iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 30/09/2026

Very true! Palm oil does ruin a lot of things for me, but it's not worth the pain when there are so many other delicious things to eat that don't make me violently ill! Like frosted sugar cookies topped with Pop Rocks! #KidLitConfections #KidLitChat i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2025/09/expl...

lime sugar cookies with strawberry frosting, topped with strawberry, cotton candy, and blue raspberry Pop Rocks candies

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 23/09/2026

Oh yes! I love serving my ideas ala mode! (That really would be a good name for a podcast. Now I'm imagining that it would be my #KidLitConfections in podcast form, pairing books and delicious desserts in a whole new forum!) #KidLitChat

Close-up photo of a slice of Apple Walnut pie on a white plate with a pink and green floral border. The crust is flaky and golden brown, with sprinkles of cinnamon sugar, and there are multiple layers of apple slices and walnuts in the pie. There is a single scoop of slightly-melted caramel ice cream on top of the pie and a fork sitting next to it on the plate. In the background, slightly blurry on a wooden table top behind the pie slice, there is a pie dish with the rest of the pie, sitting in the middle of a green table runner.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 23/09/2026

I could. I used to make very beautifully merengues. But I don't particularly like them, so I haven't made one since I moved across the country from my parents (I used to make Lemon Merengue Pie for my dad's birthday because it was his favorite). Now, I just pile up the whipped cream! #KidLitChat

slice of 3.1414926 Ultimate Pie - a 6-layer confection with a chocolate crust, cheesecake base, and layers of caramel, salted caramel mousse, chocolate mousse, and whipped cream - on a white plate with a blue and green floral border, on a granite countertop in front of a full pie, with a single slice removed

Giant Brownie Sundae: a 10-inch diameter round brownie topped with 6 scoops of cookies-n-cream ice cream, hot fudge, hot caramel, a mound of whipped cream & chopped nuts

close-up photo of Peanut Butter and Chocolate Mousse Pie: a full pie in a pink glass pie plate, with one slice missing. The pie has a flaky, chocolate crust, with thick, fluffy layers of peanut butter mousse, dark chocolate mousse, and vanilla whipped cream.

popcorn pie with a caramel corn crust, yellow popcorn custard filling, and whipped cream in a glass pie dish on a mottled granite countertop

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 16/09/2026

I decided I wanted to be here AND be square... so I came with a bonus #KidLitConfections treat for the #KidLitChat tonight. Because "pie r square," right?

Chocolate Cream Pie, topped with whipped cream rosettes, baked in a square pan for Pi Day a few years ago. Pi(e) R Squared!

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 10/09/2026

Got all set to write a new #KidLitConfections post for one of my favorite recent cookie creations ... only I apparently didn't write the recipe down! This happens way more often than I'd like to admit. *sigh* Recreating the recipe now from a cryptic scribble I was *sure* I'd understand later...

Croissant Cookies - 6 crisp, flaky cookies shaped like croissants with a brown sugar filling, on a green plate with a brown starburst pattern around the edge

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 09/09/2026

I am very proud of myself tonight, though. Today I sent TWO queries out into the world ... AND I updated the #KidLitConfections page on my website with a brand-new recipe post (first since April)!! Yay!! Allergy-safe Chocolate Cupcakes #KidLitChat i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2026/09/alle...

Two dark chocolate cupcakes, dusted with powdered sugar and red sugar sprinkles, sit on a white plate with a green and blue floral border. One cupcake is cut in half, so you can see the detail of the crumb.

close-up photo of a stack of dark chocolate cupcakes, dusted with powdered sugar and red sugar sprinkles

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 02/09/2026

I do enjoy posting, which is why it's so frustrating that I haven't been able to hit "publish" on a post for months. I'm working on it though! In the meantime, here's a sampling of the treats I have in the queue! #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

Allergy-safe chocolate cupcakes: gluten free, soy free, dairy free, egg free, nut free ... but full on flavor!

Italian Rainbow Cookies on a white plate with a pink floral border. The cookies are triple-layer bar cookies, with green, white, and pink layers of almond and raspberry sugar cookies and raspberry jam between the layers, then topped with dark chocolate.

Boston Cream Cookies: a soft shortbread cookie with a vanilla custard and a drizzle of dark chocolate

(not yet named recipe) - Dark chocolate cream pie with a Rice Krispie treat "crust" and topped with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 26/08/2026

I was a bit quiet in tonight's #KidLitChat and forgot to post refreshments. Here's a little snack for the road: Italian Rainbow Cookies, because I think we could all use a little rainbow tonight. :) #KidLitConfections

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 19/08/2026

This experience was a great reminder that you don’t actually have to SEE something to know it’s happening. And sometimes it’s important to let go of the expectations to experience the magic you weren’t anticipating. #KidLitChat #SolarEclipse

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 19/08/2026

Trying one more time to post this #eclipse video *fingers crossed* #KidLitChat

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 19/08/2026

That's a good one! My favorite was (& still is) THE BERENSTAIN BEARS AND THE MESSY ROOM - I still strive for the kind of organization they ended up with at the end of the story! #KidLitChat

Cover of THE BERENSTAIN BEARS AND THE MESSY ROOM by Stan & Jan Berenstain: Brother and Sister Bear are playing tiddlywinks in a very messy room, with toys and games and books strewn everywhere. A very grumpy Mama is standing on the left side of the cover, holding a big cardboard box with "TRASH" written on the side of it.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 05/08/2026

Celebrating all types of #KidLit on #KidLitChat tonight means we should have an assortment of virtual treats, yes? #KidLitConfections for tonight: Chocolate Walnut Pie, Re-imagined Berger Cookies, "Good Different" Oatmeal Cookies, & Vanilla Olive Oil Mug Cake

close-up photo of a chocolate walnut pie on a wooden tabletop, with the covers of 3 books: FATIMA TATE TAKES THE CAKE by Khadijah VanBrakle, PIE IN THE SKY by Remi Lai, and PORCUPINE'S PIE by Laura Renauld and Jennie Poh in a column along the right edge of the photo

two columns of sugar cookies topped with a thick layer of fudge on parchment paper, with the covers of 5 books surrounding them on the right side - THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS by Veronica Bartles and Sara Palacios, SLEEPING UGLY by Jane Yolen and Diane Stanley, WE CAN'T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS by Rachel Lynn Solomon, IT'S NOT HANSEL AND GRETEL by Josh Funk and Edwardian Taylor, and HELP WANTED, MUST LOVE BOOKS by Janet Sumner Johnson and Courtney Dawson

oatmeal raisin cookies on a white plate with a pink flower border, centered on a brown, tan, and turquoise round placemat book covers for SAME LOVE, DIFFERENT HUG by Sarah Hovorka and Abbey Bryant, GOOD DIFFERENT by Meg Eden Kuyatt, and THE LOTUS FLOWER CHAMPION by Pintip and Love Dunn are shown in a column along the right edge of the photo

KidLitConfections image altered to share a happy 15th birthday wish to #KidLitChat (back in 2024), with the hippo carrying a birthday cake with candles instead of a tray of cookies, and images of the vanilla & olive oil mug cake steps in a column along the right side of the image

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 29/07/2026

Happy Birthday #KidLitChat! Birthdays deserve cake, and I had plans to create a brand new #KidLitConfections cake recipe for the occasion, but my day got away from me, so I'm reposting this recipe for a Vanilla Olive Oil mug cake I created for the 15th birthday. Plus bonus chocolate cupcakes!

Allergy-safe Chocolate Cupcakes: Dark Chocolate cupcakes that are gluten free, egg free, & dairy free (also free of nuts, soy... all of the top food allergens)! But don't worry, they are definitely not flavor-free!

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 22/07/2026

And since I'm still stuck on last week's topic, and thinking about all the ice cream... I suppose I need to supply some ice cream to go with the book, right? Here's a giant brownie sundae for your virtual tastebuds to enjoy! #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

Giant dark chocolate brownie with 6 scoops of cookies-n-cream ice cream, hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, and nuts, on a large red plate on top of a wooden table

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 22/07/2026

Oops! I guess I should have named the book, since this conversation is from last week's #KidLitChat ... My grandson's new obsession (thanks @deborahpaquette.bsky.social) is ALL THE ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD by Masoud Gharehbaghi Such a beautiful book, with such a beautiful, hopeful message!

grandson staring lovingly at ALL THE ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD by Masoud Gharehbaghi (as he tried to convince me to read it to him a 4th time before bedtime, even though I said the 3rd time was the ABSOLUTE LAST TIME ... and of course we read it one more time.)

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 15/07/2026

I also think I AM A BON DANCER by @brandiauyemura.bsky.social would make a beautiful short. Animated or live action. I'd watch either. And of course I have a cookie ready to bribe my way onto that one too! Ginger Peach Cookies with Lemon and Peach Curd and Sugar Pearls #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

Peach Ginger cookies with swirls of Lemon Curd and Peach/Ginger curd, garnished with sugar pearls

cover of I AM A BON DANCER by Brandi-Ann Uyemura and Amy Matsushita-Beal - a young girl in a peach-colored kimono with a red flower in her hair dances in front of a yellow background, with the title text in white at the top of the image

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 15/07/2026

I just finished reading A SEA OF LEMON TREES by Maria Dolores Aguila, and I would love to see that one as a movie. I think I would bribe my way in by providing my Lemon Basil Cookies for craft services. #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

white bowl on a red tablecloth, filled with bite-sized Lemon Basil Cookies

cover of A SEA OF LEMON TREES by Maria Dolores Aguila: a young Hispanic boy peers out through the branches of a lemon tree. There are awards stickers on the cover for the Newberry Honor and Pura Belpre Honor

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 08/07/2026

I'm sure it will surprise no one to hear that one of my favorite parts of my process is discovering my characters' favorite foods & creating delicious menus to go with my manuscript. Just like I enjoy finding the perfect #KidLitConfections treats--Like cupcakes!--to share with #KidLitChat each week!

Gluten-free (also dairy, egg, soy, and nut-free) chocolate cupcakes, dusted with powdered sugar, on a white plate with a green and blue floral border.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 24/06/2026

And sometimes I'll go cook something that my characters would be eating. Engage all the senses to see the story in a new light! Two recipes that helped me get through my novel, TWELVE STEPS (1 sweet, 1 savory): Giant Brownie Sundae & Chili Cheese Fries #KidLitChat

giant brownie sundae with 6 scoops of ice cream, hot fudge, hot caramel, whipped cream & nuts (not pictured: cherry on top of the whipped cream)

plate full of chili cheese fries with a fork

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 23/06/2026

My writing notebook has a new accessory

Green spiral notebook with an “I voted” sticker in the upper left corner

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 17/06/2026

It feels fitting tonight that the #KidLitConfections treats for #KidLitChat should be my Better Than Berger Cookies: a recipe I reinvented from the original MD favorite treat. I've paired it with a handful of fractured fairy tales, including SLEEPING UGLY by Jane Yolen & Diane Stanley

sugar cookie topped with a thick layer of fudge, with the cover of SLEEPING UGLY by Jane Yolen and Diane Stanley on the left side

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 17/06/2026

If you want a peek at the books and authors that inspire me, you can always look at my list of #KidLitConfections (screenshots below of the books I've highlighted so far on my site: vbartles.com/kidlitconfec...) - But of course, that is just a tiny sliver of the real answer! #KidLitChat

screenshot of the #KidLitConfections page of my website (https://vbartles.com/kidlitconfections.htm), with middle grade and YA books that I've featured and the sweets I've paired them with. Books listed include: THE 14 FIBS OF GREGORY K. by Greg Pincus, FAIRY DOOR DIARIES: ELIZA AND THE FLOWER FAIRIES by Megan McDonald & Lenny Wen, GHOST SQUAD by Claribel Ortega, GOOD DIFFERENT by Meg Eden Kuyatt, KWAME CRASHES THE UNDERWORLD and A METHOD OF MAGIC AND MISFORTUNE both by Craig Kofi Farmer, PIE IN THE SKY by Remi Lai, AUTHORITY and TRACKER 220 both by Jamie Krakover, SLEEPING UGLY by Jane Yolen & Diane Stanley, FATIMA TATE TAKES THE CAKE and MY PERFECT FAMILY both by Khadijah VanBrakle, GOING BICOASTAL by Dahlia Adler. I'LL FIND YOU WHERE THE TIMELINE ENDS by Kylie Lee Baker, THE LOTUS FLOWER CHAMPION by Pintip Dunn & Love Dunn, and WE CAN'T KEEP MEETING LIKE THIS by Rachel Lynn Solomon. Each book is paired with a cookie, pie, or other dessert that reflects my impression of the book.

screenshot of the #KidLitConfections page of my website (https://vbartles.com/kidlitconfections.htm), with picture books that I've featured and the sweets I've paired them with. Books listed include:
CATERWAUL by Ann Marie Stephens & Jenn Harney, GILBERT AND THE GHOST by Heather Pierce Stigall & Jess Mason, HELP WANTED, MUST LOVE BOOKS by Janet Sumner Johnson & Courtney Dawson, IT'S NOT HANSEL AND GRETEL by Josh Funk & Edwardian Taylor, PEG GETS PLUCKY by Jo Renfro, PORCUPINE'S PIE by Laura Renauld & Jennie Poh, THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS by Veronica Bartles & Sara Palacios (yes, I'm even inspired by my own book. If I can do it once, I can do it again--and also... Have you SEEN the gorgeous illustrations that Sara Palacios did for this book??), PUMPKIN DAY FOR BOO AND BELLE by Laura Sassi & Farah Shah, SAME LOVE, DIFFERENT HUG by Sarah Hovorka & Abbey Bryant, and TODAY by Gabi Snyder & Stephanie Graegin
Each book is paired with a cookie, pie, or other dessert that reflects my impression of the book.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 10/06/2026

While we chat about great books to read this summer, have some Raspberry Lemonade Cookies, which pair well with GOING BICOASTAL by @missdahlelama.dahliaadler.com #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections recipe & book review link: i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-si...

a pile of bright pink Raspberry Lemonade Cookies on an olive green plate with a ridged, rust-colored sunburst pattern around the rim

Cover of Dahlia Adler's GOING BICOASTAL - The cover is divided into two vertically, with the title Going Bicoastal across the top. A teen brunette stands in the middle. On her right, the New York City skyline rises in the background behind a redheaded punk girl perched on a ledge. On her left, with beachy LA in the background, a dark-haired boy leans against a taco truck called Bros Over Tacos.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 10/06/2026

So many picture books!!! My grandson's current favorite is ATTACK BUNNIES by @authorlauragehl.bsky.social & @julspatton.bsky.social We're reading that a lot (I had to go buy a copy because the copy I checked out from the public library was overdue.) bookshop.org/a/8835/97815... #KidLitChat

Cover of ATTACK BUNNIES by Laura Gehl and Julia Patton. A yellow background with the title in red and a yellow starburst pattern reminiscent of old comic book "Pow!" imagery filling up the space. 2 bunnies, one bluish-grey and one pink, are in attack poses underneath the title.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 03/06/2026

Oh!!! And before #KidLitChat is over, I have to share refreshments!! Here is my most recent creation (still looking for the book to pair it with): Gluten-free Italian Rainbow Cookies!

Italian Rainbow Cookies: 3-layer almond sugar cookies in red, white and green, with layers of raspberry jam in between the layers and topped with chocolate

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 20/05/2026

As promised, it's a "Yay, cake!" night here on #KidLitChat <3 This #KidLitConfections cupcake is allergy-friendly: no gluten, milk, eggs, soy, or nuts. But it's perfectly airy and flavorful. Most people don't know they're not eating a "regular" chocolate cupcake when I give it to them. :)

white plate with 2 chocolate cupcakes, dusted with powdered sugar. One cupcake is cut in half, so you can see the detail of the crumb.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 13/05/2026

Best pie to soothe unexpected feedback, you say? I think all pie works! Take your pick! #KidLitConfections 3.14 Ultimate Pi(e), Apple Walnut Pie, Strawberry Cream Pie, or (invented specifically for #KidLitChat) Popcorn Pie (all recipes on my website: vbartles.com/recipes.htm)

3.14 Ultimate Pi(e) - a multi-layer pie that combines cheesecake, caramel and chocolate mousse, and a rich vanilla whipped cream

slice of Apple Walnut pie with a scoop of caramel ice cream on top

bright pink Strawberry Cream Pie, topped with a ring of strawberry slices

Popcorn Pie: a caramel corn "crust" filled with popcorn custard and topped with whipped cream rosettes

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 06/05/2026

Oh! and the recipe for this week's #KidLitConfections post is up on my website: i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2026/04/you-...

close-up of a plate with a colorful, floral border and a pile of Happy Smiles Cookies (sugar cookies, with a smiley face cut into the cookie before baking). To the right of the cookies is a vertical column with the book covers for THIS WAY TO HAPPY by Alison Green Myers, I AM NOT HAPPY by Caroline L. Perry and Sydney Hanson, and HAPPY RIGHT NOW by Julie Berry and Holly Hatam.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 06/05/2026

Speaking of trying (& failing) to keep track of things... it's already halfway through #KidLitChat and I haven't brought out the treats! Please enjoy these Happy Smiles Cookies, which I have paired with THREE different books this time around! #KidLitConfections

plate with a colorful, floral border and a pile of Happy Smiles Cookies (sugar cookies, both plain and dusted with cocoa powder, with a happy face smile cut into the cookie before baking)

plate with a colorful, floral border and a close-up of a pile of Happy Smiles Cookies (sugar cookies, both plain and dusted with cocoa powder, with a happy face smile cut into the cookie before baking). On the left is the cover of I AM NOT HAPPY by Caroline L. Perry and Sydney Hanson

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 29/04/2026

Today's #KidLitChat treats: A crisp, melt-in-your-mouth cookie for fans of Russian Teacakes, with the flavor profile of a classic lemon bar. These Lemon Snowball Cookies pair well with SNOW by @meeratrehan.bsky.social #KidLitConfections

close-up photo of a pile of Lemon Snowball Cookies: a crisp teacake-style cookie coated in powdered sugar

cover of the book SNOW by Meera Trehan, with a gold Junior Library Guild "Gold Selection" emblem in the lower right corner

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 22/04/2026

My best tip for revising a delicious dessert is to keep asking "what if?" & refining the recipe until you have something amazing! For example... Cinnamon Rolls ... that can be baked in a crock pot ... that become sugar cookies ... that become gluten free cookies! #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

close-up photo of cinnamon rolls baking in a crock pot

close-up photo of a pile of unfrosted cinnamon roll sugar cookies

split image: to the left are three large gluten-free cinnamon roll cookies stacked on a white plate with a pink and green floral border, to the right are three frosted gluten-free cinnamon roll cookies on a blue plate

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 15/04/2026

They're so yummy! Tonight's treats are on the more complex end of the spectrum I usually make deceptively simple treats that don't LOOK simple (like this Strawberry Cream Pie i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2016/03/supe...), but sometimes I like something complex too! #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

bright pink Strawberry Cream Pie, garnished with a ring of sliced strawberries, on a granite countertop

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 15/04/2026

For what's trending in desserts... Well, (not to brag, but...) I am a foremost authority here. In case you were wondering, here are some current dessert trends: Cheesecake Stroopwafel Cookies & 3.14 "Ultimate Pi(e)" #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

cropped photo of a close-up of Cheesecake Stroopwafel Cookies: 2 thin, vanilla waffle cone wafers with caramel and cheesecake filling sandwiched in between. The cookies are sitting close together on top of a sheet of parchment paper, and the caramel and cheesecake fillings are peeking out from between the wafers of each cookie sandwich. The cookie in the top left corner of the image has the top wafer removed, so you can see the concentric circles of cheesecake, caramel, and cookie wafer.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 08/04/2026

I think we can all agree that I am EXCEPTIONALLY good at creating delicious recipes to fit the vibes of my stories. And other people's stories. And turning everything about books into a reason to have dessert. #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections Case in point i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2014/03/twel...

Giant Brownie Sundae with 6 scoops of cookies & cream ice cream, caramel, hot fudge, whipped cream, and nuts, on a red plate - This giant brownie sundae plays a role in some key scenes of my YA novel, TWELVE STEPS, and made enough readers hungry that I had to create and share the recipe in real life.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 01/04/2026

I give you my solemn vow that I will never put "no pie" energy out into the world! And here's a bonus pie to show I'm serious! Lime and Coconut Cream Pie i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2016/03/lime... #KidLitChat

Lime Cream Pie, garnished with green toasted coconut to make a little "nest" in the center for jellybean "eggs"

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 01/04/2026

Pie is always the 1st step! Enjoy! 3.14 Pie i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2025/10/ulti... Apple Walnut i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2025/11/appl... Chocolate Walnut i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2024/02/easy... Super-Simple Strawberry Cream i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2016/03/supe... #KidLitChat

Full Chocolate Walnut Pie on a wooden tabletop

strawberry cream pie, garnished with a circle of sliced strawberries

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 25/03/2026

#KidLitChat with a Tea? As in these delicious Lavender Chamomile Cookies? (I'm sure that's the kind of T you were missing there, right?) - Here's the recipe, so you don't lose the Tea again. ;) i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2025/08/lave... #KidLitConfections

Lavendar Chamomile Sugar Cookie, topped with a thick layer of Lavendar Fudge, on a white plate

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 25/03/2026

Speaking of delicious desserts that pair with great books... Last weekend, I made some Croissant Cookies to pair with IT'S YOU EVERY TIME by @cthomasbooks.bsky.social - I promise I'm going to write up the recipe and share it soon!! #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

Cover of IT'S YOU EVERY TIME by Charlene Thomas

6 Croissant Cookies on a green and brown plate, on a countertop

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 18/03/2026

Not as amazing as yours, Brian, but I made myself a sandwich after #KidLitChat

Corned beef and Swiss sandwich with coleslaw on rye bread

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 18/03/2026

Oh!!! I apologize for my oversight. Here is the promised pie for tonight. (For Pi Day this year, I had to make a Boston Cream Pie-inspired pie... because it always hurt my brain that the dessert with that name is a very delicious cake.) #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

Boston Cream Pie... as a pie! - 3/4 of the pie in a pie plate on a wooden table. You can see the chocolate and custard layers (which swirled together a bit when the pie was cut.

Boston Cream Pie... as a pie! - top-down view of the pie, with half the slices missing, in a pie plate on a wooden table.

Boston Cream Pie... as a pie! - close-up of the cut pie in a pie plate on a wooden table. You can see the chocolate and custard layers (which swirled together a bit when the pie was cut.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 18/03/2026

Back when I used to go to in-person conferences more, I had a deadline for perfecting recipes. Because I would show up at the conference with containers of cookies for my friends to try. Like the Mint Chocolate Chip cookies for a conference on a March 17th weekend. #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

3 Mint Chocolate Chip cookies and 3 regular Chocolate Chip cookies on a white plate with a green rim.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 18/03/2026

Back when #PitMad was a thing, I wrote my official #EgoClub rules for online pitch contests, and I used to jump into the chat with my intentional obliviousness (& encourage it in others) every time a pitch party rolled around. #KidLitChat Here are the rules, in case anyone needs them!!

header: Illustration of Veronica Bartles on the left and a ghost at a typewriter on the right against a blue background with text that says "Veronica Bartles' #EgoClub Rules for Online Pitch Contests"
Rule #1: ALL Positive Posts from Judges are About You!
Is one of the judges gushing about the most amazing manuscript they’ve ever seen? It was yours. Did one mention that they literally laughed out loud at the last entry they read? Obviously yours. They said they’re reading the best paranormal romance ever written, and you submitted a historical thriller? Still yours!! Every positive post that comes from one of the judges is a secretly-coded love letter written just for you. Because You Are Awesome.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 11/03/2026

One of the boldest things I've done in my writing life (not specifically in writing the actual manuscripts)... was joining #KidLitChat and declaring myself the Official Refreshments Chair for the chat until everyone just accepted it and let me share #KidLitConfections every week. :)

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Mousse pie - chocolate crust with peanut butter mousse, chocolate mousse, and whipped cream

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 11/03/2026

Another bold move I make when writing my manuscripts: I create delicious recipes so that I can eat the things my characters are eating in the story. :) This Giant Brownie Sundae was featured in my YA novel, TWELVE STEPS. i-am-so-grateful.blogspot.com/2014/03/twel... #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections

Giant Brownie Sundae on a red plate - with 6 scoops of cookies & cream ice cream, caramel, hot fudge, whipped cream, and nuts

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 04/03/2026

Currently, I am having fun with the @merriam-webster.com “Reunions” word game. I play a round of the game and then the first 3 words that catch my attention from the solved grid become my story prompt 😊 bonus: I feel like the cute hedgehog & fox are cheering me on! #KidLitChat

Screenshot of the Merriam-Webster.com word game “Reunions” with a grid of letters that have to be rearranged to make valid words across and down, while ultimately bringing the adorable illustrated hedgehog and fox together.

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 04/03/2026

I haven't been great about keeping up with my #KidLitConfections posts in all this, but I do have several recipes on tap to share, and I've promised myself that I'm getting back into the rhythm with that this month. Here are some of the treats I'm prepping to share soon!! #KidLitChat

white plate with a pink and green floral border, holding three S'mores Cookies - a graham-inspired gluten free cookie base filled with melted chocolate and toasted marshmallows

3 rows of Happy Face Sugar Cookies on a white plate with a multi-colored floral border. The two outer rows of cookies are dusted with a cocoa powder and powdered sugar mixture, while the middle row contains plain, unadorned smiley-face sugar cookies.

Dark Chocolate Cream Pie with a Rice Krispies Treat crust, in a glass pie plate on a granite countertop

Boston Cream Pie Cookies - a soft shortbread cookie, topped with a rich, vanilla custard and a drizzle of dark chocolate - on a parchment-lined baking sheet

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 25/02/2026

I also love pistachio anything. :) In fact, I have another recipe: Pistachio Fig Cookies in the lineup for one of my upcoming #KidLitConfections posts. I found a beautiful, touching picture book that fits the recipe wonderfully, and I'm excited to share it soon! #KidLitChat

Close-up of a Fig and Pistachio Cookie on a parchment-lined baking sheet, fresh out of the oven

parchment-lined baking sheet filled with Fig and Pistachio Cookies, fresh out of the oven

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 25/02/2026

It snowed yesterday and I felt like baking (when do I not feel like baking??), so I made some absolutely delicious Pistachio Chocolate Chip cookies to share! #KidLitChat I haven't paired them with a book for #KidLitConfections yet. Any suggestions?

Giant Pistachio Chocolate Chip cookie on a white plate with a pink and green floral border

Giant Pistachio Chocolate Chip Cookie, broken in half to show the interior crumb, on a white plate with a pink floral border

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 14/02/2026

In case you didn’t see… I am at Growing Minds Bookstore in Catonsville, MD today with my picture book THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS. Come say hi if you’re in the area!! (They also have a few copies of my YA novel, TWELVE STEPS.)

Veronica Bartles, a white woman with green hair and glasses, wearing a green shirt, holding a copy of the picture book THE PRINCESS AND THE FROGS.

Illustration of a girl with glasses, wearing a green dress and hugging a frog, inside a pink heart that says “Hoppy Valentine’s Day!”

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Veronica Bartles @vbartles.com · 11/02/2026

I love it when you can give a traditional treat a twist when my kids were little, my favorite pranks were when I twisted expectations on food. Like the time I served a beautiful "Carrot Cake" for dinner that was really a two-layer meatloaf with mashed potato and cheddar cheese frosting! #KidLitChat

top-down image of a round two-layer cake, frosted in white with piped rosettes around the edges and the words "Happy Birthday Ben" piped in orange.

Side view of meatloaf "carrot cake" with one slice removed. The meatloaf has shredded carrots in it, and with the mashed potato "frosting" and cheddar cheese "frosting" to pipe details, it looks surprisingly like a carrot cake.

Even close-up, the meatloaf and mashed potato "carrot cake" gave the right vibes for the prank. - My kids loved it so much that they asked for it again and again!

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