It’s one of
those super exciting Fridays here today, because instead of me talking nonsense
about books and whatnot, the blog is being taken
over. Yup, that’s right, today’s post comes not from me (apart from this
bit, obvs,) but from the fabulous Jesobel Jones, star of Anna Mainwaring’s
novel The Lives and Loves of Jesobel
Jones. I’m thrilled to be a pit stop on this super fun blog tour, and am
absolutely a fan of Jesobel’s policy on cake, because, as I’m sure anyone who
reads this will agree, why would you not be? Girl talks sense.
So, let's talk a little bit about the book first shall we:
Summary
Jesobel Jones can bake. In a truly triumphant,
appearing-on-TV kind of way. But this means nothing to the rest of the world,
because apparently all that cake mix is starting to show – in all the wrong
places. So when she lands an invite to the Party of Year by the Boy of Her
Dreams, she wonders whether it’s time for a new, improved Jess. But will life
still taste as good?
Anna Mainwaring's debut is a light-hearted and
sometimes poignant take on the pressures that face teenage girls. It's hard to
smile in all those selfies when you don't like the girl who looks back at you.
But which is more important - looking perfect or being happy?
I know, you want to read it, right? & you can because it was published on March 25th (by Portal Press if you were interested) - if you want some more info then you can find it on Goodreads and Amazon. And with that, I shall leave you to read all about Jesobel's theories on The Joy of Cake.
The Joy of Cake: Why is cake important to
me.
By Jesobel Jones as told to Anna Mainwaring
Cake is a very important part of my life.
End of. What do you mean I have to explain more? Isn’t it completely obvious?
No?
Fine.
Well then, let’s start with one of the most
stupid expressions of all times. “You can’t have your cake and eat it.” I beg
your pardon. What kind of weird and
wonderful logic is that? What on earth is the point of cake if you can’t eat
it? What else are you supposed to do with it? Wear it as a hat? Use it a
navigational device? Build a rocket to the moon out of sponge and try to find
out whether said moon is made of green cheese?
No. That is not the
purpose of cake. Let’s be very clear here. Cake is for the following reasons:
1) For celebrations. Parties without cake are like parties
without friends. Pointless. And failing to fulfil the definition of the word
‘party’. Birthdays, anniversaries, even weddings, all focus round a cake. Okay,
you might decide that you don’t actually want any cake (a strange decision in
my book but I respect the rights of all in the world, cake lovers and non-cake
lovers) but you would EXPECT a cake to be there.
2) To cheer you up on a bad day. We all have them. Those days
which don’t match up to expectation. Those days when you don’t match up to
expectation. And those days when those around just let you down. What do you
reach for? A friend, a hug, a chat? All good things. But all of those things
could be improved by a slice of very lovely cake.
3) As expression of art. Okay, I know that sounds pretentious
but I take cake very seriously. Yes, some cakes are just vanilla cupcakes that
my baby sister Lauren could make. But there are also
cakes out there that are just things of beauty: a plate of perfect hued
macaroons; a pile of neatly constructed mille-fueille; profiteroles structured
to form a turret; sugar spun into the finest filigree. Cake can be basic; cake
can be complex. That is the Joy of Cake: it can be whatever you want or need it
to be.
4) A sign of friendship or love. Basically a cake is a hug in
the form of butter, flour, eggs and sugar. It means you care about someone
enough to make them something. I tried this recently when me and my friend Izzy
fell out. It didn’t quite go as planned but at least no one can say I didn’t
try.
5) Cake brings people together. You walk into a room. People
are spread around; no one is talking much; the mood is low. You bring out a
rather tasty looking cake. Voila! Those people, once sedentary, are now rushing
forward to eat the cake. They begin to talk to each other in excited tones.
They eat the cake and then begin to compare notes. The mere presence of cake
has transformed a boring room into something special. Cake seems to have almost
magical properties.
So that’s all the
amazing stuff about cake. Are there any
down sides? Can I eat all the cake I want all the time? Well you can but it’s
not really advisable. Whilst cake can and indeed should be a part of daily
life, I think I better follow the words of the Great Baking Goddess herself,
the one and only Queen Mary Berry. Look at her! She has spent her life making
and eating cakes. She’s in her eighties, looks amazing and is a national
treasure. She says she just has small slices every day. I personally prefer a
few big slices a few times a week but that’s what suits me. Like most things in
life you should do what makes you happy!
To conclude, cake
is one of life’s most reliable pleasures. Cake never lets you down. So don’t
listen to the cake haters, the no-carbers, the dieters, the calorie counters!
Join me in the great cake revolution and learn to appreciate The Joy of Cake.
Author Information
Anna Mainwaring first read ‘The Lord of the Rings’ when she was seven
and she hasn’t stopped reading since.
Her debut novel, “The Lives and Loves of Jesobel Jones”, follows Jess
through the joy and pain of being a teenager in the modern world; first love,
friendship, embarrassing families, and asks the big questions in life: how much
cake is it really acceptable to eat?
After studying English at university, Anna made the foolish decision to
work in corporate finance, not the best career choice for someone who a) is
number dyslexic b) hates anything corporate. After travelling, Anna re-trained
as an English teacher and works in a girls’ school in Cheshire. When not writing, teaching, or
looking after her children, Anna can generally be found walking up a big hill,
looking for inspiration.
Twitter: www.twitter.com/annamainwaring1
