2017 Marketing Goals: A Little at a Time

Over Thanksgiving weekend, I refined, expanded, and detailed a BryonySeries marketing plan for 2017.

It's so comprehensive that I will never check off each item this year. However, it's a good road map to keep me focused and on track. I peek at it about once a week.

Here are the baby steps I've made so far:

1) Casting a broader, and yet narrower reader net. What does this mean? Fans of vampire stories might potentially like my books. However, fans of twenty-first genre vampire stories might not. Fans of slow-paced literary suspense might.

2) Engaging more via thoughtful commentaries on social media with the intent of being social on like-minded sites. Refraining from haphazard commentaries.

3) Gradually building up the BryonySeries Twitter account. Finding a few friends, liking and retweeting in ways specific to my series and me as a writer.

4) Creating an Instagram account for Bertrand and posting once daily.

5) Asking for reviews, and sending out review copies.

6) Celebrating Ed Calkins Day with a parade. ;)

7) Starting themed lists.

8) Remembering that the goal is not to win popularity contests (Steering away from thinking in terms of "best-selling," "most likes," and other defeatist attitudes, but concentrating on connecting and finding the audience that wants to read what I write).

It doesn't sound like much, does it? But the hard truth, as I'm sure many authors (really, any entrepreneur) realize is that building a brand takes time and requires hard work. And because I'm serious about building it, I'm not taking any marketing step I can't sustain. Thus, I'm taking each step by each step.

Unless of course I'm finding it's a wrong step. In that case, I'll retrace and go another way. In the meantime, I'm viewing marketing as a journey, as slow-paced, but as sure and rich, as my books.

Comments and suggestions welcome. :)

The Four Greatest Words Impressed On Me

If my pastor could sum up his 50-plus ministry, he would do so in these four words.

The first three are "Walk in praise."

Because when we do, we take the focus away from ourselves and onto God.

The last is "forgive."

Because the measure we use to forgive is the same measure God will use to forgive us.

Thank you, Fr. Boris, for emphasizing these four words over the years.

And certainly a great focus as I begin my Lenten journey today.

BryonySeries Cookbook: Acknowledgments

Acknowledgments

   Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from “Bryony,” is a true fundraising book.

Every ounce of labor and expense involved in its fabrication came from donations to ensure no one, except Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties, profits from it.

   Special congratulations go to the winners of the Name the “Bryony” Cookbook contest we offered in honor of Bryony’s one-year presence on Facebook. Nola Sawyer and Kathryn Ross Dunlap each received a free copy of the Bryony cookbook, signed by members of the Bryony team

   We’d humbly acknowledge the following for their unique contributions. There would be no Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from “Bryony,” without you.

Coordinator:

Sarah Stegall, Bryony web administrator (www.bryonyseries.com)

Editing:

Rebekah Baran

Sarah Stegall

Virginia Schonbachler

Formatting:

Serena Diosa, author of the Tinkey’s Goldfish series

Sponsors:

A Thin Line Tattoo (www.athinlinetattoo.com)

Channahon Computer Repair

HS Healing and Wellness Center (www.hshealingandwellnesscenter.com)

Northern Illinois Steel (www.nisteel.com)

Valerie’s Heavenly Scents (www.valeriesheavenlyscents.com)

Ronald M. Unland

Cover Art:

Kathleen R. Van Pelt of Imaginary Lines Studios (www.imaginarylinesstudio.com)

Interior Illustrations:

Matt Coundiff (www.athinlinetattoo.com)

Graphic Design:

CAL Graphics, Inc: (www.calgraphicsinc.com)

Consultation/Marketing

Dulcinea Hawksworth of LBB MarCom, Bryony director of marketing

Tommy Connolly of Soul Parole Productions, Inc.  (www.soulparoleproductions.com)

Recipe Contributors:

Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy.

New York: Harper & Brothers, 1850.

Selected recipes used and modified with written permission of The Scholarly Publishing Office, The University of Michigan, University Library (www.lib.umich.edu/spo).

Rosicky, Marie. The Bohemian-American Cookbook

Omaha, Nebraska: The Automatic Printing Co., 1947.

Selected recipes used and modified with written permission of the Automatic Printing Company (www.autoprintomaha.com). 

The Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes from Famous Eating Places.

            New York: Simon and Schuster, 1950

Selected recipes used with  written permission by The Henry Ford.

Amerika Adamowski, Suzy Staley Baker, Rebekah Baran, Timothy Baran, Denise M. Baran-Unland, Wayne David Blankenship Jr., Jeremiah Boerema, Deby Bowen, Jim Brodnicki, Amber Cable, Kathy Carey, Celina Chase, Pam Coley, Janet Cooney, Lori Dodd, Justine Evirs, Kat King, Karen Larson, Brianna Morales, James R. Onohan, Helen Osterman, Alison Peloquin, Virginia Schonbachler, Sarah Stegall, Tiffany Thompson Unland, Rachel Buchanan Savicz, Kathleen R. Van Pelt, Carleen Villasenor, Tutti Weiss

Galway Girl Irish Tin Whistle

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Feb. 19 through Feb. 24

So I'm a little surprise to see the amount of stories by me this week, as I backed off on features writing to catch up on news releases and briefs.

I am somewhat caught up but not totally, although by Monday, I do hope to be over the hump. And I also plan to schedule "brief-only" weeks in the future as needed. I don't to be this far behind again.

I'm planning a late-ish night tonight for survival's sake. I have a 12-hour fast ahead of me for some blood work, and I don't do well with fasting. I'm not addicted to food, but anything past eight to ten hours makes me dizzy and disoriented. My appointment isn't until almost 8:30 so I don't want to wake too early, hoping to sleep through most of it. Wish me luck.

My Before the Blood muse kicked in nicely this week. Hope it stays running high through tomorrow.

We had one formatting issue with Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone that we addressed last weekend. We're hoping to (FINALLY) upload the book one last time tomorrow. and get it published already. Wish us luck on this one, too.

Finally, a HUGE THANK YOU to the eight people who responded on Facebook willing to read and review some of my books. Seven now have copies of Bryony (one girl picked hers up in person and left hugging it) and one has Bertrand and the Lucky Clover.

Anyone wishing a free copy of any of my books to review, please message me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

And now, onward to the stories. :)

First, the non-bylined work: the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at this link:. 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.

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. You may also find them under the "videos" tab.

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. 

Plainfield fitness instructor is teacher, friend cheerleader and advocate for her students' success (VIDEO EXTRA)

Zyrelkis ‘Zee’ Santiago offers more than workouts in her fitness classes

“I was overweight myself. I wasn’t always fit and healthy,” Santiago said. “Actually, I lost 90 pounds seven and a half years ago. And I was a bully victim for many years when I was younger. I always said, ‘One day, I’m going to find a way to raise my voice and inspire other people.’ I just didn’t know how.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/16/plainfield-fitness-instructor-is-teacher-friend-cheerleader-and-advocate-for-her-students-success/a5dmznj/

An Extraordinary Life: South Wilmington weekend priest loved his people and they loved him

The Rev. Matthew Mazzuchelli lived a multifaceted life of service

Debbie Wollgast, of Gardner, a lifelong member of St. Lawrence, said she and others appreciated Matthew’s down-to-earth, easy-to-understand homilies.

“When he spoke, it felt like he was sitting there with you over a cup of coffee,” Debbie said. “He spoke almost as if he read your mind and knew what you needed to hear.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/16/an-extraordinary-life-south-wilmington-weekend-priest-loved-his-people-and-they-loved-him/a861j26/?page=1

Pets of the Week: Feb. 30

Click on the caption of each photo to find out about that pet, including where he or she can be adopted.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/10/pets-of-the-week-feb-30/amv9fu4/

Mystery Diner: Jody's Hot Dogs offers variety of comfort food in a '50s-style venue

Stepping through the door felt like entering the set of a remake of “Happy Days.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/12/mystery-diner-jodys-hot-dogs-offers-variety-of-comfort-food-in-a-50s-style-venue/a9nc1o4/

Will County Coin Club to host 57th Annual Coin Show on Feb. 26

Features include 30 dealers selling a variety of coins and currency, ranging from those of the ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine times to those seen today in the United States and throughout the world.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/14/will-county-coin-club-to-host-57th-annual-coin-show-on-feb-26/anckf2y/

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Dem Bones

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Dem Bones

Anyone remember this song?

The toe bone connected to the heel bone,
The heel bone connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,

What does this have to do with writing?

Well, about a week or so ago, a friend complimented me on the structure of my stories. At first glance, that sounds a little dry, but it's actually tremendously positive. It means all parts are well-done to present a cohesive story that is effortless and enjoyable to read.

Isn't that what we writers want?

Ah, but to get to "effortless" takes plenty of work. Characters must be three-dimensional and "sound" different from each other. Plot must be tightly woven, with no loose ends or sagging spots. Dialogue must be smooth. Back story must be effectively sprinkled amongst the story. Chapters need purpose and containment, and yet somehow flow into the subsequent ones and push the story forward.

A great read is like a beautiful house.

We walk through and admire its elegance, rarely stopping to think of architects, blueprints, electrical contractors, concrete, faux paus, color schemes, etc. You know. The boring stuff.

Well, not boring to interior designers. And that's what you are to your book: the architect, the contractor, the  builder, the interior designer.

So that's it. Just some random thoughts of mine to get you thinking. As for me, I've got 30 minutes to spend on Before the Blood before I switch to work. Gonna take it.

Open Mike Night 2016: Holly Coop

Keeping Social Media Social

How to make money using (insert any social media site here).

Yes, we've all seen them.

To me, the fun of social media dissipates once sales banners enter the arena.

Yes, I write books. Yes, those books are for sale. But pushing for those sales isn't the point of social media.

Social media, the way I see it, is the opportunity to connect with like-minded people. To me, social media is a virtual water cooler, cocktail party, or coffee shop. It's chatting about interesting, inspiring, or informative topics.

And the person introducing or commenting on the topics just so happens to write and sell books.

That doesn't mean social media can't be used for updating readers about current projects or items for sale as long as it's part of the conversation. I think it's okay to ask readers to review a book or serve as a beta reader, since it can start a conversation.

With this perspective, social media is a useful part of marketing.

Because "marketing" simply means letting the universe know you do this stuff and are selling this stuff. It's not a hard push for sales, which I find obnoxious.

I think good books are meant to be discovered. I think good marketing allows that discovery to happen.

It's definitely a slower, softer approach with no guarantee of sales. But being annoyingly in-your-face doesn't guarantee sales either. Even if it did, such an approach doesn't guarantee readers loyal to one's brand.

For me, this is the goal of marketing: finding those readers who love to read what I write. I'm really not interested in sales for the sake of sales.

And thus my the marketing journey continues...

A Free Couple of Days (Sort Of)

The burning question: did I get to spend as much time on Before the Blood as I wished?

Not even close, which is profoundly disappointing.

Was it a good three days off? Yes, in many ways.

On Friday, I reread some portions and wrote snippets left and undone here and there. I was a amazed at how much real progress I actually make in my half hour each morning. This was heartening. So while I often do not spend entire days writing 3,000 words at a time, typical of Saturdays when I wrote the drafts of my trilogy, I am ending up with copy that will need minimum self and outside editing when the time comes.I also have to remember the prequel requires an extraordinary amount of research, which also slows my pace. When it's done, and I'm ready to begin my standalone werewolf novel, the drafting pace will be much quicker. So all things in their time, I suppose.

A reminder: Enjoy the roll.

We finished the formatting for Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone only to realize there's a formatting glitch that made adding page numbers impossible. So we reverted to an earlier draft, and I need to refix the mistakes,which will occupy my fiction time this morning, grumble.

On the other hand: I learned this weekend not to be so stoic. I applied the maxim, "Ask and you shall receive" and received mixed results.

I reached out on my personal Facebook page for reviewers for my series with the result that I mailed out six books and received a request for a seventh, and then an eighth, which that reviewer offered to pick up from me. In addition, someone who works at a local Montessori school would like a grade of students to review "Cornell" as a class project. So I am most anxious to get this book done.

I also reached out to a friend I'm deeply missing, but received a distracted, lukewarm response. Ah, well.

Still, I'm proud of myself for showing a vulnerable side, even if it was not received, in that moment, as well I might have liked. An especially poignant poem a member of WriteOn Joliet share with the group on Thursday evening stirred it inside me and she kindly gave me a copy.

A reminder: Enjoy the roll.

I had lunch with family Saturday afternoon, but a high stress evening followed it, which resulted in a night of insomnia. I slept better last night, but am entering the week tired. I also had to get about an hour's worth of work done on Friday, double that on Saturday, and five yesterday after church before I cut it off to walk in the waning sunshine.

I finally scheduled a catch-up at week at work, which I might extend into two, for my goal is to genuinely get on top of some pushed aside items. It will probably mean a temporary reduction in actual feature stories for a week or two, to be occasionally repeated when necessary, but the goal is to open up some free/family time and stay on top of things, not a bad goal, methinks.

A reminder: Enjoy the roll.

On Thursday, I received a gift of original poetry from a new friend in WriteOn Joliet. I met her a year ago at a revision workshop a local library asked me to present, and she's been attending the Joliet group ever since. I really wanted to purchase her book but she insisted she felt inspired to publish it because of me and wanted to give me a copy. Well! That made me feel good. So I have it at bedside and am reading one poem per day and night, to soak up the words and inspire ME.

And these are my thoughts as I enter Monday. Enjoy the day, vampire fans! :)

Nut Cake By Helen Osterman

  Despite John’s penchant for ice cream, frozen custard wasn’t the only dessert that graced the luncheon table at Simons Mansion. Occasionally, there was also nut cake, similar to this one that mystery author Helen Osterman’s mother and grandmother used to bake.

Nut Cake

By Helen Osterman (www.helenosterman.com)

½ pound butter

2 cups sugar

6 eggs, separated

3 cups flour

¼ teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup milk

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and sugar together; add egg yolks. Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add, alternating with milk. Fold in walnuts and vanilla. Last, fold in well beaten egg whites. Butter and flour a large, springform pan. Add mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 1 ½ hours, Yield: 10-12 servings.

Note from Helen: “It’s interesting that when I was a child, many moons ago, no one worried about calories or cholesterol, and very few were overweight. Of course, we had no television until I was twelve, and everyone worked hard.”

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.

Ed Byrne Talking about Beds and Women

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Feb. 12 through Feb. 17

YAY! A free day! (ish) Finally!

I do have one story I couldn't get done yesterday before I had to leave for WriteOnJoliet and a a few Pets of the Week to finish either today or tomorrow (probably tomorrow). And, of course, I work part of Sundays.

But still...

Before the Blood, here I come! (as soon as I'm done with social media).

And on that note...

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.

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. You may also find them under the "videos" tab.

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. 

Churches in Joliet and Minooka partner to offer red carpet event for people with special needs (VIDEO EXTRA)

Local special needs individuals enjoy prom-like event at Crossroads Christian Church

On Friday night, 180 volunteers played fairy godmother to transform Joliet’s Crossroads Christian Church into a Cinderella-at-the-ball experience for 95 special needs individuals.

The event is Night to Shine, a complimentary prom-like, red carpet experience for people ages 14 and older with special needs. Crossroads Christian Church, where Night to Shine was held, partnered with The Village Christian Church in Minooka to bring this international event to the Joliet area.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/10/churches-in-joliet-and-minooka-partner-to-offer-red-carpet-event-for-people-with-special-needs/ae8zcch/

Chance meeting early in life leads to happily ever after later in life for two couples with Joliet-area ties

Unusual first meetings lead to marriage for two happy newlywed couples

Both couples met in their youth, and both couples believe God brought them together. Was their love written in the heavens? Read on and decide for yourself.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/07/chance-meeting-early-in-life-leads-to-happily-ever-after-later-in-life-for-two-couples-with-joliet-area-ties/ance5jk/

An Extraordinary Life: Joliet court reporter used shorthand, typed transcripts and raised a family while working

Marie Walsh tackled life with passion

An old-fashioned court reporter who learned shorthand while a student at the former St. Francis Academy (now Joliet Catholic Academy), Marie worked at the old courthouse and was the legal secretary for Will County Circuit Judge Angelo F. Pistilli, said Marie’s daughter, Kathleen Walsh of Wilmington.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/07/an-extraordinary-life-joliet-court-reporter-used-shorthand-typed-transcripts-and-raised-a-family-while-working/akgwgtw/

Pets of the Week: Feb. 13

Click on the caption of each photo to find out about that pet, including where he or she can be adopted.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/05/pets-of-the-week-feb-13/ao6hhj0/

Joliet area adults staving off prediabetes with new program through YMCA
YMCA offering second yearlong program for adults at risk for prediabetes

The program’s goal is to reduce body weight by 7 percent and increase exercise to 150 minutes a week. This is accomplished through participating in 16 weekly sessions, plus additional monthly sessions, in a classroom-based setting, the website stated.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/12/joliet-area-adults-staving-off-prediabetes-with-new-program-through-ymca/auhn85m/


Mystery Diner: Hamburgerseria recovering the tradition of gourmet burgers in Joliet

Yes, I was at a gourmet hamburger joint and I was going to order a hot dog. And not just any hot dog, but one that was deep fried, wrapped with bacon and doused with sour cream and avocado. I held the avocado and forged ahead.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/10/mystery-diner-hamburgerseria-recovering-the-tradition-of-gourmet-burgers-in-joliet/a7sqg2e/

Joliet faith-based crisis hotline addressing the challenge of remaining open (VIDEO EXTRA)
The Upper Room Crisis Hotline ministers to emotional and spiritual needs

Ultimately what The Upper Room seeks to do is “walk with people in their pain,” Lentz said. That goal is for anyone, Lentz said, whether that person is Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, or an agnostic or atheist.

“Anyone who calls is cared for on that telephone call,” Catharine Lentz, executive director, said.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/14/joliet-faith-based-crisis-hotline-addressing-the-challenge-of-remaining-open/avm1hdq/

2017 Calkins Day Parade

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday (on Wednesday): 'Lil Desert'

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

'Lil Desert

Although it’s never once mentioned between the pages of Bryony why nineteenth century pianist and composer John Simons owns Arabian horses, Diane Roberds of Indiana offers some insight, based on her experiences with the breed. 

For years, Roberds fancied quarter horses until she purchased an Arabian horse from the annual horse auction of the 115 year old Salem Ranch in Flannagan, Illinois (http://www.salemranch.com/). The ranch is residential counseling center that offers a structured Christian program in a farm setting for at-risk boys. In the past, the ranch specialized in Arabian horses, but now accepts donations of other breeds. 

“I had been going through the list of horses that were going to the auction and I jokingly said I might be interested if the prices were reasonable,” Roberds said. 

So in March 2009, Roberds purchased a 17 yr. old Egyptian Arabian mare named Desert Shalome. According to her registration papers she was foaled in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, and had changed hands several times before winding up at Salem Ranch. 

Roberds fondly calls her ‎'lil Desert. Arabians, Roberds said, are known for their beauty (“They have finely chiseled heads, tipped out ears, a dished-out faces,” Roberds said), temperament, elegance and stamina. They trot gracefully and proudly as they carry their tails high. 

“I can see why a musician would like Arabian horses, “Roberds said. “They are classy and elegant, like classical music. My Arabian is small; she looks like a small horse or large pony. She's independent and a little stand-offish but a very nice, quiet and dependable mare. We--my husband and I--like her enough to say she has a forever home." 

Arabian horses have one less vertebra than most horses, so the coupling on their back is shorter, necessitating a special saddle for optimal fit. At seventy, Roberds enjoys riding ‎'lil Desert, but she feeding and grooming her is fun, too. 

“She really is a sweet little horse,” Roberds said. “I’ve been horse-crazy from the time I was three years old,” Roberds said. “My kids grew up with horses. If I was younger I might want to show them—I’ve done a few fun shows, but I’m not really a competitor.”

2017 Ed Calkins Day Recap in Photos

First, me wearing my Calkins Day garb, candy bowl in hand, ready for the parade.

Next, Timothy prepares to take the parade to Indiana...

And then Daniel gets ready to take the parade to Joliet Junior College...

The actual parade route, which ended at my work place. I left the candy bowl in the break room.

Later that night, Rebekah made Irish soda bread (sans raisins) from the BryonySeries cookbook, Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony." We liked it with plenty of butter, although I'd like to experiment with a less sweet version.

I didn't get to the limerick (bummer), but Timothy said several people stopped him at Land O'Frost, where he works as a corporate chef, to wish him a "Happy Calkins Day!"

All in all, a delightful vigil to Valentine's Day!

And did I say the cookbook is a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties? No? Yes! Buy yours here at www.bryonyseries.com.

Tomorrow: A video of the parade route.

Happy Calkins Day! A Primer and Tips for Celebrating

What is Calkins Day?

It's the official holiday of my BryonySeries, initiated for pretend by the real Ed Calkins himself.

It's a day to celebrate, via "parade" the fun and joy of the imagination.

First, a background of Calkins Day

http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2017/01/getting-prepped-for-ed-calkins-day-one.html

Second, background on the "real" Ed Calkins

http://www.bryonyseries.com/The_Steward_of_Tara.html

And thirdly, how I intend to celebrate. Feel free to join me in your own space in the world.

For starters, the right outfit. I ordered a red and white striped shirt, very similar to Ed Calkins' style at the distribution center. With the shirt, I'm wearing with jeans and gym shoes (far nicer than I ever wore in the distribution center).

Now for the parade.

A traditional Ed Calkins parade featured Prime Minister Dan Yates (also a distribution manager supervisor from our past), pulling the Steward of Tara himself (Ed Calkins) on a pallet jack, while Ed tossed candy to the carriers.

Now I don't have a pallet jack available to me (pity). But I can distribute newspapers and candy. I have a red Calkins Day candy bowl (to complement the shirt) filled with bite-sized wrapped chocolate ready to go.

Tomorrow morning, since I have permission to work from home, I'm buying several newspapers from the gas station across the street and leaving them with the front counter as freebies to customers in honor of Calkins Day.

Timothy and Daniel are each taking some candy to work, to keep the parade moving east (into Indiana) and west (the west side of Joliet, anyway).

I will carry the rest to work and leave it in the break room for others to enjoy.

Throughout the day, I will "toss" virtual candy pieces along the trail of my day. Rebekah is home today and she is making the Irish Soda Bread from the BryonySeries cookbook, sans yellow raisins. If you missed the posting of the recipe yesterday, you may get it here: http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2017/02/irish-soda-bread-in-anticipation-of.html

Finally, I will recap the day with an original limerick. Photos and limerick to follow in tomorrow's blog.

A joyous Calkins Day to you and yours!

Irish Soda Bread (In Anticipation of Calkins Day Tomorrow)

Melisa found it odd that Irish soda bread was a Simons Mansion staple, but since John offered no explanation, she felt uncomfortable asking for one. We don’t have the authentic recipe, but this one is just as good.

Irish Soda Bread

By Janet Cooney

½ cup margarine

½ cup sugar

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/3 cup buttermilk (or sour milk by putting 1 tablespoon vinegar in a measuring cup and adding milk to exact measure)

1/3 cup yellow raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together margarine and sugar; add remaining ingredients. Grease 1 x 4 x 3-inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean.

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.

Steward Setback Saturday: Ed Calkins (Finally) Gets His Due

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Ed Calkins (Finally) Gets His Due

Busy day today, oh my!

I just looked up from editing Visage, noticed the sun had set, and checked the time. Wow, what a short day: some last minute gathering of information and adding of numbers before seeing my accountant this morning, a power walk, mail check, some editing, and BAM! The day's nearly done.

This past Thursday, Rebekah and I spent the day at Joliet West High School, where I had the privilege of speaking to one hundred freshman English students divided into four class periods. I'll post the details on Monday, but suffice to say that, because of it, Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, is inches closer to legendary fame.

Several days before my engagement, the English teacher had emailed me a list of questions the students had compiled. One of the questions was, "Would you ever base a story on a real high school?"

That's when I informed the students Bryony contained one and only one character based on a real person. Then I proceeded to tell them about Ed Calkins, the first Irish vampire, who subdues his victims not through bloody attacks, but insulting limericks.

While I won't say the parade in Ed's honor is rapidly approaching, with each retelling of his story, it becomes more plausible. In the meantime, Ed needs to order his poet into action. It's been a long time since the steward has sent a blog post penned in his own (ahem) hand.

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Feb. 5 through Feb. 10

Okay.

I'm sure I'm sounding like a hiccuping record: a busy week going into a packed Friday and moving into a working weekend.

I'm covering two events today and members of a coin club are coming into the office this afternoon. I have my Sunday cover to finish, my Sunday pages to fill, extra social media today because our associate editor is gone for the day, two interviews before 10 a.m...and I'm sure I'm missing something...

Next week should bring some relief.

One of my sons is tentatively scheduled for surgery on Monday, so that will be a lighter work day. And I'm off on Friday, ready to embark on a fiction writing marathon. And if my muse is slow to engage, I have WriteOn Joliet on Thursday night and my monthly fiction writer workshop on Friday night. so there!

Note: For the story about Joliet Junior College's culinary competition, I uploaded one video clip to The Herald-News site and five additional videos to the Joliet Facebook site, which I moderate. Four are about five minutes in length and show each JJC team member's skills portion of competition. The fifth is longer, about five minutes, and contains highlight from the actual cooking part of the competition.

If you don't belong to Joliet Connect, message the page or send me an email at bryonyseries@gmail.com, and I will add you.

And now onto the stories...

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.

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. You may also find them under the "videos" tab.

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.

Joliet Junior College hosts culinary regionals, comes in second   (VIDEO EXTRA)

JJC wins gold medal, second place in regional culinary competition

Michael McGreal, JJC culinary arts department chairman, said that judges said the food was some of the best they’ve tasted, and the student’s floor skills – the way they worked as a unit – were flawless.

“I’m extremely proud of them,” McGreal said.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/04/joliet-junior-college-hosts-culinary-regionals-comes-in-second/a7zklgb/

Joliet area residents meet monthly to discuss abolishing income tax (VIDEO EXTRA)

Local group supports Fair Tax Act of 2017

“If the Fair Tax bill law came in today, at your next pay period you would have 23 percent more money.  It’s oversimplifying, but it’s that simple,” said Jan Nahorski of Joliet. “People would now be able to save up for a down payment on their house quicker, be able to save up to buy that newer vehicle and be able to pay off old debts faster. That’s money in our pocket.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/03/joliet-area-residents-meet-monthly-to-discuss-abolishing-income-tax/aav1a62/

An Extraordinary Life: Minooka area priest served the Diocese of Joliet's Deaf Apostolate Ministry

The Rev. Mark Fracaro loved theater, but loved serving people more

“You could feel there was something more than a human touch there,” said Rev. Lee Bacchi, chaplain at St. Edward Hospital in Naperville, who considered himself Fracaro’s best friend. “There was a grace working through him. God’s grace was working through him. He was just so good; he was someone you could count on.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/04/an-extraordinary-life-minooka-area-priest-served-the-diocese-of-joliets-deaf-apostolate-ministry/ag3uh4/

Plainfield preschooler battling kidney tumor (VIDEO EXTRA)

Wilms tumor the most common kidney tumor in children ages 3 and 4

The tumor had grown into Brooklyn’s inferior vena cava, a main vein that supplies blood from the lower half of the body to the heart, Amy Rauen said.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/31/plainfield-preschooler-battling-kidney-tumor/ae8egi8/

Mystery Diner: Plainfield's Katie O'Connor's has wide array of Irish options

The wings were good, not doused with sauce, but enough to make your hands messy. I vowed to used just one hand in this meal and I held true to it. The bartender saw I was a mess quickly and helped out with an extra stack of napkins as I sipped on a Lagunitas Sumpin Sumpin Ale, an IPA.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/06/mystery-diner-plainfields-katie-oconnors-has-wide-array-of-irish-options/a6rl32m/

Community invited to Bolingbrook mosque for tour, presentation and 'some nice ethnic food'

Muslim Association of Bolingbrook to host open house Feb. 18

Dr. Sabeel Ahmed is the director of Gain Peace, an outreach division within the Islamic Circle of North America. He said the open house will consist of a tour of the mosque with an opportunity to watch how Muslims pray, using chants, bows and prostrations.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/08/community-invited-to-bolingbrook-mosque-for-tour-presentation-and-some-nice-ethnic-food/aopez27/

Joliet chapter of beer can collectibles to host show on Feb. 12

Camaraderie half the fun for beer can enthusiasts

“One group of guys coming down from South Bend deal in cans,” William Novak said. “They have cans in the $1,000 range for one can.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/02/08/joliet-chapter-of-beer-can-collectibles-to-host-show-on-feb-12/aeyl9tb/

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: A Recipe for the Ailing

Thursday, November 10, 2011

NaNoWriMo Day #10, and a Recipe for the Ailing

Bryony Prequel, Section One, Chapter 9: Check!

Word count: 819

Well, missed another morning today, but I'm feeling confident I can make it back up, now that the story is in my "blood," so to speak.

Had a bit of a mishap last night and moving at a slow pace, but today, I'm very thankful for twenty-first century comfort food. Had I lived in Victorian times, someone might have served me one of these:

Barley Water

2 ounces pearl barley
1/2 pint boiling water
2 quarts boiling water
2 ounces figs
2 ounces raisins, stoned

Put the barley into the half-pint of boiling water, and let it simmer five minutes; pour off the water, and add the two quarts of boiling water, figs, and raisins, and let it boil till reduced to a quart. Strain it for a drink.

A great Favorite with Invalids:
My note: I already don't like it.

Brisk cider OR acid jellies (when cider is unavailable)
Water
Sugar, to taste
Toasted bread OR toasted crackers
Nutmeg

Take one-third cider or jelly to two-thirds water, sweeten it, crumb in bread or crackers, and grate on nutmeg.

Both recipes adapted from, Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy.

Open Mike Night 2016: Timothy Baran

Sometimes the Best Writing Advice is Still...

...simply to write.

We spend so much time trying to get it write, we paralyze the process of moving words from brain to page.

Or when the words don't flow, we revert to creative procrastination or time-wasting distraction.

So just write.

A word.

A character's name.

A phrase.

A snippet of dialogue.

Starting in the middle or the end.

Or sometimes, as I did once for a "Kellen" chapter in Before the Blood, I started the character walking down a path, uncertain where he'd wind up. (I was determined not to lose a full Saturday of writing possibilities to a sluggish muse. And the technique worked).

And speaking of writing, I'm off to do the same.

Happy Tuesday, vampire fans! :)

Taking the Long Road

Life is, sometimes, a series of trade-offs.

All of us must decide how we shall spend each twenty-four block God, in His mercy and kindness, graciously gives us.

I've spend the last few weekends with mostly work projects, not working on the novel. And I shall do do again this weekend.

However, these were all projects I was pleased to tackle. And I'm learning a new skill, video editing, in the process. And the only way to accomplish all of the above was to, temporarily, trade off my fiction.

Which means finishing the formatting for Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone takes a back seat until the weekend after this one. Because that will be the first opportunity for returning to it.

That said, today's post is short on purpose so I can spend my thirty minutes on Before the Blood.

Happy Monday, vampire fans! :)

Happy 90th Birthday to a Beautiful Lady

One Step Closer to Ed Calkins Day

My new candy bowl for the first Feb. 13 Calkins Day "parade."

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Jan 29 through Feb. 3

So I've taken on these extra work projects...

In fact, last week I had the news cover, and this week I'll have the news cover, and next week (when I'm the on-call editor), I'll have the news cover and video training as well. Oh, and did I mention I have video training that weekend, too?

Now I did volunteer for these projects (Cue Donald Horshack's hand waving in the air, for those of you old enough to remember), so I'm not complaining, just stating.

But...but, you ask. What about fiction? Quick reassurance: I have not forsaken it. And at the end of these crazy few weeks, I'm taking a day off. On a Friday. So I can have a long writing weekend, which will most likely be followed by a week of running wire so I can catch up on briefs.

In the meantime, I'm steeped into the last section of Henry's seventh chapter that needs structuring. And so, during this time of extra "work" work, I'm picking off this part bit by little bit. The plan is to be at the chapter eight stage by the time I hit the long weekend.

Isn't that a good plan?

And now onto the stories...

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.

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. You may also find them under the "videos" tab.

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.

Joliet library's 'Miss Sheila' retires after 23 years of service to children and families (VIDEO EXTRA)

Sheila Kinsella hosted her final story time at Joliet Public Library

Kinsella never simply read a story; she engaged the children in a dynamic shared activity.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/24/joliet-librarys-miss-sheila-retires-after-23-years-of-service-to-children-and-families/a15bddj/

An Extraordinary Life: Joliet man proud of his service to family and country

Family man David Jameson never removed his World War II cap

What was the best day of his life? The day in 2010, David and his brother, Joe Jameson, also a veteran, experienced an Honor Flight. Equal to it was returning to France in 2004 with several family members and a group from his Army division.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/18/an-extraordinary-life-joliet-man-proud-of-his-service-to-family-and-country/akj56dp/

Pets of the Week: Jan. 30

 Click on the caption of each photo to find out about that pet, including where he or she can be adopted.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/22/pets-of-the-week-jan-30/a4766m5/

Elwood woman and cervical cancer survivor on a mission to get women screened (VIDEO EXTRA)

Just hearing the word can cause a sinking feeling. For Paulette Apostolou, 49, of Elwood, the distress of a cervical cancer diagnosis was combined with regret.

Apostolou hadn’t received a Pap test in 14 years.

“I didn’t think I needed to go,” Apostolou said. “I was busy building a business with my ex-husband. Just life. I didn’t take care of myself.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/24/elwood-woman-and-cervical-cancer-survivor-on-a-mission-to-get-women-screened/a7ybalp/

Mystery Diner: Plainfield's Sovereign has sophisticated menu with a purpose

The Mystery Diner is a newsroom employee at The Herald-News. The diner’s identity is not revealed to restaurant staff before or during the meal.

It’s clear a ton of time was put into the creations. You could go after anything from arctic char to chorizo seitan, two items I couldn’t locate or explain to you if I tried. Or there’s a grilled rib eye, pork tenderloin and Amish chicken breast.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/03/mystery-diner-plainfields-sovereign-has-sophisticated-menu-with-a-purpose/a7rvlod/

Joliet couple builds bridges between people in need and people who can help (VIDEO EXTRA)

KC and Gail Crino’s ministry is to meet people’s most basic needs

KC’s pastor at Judson, the Rev. Kevin Comfort, summed it up like this: KC ministers to people who “need someone to walk alongside them.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/31/joliet-couple-builds-bridges-between-people-in-need-and-people-who-can-help/af9ctbi/

Homemade rosaries to be part of St. Ray's event in Joliet

Joliet woman makes rosaries for the cost of materials

Each rosary from ABC Rosaries costs an estimated $65 to $75. Christine Merriman charges only for materials, never for labor. She said she makes them with sterling silver and genuine stones, such as amethyst and Swarovski crystal. She then adds a simple cross – not a crucifix.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/31/homemade-rosaries-to-be-part-of-st-rays-event-in-joliet/ayx8qe9/

Upcoming programs at Forest Preserve District of Will County are for the birds

Winter an ideal time to begin bird watching

Even if a birder only sees Canadian geese, there’s “always rare stuff hiding or coming through with the other birds,” Bryerton said. Sometimes a bird is separated from his own group and travels along with another until he catches up.

“They don’t care if other birds are there,” Bob Bryerton, district naturalist, said. “Any spot of open water is all that concerns the bird: ‘This is open water and I’m going there.’”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2017/01/31/upcoming-programs-at-forest-preserve-district-of-will-county-are-for-the-birds/ajx96yy/

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Leslie Ormandy and "Simply Supernatural," Part 2

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Leslie Ormandy and "Simply Supernatural," Part 2

Leslie Ormandy teaches two Vampires in Literature courses at an Oregon community college, has re-edited and published Varney the Vampire, and is the originator of the site www.simplysupernatural-vampire.com, a delightful stopping point of all things vampire.

There, Ormandy has links to a wide variety of Victorian literature; a collection of her vampire short stories, as well as the stories and essays her students have written; and links to whimsical items for vampire fans, such as festivals, crossword puzzles, clothing, and movies.

Ormandy has also included essays and links on many vampire characteristics and topics including sex, the victimization of children, children as vampires, porphyria, evil, Dracula, religion, euthanasia, vampire as metaphor, and more.

7)  What else does the class contain?

"We talk about vintage vampire poetry; we look at some modern stuff; and they all try writing a vampire sonnet and a vampire haiku. We’ve talked about vampires as pedophiles, and, at some point, we talk about religion, because you can’t really talk about vampires without talking about religion. I wrote a short story, The Blood is the Life, about a vampire who could walk into a church because she had once accepted God.”

8) I understand you provide modern translations for several vintage stories. What led you to re-edit Varney the Vampire?

"It’s a lost story. Very few people read it, although it was once massively popular, like Twilight. Everyone was reading it, and it spawned many look-alike stories, but now, no one reads it. Also, I’m good at Victorian syntax and explaining things. It was a big undertaking, but no one else was doing it. The story is fascinating. It’s love, romance, and vampires feeding.”

9) Where do you draw inspiration for your short stories?

"A theme will suggest itself, and the little muse will sit on my shoulder and demand I write the story. I just cannot rest until I do. It’s kind of scary what comes out of my psyche.”

10) What are the criteria for student submissions?

"I am an academic and picky. Submissions have to be well-written and connect with both humans and vampires. It’s hard to define what’s well written. You just know it when you read it.”

11) Who’s your site’s primary audience?

"I have a different audience than many other vampire sites. My audience tends to be more academic, but the site is not just for my students. I’m quite well-read in the UK and Europe, and I have a large following in Russia.”

12) I understand you’re currently enjoying steampunk literature. What was your introduction to it?

"My daughter brought a steampunk book home from the library. It had vampires in it and it was set in the Victorian period, thus combining two of my favorites.”

13) What made the most impact from your trip to London for a vampire conference?

"A lot of manuscripts are buried in libraries, so the stories literally have not been read since that time period. It was incredible to touch books that old. I’d like to explore more pre-Victorian vampire stories and Greek vampire stories.”