Tweet Treats from Jane Travers

I'd like to welcome Jane Travers to my blog today. Jane is the author of a clever recipe book inspired by Twitter. I'll let Jane tell you more...

If life had taken another path I’d have been an inventor. I’ve always had ideas about how to make things better, or things that didn’t exist, but that I really wanted. When my daughter was a baby I had dozens of ideas; from a blanket that would actually stay on a squirming baby at night, to a gadget that would quickly and efficiently sterilise a pacifier if it fell on the ground.

However, my complete knack of makerly know-how scuppered me every time I came up with an idea for something. How would I make that gadget? I knew nothing about casting, moulding, or manufacturing, and so each idea would rattle annoyingly in my brain for a while, until it went to the place where ideas go to die. (Although I did make a kitchen implement I’d always wanted in a pottery evening class once! It’s rather odd though, and I don’t think anyone else would want one...)

Then in April of last year I had another idea. I was about to go and lie down in a darkened room until it too went away, but I realised that I could do this; I could collect hundreds of 140 character recipes through Twitter, I could badger celebrities to contribute, I could combine them all into a book that would be useful, cute and entertaining, and I could give the royalties to charity!
The great thing about this idea was that it required no technical know-how. I needed only two things; words and Twitter. Oh, and lots and lots of my time. And some serious balls. And a smattering of insanity.

Ok, more than two things.

Actually, there was another thing I’d need that I hadn’t thought I’d get – help. I had no sooner thrown the idea out there than I was bombarded by offers of help from Twitter friends, some of whom I’ve met in real life, most of whom I haven’t. They went forth (virtually) and spread the word, rounded up celebrities, coerced, cajoled and celebrated with me. I couldn’t have done this without Team Tweet Treats.

Anyway, I’m delighted to say that for once my daft idea has come to fruition. Tweet Treats was published this week by The O’Brien Press and is available from Play.com, Amazon, The Book Depository, Waterstones, Easons, Dubray Books, O'Brien Press and all good bookshops. All royalties are being donated to Medécins sans Frontières, an incredible organisation who are on the ground giving medical care to those who need it most in Somalia, Haiti and Pakistan, to name but a few. Every copy of Tweet Treats that’s sold directly benefits those who need it most.
Maybe I’ll turn my attention to the perfect mouse trap next time...