Our Blog

BEA 2012. We came. We saw. We gave out tons of totebags.

This year's BEA was a particularly special one, as we were (and still are!) celebrating our ten year anniversary. We dished out special totebags and posters over the course of the convention, had our Prize Patrol scour the expo floor for fans, and chatted with industry folk and media about our special plans this year.

Our PubDate party with DC Entertainment, Graywolf Press, Other Press, Pegasus Books, Seven Stories, and Steerforth Press was an absolute blast, Ben H. Winters' signing of The Last Policeman went incredibly well (we went through over 100 ARCs in under a half hour!), and Jason had a great time appearing on the BEA Middle-Grade Buzz panel. Thanks to everyone who came out to any (or all!) of these things.

Read on for some of our individual highlights.

In honor of National Candy Month, we’re posting some of our favorite recipes from The Field Guide to Candy by Anita Chu!

First up… Tuxedo Strawberries. Cute and delicious. Nom!

In honor of Father’s Day, I have chosen a few of my favorite pop-culture dads. They don’t always make fatherhood look easy, but they usually have the best intentions.

In many ways, these guys could’ve helped write Stuff Every Dad Should Know… and could also be readers who learn a little something from the book.

It’s Worst-Case Wednesday again, so prepare for more useful advice, just in case. Last week, we covered weddings in anticipation of all the ceremonies that will be taking place this month. This week, it’s time to approach the other end of the romantic spectrum, with an excerpt from The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Guide: Dating and Sex.

Dates can be just as terrifying as weddings, maybe more so, as they happen to us far more often. From minor disasters, like a wine stain, to more serious dilemmas, like a terrible kisser, dating is dangerous. So, we’ll start out with the worst-case scenario for any date.

Searching for a baking project? Consider National Applesauce Cake Day on June 6th for your inspiration. Scents of cinnamon and apple will remind you of the holidays, you won’t spend too much on ingredients, and it’s wonderfully delicious.

You can make the cake with or without frosting. It’s tasty no matter what. The pictured cake was made with the walnuts mixed into the frosting, but you can always bake the walnuts (or raisins) into the cake itself. Applesauce cake is flexible to your whimsy. I recommend using coconut flour, which is loaded with nutrients and contains less carbs. The flavor blends in nicely, and the prevailing belief is that it’s a healthier alternative to regular flour. You will be doing your tastebuds and your body a favor.

An historical aside…applesauce cake was promoted as a patriotic dessert during World War 1 because applesauce was easy to produce and affordable for customers. Also, it used fewer expensive materials such as eggs, butter, and sugar. The economical cake made its debut into cookbooks in the 1910s. In today’s cake world, applesauce cake is still very popular, and after stocking up on essential baking items it is still pretty lean on the pockets. Enjoy!

According to Wikipedia, an adult can achieve a blood alcohol level of .03 (or less) after consuming 1 alcoholic beverage.  Said beverage would result in mild euphoria, relaxation and joyousness with little impairment to your judgment.  After a long day, that sounds pretty good, right?