walnut sauce. #londongarden #londonmexicanfood
I’ve been doing the tube game, no cheating, no c I’ve been doing the tube game, no cheating, no conferring. This score means I’m officially a nerd according to @helenlewisposts I’ve always thought if I were kidnapped and held in solitary Terry Waite style, that this is how I’d pass my time, remembering every stop on the London Underground. They should do one for the paris metro. I lived in paris for 5 years so I wonder how I’d do with that. This is the link if you want to have a go: https://london.metro-memory.com
Russell Norman’s latest book Brutto @bru.tto all Russell Norman’s latest book Brutto @bru.tto all about florentine food and Tuscan recipes. Beautifully designed, great photos. Recipes include florence favourites such as panini con lampredotto ( tripe- not for me thanks), schiacciata, negronis. Can’t say I’m a fan of salt less Tuscan bread though ( introduced due to the salt tax) but Russell explains it’s never supposed to be eaten on its own but as a mop for highly flavoured sauce. There are a lot of neat recipes but also plenty of vegetarian ones. Want to try the sugar caramelised pecorino. The book has the Russell Norman trademark of an exposed and stitched spine. Lovely design as ever. One for the Christmas lists. Also thankyou to @eburybooks for their quick efficiency in sending me the book. I do review books: for my blog, for social media and also for newspapers. Yet I struggle to get hard copies of books- looking @murdochbooks_uk for instance. I’ve asked for @tessakiros and @missfoodwise latest books but impossible. Sometimes publishers say we can send an e version. NO! Books are physical objects: the paper, the typeface the feel are all important otherwise I’ll just read a website. Also writers get paid SO little the least publishers can do is send you an actual book. Do they expect us to buy the copies? I find they’ll often send some shitty little TV cook or minor celebrity book or my particular personal horror- wellness books- but not actually something you want to review. Rant over. Not the authors fault but the publishers. #cookbook #review #publishers
Ophelias first birthday party. I made a smash cake Ophelias first birthday party. I made a smash cake: something babies have now, which means they can ‘smash’ it or plunge their face in. It was sugar free, gluten free etc. but Ophelia was rather refined while picking at it. She’s a little lady. Lots of presents, food, cakes, babies, tears and tantrums ( the latter from mum and grandma) #granfluencer
Happy first birthday to my granddaughter Ophelia. Happy first birthday to my granddaughter Ophelia. It’s brilliant being a grandma, nostalgia for the time my daughter was a baby. Having children is so interesting. It’s hard but worth it. I’m making her a smash cake for her party tomorrow. Find out more then… #granfluencer #ophelia #firstbirthday  1) & 2) Ophelia aprés Dégas  3) munchkin pumpkin.  4) winsome  5) bit rheumy with her mum.  6) trying on grandma’s sliders.  7) she has a teeny light up electric toothbrush with which she can clean her 4 teeth.  8) dress from portobello £2 and she has the most brilliant laugh.  9) her eyes have now turned golden brown but here she still had the new born’s blue eyes.
As it’s #worldpastaday I’ve made a little reel As it’s #worldpastaday I’ve made a little reel of my few days in Firenze or Florence. It’s horrendously crowded but glowing with golden romance. At the central market you can eat the local focaccia sandwiches ‘schiacciata’ often with tripe ‘lampredotto’ (boak), or pasta with truffles. Elsewhere you can drink affogato , a small coffee with gelato, you can walk over the pontevecchio bridge, lined with glinting jewellery shops, you can visit the uffizi gallery, the painted ceilings, the cherubs, the somber and carnal portraits, you can crane your neck up to the green and cream marble stripes of the churches, you can visit the paper makers of hand marbled stationery, and at the end of the day you drink a perfect sunset negroni with aperitivo snacks then take the tram to your hotel and plan to visit again when it’s quieter. When is it quiet? January? October was rammed. #travelandfood #solotravel #florence #firenze #italy
Today 21st October is #worldrepairday. I’ve been Today 21st October is #worldrepairday. I’ve been attending a workshop @camden_fixing_factory to learn how to repair toasters, kettles, fans, irons etc. we get them from a local dump, fix them then give them to charity. Very few actually need repair: they are thrown away because they have limescale ( a real problem with London water) or are dirty or something minor.  First we do a visual inspection - what appears to be wrong with it? Then we do a connectivity test with two probes to see if there is a circuit. Then a Pat test to see if it passes. Then we plug it in: does it work? With a toaster does the press down, pop up mechanism work? Does it toast? Then we clean it thoroughly- vacuuming all crumbs and polishing so that it looks almost as good as new. This is part of a European movement called Right to Repair @r2reurope whereby fixing things not just dumping in landfill is encouraged- not just on a personal level but businesses and manufacturers too. It’s very satisfying being things back to life. Next week kettles! #righttorepairmovement #camden
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Archives

Copyright © 2023 msmarmitelover