My First Book Haul of 2023

There are many posts similar to this out there in the bloggerverse, and they usually highlight one genre or one reading age group. But not on this blog. I try to keep an open mind when it comes to what I read, though there will always be things I won’t read or review. We all have our preferences, and today’s book haul definitely reflects mine.

I got a gift card for a second hand book store over Christmas, and I was saving it for a rainy day. Well, today was that actual rainy day; this Monday dawned dreary and foggy and misty here in Pittsburgh, PA. And, if I’m being completely honest, I was actually having trouble spending the entire gift card. What?! How is this even possible!?

Oh, it’s possible. Especially when you’ve got a list and they didn’t have what you were looking for. So it turned into a combination of nonfiction titles that I’m honestly not mad about it at all. Any time I can get my hands on a book at a great price, then I’m a happy camper. Here are the books I scored in my first book haul of 2023!

Write Your Novel in a Month by Jeff Gerke

Everyone thinks about doing it, yet most people who do start a novel end up stalling after a few chapters. Where do these would-be novelists go wrong? Are the characters dull and cliched? Did the story arc collapse? Did they succumb to a dreaded bout of “writer’s block”? Or maybe it was all just taking too long?

These problems used to stop writers in their tracks, but nothing will get in your way after reading Write Your Novel in a Month. Author and instructor Jeff Gerke has created the perfect tool to show you how to prepare yourself to write your first draft in as little as 30 days. With Jeff’s help, you will learn how to organize your ideas, create dynamic stories, develop believable characters, and flesh out the idea narrative for your novel–and not just for the rapid-fire first draft. Jeff walks you through the entire process, from initial idea to the important revision stage, and even explains what to do with your novel once you’ve finished.

Whether you are participating in National Novel Writing Month or you’re simply hoping to complete a draft over winter break or your vacation, this book covers the entire scope of writing a novel and lays out exactly what you need to know to get it done fast and right.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser

A revised and updated edition of one of the most successful guides to writing ever published (one million copies sold).

A Classic in its Field, On Writing Well is the Indispensable reference tool for anyone who writes, wants to learn to write, or needs to do some writing to get through the day — as almost everybody does. Illustrated with examples of superb writing, the book covers a variety of subject areas, from travel, memoir, and science writing to business, sports, humor, and the arts. This expanded and updated edition features revised chapters, fresh examples of good writing, and two completely new chapters. One new chapter, “Enjoyment, Fear, and Confidence”, urges writers to live interesting lives and to trust their general intelligence. The other, “The Tyranny of the Final Product”, counsels writers not to try to visualize the complete article, but to focus on earlier decisions of selection, construction, and voice that will eventually let them know what their piece is about. Written by a master writer, editor, and teacher, On Writing Well is the writing book people swear by and love to recommend.

Published. by Chandler Bolt

Are you tired of “thinking about” writing a book, even making it a New Year’s Resolution, but never making it happen? Maybe you’ve been sitting on a finished manuscript for years waiting to press publish? Or maybe your book launch failed and you’re wondering what went wrong? In this conversational and action-oriented book, Chandler Bolt presents the proven path from blank page to published author and your first 10,000 copies sold. In Published. you will learn:

• The MORE Writing Method: how to write a quality book while saving 100’s of hours in the process
• How to save $1,000’s of dollars while producing a “traditionally-published quality” book on a budget
• Two proven launch strategies and dozens of marketing methods you can use to sell your first 10,000 copies
• How to sell more books after you launch and get booked for publicity, podcast, and speaking opportunities
• The only three ways to grow (or launch) your business using a book

Modern Comfort Cooking by Lauren Grier

In Modern Comfort Cooking, Lauren Grier takes your favorite classic dishes and makes them feel new and fun again with irresistible mash-ups and global twists. At its heart, this cookbook is a celebration of today’s fresh flavors and real foods that comfort the belly and soul. Spice up your weeknight dinner or savor the weekend with 75 exceptional recipes such as Korean BBQ Burger with Miso-Candied Bacon, Falafel Waffle, Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Crepes and Mumbai Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Salsa.

Wholesome ingredients from the farmers’ market paired with mouthwatering spices ensure that every bite will open your senses in all the best ways. Genius reinventions of fast-food dishes―we’re talking Lemon Chicken Nuggets with Mustard Tahini Dipping Sauce and Bacon Blue Cheese Brussels Sprout Tater Tots―will bring back fond memories of childhood and make your fancy-pants, health-conscious adult self pretty proud too. Outrageously delicious, nutritious, fun and simple to prepare, comfort food never felt so good.

Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Throughout the years that she has lived and worked in East Hampton, Ina Garten has catered and attended countless parties and dinners. She will be the first to tell you, though, that nothing beats a cozy dinner, surrounded by the people you love most, in the comfort that only your own home can provide. In Barefoot Contessa at Home, Ina shares her life in East Hampton, the recipes she loves, and her secrets to making guests feel welcome and comfortable.

For Ina, it’s friends and family–gathered around the dinner table or cooking with her in the kitchen–that really make her house feel like home. Here Ina offers the tried-and-true recipes that she makes over and over again because they’re easy, they work, and they’re universally loved. For a leisurely Sunday breakfast, she has Easy Cheese Danishes or Breakfast Fruit Crunch to serve with the perfect Spicy Bloody Mary. For lunch, she has classics with a twist, such as Tomato, Mozzarella, and Pesto Paninis and Old-Fashioned Potato Salad, which are simply delicious. Then there are Ina’s homey dinners–from her own version of loin of pork stuffed with sautéed fennel to the exotic flavors of Eli’s Asian Salmon. And since Ina knows no one ever forgets what you serve for dessert, she includes recipes for outrageously luscious sweets like Peach and Blueberry Crumble, Pumpkin Mousse Parfait, and Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing.

Ina also lets readers in on her time-tested secrets for cooking and entertaining. Get the inside scoop on everything from what Ina considers when she’s designing a kitchen to menu-planning basics and how to make a dinner party fun (here’s a hint: it doesn’ t involve making complicated food!).

Along with beautiful photographs of Ina’s dishes, her home, and the East Hampton she loves, this book is filled with signature recipes that strike the perfect balance between elegance and casual comfort. With her most indispensable collection yet, Ina Garten proves beyond a shadow of doubt that there truly is no place like home.