I’ve written before about the size of my current book collection and now faced with my 7th house move since leaving university, I’ll be having a clear out as I won’t be able to fit all of them into the new place as well as a husband, studio and pianos. It’s a time when I’m forced to really look at my books and decide what I actually love, what moved me so strongly that it is worth keeping and what failed to stir anything other than a trip to the charity shop.

I have approximately a trizillion books that I love. I have a copy of ‘Little Wooden Horse’ that I first read when I was about six and in hospital. It’s full of memories because it was the book that was being read to us in class at the time. I’d got so upset at missing what came next, my dear mama had to ask my teacher for the details and then track a copy down in charity shops as it was out of print. (If you have a six year old get it for them instead of Princess Piffle or whatever the kids are into these days.). Next to it on the shelf is a copy of a book much loved by the Hubby as a child, ‘Jennie’ by Paul Gallico. (He also wrote The Poseidon Adventure). Jennie is about a cat that goes to sea by mistake and the adventures she has. The Little Wooden Horse goes to sea by mistake too, come to think of it. Anyway, Jennie, the book, is also the basis for the cat’s name. Her name at the rescue centre was Penny, which is my name, and so we changed hers. I don’t think she noticed. She’s registered with the vet as Jennifer Penelope McReidy-Kicks. So that’s another keeper right there.

What can I live without? First up a small pile of Jeffery Archer. Oh the shame! In my defence these were a holiday read. Unlikely to read them again though, so into the Charity Pile they go. Dante! That’s been on the shelf, unread since 2004 and has its own air-miles quota as it’s been on holiday several times. I’m never going to actually read it though. That applies to almost all the literary classics, so Mr Dickens, Mr Joyce, and Ms Woolf will all need to find another shelf to rest on. I seem to have a stack of coffee table books that are in pristine condition. Bought because they were a) incredibly beautiful objects or b) made me more look more intellectual than I am. They are on the specially built large bottom shelf and never see the light of day as my coffee table is the resting place for the remote controls and Whiskas Temptations- I am slattern.

My Bill Bryson collection have been read and re read, replaced, loaned out, dipped into, stored in the loo and taken on holiday just in case the Dante didn’t work out. Tattered, battered and in such a state that even Haringey Council might be called to action. These are books that might not survive the move. So I have a plan. I am going to re-buy my Bryson in eBook format as soon as they’re available, so I can read whenever without damaging them and if we ever make stylish special edition glossy gorgeous copies I shall display them in my new home with pride. I may even stalk Mr B himself and get them signed!

The other thing I’m attached to is the planet. Physicists may observe that I’m not attached, just held in place by gravity, but you know what I mean. I believe in recycling and yet can’t get excited by books printed on the grey uber-recycled paper. I understand that the chemicals involved in making the gorgeous paper are ruining the planet. I feel bad about the huge piles of cheap paperbacks I see in shops, but am conflicted because if people are at least reading something that should be a good thing. An early study indicated that ebooks are a green alternative despite the plastic and obsolescence. I’d be keen to read another one, electronically of course.

Penny - E-books Manager

There has been a frisson of excitement zinging about the Ebury offices about Delia’s Happy Christmas ever since it was first announced. Most people have a dog eared and brandy smudged copy of Delia’s original Christmas book and have fond memories of perfectly cooked turkeys a la Delia and 1995’s cranberry shortage but when we heard that Delia was to rework most of the recipes and adding 100 brand new ones we were beside ourselves.

When the finished book finally arrived a few weeks ago a brief halt was called to work in the publicity and marketing departments whist we cooed and ahhhed over its lovely white and red cover and stunning photography. We publish a lot of cookbooks at Ebury and there is no end of inspiration for home cooking but of all the books that have come in recently I could not wait to cook from this one. Christmas or no there are so many recipes that you can use year round in this book.

I had a dinner party late last week and when I trawled through all the cook books at home I still couldn’t get past wanting to cook something from this book. Maybe it was something about the nights drawing in but I felt the need for decent winter comfort food and this book is chock full of it.

There was a pescatarian amongst the party so I turned to the seafood section and fell upon the Hot-Smoked Salmon Pie. Since Gruyere and Parmesan were required for the pie I decided to use the rest of the cheese to make Gruyere and Parmesan Allumettes as an alternative to the usual bowl of Kettle chips I shove in bowls whilst I get the first course ready. Delia suggests storing the allumettes in an airtight tin but there was no chance of that! I pulled them out of the oven when my guests arrived and we ate them (all!) warm. The pie was simple to cook and looked stunning when presented (for presented read dumped on a skillet in the middle of the table!). Everyone dived on the pie and it was gone in 20 seconds flat. The wife of the afore mentioned pescatarian said that she gets given a lot of fish pie because of her husband and ‘there are fish pies and fish pies’ but she loved this one and even wanted the recipe. A resounding success.

Although this book is, without a doubt, a book for Christmas, and my family will be having Roast Stuffed Goose with Apples and Prunes in Armagnac this year, I defy you to get your hands on a copy of this book and not want to cook from it right away!

Louise - Marketing Executive

Fatherhood: The Truth by Marcus Berkmann

An amusing and informative look at becoming a dad for the first time written by one who knows.

Miranda - Senior Commissioning Publisher

I have a taste for trash. I can’t help it. I do read proper literary books, but sometimes I have to go for hamburger over steak. My library is peppered with these naughty little books that all the grown-ups shun, but I’m addicted to them. Trashy, mass market, chicklitty/thriller/whodunit/historic bodice ripping nasties are my reading crack, and like crack they are more-ish. And as a helpless addict, when I have one, I want more.

Which is how come I spent pretty much all of the weekend reading the Twilight series. Oh the shame. For those living in a cave, the central character is a drippy needy female, so annoying I wanted to kill her myself, coupled up with the worlds worst vampire. (Have you seen Lost Boys, Meyer? Note- vampires do not sparkle.) Blee. I hated them, yet I was compelled to read every single word in every single book. Usually when reading something so shameful, I do the decent thing and keep it in the privacy of my own home. (Actually Flowers in the Attic is hidden from public view even there.) But having them loaded on the Reader meant I could indulge in public, even in front of friends!

‘What are you reading?’

‘Remains of the Day.’

The lie came so easily it’s is actually a bit creepy. Eventually I finished the hideous/wonderful Meyer books and even went on to read Remains of the Day in case anyone asked questions later. But it lead me to take a long hard look at my ebooks in my Waterstone’s account.

The empirical evidence suggests that I am reading more than usual, and if we look particularly at books that I actually have to pay for and haven’t been able to purloin from work or former colleagues helpfully working elsewhere, it seems my true colours are coming to light. I’m still buying the literary ‘you must read this it’s wonderful’ titles, but I’m also buying a lot more… well, crap, if I’m honest. The privacy of my reader has allowed me to build a new collection totally free from judgement of others which shows that A) I actually spent a lot of time thinking about what others may infer about me from my book choices, and B) I possibly have some kind of OCD for anything in a series. In terms of genre I’m way up on chick-lit, I usually save Cecila Ahern for the holidays- but I’ve done two in the last month. I’m also up on crime/thriller, unsurprisingly as it is the biggest ebook category by far. I’m way down on non-fiction, but that may reflect the lack of choice in the ebook catalogue. I am definitely buying more than usual, but instead of buying armloads in one big hit, I’m on the site frequently- topping up the reader almost daily, (except when buying series which gets downloaded in one big chunk so I don’t have to wait a second to move on to the next book). I’m also finding that I have started to drop books more frequently, if I’m not in the mood, or it just isn’t doing it for me. (Cloud Atlas? Why the fuss?)

I’m clearly more of a flibbertigibbert than I thought. Firsthand research conducted by myself approaching strangers on trains suggests this pattern of reading is prevalent amongst us e-bees (there must be a cooler name for us, suggestions please) but as I’m probably one question away from a restraining order and lifetime ban from SouthWest trains, I’m looking forward to seeing some more official research soon…

Penny - Ebooks Manager

We have had jokes pouring in for over a month in our Man Walks into a Joke competition, and we have finally chosen our favourite. Alastair Gillespie was our winner with (drum roll please!), ‘What do you call an unemployed goat? Billy Idol’

Ba boom ching!

Alastair wins a great selection of Ebury humour books so make sure you look out for our next competition as next time, you could be a winner too!!

Have a look at all of our jokes on the Man Walks into a Joke website and if you think you’re funnier than Alastair, submit your own joke here.

Vickie -Marketing Executive

‘Emma continued to entertain no doubt of her being in love. Her ideas only varied as to how much…’

Jane Austen’s Emma has delighted readers since it was first published in 1815, despite the fact that Austen thought she had created a heroine that ‘no-one but myself will much like’. Of course in a way she was right – Emma Woodhouse is pretty, rich, privileged and wants for nothing. In short, she’s faintly annoying. But this is what has always attracted readers to Emma more than any other Austen heroine – she is flawed but fun. Her acerbic humour and arch commentary on the society that surrounds her draws us in and means we are totally on her side by the time pride leads her to a fall… which of course it does…!

If you’ve been enjoying the new TV adaptation on Sunday nights (BBC1 at 9pm – we’re three weeks into the four-part series) you’ll be on tenterhooks to what happens next in the romantic fortunes of Highbury’s irrepressible matchmaker. Emma’s determination to find love for her friends has already backfired once, leaving her mortified and poor Harriet Smith inconsolable. Will the dashing Frank Churchill succeed where Mr Elton failed? And what is to become of Jane Fairfax? Tune in on Sunday for the next instalment…

In the meantime, try our quiz to find out which female character from Emma you’re most like! Are you the reserved but perhaps-not-so-demure Jane Fairfax? A supremely confident Augusta Elton? Find out in our quiz on Facebook.

To win one of five copies of our special tie-in edition, with an introduction by the BAFTA-winning screenwriter Sandy Welch, post your funniest matchmaking story on the blog – we’ll award copies to our five favourites!

Jenny - Press Officer

UPDATE: Thanks for posting so many hilarious stories! I’m pleased to announce that Emily is the winner of a brand new copy of Jane Austen’s Emma - after all, not only did she go to the cinema with the wrong man, she then spent the entire evening with him over dinner and only realised her mistake on the way home! Quite an achievement. Hope you enjoy the book!

Emily’s disastrous date:

I once agreed to go on a blind date with a friend of a friend. I’d arranged to meet him outside a cinema. I hadn’t thought to ask what he’d be wearing so when I spotted someone looking a bit lost and confused I tentatively asked them if they were looking for me. He smiled and said yes - phew! We watched the film, then he invited me out for a meal. I had a lovely time, he was the perfect gentleman. Then I realised I was late for my bus so I said I’d call him and dashed off.

While I was sat on the bus my phone rang. It was the friend who’d arranged it all for me, before I could thank her she said “Why did you stand him up?” After much confusion it turned out that my ‘date’ had been with a complete stranger, and the real date had arrived after I’d gone inside and was left standing outside waiting for me.

As the phone number I had was for the man I was supposed to be meeting and not my mystery date I couldn’t call him, and never did see him again!

Something stirred amongst the potted furze bushes and the Pumila grass breaking the murmur of the water features.

It was fight night!

The Ebury quiz, compered by Danny Wallace, had returned to claim its next victims. Current champions Waterstone’s, after a year’s worth of vigorous training digesting Christopher Winn’s I Never Knew That series, arrived with a bullying three-team presence, determined. Yet Emma Kennedy’s WHSmith Travel team, spearheaded by Jake and heckles aplenty, were not going to allow them to win so easily.

Turnout this year was exceptional. Tess Daly attended briefly but arrived in classic Strictly Come Dancing glamour to meet the buyers and lead, in spirit, the wildcards in this year’s competition, Harvey Nichols. Sainsbury’s were strong and steadfast, headed by Alan Titchmarsh. Borders competed with prowess and dexterity under Mia Dolan’s lead. Phil Spencer, who ‘has a pretty face’ according to Carol Klein, directed the determined WHSmith team and Toby Buckland commanded the Garden Centre Group team.  Then we have the Cerberus named Waterstone’s, with its three heads: Strictly’s Lynda Bellingham, market-dominating Annabel Karmel and Gardener’s World’s loveable Carol Klein, were gnawing at each other in true banter style.

Play was suspended as ‘quizletes’ were in need of a food-stop. Ottolenghi did the catering; Focaccia bread, salmon skewers wrapped in banana leaves, basmati rice with mixed nuts to name a few delicacies from the menu.

Caroline, Brendan and Christopher Winn meticulously collated the round-results and tallied the marks. We had a winner. Had Waterstone’s retained their laurel-leaf crowns? Carol Klein stood to address her public. Waterstone’s One were glorious.

Nick - Sales Assistant

River Cafe Pocket Books: Puddings, Cakes and Ice Creams

From rich, dense chocolate cakes to light, fruity tarts, and thick, creamy ice creams to refreshing Summer sorbets, this book fills any need for something sweet. Anyone who has never tried a River Cafe pudding needs to rectify that immediately!

Imogen - Ebury Press

My very first book How to Afford Time Off with your Baby was published in September by Vermilion. This in itself has been amazingly exciting and rather nerve wracking. Here was I all concerned about my Amazon rankings but I had never considered the nerves required for book signings and baby shows! Or the amount of (yummy chocolate) biscuits it takes to lure in my (rather hungry) mummy audience.

My first book signing in the town I live was very well attended (by family and friends) and a few stray mums. Many, many biscuits were eaten and I sold a fair few books too. I wasn’t on my own for more than a few minutes and apart form my Aunty and Uncle asking me to pretend to sign a book so they got a photo (!!), all went well.

My first baby show was much more scary. Everyone was selling a product they could rave about but I was selling me and my words and that felt a bit like showing off. So I mumbled would you like a biscuit a few times and older men and 7 year olds soon came flocking (not really my target audience but great company.) I actually made some fab contacts, sold about 20 books and handed out a gazillion flyers. Despite wondering what I could possibly do to get people talking, in the end all I needed to do was say hello. Either people walked on by or stopped to chat and those who stopped to chat were generally very keen on budgeting for their baby (or hungry).

I have 2 more book signings at Nottingham WHSmiths and Waterstones on Nov 6th and 7th and a talk at my town library all lined up. Will my nerves and waist line stand it?

Becky Goddard-Hill, author of How to Afford Time Off with your Baby

www.babybudgeting.co.uk

As we near publication of Delia’s Happy Christmas and I have time to reflect over the last few months, I thought it might be interesting to tell you what we have been up to. Like Christmas, the production of a book is all about the planning. First we need 150 recipes. Then we commission a photographer. Finally add a designer.

Of course it’s not that simple, but this is where we start – putting the team together. Delia knew exactly who she wanted to work with so my first step was to contact everybody and ensure they were all available during the key dates – photography, layout stage and proof checking. We cleared two weeks in everybody’s schedule for the photography (no easy task as the team was based across three different continents) and this gave me a firm date to work to – so that I could work out the production schedule. It’s best to work backwards from the publication date, but when I did this, I realised that we should have begun work a month ago. Oh well, production will just have to print the book quicker! One other question arose – props for the shoot. Our shoot was just after Christmas so the props stylist had to hunt high and low for these unseasonal items. He did a great job and we recreated Christmas in May for the book.

Christmas means turkey

The next key stage is the heart of the book – the recipes. We used a number of recipes from Delia’s original Christmas book – classics such as Roast Turkey, Traditional Christmas Pudding and Christmas Cake. Delia also wrote many new recipes – Chestnut Cupcakes, for example. These little cakes have become so popular that it seemed entirely appropriate to have a festive version. The Last-Minute Christmas chapter was also a very modern addition, and how useful it will be. We also needed to ensure that all the older recipes were updated where necessary – for example, with the advent of vac-packed or frozen chestnuts, we no longer need to laboriously cook and peel them. A little less butter here and there, a few recipes re-tested and all the suppliers contacted to ensure that we have all the correct contact addresses and delivery dates.

The last few weeks

As we approach the publication date, it’s time to negotiate the huge internal and external interest in this book. Our sales, marketing and publicity departments needed jacket proofs, recipe lists, sample pages. Then, we finalise the jacket finishes and bindings with the designer and our production department. We mock up a bookshelf, inserting our book jacket into a photograph of a shop display of best-selling hardbacks to see how ours compares. Stunning – its simple elegance really makes it stand out against the usual autumn list of celebrity biographies and chef cookbooks. We’re all really excited.

Muna - Editorial Director

This post was originally displayed on Delia Online - visit the site to find out how you can buy the book for 50% off!