In a series of studies, Baer and Deichmann first found that only 50 percent of cookbook authors go on to produce a follow-up. The more creative that initial book was, the less likely an author was to put out another book, even if the first one had been highly successful. In fact, if a cookbook was given substantial recognition or an award for being novel, the likelihood of a follow-up dropped significantly. The reason was simple: authors were protecting their identities.