“Cookies Are Better Than Vegetables” was never part of a plan or goal. It just happened, from within to the pages, which is often the best creative process; a true labor of love. My best friend and grandmother, Chata, had a stroke in front of me in November 2019. I relocated to California to be by her side, but for months she did not eat or speak. Yet, as an utterly determined person, and also one who desperately wanted and needed Chata alive, I tried everything conceivable to try and get her to do either. Day in and day out, I would try to encourage her to converse or to take a nibble of any of the foods I presented. No such luck.
Then one night, after my family was chuckling at how determined I was, I took a plate of fresh baked cookies over to Chata. Out of the blue, she grabbed the cookie with her left hand, which she had not used in months, and put the entire thing in her mouth at once. At first, we were panicked that she was going to choke. But she ate it totally normally, as if no time had passed. A few minutes later, she grabbed another cookie off the plate, held it up like the host, and said, “cookies are better than vegetables.”
As she said it, we were locked eye to eye, and I knew this was a deeper comment, one that had nothing to do with the butter and sugar in our hands. A few days later, the story just came out of me, in one fell swoop. I read it to Chata, and edited it by her side, her left hand holding mine. When she would squeeze my hand with her thumb, I knew the line was right, and soon after she passed, I knew I had to turn this into a book for the world to enjoy.
2. What is it about and who is it for?
This book is for life lovers, children and adults alike. It is an adventure story of a little kid and Superhero Chata exploring and taking on life. With each value based adventure, symbolized by cookies, the child gets closer and closer to becoming a superhero themselves.
3. What takeaways might the reader will be left with after reading it?
“Cookies Are Better Than Vegetables” is part story, part values journal. We talk a lot about gratitude, but not enough about our underlying values, the values that truly shape who we are and how we live. Hopefully, the reader will be inspired to learn, explore and be the best version of themselves they can be on every day. And above all, to love life.
4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?
The title Chata said herself! The cover I designed on a cocktail napkin one evening while missing Chata and musing about how much fun we used to have together. I took a picture of the napkin and sent it to my amazing illustrator, Karina Busquets to make it come to life.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?
Just do it - and be you. If the story comes from you, truly, it will resonate.
6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
Uff - big question! It is sad to say, but I see a lot of the same, and wanting the same from publishers. Both of my books have posed challenges because they are ahead of the curve (a Values Journal vs Gratitude Journal, for example), and encourage out of the box thinking, which is not always supported.
7. What challenges did you overcome to write this book?
Tears! This book is so personal, so the story of me, Chata, and the wisdom she imparted over the decades I was lucky enough to share with her.
8. How would you describe your writing style?
Real. I write what I think, how I think it or would say it, not what I think people should hear or what people want me to say.
9. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?
Well, a story about cookies - first of all! As a lover of broccoli, we can all agree nothing beats a fresh cookie. But all kidding aside, this story is not only for anyone striving to take a lighthearted, kind hearted, integrity-based approach to their life, but also for anyone who found a superhero in their grandparent or close one who has passed away. It is a daily reminder that they are still here, inside you.
About Lauren Imparato
Raised in Northern California,
Lauren Imparato traveled east to the classrooms of Princeton, and upon
graduating, to the trading floor of Wall Street. After stints starting
businesses for the firm in New York, London, Istanbul and Latin America, Lauren
quit her job as VP of Morgan Stanley Fixed Income in 2009 to self-start
I.AM.YOU., a first of its kind health, wellness & fitness company.
Lauren operated and scaled profitable digital, brick & mortar, and cpg
verticals, and wrote a multi-country Best Selling book, RETOX (Penguin Random
House, 2016)
Lauren has become revered as one
of the globe’s top entrepreneurship experts. She has spoken for audiences
of ten thousand on the Great Lawn of Central Park and two to three thousand
each in Times Square, Madrid, Barcelona, Panama, opening weekend in Ibiza, the
Cannes Film Festival, and more. Named one of the 100 Women in Wellness
and Elle’s This is 30, Lauren has been profiled in over 500 outlets including
Dr. Oz, CNN, WSJ, Vogue, Bloomberg, Fox Business, Entrepreneur, Success, SELF,
New York Magazine, The Financial Times, New York Times, Marie Claire Spain, NY1
Television, TVE, BBC, The London Financial News a full page profile in Life
& Style, as well as the cover of Marie Claire. Her first blog was
selected by Tumblr as one of the world’s 15 best in the space and went viral
twice.
Please Contact Me For
Help
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell
their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in successfully
helping thousands of authors in all genres.
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About Brian Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should
be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by
BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in
Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue
dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and
IBPA’s The Independent. This blog, with over 4,000 posts over
the past decade, was named one of the best book marketing blogs by
BookBaby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and
recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing
blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For
the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s
largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has
worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along
with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth,
Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey
Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne,
Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a
panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA,
Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers
Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors
and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published
in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News,
Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The
Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun
Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information,
please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.
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