Life List: Cookbook Author

What I Learned

I left my job to spend time with my kids, and that change opened the door for me. I'm not a self-confident person but I did what I needed to do to sell my book. I reinvented myself as a cooking teacher, doing demonstrations at my local Williams-Sonoma. Who knew how difficult it is to cook and chat at the same time? You have to be engaging -- you can't say "saute the onions in butter" and leave it at that. I learned that when you put yourself out there, you can surprise yourself. And my friends have been great. My neighbor now says, "When you get an invitation to dinner at Domenica's, you drop everything and go."

Originally published in Ladies' Home Journal, March 2009.