"Thanksgiving" by James Whitcomb Riley and Story Round-Up

Thanksgiving by James Whitcomb Riley (1849-1916)


Let us be thankful--not only because
Since last our universal thanks were told
We have grown greater in the world's applause,
And fortune's newer smiles surpass the old--

But thankful for all things that come as alms
From out the open hand of Providence:--
The winter clouds and storms---the summer calms--
The sleepless dread--the drowse of indolence.

Let us be thankful--thankful for the prayers
Whose gracious answers were long, long delayed,
That they might fall upon us unawares,
And bless us, as in greater need, we prayed.

Let us be thankful for the loyal hand
That love held out in welcome to our own,
When love and only love could understand
The need of touches we had never known.

Let us be thankful for the longing eyes
That gave their secret to us as they wept,
Yet in return found, with a sweet surprise,
Love's touch upon their lids, and, smiling, slept.

And let us, too, be thankful that the tears
Of sorrow have not all been drained away,
That through them still, for all the coming years,
We may look on the dead face of To-day.



Wilmington teacher lived for her students

A woman whose life truly reflected her high regard for an excellent education.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16539065-423/wilmington-teacher-lived-for-her-students.html


Shelter prepares holiday meal for dogs

HART (Homeless Animal Rescue Team of Illinois) is very thankful this year for its new adoption center and shared that joyful gratitude with its canine clients.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16631551-423/joliet-shelter-prepares-holiday-meal-for-dogs.html


JJC to host career fair for manufacturing jobs

A career fair for those whose talents like in manufacturing or industrial trades

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/news/16632008-418/jjc-to-host-career-fair-for-manufacturing-jobs.html


Writing their stories can often aid abuse victims in their healing

Personal accounts and research point to the therapeutic benefits of expressive writing.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16650136-423/writing-their-stories-can-often-aid-abuse-victims-in-their-healing.html


Showing off their wares

A friendly, low-key event that combines the best of holiday parties and bazaars.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16676029-423/showing-off-their-wares.html








 

Click "Here" to Purchase the Special Holiday Edition of "Visage."

Ready for the next book in the BryonySeries?

Here are three ways to make it happen.

Order it from the website HERE

Order a print copy from Amazon HERE

Download the book onto Kindle (the free Kindle ap works will let you read it on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch) HERE

Stay tuned for information about author events and giveaways.







 

"Visage," 2012 Holiday Edition is Available for Purchase!

We are happy to announce the release of TWO editions of Visage, the second book in the BryonySeries.

The first, available only through the holiday season, is dedicated both to the reader and artists everywhere. It features original cover art by Christopher Gleason, a themed V created by the my youngest son Daniel Baran, the "Facebook countdown quotes, and a number of extra appendixes not found in the regular edition.

The regular edition of Visage, which will be released in early 2013, will contain original cover and interior art by Matt Coundiff, illustrator for the official Bryony cookbook: Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."

You can order the 2012 holiday edition of Visage starting tomorrow  through the website by clicking HERE

For those wishing autographed copies, email bryonyseries.com or check the website at www.bryonyseries.com for upcoming events. Author-signed hard copies will not be available until mid-December.

This special edition of Visage will be available on Amazon and in Kindle in a couple of days. Bryony, the first book in the series, should be available on Kindle within a week.

 

Guest Post by Sir Frederick Chook: "How to be Transcendental"

How to be Transcendental by Sir Frederick Chook

Penned upon the 27th of November, 2008

First appeared in FrillyShirt (www.frillyshirt.org)

 

“His business taught him expedients to husband time: in our victimizing climate he was fitted for storms or bad walking; his coat must contain certain special conveniences for a walker, with a note-book and spy-glass, – a soldier in his outfits. For shoddy he had an aversion: a pattern of solid Vermont gray gave him genuine satisfaction, and he could think of corduroy. His life was one of fabric. He spared the outfitters no trouble; he wished the material cut to suit him, as he was to wear it, not worshipping “the fashion” in cloth or opinion.”

“In these walks, two things he must have from his tailor: his clothes must fit, and the pockets, especially, must be made with reference to his out-door pursuits. They must accomidate his note-book and spy-glass; and so their width and depth was regulated by the size of the note-book.
-William Ellery Channing, Thoreau the Poet-Naturalist

“Margaret inaugurated, in 1839, her “Conversations” for the intellectual women of Boston, exploring such subjects as classical mythology and “What is Life?” Margaret Fuller presided over these bacchantic rites in homemade dresses that her adorers thought to be of Oriental magnificence, and at the climax of each session, when she had reduced the others to awed silence, she would close her eyes in an inspired trance and utter unfathomable words, which they thought eminated from some occult or Delphic wisdom.”
-Perry Miller, Margaret Fuller, American Romantic

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sir Frederick Chook is a foppish, transcendentalistic historian who lives variously by his wits, hand to mouth, la vie bohème, and in Melbourne with his wife, Lady Tanah Merah.

When not reading Milton and eating Stilton, he writes, ponders, models, delves into dusty archives, and gads about town. He has dabbled in student radio and in national politics, and is presently studying the ways of the shirt-sleeved archivist. He is a longhair, aspiring to one day be a greybeard. He has, once or twice, been described as “as mad as a bicycle.”

FrillyShirt is a compilation of articles, essays, reviews, photographs, artworks, question-and-answers, promotions, travelogues, diatribes, spirit journeys, cartoons, ululations and celebrations by Sir Frederick, his friends and contributing readers. Irregularly regular features include Teacup in a Storm, an etiquette column, and How to be Lovely, advanced speculations on the aesthetics of the self.

Other topics that pop up include fun things in and around Melbourne, art, nature, history, politics and schnauzers. Sir Frederick’s favorite color is all of them. Enjoy his writing? Drop him a telegram at fredchook@frillyshirt.org.

 

 

 

Blech (and more)

That's me all over today.

Computer issues: resolved

Cell phone issues: resolved

Work from corrupted files restored: Nope, still behind, but I'm keeping pace.

Rebekah's wisdom teeth: nearly healed; the dentist is impressed.

Power walk: restored, as of today.

On the negative side of the bar, I've got Timothy's cold, and I'm really dragging. I'm thinking of calling it an early night.

However, the plus side of life is definitely winning. I have a Bryony booking to announce (when the world is less bleary, and I can communicate the details correctly), AND I have a Visage secret to share.

Unless the sky falls in, or circumstances otherwise prohibit freely speaking, I plan to divulge all on Wednesday.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Bethlehemian Rhapsody

A Peek into the Correspondence Between "Bryony's" author and the Steward of Tara

On October 27, I posted Ed Calkins' letter requesting his reasons as to why Bryony should be translated into French. Below, I've posted our conversation in response to that letter.

To read the initial post, click HERE

 

 

 

O Steward:

Unless you have a ready translator willing to work cheap (i.e. "free"), the importance of translating Bryony into French will probably become apparent after the release of the third book, as its protagonist (no longer Melissa) occasionally drops a French phrase.

So use advance promotion of Staked! as your reason to go to France. Can't begin too soon to get the word out.

Denise M. Baran-Unland
Freelance Features Writer

bryonyseries@gmail.com

 

Dear MOMI (Mistress of My Immortality)

Since I know of no French translators, let alone free ones, my ambitions must wait for the release of Staked! (If Ed Calkins is involved in this, hopefully as the subject and not the object!) Please don't kill off Melissa. Until you do, she's still a potential wife (She never said, "No.”). But forgive me, a fan does not tell an author what to write.

Ruthlessly yours,

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

 

O Steward:

Do you want to know if she’s killed off or not?

Denise M. Baran-Unland

Freelance Features Writer
bryonyseries@gmail.com

 

Dear MOMI (Mistress of My Immortality):

Even Ed Calkins must be humble. I indeed would like to know if Melissa is killed off, but only by reading the copy I purchased. Great men do not take advantage of their friendship with legendary writers and their likes, lest some mistake their favor with an inclination to make their stories more glorified.

Ruthlessly yours,

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

 

 

 

 

"XI," by Emily Bronte and Story Round-Up

An unamed poem by Emily Bronte, 1837


I'll come when thou art saddest,
Bring light to the darkened room,
When the rude day's mirth has vanished,
And the smile of joy is banished
From evening's chilly gloom.

I'll come when the heart's worst feeling
Has enitre, unbiassed sway,
And my influence o'er thee stealing,
Grief deepening, joy congealing,
Shall bear thy soul away.

Listen! 'tis just the hour,
The awful time for thee.
Dost thou not feel upon thy soul
A flood of strange sensations roll,
Forerunners of a sterner power,
Heralds of me?


Recognizing a hero's honor

A nineteen year old boy creates displays of military awards and patches for veterans and their families, and he does it for free.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16359125-423/recognizing-a-heros-honors.html


A real character

He piloted airplanes until he was well into his eighties, owned several midget cars, and melted at the sight of his great-grandchildren. Yes, Tony Urbancic knew how to enjoy life.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16404926-423/tony-urbancic-a-real-character.html


Pets enjoy Thanksgiving, too.

Although Thanksgiving is past, the advice from pet owners on how to share food-laden holidays with your pets will work well for Christmas, too.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16429148-423/pets-enjoy-thanksgiving-too.html


Theater groups borrow from "Polar Express" for new holiday show

Two-non profits are offering a musical this year to help fund even more shows.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16405055-423/theater-group-borrows-from-polar-express-for-new-holiday-show.html


Plainfield through the ages

A Plainfield couple with a zest for local history and memorabilia recently published their newest book, and it's full of photos, fun facts, and a several surprises.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/15716241-423/plainfield-through-the-ages.html



















 

Thanksgiving Fun on Vintage Postcards

The Sad Saga Continues

Today, much more accepting of the writing marathon on which I must embark, I settled down at said rebellious computer in my attic office and proceeded to patiently reorganize, rewrite, re-edit, and re-format the work from the previous few days.

Moreoever, I threw myself into the projects while assuming the most gratitude stance I could muster, gratitude for the fact I had planned some time off (since I now needed it more than ever), for a near-genius, tech-savvy son, and for a healed computer.

I was far from the proverbial light at the end of tunnel, but I had made a beginning, and continued in that fashion until....the computer once again refused to save my work.

So it was downstairs to the laptop, while Christopher decided to re-install Word. For now, the problem appears to be resolved, but it's early.

In the meantime, please pray (think good thoughts, sacrifice a goat) that the computer does its job without further tantrums, that I get all my work done, and that somewhere before the four-day holiday ends and the work week begins anew (Perhaps as a reward for such good behavior?) Before the Blood and I will spend some quality time together.

Today's Regularly Scheduled Guest Post Has Been Postponed By Life

A funny thing happened on the way to the best-laid plans: the computer rebelled.

Starting Saturday, a software glitch (NOT a virus, Christopher assured me), began blocking "saves."

I made space on my flash drive. I moved Bryony data to a separate flash drive. Then Christopher came upstairs and made the machine behave. All returned to normal.

HA!

Early Sunday morning, the trouble reappeared. Christopher told me to save my work to the desk top until he had time to look at it. This made me a little nervous, since I could not back up anything, but I had some tight deadlines to meet with the approaching holiday, so I complied.

A few conflicts meant only one car could go on the road to church, some forty miles away, so I decided to be noble and stay home and work. By then, I was that far behind anyway. On Monday, I worked until I took Rebekah to have all four wisdom teeth removed, and once I had her settled, went back to work.

This morning, the computer refused additional saves to the desktop. I had two interviews, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I created a new folder to save those sets of notes and then decided to print them out to be safe. The printer remained silent.

Christopher stepped in at this point, created new documents for all of my work from Sunday on, ran several virus scans (which confirmed his pronouncement that my computer had not picked up any viruses), and proceeded to run a cleaning program (whatever that means). I was shut down for awhile, so he took me to look at cell phones (I have to switch plans after Christmas).

When we returned, my computer had assumed its former agreeable self with one exception. All of my documents from the last seventy-two hours did not save. The back-up documents he created were blank. He worked on my computer all evening trying to find where they had hidden themselves.

Nadda.

I have now five days to redo and complete three days of copyediting on the manuscript as well as the additional freelance jobs that I delayed due to the computer issues. I now also have to reschedule two interviews for after the holidays, a real problem since one woman is leaving town.

When added up, this translates into three solid days of regular work plus re-copyediting Visage, or about six or seven days of work that must be done in five. Need I remind anyone that had followed by NaNoWriMo blogs (when I was writing them), that I had planned on making up those lost days during the Thanksgiving holidays.

I am not happy.

I will, however, end this sad tale on a humorous note. Up until a couple of hours ago, I was very proud of Rebekah. Despite the pain and swelling in her lower jaw (and she was REALLY hurting last night), I noticed the large GED preparation book lying on her bed. I was extremely impressed that she was keeping up with her studies instead of drowing her sorrows in manga and Korean boy band shows on YouTube.

So while Christopher was working on my computer, Rebekah and I sprawled out on her bed and watched the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet on her laptop. We had started watching it last January until she had to leave for a job interview, and we never got back to it.

At the end of the movie, as she was heading downstairs for some leftover macaroni and cheese, Rebekah said, "I'm so happy I have that GED book."

Here it comes, I thought, poised to praise her.

Rebekah continued, "It's kept my laptop steady in bed."

Yeah.




 

Child Getting Teeth Pulled at the Dentist - ePrint Live

So What Happened to My Participation in NaNoWriMo?

A funny thing happened on my way to the good intentions: a weekend filled with bookings and work followed by a week of computer problems, design and copyedit issues regarding Visage, massive deadlines, and a "drilling a screwdriver into the side of my temple" migraine that lasted an entire week.

Fun (not), but at least no cat bites this time. Scratches don't count.

By Thursday, just in time for WriteOn Joliet's writer's group, the migraine had reduced itself to lowercase decibels, and by Friday, it was completely gone. With all the challenges, Before the Blood dropped to lowest on my priority.

It did not, however, vanish altogether.

I did peck at it a bit, nothing much to blog about, but also, no time and energy left over TO blog about it. My goal, however, remains the same. By the end of the year, I absolutely intend that my skeletal draft will have some workable flesh sticking to its bones. Because in 2013, in between editing rounds of Staked! (book #3 in the BryonySeries), Before the Blood will be my primary fiction project.

Keeping in mind that I wrote my outline for it two years ago, I absolutely cannot wait to dig into it!!!

On that note, it's back to work....

Beautiful Piano Music (original) by Roy Todd

"Song," by Emily Bronte and Story Round-Up

Song by Emily Bronte (1834)

I've gotten rather stuck on these obscure poems by Emily Bronte. Here's one that really appeals to me today.

Lord of Elbe, on Elbe hill
The mist is thick and the wind is chill;
And the heart of thy friend from the dawning of day
Has sighed for sorrow that thou wert away.

Lord of Elbe, how pleasent to me
The sound of thy blithesome step would be,
Rustling the heath that only now
Moans as the night gusts over it blow.

Bright are the fires in thy noble home;
I see them far off, and it deepens the gloom;
Shining like stars through the high forest boughs,
Gladder they grow in the park's repose.

O Alexander! when I return,
Warm as those hearths thy heart would burn;
Light as thine own my step would fall,
If I might hear thy voice in the hall.

But thou art now on the desolate sea,
thinking of Gondal and grieving for me;
Longing to be in sweet Elbe again,
Thinking and grieving and longing in vain.


Showing their sensual side

Boudoir photography is emerging as a new trend for brides and any other woman who wants to explore this other aspect of herself.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16046280-423/showing-their-sensual-side.html


Spoof of book hits the stage

Fan of the E.L. James blockbuster novel Fifty Shades of Grey? Loathe it? Either way, you might enjoy this musical parody.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16220581-423/spoof-of-book-hits-the-stage.html


Romeoville woman saw good things in everyday life

Some people put their happiness on hold for momentous occasions. This woman knew how to savor the daily blessings.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16269228-423/romeoville-woman-saw-good-things-in-everyday-life.html


Acne a problem teens share with cats

When my oldest feline, Frances, developed an infected rash, we became introduced to the concept of kitty acne.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16333149-423/acne-a-problem-teens-share-with-cats.html


Girl celebrates 10 years with transplated heart

In the fall of 2002, one of the last stories I wrote before becoming officially diagnosed with a potentially fatal adrenal gland tumor was a fundraiser for a six month old girl in need of a heart transplant. Ten years later, she's thriving.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16333149-423/acne-a-problem-teens-share-with-cats.html



















 

An 1830s Thanksgiving Dinner at OSV

Josh Siegers' Reel 2011

Guest Post by Sir Frederick Chook: "Of Restaurants and Revenants"

Of Restaurants and Revenants by Sir Frederick Chook

Penned upon the 3rd of August, 2009
First appeared in FrillyShirt (www.frillyshirt.org)

 

When it comes to horror-themed theatre restaurants, Melbourne has long had a Big Three: Dracula, in the north; Witches in Britches, in the west; and Hunchbax, in the east. In the south is the sea.

Now, you’ll note, if you clicked those links, that Hunchbax recently closed down, leaving the trifecta suddenly incomplete. It’s a shame, but there’s always room for improvement – after all, the hunchback is hardly a horror staple, as is the vampire… and I was never entirely sure which hunchback he was supposed to be. Igor? Quasimodo? Richard III? Søren Kierkegaard?

In any case, there are rich veins of monster-themed hospitality to be tapped, so the wife and I put ourselves to pondering: what might take up Hunchbax’s mantle? Zombie’s Diner, a folksy, homely dive? Wolfman’s Late-Night Early-Morning Café, specialising in music so live, only a silver bullet could stop it? Mr. Hyde’s Transformative Delicatessen, scientifically separating the grave and morbid rump roasts from the secret pleasures of the spiced sausages?

But then, the answer struck us like a Penang lawyer: The Invisible Man’s Dining Room & Cabaret Revue!

It’s so simple, yet so perfect! Guests are ushered to their seats by the visible staff – so as not to start on too high a note, you know – but once all are in place, the host himself takes the stage – an animate evening suit, as dapper as can be seen. He welcomes the crowd and introduces the talent of the night – perhaps beginning with the invisible can-can girls, ruffled skirts lifting to reveal high-kicking stockings and rare glimpses of nothing at all. Or a conjurer – Antonio the Indiscernible – who saws an empty box in half, through a technique learned from a Sufi mystic. Then, perhaps, the tantalising Miss Perdu could perform her invisible striptease – a skimpy set of lingerie grinds around a high stool, then flutters to the ground as the music and audience swell. The host mops his invisible brow – my! How saucy! They’ll shut us down if we’re not careful! As a final encore, Antonio returns to the stage, and with a wave of his cape, makes his beautiful assistant appear! (It’s all down with talcum powder and coloured lights, you know.)

Brilliant, am I right? Just the thing to put the east back on the map, or at least on the compass. We’ll show those amateurs at The Floorshow From The Black Lagoon how to run a nightclub. I’d say we’re set until the south unleashes The Kraken’s Tavern, completing the cardinal directions and devouring the kingdoms of men. Calamari jokes strictly prohibited.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sir Frederick Chook is a foppish, transcendentalistic historian who lives variously by his wits, hand to mouth, la vie bohème, and in Melbourne with his wife, Lady Tanah Merah.

When not reading Milton and eating Stilton, he writes, ponders, models, delves into dusty archives, and gads about town. He has dabbled in student radio and in national politics, and is presently studying the ways of the shirt-sleeved archivist. He is a longhair, aspiring to one day be a greybeard. He has, once or twice, been described as “as mad as a bicycle.”

FrillyShirt is a compilation of articles, essays, reviews, photographs, artworks, question-and-answers, promotions, travelogues, diatribes, spirit journeys, cartoons, ululations and celebrations by Sir Frederick, his friends and contributing readers. Irregularly regular features include Teacup in a Storm, an etiquette column, and How to be Lovely, advanced speculations on the aesthetics of the self.

Other topics that pop up include fun things in and around Melbourne, art, nature, history, politics and schnauzers. Sir Frederick’s favorite color is all of them. Enjoy his writing? Drop him a telegram at fredchook@frillyshirt.org.

 

 

 

Lost Soul Kickstarter Video1.mp4

Bryony at The Book Mouse

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #10

I dutifully played around with Before the Blood today before heading over to the Book Mouse in Ottawa for a signing, and that was the last opportunity I had to look at it today.

Tomorrow will be even sketchier as I am working a vendor fair all day and then going up to Chicago for a film festival (www.spookshow.com). Dragon Alexander, creator of the book trailer for Visage, of Blackwood X Productions is showing two of his films. One is a ghost story, and the other is the first of a zombie series. My oldest son Christopher has a part in the zombie flick, so I can't wait to see it.

Ahem. Back to the novel.

Anyway, lest I shirk my committment to National Novel Writing Month(s), I will be bringing my notes AND a notebook to all events so I can jot details to scenes during down times. Also, since I'm not the driver, I can get some work done to and from Chicago, too.

Isn't that why cell phones have flashlights?

Before the Blood Chapter 8: two homework assignments. Word Count: 846

 

Vintage Irish Fashion Film - 1953

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #9

A full day, but I made all deadlines, just in time to work two events this weekend AND attend a horror film festival.

Despite all that, I did manage to spend a couple of hours on Before the Blood. I worked out some trouble spots on my outline for chapter six and tightened its focus. Word count is low, but I feel that is less important than knowing what AND why I will be writing when I finally get that far.

Chapter Six: six homework assignments, 355 words

A Poem by Emily Bronte (plus story round-up)

By Emily Bronte, Aug. 7, 1834
(And here you thought she only wrote Wuthering Heights).


O God of heaven! The dream of horror,
The frightful dream is over now;
The sickened heart, the blasting sorrow,
The ghastly night, the ghastlier morrow,
The aching sense of utter woe.

The burning tears that would keep welling,
The groan that mocked at every tear,
That burst from out their dreary dwelling,
As if each gasp were life expelling,
But life was nourished by despair.

The tossing and the anguished pining,
The grinding teeth and starting eye;
The agony of still repining,
When not a spark of hope was shining
From gloomy fate's relentless sky.

The impatient rage, the useless shrinking
From thoughts that yet could not be borne;
The soul that was for ever thinking,
Till nature maddened, tortured, sinking,
At last refused to mourn.

It's over now—and I am free,
And the ocean wind is caressing me,
The wild wind from the wavy main
I never thought to see again.

Bless thee, bright Sea, and glorious dome,
And my own world, my spirit's home;
Bless thee, bless all—I cannot speak;
My voice is choked, but not with grief,
And salt drops from my haggard cheek
Descend like rain upon the heath.

How long they've wet a dungeon floor,
Falling on flagstones damp and grey:
I used to weep even in my sleep;
The night was dreadful like the day.

I used to weep when winter's snow
Whirled through the grating stormily;
But then it was a calmer woe,
For everything was drear to me.

The bitterest time, the worst of all,
Was that in which the summer sheen
Cast a green lustre on the wall
That told of fields of lovelier green.

Often I've sat down on the ground,
Gazing up to the flush scarce seen,
Till, heedless of the darkness round,
My soul has sought a land serene.

It sought the arch of heaven divine,
The pure blue heaven with clouds of gold;
It sought thy father's home and mine
As I remembered it of old.

Oh, even now too horribly
Come back the feelings that would swell,
When with my face hid on my knee,
I strove the bursting groans to quell.

I flung myself upon the stone;
I howled, and tore my tangled hair;
And then, when the first gust had flown,
Lay in unspeakable despair.

Sometimes a curse, sometimes a prayer,
Would quiver on my parchèd tongue;
But both without a murmur there
Died in the breast from whence they sprung.

And so the day would fade on high,
And darkness quench that lonely beam,
And slumber mould my misery
Into some strange and spectral dream,
Whose phantom horrors made me know
The worst extent of human woe.

But this is past, and why return
O'er such a path to brood and mourn?
Shake off the fetters, break the chain,
And live and love and smile again.

The waste of youth, the waste of years,
Departed in that dungeon thrall;
The gnawing grief, the hopeless tears,
Forget them—oh, forget them all!


Here's a round-up of my stories that appeared in this week's Herald News.


Tracing his family's history was this man's passion

And by doing so, Chuck Dzarnowski connected relatives with each other.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16105515-423/tracing-his-familys-history-was-mans-passion.html


"The Tail of Gig," by Maureen Skaggs

Skaggs' beloved dogs not only fostered the social skills she found difficult to develop with Asperger's Syndrome, it fueled the inspiration for a children's book about adopting shelter pets.

No link yet available.


Provena program teaches caregivers how to help themselves

Caregivers enter into the role with the best of intentions and then often flounder because they forget to address their own needs.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16103622-423/provena-program-teaches-caregivers-how-to-help-themselves.html


Righteous Hillbillies celebrating CD release with party

Their brand of music appeals to a wide age range. Chances are, you'll like it too. Come on out; the band promises a "rockin' good time."

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16221875-423/righteous-hillbillies-celebrating-cd-release-with-party.html


Light show coming to Promenade

If you're in the Chicago area between this weekend and December 31, come out to see one spectactular display.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16226263-423/lights-show-coming-to-promenade.html


Veteran's Day dinner reaches out to servicemen

Wish you could do more to recognize what the troops have done for you? Attend this dinner and find out.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16164846-423/veterans-day-dinner-to-reach-out-to-servicemen.html



















 

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #8

 Crazy day, but I managed to spend a few minutes on the next chapter in Before the Blood.

Very tired, early wake-up, so recap tonight is swift and brief.

I strengthened the purpose of this chapter and fleshed out some of the details I want to use.

Chapter 5: five homework assigments (five seems to be the average number per chapter; what's up with that?) and 563 words.

Two bookings this weekend, so I doubt I'll accomplish greater strides than this over Saturday and Sunday, but we'll see. It's progress. For now, I'm happy and (somewhat) content with it.

 

Meet Amerika Adamowski, Recipe Contributor for "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from 'Bryony.'"

Amerika Adamowski shared Haluski for Grandma Marchellis’ Memorial Luncheon in the official Bryony cookbook: Memories in the Kitchen: Bits and Nibbles from “Bryony.” all proceeds from the cookbook benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties. Go HERE to learn more about the organization.

 

To purchase the cook book, click HERE

 

To view Amerika’s recipe on the BryonySeries Sue’s Diner page click, HERE

 

 

1)      What do you like to cook?

I like to cook meats and veggies on the grill. I also like to make soup im my crock pot.

 

 

2)      Where do find you recipes?

Many of my recipes have been passed on from friends. I also use allrecipes.com for recipes.

 

3)      What is your earliest culinary memory?

Good question. The one that sticks out is going to my great aunt’s bakery. I remember watching the employees mixing dough in the giant mixers. I can still smell the bakery in the ovens.

 

4)       What is your favorite food?

Pizza. I love pizza. i think it is my favorite food because it is so versatile. Thick crust, thin crust, cheesy crust, sesame crust, meat lovers, bbq sauce instead of red sauce, the options go on and on.

 

 

5)      Is there a food that you won’t eat and why?

The only food that I won’t eat is beets. I love vegetables, but beets have a very earthy taste. I would compare them to the taste of dirt/soil.

 

6)      Tell us about your most dramatic kitchen mishap?

I was grilling bacon at my uncles house. I got a little brazen and put more bacon on the grill then I should have. Of course, I started a grease fire. The grill was actually melting! It was very scary...and embarrassing. i have never lived it down. someone always brings it up when I am grilling.

 

7)      Do you own a kitchen tool you never use?

I have an electric knife that has sat in a box since it was a gift to me. I have never had an occasion to use it, but its sure nice.

 

8)      Do you like to bake? Why or why not?

I enjoy baking when I had the time; it can be very time consuming. I like it because I like making things from scratch. i can improvise ingredients to make the recipe healthier. i also love how the house smells  when treats are in the oven. Baking reminds me of being a young child and gives me that “warm” feeling inside.

 

9)      Why is cooking enjoyable for you?

Cooking is enjoyable to me because I get reward of the outcome! I like GOOD food. I refuse to eat garbage i.e. fast food. i.e. enjoy entertaining and its is a wonderful compliment to be asked for my recipes.

 

10)   What is the best cooking tip you’ve received?

Hmmmm. this is a hard question. I guess it would be to taste as you go. I will never understand how you can serve a dish that you did not take the time to taste-test first. It could be awful.

   

 

"Bryony" Artist Wednesday: Three Tattoos by Matt Coundiff, Illustrator for the "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from 'Bryony'" and "Visage"

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #7

I had some flexible time this morning, so I decided to give that attention to Before the Blood (It was either that or clean my office, lol!).

I worked on the same chapter I had last night. This one needs quite a bit of research before I can develop much of it, so the word count, for now, is lower than the others. Still, I've shaped up a nice outline and that includes the inciting incident, which I'd had trouble refining.

If I have some time later this evening, I'll move forward to chapter five. Here's what I accomplished this morning:

Chapter four: five homework assignments. Word count is 475.

For those of you also participating in NaNoWriMo: Happy writing! :)

 

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #6

Yes, I played with the novel, Bryony's prequel, Before the Blood.

No, I don't have a word count or even a decent homework list. I got lost in the research. Have you ever been really, really focused on a project, but you get a little sidetracked by an interesting piece of it and then tell yourself, "I'll go here for JUST A FEW MINUTES," with the total intention of bringing your attention back to the task at hand?

Well, I did that tonight.

Except, I used up all my time on one assigment, which I never got around to listing, as it would have been item #1 for that chapter. I can't be too upset with me because I found information I sought in vain last year.

Gosh, I've missed the historical research that was an integral part of the fun of writing Bryony. Therefore, I feel indulging myself a tad bit wasn't such a bad thing. Tomorrow, I will be much more discplined.

Pretty sure, anyway.



 

Guest Post by Sir Frederick Chook: "Teacup in a Storm: Opera Capes"

Teacup in a Storm: Opera Capes by Sir Frederick Chook

Penned upon the 5^th of April, 2007
First appeared in FrillyShirt (www.frillyshirt.org)

 

Dear Sir,
I am curious about the etiquette related to the wearing of opera capes. I am also wondering whether or not colored opera capes are appropriate for semi-formal occasions. Additionally, I would appreciate if you could recommend a good store that sells opera capes.
-Allen Goebl

 

Dear Allen,
As you know, ‘etiquette’ comes from the Greek etikitos, meaning, behaviour that won’t get your Auntie Ettie’s kit in a toss. If you’re no longer on speaking terms with your Auntie Ettie, you can act however you like and call it à rebours. The truth is, though, that the etiquette regarding opera capes is fairly simple: you wear it to the opera, then leave it in the cloakroom (so that you don’t trip over it when shuffling out sideways to get a choc-ice between arias.) The aesthetics of opera capes (or coats, or cloaks – anything long, voluminous and operatic) are a different matter, though, and rather more fun.

Evening formal functions are one of the few occasions one can wear a coat cut to the waist and not look like a disgraced colonel or a portly petit-bourgeois (I am a portly petit-bourgeois, but it doesn’t do to advertise the fact.) White tie and tails provides a rare unity of tone, form and dynamism which functions as an alchemical potion of grace for anyone who dons it. It does lack a certain something, however when one is not twirling one’s partner, but rather being jostled on the tramcar on the way home. In the rain. It’s when striding the boulevards that an opera cape, like a cane or a jaunty schnauzer, comes into play.

The second-most-important function of the opera cape is to protect you from the wind and cold. For this reason, it should be made of a good stout wool, perhaps lined with a faux fur (or real fur, if you stumble across a mink which perished in the frost, though if it couldn’t keep itself warm it might not be able to help you – and sometimes, I admit, real fur is not only pardonable but preferable). The most important function of the opera cape is to swoop, to swish, to flow, to manifest the exquisite replenishing eternity of curved lines. If lined in fur, the collar should cuddle your head like an enormous adorable teddybear. Otherwise, you can experiment with collars high, or pointy, or soft like a Dutch painting. Don’t neglect the construction of the shoulders, though, or you’ll look like a handkerchief. You want to make the public stare!

Tasteful colours are appropriate for any occasion, but I shouldn’t recommend an opera cape with semi-formal wear, for the simple reason that you can wear a coat instead: either a long dinner jacket or smoking jacket, or one of regular length and a smart overcoat. I’m afraid I can’t recommend any particular commercial outlet, barring Circa Vintage if you’re in Melbourne, or eBay if you have patience and a keen eye. To get opera wear just the way you like it, it might pay to go to a tailor or dressmaker! It’s always the most fun to wear something of your own design, constructed to fit you exactly.

Good luck, Allen!
-Sir Frederick

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sir Frederick Chook is a foppish, transcendentalistic historian who lives variously by his wits, hand to mouth, la vie bohème, and in Melbourne with his wife, Lady Tanah Merah.

When not reading Milton and eating Stilton, he writes, ponders, models, delves into dusty archives, and gads about town. He has dabbled in student radio and in national politics, and is presently studying the ways of the shirt-sleeved archivist. He is a longhair, aspiring to one day be a greybeard. He has, once or twice, been described as “as mad as a bicycle.”

FrillyShirt is a compilation of articles, essays, reviews, photographs, artworks, question-and-answers, promotions, travelogues, diatribes, spirit journeys, cartoons, ululations and celebrations by Sir Frederick, his friends and contributing readers. Irregularly regular features include Teacup in a Storm, an etiquette column, and How to be Lovely, advanced speculations on the aesthetics of the self.

Other topics that pop up include fun things in and around Melbourne, art, nature, history, politics and schnauzers. Sir Frederick’s favorite color is all of them. Enjoy his writing? Drop him a telegram at fredchook@frillyshirt.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #5

WHEW!

Crazy day, and I'm not done yet.

I fixed the formatting errors for Visage, tackled email, edited and sent two stories, and completed an interview. I still have three first drafts to write before calling it a night (to say nothing of my topsy-turvy office), but I did manage to sneak in some work on Before the Blood, too.

Here's where the story stands as of tonight:

Chapter three: five homework assignments. Word count is 1533.





 

Two Bookings This Weekend. Stop By; I'd Love to Meet You.

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, November 10, I will be at the Book Mouse, 820 LaSalle Street in  Ottawa, Illinois.

There, I will sign copies of Bryony as well as our official cookbook, Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."

In addition, I'll be serving free bleeding mini cupcakes while supplies last. I'll also give away 1.5 ounce soy candles from the Bryony Collection by Valerie's Heaveny Scents to the first five customers. Larger candles will be available for purchase.

And if that's not enough, drop a raffle ticket into Bryony's music box for a chance to win a free copy of Visage when it's released in December. For more information on the event, call  815-433-7323 or visit www.bookmouse.org.

Then this Sunday, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m., I will be at the vendor fair for St. Paul the Apostle School, 130 Woodlawn Avenue, Joliet, Illinois. This is a fundraiser for the school’s new science and technology classrooms.

Not only will I be signing books and accepting chances on a free copy of Visage, Valerie Burkholder will be joining me with a large supply of her candles, both her regular scents and her five Bryony ones.

Special to teachers: Valerie and I will be offering a ten percent discount on all our merchandise to teachers only.

Contact Christine Merriman at 815-744-7095 or merriman4@att.net for more information about this event.

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #4

It appears right now that my committment bounces on alternating days.

Meaning, I spent no time today on Before the Blood, not so much as cracking open a file. It also meant that I'm also behind on some assignments. Last night, my book designer ran into a formatting problem. However, she is also working mandatory overtime next week, so no time to fix it. So guess how I've been spending the last thirty-six hours?

Fortunately for me, the fix is an easy one. It's simply a timeconsuming one. I'm hoping to finish it tomorrow and then catch up not only my assignments but my committment to NaNoWriMo, too.

For now, I hear a pillow calling my name. 'Night-night!

What Every Artist Hates to Admit

Yesterday, I spent seven hours at a craft fair and didn't sell anything. Not one book. Not one cookbook. Not one candle.

It's not that I didn't have plenty of traffic. People looked through the books, walked away with cards, filled out their contact information on recycled Vamp Fest tickets and folded them into my "music box." A few fans stopped by just to be friendly and supportive. A crowd gathered around the woman who won my Bryony basket, "ooohing and ahhing" over its contents.

But sales? None, the very first event I worked all year that did not result in a sale.

I did, however, sell two books today out of the blue. So go figure.

So why am I publicly admitting my failure? Because artists rarely admit it.

Actually, I've only met two artists ever that were humble enough to share the hard truth about how well they do at certain events. One was a discouragaed vendor I'd met at Witches Night Out. She was working her second show and had sold nothing at her initial one. Maybe the first venue was not right for her product, or maybe it was just the luck of the evening, but at Witches Night Out, she sold hand over foot. The second artist is a fantastic illlustrator. He had recently returned from a Wisconsin show without selling a single piece of artwork and didn't mind telling that to me.

I've sold copies of Bryony at some unusual venues, places where my only intention was to hand out cards to passersby and create awareness of the product. Yesterday, though, was not my day.

Do I care? Sort of. Enough to make me quit? Absolutely not.

I am publicly announcing it, however, because I want artists to know that, whatever successful sales figures they might read online about OTHER independent artists, (which we always seem to seek out when we hit our low), the hard truth is this.

Sometimes people want what you're selling and sometimes they won't. It's not personal because past sales, no matter how slim, prove you have a market for your art. Unfortunately, when you're just beginning to place your works (and admit it, your ego, for all true artists leave parts of themselves behind in their art), you need to experiment with many opportunities until you discover the best places to find your audience.

And that means taking some hits.

So what?

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #3

Despite an extremely busy day--I spent seven hours at a craft fair at Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet, Illinois, not to mention the setting up and breaking down as well as the packing and unpacking, some newspaper work, and additional touching-up needed for Visage's book designer--I managed to spend some time on Before the Blood.

I rock!

Now to be fair, I had a pretty good working outline of this chapter from last year, better than I thought. So today I refined that chapter, double-checking that I wanted all of that information in chapter two, instead of moving some of it to chapter three. I tightened, reorganized, and moved a few things around.

Oh yes, I also added to my homework list, a much more modest compilation than the previous couple of chapters.

Today's results:

Chapter Two: Three homework assignments. Word count is 1446.

piano music - VERY EMOTIONAL by Roy Todd

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #2

FAIL! (LOL!)

Running like crazy today meeting deadlines, hurrying through errands, and packing up for tomorrow's craft fair at the new Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox, and I STILL have four assignments to outline before I can hit the sack.

No, Before the Blood will have to wait a day.

Soooo glad I've already given myself an extension. I'm already looking forward to four full days at Thanksgiving to immerse myself in the nineteenth century. Last year, I did just that with the intial editing for Visage. Strange that it doesn't seem like an entire year ago.

Anyhow, I'll be back on it tomorrow.

I hope.

"The Vampire Bride," by Henry Thomas Liddell (plus story round-up)

The Vampire Bride, by Henry Thomas Liddell (1833)

"I am come—I am come! once again from the tomb,

    In return for the ring which you gave;

That I am thine, and that thou art mine,

    This nuptial pledge receive."

 

He lay like a corse 'neath the Demon's force,

    And she wrapp'd him in a shround;

And she fixed her teeth his heart beneath,

    And she drank of the warm life-blood!

 

And ever and anon murmur'd the lips of stone,

    "Soft and warm is this couch of thine,

Thou'lt to-morrow be laid on a colder bed—

    Albert! that bed will be mine!"

Here's a round-up of my stories that appeared in this week's Herald News (http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/)


Zombies on the brain at Lewis

A weeklong, intellectual examination into the science behind the zombie phenomenon

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/15943398-423/zombies-on-the-brain-at-lewis.html


Morris woman a nurse even in retirement

For Norma Corsello, caring people went beyond the job.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/15958964-423/morris-woman-a-nurse-even-in-retirement.html


Pet owners approach veterinary care in different ways.

When it comes to keeping your pet healthy, owners need a plan that fits their budget and animals' lifestyle.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16030395-423/pet-owners-approach-veterinary-care-in-different-ways.html


Practicing what they preach

Meet a church that only wishes to serve the local community. They even built a new facility just for that purpose.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/15765053-423/practicing-what-they-preach.html


JJC offering free car checkups

Even if you don't live near the college, read these tips for winterizing your car for safe driving during inclement weather.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16046965-423/jjc-offering-free-car-checkups.html


Lifetime devoted to art

Eugenia Bank devoted most of her ninety-two years to creating art and mentoring similar creativity in others. Now a local assisted living facility is hosting a show in her memory to honor the legacy Bank left behind.

http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/lifestyles/16046940-423/a-lifetime-devoted-to-art.html
















 

NaNoWriMo 2012 Day #1

Last year, I began working on Bryony's prequel, Before the Blood, with high intentions of devoting myself to one chapter a day (It has forty chapters, plus a prologue and epilogue), thereby extending NaNoWriMo 2011 into mid-December.

Then a freak cat bite waylaid those plans. Details of it HERE.

Needless to say, amongst daily life, work, the usual family drama, some unusual family crises, getting Visage ready for publication, and Bryony appearances, I have not looked at Before the Blood again until last night. I was amazed at how far I actually did get, at least in the beginning.

This year, I've modified last year's agenda. I'm extending NaNoWriMo until the end of 2012. This way, I can allow for the aforementioned items, seasonal holidays, and one or two challenges I have not considered or figured into my overall scheme.

My goal, however, remains the same. I'd like to create a nice working first draft of Before the Blood before turning my attention to editing Staked! the third book in the BryonySeries. I'm filling in some of the outlining already in place and creating a homework page for each chapter (additional research, description, places I'm stuck, plot holes, etc) to tackle in pieces over the next few months.

Once Staked! is in the hands of its editors, I will again turn my attention to Before the Blood and see if I can turn my working first draft into a shaped-up second draft. Hopefully, I will get it ready for editing during NaNoWriMo 2013.

Here's a roundup of today's progress:

Prologue: Five homework assignments (inluding the reading of one novel). Word count is 465.

Chapter One: Fifteen homework assignments. Word count is 2008.
 

"Mystery Meat and Deli"

Each year, Colleen Robbins, who did a comprehensive assessment of Visage and some of its editing, decorates her garage for the entertainment of trick or treaters and their parents.

This year's theme was Mystery Meat and Deli, and it included such fun additions as old wine bottles labled "Blood Light," salt dough hand shapes on a grill along with a "handburgers" advertisement, and a plastic rat on its way into a meat grinder.

Enjoy the photos Rebekah Baran took with my camera phone. Happy post-Halloween!