Named Best Cookbook of the Year by PureWow!

A few weeks ago, The New Camp Cookbook was named one of the best cookbooks of 2017 by mega lifestyle site PureWow. It was the best news with which to close out the year, especially considering how many thousands of cookbooks are published every year. Somehow, this little niche title stood out enough in a crowded cookbook market to garner such an honor!

I’m continually blown away by all love the book has received since its release over the summer. And here’s a fun fact: Despite how popular the book became, it was not a shoe-in for a second title when I originally pitched the idea to my editor. In fact, there was no other book like it on the market. The publisher had no comparables to analyze it against, so my team at Quarto Publishing truly took a leap of faith and trusted in my vision, for which I’m vastly grateful.

The New Camp Cookbook was the first cookbook to package an original collection of modern camping recipes with hundreds of photos and a detailed guide featuring real-world tips and techniques (both practical and creative), all from an author and photographer who are passionate about the outdoors. It was the book I wish I’d had when I first started camping and cooking on my own, and one that so many of my friends and readers had suggested was sorely missing in the marketplace, so I wrote it.

I started writing a week after my daughter was born, and then traveled all over the American West to shoot it (with Will, husband and photographer extraordinaire) while camping with a newborn. And I’ll be honest: After turning in my final round of edits six months later, I was tired. So. Tired.

I probably didn’t put in the amount of promotional love this book deserved, and I definitely didn’t have the energy to organize a release party or book tour (à la The CSA Cookbook), but I am so thankful and proud that the work speaks for itself. (Which gave this new mama a much-needed rest!)

I’ve always loved the process of solving problems and sharing knowledge (whether on my blog or through my books), so it was a dream to do exactly that in The New Camp Cookbook (while camping and cooking in beautiful places!) and have those efforts be recognized.

If you missed any of my interviews or reviews from the past six months, here’s a brief list of notable press, many from publications I’ve been reading long before becoming an author, so it’s a humbling experience to be featured. I can’t thank them enough for their support!

I also want to thank all of you who ordered my book and catapulted it to bestselling status in those early weeks of release, as well as everyone who was kind enough to leave a review on Amazon and Goodreads. (We love honest reviews from our readers around here, and here’s why.)

Thank you for inspiring me to do good work, and for allowing me to share it with you. Let’s keep the good vibes going in the New Year!

• 17 Cookbooks That Made Us Better Chefs in 2017, PureWow (December 14, 2017)
• A Guide to the Ultimate Backcountry Thanksgiving, Outside (November 16, 2017)
• RV Business Style: Linda Ly A.K.A. Garden Betty, Mobile RVing: The Buzz (August 22, 2017)
• The Best Books to Give Cooks, Cooking Light (August 17, 2017)
• The Gear You Need to Eat Well While Camping, Food & Wine (August 2, 2017)
• A Great Campfire Meal That Doesn’t Require a Skillet, Food52 (July 28, 2017)
• Creative Genius: Garden Guru Linda Ly, DIY Network (July 9, 2017)
• Amazon Editors’ Top Picks for the Best Books of July, Amazon (July 2017)
• Best Books of the Month, Chapters Indigo (July 2017)
• 10 Summer Cookbooks We’re Completely Drooling Over, PureWow (June 30, 2017)
• These 16 Coffee Table Books Are All You Need for a Staycation, Time (June 30, 2017)
• The Cookbook to Elevate Your Campfire Dining Game, Outside (June 16, 2017)
• All the Cookbooks We’re Looking Forward to This Summer, Food52 (June 15, 2017)