After the very sad news this week that our much loved Angela Lansbury has gone to that Hollywood in the sky, I thought I would share some joyful photographs of my book launch. I truly hope that anyone who owns a copy of my Murder, She Cooked book can see it was written with pure love. My friend Marian sent me this lovely message, “I can’t help thinking your book came into the world at just the right time to bring smiles and comfort (food) to family, friends and fAngelas.” I do hope so.
A heartfelt thank you goes out from me to everyone who helped me get this book out into the world. It’s just my tiny way of celebrating Dame Angela’s immense talent and the glory of Murder, She Wrote.
I had a lovely, lovely London book launch party on the 8th October.
I want to thank everyone who came to celebrate with me, and everyone who contributed to the book, especially all you wonderful test cooks. I couldn’t have done it without you. The much beloved Tim Benzie of Solve-Along-A-Murder-She-Wrote wrote the foreword and came to draw the raffle.
and we all had a whole heap of fun.
The book is now fully out in the world, and I truly hope the fAngelas who get themselves a copy, or are gifted one, love it. You can order it from bookshops in the UK and the USA or buy worldwide via Amazon. Here’s the link to it on UK Amazon but be sure to switch to your own country for correct postage costs.
Thanks to everyone who sent me good luck cards, joined me for Instagram Lives on the official book launch day – 30th September – sent texts and messages and all sorts to wish me luck. It was a really lovely day and my heart almost burst when I saw this.
More popular than Countryfile?! Only for one day!
My cookalong event was such great fun, people joined from all around the world…
we had lots of fun…
and I got lovely feedback from attendees and photos of Angela’s Date and Walnut cake from kitchens far and wide… Here are the ones made by Tracy, Sherrie, Anna Rose and Missy Tassels…
Phoenix one of the cookalong attedees sent me a wonderful email this morning about Dame Angela that made me so happy. She wrote,
It’s been a comfort to me that I had so recently cooked one of her recipes with wonderful folks and friends ’round the world. It feels like a fitting tribute. I actually had the tiniest sliver of the walnut date cake/bread left, still wrapped in foil on the kitchen counter. I picked it up and thought, “This recipe lives on even after she is gone.”
That is exactly how I feel, Phoenix.
There were requests for another cookalong and I’m thinking of doing one in December sometime, so if you fancy that, do sign up to my monthly newsletter. All the info will be in there.
I also really enjoyed doing the Instagram lives on book launch day…
My favourite was the Angela Lansbury Positive Moves one. Quite a few people were watching me huff and puff through the routine (although it’s very easy). I have never seen Mr Rathbone laugh so much as when I showed him a clip of me doing the workout.
I was told it was a very relaxing thing to watch (a bit like watching someone else cooking I guess). My friend Marian fell asleep…
I’ve been receiving lovely feedback about the book and folks have been sending me photos of it in situ. Test cook Patricia Villacrusis was the FIRST to send me a photo and it was the first time I’d seen the finished article anywhere except my flat. Here it is in Baltimore.
My writing friend Louise made me laugh out loud in a London Writers’ Salon zoom room with this as her background. How did they get it through the letterbox?
Spotted this one on Instagram @point_moot
Please do send me pix of your books and do let me know what you cook. I really love hearing from readers. If you’ve not been in touch with me before, here’s a link to my contact page.
Here are photos from the London launch…
Two Fletchers…
I LOVE THIS MAN!!!!
A big thank-you to the very lovely and supremely talented photographer Nicolas Laborie who took all the black and white photos you see here
and most of all thanks to this beautiful human being, who supports me in whatever I do.
Hi lovely, you were the first person I thought of when hearing this news.. I’d like to think as your friend says this tribute supported her family and friends such a wee bit. Thanks for including me in this tribute online it was an honour to celebrate her that evening.
Aw, thanks so much Gill, it’s been a very strange week of highs and lows as you can imagine! xx
PS Gave you a wee hon. mention in my recent tribute to Angela.