Pimping My Fat Arse Off

[teddy_radiator]

Hello everyone! I realise I've been Lurky McLurker for some time now, but I promise I have good reason. This week has been one of the craziest I've had for awhile. It's pretty much all good stuff, and for that I'm so extremely thankful.  But stuff has happened, and in typical Teddy form, I'm going to beat you over the head and shoulders with it. Misery might love company, but good news throws it on the bed and ravishes it from behind.


One of my FB friends has been extolling the virtures of an alcohol, sugar and wheat-free diet, and we've decided to give it a try. I realised about a month ago my sugar intake was through the roof, and being a person who doesn't go to a doctor unless she's dying, I knew I had to make some changes or my body would make them for me. TheHubs™ and I have spent the past 10 days eating as little sugar and wheat as possible. It's been hard, not because I've craved sugar and wheat (which I honestly haven't), but because they are such insicious little fuckers - they are in everything. We've been to the supermarket about four times, and each time we've spent time diligently making sure our gluten-free stuff was sugar free and vice-versa.

The good news is that two of our locals (Ingles and Lowe's) are very good about placing little 'Gluten-Free' sickers on their price labels, so you can see at-a-glance. Sugar's not so easy. When I mean sugar, I'm not talkng the natural sugars in fruit and milk, etc. I'm talking about processed sugar added to stuff. And brother, it gets added to everything.

I will say I can tell a difference. I'm sleeping better, I'm more alert, I can concentrate better, I'm not dead dog tired all the time. And I like trying new things, like farro and freekeh, and I've got a Chicken Quinoa Chili recipe to DIE for. It's been a fun week.



Her Minder is finally on the launching pad. Blast off is my birthday, July 26, and it will be available at all the usual outlets. Amazon will be my biggest distributor, unsurprisingly. I will be bugging you to death to invest in a copy and leave a review, even if it's just to say, "I read this." Amazon sees quantity, not quality, when it comes to reviews, and the more reviews, the higher it goes on their seller's lists.

To whit: I have given myself a publisher's name, which I've always wanted to do. You're looking at the proud owner of Boscobel Books, Sole Proprietorship. I took a seahorse for my emblem, because I have always loved them, and my logo looks like this:

I like it. I've also enlisted a professional to design the cover, I've got my ISBNs and I'm about a day away from receiving my first proof copy. Thanks to a generous benefactor, I was able to do all this at once, since it's a fairly expensive outlay at the start, but as I say, I have so much to be grateful for.



In addition, I've set up a website for the shameless pimping I plan to do. I've come to realise that modesty can kiss my arse. Now is not the time for being demure; I have to blow my own horn, so I'm tuning up.

But because I'm also a self-consious twit with the self-esteem of a warthog, I would very much appreciate if you would have a look at the website and point out any errors. My glasses are not doing their job lately, and I've discovered some hysterical typos on it already. Just click on the link below:

I have already bought the domain name boscobelbooks.com, but I'm using Wix's free site for now. They charge an arm and a leg when you use your own domain. I am determined to use my seed money wisely, and I'll see how well Google links me up. I've spent the entire weekend working on uploading my manuscript and creating the site.

The site comes with a blog, and I think I may try my hand at keeping a writing blog. Not like my WordPress blog, which is strictly work, but something about the writing process and how people have helped me get this far. We'll see.

I'm still flying by the seat of my pants, which I always do, and hopefully it will work. I am receiving some great advice from friends who know, and I'm getting so excited - almost as much as I'm already terrified.



And finally, just when you thought you were safe, TheHubs™ and I have completed Episode 28 of Teddy & The Bassman, and it's one of my favs. We just seem to hit a groove in it and it all came together so smoothly. I would love for you to have a listen. Our numbers are rising, and while I'm not sure why, it's very gratifying. Our download numbers have increased by 50% this month!

It's a bit longer than our usuals, but I'm very proud of it - just click to listen. I will warn you, it does contain some strong language.

Well, I'm going to give TheHubs™ a bit of TLC, because he's earned it. Thank you for hanging in there - if you've got this far, you are a friend, indeed.

Comments

[too-dle-oo.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am so with you about sugar and wheat. Sugar is hiding in pretty much every pre-packaged food, and it's AWFUL. I like my sugar in the form of fruit. Good for you for taking these steps to take care of your health! I dropped sugar a few years ago, and I've been amazed at how much better I feel. (Don't get me wrong; I still treat myself on occasion. It's just not a part of my daily consumption.)

[hbart.livejournal.com]

Its about fucking time I get to read your book! :). So much good for you at the moment. I'm glad to hear it.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

I'm just thrilled for you to see everything coming together! Sending my thanks to the universe, hoping it rebounds back to your Mystery Benefactor for the seed money. Now when HM's two sequels are ready to go, it will be like grease through a goose (is that the phrase?) to publish them. Also perhaps a few $.99 tomes, like a book on how to self-publish!

[madeleone]

Ooh Teddy, I'm so excited for you! I still have my original copy of Her Minder from---was it smashwords? I can't remember now---but in calibre it says it was August 2011. I can't wait to read the new improved version. I know this has been a long hard road for you and I wish you every success! I'll be waiting impatiently for July 26th to download it.

I read your blog, and signed up for the newsletter. I want to say that I'm so happy to see that unlike many who've move on from fanfic to o-fic, you have openly owned your fanfic writing and are willing to give it credit and show pride in your contributions. Your fanfiction is amazing and is a gift to the world, and I just know you are going to be even more successful in your o-fic. Then I'll be able to say, 'I knew her when...' ;-)

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Oh, sweetie, thank you so much!!

I have a terrible confession to make - I had the wrong email address on the website, so your message got sent into the ether, never to be found again! Would you mind terribly going back and signing up again? I'm still working out the bugs - obviously!! ::cringes::

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

I've read A LOT of books on the subject of our food system in this country. It's really best to stay away from any food that is "manufactured". Food that contains just one ingredient is the best (e.g. broccoli, or chicken). The problem is that the government subsidizes farms to grow corn and soy beans, so that most farms in our country just grow these two crops, and they are dirt cheap because there is so much. Since there is so much, food companies are always looking for ways to use these products, thereby increasing their profits. Sugar, also, is cheap to use, and very addictive. Hence, its use in products you wouldn't even imagine contained sugar (salad dressing, catsup, tomato sauce). Even bread in this country contains sugar (it keeps it fresh longer, but so does freezing the bread and taking what you need as you need it.) The only way to be sure of what you are getting is to learn to read labels, a/o make it yourself.

In order not to LIVE in the kitchen, I take a night to cook batches and freeze them for when I don't have the time or the inclination to cook. Things like chili, biscuits, breaded chicken tenders, poached chicken, meatballs, hamburger patties. Also having bags of frozen shrimp, fish filets, steaks, and pork chops are all easy and quick to cook. As for side dishes, every Friday evening, after I've been to the farmer's market, I sauté a mess of greens (kale, chard, broccoli rabe) and roast some veggies (broccoli, beets, eggplant, cauliflower). I put them in containers in the fridge for use during the week. They are good cold in salads, or heated. Saves much time and stays fresher cooked than raw. Salad dressing is so very simple to make as needed, that I don't know why anyone buys the stuff. Most will tell you twice as much oil as vinegar, but I prefer to reverse the ratio. Then I add a bit of dijon mustard and mix it with a spoon, and drizzle it over the salads.

Anyway, you can probably tell this is a pet subject of mine! I'm glad that you are eating more sanely. Good luck!

[teddyradiator.livejournal.com]

Oh, Mimi darling, it's wonderful to see you here! I know you have the best advice on food prep! You're right - that ol' debbil sugar just sneaks into everything! I've started making my own salad dressings, and being very careful about reading those labels - I've actually got to the checkout, realised that something I picked up has sugar or wheat and left it behind - I'm taking no prisoners!

[too-dle-oo.livejournal.com]

YES to all of this! Single ingredient foods are always the best. I think it was Mark Bittman who also told people that they could eat absolutely anything if they made it themselves from scratch. I mean, if you had to MAKE a Jaffa cake from flour and oranges every time you wanted one, you'd eat them very rarely. Ditto on crisps or chips, since they're a pain in the arse to cook. In other words, Bittman reinforces the idea that we'll naturally regulate out the processed crap and rely on mostly raw vegetables and simply prepared foods.

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

I like what Michael Pollan says about the way to eat: Eat food*. Not too much. Mostly plants. (* by food, he means REAL food, not the processed crap.) I also remember someone (I can't remember who) saying that if they wouldn't recognize something as food 100 years ago, you probably shouldn't be eating it now (Monosodium glutamate? High fructose corn syrup? Yeah... so not food.)

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

<3

[sbrande.livejournal.com]

Sounds like something I have to do.