Publish Wanda Sell's Recipe Book

Update: I am launching a website this summer that will provide both hard copy and digital pre-orders of WHAT'S COOKING GOOD LOOKING. Once this site launches, I will be moving away from announcing fundraising through the GFM platform, in hopes of raising the remaining $$$ needed through presales of the recipe book. Books will be mailed and downloads emailed on November 18th, 2025, just in time for the holidays. There is also an option to donate funds on the site under CONTRIBUTE. Thank you to all who made the first round of fundraising such a huge success. This project could not be made without you.

The Project: My name is Ashley Russell. I am raising funds to self-publish a recipe book in honor of my grandmother, Wanda Mae Sell. Wanda passed away last June at the age of 90. What started as a recipe book of her beloved recipes for our family has become a passion project for me. I hope to self-publish her recipes and our family story in a tangible book. Wanda always encouraged me to be a writer, and this book feels like a big step in that direction.

Immediate family members will receive a digital copy and one tangible copy per household, regardless of whether or not they make a monetary donation. Extended family, don't hesitate to contact me if you would like a copy. I am more than happy to provide copies regardless of donation to any member of Bob & Wanda's family; to those extended family members helping with the book, you are already on my list! Love to you all.

Those who participated in the GFM first round of fundraising, which successfully raised $3,500, will still receive the donation tier promises. Each of you receive a special thanks in the book, those that donated at least $5 will be chosen at random to receive a year of free mending by me, those who donated at least $50 will receive a digital copy of the book, and those that donated $100 will receive a tangible copy of the book.

Numerous unknown costs go into creating and self-publishing a cookbook. As a comparison, a traditionally published cookbook costs a publishing house about $100,000. By doing all the footwork myself, the funding for this self-published labor of love will be just under 10% of that.

The book will be released by (what would be) Wanda's 92nd birthday on November 18th, 2025. Just in time to have her recipes for the holiday season!

Eventually, when the book becomes profitable, a portion of profits from any book sales, big or small, will be donated to help support the fight against cancer through direct funding to individuals or organizations such as the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle to help prevent, detect, and treat cancer. We lost both Nana (Wanda), my grandmother, and Pops (Bob), my grandfather, to cancer, as well as having had other family struggles with the disease.

Please pass this fundraiser along to those you feel would be interested in participating.

A huge thank you to every person in my family who is helping me track down recipes and family history. Especially to my mom, who gets texts from me at all hours, such as "What did Nana always eat with cottage cheese?"

Here is a link to Wanda's obituary for more information on the life and love of Wanda Mae Sell.

@whatscookinggoodlookingrecipes