go little book, go...
some thoughts during pub week
Hi friends,
Thank you so much for the enthusiastic and sweet support you’ve shown me the past few days as WHAT GOES WITH WHAT flies very far away from my hands into all of yours.
A few years ago, one of my BFFs Amelia introduced me to ‘Envoy,’ Billy Collins’s poem that closes his book Aimless Love:
Go little book
out of this house
and into the world
Carriage made of paper
rolling towards town
bearing a single passenger
beyond the reach of this jittery pen
and far from the desk
and the nosy gooseneck lamp
It is time to decamp
put on a jacket and venture outside
time to be regarded by other eyes
bound to be held in foreign hands
So of you go, infants of the brain
with a wave and some bits of fatherly advice:
Stay out as late as you like
don’t bother to call or write,
and talk to as many strangers as you can.
Here is a very great video of him reading it and giving a bit of context for it.
Making WGWW felt different than any of my other books for reasons I’ve shared with you already (including working with my parents, taking the photos myself, having Haley in my corner, and getting to be in an ongoing conversation with all of YOU about it).
So it makes sense that getting the book out there also feels different than promoting my previous books.
Yes, the book industry has shifted along with social media, etc. But I think, in my tiny corner of the world, what’s changed is actually me.
I used to feel like my entire identity and self-worth were tied up in how well, or not, my books sold. Release days felt like championship fight days. So much rode on them.
But as thrilled and proud as I am about this book, I am so delighted that it’s not my whole life. Tuesday, the day it came out, I spent much of the day running errands, I lifted weights at the gym with my coach Matt (my bench press is feeling SO GOOD THESE DAYS!!!), and ended the day playing in the annual Long Season Farm softball game. Here’s a mildly embarrassing photo I took at home plate:
Instead of getting lost in the numbers of it all (book sales, rankings, likes, etc.), I have been thinking about other ways to measure success. Here are some thoughts I’ve had this week when I’ve reflected on the question of what success feels like.
It feels like my best friends cooking for their kids from the book
It feels like hearing from Marcus (hi, Marcus!) that the charts in WGWW are helping him feel confident to substitute something in a recipe because his husband doesn’t like bell peppers
It feels like the note I got from Victoria (hi, Victoria!) saying what it means for visual learners like her son to have the charts and that he already made a bean soup from the book
It feels like the texts I got from Grace after they listened to me live on ‘All of It with Alison Stewart’ telling me that they could hear “the impact of all of these years of teaching….you sound confident and assured in yourself”
It feels like hearing from so many people who see their experiences reflected in the conversation I included in the book between me and my mom about our bodies (see below for more)
It feels like having someone feel comfortable and safe enough to ask a question at my event on Wednesday night about navigating talking to her queer kid about their shared histories of eating disorders
I will let you know about more things I’m feeling and thinking as I continue to put this book out in the world. Thank you all for helping make it such a joyful experience.
Here are some more highlights from the past couple of very busy days!
WGWW contains a few essays and conversations, including the one I mentioned above with my mom about our bodies. SELF ran it on Tuesday along with an introduction I got to write about my mom’s history at SELF and a bit of the impact that had on both of us. You can read it here! I’ve heard from so many people who want to have this kind-of conversation with their parent(s) and I so grateful that my mom has been open to sharing all of this. I am really proud of her, and of us.
Emma Specter interviewed me about the book for Vogue! You’ve read her great book More Please, right?!
I got to talk to the kind folks at People magazine about the charts and they also ran the recipe for Beef, Spinach + Feta Meatballs!
The Columbia Daily Spectator wrote a profile about me (I’m Barnard Class of 2007! Anyone else??)
- continues to be one of the most supportive cookbook authors for other cookbook authors. I got answer her author Q&A here!
The one and only
shared the recipe for the Italian Sausage + Ricotta Meatballs (a riff on the Turkey Ricotta Meatballs from Small Victories!)I had such a wonderful conversation with Claire Lower for 177 Milk Street!
And another with Stacey Lindsay for Liberty Road.
And another with Julia Halperin for CULTURED (“Turshen’s philosophy is: give a man a fish recipe and you’ll feed him for a day; give him a matrix for how to approach cooking fish in general and you’ll feed him for a lifetime.”)
Unrelated but also related: I got to talk to Gloria about powerlifting!
A few places included WGWW on their ‘best cookbooks of the season’ lists!
PODCAST INTERVIEWS
I have the honor of calling
a friend and I am also such a FAN and truly loved talking to her for this episode of Burnt Toast.If you liked my conversation with Virginia, I think you’ll also really enjoy the conversation I got to have with
on her podcast!Mark Bittman was one of the first people in food media I worked for and then with. Getting to talk to him and his daughter Kate for their podcast felt incredibly full circle.
Loved my chat with Amy O’Neill Houck for Eat. Drink. Think. — she had wonderful questions.
My book tour has officially begun! I had such an amazing conversation Wednesday evening at the Rizzoli bookstore with Aliza Arbanel — that conversation will be an episode of TASTE podcast soon so I’ll be sure to share it once it’s up.
If you’re in/near the Hudson Valley this weekend, please come say hi at one, two or all three of these events! None of these are ticketed. All are welcome!
Sat. Oct. 19th from 9a - 12p / KINGSTON, NY: Book Signing at Kingston Farmers Market with Rough Draft Books
Sat. Oct. 19th from 4p - 7p / KINGSTON, NY: Queer Soup Night at Common Table with Oblong Books
Sun. Oct. 20th at 10:30a - 12:30p / RHINEBECK, NY: Book Signing at Rhinebeck Farmers Market with Oblong Books
The Queer Soup Night party tomorrow (Sat. 10/19) will feature 3 soups from the book and we’re raising money for the Beacon Prison Books Project. There will be drinks and cookies from Quay and bread and cheer and it will be the FIRST TIME I GET TO HANG OUT WITH HALEY IN PERSON!!!
And coming up soon…
*all of these require either free registration or tickets! please be sure to sign up!*
Thursday 10/24: Seattle with Molly Wizenberg (I know it says Kenji on the graphic below) but I will be in conversation with Molly who I adore and I’m so excited!
Friday 10/25: Chicago with Monica Eng
Monday 10/28: DC with Joe Yonan
Wed. 10/30: Connecticut with Virginia Sole-Smith
Friday 10/1: Brooklyn with Helen Rosner
Sun. 11/17: Cleveland with Aubrey Johansen
Mon. 11/18: Hudson, Ohio with TBD (likely my parents!!)
And before I go, a reminder that the giveaway I shared on Tuesday is IS OPEN UNTIL MONDAY!!
One lucky newsletter reader will receive a SIGNED copy of WGWW in the custom box my publisher has put together that also includes:
2 Better Than Bouillon Bases (Seasoned Vegetable and Vegetarian No Chicken)
The "7 Lists" zine that I made for everyone who preordered from Oblong Book…includes doodles by my mom!
An "Endless Possibilities of Salad Dressings" postcard
How cute is it??!?!?!
To enter, just click on the button below and fill out the form (entry ends end of the day next Monday / US residents only — apologies to my international friends!). Flatiron Books will be in touch with the winner for shipping info!
Okay — thanks everyone!! xooxoxoxoxooxox JT
OMG. I'm the Marcus with the husband who doesn't like bell peppers! I've been a fan of yours for a while now, and I have to say one of the things I admire most about you is how approachable and kind you are in all of those interactions. I'm spending most of the weekend and next week cooking from WGWW, and I can't wait. Love the book, and I'm so excited that you are feeling the love with its release!
Julia, I must know, what is your favorite better than bullion flavor? I just finished the one in my fridge (vegetarian no chicken) and I kind of want to try a new one!!!