Drumroll, please...

Introducing the cover design for The Purple Elephant!

With many thanks to my wonderful husband for doing all the layout work.

In progress

Just a quick update and I'll resist the temptation to April Fool you. :) The book layout is coming along nicely, but it's required more steps than I'd calculated. I hoped to be able to give a sneak-peek of the book cover today, but it's still in progress. Stay tuned -- everything is looking great and I'll post a cover picture as soon as I have it!

On track!

I have completed my manuscript (yahoo!) and have turned over the text and artwork to my wonderful, fantastic layout guy (my husband)! So The Purple Elephant is right on track for its May, 2009 publication.

Want to see more?

Check out illustrator Kim Sponaugle's Picture Kitchen Studio for a preview of more Purple Elephant pictures! I'm at the top of her website.

Coming soon from Cocoa Cookie Press!

"The Purple Elephant" is currently in production! The estimated publication date is May, 2009. Check back soon for a preview of Kim Sponaugle's wonderful illustrations. While you're waiting, try out a batch of Prince Carmel's favorite cocoa cookies! Yumm!

Cocoa Cookie Recipe

By popular demand, here is the recipe for the cocoa cookies from The Purple Elephant. Cookie doesn't have an electric mixer, so she mixes them by hand. You can, too!

Prince Carmel's Cocoa Cookies

2-1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

4 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. In large bowl stir together sugar and oil. Add cocoa powder and blend well. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour mixture, blending well. Cover bowl and refrigerate.

3. 4-6 hours later, when dough is firm enough to handle, shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet two inches apart.

4. Bake at 350 degrees, 12-14 minutes or until no indentation remains when touched lightly and tops are crackled. Yield: 4 dozen.

Variations:

The way King Pop Cornelius likes them:

Add one cup of chocolate chips to the batter before refrigerating.

The way Prince Andrew likes them:

Roll the 1-inch balls of cookie dough in powdered sugar before baking.

The way the princess likes them:

Substitute 1 tsp peppermint extract and 1 tsp vanilla for the 2 tsp vanilla.

The way Polly likes them:

Add one cup chopped walnut pieces to the batter before refrigerating.