Be Afraid, Very Afraid…I’ve Written A Book
So I’ve written a book. Yikes! It’s called 101 Sandwiches and is due to be published by Dog n Bone Books in the autumn. What’s that? You think sandwiches aren’t important enough to fill a whole book? Think. Again. There are some incredible sangers being eaten around the world and I’ve selected the best of them. There’s a recipe for every sandwich featured and the book will have chapters on all time classics; street food; curry and spice; summer and BBQ; ‘project sandwiches’ for when you’re feeling ambitious; well connected sandwiches; a luxe category and also some sweet tings for you strange people who like that weird sugar stuff.
The sandwiches featured veer from the well known like the Japanese katsu sando and the American Reuben, through some you may not have heard of like the Barros Luco, the vada pav and rou jia mo, then right out to the other side to the outrageous, like the francesinha which is a Portugese beast featuring several types of meat, cheese and BEER SAUCE. Beer. Sauce. There’s even a contribution from everyone’s favourite pub landlord, Oisin Rogers of The Ship, who dreamily explains the concept of the fridge buffet.
I thought I’d also offer a little bit of advice for anyone else who is thinking about writing a book. So here goes…
1. Do NOT, under any circumstances, download ‘Ninja Fishing‘ for the Iphone.
2. Get a lot of tea in. I thought I drank a lot of tea but it turns out I knew nothing about the upper limits of normal. Nothing.
3. Have other people around like housemates, mates, boyfriend/girlfriend so when someone says, ‘does anyone want anything from the shop?’ You can shout YES!! I would like this and this and this and TEA and this and MILK and this and this and this and on and on and on until they HATE you. Then when your book is published they will feel obliged to buy and rave about it and they will hate you even more*.
3. Buy several new sets of pyjamas. You’ll be spending a lot of time in them.
4. Find a comfy place to work. I’m not a freelancer, and so I’m not used to working from home. Writing a book perched on a wooden kitchen chair with an insufficiently padded cushion beneath your numb arse cheeks for 5 hours is not the way forward.
5. Do not do a PhD at the same time as writing a book.
6. Do not do a a 9-5 job at the same time as a PhD at the same time as writing a book.
7. Download some proper writing software. I had a conversation with a friend that went like this:
Him: ‘what software are you using?’
Me: ‘say what now?’
Him: Oh Jesus, you’re not using Word are you?’
Me: ‘er, yeah’
Him: ‘PAAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHA (seriously you need to download Scrivener)’
So there we have it. Pretty profound shit I think you’ll agree. As I say, the book will be out in the autumn. At the moment someone else is doing the photography and that kind of stuff which is frankly a huge relief because the idea of ‘food styling’ makes me want to poke myself in the eye with cutlery tied together with raffia, or perhaps a piece of gingham ribbon.
*small voice* please buy it…
Category: 101 Sandwiches, My book!, Sandwiches | Tags: 101 sandwiches, book about sandwiches, dog and bone books, Helen Graves 101 Sandwiches, Helen Graves cook book, sandwich book, sandwich recipe book 115 comments »
March 20th, 2013 at 10:01 am
Congratulations! I can’t wait to have a look. Will we get any sneak previews?
March 20th, 2013 at 10:02 am
Thank you! I’ll see what I can do *tee hee* (yes)
March 20th, 2013 at 10:04 am
Many, many congrats! You are amazing – so happy for you. Well done, you xo s
March 20th, 2013 at 10:06 am
can I have a free signed copy?
March 20th, 2013 at 10:06 am
Thank you Shayma! Very exciting.
March 20th, 2013 at 10:07 am
Donald you need to sign out of my account before you comment, it looks like I’m talking to myself
March 20th, 2013 at 10:09 am
can I have a free signed copy?
March 20th, 2013 at 10:11 am
I SUPPOSE so
March 20th, 2013 at 10:17 am
Sandwiches are not my thing usually….you make it sound so exciting! I look forward to buying your book….your comments about writing at home made me laugh…I just finished my PhD and could totally relate to that!
March 20th, 2013 at 10:18 am
A book about sandwiches???? But Helen, what do you know about sandwiches? I don’t think I have ever heard you even mention them before, let alone write about them…….
Seriously, congratulations, looking forward to see it in the flesh, or pulped wood form, or whatevs…
March 20th, 2013 at 10:19 am
Ha ha ha ha, a fellow ‘sufferer’! Perhaps I can covert the non-sandwich lover?
March 20th, 2013 at 10:19 am
I KNOW, RIGHT?! I’d barely eaten them before…(also thanks!)
March 20th, 2013 at 10:21 am
Ah massive congrats! Cannot wait for this!
March 20th, 2013 at 10:22 am
Thank you!
March 20th, 2013 at 10:54 am
AMAZING. I can’t wait to see it. Huge congratulations!!
March 20th, 2013 at 10:55 am
Thanks Chloe!
March 20th, 2013 at 11:02 am
Brilliant news! I’m not keen on sarnies, but I’m happy to be converted!
March 20th, 2013 at 11:04 am
Ha ha, excellent. I shall spread the sandwich love!
March 20th, 2013 at 11:23 am
can’t wait to get this! already have the encyclopedia of sandwiches under my belt as a bible but this looks even better.
March 20th, 2013 at 11:26 am
I will pay actual cash money for this! There are many sandwiches that intrigue me but I’ve never made them because I want a definitive recipe (medianoche, monte cristo, kentucky hot brown) and I look to you to provide!
March 20th, 2013 at 11:27 am
Thank you! I hope you like it.
March 20th, 2013 at 11:27 am
HA HA! Actual cash! Love it. I actually could do another 101…
March 20th, 2013 at 11:44 am
Wooo! Congratulations, Helen!
March 20th, 2013 at 11:45 am
Thanks Su-Lin!
March 20th, 2013 at 11:57 am
i am very very excited about this.
March 20th, 2013 at 11:58 am
Wahey!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
This is the best thing since sliced bread!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Congratulations! It looks amazing. Nb, the software tip actually is gold. I wish someone had said that to me before I got 7/8 of the way through mine.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:24 pm
YES! Been waiting for a sandwich pun.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:24 pm
Thank you! Yeah…it’s a corker alright. Thank you to Andrew Webb for that one (http://www.foodjournalist.co.uk/)
March 20th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
Congratulations !
Finishing is a bitch.
Scrivener is the way to go best writing software I’ve ever used.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
Thank you! I agree, finishing is, indeed, a bitch
March 20th, 2013 at 12:34 pm
Congratulations! The awful thing is that one feels obliged to start cleaning the effing house again once the book is put to bed. Today I loathe sandwiches after doing a ‘simple’ sandwich lunch for 25 (charity do). How can it take so bloody long to make 5×25 sandwiches? Promise to buy your book to read what I’m doing wrong.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:35 pm
Ha ha ha ha. Answer is it takes a looooong time. It also means a lot of weight gain.
March 20th, 2013 at 12:45 pm
Fantastic – look forward to reading it!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:47 pm
Cheers J!
March 20th, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Congrats Helen, I can wait to drool all over it. Will you let us know when we can pre-order/post a link?
March 20th, 2013 at 1:15 pm
Fantastic news, well done Helen! To be a not satisfied customer here though, what about all of your other superb recipes? Are we going to see any of them in print? I bought Lisa’s book based on her blog (http://homesicktexan.blogspot.co.uk/). Well worth a read!
March 20th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Will do! And thanks.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Well, you never know Jimlad…watch this space
March 20th, 2013 at 1:35 pm
Brilliant! Look forward to finding a new sandwich or two
March 20th, 2013 at 1:40 pm
I hope so!
March 20th, 2013 at 1:45 pm
One word: AMAZING. In the words of Liz Lemon – ‘I believe that all anyone really wants in life, is to sit in peace and eat a sandwich’.
March 20th, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Goddamit I wish I’d put that quote in the book!
March 20th, 2013 at 2:41 pm
Yup, this makes sense. Not many people SHOULD be doing it, but you’re certainly one of them. You dish it out lady, and i’ll pay hard cash.
March 20th, 2013 at 2:51 pm
Amazing, I can’t wait to get my hands on this. Congratulations!
March 20th, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Ha ha! Thank you. Awesome comment.
March 20th, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Cheers Suz!
March 20th, 2013 at 3:37 pm
I look forward to this and being inspired for my 2014 lunches….
March 20th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
Cheers James!
March 20th, 2013 at 5:40 pm
Congratulations on your book! So wait, if you’re doing a PhD while writing a cookbook, aren’t you writing two books at once? WOW. You win.
March 20th, 2013 at 5:45 pm
Have pre-ordered on Amazon. Can. Not. Wait.
March 20th, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Aww cheers Ben! I didn’t even realize it was available for pre order until someone told me!
March 20th, 2013 at 5:57 pm
Ha ha! GOOD POINT.
March 20th, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Good for you Helen. I look forward to reading it. Hope there are some veggie ones in there.
March 20th, 2013 at 8:08 pm
Job, phd AND book? Are you superwoman or something? I am seriously impressed.
The book looks great, can’t wait to read it and get making some sandwiches!
March 21st, 2013 at 9:37 am
Fantastic news – congratulations! Looking forward to seeing it in the flesh
March 21st, 2013 at 9:37 am
Cheers!
March 21st, 2013 at 9:38 am
AND a nervous breakdown!
March 21st, 2013 at 9:38 am
Thank you! And of course…
March 21st, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Great post – looking fwd to working on the book!
March 21st, 2013 at 12:22 pm
Thanks Mark!
March 21st, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Very VERY well done Helen. Looking forward to getting a copy. Hope you’ll be doing a launch event of some kind so we can buy direct from you or the publisher rather than through Amazon etc. Or do online pre-order numbers help the publisher decide on how many will be in the first print run?
March 21st, 2013 at 1:06 pm
Thanks Russ! As for the launch, yes, probably. As for the publishing question, absolutely no idea whatsoever.
March 21st, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Looking forward to this. And thanks for the info about Scrivener, I didn’t know about that and am embarking upon two books as we speak…
March 21st, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Excellent, glad to be of assistance! It’s awesome.
March 22nd, 2013 at 4:01 am
Gorgeous post – made me giggle.
Nice tip about the software – I had no idea either.
I can’t wait to see the book – hope it makes it to the antipodes.
March 22nd, 2013 at 8:06 am
AWESOME. Massive congrats. Ever thought about also writing a book about how to write a book?
March 22nd, 2013 at 9:23 am
How lovely. I don’t do enough with sandwiches really. I ought to. I do love them.
March 22nd, 2013 at 11:38 am
Nice work, helen! Let me know when you’re doing the book signing and I’ll come along to buy a signed copy. Failing that, add my email to your mailing list when the book comes out and I’ll buy a copy on Amazon.
March 22nd, 2013 at 2:31 pm
Go Go gadget….Helen! ?
I could happily live on sandwiches alone so will definitely be buying your book and I have no doubt you’ll have found the very best sarnies to put in there.
So when’s the 101 spicy dishes edition happening? (no pressure ;D)
xx
March 22nd, 2013 at 2:39 pm
So do I! Ha ha.
March 22nd, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Ooh now there’s an idea, although I think that’s about all the advice I have in me ha ha.
March 22nd, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Yes! Everyone should be eating more sandwiches.
March 22nd, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Aww cheers Jim! Will do.
March 22nd, 2013 at 2:41 pm
yay! A fellow fanatic. Hmmm 101 spicy dishes eh..I’ll get onto it.
March 22nd, 2013 at 9:27 pm
A lifetime of sandwiches:
Childhood: Jam or Tomato Sauce (Did I have them together once)
Teens: Chip Butties
Inter Years: Anything so I can get back to work early (wasted food experiences)
Twilight Years: At last perfection with thick slices of wholemeal bread, four pieces of back bacon grilled so the fat is crispy, add lashings of Worcester Sauce. Now you are talking!!! (Will that make your book, call it number 102)
March 23rd, 2013 at 10:32 am
Ha! Well sure ill put it in (possible fib)
March 23rd, 2013 at 11:30 am
How exciting! Congratulations
March 23rd, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Cheers Jordi!
March 23rd, 2013 at 3:34 pm
Such awesome news. Sounds like a great book. Can’t wait to see it. Your advice is spot on.
Congrats!
March 23rd, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Looks great! I’d love a sneaky preview. In particular I love visual design, and I’d like to see how this was done in the book.
Congratulations!
March 23rd, 2013 at 8:12 pm
Massive congratulations! And props, too: most people struggle to write a PhD while having absolutely nothing else to do other than write a PhD. I know I did!
More importantly, though, has the Trinidadian ‘bake and shark’ made it into 101 sandwiches? If not, you have to try it and it has to be in Vol. 2! Just watch Andrew Zimmern on Youtube trying to keep it in his shorts while eating two of the buggers.
March 25th, 2013 at 2:27 am
The advice is spot on …. and you know it…. x
March 25th, 2013 at 2:28 am
thanks!
March 25th, 2013 at 2:29 am
Awesome, I’ve never heard of the bake and shark. However I will look it up. Stat. Also, what was your PhD in?
March 25th, 2013 at 12:41 pm
Ohhh congrats on the book! I want to read it and make all the yummy sandwiches
March 26th, 2013 at 2:20 am
God bless you Helen. Your site has turned me into a sandwich fiend and now you have given me the pefect thing to fulfill my fiendish desires. Sandwiches rock!
March 26th, 2013 at 9:32 am
Thank you! Hope you enjoy it.
March 26th, 2013 at 9:32 am
Ha! Another convert. Result!
March 26th, 2013 at 2:34 pm
This book seems to be interesting, looking forward to take a look at it it so much!
March 27th, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Oooh I like the look of this!
March 28th, 2013 at 3:29 am
Hey, the bake and shark is amazing! It’s in the Naparima book; have you got it yet?
Did my PhD in Caribbean politics/development… that’s how I ended up out here!
March 28th, 2013 at 10:16 am
Yes I got it and now I can’t find it! I’m just moving house so when I sort my books out…
March 28th, 2013 at 10:16 am
I hope you like it!
March 28th, 2013 at 5:45 pm
I love sandwiches and I love books. I think that the combination must be splendid. Will definitely check it out!
March 31st, 2013 at 10:44 pm
oh my good god this sounds amazing. Consider it bought!
April 1st, 2013 at 12:53 pm
Thanks Rej!
April 3rd, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Amazing. This is wonderful news. It looks amazing and I can’t wait to get my mits on a copy. Mah-usive congratulations.
April 3rd, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Awww my fellow sandwich fan originale! Cheers dude.
April 3rd, 2013 at 3:08 pm
Hi Helen congrats! I meant to write to you – on your sandwich blog – about the Connaught’s (the Mayfair hotel) Croque Monsieur – served from 12-3 in the brassiere – it’s the best in town
Tony
April 3rd, 2013 at 3:15 pm
I shall check it out! Never found a good one. Thanks!
April 3rd, 2013 at 11:11 pm
Massive congratulations to you! Great work
)
April 4th, 2013 at 8:11 am
Thanks Jackie!
April 4th, 2013 at 3:26 pm
Just had a Croque at Connaught – they changed it to a toasty lol don’t dont do it!!
April 4th, 2013 at 3:28 pm
Whaaaaaa?! Not good though?
April 4th, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Yep it was good but new style – not worth going just for the Croque uses you r passing – your truffle version should be on menu!
April 4th, 2013 at 9:40 pm
Well, I agree, quite frankly. It should.
April 9th, 2013 at 7:59 am
congrats! Love how it looks (that font you use for your title, love it) – I’ve got my book out in May (the first of many I hope) and people don’t realise how much hard work goes into it. Well done and best of luck! Right, off to Amazon now to wish list it….!
April 9th, 2013 at 9:16 am
Thanks! I didn’t really have anything to do with the design to be honest but thanks anyway! Ha ha. Also, yeah, it’s hard work. What’s yours called?
April 9th, 2013 at 10:54 am
Sorry I am so late to this amazing news! Congrats Helen!
April 9th, 2013 at 10:55 am
Aww thank you!
April 9th, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Blimely Helen, glad you have got through it all. Just handed in draft myself and it sounds like you have had an interesting: OK- lets move,get ill, work full time and finish a PhD -lets do 100+ hours a week, not moving /increasing girth ride too! Think both aged since MSc!
If you are having a book launch can I come? As long as sandwiches of course
April 10th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Yeah, still doing the PhD here though! Damn that part time option ha ha. Yes I have aged a LOT since MSc! And yes of course you can come to the book launch
April 12th, 2013 at 9:37 pm
Congrats on the book – loved your advice to, made me lol