The official blog of Denise M. Baran-Unland, author. Discover her books for all ages at bryonyseries.com.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Dec.25 through Dec. 30
Bylined stories are scant this week. I opted to run a few wire stories as it's the only way to open my time to address projects I sidelined during the past few months, the busiest features time of the year.
That said, I'm really, really thankful for an upcoming long working weekend. I'm still not caught up, and I can use the time.
Today is super full. I have a story for Tuesday not yet written, a student job shadower hanging out today, and two in-person interviews (one is coming to me, and I am going to one). Wearing coffee and positive thoughts on my right and left respectively, for sure.
First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I had promised to post those links this past Monday, which I didn't, so I promised to do so this past Monday,and the Monday after that. Sooooo...with being light on bylined stories this week, I posted them here.
You're welcome.:)
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
Just an FYI: On free days, holidays, and Sundays I'm not on call, I only post the blog to my "real" Twitter account, as my company insists we do take time off. I'm less reasonable, so unless I'm on a real vacation, I still post to the BryonySeries accounts. I won't be posting to my personal Twitter account this weekend, only to BryonySeries.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to my Herald-News stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it. No worries for this week, though, although I will have videos for Sunday.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
Mr. and Mrs. Claus hop a fire truck to surprise a struggling Shorewood family
That said, I'm really, really thankful for an upcoming long working weekend. I'm still not caught up, and I can use the time.
Today is super full. I have a story for Tuesday not yet written, a student job shadower hanging out today, and two in-person interviews (one is coming to me, and I am going to one). Wearing coffee and positive thoughts on my right and left respectively, for sure.
First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I had promised to post those links this past Monday, which I didn't, so I promised to do so this past Monday,and the Monday after that. Sooooo...with being light on bylined stories this week, I posted them here.
You're welcome.:)
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
Just an FYI: On free days, holidays, and Sundays I'm not on call, I only post the blog to my "real" Twitter account, as my company insists we do take time off. I'm less reasonable, so unless I'm on a real vacation, I still post to the BryonySeries accounts. I won't be posting to my personal Twitter account this weekend, only to BryonySeries.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to my Herald-News stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it. No worries for this week, though, although I will have videos for Sunday.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
Mr. and Mrs. Claus hop a fire truck to surprise a struggling Shorewood family
Claus couple deliver Christmas magic to single father and
his 7 children
This wasn’t a random visit. Jeff Otte’s oldest son, Brandon Otte,
has Langerhans cell histiocytosis and Otte’s 2-year-old son, Noah Otte, has
autism and is nonverbal.
An Extraordinary Life: Joliet contractor treated everyone
with honesty and fairness
Richard ‘Dick’ Berti grew his contracting business in Joliet
area
“We’re known for doing good-quality work and for being
honest with people. He [Dick] definitely was that way,” Rich Berti, Dick's son, said. “He always
went out of his way to do good work and do the right thing, even if it was
harder for him.”
Mystery Diner: Morris Chop Shop seriously good food in
downtown Morris
The candied bacon was the perfect sweet and tasty option,
with its brown sugar and chipotle glaze, to set us up for the main course. It
was crispy, sweet but not too sweet, and perfect to bring home some for another
treat later.
Mystery Diner: Tom Kelly’s in New Lenox will make you want to stay awhile
I’ve had reubens. I’ve seen and eaten reuben rolls..
But I had never had a reuben burger. So I had to try that,
with sweet potato fries.
Mystery Diner: Chicago Street Pub a festive place to eat,
drink downtown
Now back to the tacos. I was pleased with my opening choice
(two chicken, one pulled pork). For sure, they were a little messy. But I knew
I was going all in on this. So I poured on a little hot sauce, ordered some
wings for later and dove in.
When the wings arrived, it was immediately clear they don’t
skimp on sauce.
Mystery Diner: Al's Steak House & Banquets in Joliet
consistently delivers great food
I was so pleased with my first steak, I returned several
more times and ordered the same entree.
The restaurant also hand cuts its chops, has fresh fish
delivered daily, and offers a variety of specials, an elaborate salad bar, and
Sunday brunch, the website states.
Mystery Diner: McBride's on 52 a blue-collar place to call
home
As I drank my Oskar Blues Old Chub Scottish-style ale, I
enjoyed the bacon-wrapped jalapeño appetizers and waited for the main course
while watching hockey as the bar prepared for bingo night.
Mystery Diner: Arrowhead Ales in New Lenox much more than
the beer
The soup was fulfilling and the combination of potatoes,
beer, bacon, cheese and scallions was done just right to ensure a hearty enough
soup that wasn’t just filled with chunks.
As for the IPA-marinated chicken, it was exactly what I was
hoping for. And this time I chose right, enjoying it with Arrowhead Ales’ FMLR
Triple IPA, which is mildly sweet with a 68 IBU in the International Bitterness
scale.
Mystery Diner: Plainfield's Tap House Grill offers seriously
good eats and variety of beers
I went after the Sprecher Root Beer-braised Beef & Gouda
two-handed sandwich. The menu claims it was honored by another media outlet as
being one of the best, so I figured this media outlet should try the sandwich
for itself.
Mystery Diner: Chicken-N-Spice in Joliet is 'Home of the
Breast Chunk'
Signature George and Eddy is restaurant’s most popular item
The chunks are amply cut and served up hot, tender, juicy
and wrapped in a cliched “melt-in-your-mouth” batter. I passed on the sauces
(the chunks don’t need ’em), so I didn’t catch the variety, but my companions
swore by the ranch.
Mystery Diner: Moe Joe's offers Cajun escape in downtown
Plainfield
I opted for the fried catfish, which was tender, flaky and
well-seasoned. It was served with two sides of my choice, and I selected sweet
potato fries, which came with a cinnamon coating, and Brussels sprouts with
bacon, which added saltiness and crunch.
Mystery Diner: Syl's Restaurant & Lounge is Rockdale's
'hidden gem' of a steakhouse
Both entrees arrived precisely as we ordered them. The
burger was served on a French roll. My friend proclaimed the burger as the best
he’d had in the Joliet area and one of the best ever: tender, juicy,
well-seasoned. The fries were crispy and golden on the outside and hot and
fluffy on the inside. The coleslaw had the perfect meld of sweet, salty and
acidic. It left my friend wanting more.
Mystery Diner: TRUTH, a cozy, yet elegant, Joliet restaurant
My salad arrived with my entree – a pleasant surprise, as I
prefer it that way – and was a simple, but delicious mix of greens, diced
cucumbers and grape tomatoes, artfully arranged on my plate. The steak was a
perfect medium rare.
Mystery Diner: MORA brings urban sophistication, Asian
flavors to Plainfield
The California roll was cool, clean and refreshing, with
crab, masago, cucumber and sesame. The salmon roll, on the other hand, offered
crispiness and a little heat with its house-made tempura crumbs and spicy mayo
paired with Scottish salmon and avocado.
Mystery Diner: Fresh fare, funky atmosphere makes Tin Roof a
winner for area diners
The salmon was cooked perfectly, a healthy portion of my
favorite pink fish with the edges a little blackened. The basil sauce had an
earthy aroma and hints of pepper and mint, and was a perfect complement to the
fish.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/30/mystery-diner-fresh-fare-funky-atmosphere-makes-tin-roof-a-winner-for-area-diners/ai2ydjy/
Thursday, December 29, 2016
BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Just an Excerpt, Just Because
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Just an Excerpt, Just Because
So this is a small portion of what I do on weekends, from Before the Blood, Kellen's Story, Chapter Nine: The Sweet Life.
But Kellen also had a mischievous side, and he allowed it to play when John was occupied playing piano. He crawled through the sewers of Paris until he reached the neighborhood known as Montmartre on the Seine's right bank, seeped through a crack in the road, and stepped through the front door of le Café de l’Enfer (shaped like the hungry mouth of an angry demon) and bumped into Satan.
"Welcome to damnation!" the man in the devil's suit shrieked.
Before Kellen could reply, the man shrank back, eyeing Kellen's soiled clothes and holding his nose.
"I'll drink to that," Kellen agreed.
Still holding his nose, the devil led Kellen past rows of Paris underbellies occupying wooden tables in the long, cavernous cafe. Stone gargoyles spread their wings and emerged from the rock ceiling, their clawed hands hovering above the clueless and innocent.
The devilish host and Kellen passed into a second, darker cave and to an empty table near the back, where the other patrons could not smell him.
"Coffee?" the devil asked in a nasal voice through tightly clamped fingers.
"Coffee...and cognac."
Twirling his tail, the devil scampered to the kitchen screaming, "One vessel of mortal sins, with a squirt of molten brimstone!"
Cackles replied from the back of the house.
The patrons seemed unaffected by the bizarre atmosphere, and they were too far away for Kellen's stench to bother them. They talked and smiled to their companions or read the day's news. Most wore black. None of the women had red hair.
But everyone smelled good enough to eat.
Another devil pranced to Kellen's table with the bubbling brew.
"Choke and die!" The devil slammed the mug before Kellen and then just as quickly pranced away.
Kellen sipped, relishing the coffee, drawing out the moment. Should he start with the customers or the wait staff? He pondered as he sipped and sipped. Decisions, decisions, decisions...
He picked up the mug for another sip, and his hand froze in mid-air. Horrified, Kellen lowered the mug and peeked inside.
It was empty.
He tossed a bag of francs on the table and fled.
But Kellen also had a mischievous side, and he allowed it to play when John was occupied playing piano. He crawled through the sewers of Paris until he reached the neighborhood known as Montmartre on the Seine's right bank, seeped through a crack in the road, and stepped through the front door of le Café de l’Enfer (shaped like the hungry mouth of an angry demon) and bumped into Satan.
"Welcome to damnation!" the man in the devil's suit shrieked.
Before Kellen could reply, the man shrank back, eyeing Kellen's soiled clothes and holding his nose.
"I'll drink to that," Kellen agreed.
Still holding his nose, the devil led Kellen past rows of Paris underbellies occupying wooden tables in the long, cavernous cafe. Stone gargoyles spread their wings and emerged from the rock ceiling, their clawed hands hovering above the clueless and innocent.
The devilish host and Kellen passed into a second, darker cave and to an empty table near the back, where the other patrons could not smell him.
"Coffee?" the devil asked in a nasal voice through tightly clamped fingers.
"Coffee...and cognac."
Twirling his tail, the devil scampered to the kitchen screaming, "One vessel of mortal sins, with a squirt of molten brimstone!"
Cackles replied from the back of the house.
The patrons seemed unaffected by the bizarre atmosphere, and they were too far away for Kellen's stench to bother them. They talked and smiled to their companions or read the day's news. Most wore black. None of the women had red hair.
But everyone smelled good enough to eat.
Another devil pranced to Kellen's table with the bubbling brew.
"Choke and die!" The devil slammed the mug before Kellen and then just as quickly pranced away.
Kellen sipped, relishing the coffee, drawing out the moment. Should he start with the customers or the wait staff? He pondered as he sipped and sipped. Decisions, decisions, decisions...
He picked up the mug for another sip, and his hand froze in mid-air. Horrified, Kellen lowered the mug and peeked inside.
It was empty.
He tossed a bag of francs on the table and fled.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
A Writing Break (Of Sorts)
To be clear: I don't think writers ever completely take a break from writing. Our minds are always absorbing and creating.
But starting in September and continuing almost until Christmas, the amount of features work I compile and manage rises A LOT, mostly because of the extra community events that need processing in The Herald-News in some way.
While doing all the holiday stuff one does during this time. Especially, but not exclusively, when one has a family, etc.
This means I shelve quite a bit of non-timely work.
It also means an increased need to exercise my creative side. And I've truly had a productive few months.
So for the next couple of weeks, I need to address the items on the overflowing virtual shelves. And while our managing editor is on vacation, and our associate editor is assuming his duties, I'm assuming some of hers.
And the holidays aren't quite over. At least not for moi and mine.
I'm also the weekend/holiday editor for New Year's Eve and beyond. So I won't have another day off until Jan. 6.
But it's all good.
I'm catching up, and I'm looking forward to returning to Before the Blood with renewed energy and a fresh perspective, especially since my current chapter took off in a direction I hadn't anticipated before it sucked me in.
Oh, and I still need some time for fix the formatting errors in Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone. And I have an event in January. And I have some photos to take for next year's Bertrand the Mouse Christmas story.
See what I mean?
But starting in September and continuing almost until Christmas, the amount of features work I compile and manage rises A LOT, mostly because of the extra community events that need processing in The Herald-News in some way.
While doing all the holiday stuff one does during this time. Especially, but not exclusively, when one has a family, etc.
This means I shelve quite a bit of non-timely work.
It also means an increased need to exercise my creative side. And I've truly had a productive few months.
So for the next couple of weeks, I need to address the items on the overflowing virtual shelves. And while our managing editor is on vacation, and our associate editor is assuming his duties, I'm assuming some of hers.
And the holidays aren't quite over. At least not for moi and mine.
I'm also the weekend/holiday editor for New Year's Eve and beyond. So I won't have another day off until Jan. 6.
But it's all good.
I'm catching up, and I'm looking forward to returning to Before the Blood with renewed energy and a fresh perspective, especially since my current chapter took off in a direction I hadn't anticipated before it sucked me in.
Oh, and I still need some time for fix the formatting errors in Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone. And I have an event in January. And I have some photos to take for next year's Bertrand the Mouse Christmas story.
See what I mean?
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Commentary on "The Dark Side of the First Christmas" by Robert Arakaki
On Christmas Eve, I read an article that really resonated with me: "The Dark Side of the First Christmas" by Robert Arakaki.
Arakaki began by describing the elements many associate with Christmas: the scent of pine, happy songs, children excited with anticipation, Christmas shopping, eggnog, candy canes, twinkling lights, etc.
There's nothing wrong with these elements, although some people do feel out of step if they aren't "feeling it."
But maybe the people feeling "less merry and bright" have more in common with the nativity than those full of Christmas cheer.
Arakaki elaborates on the each of these: Joseph's doubt, Mary's illegitimate pregnancy and its potential scandal, Jesus being born into occupation territory and having no rights as a Roman citizen, his political refugee status (flight into Egypt), Herod's paranoia, the slain children,
Jesus is born into a dark world bringing a promise of resurrection. So maybe the ultimate Christmas message is this:
Arakaki began by describing the elements many associate with Christmas: the scent of pine, happy songs, children excited with anticipation, Christmas shopping, eggnog, candy canes, twinkling lights, etc.
There's nothing wrong with these elements, although some people do feel out of step if they aren't "feeling it."
But maybe the people feeling "less merry and bright" have more in common with the nativity than those full of Christmas cheer.
Arakaki elaborates on the each of these: Joseph's doubt, Mary's illegitimate pregnancy and its potential scandal, Jesus being born into occupation territory and having no rights as a Roman citizen, his political refugee status (flight into Egypt), Herod's paranoia, the slain children,
Jesus is born into a dark world bringing a promise of resurrection. So maybe the ultimate Christmas message is this:
"So evil murderous rulers, political refugees, grieving
mothers, brave fathers are all part of the Christmas story. They represent the dark side of Christmas
often overlooked. Let us remember that
our suffering and the sufferings of the world are among those “light
affliction” which God even now might be working for great and unimagined
Glory."
Arakaki's article
reminded me that we don't pack Christmas away with the tinsel and lights; we
use them as props to welcome the True Light into our hearts and then carry Him
with us into a weary world.
Read the full article here: http://blogs.ancientfaith.com/orthodoxbridge/the-dark-side-of-christmas/#comment-28498
Christ is Born! Let us Glorify Him!
Monday, December 26, 2016
Shelving Today's Post
It's too nice a day to stay inside and write. The sun is shining, and it's nearly sixty degrees, not a typical Dec. 26 in the Midwest.
I have about an hour's worth of "work" work to finish today followed by a little housework, and then getting outside for some serious power walking.
Here's hoping your cup of Christmas cheer doesn't turn into humbug (raising coffee mug).
Merry Christmas, vampire fans! :)
I have about an hour's worth of "work" work to finish today followed by a little housework, and then getting outside for some serious power walking.
Here's hoping your cup of Christmas cheer doesn't turn into humbug (raising coffee mug).
Merry Christmas, vampire fans! :)
Sunday, December 25, 2016
One Good Quote For Christmas Day
“For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child Himself.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Friday, December 23, 2016
Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Dec.18 through Dec. Dec. 23
It's funny how God works things out when one listens to the Holy Spirit.
September through December are the busiest months of the year, mostly because I assemble the event calendars and briefs, and the number of event submissions dramatically increases during this time.
Several weeks into this busy season in 2014, my assistant left for a different job and was not replaced. So the managing editor at the time temporarily increased my freelance budget to see me through it.
Last year, it was not increased, but decreased by a third. And I got through it.
In May, it went away for good. And I got through it again.
Until this past week.
Drowning in story pitches (a good thing!) and way, way behind in educational briefs (and was already behind this summer), I did the thing that, for me, is tantamount to a mortal sin when it comes to filling my pages.
I ran wire.
And I will, most likely, do so again for part of next week.
It's the only way I can buy myself some time at a time when many people won't be reading the newspaper (or only giving it a cursory glance) and rightly so, as time with God, family, and friends rises to the forefront.
Now this is where it gets interesting.
As I was wrestling with this decision, I received an email that I would have no more (and now it's less) than two pages for features on Sunday, Christmas Day, due to tight staffing. At this point, my Sunday cover had already fallen through, and now I had no room to run some really nice Christmas event pieces in print.
So much for asking for more pages!
After some discussion, a decision was made to run the briefs and the calendar. The pages were designed early and done. It personally stung not running a main story on Christmas, but I felt I made a good choice.
But then...
The story I ran last Sunday did well. And an opportunity for a follow-up appeared. And the news cover for Christmas Day didn't take shape.
You can see where this is going.
I'm certain I could not have taken on this extra assignment if I had not listened to that "quiet voice" inside me first. I acquiesced...and received in return "my heart's desire." God is good all the time.
Lofty rambling complete. Here's the tangible work I did produce this past week.
First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I had promised to post those links this past Monday, which I didn't, so I promised to do so this past Monday, which I didn't. Definitely for sure this Monday.
This week's Mystery Diner is below.
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
Just an FYI: On free days, holidays, and Sundays I'm not on call, I only post the blog to my "real" Twitter account, as my company insists we do take time off. I'm less reasonable, so unless I'm on a real vacation, I still post to the BryonySeries accounts. I won't be posting to my personal Twitter account this weekend, only to BryonySeries.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to my Herald-News stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it. No worries for this week, though, although I will have videos for Sunday.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
Shorewood single dad of 7 juggles firefighting with caring for sons with cancer and autism
September through December are the busiest months of the year, mostly because I assemble the event calendars and briefs, and the number of event submissions dramatically increases during this time.
Several weeks into this busy season in 2014, my assistant left for a different job and was not replaced. So the managing editor at the time temporarily increased my freelance budget to see me through it.
Last year, it was not increased, but decreased by a third. And I got through it.
In May, it went away for good. And I got through it again.
Until this past week.
Drowning in story pitches (a good thing!) and way, way behind in educational briefs (and was already behind this summer), I did the thing that, for me, is tantamount to a mortal sin when it comes to filling my pages.
I ran wire.
And I will, most likely, do so again for part of next week.
It's the only way I can buy myself some time at a time when many people won't be reading the newspaper (or only giving it a cursory glance) and rightly so, as time with God, family, and friends rises to the forefront.
Now this is where it gets interesting.
As I was wrestling with this decision, I received an email that I would have no more (and now it's less) than two pages for features on Sunday, Christmas Day, due to tight staffing. At this point, my Sunday cover had already fallen through, and now I had no room to run some really nice Christmas event pieces in print.
So much for asking for more pages!
After some discussion, a decision was made to run the briefs and the calendar. The pages were designed early and done. It personally stung not running a main story on Christmas, but I felt I made a good choice.
But then...
The story I ran last Sunday did well. And an opportunity for a follow-up appeared. And the news cover for Christmas Day didn't take shape.
You can see where this is going.
I'm certain I could not have taken on this extra assignment if I had not listened to that "quiet voice" inside me first. I acquiesced...and received in return "my heart's desire." God is good all the time.
Lofty rambling complete. Here's the tangible work I did produce this past week.
First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I had promised to post those links this past Monday, which I didn't, so I promised to do so this past Monday, which I didn't. Definitely for sure this Monday.
This week's Mystery Diner is below.
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
Just an FYI: On free days, holidays, and Sundays I'm not on call, I only post the blog to my "real" Twitter account, as my company insists we do take time off. I'm less reasonable, so unless I'm on a real vacation, I still post to the BryonySeries accounts. I won't be posting to my personal Twitter account this weekend, only to BryonySeries.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to my Herald-News stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it. No worries for this week, though, although I will have videos for Sunday.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
Shorewood single dad of 7 juggles firefighting with caring for sons with cancer and autism
Community supports firefighter Jeff Otte and his seven
children during his son’s cancer battle
In August, Jeff created a Go Fund Me page with a goal of
$10,000. As of Thursday, the amount was raised was just $3,395.
Jeff said his main financial need is not money for medical
bills – he has phenomenal insurance, Jeff said – but to pay his full-time and
part-time nannies, so Jeff can continue working his job and keep the insurance
for his kids.
An Extraordinary Life: New Lenox man excelled in many areas
and shared the fruits with others
Donald Tolen packed two lifetimes into one
He did it all, from the Peace Corps to donating platelets to hunting mushrooms.
Pets of the Week: Dec. 19
Click on the caption of each photo to find out about that
pet, including where he or she can be adopted.
Tom Kelly’s in New Lenox will make you want to stay awhile
Opening up the menu, it didn’t take me long to decide what
to order. The beer menu, however, was more difficult.
Thursday, December 22, 2016
BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: The Only Ornament I Need
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
The Only Ornament I Need
Rebekah confessed to me the other day that she really is not in the Christmas spirit, an interesting comment, because Timothy and I had recently discussed our high level of Christmas spirit this year, quoting Dr. Seuss' "The Grinch," about how, for us, Christmas will be coming without "boxes and bags" and how Christmas is "a little bit more."
Being a wise and discerning mother (wink), I immediately sized up Rebekah's plight. We kept very little when we lost our house, as we could take only a few necessities to my mother's and, thus, stored anything else we wanted to keep in a 10 x 10 storage unit, which we purged further when we rented the apartment last spring and consequently let the unit go (for financial reasons).
So, basically, the lifelong possessions of four people are in a two-bedroom apartment. Anything Christmas went to Joshua's, Complaining? Hell, no. We still have what's important, our family in all its two and four-footed members.
This year, Timothy even bought a four-foot tree, on sale and with lights that were supposed to blink and don't but he was too "meh" to take it back - especially since Midnight is thoroughly enjoying climbing the darned tree. We have a couple presents under it from my mother, and that's it. The children and I celebrate our family Christmas on January 7, and it will be a stretch for all of us to fill even those traditional St. Nicholas stockings at a $20 limit per person. But that's not why we celebrate, and we rarely go nuts on gifts anyway.
But Rebekah is finding it harder to bear because she liked all the wonderful Christmas-y things we had done in the past. The boys would go to extremes in decorating - inside and out - we did tons of cooking and baking, for church, for us, for gifts. To her, this year appears bleak.
So I challenged her.
Now that she's off work and school for a couple weeks, it's her turn to play 1940's housewife and make Christmas happen for the rest of us. She objected that she had no money. I knew that, reminded her of all the warm and fuzzy Christmas stories of poor people we had read in the past, and added a few conditions to the challenge.
No trinkets.
No presents.
Nothing, except inexpensive raw materials and what's inside these four rooms.
It kept her mind busy yesterday, and we talked last night and made some lists. Her plan will definitely keep her busy today. I can't wait to come home from work tonight and see the results.
So back to the ornament, the title of this post.
On Sunday, one of the women of the church approached me. Nearly a decade ago, Timothy, Rebekah, and I consistently and regularly prayed for three addicts (Matt, Frankie, and Jerry), two at our church and one for whom I was a medical and spiritual advocate. Two have since died addiction-related deaths, and one struggles with recovery.
The woman at our church is the mother to one of the three that had died. In the time we had known him, he had gone to prison twice (and we had attended his court hearings, Timothy, Rebekah, and I, and they were young), and we had the youth group write to him. Occasionally, he wrote back.
And his mother, on Sunday, gave us a homemade ornament with his photo on it, which she was distributing to people she felt were important in his life. And we were one of the recipients of these ornaments.
WOW!
The simplicity of our little tree is not depressing. Without all the extras (and trust me, I love a beautifully decorated tree with all the treasured ornaments from years past adorning it as much as the next person), this "Jerry" ornament really stands out, a stark reminder of why we do this whole Christmas thing anyway.
Truly, it's the only ornament I need.
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
The Research Before the Writing: Creating a 19th Century College Town
So I have an entire section of the very long chapter I recently wrote for Henry's story in Before the Blood, that takes place in Jensen, home of, if you've read Visage, Jenson College of Liberal Arts, which is older than Munsonville by decades.
Jenson in 1976, done.
Jenson in 1881, um, I don't know?
As I outlined this section, here's what I needed to know:
1) The scope of the town. The college was prominent in 1976 Jenson, so I decided it should dominate the 1881 version and make the town revolve around it. but... did college towns event exist in the late 19th century? I researched but couldn't find a clear answer to it and went with it, anyway. Jenson could always be the first, I reasoned.
2) Population. Well, that would be the students, professors, and anyone that established a business catering to them. I'd need a few representatives from "His Majesty's Row" (previously created in Visage). Some personalities were already established in Bryony's portion of BTB; this chapter provided an opportunity to see them in their natural habitats. However, I'd also be bringing to life four characters only previously mentioned by name, as well as two brand-new characters, each with his and her own role to play. Their importance (to the story, not the town) dictated the level of their development.
3) Other venues: One church (researched churches in Michigan in the time period and went with Catholic) one hotel, a photography studio, and various shops: butcher, cigar, cheese, hat, tailor. These are appropriate for the population and the types of elements I wished to show in this chapter. That included further development of Henry's character, advancement of the plot, and even a foreshadowing a very different Henry as he is portrayed in Bryony. And while I'm creating these venues, let's not forget architecture of the time. What WAS used in Jenson? Ah, needed to figure that out.
4) Entertainment: So what DID these college town residents do for fun? Important to know, as adolescent Henry is hanging about for a fortnight. (Yes, a fortnight). The entertainment serves multiple purposes, so I must carefully choose. Not only do I want to illustrate the different facets of activity in my pretend college town, I'm introducing Henry to society. After much research, I chose these: poetry reciting contest, philosophy debate, Mass, Bible study, ball, music salon, and three events at Jenson College proper: a play, glee club recital, and an orchestral performance.
5) Hotel: Obviously Henry and his companion have to stay somewhere. They could have stayed on campus, but I'll assume any student housing is full. Henry's doctor lives in Jenson, but he's stayed there once, and I wanted to show something different. So I researched hotels of the time period, along with names, and went with the Wisten Hotel, a flint faced, multicolored brick building at the end of the street, inviting in its simplicity and attractive with its many-paned glass in the tall windows overlooking the busy street.
6) Jenson College: While researching student popular of the time period in Michigan, I learned that Hillsdale College in Michigan embraced progressivism, and abolitionisn. Furthermore, its charter banned all discrimination based on sex, race or religion. That type of mission statement perfectly fit the population and the environment of which Henry needed exposure to move the story forward, so I adopted it for Jenson. I already knew what the college looked like, thanks to Visage:
So basically, for 1881, the six-story Gothic.
7) Picky details that aren't so picky: Ball etiquette. Street etiquette. Ball fashion. Walking fashion. Elocution lessons. Class auditing. A few peers (a black male student, a female transvestite, Bible thumpers, a debutante: all decided after researching these elements for the time period in Michigan). The entry poem (Got it...but had to be sure it had been published by 1881 first. It was). Types of meals served at The Wisten. A name for the church (St. Adelbert). Types of meals served in the college's lunch hall. The topic for the philosophy debate (and snippets of the arguments made). New character names. A fluffy salon (lighter fare ,musically and food-wise). Judging points for the poetry recitation contest. Who wins? (Got it) What's the prize? (Don't remember what I chose. Better check that).
Armed with all this information, the writing process becomes challenging. It's easy how overwriting occurs. I mean, having acquired truckloads of research that took hours and hours to amass, why waste it?
Unfortunately, one little detail used in one little line can take pounds of research. It's important not to overwhelm and bore the reader with all the information. The storehouse of knowledge is an author's tool for seamless world building. Don't lose the story in the minutiae.
I spent part of two Saturdays on this, or about twelve hours, until vague ideas took shape.
And now?
College over, chapter completed, and then some. I am now working on creating a company town.
Jenson in 1976, done.
Jenson in 1881, um, I don't know?
As I outlined this section, here's what I needed to know:
1) The scope of the town. The college was prominent in 1976 Jenson, so I decided it should dominate the 1881 version and make the town revolve around it. but... did college towns event exist in the late 19th century? I researched but couldn't find a clear answer to it and went with it, anyway. Jenson could always be the first, I reasoned.
2) Population. Well, that would be the students, professors, and anyone that established a business catering to them. I'd need a few representatives from "His Majesty's Row" (previously created in Visage). Some personalities were already established in Bryony's portion of BTB; this chapter provided an opportunity to see them in their natural habitats. However, I'd also be bringing to life four characters only previously mentioned by name, as well as two brand-new characters, each with his and her own role to play. Their importance (to the story, not the town) dictated the level of their development.
3) Other venues: One church (researched churches in Michigan in the time period and went with Catholic) one hotel, a photography studio, and various shops: butcher, cigar, cheese, hat, tailor. These are appropriate for the population and the types of elements I wished to show in this chapter. That included further development of Henry's character, advancement of the plot, and even a foreshadowing a very different Henry as he is portrayed in Bryony. And while I'm creating these venues, let's not forget architecture of the time. What WAS used in Jenson? Ah, needed to figure that out.
4) Entertainment: So what DID these college town residents do for fun? Important to know, as adolescent Henry is hanging about for a fortnight. (Yes, a fortnight). The entertainment serves multiple purposes, so I must carefully choose. Not only do I want to illustrate the different facets of activity in my pretend college town, I'm introducing Henry to society. After much research, I chose these: poetry reciting contest, philosophy debate, Mass, Bible study, ball, music salon, and three events at Jenson College proper: a play, glee club recital, and an orchestral performance.
5) Hotel: Obviously Henry and his companion have to stay somewhere. They could have stayed on campus, but I'll assume any student housing is full. Henry's doctor lives in Jenson, but he's stayed there once, and I wanted to show something different. So I researched hotels of the time period, along with names, and went with the Wisten Hotel, a flint faced, multicolored brick building at the end of the street, inviting in its simplicity and attractive with its many-paned glass in the tall windows overlooking the busy street.
6) Jenson College: While researching student popular of the time period in Michigan, I learned that Hillsdale College in Michigan embraced progressivism, and abolitionisn. Furthermore, its charter banned all discrimination based on sex, race or religion. That type of mission statement perfectly fit the population and the environment of which Henry needed exposure to move the story forward, so I adopted it for Jenson. I already knew what the college looked like, thanks to Visage:
Tall, gothic,
tower-like structures framed the street on both sides of Jenson’s college
strip; the main building of the six-story school towered above them all. The
complete campus spanned the entire street. Years ago, the townspeople had
nicknamed this street His Majesty’s Row
because the great castle-like structures once housed the area’s notable
merchants, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and physicians. Most of those homes had
long since been converted into businesses or apartments for upperclassmen and
staff. Whenever the college needed more space, it simply bought another house.
So basically, for 1881, the six-story Gothic.
7) Picky details that aren't so picky: Ball etiquette. Street etiquette. Ball fashion. Walking fashion. Elocution lessons. Class auditing. A few peers (a black male student, a female transvestite, Bible thumpers, a debutante: all decided after researching these elements for the time period in Michigan). The entry poem (Got it...but had to be sure it had been published by 1881 first. It was). Types of meals served at The Wisten. A name for the church (St. Adelbert). Types of meals served in the college's lunch hall. The topic for the philosophy debate (and snippets of the arguments made). New character names. A fluffy salon (lighter fare ,musically and food-wise). Judging points for the poetry recitation contest. Who wins? (Got it) What's the prize? (Don't remember what I chose. Better check that).
Armed with all this information, the writing process becomes challenging. It's easy how overwriting occurs. I mean, having acquired truckloads of research that took hours and hours to amass, why waste it?
Unfortunately, one little detail used in one little line can take pounds of research. It's important not to overwhelm and bore the reader with all the information. The storehouse of knowledge is an author's tool for seamless world building. Don't lose the story in the minutiae.
I spent part of two Saturdays on this, or about twelve hours, until vague ideas took shape.
And now?
College over, chapter completed, and then some. I am now working on creating a company town.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Spent
I read the other day that it's not possible to write more than three or four hours at a time. Obviously, that person doesn't work in a newsroom!
Or perhaps that only applies to creative works, and that person can spend that amount each day working on fiction.
On Friday, I took my last vacation day in order to spend three days with my daughter-in-law and two of my grandchildren. But Zachariah was fighting a cold, and the weather turned crummy and hazardous, so we will reschedule. Here's what I did instead:
Friday: Power walk, social media, errands, read, a little fiction (interrupted by errands), read through Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone and marked typos and formatting errors.
Saturday: Power walk, social media, twelve hours of writing fiction (Before the Blood)
Sunday: Power walk, social media, edited the previous day's fiction, calendars for work, a little marketing research, the prologue and beginning outlines for Cornell Dyer and the Necklace of Forgetfulness.
I'm happy to report for the first time in a very long time, I have "spent" my creative drive this weekend and am happy to return to work today.
In an ugly Christmas sweater (loaned to me by a friend since I don't own any)
Because that's the theme of this year's office party.
Happy cold Monday, vampire fans! :)
Or perhaps that only applies to creative works, and that person can spend that amount each day working on fiction.
On Friday, I took my last vacation day in order to spend three days with my daughter-in-law and two of my grandchildren. But Zachariah was fighting a cold, and the weather turned crummy and hazardous, so we will reschedule. Here's what I did instead:
Friday: Power walk, social media, errands, read, a little fiction (interrupted by errands), read through Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone and marked typos and formatting errors.
Saturday: Power walk, social media, twelve hours of writing fiction (Before the Blood)
Sunday: Power walk, social media, edited the previous day's fiction, calendars for work, a little marketing research, the prologue and beginning outlines for Cornell Dyer and the Necklace of Forgetfulness.
I'm happy to report for the first time in a very long time, I have "spent" my creative drive this weekend and am happy to return to work today.
In an ugly Christmas sweater (loaned to me by a friend since I don't own any)
Because that's the theme of this year's office party.
Happy cold Monday, vampire fans! :)
Sunday, December 18, 2016
Roast Goose Stuffed with Mashed Potato Dressing
The Munsonville Times was so impressed by the spread John Simons served
for his wedding to Miss Bryony Marseilles that the newspaper listed each item.
Alas, we haven’t a recipe for the twelve-tiered wedding cake.
Adapted from Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy.
Roast Goose Stuffed
with Mashed Potato Dressing
1 goose
Mashed potatoes
Salt
Pepper
Sage
Onions
A goose should be roasted in the same manner as a turkey. It
is better to make the stuffing of mashed
potatoes, seasoned with salt, pepper, sage, and onions, to the taste. Apple
sauce is good to serve with it. Allow 15 minutes to 1 pound, for a gosling, and
20 or more for an older one. Goose should be cooked rare.
From "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From
'Bryony'"
All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy
Counties. www.bbbswillgrundy.org.
Order the cookbook at www.bryonyseries.com.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Friday, December 16, 2016
Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Dec.11 through Dec. Dec. 16
The week began on a sad note and ended on one, too.
On Saturday, our family unexpectedly lost a good family friend, but thanks to a very understanding new boss, I was able to get to hospice, even though I was the weekend editor for two newspapers. Today is the funeral, and the weekend I had planned in a nearby town with my daughter-in-law and two of my grandsons will likely be usurped by low funds and a winter storm, not the way I wanted extra fiction time. But we shall see.
On a glad note, I made all deadlines early again for The Herald-News, but with no reserves of work. Next week will be most interesting trying to catchup.
Last night was the WriteOn Joliet Christmas party at Cemeno's in Joliet, and we had a wonderful time. The staff accommodated last minute, no extra charge dietary restrictions of several of our members (including me) and provided terrific food and service.
As for us, well, to prove we are truly the geek squad, conversations in all corners turned to writing, editing, publishing, and great story lines. Truly a fabulous evening.
And now...
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I had promised to post those links this past Monday, which I didn't, so I will do so this Monday. This week's Mystery Diner is below.
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
Just an FYI: On free days, holidays, and Sundays I'm not on call, I only post the blog to my "real" Twitter account, as my company insists we do take time off. I'm less reasonable, so unless I'm on a real vacation, I still post to the BryonySeries accounts.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to my Herald-News stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
An Extraordinary Life: Plainfield teacher's lessons for good
living immortalized in book
‘Trip’s Tips’ give young people 17 ways to live full lives
On Saturday, our family unexpectedly lost a good family friend, but thanks to a very understanding new boss, I was able to get to hospice, even though I was the weekend editor for two newspapers. Today is the funeral, and the weekend I had planned in a nearby town with my daughter-in-law and two of my grandsons will likely be usurped by low funds and a winter storm, not the way I wanted extra fiction time. But we shall see.
On a glad note, I made all deadlines early again for The Herald-News, but with no reserves of work. Next week will be most interesting trying to catchup.
Last night was the WriteOn Joliet Christmas party at Cemeno's in Joliet, and we had a wonderful time. The staff accommodated last minute, no extra charge dietary restrictions of several of our members (including me) and provided terrific food and service.
As for us, well, to prove we are truly the geek squad, conversations in all corners turned to writing, editing, publishing, and great story lines. Truly a fabulous evening.
And now...
First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I had promised to post those links this past Monday, which I didn't, so I will do so this Monday. This week's Mystery Diner is below.
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
Just an FYI: On free days, holidays, and Sundays I'm not on call, I only post the blog to my "real" Twitter account, as my company insists we do take time off. I'm less reasonable, so unless I'm on a real vacation, I still post to the BryonySeries accounts.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to my Herald-News stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
Joliet churches united last night for community Christmas
singalong
Churches United for Christ hosted ‘Sounds of Christmas
Community Sing’ on Saturday
“Christmas songs have a tendency to do something to your
spirit,” John L. King, organizer, said. “They make you feel everything is not so bad, especially
people who have suicidal or depressing thoughts around the holidays. We try to
bring them out of that low spot. It’s a spirit of giving, the singing, the
giving away of free stuff – like a desktop computer and a laptop – and the hot
chocolate and the apple cider.”
‘Trip’s Tips’ give young people 17 ways to live full lives
Jim Brown said he’s probably given away more books than he’s sold,
but he never intended “Trips Tips” to be an income source, which is why people
can download the book for free on its website.
Joliet area churches, organizations address grief,
loneliness during the holidays
Blue Christmas services, workshops and senior facilities
ease loss during the holidays
But some people may feel isolated regardless of their life situations, Anna Walters, director of health services at Senior Star at Weber Place in Romeoville, said. This perceived isolation – feeling alone in a crowded room – also increases health risk, she added. Part of the solution in all cases lies in creating new opportunities for socialization and new life goals.
Mystery Diner: Chicago Street Pub a festive place to eat,
drink downtown
Now back to the tacos. I was pleased with my opening choice (two
chicken, one pulled pork). For sure, they were a little messy. But I knew I was
going all in on this. So I poured on a little hot sauce, ordered some wings for
later and dove in.
When the wings arrived, it was immediately clear they don’t
skimp on sauce.
Joliet church premieres 'jazz-infused' cantata composed by 1
of its own
‘Advent for All’ is an original cantata with traditional
choral as well as jazz elements
“First of all,” Ken Myers, choirmaster, said, “he’s a jazz guitarist and a
very good one. Basically, he started with that jazz background and projected
that with what he wanted to do with his music. It gives it very different
rhythmic elements from a lot of things I might do. The tonalities of the piece
– some are very traditional and some have very definite jazz/blues elements.
It’s a neat mix of the two styles.”
Bolingbrook dance company participates in Pearl Harbor 75th commemoration
Nonprofit dance company pays tribute to Pearl Harbor survivors
“Every day, the hotel was filled with people sitting around and listening to the stories of these heroes,” Emaley Losic said. “The gentlemen were very warm and encouraging of the girls to ask questions and talk about the fateful day in our history.”
Thursday, December 15, 2016
BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Joy vs. Misery
Monday, January 12, 2015
Joy vs. Misery
On New Calendar Christmas morning (December 25) over a cup of coffee, our pastor (who is 82 going on 40) made a comment about how his Christmas wish is for us to always choose joy over misery.
One member of our small church, who has been in therapy for years for depression, said, "Nooo, we're not getting into this."
But Fr. Boris continued," People often don't realize that they have a choice," and then he quoted, "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life."
(Deuteronomy 30:19)
Then I said, "I think people often don't realize they have a choice because they confuse joy with happiness."
And Fr. Boris looked at me and grinned.
I have a writely friend who calls me an eternal optimist, to which I respond that I simply refuse to be miserable. While it's true that circumstances have occured in life that have, indeed, robbed me of that joy, those circumstances hae never done so without my permission, even if it doesn't feel like it at the time. Once I realize it, my first job, before I work on the problem, is to fix my attitude on the inside. A joyful spirit is a better problem-solver than a miserable one.
Joy is not happiness. And misery is not unhappiness.
Happiness is transitory, an elated feeling when something goes well in our lives or when others connect well with us. The opposite is true about unhappiness. Joy and misery are independent of life circumstances or our relationships.
I once read that if one travels downward in an ocean, one will eventually reach a place of complete serenity, where any turbulance that may be above cannot reach it. I believe all of us have, inside, a similar place we can cultivate, a place of serenity and, yes, joy.
Looking at life through rose-colored glasses is not wise, but neither should we view it through lenses of smoky gray. Rather, I choose spectacles of faith and the confidence they are backed with a guarantee of love from its Maker.
We cannot always choose our circumstances and whether or not so and so likes us. We can not prevent all troubles, all unhappiness. But we can build a strong ship that will sail navigate them.
And these are my Monday morning musings as I embark upon another work week...
One member of our small church, who has been in therapy for years for depression, said, "Nooo, we're not getting into this."
But Fr. Boris continued," People often don't realize that they have a choice," and then he quoted, "I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life."
(Deuteronomy 30:19)
Then I said, "I think people often don't realize they have a choice because they confuse joy with happiness."
And Fr. Boris looked at me and grinned.
I have a writely friend who calls me an eternal optimist, to which I respond that I simply refuse to be miserable. While it's true that circumstances have occured in life that have, indeed, robbed me of that joy, those circumstances hae never done so without my permission, even if it doesn't feel like it at the time. Once I realize it, my first job, before I work on the problem, is to fix my attitude on the inside. A joyful spirit is a better problem-solver than a miserable one.
Joy is not happiness. And misery is not unhappiness.
Happiness is transitory, an elated feeling when something goes well in our lives or when others connect well with us. The opposite is true about unhappiness. Joy and misery are independent of life circumstances or our relationships.
I once read that if one travels downward in an ocean, one will eventually reach a place of complete serenity, where any turbulance that may be above cannot reach it. I believe all of us have, inside, a similar place we can cultivate, a place of serenity and, yes, joy.
Looking at life through rose-colored glasses is not wise, but neither should we view it through lenses of smoky gray. Rather, I choose spectacles of faith and the confidence they are backed with a guarantee of love from its Maker.
We cannot always choose our circumstances and whether or not so and so likes us. We can not prevent all troubles, all unhappiness. But we can build a strong ship that will sail navigate them.
And these are my Monday morning musings as I embark upon another work week...
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
"A Little At A Time"
When my oldest son Christopher (age thirty-four) was in first grade, "A Little at a Time" was one of his favorite library books (selected by him).
https://www.amazon.com/Little-at-Time-David-Adler/dp/0823417395
With a packed, upside down and inside out weekend, I had little time for anything Before The Blood related, except to read through the previous week's work and tweak some descriptions.
It's a funny thing.
When I get to the end of a long writing period, such as I have on Saturdays, and even looking back at the weekly, early morning snippets, I always feel as if I could have, should have, wished I had time for, more.
Until I read it back in one sitting.
These bits and pieces patched and pasted add up. We talk about growth bursts, and sometimes we do get that burst of creativity and ideas with pages of fantastic prose pouring out of us.
But mostly, the structure of a good story happens bit by bit, a little at a time.
Slow, if it's steady, really does win the race.
https://www.amazon.com/Little-at-Time-David-Adler/dp/0823417395
With a packed, upside down and inside out weekend, I had little time for anything Before The Blood related, except to read through the previous week's work and tweak some descriptions.
It's a funny thing.
When I get to the end of a long writing period, such as I have on Saturdays, and even looking back at the weekly, early morning snippets, I always feel as if I could have, should have, wished I had time for, more.
Until I read it back in one sitting.
These bits and pieces patched and pasted add up. We talk about growth bursts, and sometimes we do get that burst of creativity and ideas with pages of fantastic prose pouring out of us.
But mostly, the structure of a good story happens bit by bit, a little at a time.
Slow, if it's steady, really does win the race.
Monday, December 12, 2016
A Less Than Cheery Post
It was a strange weekend, busy with job duties, along with sorrow, frustrations, and blessings.
It began by receiving a message around midnight on Saturday morning that a wonderful family friend and neighbor for many years, who had been in remission for lung cancer and anticipated returning work soon, had taken an unexpected turn.
Within days, the cancer reappeared and spread everywhere; she entered hospice that evening. When dawn broke, I called my kids. After addressing some computer issues and getting the immediate work completed, I headed over to hospice. She died shortly afterward.
The day remained full since I also had a story to cover. Sunday we skipped church anticipating lots of snow coverage. I worked the news end and also the my features end in anticipation of a funeral this week. It's also a four-day work week for me anyway with extra meetings, so it will be a challenging week for me on many levels.
Anyway, by the time the snow actually did arrived, my phone started acting up like an erratic child. I can do some basic operations with it if I use the stylus so we're thinking it's a screen issue.
And the blessings?
A volunteer choir of 75 people braving the cold wild and snow Saturday night to sing Christmas carols in Walmart's parking lot (I was there filming clips).
The warmth and support of family and friends.
Reading Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone for errors and realizing my first book for middle-schoolers reads well.
Rereading last week's work on Before the Blood and realizing the same.
Catching a couple episodes of "W" last night with Rebekah before bedtime.
God is good all the time. A joyous Monday to you, vampire fans! :)
It began by receiving a message around midnight on Saturday morning that a wonderful family friend and neighbor for many years, who had been in remission for lung cancer and anticipated returning work soon, had taken an unexpected turn.
Within days, the cancer reappeared and spread everywhere; she entered hospice that evening. When dawn broke, I called my kids. After addressing some computer issues and getting the immediate work completed, I headed over to hospice. She died shortly afterward.
The day remained full since I also had a story to cover. Sunday we skipped church anticipating lots of snow coverage. I worked the news end and also the my features end in anticipation of a funeral this week. It's also a four-day work week for me anyway with extra meetings, so it will be a challenging week for me on many levels.
Anyway, by the time the snow actually did arrived, my phone started acting up like an erratic child. I can do some basic operations with it if I use the stylus so we're thinking it's a screen issue.
And the blessings?
A volunteer choir of 75 people braving the cold wild and snow Saturday night to sing Christmas carols in Walmart's parking lot (I was there filming clips).
The warmth and support of family and friends.
Reading Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone for errors and realizing my first book for middle-schoolers reads well.
Rereading last week's work on Before the Blood and realizing the same.
Catching a couple episodes of "W" last night with Rebekah before bedtime.
God is good all the time. A joyous Monday to you, vampire fans! :)
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Fish Chowder
Served at John and Bryony Simons' Christmas Eve wedding.
Adapted from Miss
Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on
domestic economy
Fish Chowder
Fish (haddock and striped bass are best)
6-8 good sized slices salt pork
Black pepper
Red pepper
Chopped onion
Pounded cracker
Mushroom catsup (recipe to follow)
Port wine (optional)
1 lemon, juice and slices
Salt (optional)
From "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From
'Bryony'"
All proceeds benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy
Counties. www.bbbswillgrundy.org.
Order the cookbook at www.bryonyseries.com.
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Friday, December 9, 2016
Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Dec. 4 through Dec. Dec. 9
Here's an awesome thing: I made deadlines for the week by yesterday. That's always my goal, so I can spend Fridays with interviews and making briefs, but lately the goal has eluded me. Happy Friday!
Here's another awesome thing: Up until this week, my blog post with the most views was a link to a nineteenth century vampire story, The Vampire, by Jan Neruda. One of my story roundups has surpassed it,with 1244 views as of this morning. I'm not sure why this post received so many views, but here's the link: http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2016/11/story-round-up-features-in-herald-news_25.html.
The proof copy for Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone arrived yesterday with random formatting errors and one cover error. So one of my projects for this weekend (among my weekend editor duties and working on Before the Blood) is to read through the book and note them.
Onto the real work:
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I'll catch up on the links this Monday and begin posting these with the regular roundup.
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
Channahon couple decorates for cancer research
Kris and Kristen Koppers light up their homes and the lives of others
Here's another awesome thing: Up until this week, my blog post with the most views was a link to a nineteenth century vampire story, The Vampire, by Jan Neruda. One of my story roundups has surpassed it,with 1244 views as of this morning. I'm not sure why this post received so many views, but here's the link: http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2016/11/story-round-up-features-in-herald-news_25.html.
The proof copy for Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone arrived yesterday with random formatting errors and one cover error. So one of my projects for this weekend (among my weekend editor duties and working on Before the Blood) is to read through the book and note them.
Onto the real work:
First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.
Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.
I also have a list of Santa Sightings in the Joliet area at https://goo.gl/Hq06Hr.
Also, a few weeks ago, The Herald-News began a weekly Mystery Diner feature, a goal of mine that was finally approved. I'll catch up on the links this Monday and begin posting these with the regular roundup.
Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61. And of course, I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries.
FYI: videos have not been attaching to stories, although they do run for a time on the home page. If you'd like to watch a video, and it's not showing up for you, message me, and I'll manually attach it.
Thank you for reading The Herald-News.
Channahon couple decorates for cancer research
Kris and Kristen Koppers light up their homes and the lives of others
“Last year, we gave out jingle bells from his sleigh,”
Kristen said. “This year, we’re not sure what we’re doing, but we will have hot
chocolate again.”
An Extraordinary Life: Single mother of four inspired new
hot dog venue in Joliet
Jeff Reid recently opened Jerrie’s Dogs & Fries in
memory of his mother
Of course, the signature hot dog is the Jerrie dog, prepared
the way Jerrie liked her hot dog – topped with mustard, tomato, relish, pickle,
cucumber, sport peppers and celery salt.
Pets of the Week: Dec. 5
The Herald-News presents this week's Pets of the Week. Click
on the caption of each photo to find out about that pet, including where he or
she can be adopted.
New Lenox church offers a drive-thru Living Nativity
United Methodist Church offers dramatic retelling of Jesus’
birth
“One of the nice things about this event is it’s calm,” Beth
Darin, co-coordinator, said. “You drive through and listen to the story in this
beautiful setting. It tells the story on a non-intrusive level and you get to enjoy
it that way. ... You take away from it what you need to take away.”
Lincoln-Way Area Chorale performs at Carnegie Hall
Jackie Pletsch, a soprano, said the experience “took her
breath away.”
“I started to cry and then thought, ‘I can’t cry. I have to
sing,’ ” Pletsch said.
Thursday, December 8, 2016
BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Candy Canes and Irish Vampires
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Candy Canes and Irish Vampires
Yes, Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, dressed in an Old World Father Christmasy hat and carrying a bucket of candy canes, was already making his jolly rounds when I, huge mug of coffee in MY hand, arrived at the distribution center at one o'clock this morning.
It's been over a year since Ed last worked at this particular location and just several months since I've stopped delivering newspapers, yet the return was a joyful one for both, especially me, since I'm still in withdrawel. I have these moments, suppressed, of course, where I want to ride around at night--windows down and radio cranked up--throwing things (ideally newspapers) out of windows.
Ed and rival supervisor Dan resumed their plans to take over certain countries with insulting limericks, and one female carrier entered to the loud cry from Ed she (mistakenly) assumed she'd never hear again: "All, hail, Audrey the Magnificent!"
Of course, Ed showed the proper respect by virtue of his former nickname for me (Newspaper Goddess), by genuflecting, head bowed, to offer me a candy, the very pose assumed every day when he brought me my route book.
Now, having immortalized him and all, my nickname is Mistress of Immortality or MOM. Yes, I know it doesn't match, but Ed is horribly dyslexic, so it works for him. FYI: Any blog postings he sends are thoroughly edited by me, keeping in mind my copyediting skills are less than stellar.
Saturdays are a notoriously slow day. Carriers, the ones that still run on Saturdays, arrive late and leave late. Ed still had to drive an hour back to HIS distribution center to run a route. Still, I sold, and he signed, a few books. To catch the attention of sleepy carriers pushing grocery carts full of inserts back to their tables, Ed would stop them and point to his picture on page one hundred and ninety-three.
Periodically, he would stop, grinning, and excitedly say, "We're really doing this. Remember when we only talked about signing books at the center?" Before I could do more than smile and nod, Ed was showing a carrier where his name appeared in Bryony, then add the exhortation to look for the parade in his honor some thousand years hence.
I chatted to a couple of carriers who were a little envious--in a good way--of my having completed an entire book. One, a musician, is writing his autobiography, but got stuck one hundred and fifty-five pages into it. The other, a former Chicago teacher, has an idea for a screen play, but can't get the words out.
Both marveled how I, with homeschooled kids, other writing assignments, and throwing papers at night, managed to write an entire book. I told them my lap goes with me everywhere I go.
"Oh, so you wrote it all the computer?"
Well, yes, eventually. I also wrote bursts of inspiration on backs of old envelopes, margins of books, and myriads of tiny notebooks, really any form of paper within reach. I also had to utilize random bits of time, which is the way I really dislike to write, but when it's the only available time...well, that's when you have to stay true to your goals.
Ed then told me a story about how is granddaughter is beginning to not believe he is REALLY Santa Claus and wondering if his credibility will be shot if he tells her Santa is also a vampire.
"Especially the first Irish vampire," Ed said.
One of the supervisors, who is generally quiet and whom I did not expect to wander near our make-shift work station book "store," spent some time flipping through the Bryony, noting the research, and asking me how long it took me to compose it.
Even better, he made a couple allusions to the distribution center being "one of the seven levels of hell." Later, he referenced something back to "the library of Alexandria." Now my curious was piqued, and I hope an opportunity for conversation with him the next time I bring my teens down to stuff inserts. There's so much more to people than meets the eye, right?
And yes, he bought a book.
Ed took five back with him for family Christmas gifts this weekend and is coming back for twenty more next week. These will be a huge surprise, he said. Although he's told everyone in his large extended family that he is in a book, when you identify yourself as a ruthless dictator and create Celtic myths about yourself, your family tends to dismiss your other claims.
I jubilantly waved a book before him. "And now you have the proof."
He laughed. "Yes, now I have the proof!"
At three-thirty, Ed packed it up, worried about making HIS deadline, then paused.
"Can I hug you?" he asked.
LOL! Why, of course! Merry Christmas, O Ye Steward of Tara!
It's been over a year since Ed last worked at this particular location and just several months since I've stopped delivering newspapers, yet the return was a joyful one for both, especially me, since I'm still in withdrawel. I have these moments, suppressed, of course, where I want to ride around at night--windows down and radio cranked up--throwing things (ideally newspapers) out of windows.
Ed and rival supervisor Dan resumed their plans to take over certain countries with insulting limericks, and one female carrier entered to the loud cry from Ed she (mistakenly) assumed she'd never hear again: "All, hail, Audrey the Magnificent!"
Of course, Ed showed the proper respect by virtue of his former nickname for me (Newspaper Goddess), by genuflecting, head bowed, to offer me a candy, the very pose assumed every day when he brought me my route book.
Now, having immortalized him and all, my nickname is Mistress of Immortality or MOM. Yes, I know it doesn't match, but Ed is horribly dyslexic, so it works for him. FYI: Any blog postings he sends are thoroughly edited by me, keeping in mind my copyediting skills are less than stellar.
Saturdays are a notoriously slow day. Carriers, the ones that still run on Saturdays, arrive late and leave late. Ed still had to drive an hour back to HIS distribution center to run a route. Still, I sold, and he signed, a few books. To catch the attention of sleepy carriers pushing grocery carts full of inserts back to their tables, Ed would stop them and point to his picture on page one hundred and ninety-three.
Periodically, he would stop, grinning, and excitedly say, "We're really doing this. Remember when we only talked about signing books at the center?" Before I could do more than smile and nod, Ed was showing a carrier where his name appeared in Bryony, then add the exhortation to look for the parade in his honor some thousand years hence.
I chatted to a couple of carriers who were a little envious--in a good way--of my having completed an entire book. One, a musician, is writing his autobiography, but got stuck one hundred and fifty-five pages into it. The other, a former Chicago teacher, has an idea for a screen play, but can't get the words out.
Both marveled how I, with homeschooled kids, other writing assignments, and throwing papers at night, managed to write an entire book. I told them my lap goes with me everywhere I go.
"Oh, so you wrote it all the computer?"
Well, yes, eventually. I also wrote bursts of inspiration on backs of old envelopes, margins of books, and myriads of tiny notebooks, really any form of paper within reach. I also had to utilize random bits of time, which is the way I really dislike to write, but when it's the only available time...well, that's when you have to stay true to your goals.
Ed then told me a story about how is granddaughter is beginning to not believe he is REALLY Santa Claus and wondering if his credibility will be shot if he tells her Santa is also a vampire.
"Especially the first Irish vampire," Ed said.
One of the supervisors, who is generally quiet and whom I did not expect to wander near our make-shift work station book "store," spent some time flipping through the Bryony, noting the research, and asking me how long it took me to compose it.
Even better, he made a couple allusions to the distribution center being "one of the seven levels of hell." Later, he referenced something back to "the library of Alexandria." Now my curious was piqued, and I hope an opportunity for conversation with him the next time I bring my teens down to stuff inserts. There's so much more to people than meets the eye, right?
And yes, he bought a book.
Ed took five back with him for family Christmas gifts this weekend and is coming back for twenty more next week. These will be a huge surprise, he said. Although he's told everyone in his large extended family that he is in a book, when you identify yourself as a ruthless dictator and create Celtic myths about yourself, your family tends to dismiss your other claims.
I jubilantly waved a book before him. "And now you have the proof."
He laughed. "Yes, now I have the proof!"
At three-thirty, Ed packed it up, worried about making HIS deadline, then paused.
"Can I hug you?" he asked.
LOL! Why, of course! Merry Christmas, O Ye Steward of Tara!
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Two Links and a Prayer for the Feast of St. Nicholas
To help you celebrate the Feast of St. Nicholas, I've included two links.
One is a story I wrote about St. Nicholas for last Thursday's Herald-News. This has been on my story wish list for a long time. Since our photo editor couldn't find appropriate at for the story, I asked Daniel to don our costume and pose for a photo.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/28/a-look-at-the-saint-who-inspired-santa-claus/aeqnmx5/
This second link is the prayer our family has used for the blessings of candy canes, modified to include all the contents of our St.Nicholas stockings before we partook of them. My copy of Prayers for the Domestic Church, over thirty years old, is now in tatters, but it's heartening to know I can purchase a fresh copy on Amazon.
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/blessing-candy-canes/
One is a story I wrote about St. Nicholas for last Thursday's Herald-News. This has been on my story wish list for a long time. Since our photo editor couldn't find appropriate at for the story, I asked Daniel to don our costume and pose for a photo.
http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/11/28/a-look-at-the-saint-who-inspired-santa-claus/aeqnmx5/
This second link is the prayer our family has used for the blessings of candy canes, modified to include all the contents of our St.Nicholas stockings before we partook of them. My copy of Prayers for the Domestic Church, over thirty years old, is now in tatters, but it's heartening to know I can purchase a fresh copy on Amazon.
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/pages/blessing-candy-canes/
Monday, December 5, 2016
My Approach to Branding, Social Media, and Marketing (Plus One Project)
In a previous post (https://goo.gl/atdRAV ), I shared my my commitment to learning ways to market the BryonySeries and passing along my impressions as I do so.
At this point, I haven't set particular sales goals (which some might feel is foolish); rather, I'm simply making the world aware of the BryonySeries' existence.
One characteristic I often see in social media is duplication; meaning the same posts show up in multiple platforms. I feel this limits the reach, which I want as broad as possible. So each time, before I've committed to a new platform, I plan the best approach, and a plan for scheduling, before I start posting.
Now gaining committed followers is a slow process, but I'm looking at a building a solid foundation of them. And I have found, at the very least, that I'm attracting different followers on each platform, rather than the same ones, so on a tiny scale, I think I'm getting something right.
Here's how I use each platform:
BryonySeries Facebook: Mostly shared images from Facebook that relate to BryonySeries themes and tropes, as well as me as a woman and author. Also my blog. Eight daily posts plus the blog. www.facebook.com/bryonyseries.
Twitter: Links to the Facebook posts, my blog, and five posts of curated content that, again, relate to BryonySeries themes and tropes (products, recipes, articles, short stories, etc.). @BryonySeries
Blog: Varied original content, original and shared videos, that relate to BryonySeries themes and tropes, as well as me as a woman and author. Also a weekly roundup of my published features writing in The Herald-News, where I currently serve as features editor (as well as reporter and assistant). One post daily
Instagram: Original photos of Bertrand the Mouse and his adventures. One post daily. This is a new account, so I'm expecting "likes" to be slow in coming. betrand_bryonyseries.
In addition to these sites, I post on four other sites, which are a combination of personal and work sites.
My personal Facebook page: I keep this one inspirational and fun, focusing more on others and less than me (You won't see selfies and stories by ME!!! unless you click on the blog, which I do post).
My personal Twitter account: Links to my Herald-News stories, as well the calendars and briefs I assemble, and other Herald-News content, if I'm overseeing social media that day. Also my blog. @Denise_Unland61
WriteOn Joliet: The Facebook page for the WriteOn Joliet writer's group. I post one helpful link each day and fun memes, etc. as I find them and the mood strikes. www.facebook.com/groups/writeonminooka
Joliet Connect: The informal Facebook page for The Herald-News. It's overseen by our associate editor and me, and members are encouraged (and they do) to post as well. I post anything fun and informative as it relates to Joliet, at least once a day, although I do keep my eye on the site over the work day and add more if member posting is sparse (rare, but it does happen).
Finally, I do have a LinkedIn account, but I use that more as an online resume of skills and recommendations (over 100 of them). I won't connect with anyone if I have not done business with him, and I must admit, I've been a bit lax on this account in the past couple years.
Readers and followers won't find sales pitches, although I do make information on product available on these sites, along with my website: www.bryonyseries.com. I feel the entire point of social media is to be, well, social, and to connect with others.
Again, I use these platforms to find others that share these interests, people that might want to check out my products because of shared interests. My goal as a writer is to inform and entertain the reader, not to antagonize him.
And the project? I'm planning to begin a monthly newsletter of original content. But this project is still in planning.
Will that sell more books? Heck if I know. But I know one way NOT to sell books: obnoxiously trying to persuade a follower to buy them.
Have a great Monday, vampire fans! :)
At this point, I haven't set particular sales goals (which some might feel is foolish); rather, I'm simply making the world aware of the BryonySeries' existence.
One characteristic I often see in social media is duplication; meaning the same posts show up in multiple platforms. I feel this limits the reach, which I want as broad as possible. So each time, before I've committed to a new platform, I plan the best approach, and a plan for scheduling, before I start posting.
Now gaining committed followers is a slow process, but I'm looking at a building a solid foundation of them. And I have found, at the very least, that I'm attracting different followers on each platform, rather than the same ones, so on a tiny scale, I think I'm getting something right.
Here's how I use each platform:
BryonySeries Facebook: Mostly shared images from Facebook that relate to BryonySeries themes and tropes, as well as me as a woman and author. Also my blog. Eight daily posts plus the blog. www.facebook.com/bryonyseries.
Twitter: Links to the Facebook posts, my blog, and five posts of curated content that, again, relate to BryonySeries themes and tropes (products, recipes, articles, short stories, etc.). @BryonySeries
Blog: Varied original content, original and shared videos, that relate to BryonySeries themes and tropes, as well as me as a woman and author. Also a weekly roundup of my published features writing in The Herald-News, where I currently serve as features editor (as well as reporter and assistant). One post daily
Instagram: Original photos of Bertrand the Mouse and his adventures. One post daily. This is a new account, so I'm expecting "likes" to be slow in coming. betrand_bryonyseries.
In addition to these sites, I post on four other sites, which are a combination of personal and work sites.
My personal Facebook page: I keep this one inspirational and fun, focusing more on others and less than me (You won't see selfies and stories by ME!!! unless you click on the blog, which I do post).
My personal Twitter account: Links to my Herald-News stories, as well the calendars and briefs I assemble, and other Herald-News content, if I'm overseeing social media that day. Also my blog. @Denise_Unland61
WriteOn Joliet: The Facebook page for the WriteOn Joliet writer's group. I post one helpful link each day and fun memes, etc. as I find them and the mood strikes. www.facebook.com/groups/writeonminooka
Joliet Connect: The informal Facebook page for The Herald-News. It's overseen by our associate editor and me, and members are encouraged (and they do) to post as well. I post anything fun and informative as it relates to Joliet, at least once a day, although I do keep my eye on the site over the work day and add more if member posting is sparse (rare, but it does happen).
Finally, I do have a LinkedIn account, but I use that more as an online resume of skills and recommendations (over 100 of them). I won't connect with anyone if I have not done business with him, and I must admit, I've been a bit lax on this account in the past couple years.
Readers and followers won't find sales pitches, although I do make information on product available on these sites, along with my website: www.bryonyseries.com. I feel the entire point of social media is to be, well, social, and to connect with others.
Again, I use these platforms to find others that share these interests, people that might want to check out my products because of shared interests. My goal as a writer is to inform and entertain the reader, not to antagonize him.
And the project? I'm planning to begin a monthly newsletter of original content. But this project is still in planning.
Will that sell more books? Heck if I know. But I know one way NOT to sell books: obnoxiously trying to persuade a follower to buy them.
Have a great Monday, vampire fans! :)
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