I only meant to publish one book.
I’m not a “real” writer. At least, I never set out to be one. I only wanted to publish one book. Somehow, that turned into seventeen traditionally published books and three I self-published.
It started while I was teaching fun bar tricks and magic to servers and bartenders at Walt Disney World.
I had collected almost 1000 bar tricks, trivia questions, jokes, and bits of entertainment over the years, and I thought, This could be a book.
So, in 1995, while living in a 1978 Dodge Balboa camper van, I began aggressively researching how to
get the thing published. The Internet for the masses was still a few years away, so I did it the old-fashioned way: libraries,
bookstores, publishing guides, and picking the brains of authors at book signings. Everyone gave me the same advice:
“Make sure you do it for passion and not the money, because there is no money.”
Boy, were they right.
I once calculated all the hours I had put into writing and publishing and discovered I had earned approximately $2.71 an hour. Clearly, I had chosen my passion wisely.
At the library, I taught myself about query letters, literary agents, publishing lingo, manuscript submissions, and how to write an opening line that might actually get someone's attention. Then I started sending my idea out.
And the rejection letters started coming back.
Over the next three years, I received 350 rejection letters.
No, that's not a typo.
Three hundred and fifty.
Then finally, one person said yes.
And that one yes changed everything.
In 2009, I put everything I'd learned about getting published into a Facebook Note to help other aspiring authors. Today, publishing has changed dramatically. Anyone can self-publish through a variety of platforms, which gives an author control over the content, title, table of contents, design, and cover—luxuries you don't always get with a traditional publisher.
Traditional publishing has advantages, too, particularly professional support and broader distribution. I've experienced both worlds now. But none of that was part of the plan.
I was just trying to publish one little book about bar tricks.
Twenty books later, apparently I got a little carried away.
Three books have a 👍. That means I recommend them. 📚 SHOP MY BEST BOOKS →
Book #1
Miss Charming's Book of Bar Amusements 2000 👍
This is my first book. I had collected around 1000 bar tricks, but the publisher only wanted 75 with a story for each and divided by the categories they wanted. I never knew it would lead to more books.
It's out of print, but you can buy used books on Amazon and Ebay.
Book #16
The Cocktail Companion:
A Guide to Cocktail history, Culture, Trivia and Favorite Drinks 2018 👍
This is my favorite book. It's a 38-year collection of timelines, trivia, history, etc. The publisher discontinued the book version during COVID. I suggest the Amazon Kindle version.
The foreword is by Gary Regan and blurbs from Dale DeGroff, Tony Abou-Ganim, Tobin Ellis, Beachbum Berry, Ted Breaux, Phillip Greene, and Wayne Curtis.
Books #8, 10, and 15
The Everything Bartender's Book
Editions 2, 3, and 4 | 2007, 2010, 2015
In 2007, I revamped the 1st edition of this "Everything" book. Through the years the publisher asked me to update the 2nd, 3rd editions as well. During COVID they decided to stop updating them.
I would not purchase these books. They are very outdated. Cocktail Culture has had many changes from 2010 - Present.
Book #3
Be A Star Magician 2002
Since I had a collection of tricks, the publisher figured I could write children's magic book.
It was one of the most challenging books to write.
I had to use a lot of pronouns and zero 4+ syllable words.
The book is adorable
and comes with tricks, poster,
music CD, and more. It's very
hard to find intact so I snatch them up whenever I find one.
Book #4
The Everything Cocktail Parties and Drinks Book 2005
I'm sure this book was fine for
2005, but my guess is most of the
information is dated by now.
Book #7
Frozen Drinks 2008
I did a lot of frozen drink research for this book, but like most publishers, they only care about having a ton of recipes. It is dated now and would've been better with some color images.
Book #6
The Everything Family Guide to Walt Disney World 2007
This book was outdated at release because WDW is continually changing.
One thing that still reigns true is that the best times to visit WDW with no lines is the week after Labor Day in September and the first two weeks of December.
In December, kids are in school between Thanksgiving & Christmas break. The parks close early, but the weather is fantastic, hurricane season is over and with no lines, who needs the parks to stay open later anyway?
Plus all the holiday decorations are up. NOTE: This information does not go for Disneyland. Don't ask me how I know. It's for Walt Disney World in Florida.
Book #17
The Bartender's Ultimate Guide to Cocktails: A Guide to Cocktail History, Culture, Trivia and Favorite Drinks 2022
The publisher took book #16, cut ten chapters, and made it a smaller hardback. I was told that they did this so Urban Outfitters would accept and sell it in their stores.
I do not suggest this book. The font size is very small and the images small and blurry. Buy the kindle version of The Cocktail Companion instead.
Books #9, 11, 12, 13, and 14
Knack Bartending Basics
2009 👍
This is my first book with color images. I worked with Susan Bourgoin, an amazing food stylist photographer at Visual Cuisines in Orlando, Florida. We worked on it for three months, 9-5, five days a week. This type of photography is fascinating!
I liked the layout the publisher had me follow, too.
The publisher squeezed out as many books that they could with this one.
• The link will take you to the black cover book. It's the best one even
if I don't like the new cover, lol.
• The book has had 3 different covers over time.
• Four small spin-off books were created from material inside the big book with added material; Just Martinis, Just Margaritas & Sangria, Just Shots, and Just Tropical Cocktails.
Book #5
Miss Charming's Guide for Hip Bartenders and Way Out Wannabes 2006
I had been tending bar for 26 years
at this point, and I intended to self-publish this book. There wasn't a bartending book out there with real behind the scenes useful bartender information without 1000s of recipes.
I told my agent about it, and she found an interested publisher. I was excited. However, when my standard complimentary twenty books arrived at my door, I learned that the publisher changed their mind on the promised hardcover, images, and cut 75,000 words. This book is the only one that made me cry.
However, Gary Regan wrote an article
about the book in Nations Restaurant News, which opened many doors for me. NOTE: Some recipe ingredients say "sweet-n-sour mix." In the front of the book, I mention that you should use fresh-squeezed juices. The "cocktail revolution" was in its infancy stage, and slowly bars were crossing over from fake shelf mixers to fresh mixers.
Oh, it's also the first book that gives you the history of Flair Bartending.
Book #2
Miss Charming's Book of Crazy Cocktails 2002
This is my second book. It's silly. Examples of chapter titles include Crazy Critter Cocktails, Fabulous Picture Show Cocktails, Boy Toy Cocktails, and Cool College Cocktails.
I went back to college in Gainesville, FL, as a non-traditional student living around traditional students, so a lot of it was inspired by them. The Hilton lobby bar where I was working was still using shelf sweet-n-sour mixers, etc.
