With a tagline like "Muppets, pastries, and Halloween" I couldn't ask for anything more. Clickbait, here I come!
Turns out the latest Netflix baking show, The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell, looks like an amalgam of the Addams Family assisted by Jim Henson creations doused in frosting. SOLD! But what really me, along with the constant amazement of revamping the classic cooking show into what it's become today, is that this struck a familiar chord in me...back when newbie YA authors agreed to join-in on one of MY crazy projects; i.s. The Creepy Cake-N-Bake-A-Thon!
I still remember gasping aloud at Victoria Schwab's spun-sugar Spider's Nest with Chocolate Spiders!
You have to understand, this was back in 2011, after my first book was finally published after 3 six-month delays and I had just been getting to know my fellow debut authors and agent sibs through groups like the Tenners, Elevensies, Verla Kay's Blueboards and Fangs, Fur & Fey. (This was back in the old Livejournal days.) I was riding high on my debut-author-stat-ness (somewhat complicated by my first agent going AWOL and my publisher's rocky status as the industry was going through the tectonic shocks of post-2008) and I didn't know how I'd do amongst a group of very cool and creative strangers, but some offhanded post about Stacy Jay turning her broken gingerbread men cookies into zombies made me laugh. I reached out to her and thus began the early sprinkle notion of The Creepy Cake-N-Bake-A-Thon.
Natalie Zaman's Meringue Bone Cake was gasp-worthy!
It was a BLAST! I mean, look at this lineup: Stacey Jay, Saundra Mitchell, Erin Dionne, Sydney Salter, Brenna Yovanoff, Tara Hudson, Karen Healey, Robin Bridges, Michelle Zink, Julia Karr, Victoria Schwab, C.Lee McKenzie, E. Kristin Anderson, Natalie Zaman, Stephanie Burgis & judged by Adam Rex! Remember, nearly all of were just starting out and so who could have known what wild, creative things would come from such wildly creative people?!? (Of course, looking back, now we know!) Every time someone posted their creation, there was a collective "WHOA!" at the computer as we madly typed praise to one another and spread the ghoulish humor. All in all, it was a success even to just have friends join in the fun.
Brenna Yovanoff's "Red Velvet Cardiac Event" was Best In Show!
After the winners were announced and Stacey's prizes were received, we all went back to our works-in-progress, a little brighter for having done something fun and wacky and creepy with like-minded folks. This is what I'm reminded of by The Curious Creations of Christine McConnell and why I'll definitely be tuning in on October 12th!
