Let’s get one thing straight, I’m NOT a good cook! In fact I’m one of those cooks who often doesn’t measure ingredients, who makes do with what’s in the cupboard and therefore changes ingredients around and hopes for the best. I often think our grandmothers must have done the same during WW2.
And that is partly the reason that it’s taken me 20+ years to write my first WW2 recipe book…I just don’t think I’m good enough (oh and the lack of time due to my job and other family commitments).
I’m 60 next year and I want to achieve my dream, to create and publish my first proper cook book. A keepsake of my re-created WW2 recipes, re-created, re-photographed, re-written, in full colour, in a beautiful book…. More info here >>> https://the1940sexperiment.com/ration-book-recipes-new-book/
I’ve taken that first step. All the outline and costings are done and today I am deciding what recipes I will re-create for book 1. See my screenshot below…
I’ve dusted off my DSLR camera, located an area in the house where I will be able to set up props and photograph my food, bought a couple of backdrops when creating the scene for the food photo (see below) and once my final list of recipes is decided on, I’ll schedule baking days into some weekends where I can re-create and photograph recipes. My goal is to bake and photograph 8 recipes per month and to get the book completed and ready for printing in April 2026.
Thanks for all your support and all the sign-ups to be notified when the book is ready for order. This has really encouraged me to get this project moving!!!
Much love, C xxxx
I cannot wait for this, I have followed you for a long time and love your enthusiasm for WW2, bring it on 👏🏼❤️ xx
Thank you Andrea, I really way to put a lot of effort into the book and make it beautiful and unique, it will be a huge passion project with a number of annual volumes produced! Cxx
This is super exciting and a massive undertaking! Congratulations and huge good luck!
I know self-publishing isn’t cheap so do shout if you need contributions to your costs. (Can you tell I’m looking forward to your book?!)
Francesca x
Thanks so much, no it is expensive but my dream is to do everything myself from creating, photographing, writing, laying it out, printing, marketing and distributing… a big project but so exciting! Nearer the time I will open up pre-orders to the sign-up list and this will offset the printing costs. I hope to release the book in runs of 200 books to start with xxxx C
Well done! I hope your ‘baby’ is a great success for you and I look forward to buying a copy hot off the press.
Have you considered publishing via Amazon? It’s free. I’ve published my book on there, and the setup is really very good. You also get the option of Ebook, paperback, hardback, and large print—which may be handy for older audiences—and if you make your book available for Kindle Unlimited, you get paid per page view. I’m not on commission; I’m just very impressed by it, and you don’t have to worry about postage or refunds, etc.
Happy to answer any questions you might have about it.
Good ideas Julie! Yes I’ve been publishing some blank notebooks via Amazon KDP over the last couple of years to familiarise myself with the process and last night was looking into the costs of producing a full colour hardback so this will definitely be an option for me and also Amazon FBA – I love the fact that you can order a copy of your book from Amazon before releasing it to check the quality. Love all these ideas, thank you xxxx I am thinking of the hardback book purchases getting a free eBook version and then also having a purely eBook version available at 50% less of the hardback version….it’s all so exciting! Can you put a link to your book here? I will definitely pick your brains over the next few months as things progress, thank you xxxx
My book is called, ‘To Weave A Tangled Web’ by J. M. Valentine. It’s a slightly spooky adventure set in 1870s Scotland and although the main character is an eleven-year-old girl, it’s written for people of our age who miss the sort of books we read when we were growing up. If you have a look on my website, jmvalentine.co.uk , you can see the covers I designed for the three books in the series. Amazon coped beautifully with the colours and the details – something I was worried about.
Definitely contact me; i’m always happy to help.
You can also find me on my YouTube channel Miss Worm https://youtube.com/@missworm?si=tx2CuNcoCUWrv6Kh
Thanks so much Julie, I will check out your books and YouTube channel and definitely reach out towards the end of the year as the book is nearing completion… xxx Thank you C
Forgot to put the book link!
https://amzn.to/4mUX71M
I really do appreciate your offer of advice and will definitely need to ask some questions and some help…. thank you xxxx
This is so exciting Carolyn! You have worked so hard over the years on this project putting your heart and soul into it. I wish you every success. Thank you for your hard work. June 💜
I’m so excited! It’s happening!
I’m looking forward to purchasing your book. I thoroughly enjoy your site.
It’s very exciting that things are happening, I wish you lots of luck with the whole process. It sounds like there are a few people around that can help you with advice on the publishing process. I hope it all goes well for you. xx
I’m so glad that you are making your book hardcover. I much prefer hardcover books to softcover books, particularly with recipe books. I’m really looking forward to your recipe book!
Brilliant just brilliant! Oh by the way, I have those glasses, mother in laws, but almost all the gilt & colour has been washed away, & I keep one in the lounge, just for catching spiders, to put back outside🕷️🫣😆
Wonderful beginning!
Such good news on your cookbook!!!
Wow! That all looks and sounds wonderful, but such hard work! Don’t forget to add some time for yourself, which includes resting before you are tired; I couldn’t enjoy a book, knowing that you had made yourself ill in the process. Take the greatest of care, Frances x
I’m so excited for this, I think it will be a fantastic addition to the history of domestic , small scale, real life cooking. Too many cook books are idealised or pretend to poshness. Wartime recipes by definition don’t! Looking forward to your first book.