Author: Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

Ellen Whitfield is senior publicist at Books Forward, an author publicity and book marketing firm committed to promoting voices from a diverse variety of communities. From book reviews and author events, to social media and digital marketing, we help authors find success and connect with readers.  Interested in what's possible for your book sales and building readership? Check out our services, tell us your goals, and get a customized publicity campaign tailored just for you.

10 Cookie Things You Need to Celebrate October’s National Cookie Month

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Well dear reader, it’s National Cookie Month, and we’ve been concocting this post for you in celebration! We’ve got cookie cravings pretty bad over at JKS, and we hope to inspire some of your own baking adventures before month’s end (if we do, we welcome your cookie gifts at the office!). Join some of the JKS staff in a breakdown of our favorite cookie recipes and gizmos!

 

Mascarpone Semifreddo from The New York City Kitchen Cookbook by Tracey Ceurvels

If you’re looking to get creative with your cookie month celebration, Tracey Ceurvels’ Mascarpone Semifreddo recipe is a perfect way to shake up the dessert table!  A perfect marriage of ice cream and mousse, this recipe’s crumbled anisette cookies add a delightful touch to the diverse flavor and texture. Don’t let the complexity intimidate you, all you’ll need is a blender and a freezer. Assistant Publicist Max loves Tracey’s inventive cookie recipe!

Get the recipe and buy the cookbook here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781510721128.

 

 

 

Carol’s Beet and Acorn Cookies

If you’re a fan of The Walking Dead then you may have heard about this new cookbook, AMC The Walking Dead The Official Cookbook and Survival Guide… and you’ll definitely remember how Carol nearly scared the bejesus out of a small child as she baked these iconic cookies. Celebrate the spookiest month of all with cookies fit for the zombpocalypse!

In true apocalypse fashion, Carol Peletier takes advantage of the limited cooking resources around her to whip up a batch of unique desserts using beets and acorn flour. In spite of the unorthodox ingredients, these cookies are surprisingly sweet (and delicious to boot!)

Get the recipe and buy the cookbook here:

https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781683830788

 

 

Homemade Cookie Jar

Once you’ve really gotten up and running with your at-home cookie factory, you’ll need a sweet spot to store them. We just love this charming cookie jar from Crate & Barrel that makes sure to let all your friends and family know your cookies were made at home!

Buy the jar here: https://www.crateandbarrel.com/homemade-cookie-jar/s325053

 

 

 

 

Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies 2.0

For people with allergies, gluten-related issues, and paleo diets, “Real Deal Chocolate Chip Cookies 2.0” is a great option. With advice on how to sub out common allergens, this recipe of gooey chocolatey deliciousness is the perfect option for anyone celebrating national cookie month, especially those with restricted diets. Publicist Sydney highly recommends these for any g-free eaters!

Get the recipe by buying the book here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781628600421

 

 

 

 

U-Taste 10 Piece Measuring Cups and Spoons Set

Let’s face it… your measuring cups and spoons set probably haven’t matched in years (ours don’t). But this set of everything is matching, cheery, and will have you a lot more excited about all your upcoming baking projects. Senior Publicist Angelle swears by these, and we know you will too.

Get the set here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L26QE14/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

 

 

Smitten Kitchen’s Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

Every once in a while you just need peanut butter in your life…and these are the best cure for that craving!

Publicist Ellen says these are her absolute go-to when the peanut butter bug bites! https://smittenkitchen.com/2015/10/salted-peanut-butter-cookies/

 

 

 

 

 

Donia Bjian’s Orange Cardamom Cookies

If you’re looking for the perfect cookie to pair with your tea service, look no further. These delicate, buttery cookies pair with the crisp fall weather we begin to see each October and are the perfect snack to have on hand while you devour Bijan’s beautiful memoir. Part cookbook and part recollection of her family’s escape from political revolution and terror in Iran in the 1970’s, Bijan reminisces about the culinary landscape of her childhood while also informing us about how the rest of her life in the U.S. has played out as a Persian-American. A truly literary journey into a cookie world we can all get behind!

Get the recipe by buying the book here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9781565129573

 

 

 

Custom Cookies

When a special occasion calls for a special cookie, check out our favorite custom bakery, Lawrence Deans Bake Shop! These cookies can have anything magically printed on them! From baby pictures to book covers, there’s not a sweeter way to say “I care” than a custom cookie! Check out this awesome example from local Nashville author Peggy O’Neil Peden’s launch party at Parnassus Books!

http://www.lawrencedeans.com/

 

 

 

 

Holiday Sugar Cookies

Senior Publicist Sara swears by Joanne Chang’s sugar cookie recipe. According to her it’s THE best sugar cookie recipe of all time (even beat out her family’s time-honored recipe and had everyone raving). Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter… any time you want a traditionally decorated sugar cookie, you just can’t beat these for their mouth-watering perfection. Sara hosts cookie decorating parties and suggests you do the same (and share your pics with us on our Instagram at @jkscommunications when you do!).

Get the recipe by buying the book here: https://www.indiebound.org/book/9780811869447

 

 

Get a cookie cutter shaped like your FACE!

One of life’s greatest mysteries is what you and your loved ones would look like as cookies. Etsy user UniqueCookieCutter has finally come up with a way to find out! Just send in a picture, and watch your cookie-self come to life! Perfect for weddings, birthdays, or those rainy Sundays when you just want to curl up by a fire and eat a bunch of your own delicious faces.

Get your UniqueCookieCutter here

 

 

 

#Tips for Making the Most of #BookExpo

Posted on | by Ellen Zielinski Whitfield | 1 Comment on #Tips for Making the Most of #BookExpo

Here we are, the annual Book Expo America has come and publishers, authors, booksellers and publishing industry professionals are abuzz with the glow of all things new-book for the week at Javitz Center in New York.

As a book publicity firm, we have many of our authors attending for the amazing networking benefits and/or to speak in panels, sign books for fans, and partake in the convention hype. For industry veterans, BEA is a productive and sometimes stressful week full of meetings with little time to connect with all the work friends cultivated over the years.

For first-time published authors, BEA can be a very intimidating experience. Several of my clients have asked me what to expect and how to take advantage of their first BEA—a memorable experience to be sure. Here are my tips for having the Best BEA as an author or industry member.

    • Smile! BEA is the largest book event of the year, so there will be thousands of industry professionals (agents, publishers, editors, etc.) and authors roaming around the floors. You never know who you may bump into, literally, so be sure to keep a smile on your face and be kind to all you meet. That guy you spilled your Starbucks on after waiting for 35 minutes might end up being the agent of a good friend who is looking for new authors, and this “bad luck” might turn into your introduction to a powerful ally for your career.
    • Network! It’s a bit like the Wild West, and unless you’re a featured author on a major panel event, it’s tough to get personal attention. So it’s really about the networking—you never know who you may meet and where the connection could lead. Be friendly to anyone on the floor, in the food area, or at panel events. Chat with people before and after events. Create personal connections, and don’t talk shop too much here…that’s for later! 😉
    • Take photos with people, ideally showing book covers when possible. Tag them on social media so you follow each other there and can help cross promote things later!
    • Figure out the badges. Different types of attendees wear different colored badges for media, industry, bloggers, authors, etc. Figuring out which color is which can help you network more easily.
    • Don’t be self-important. I’ve seen authors go to BEA and just chat endlessly about their work, their goals, and how amazing their career is. This is the wrong approach to take. If everything is so great, sounds like that person doesn’t really need help…right? Authors that talk about their own careers a lot seem to be self-validating and trying to prove they belong at BEA. Instead, try to really ask questions and present yourself authentically as an equal in all your conversations, no matter where you may be in your publishing journey. No one likes a know-it-all, but everyone loves a new friend.
    • Take Notes. While you are doing your fabulous networking, you will think you can remember each person and his or her fascinating story. Not so much. Take notes after you walk away from conversations—name, description of appearance, what you talked about, and any notes on what you want to remember about them to follow up on later. This will make it easier to reach out later via email or social media. Once you’ve made “first contact” in person, you can follow up later with any business-y asks if that makes sense for this new relationship.
    • Wear comfy shoes—you will walk for miles and miles on that enormous conference floor! Not even your end of the day martini can save tired toes if they’ve been in too-high heels or arch-less flats all day long.
    • Don’t take every free book. After my first BEA I came home laden with about 40 books… more than I could ever need. Don’t fight people for them, don’t take them before they’re officially out on the free tables, and certainly don’t take more than you can comfortably carry around all day long. It is hard to pass up free, awesome books, but you’ll thank me later for being more discerning! Going along with this…don’t wear a backpack or bring a cart to carry them in—attendees that do so look like novices there for free swag rather than serious attendees.

    Whether you’re attending BEA this year for the first time or the fifteenth time, have a wonderful week!