Awards Season

The IPPY (Independent Publishers) Awards were just recently announced and Gibbs Smith brought home a totaly of 9 including a GOLD! Congratulations to all the authors for their incredible work!


In Architecture:

GOLD award went to Frank Lloyd Wright in New York by Jane King Hession and Debra Pickrel

BRONZE was awarded to The Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister by Chris Nichols

Children's Picture Books:

BRONZE went to Tim and Sally’s Vegetable Garden by Grady Thrasher

Cookbooks:

BRONZE for Honga’s Lotus Petal by Honga Inn Hopgood

BRONZE for Cristina’s Tuscan Table by Cristina Ceccatelli Cook

Environment/Ecology/Nature Gold:

SILVER (we tied with ourselves!) for Winning Our Energy Independence by S. David Freeman and The Hydrogen Age by Geoffrey Holland with James Provenzano

Home & Garden:

BRONZE to Farrow and Ball by Brian D. Coleman

Humor:

BRONZE for Chinglish by Oliver Lutz Radtke

Women's Issues:

BRONZE for Women of Courage: Intimate Stories from Afghanistan by Katherine Kiviat & Scott Heidler

Stone Designs for the Home reviewed in Alameda Times-Star

Stonemason John T. Morris' new book Stone Designs for the Home features some of the most intricate stone designs around.

See a recent review in Alameda Times-Star:

BBQ Joints are Real Simple

Real Simple Magainze has featured BBQ Joints author David Gelin in their Simply Stated food blog. Check out How to Pick a Good Restaurant according to David Gelin.

Habitat for Humanity Charity Book Signing

Gibbs-Smith author Carolina Fernandez signs copies of Country French Kitchens at Habitat for Humanity's Charity Book Signing at Aitoro's Appliance Store in Westport, CT

Author launches book website

Peter Moruzzi, author of Havana Before Castro, announces his new website promoting the book. With a "Press Room," chapter titles and a collection of images from the book, the site is functional as well as attractive in its design. Check it out! www.havanabeforecastro.com

Put Your Life on a Diet...

Gregory Johnson, author of Put Your Life on a Diet: Lessons Learned from Living in 140 Square Feet

interviewed in The New West Magazine...

Visit Greg's Web site here: www.resourcesforlife.com

The reviews are in...

Havana Before Castro, The New Asian Home and Stone Designs for the Home all just received great reviews from Library Journal.

Congrats to Peter Moruzzi,

Kendra Langeteig and John Morris!

The New Asian Home
This lavishly illustrated book features homes located throughout the United States, including Hawaii, "that represent some of the most interesting and important examples of Asian influence in the new ecology of American home design." Color photographs depict a variety of home styles, from classic interpretations of Japanese domestic architecture to Balinese pavilions. For each of the 23 structures, design writer Langeteig describes the inhabitants' lifestyles and the aesthetic sense that made the choice of an Asian style so appealing. How the designers and architects incorporated these influences is also discussed. Included is Melody Woods III, which is completely furnished with acclaimed Japanese American woodworker George Nakashima's work. Recommended for large interior design collections.

Stone Designs for the Home
The work of stone mason Morris, founder of Stone Age 2000, has appeared in Architectural Digest and other design magazines. Here, he revisits seven commissions and discusses how he worked with the homeowners to create walls, fireplaces, bathrooms, and even complete interiors in stone. This book is generously illustrated with color photographs of Morris's work that show the use of a variety of stone and styles. Recommended for large interior design and landscaping collections.

Havana Before Castro: When Cuba Was a Tropical Playground
A fascinating look at Havana, visually rich with hundreds of photos and other unique images, this addition to the literature on one of the world's urban architectural treasures is authored by an architectural historian. Moruzzi's fluid text embellishes the illustrations, drawn mostly from his own collection. Havana enjoys a captivating history, and the legacy of gambling, hotels, drugs, sex, and nightlife makes for an unparalleled reading experience. Moruzzi emphasizes the building boom of the 1950s, when American mob characters benefited from President Fulgencio Batista's corrupt regime and tourists flocked to the enchanted island a mere 90 miles from America, helped by airlines and cruise lines offering tour packages to Havana. The vivid descriptions of casinos and hotels, many still standing, bring a lost era to life. This attractive book is written for a popular audience but is highly recommended for academic as well as public libraries.

Mermaid Mondays by Barbara Beery

Hidden Treasure Cupcakes
Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients
1 box strawberry cake mix
Apple juice or white grape juice
Eggs
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup mini marshmallow, white or colored
Frosting
1 can prepared vanilla frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1 /2 teaspoon almond extract
Paste food coloring, lime green
Pink sprinkles

Let’s get baking!
Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Place 24 paper muffin cup liners into each muffin cup. Spray each with cooking spray and set aside.
Cupcakes
Make cake mix according to designated measurements and directions on the package substituting apple or grape juice for water and adding vanilla and almond extracts.
Carefully fold marshmallows into batter and fill each cup 2/3 full.
Bake for 15 -20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.
Remove cupcakes from pan and cool another 15 minutes before frosting.
Frosting
Mix canned frosting, 1 cup powdered sugar, almond extract, and food coloring in a medium mixing bowl.
Frost each cupcake generously with frosting and decorate with pink sprinkles.

"Country French Kitchens" Park Avenue Launch Party

Author of "Country French Kitchens" Carolina Fernandez celebrates her launch party in a Park Avenue penthouse!

Be the Kid Who Knows All the Fun Games!

Bart King's The Pocket Guide to Games debuts in July, but here's a sneak peek!

Foam Noodle o’ War

2-plus players (the more, the better),1 referee

Any soft playing area—wrestling mats or a grassy field

Foam Noodle o’ War, cones or other markers

Before you can play Foam Noodle o’ War, first you have to make the Foam Noodle o’ War. Here’s how: Take an old bike tire and duct tape a number of foam swim noodles around it until it’s completely covered.

Now get your kids together. If you have enough of them (say, nine or more), separate them into three or more teams and have them number off within their team. Place the Foam Noodle o’ War at the center of your playing area. Teams should now spread out about 10 yards from the center of the playing area. Each team will have a “home cone” situated next to them.

The referee decides whether the kids will “combat (army) crawl” or race on all fours to the Foam Noodle o’ War. Either way, the referee then calls a number. Players with this number race (either crawling or crabbing) to the Foam Noodle o’ War and grab it. They then attempt to pull it over their cone, scoring a point. Of course, the other players will grab it and try to pull the Foam Noodle o’ War to their cone, and a tug of war ensues.

Players cannot impede each other’s progress, nor can spectators assist. Body weight is not necessarily the deciding factor here; players who can get to the Foam Noodle o’ War first have an advantage, as do those who keep their legs driving and their body weight low.

"The Sage Grouse Strut"

Salt Lake Tribune outdoors reporter Brett Prettyman interviews bird expert and author of the Backyard Birds Series Bill Fenimore about Sage Grouse in Utah.

TheNest.com features recipes from Donna Kelly's French Toast cookbook

FROM THE COOKBOOK

French Toast

Crunchy Graham Dipping Sticks
Makes 24 sticks

The sweet crunchy graham cracker coating will appeal to everyone in your family, young and old.

Ingredients

6 slices lightly toasted Texas-style toast (or other firm,

thick white bread)

1 cup heavy cream

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

9 graham crackers

Canola oil

Directions: Cut each bread slice lengthwise into four sticks. In a pie pan or other shallow pan, mix together the cream, eggs, vanilla and salt. Whirl the graham crackers in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Spread graham cracker crumbs on a plate. Dip sticks, one by one, into egg mixture and then press into cracker crumbs, coating thoroughly. Heat a little oil in a small frying pan. Cover and cook sticks over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Cool until warm enough to handle. Serve with a side of syrup and use your fingers to dip.

Visit: http://www.thenest.com/odb/themes/recipes/detailview.aspx?id=29552&type=7

"Small Parties" Booksigning in Omaha

This past weekend, in Omaha, Nebraska, I was fortunate to have 2 booksignings on the Saturday before Mother's Day.

The first was held in the early afternoon at The Bookworm, an independent bookseller, a charming little shop in a busy strip mall, and even though the day was stormy and wet, the customers were plentiful. They sampled my white chocolate dipped strawberries and lemon mascarpone cheesecake bars from my latest book, "Small Parties", released in January 2008.
The second was held later in the evening at the home of Missy Longo, hostess extraordinaire.
She had invited about 40 of her friends, family and neighbors to a sampling and signing at her lovely home. Her dining room table was laden with goodies from "Small Parties", including
hummus, blueberry lemon picnic cake, lemon mascarpone cheesecake bars, olive stuffed puff pastry, grilled shrimp and corn salsa, and deconstructed caprese salad, which I demonstrated to the ladies present. It was a successful signing, with Missy's retro designed aprons given to each person who purchased 2 or more of my books. My second book, "Small Plates" was also offered for sale.

Omaha is a very friendly a mid-western city, with much to offer in the way of great food shopping. Whole Foods is a staple in the western end of town, and their Costco is superb!
Even veal scalloppine is available in their abundant meat section, and their wines and spirits
section is much envied by those who don't have such a luxury in our Costco stores.

It was a wonderfully fulfilling weekend, with many books sold, many recipes shared and many days spent with family members and new friends who are supportive of my cookbook endeavors. Thanks, Omaha!

Marguerite Marceau Henderson

Judy Sheridan's How To Work With an Interior Designer reviewed in At Home in Arkansas

athomearkansasblog.com
How to Work with an Interior Designer


Photographs by Tim Lee Photography from How to Work With an Interior Designer by Judy Sheridan, ADIS, CID. Reprinted with permission by Gibbs Smith.

Judy Sheridan, ASID, CID, has written a wonderful book titled, How to Work with an Interior Designer. This informative read makes the case for engaging the services of an interior design professional. Sheridan demystifies the designer’s role, explains how to communicate your decorating vision and shows just how easy it is to let a professional handle the entire process. The beautiful photographs feature the work of more than 35 interior designers in a variety of styles and rooms. Sheridan walks through each phase of the process from finding your designer and creating a budget to completion and closure. Whether you’re building, remodeling or just wanting to spruce up a few rooms, pick up Sheridan’s book, and you’ll be on your way to a professionally designed home.

Get your kids talking at the dinner table

Barbara Beery on the TODAY SHOW

NBC Today Show to feature Gibbs Smith author Barbara Beery

Author of the Pink Princess series, Barbara Beery, will be cooking a Mother’s Day themed brunch on the Today Show Friday May 9th. Barbara is the author of so many great children's cookbooks, including The Pink Princess Cookbook, The Fairies Cookbook, The Mermaid Cookbook, and the soon to be released Pink Princess Tea Parities.

Dont miss Barbara tomorrow morning on NBC!

Behind the bookselling biz

Salt Lake City independent bookstore owner Betsy Burton gives insight into her book, The King's English.

Award winners!

PubWest recently announced their awards and Gibbs Smith proudly boasts 3 winning titles!

Cabin in the Woods won a BRONZE

Cristina's Tuscan Table brought home a SILVER

Trattoria Grappolo received a GOLD

Congratulations to all our authors for these outstanding books!

Infusing "joie de vivre" into the internet

Author of Country French Kitchens Carolina Fernandez has launched her own website with a calendar, a press room, and even a weekly newsletter. Visit the website and get lost in the best Country French Kitchens around.

Mother's Day Cake Creations

With Mother's Day only 9 days away ivillage has featured some great cakes mothers and daughters can make together. One of these amazing cakes is from our beloved Pink Princess Cookbook by Barbara Beery. Also featured is the very cute Easy Cut-Up Cakes for Kids by Melissa Barlow. Browse through all the delicious cakes and explore all the fun you can have with your little princess.