But I just got an e-mail from Rica Allannic, my editor for The New Portuguese Table, telling me the book is going into a second printing—fewer than four months after it was published! (You know how excited I must be because I rarely use exclamation points—too 1978 high school yearbook-ish for me.) This second printing means there will be 20,000 books in print by February 1st—which is perfect timing because I’m scheduled to be on a terribly big, terribly important morning TV show (can’t say which right now) in March. After doing a victory lap around the family room in CT and tripping over a quilt on the floor, I started blubbering. I mean, real “Find My Family”-type bawling. You see, after having spent the better part of a decade working on this book in one way or another, going broke in the process, severing my Achilles tendon (oh, yes, I will work this till the day I die), and basically driving The One nearly insane with my obsessiveness, I had no idea how it would sell.
But as Rica said, “Your peeps are loyal and supported you.”
So I want to thank each and every one of you who bought a book, or two, or twenty. (One woman actually bought twenty, one for everyone in her family and in her circle of close friends, bless her heart. There’s a special condo in heaven with that woman’s name on it.) Honestly, I thought the printed word was heaving its last phlegm-rattled breath and that because of the Internet and the birth of the Kindle, books were dead. But I admit it publicly: I was wrong. Happily, joyously wrong. Long live the book and its irreplaceable heft, smell, and feel.
Of course with all this excitement, and my pathological tendency for narcissistic self-absorption, I have to be sure to make today about The One and not me. But it will be very hard to sit at dinner and not prattle on about this in between bites of venison. But I’ll soldier on. After all, it’s his day. Right? Right?
(By the way, many of you have inquired about the vista [pictured above] that’s featured on the half title page of the book. It’s a distant panorama I took of my father’s hometown of Maia, on the island of São Miguel.)
Wonderful news, David. Congratulations! We’ll toast you and The One tonight as well‐it’s Jeremy’s birthday, too.
Thanks, Susan. And wish Jeremy a happy B-day, too.
Hi David,
I just had the most interesting conversation with my father…I guess I should explain!
With Christmas right around the corner, I’ve been searching for ideas on what to get my in-laws. After asking my parents for their advice, they quickly said, “Why don’t you get your cousin’s cookbook for them, I’m sure they will love it!”
That’s where the interesting part comes in! I thought to myself, “Of course, a cookbook is a great idea, but more wonderfully surprising and interesting is that I have a cousin who has a cookbook highlighting our background.”
From what I understand, our fathers are first cousins (L. Tomas), and our paternal grandmothers were sisters! I have many, many fond memories of visiting your grandmother and the rest of the family in Somerville, MA, where cooking was always the highlight of our trip! And now, after finding your website, I see a beautiful picture of our AMAZING island making the story come full circle. Every time I’ve visited Sao Miguel, and Maia especially, I get this feeling of how special the place is. It becomes more and more special everytime! Congratulations on all your accomplishments and much success with your book!
Wishing you and your ( I guess our 🙂 …lol ) entire family a very Merry Christmas.
Patricio Tomas
Patricio, Wow, this is a blast from the past. Thanks for writing. Yup, just got off the phone with my parents, and, we are, indeed, related. In fact, I was in Maia not too long ago visiting your aunt Elvira, who lives in the house my family grew up in. I wish you—and, yes, our— family a happy holiday season.
Wow, truly amazing… but wait, there’s more…I just found out there is a WTNH connection as well. As they say, small world. Well, if you are ever in the New Haven or Hartford area, please let me know. It would be great to get together sometime.
Patricio
Sure will!
Hi David, that is fantastic news. Congratulations! 20,000 is a terrific print run for such a short period. Congrats also for making it into Ruhlman’s top books of 2009.
Speaking of e-books, you might want to find out if your publisher is selling your book electronically. I just started getting royalties on Will Write for Food for e-book sales — I saw it on my most recent statement.
Thanks, Dianne. Much appreciated. I’ll check into the e-book situation. But everyone listen up: If you want to be a food writer of any kind, and successful to any degree, pick up a copy of Dianne’s book, either in print or electronic form. It’s required reading for my students when I teach. It’s fantastic.