WTFAQ.
“I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be.”—Joan Didion
How long did it take you to write this book?
It took us just over two years to produce what we thought was a presentable manuscript—followed by gruelling, laborious editorial work to transform our jumbled and comma-laden virgin gibberish into pretty much what it is today, a final result for which we are indescribably grateful and proud.
(Most of the book was actually written on our phone’s notes app, late at night when we couldn’t sleep or in between doing this and that.)
Actual total time spent writing was only a few months, but the compiling of notes and resulting book required us to first experience living our lives, to struggle, and to learn from our mistakes for two plus years, so that we could grow and finally encapsulate the right state of being to achieve what we wanted to. It took us this much time to create our story before we could constructively share it.
(Bow downs and fistbumps to Microcosm Publishing, Rare Bird Books, Noemi Press, and McSweeney’s—thank you for your immeasurable support and guidance, it’s been surreal.) — JW & Simona
So, there’re two authors—who wrote what?
Simona returned to her hometown to rest and prepare for the birth of our second son as the due date approached, meanwhile I was living and working in a city a few hours away with our firstborn who had just started kindergarten. Nightly, we would talk on the phone and send each other voice messages about daily ongoings and such—and continue our discussion about what the birth of our second child would mean for our family moving forward.
We shared thoughts with each other, cravings and tricks and varying approaches to cutting back or outright quitting soda that would eventually get us over that finish line, together. I became fanatical about note-taking and documentation because I understood enough about myself to know that I needed accountability to see it through.
I also began to transcribe and translate her words and messages, her sometimes very analytical and methodical styles of alignment, which would gradually become the skeleton of the book, if you will. Next came overall structure, outlines, chapters, etc. all the integral parts of the larger-picture composite that were required for me to begin doing my part, which was everything else—voice, substance, and other attributes (with anecdotes, recipes, and other bits taking shape as we further collaborated towards the end).
How the book came to be written from her point of view—it was always from her point of view. We began with her layout and composition and continued building from there. Everything in the book is a genuine integration of both our temperaments and identities. — JW
Why fruits and vegetables?
Because I had just given birth—again—and didn’t feel like screwin’ around with juices and shit (smoothies, maybe).
Matter of fact, didn’t want to do much of anything except pump, eat, sleep, repeat, and catch up with my baby.
Ipso facto, watch my TV shows.
We did have a lot of gifted fruit and fresh veggies lying around because friends and family kept on coming over to visit full-handed. So we thought of alternative uses for some of these foodstuffs and Joey kind of just ran with it. It was great, actually—easy to prep, refreshing taste, seemed like it could really work long-term.
And it has! It’s cool too, to be drinking actual water, and tea, and soup, and stuff, instead of all that sugar and filth. — Simona
Where’d the idea for the book cover come from?
From Joey’s big brain and wicked imagination. I mean, I was the one who approved everything (goes without saying), but it was all his doing. UK-based DKMRGN Design was able to come up with some cool retro-inspired vintage mockups for us (check out the blue #2 below along with our concept for outer space below left #1).
Award-winning designer Les Solot came through big-time with our spacecraft idea, applying her own unique style and interpretation for an awesome look (check below right #4). We ultimately chose to stay with her overall design concept and combined it with flawless photography thanks to Kalina Georgieva, as our final choice for the book—an engaging and instantaneous “get-able” cover with the world’s most boring and yet most recognizable knife #3. Love the sugar rails, subtly suggestive and badass #5. — Simona
#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
How’d your recipes come about?
We’ve always had a steady supply of lemons in our homes for various after-hour refreshments, *wink* (and even used to consider ourselves "healthy" for drinking outrageous amounts of Coke with lemon slices). So, naturally it was the first go-to component for DIY flavored water.
Once we were serious about this lifestyle challenge, we started off with where we normally acquire food. And as it turns out, there was so much more to discover in our local markets—shelves and racks, aisles and sections, entire areas that we’ve never even walked through before, so many ingredients that we kind of knew existed but never acknowledged to be something we could use (or more precisely, things that we assumed weren’t right for us), particularly when consumed as a water infusion byproduct.
We encouraged ourselves (i.e. tricked and forced and shamed ourselves, in the beginning) to buy new elements and to just try things out. And in doing so, we’ve learned a lot about seasonal food prices and budgeting . . . and a lot more about our own preferences too, which deliberately covers a general range in order to sustain interest and pleasure (infusers for life!). We’ve also been told that most of our recipes are pushing the envelope for non-infusers and beginners. And that’s a good thing, you’ll see! — JW
Say what, an audiobook too?
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
“At vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint occaecati cupiditate non provident, similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollitia animi, id est laborum et dolorum fuga. Nam libero tempore, cum soluta nobis est eligendi optio cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus, omnis voluptas assumenda est, omnis dolor repellendus." — Cicero, circa 45 BC
Why the (long) URLs in the non-digital paperback?
Because it’s kind of hilarious, don’t you think? — JW
Are there pictures inside the book?
Originally, we were excited to work with art by Skhuldavinci, whose style of being and expression we had really connected with (top row below). As our writing process and manuscript progressed—and as we began to prep with our publishing team—we realized that the form our book was becoming required a different tone of visuals to supplement the story. Luckily, we had a chance to connect with the talented producer Alexa Katenca, whose artistry (bottom row below) allowed our collaboration to wonderfully tie back into our DIY infusion recipes that can be found in the book. — JW
