And So the Research Begins...

As a new entrant to the large and scary world of cookbook publishing, my knowledge of how to approach literary agents and publishing houses is a bit... limited. Ok, so perhaps “a bit limited” isn't quite the right way to put that. Let's just say the phrase - utterly clueless - comes to mind. But being stubbornly determined to publish my cookbook, CELEBRATE: Food for Life's Special Occasions, I have purchased several how-to books on the matter in the hopes of finding the secret to publishing success. I must admit, whenever a new how-to book arrives from Amazon.com, I can't help but quickly flip through its pages looking for that sure-fire solution to getting published. Unfortunately, no Willy Wonka-esque golden tickets have fallen out from between the pages, and I am left to delve a little deeper into the books to research the topic as well as I can.

There is only one problem with my research. I've either purchased the wrong books or have lost the tolerance for textbooks that I built up in college. Regardless of the reason, every time I crack open one of those how-to-publish-your-book books, I find my eyes gradually becoming heavy, my head starting to ache, and my mind wandering to thoughts of spicy guacamoles and glasses of wine I once enjoyed.

Luckily, I have found an answer to my research problem – chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate. You see, not only am I a rabid chocoholic, but chocolate has small quantities of eye-opening caffeine that can help anyone plow through even the most boring of how-to text. Hence, the more chocolate you eat, the more caffeine you get, and the more reading you finish. (Assuming, of course, that you are not allergic to chocolate and/or caffeine. In which case, I advise you to try noisy foods like popcorn, potato chips, or a sizzle platter of fajitas to keep you awake.) And if you are looking for a snack to enjoy while reading about query letter drafting or copyright law, I recommend the following:

Crumble a fistful of Oreos overtop a scoop or two of chocolate ice cream. Then, smother the lot with a healthy drizzle of warm chocolate sauce and enjoy by the spoonful.

Though it's not exactly a recipe I would write in my cookbook, I must say it is a simple, satisfying, and utterly delicious dish that every sleepy-eyed, chocoholic, wannabe author is sure to enjoy.