The Pioneer Woman Reads! (my cookbook)

Seems like just about everyone who reads food blogs knows about Pioneer Woman, the online persona of Ree Drummond, who counts Pioneer Woman Cooks among her popular web sites. Ree is arguably the biggest food blogger around, and she recently published a cookbook of her own:The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl . Her book tour had some crazy crowds - people waiting for FIVE hours to get a cookbook signed - and the book hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. Wild stuff.

Shortly before Ree's book came out, we chatted in email and I offered to send her a copy of my cookbook. I did and recently she dropped me a note that included some very complimentary words about my book and an offer to send me one of hers. After squeaking just a bit to myself about what she said, I sent a couple of people email saying, "Look! It's the food blog version of Oprah saying: Great book! How cool is that?" someoneElse sent mail agreeing that it was a very cool thing and then, ever the supportive partner, asked, "Can you quote her?"

Um, er...have I ever mentioned I am horrible at self-promotion? I am. Total fail.

Give me a friend to talk about and I am all over it; I have fearlessly asked pretty famous people to do things that included giving money, and they did. So I know how. But do it for myself? Not a chance. ...although there was once when I asked the #1 expert in a topic to write the Foreword of a technical book I wrote...and the President of a major tech firm...well, okay, I guess I can sometimes. Or so someoneElse tells me.

After staring at the email for a few days, I took a deep breath and typed email that said, essentially, "May I quote you?" My crossed fingers clicked Send.

And I waited. And waited.

Note to self: Do not send important email to someone who is hours ahead of you late at night. Doubly so if they have crazy rancher's hours, as demonstrated by sunrise photographs. (I only get sunrise photographs if I am still awake, never if I am just awake.)

The next day, I got a sweet note back from Ree saying that I could reprint her words here. (Since there are no photos, the embarassing little happyDance I did in my kitchen did not happen, right?)

Withut further ado - because, really, enough already - here is what Pioneer Woman had to say about my cookbook:

You did a wonderful job on the cookbook---it's not just for kids, I would say. And the tips throughout the book are great...there's a real wealth of information in there. Bravo!

She said, Bravo! I must admit I love it when people say Bravo! about my writing. It makes me feel like I did something worthwhile with all those months of work.

Thanks again for the kind words, Ree! (I'm looking forward to your cookbook, although I have to buy more butter and, I fear, larger jeans.)