updated June 28, 2011.
when this was first written, Totally Together was to be published by a different company. That company pulled out in 2010, and I needed to find a new publisher. Which took a while, but I found one!
Thank you!
First!

Way back in July, I got an email from Kim who's dad is a butcher, but she's going to try tofu anyway, and she alerted me that Prevention Magazine was having a Slow Cooker Recipe contest. I missed the deadline for entry, but they were awesome enough to email a few questions.
The magazine will be on stands until December 23, so there is plenty of time to buy enough copies to re-wallpaper your house.
Also! I have a few recipes listed in October's Bay Area Parent. You need to scroll to page 18.
AND! A hundred million years ago (seven) I wrote a book for moms on household organization.
I wrote it when I was working full-time with my eldest daughter at a drop-in childcare center, and was feeling stressed and overwhelmed
I had lists all over the place, and I wished that there was a planner that existed that *told* me what to do. There are plenty of blank ones, but I wanted someone to hit me over the head and say, "hey! You haven't changed the sheets in three weeks and that's gross. Go do it." and "Call your mom. She loves you." and "Make a dentist appointment."
So I made a planner of my very own. I emailed the Franklin Covey company and told them what I did, and I bantered back and forth through email a few times with their product development team. But then they began ignoring my emails and the last one was a form letter with a 15% off coupon code. I was annoyed.
After lots of whining on my part and hours upon hours of conversation with Jenny (I love you, Jenny!), I set out to find an agent. It took about a year. I found my agent, Alison, and she worked for about 2 years to find a publisher. I am so thankful that Alison didn't dump me. I've heard Rita's horror stories, and I hate it that stuff like that happens. It's not fair.
Although I have not yet even seen the finished product, Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life is available for pre-order on Amazon. I will get a few pennies for every copy sold, which means that you need to help me out and buy a bunch so I can fulfill my fantasy of being a bit like Hugh Hefner and live in pajamas.
Also, the more copies of Totally Together that are sold, the more likely a crockpot book is born.
So there you go.
get to work.
;-0
xoxox
a very grateful
steph
Sounds intriguing. I need someone to hit me over the head sometimes and tell me what to do. That book may just be up my alley :) I'll for sure look for the Crock Pot magazine too. I need Crock Pot inspiration ;)
September 23, 2008 at 8:19 AM
Congrats on the book. It looks like a good Christmas present for the working mom--as you can imagine, I know a few of them.
September 23, 2008 at 8:42 AM
Congrats on being an author!
I dream of someday having something worth writing, too. Although I doubt I would ever be taken seriously writing about organization with the state of my house, hehe. :)
September 23, 2008 at 9:12 AM
I just pre-ordered 3!
yay for you, and me!
-Denise
September 23, 2008 at 9:13 AM
thanks, Carmen! I'm excited about this book----I need help from myself after this year of nuttiness.
Samara, I've done all three: SAHM, WOHM, and WAHM. I think it's tough no matter what, and we can all use a hand to hold. xox
Christina, thank you! I hear you on the house---there is always something to do. I like teeny tiny baby steps.
Denise, oh my! wow. thank you.
xox
steph
September 23, 2008 at 9:19 AM
Hurray for you!! I'm excited for you. More excited that on day 366, you are planning on going OUT to eat!!
September 23, 2008 at 9:22 AM
Wow.......congrats to you. Can't wait to check out the articles and Totally Together.........sounds interesting.
September 23, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Oh, Crockpot Lady...u made an honest woman of me I was in my grocery store, saw the crockpot magazine, read your last page and put it back on the shelf...but before I paid and checked out, I reached over, pulled it off the shelf, and paid for it to take home. I'm glad I did. I look forward to your future publications. Congratulations!
September 23, 2008 at 9:41 AM
Oh, Crockpot Lady...u made an honest woman of me I was in my grocery store, saw the crockpot magazine, read your page and put it back on the shelf...but before I paid and checked out, I reached over, pulled it off the shelf, and paid for it to take home. I'm glad I did. I look forward to your future publications. Congratulations!
September 23, 2008 at 9:43 AM
Woot! WOOT! Congrats to you and may many Christmas stockings contain your book! LOVE YOUR BLOG!
September 23, 2008 at 10:10 AM
"my fantasy of being a bit like Hugh Hefner and live in pajamas."
that;s MY fantasy too!!!!!!!!!
September 23, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Yay you! So happy for you. It couldn't have happened to a nicer person.
And I'm not just saying that because I made your breakfast casserole for dinner yesterday. (With wheat drop biscuits! I have a fever, and the only prescription is MORE CROCKPOT!)
September 23, 2008 at 10:16 AM
i want to see a picture!!
i put it on my wish list to get when i'm not broke.
can't wait to see the article! how exciting! did you ever think all of this would happen to you just because you had to cook dinner?! so cool
September 23, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Shameless? No way!! You should be proud of what you have done. Way to go!!
September 23, 2008 at 11:07 AM
Stephanie,
I've never commented on you blog before but it's about time. I heard about your blog from a friend and that immediately began a love affair with the crockpot. I made out a menu to cover dinners for the month of September just going through your site recipe by recipe and it has completely saved dinner in our household. Now we actually eat dinner and before 9pm because before I usually didn't have a chance to prepare anything until the baby was asleep. So thank you thank you thank you!
I am pretty excited about your organization book. I find that I too like being TOLD what to do so your book sounds perfect for me. Congrats on publishing it.
Thanks again for your blog,
Tauna
September 23, 2008 at 11:15 AM
There's a way to get a percentage of the entire purchase made whenever somebody clicks an Amazon link on your site. You should definitely check it out.
I think it's Amazon Associates: https://affiliate-program.amazon.com/gp/associates/join/main.html
September 23, 2008 at 11:35 AM
I've been lurking here for awhile, and just thought I'd let you know I ordered your book. I need all the organizing help I can get.
September 23, 2008 at 11:42 AM
Congrats!! I will be sure to pick up that issue:)
September 23, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Wow, only $5.95? I pre-ordered it! I even get free shipping since I have Amazon Prime--what a deal! Congrats on getting it published!
September 23, 2008 at 11:59 AM
Wow! Congrats all around!! You are so inspiring!
September 23, 2008 at 12:14 PM
I pre-ordered one too, I need it! I am so glad for your blog, I look forward to it everyday!
Forget the peeps grumbling about your "can of soup in the dipper" post as not being a recipe, you once put your feet in a crockpot after your race and I think anyone enjoyed that!
I have a blog I share with hubby and we don't get a post up everyday, so kudos to you for being consistantly clever and a pleasure to read :)
September 23, 2008 at 12:38 PM
Congrats to you on your writing accomplishments!
September 23, 2008 at 1:14 PM
This is just so super exciting. Congrats on your huge day and I know success will come for you!
Woo-Hoo!
September 23, 2008 at 2:58 PM
I pre ordered!
September 23, 2008 at 3:18 PM
Ordering NOW!! I am all about some help....
Hope you sell every copy they print!
I will be scouring stores for the mag, too.
As usual, I love your blog. Big puffy heart love it.
September 23, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Congratulations on these wonderful accomplishments! I'll look forward to checking your stuff out. :-)
September 23, 2008 at 3:54 PM
Wow! Congratulations! I'm looking forward to this planner- since you mentioned it, I realized that MY sheets are absolutely disgusting and I haven't called my mom in a while. Hope Franklin Covey realizes they missed the mark on what moms need! ;)
September 23, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Very cool. Congratulations on getting published.
September 23, 2008 at 5:13 PM
Congratulations! My friend and I were just talking today about she writes EVERYTHING down in her planner. I MEAN EVERYTHING!!!!
You will do well!!!!!
September 23, 2008 at 6:15 PM
Congratulations! I am personally acquainted with how hard it is to write a book (I've written two on network engineering). I'm also impressed that you wrote a book because you recognized a need. That's terrific! And only $5.95? That's a steal!
I predict that you will write a crockpotting book. After all, you got Rachael Ray's attention - Peace - D
September 23, 2008 at 6:31 PM
I will be buying one of these as soon as I can. Your site truly is the best resource for crock pot cooking!
September 23, 2008 at 7:42 PM
GIRLFRIEND!!!!!
I'm so proud of you!!!! I feel like we are neighbors and I pop in everyday to see what you are cookin'. I got to the grocery store tonight without my recipes from your blog and was totally lost. My 7 year old ended up making the choices (you don't EVEN want to know). The Zebra Cakes can't last much longer, back tomorrow with my recipes.
Keep up the GREAT Blog. See ya tomorrow.
September 23, 2008 at 8:59 PM
How about a preview?! Sounds like great reminders of the little things that can be overlooked and cheap too!
September 23, 2008 at 10:27 PM
You rock, Steph!
September 24, 2008 at 5:43 AM
So happy for you! Congrats and kudos to you for seeing it through and not letting it fade away!
September 24, 2008 at 5:59 AM
oh how very awesome - i'm so excited for you!!! :)
September 24, 2008 at 6:25 AM
I am so glad that fame and hopefully fortune is on the way to you. I love your site and I love how you have inspired the crock pot to be the center of meal planning. I love your recipes and your honesty. I will be purchasing your book and maybe get an extra ice-pack for my head when I get hit over the head with "Change the sheets idiot". Thank you!
September 24, 2008 at 6:38 AM
I have a question.. is this book only for moms/parents or for anyone with a busy schedule?
It sounds like something I could use, but if it's targeted toward people with kids there may be a lot in there that wouldn't be helpful to me.
September 24, 2008 at 6:44 AM
your org list is on my xmas list!! and I will def. be picking up that prevention mag, one cuz you're in it, two cuz One can never have too many crockpot recipes!
September 24, 2008 at 6:48 AM
Hi Angie,
this is a good question. I do include suggestions for family meeting topics and ideas for getting children involved in the daily chores. I had originally sub-titled the book "planner for today's mom" but the publisher changed it specifically for questions such as yours. But I didn't change the content, they just changed the name... ;-)
the housekeeping guide and organizing ideas are universal, but I don't want to mislead you or anyone else.
xoxo
steph
September 24, 2008 at 6:52 AM
Congrats, Steph!
September 24, 2008 at 8:02 AM
And we will get to say... "We knew her when".....
Okay off to look in the archives for a flank steak recipe. I know I saw one somewhere and I have never made it. We have one from our side of organic beef bought locally.
September 24, 2008 at 8:57 AM
Sounds like a great concept, and congrats. Wish there were more details so I could commit to buying more than one...
September 24, 2008 at 10:11 AM
How exciting!!! I'm heading right over to Amazon after this :).
AND.... whenever that crockpot cookbook is born, put me first in line please!
September 24, 2008 at 11:32 AM
Hey Steph! Congrats on your interview! I can't wait to check it out.
Tofu Kim in WI
September 24, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Congrats! Those of us who've been following your blog for a while are impressed, but not surprised.
September 24, 2008 at 1:38 PM
Congrats!!! Getting a book published is hard to do and promoting it is even harder so promote away. I would love to interview you about your book and post it on my blog. Email me if you’re interested. Keep those great recipes coming!
September 24, 2008 at 2:06 PM
considering all the free crockpot recipes you have given us - this book is a bargain!
September 24, 2008 at 2:57 PM
Congratulations on everything!
September 24, 2008 at 10:17 PM
i'm totally pre-ordering it RIGHT NOW. I am excited! Thank you and congratulations!
October 11, 2008 at 12:23 PM
I'm Christina's friend who won her blog giveaway! I'm so excited!I can't wait to check it out.
November 12, 2009 at 9:30 PM