In 2009, I announced the publication of my first-ever book, Cake Wrecks, which went on to become a New York Times' best-seller. (woot woot!)
In 2010, I launched my other blog, Epbot, which went on to become "that steampunk blog by the Cake Wrecks girl - you know, what's-her-name." (woot woot!)
Now here we are again, my birthday, 2011. How can I top these past two years? What big news will I break? What ground-breaking, trail-blazing new venture will I embark upon?
Nothing? Really? Huh.
[tapping teeth]
Well, I guess I could always try to find a good birthday wre...
Whoah.
Well, that didn't take long.
Let's see what else I've got in the ol' files here...
Well, praise B!
That's...not much better. (Does that really say "happiy?")
Theeere we go. Perfect.
Phew! What a relief!
...
Who's Walter?
When obscene phone calls become cakes.
Well, as fun as that was, I still feel like I should be doing something a little more - I dunno - exceptional for my birthday post. Hmm.
Oh!
I know!
There IS this little thing John and I happened to throw together last night...
As a further icing carrot, here are a few fun facts:
- 232 pages of wreckage (yes, it's even longer than the first book. I, uh, got a little carried away.)
- gorgeous hardcover for prime gift-giving goodness
- approximately 75% all new content, with nearly 100% new commentary.
- Have I mentioned it's my birthday?
- and that it's only $14.99 (or less)?
- and said "please?"
160 comments | Post a Comment
I'm afraid.
Very afraid.
WooHoo! I'm so excited for the new book! Thanks for making my day! :) I have the calendar in my office and am known for my love of "poop cakes." Can't wait! Christmas + Cake Wrecks = Horrifyingly Awesome!
One word:
Love
(And 2 more - happy birthday!)
That trailer is awesome!!! I'm still laughing. You guys are so creative. I hope you have a happy birthday!
I'd really like to buy it, but where do I get it on the other side of the Atlantic?
And apropos subliminal messages, my word verification for this post is "ordere"...eh? ;)
"HAPPY" BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!
I've officially started my Christmas list!
Are you going to do another book tour? I hope you come to Denver again so I can continue my collection of signed copies!
Oh, and Happy Birthday!
Happie BD, "Jen". And congrads on the new book.
wv: nopar - Jen, you are so great you have nopar.
Happy Birthday! Will definitely be marking my calendar for October. Loved the book cover :)
HB to you! and thanks for making my day better, too .... can't wait to giggle and snort through your new book!
Happy Birthday, Jen!
CC
p.s. this post and that trailer are great.
Happiy BiYoungue, Jen! ;D
OMG, WV is: "dalful"
"D'ose cakes are dalful. "
Happy Happy Birthday to you (& Walter). Love the trailer, the submiminal message mosut be working because I have just pre-ordered my copy! Love you guys.
Wait, Walter is Fine?
Who is this fine specimen of manhood, Walter? I demand pics!
Just, you know, for research purposes... yeah.
Happy Birthday Jen! May is a fine month in which to be born. The doctors all told my mom I was going to have an April birthday, but I said "Forget that, MAY is where it's at!"
Well happy birthday whats-her-name!
That video made me laugh really hard when it got to the subliminal message.
And I'm in the library. Thanks.
Happy Birthday! So excited for the new book!! Can't wait to get a copy!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! I mean...ohh... H. B.
love the trailer - hilarious and informative. Can't wait for the next book!
Happy birfday!
We share a birthday?? Fun! Happy Birthday to us! Thanks for making me smile and sometimes shake my head, every morning :)
Happy Berthday, Jen,
Here is to you!
WV: undrspa: For your birthday, I'm sending you to the underspa with Walter.
He is soooo fine.
I would pre-order but I'm still kind of hoping you'll answer our invitation to come have a sales/signing table at the Capital Confectioners' Day of Sharing...not posting the date here because I'm not trying to post an ad, just trying to nudge you into saying yes. :D
Woo-hoo! A definite pre-order for this house. Can't wait. And I have to pull in my very appropriately wrecky WV for you: Happy Bardthea!
Laughing as I order . . .
Congrats and Happy Birthday!
"I'm not sure what this says about me, but all I see is "Happy bowel disease."
It's not you, it's the color of that icing!
And Walter is fine. So, so fine:
http://www.cobbles.com/simpp_archive/images/purchase/walt-disney_united-artists.jpg
Awesome subliminial message! And Hippie "Birfday" to you!
WV: unnifyi - The chocolate poo swirls really served to unnifyi the flotsam on the "winter" cake.
Happy B D, Jen!
(Apparently, I spend too much time with obnoxious teens, because I read B D as behavior disorder... But you never know, that could be appropriate!)
-Mary
I laughed. I cried. I spent way too much time trying to hit pause at the subliminal message...
Happy Birthday, Jen!
happybirthdayhappybirthdayhappybirthdayhappybirthday!
Happy Birthday! I loved the subliminal message. I suddenly want to go out and buy your book. I don't know why! ;)
Happy Birthday, Jen! Loved the trailer!
It's my 30th birthday today - what great presents to know there is a new CW book on the way AND I share a birthday with Jen!
Why can't they show commercials like that on tv?
I just found what I've asking Santa to bring me for Christmas. I've been a vewy vewy good girl this year, and I know for a fact that Santa reads your blog. ;-)
And Happy Birthday to you!
I'm not used to reading cake-cursive, so at first glance I thought it said, "Walter is Fire," and poor Walter was being terminated on his birthday. You know, "Happy birthday Walter! There's cake on the counter, and a box on your desk for your personal effects." At least "Walter is Fine" can be construed as a compliment.
I will order the book the instant you publish that elusive sublimnal message on the blog where it will hold still.
Happy Birthday, Jen!
The video is awesome!! So exciting!
Aappy Brithdag, "Jen". I'd say more, but after that video I have this strong compulsion to pre-order your book -- it's weird. It happened right at the end...
As far as getting the new book done: Ulations En
WV = swary: Scared and wary. "I was swary when I saw there was a subliminal message coming up, but it didn't affect me at all." Off to Amazon.com. to pre-order your book RIGHT NOW!!!
I don't post often but LOVE your blog and visit daily. Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday filled with all the joy, smiles and laughter that you bring to others!
Warmest regards,
Sharon :)
Yay! new book! (I have to buy, I have to buy, I have to buy)
Are you going to do the "signed bookplate thing" again? (you WILL do the "signed bookplate thing" again)(not sure if that was subliminal or Jedi mind trick, either way I hope it works)
HB 2 U!
A new book, just in time for Winter, Underlined.
Great (scary) trailer, too.
Happy birthday, Jen (and anybody else born on May 12).
happy birthday "!"
Walter is Pioneer Woman's new beagle!
Happy Birthday, Cake Wrecks Girl--you make my world a much funnier place.
Not sure why... but I really have the strong urge to... buy the book.
Happiest of birthdays to you!
Happy Birthday! Twelve days exactly before my birthday 4 days before my anniversary! Hey, we should put that on a cake! ;D
Seriously though, I hope you have a fabulous, non-wrecky birthday today! And I LOVE the trailer for the new book! It made me really really really want to go BUY THE BOOK!
AngieN24
Happy Birthday Jen! Another awesome post!! I had to quickly stop reading to pre-order your book though! Can;t wait!!!
WV: biestios - I bet this will be the biestios book evah!
I really want to read the subliminal message, but I can't get the video to pause at the right second :(
Happy Birthday, Jen! And that first cake seriously looks like "Hoffy Buthaddy"---which, OF COURSE makes us think of THIS!
I LOVED the subliminal message!*Note to self: MUST go preorder.*
Happy Birthday to you,
Squashed tomatoes and stew!
Bread and butter in the gutter,
Happy Birthday to you!!!!!
Have a good one
AJ
Happy Birthday to one of my favorite Jens! Who I have never met, but feel I know pretty well. In a, you know, non-creepy way. Love the video!!
Loved the trailer! Happy Birthday my fellow taurus!
Happy Birthday Jen! Hope your real cake isn't as wrecky as the ones posted :)
Now..*consulting the iMom for the daily comment (what have I gotten myself in to?)*
Eat all your cake, there are starving children in China who don't even HAVE cake!
Awesome....I cant wait!!!!
Happy Birthday too!! :)
Kim
aka kadterp
Happy Birthday! And, wow, the present is for us -- the next edition of Cake Wrecks!!!!! You are so awesome! This is the greatest news since sliced bread (no, really, sliced bread was a real hit when I was a kid....)Now I want a time machine so I can go right to October! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Also, loved the video -- and like other had the immediate urge to buy the book...can't figure it out....
Again, Happy Birthday, and thank you for your incredibly clever and funny blog!
wv - cologyre: the art of decorating cakes using only piles of brown icing.
I literally LOL'ed at that video
Happy Birthday!
Looking forward to the new book!
I haven't seen Inception, but the trailer had me cracking up anyway. :D
Oh, and happy birthday! Have yourself some non-wrecky cake! :)
Happy Bowel Disease...er, Behavior Disorder...er, Birfday?? Anyway you spell it, have a terrific day!!!
Happy Birthday! I hope you get some cake that is Not a Wreck! Or maybe I should wish you a cake wreck because that would be an awesome post. Your very own wreck!
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday
Whoopey-Doo
Whoopey-Doo
Open all your presents
Open all your presents
All for you
All for you!
VW: Gridd You will find many users trapped in the game gridd.
Happy Birthday, Jen! Can't wait for the new book...oh, I guess I'll have to, won't I?
Looking forward to more LOL'S
So glad to know WAlter is fine, especially since I first read it as Water is free. And to think I just got my eyes checked yesterday.
In the words of Sandra Boynton "Hippo Bird day to Ewe"
I couldn't decide between the classic "heppy bertty" and the infamous "nappy blob blob" so I will wish you both....covered in sprinkles!!
wv: icing -- a new CW book is the icing on Jen's birthday post
Scary. Can't wait to read it, though!
Even though I don't know you, I still think of you as my birthday buddy. May 12 is the best day to have a birthday! Hope it's a great one for you!
Aww Man.... I'mma have to watch the video from home... It won't work on my computer here... :(
AWESOME video! Somehow, inexplicably, I feel the urge to buy the book. Hmmmmmmm
Anyway, a Joyful Natal Epoch to you! (Happy Birthday in "normal" language.)
Oh, and Happy birthday!!
Yay!!!! I can't wait to get this! I love the first one.
In bulletin board lingo, BD = Baby Dancing. Sex is more fun than bowel disease!
Happy birthday Jen! I was so happy it was your birthday that I turned to my sister and said "Yaaay! Its Jens birthday! Yaaay!" To which I got a blank stare. And crickets chirping. And I'm pretty sure a tumbleweed rolled by. So I explained "Jen. The writer of Cake Wrecks and Epbot? Those blogs I'm reading?" To which she said "Oh. That steampunk chick?" I had to laugh. Thanks for enriching our daily lives with your humor and cakey goodness. We love you!
~Jaclyn
Jen,
You are such a geek.
(That goes for you, too, John.)
Laura
Happy birthday (and Christmas?) to ME, really! I'm totally buying it.
Do you know? I threw a bridal shower at my place about a year and a half ago, and once it ended, I pulled out my awesome Cake Wrecks book, and a rather large group of women sat around laughing like crazy--they didn't leave my house until well after the party had technically ended. Pretty sure a few of them bought your book after that. So, uh, yeah. Happy Birthday to you as well. ;)
HELP!!!! What is the subliminal message?!?!?!
Love the Happy Hole Days.
Happy Birthday - you share a birthday with my son. Too cool.
From a fellow May 12th birthday, have a great one. I was born on Mother's Day...my poor mom!
Congrats on the book. The trailer is AMAZING. Kudos to you and John.
Happy Birthday!! Don't work too hard and beware the birthday cakes. They look scary!
Also, Walter is obviously Walter Bishop from the show Fringe. I'm glad he's ok... but what about Peter!!? *geekyfreakout*
Happy Birthday! I hope you have a fun day! Thanks for keeping me laughing all year.
@Anonymous 12:44 "Buy the book" repeated over and over (I read fast)
Happiy Birthdoth, Jen. So glad to know Walter is fine. (Although I had previously thought it was Mickey who was...)
I could be wrong, but that Tinkerbell Cake "topper" on cake #2 looks just like the top of the Tinkerbell bubblebath jar sold at WalMart and other fine retailers. So maybe Happy B.D. means Happy Bubble Day? Soapy! Happy Birthday to you! May all your cakes be delicious!
I could be wrong, but that "Tinkerbell" cake topper on cake #2 looks just like the top of a bottle of bubble bath sold at WalMart and other fine retailers. So maybe Happy B.D. means Happy Bubble Day? Soapy! Happy Birthday and may all of your cakes be delicious!
Happy Birthday Jen! Can't wait for the new book!
It's my birthday too. Happy birthday!!
Have a great birthday, Jen!
happle b.d.
book tour coming to canada?
Happy Birthday Jen! Wishing youa lovely, peaceful, flamingo free day!
Birfday Happiys to you and Walter, that fine man.
word verification: Selicale: I told you tp put Sell a Cake. What the heck is selicale, I am so sending this to Cake Wrecks.
Happy Bowel Disease to you! Another year older, another book of fail. My mom buys me books every month, so I'm going to have to put this on there. I love these disasters. Is it all holiday filled or is it random cakes?
Ava
HAPY BRITHDAY, Jen!!! I hope it's terrific!!
FABULOUS video -- and, yes, the subliminal message indeed worked! I just pre-ordered 5 copies: One for me; the rest as gifts! I can't wait!!
Now, could you maybe introduce me to Walter? I hear he's FINE!!
Happy, Happy!!
.
that was the best book trailer I've seen yet! and its release will be in time for my birthday...hhhmmmm
Hoppy Bithday!
AHHHHHH!! That's my turkey cake picture!! Awesome! I am totally buying the book! I have the first one (autographed of course) and I love it. Disturbing turkey cakes for all!!
It's my birthday too, to happy birthday my fellow birthday buddy!
Congrats on the new book! It's a good day for May 12th birthday babies--I just found out my offer was accepted and I'm buying my first house! Time to find us both some cake wrecks to celebrate! :)
O.M.G. Just the cover has me crackin' up!! Congrats on the new book!
Oh, yeah: Charlotte or Asheville, NC for the book tour! I can hook you up with some cool spaces in either town!
Birthdays are happy occasions.
Usually, that is.
Yesterday was not Jen's birthday.
Today is Jen's birthday.
Happy Birthday, Jen.
Enjoy it.
Books make good gifts.
Other things make good gifts, too.
Obviously, I'm up to something here.
Keep up the good work, John & Jen!
Happy Birthday. It's my birthday today too. :)
Happy Birthday to you, Jen! May your cakes all be gloriously wrecky. And I've officially started my Christmas list, as well. Totally psyched for the new book. And your trailer is awesome!!!
How about a book tour - headed towards the St. Paul-Minneapolis area, perchance? Please, pretty please!
They say it's your birthday. Well it's my birthday too, yeah...
No, really it is! I've probably been on this planet a lot longer than you have, but (like you said) it is good to stay young at heart. I wanted to say thank you for keeping me "young" by reading your posts every day. Both of your blogs are very enjoyable to read and keep me giggling.
Thanks for that! Happy Birthday and keep up the awesome work!
"Wreckception"... Must... Not... Pee... Self... Laugh... Dammit, too late! Thanks for nuthin', Jen and John! :-)
(If only you could have had a big sheet cake folding over on itself!)
WV: Specov - What do you specov people who can't spell "happy"?
At least that one cake said "Happy B.D." and not "Happy V.D." It could always be worse.
You share the same birthday as my mom! Have a happy birthday!
Happy B D (bowel disease)
WV: Sherg
I Sherg can't wait for the new book to come out!!!
Sigh... You made me actually use the scroll bar to read the subliminal message. Wonderful video!
Fantastic!
Ok, Show of hands: Who else paused the video to see what the subliminal message was?
Shoot!!! I can't see the trailer while at work!!! *cries* I'll have to watch it at home tonight! Until then, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my favorite blogger who writes about cakes and steampunk and named JEN!
teehee!!
WV--hinost.......Love you guys...hinost, I do!
Please everyone, do not do what I did..and watch the video while you are eating.....just....dont'....can anyone say/spell "HEIMLICH"...
lol... in mommy forums, BD means "Baby Dance", or doing the horizontal mambo to get pregnant. So I suppose you could wish people a happy BD! ;)
You say its your birthday! Its my birthday too yeah! I feel like you've given me a great present with the "Wreck the Halls" trailer... it wasn't just your everyday LOL... I actually let out a big donkey-like "HA!!!" at my computer screen. So thank you. And Happy Birthday to us!
I suddenly have an overwhelming desire to buythebook, buythebook, buythebook.
How odd.
Hoppy borschtday, Jen!
Now, hold me. *shudder*
Happy Birthday! Wreck on girl, wreck on!
HB to you!
Happiy B.D.
I would write B.D. again, upside down, if I could.
Since my birthday was just 3 days ago and i have a daughter that enjoys cakewrecks as much as i do and has already bought the first book... maybe just maybe....... i'll send her a reminder. lol
Love the video well done :D
Happy birthday and thanks for helping me with my Christmas shopping. Already pre-ordered 7 books. Amazon had an awesome sale price! I gave a lot of your first books for Christmas gifts too. I wish you every success with this book as well. Susan.... from Maine
You know, if you gave out a random prize on your birthday, 100s and 100s would send you Brthday Wishes!
A thousand wishes for you.
That's quite a fab trailer, Jen! Great job, guys!
I'm compelled to buy the book buy the book buy the book buy the book buy the book buy the book......but I'm not sure why......... ;)
OMG! I was CACKLING out loud over that video! BEST EVER!!!
That trailer is brilliant! Happy birthday m'dear.
Hippy Birdday, Jen! I just realized that my Barnes & Noble membership gives me free shipping (or that's what it said on the membership flyer thingie) and I still don't have the first book, so I need to order both of them.
I literally gasped aloud at the shot of the cake that was smushed against the plastic cover. I didn't know whether to laugh or get the willies, so I did both.
Oh Walter you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind! Hey Walter!
Happy, Brithday "JEN" in blue and I won't sprinkels.
*and lots of colorful little sperm ballons floating around!*
wv: preba (in southern accent).
Ah'm a-wantin' to preba Jen's new book rat now!
wv: hooke
as in, Now, Jen. Are you trying to hooke me into buying your new booke?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! And I'm totally buying your new book... as soon as you come back to Arizona for a signing!! (Yes, I'm being all demanding. Sorry.) Oh, and while I'm being demanding... Can you please tell us what the subliminal message said? I have tried to pause the video so many times and I'm just not talented at that. Thank you!
I randomly found your book on sale at a small car wash in East Tennessee. They had a little corner with handmade jewelry, religious items, and the Cake Wrecks book. I thought knowing this would make your birthday!
Haha. And another wv:
bangeded
as in, That wreckerater must have bangeded his head this morning, because this cake looks like poo!
Ok, last one:
wv: satorica
noun. Funny comments about seriously wreckerated cakes.
as in,
Jen's new book is full of wonderful wreckiness and snarky satorica.
Yay! Today is my birthday too! Happy birthday to you and I hope you make it to TN for the book tour.
Happy Birthday, Jen! I bought me - er, you - the gift of your new book!
Happy Birthday! It's my birthday, too! Congrats on the new book!
You are pure awesomeness. Spelled in neon pink. With sprinkles. You are also the reason I "just can't" stop looking at quotes the same way ever again. So, yeah, there's that to thank you for, too! :D You guys are the best; wreck on!
Pete and Repeat sat on a log. Pete fell off, who's left?
Looks like somebody is digging for more birthday wishes.
Happy Birthday!
Mary K
Awesome! Your blog brightens my mornings. :)
Though as an indie bookseller, I'd love if you linked to IndieBound as well as the big box options!
Aaaack! I didn't mean to miss it! Happy Birthday, Jen! I discovered CW this year and wanna thank you for all the laughs, groans and facepalm inspiring moments. Hope you had a great 'birfday' :)
Lots O' hugs, too.
~Sarah D.
all the birthday wishes vanished!
happle b.d.
please come to toronto on the next book tour
Hippo Birdie Two Ewe! :D
Hope you had a Happy Britday, with all the sprinkles you deserve.
Thanks for making your birthday a present for all of us...I can't believe Epbot's been up a year! Thank you for all the laughs (and Steam Powered Giraffe plugging ;D) from both blogs.
Brie
Yea, I'll buy your book! After all it IS...er...WAS your birthday! And it's just plain rude not to buy someone's book on their birthday.
Anonymous @ 5:19,
Jen and I love IndieBound but we couldn't find the new book there for pre-order. I'll look again and update the post.
Thanks!
john
Why do I think no comments for 24 hours did not result in a break.
Between hilarious videos and restoring missing posts, it looks to me like the team has been busier than the proverbial one-armed paper hanger.
Congratulations (and Happy Birthday again, Jen).
HB!!
I think you should really use those festivities wrecks and turn them into postcards!
I'll just charge you 5 dollars for the idea (?)
BAD-ASS video!
You just rock. Can I say that? okay: YOU ROCK!
I used to order my own birthday cakes, and they always said "Happy Birthday to Me" and I was never once disappointed!
My mommy, when I was in 3rd grade, asked the bakery to make cupcakes for my class at school, spelling out Happy Birthday Patty Lynn.
The bakery person, misunderstanding and thinking she wanted ALL of it on ONE cupcake, asked her - couldn't we just write HBPL?
Mom wanted one letter on each cupcake. :-)
A potential wreck in 1962!
Happy belated, fellow Taurus!
Oh man, those poo clowns just kill me. Hooray for Poo Clowns!
Happy Birthday! =)
--Renee G
I couldn't see this post yesterday and now I feel so cheated that so many did and had 24 more hours of fun than I did! ;)
Fabulous, fabulous, awesome :D
So, belated but not from a lack of love:
Hippo birdie two ewes
Hippo birdie two ewes
Hippo birdie two ewes, deer
Hippo birdie two ewes
-Barbara Anne
Happy happy birthday, may all your dreams come true...
Whew! A blogger after my own procrastinating heart. I read your original post and told myself I'd come back later to write a comment. Then I thought I had mental hiccups because both CW and Epbot didn't show a birthday post at all.
o.O
Friday the 13th struck early?
Preordered! Once it comes out, I'll probably get a few more copies. I gave a copy of the first book to my dad, and it has earned a place next to the toilet, so congrats to you!
Oh, and happy birthday!
Happy birthday and awesome video. I laughed.... I cried (b/c I was laughing so hard).
Never ever stop what you are doing! When I need a good laugh I always come here.
Happy Birthday!
E.
Yeah!!! So glad this post was reposted so I could watch the video.
It was epic, are you showing at Cannes this week?
I can see the subliminal message here and on YouTube, but when I embedded it on Facebook, the subliminal message disappeared. Eeeeeerie.
(And Happy Birthday!)
I thought photo #1 was a pizza at first... with some rainbow Fruit by the Foot?? on it?? But then I thought "what would pizza be doing on a cake wreck blog? unless it was a cookie pie" and I looked closer and I realized it was a cake.
Hugs to Jen! Just bought your book Cake Wrecks in hardcover and preordered Wreck the Halls. ;) Love your site!
I love your video! Inception music and spinning top such a great metaphor for the wreckiness! Congrats on the second book; and happy birthday. (Blogger was down when I tried to post yesterday, so belated wishes!)
You know, I wasn't really convinced that I should pre-order, but after watching the video I have this unbelievable compulsion to "buy the book" ... so I've placed my order for Italian Without Words
Thanks guys!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday! I know you're a very special person, because you share a birthday with one of my kids!
And then there's all the cake stuff too, of course. ;-P
Happy Birthday Jen!
That video was EPIC! Had me dying in tears of laughter!
The photos, the commentary, the quotes (especially the quotes!)... everything on your site always has me laughing so hard I break a sweat!
Bought your first book in it's early days of release, and can't wait for the next one! Wreck on!!
~AnnaBanana
I'm so late, but HAPPIY B. D.!!!!!!!!!!
Happy (Belated) Birthday from a big fan, who shares your birthday! So there's an extra for me, to know that there'll be extra wrecky goodness on my birthday!