People have actually been making Bouts Buns! And I’m thrilled (and slightly embarrassed) to say that their efforts are way prettier than mine. If you try the recipe in the back of Baker’s Magic, send me a photo and I’ll add it to the gallery.
And here you can watch Britt make those beautiful Bouts Buns!
The Bouts Buns recipe at the back of Baker’s Magic works!
Of course I knew it worked. I’ve tested it and tested it. I have friends in England who’ve made them. But it’s so great to have confirmation from reader-bakers, too! This photo proves that kids can bake a better bun than I can. Maybe they were super-happy while they baked, so the buns came out super-beautiful.
Here’s the baking.
And here’s the eating. The bakers even agreed to share with their little brother!
As always, I loved appearing at Books of Wonder, the fabulous children’s bookstore 
in Manhattan. It was great to meet my co-panelists, Aimee Carter, J.A. White, and Leila Sales, and hear them read from their wonderful new middle-grade books. I b
rought mini-Bouts buns, which disappeared quickly, and got to meet my publicist, the charming and slightly virus-ridden April Roberts, who brought swag for the audience. And I was so pleased to see some old friends. Dave and Martha, Shani and Michael, Judy, and Susan (and of course Phil and Ben) — thank you for coming out for the event!
A couple of days later, I went to the Mill Road School for 
their annual author/illustrator tea. They provided a delicious lunch for an impressively large group of writers and artists (the Hudson Valley is teeming with us). Then I talked to three fifth-grade classes about how Baker’s Magic went from idea to bound book (I called the presentation Baking a Book, which involved taking a metaphor and stretching it just about as far as it could go, or possibly slightly farther). The students asked loads of questions, some of them really challenging to answer. Afterward, I got to hang out with the authors and illustrators in the library, eat brownies and cookies, and sign books for students. Exciting, exhausting — fun!
It’s a busy week for Baker’s Magic! I’m taking it to the wonderful Books of Wonder on Sunday, March 13. I’ll be appearing with Aimee Carter, J.A. White, and Leila Sales from 1 to 3 p.m., and I may even get to meet my publicist on this side of the Atlantic. Come see us — there MIGHT be 
Bouts Buns!
Then on Tuesday, I’m going to the Mill Road School to give a presentation on Baking a Book to fifth graders. Afterward, I’ll be signing books in the library. So exciting to talk about Baker’s Magic to everyone!
The last month has been all about the edits for Baker’s Magi
c. Happily, my editor and I seem to see eye-to-eye, and I found her suggestions helpful and clear.
I sent off the revised manuscript yesterday, and today my editor emailed me to say all was good.
HOORAY!
Now the manuscript will be set in ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies) for distribution to reviewers — and maybe, if there are extras, for a giveaway or two. Watch this space!
I also saw a preliminary version of the cover art, and I love it. There will be a few tweaks, and then…well, watch this space!
And as for the baking…well, I don’t want to give too much away. So all I can say is — watch this space!
