Bryony's First "Meet and Greet"

Yesterday, I had lunch with some amazing individuals.

Eight people (four could not attend) with little in common with each other met for the first time because of a mutual interest: Bryony.

It happened bcause Bryony web administrator Sarah Stegall, who lives nine hundred miles away, was in town for a few days visiting family and friends. We decided it was a perfect opportunity for those associated with Bryony, since we are somewhat geographically scattered, to lay eyes on each other, shake hands, and say, "Howdy."

As each person arrived, they were introduced by name, but also by position: publicist, event planner, composer and pianist, film student, web administrator, employee of a company that selects books for chain stores, and author. Four additional people: Bryony's illustrator, owners of a local theatre company, and a book store employee who's been promoting Bryony since July, were unavailable.

Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara, arrived last, wearing a red Santa hat and a green a T-shirt with a a jolly Santa face. He distributed candy canes to all and thoroughly discussed why his birthday should be pronounced a national holiday and celebrated with a parade. Everyone brainstormed tag lines, video trailers, and when to release the Bryony theme song; we conned a waitress into snapping a few group pictures.

At one point, someone at the table praised me for creating a story that was more than just a book, that it contained these additional and wonderfully creative elements. While her comments were flattering, in reality there had been no clever foresight and planning. I merely wrote the story living inside my head for twenty-six years, and others came onboard. Some were asked; some offered, but one thing is certain.

There were more people sitting at that table yesterday than I ever dreamed would read the book when I wrote its first drafts. It was incredibly humbling to witness people chatting away about something that once existed only in my imagination.