Sunday, October 21, 2012
The Hat's on the Other Head
The official blog of Denise M. Baran-Unland, author. Discover her books for all ages at bryonyseries.com.
Showing posts with label Valerie's Heavenly Scents. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valerie's Heavenly Scents. Show all posts
Thursday, August 8, 2019
BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: The Hat's on the Other Head
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
Last Saturday at The Book Market
One of the questions I often ask fellow indie authors is how much they sold at a particular event.
It's less about being snoopy and more to assess our overall expectations, marketing efforts, and areas of improvement.
I had very little idea how most of this worked when I began publishing eight years ago, and many of the rules have changed since that time.
I'm certain every artist hopes, deep down, that they'll knock sales and customer response out of the park.
Last night on Twitter, I saw in my feed a rather "lean and blunt" company that has one purpose: to pay writers $200 to $2,000 for all the rights to manuscripts (in certain genres) they can't sell. I'm not certain how legitimate this company is, but I'm sure it gets plenty of inquiries. And I was curious enough to briefly consider writing slush in those genres and pitching it.
The struggle to sell art is nothing new. Now that I can look up this knowledge online, I've found a number of my favorite authors (literature that's now considered classic, authors now deceased who were favorites in my childhood) either didn't sell in their lifetime or worked hard at it during their lifetime, with some books selling better than others.
Even Eoin Colfer, the author of Artemis Fowl, when I interviewed him a few months ago for The Herald-News, had this to say, "I've written over 40 books. Sometimes you
have success with that and sometimes you don't."
I'm not gong to stretch this post out like social media click bait, But I did want to give Saturday some context and provide some information that might be useful to other indies like me.
I sold just over $75 worth of books and just under $50 worth of candles in three hours. For a small event at a small venue on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I feel I sold surprisingly well.
Most of the people who bought are people I know in some way, and those people came to The Book Market on purpose to buy one or more books and/or some candles (my candlemaker has lung cancer, and our goal is to sell the entire stock).
But I did receive some interest from people who stopped by the table, and one never knows where that will go.
I'm not certain how other authors might rate the outcome, but I consider the day a success (despite the photo of my kids playing on their phones) and here's why.
1) I am gradually reducing the candle volume, bringing me closer to the goal. And I actually sold far more candles that I thought I would, so that was an unexpected bonus.
2) The people who bought books on purpose, since they bought on purpose, may actually read them. If they enjoy them, they may recommend them, to a friend, which furthers the reach. If they don't, that's OK, too, It's part of effort of finding the readership. And their support, with their time and their money, is worth far more to me than words can fully express.
3) Some of the books were gifts. See number two.
4) Just hosting the event brought about awareness through flyers, news releases, and a little media exposure, for me and the store.
5) The Book Market made a percentage from the sales of my books. Not enough to close up shop and retire, but hey, sales are sales.
6) The owner always seem happy to see me and didn't seem happier to see me go. ;)
As authors and artists, we struggle to find our foothold, and sometimes we don't find it at all. But somewhere between obscurity and world renown are places we can set realistic goals and then take small doable steps to attain them.
Last Saturday, I felt, hit the right spots.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Candle Sale for a Good Cause
A few months ago when Rebekah was assessing our BryonySeries candle stock (what we had left, sizes, scents, etc), she noticed some of the candles needed fresh labels.
So we reached out to Valerie Burkholder, owner of Valerie's Heavenly Scents, who had made the candles for us, and learned she was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer.
Although Valerie has kept us generously supplied with candles, we are actively trying to sell them all so she can have the money now, when she she most needs it.
The candles are homemade, soy, and come in a variety of sizes and five BryonySeries scents: bryony (a patchouli-like scent), purple rose, Sue's Diner (vanilla pudding), Lake Munson (ocean breeze), and Simons Woods (pine).
The candles burn very cleanly and retain the scent to the end.
The candles and I (along with my books) will be at The Book Market from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 23. The Book Market is located at 2365 Plainfield Road in Crest Hill.
If you only have money for either a book or a candle, I strongly suggest buying the candle. We will have specials for combos and multiple orders.
If you live out of the area or cannot attend the event and wish to buy a candle, message us at bryonyseries@gmail.com and we will ship candles to you.
Most of all, please send up prayers/good thoughts and wishes for Valerie.
Thank you. :)
Monday, January 22, 2018
Music, Book, and Candle
Are you planning to read (or re-read) the BryonySeries this year?
Consider two other related products for a complete experience: a CD of ten original BryonySeries piano songs by James Onohan and a soy candle in one of five BryonySeries scents.
First, the backstory behind the CD:
After Mrs. Clements had already returned Melissa’s library card, she reached under the counter. “I almost forgot. Here’s something else you might like.” She handed Melissa a record album. “This just came.”
The top of the cover read, "The Best-Loved Compositions of John Simons," and featured a picture of the musician sitting at a piano. Melissa turned the album over to the back and blinked in disbelief. She was face to face with her grandmother’s music box.
Ladies and gentlemen, James Onohan created the CD for us. For more information on James, the music, and how to buy the CD, go HERE.
Second, we have soy candles in several sizes available for purchase in five BryonySeries scents, all created by Valeries's Heavenly Scents.
The five scents are Bryony, Purple Rose, Sue's Diner, Lake Munson, and Simons Woods.
For more information on the BryonySeries line, including sizes, pricing, and ordering, email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com.
Now try reading the series by flickering candlelight with piano music in the background.
Have a beautiful Monday, readers, writers, and vampire fans! :)
Consider two other related products for a complete experience: a CD of ten original BryonySeries piano songs by James Onohan and a soy candle in one of five BryonySeries scents.
First, the backstory behind the CD:
After Mrs. Clements had already returned Melissa’s library card, she reached under the counter. “I almost forgot. Here’s something else you might like.” She handed Melissa a record album. “This just came.”
The top of the cover read, "The Best-Loved Compositions of John Simons," and featured a picture of the musician sitting at a piano. Melissa turned the album over to the back and blinked in disbelief. She was face to face with her grandmother’s music box.
Ladies and gentlemen, James Onohan created the CD for us. For more information on James, the music, and how to buy the CD, go HERE.
Second, we have soy candles in several sizes available for purchase in five BryonySeries scents, all created by Valeries's Heavenly Scents.
The five scents are Bryony, Purple Rose, Sue's Diner, Lake Munson, and Simons Woods.
For more information on the BryonySeries line, including sizes, pricing, and ordering, email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com.
Now try reading the series by flickering candlelight with piano music in the background.
Have a beautiful Monday, readers, writers, and vampire fans! :)
Monday, September 25, 2017
Some Upcoming Author Events, Some Giveaways
It's countdown time!
I've made a list and am obsessively checking it a gazillion times! Am I ready for the author fairs?
Well:
1) BryonySeries books for sale, six titles in all (so far). CHECK!
2) BryonySeries table decor. CHECK! (But what to choose? I've got so much...)
3) BryonySeries homemade soy candles (by Valerie's Heavenly Scents) in five scents (bryony, purple rose, Lake Munson, Simons Woods, Sue's Diner) to sell. CHECK!
4) Freebies for kids (stickers, erasers, etc.). CHECK!
5) BryonySeries trivia contest (correct answers get you discounts). CHECK-sih (where did I put those slips?)
6) Holiday edition of Visage to raffle off. CHECK!
7) Free chapter from the BryonySeries prequel Before the Blood (as gift for signing up for the upcoming BryonSeries newsletter). Almost check. Need to print out.
8) Discounts on select products. CHECK-ish (almost done)
9) Information on upcoming releases (Information, yes. Hand-out cards, not yet).
10) Raffle basket items. CHECK! (But you have to stop by my table to know what they are).
ANTHOLOGY RELEASE PARTY
WriteOn Joliet will release its first anthology Write Where We Are in approximately one month. The editing/formatting is done; the cover art is designed, and the whole was uploaded to Createspace (again) this weekend (had some shifting issues). Hopefully it's fixed this time and them, voila!
The anthology will contain essays, poetry, short stories, one novella, and one excerpt from my BryonSeries prequel in progress, Before the Blood.
Copies should be available online Nov. 1, but if you'd like autographed copies and an opportunity to meet the writers (along with checking out their other works), plan to attend this event:
WriteOn Joliet Anthology Release Party
When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17
Where: The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road in Crest Hill
Information: www.writeonjoliet.com.
AUTHOR FAIRS
A number of WriteOn Joliet authors (including moi) will be participating in the following events. I'll be raffling off a basket of BryonySeries stuff and giving away a chapter from Before the Blood as a thank you gift for signing up for my newsletter, which begins in 2018.
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
I've made a list and am obsessively checking it a gazillion times! Am I ready for the author fairs?
Well:
1) BryonySeries books for sale, six titles in all (so far). CHECK!
2) BryonySeries table decor. CHECK! (But what to choose? I've got so much...)
3) BryonySeries homemade soy candles (by Valerie's Heavenly Scents) in five scents (bryony, purple rose, Lake Munson, Simons Woods, Sue's Diner) to sell. CHECK!
4) Freebies for kids (stickers, erasers, etc.). CHECK!
5) BryonySeries trivia contest (correct answers get you discounts). CHECK-sih (where did I put those slips?)
6) Holiday edition of Visage to raffle off. CHECK!
7) Free chapter from the BryonySeries prequel Before the Blood (as gift for signing up for the upcoming BryonSeries newsletter). Almost check. Need to print out.
8) Discounts on select products. CHECK-ish (almost done)
9) Information on upcoming releases (Information, yes. Hand-out cards, not yet).
10) Raffle basket items. CHECK! (But you have to stop by my table to know what they are).
ANTHOLOGY RELEASE PARTY
WriteOn Joliet will release its first anthology Write Where We Are in approximately one month. The editing/formatting is done; the cover art is designed, and the whole was uploaded to Createspace (again) this weekend (had some shifting issues). Hopefully it's fixed this time and them, voila!
The anthology will contain essays, poetry, short stories, one novella, and one excerpt from my BryonSeries prequel in progress, Before the Blood.
Copies should be available online Nov. 1, but if you'd like autographed copies and an opportunity to meet the writers (along with checking out their other works), plan to attend this event:
WriteOn Joliet Anthology Release Party
When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17
Where: The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road in Crest Hill
Information: www.writeonjoliet.com.
AUTHOR FAIRS
A number of WriteOn Joliet authors (including moi) will be participating in the following events. I'll be raffling off a basket of BryonySeries stuff and giving away a chapter from Before the Blood as a thank you gift for signing up for my newsletter, which begins in 2018.
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
Etc: Local authors, talks (book preservation and Illinois Author Project), and bookish crafts. BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: whiteoakauthorfest.org.
Oswego Literary Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 7
Where: Oswego Public Library, 32 Jefferson St., Oswego
Etc: Local authors, BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: www.oswegoil.org
Indie Author Day
What: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 14
Where: Plainfield Public Library, 15025 S. Illinois St., Plainfield
Etc: Local authors, BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: plainfieldpubliclibrary.org
WriteOn Joliet Open Night Mic
When: 6 p.m. Nov. 2
Where: Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, Joliet (inside the Joliet Public Library)
Etc: WriteOn Joliet will read excerpts from their works and share information about the upcoming anthology and Nov. 17's anthology release party.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: writeonJoliet.com or www.bryonyseries.com
Below, BryonySeries candles in all five scents. They come in four different sizes. Along with other projects, Rebekah and I are working on the BryonySeries store, where you can buy our various BryonySeries products, whose selection is growing all the time. :)
Below, BryonySeries candles in all five scents. They come in four different sizes. Along with other projects, Rebekah and I are working on the BryonySeries store, where you can buy our various BryonySeries products, whose selection is growing all the time. :)
Monday, March 19, 2012
It's Gonna Be an Interesting "Bryony" Week; Hope I can Keep Up
Latest news around Munsonville:
9 p.m. - midnight, March 20: Recording of the Bryony audiobook commences at the University of St. Francis sound department. Two membrs of the Christian rock group Daniel's Window (www.danielswindow.com) have branched out into the audiobook business and, several months ago, approached me about producing an audio version of Bryony.
After some info exchanges (the manuscript for voice recordings), we struck an agreement. A bonus with the audio book not found in print: the audio book will contain music clips from the official Bryony CD, The Best-Loved Compositioins of John Simons, by James Onohan (www.jamesonohan.com). And yes, I will be posting updates about this project.
March 23, 24, 25: Bryony will have a booth at Westfield Mall in Joliet (formerly Louis Joliet Mall) as part of the Heartland Creative Arts & Crafts show. If you haven't purchased your copy yet, stop out and see us. If you have, then you might enjoy a "Bryony" 100 percent soy candle. Your choice of five scents! For more candle information, visit Valerie's Heavenly Scents (http://valeriesheavenlyscents.com/).
Of course that means EARLY deadlines for me (huff and puff), since one entire workday will be spent at the mall. It also means, unless I can get super creative at night after the show, a third week without tacking the editing on Visage (Believe me, I'm trying to get it done), although I'm thinking I'm being a little ambitious here.
My goal, remember, when writing the BryonySeries was to get the story out of my head, share it with anyone interested in reading it, and have fun. So far, we're at three out of three, oh yeah!
9 p.m. - midnight, March 20: Recording of the Bryony audiobook commences at the University of St. Francis sound department. Two membrs of the Christian rock group Daniel's Window (www.danielswindow.com) have branched out into the audiobook business and, several months ago, approached me about producing an audio version of Bryony.
After some info exchanges (the manuscript for voice recordings), we struck an agreement. A bonus with the audio book not found in print: the audio book will contain music clips from the official Bryony CD, The Best-Loved Compositioins of John Simons, by James Onohan (www.jamesonohan.com). And yes, I will be posting updates about this project.
March 23, 24, 25: Bryony will have a booth at Westfield Mall in Joliet (formerly Louis Joliet Mall) as part of the Heartland Creative Arts & Crafts show. If you haven't purchased your copy yet, stop out and see us. If you have, then you might enjoy a "Bryony" 100 percent soy candle. Your choice of five scents! For more candle information, visit Valerie's Heavenly Scents (http://valeriesheavenlyscents.com/).
Of course that means EARLY deadlines for me (huff and puff), since one entire workday will be spent at the mall. It also means, unless I can get super creative at night after the show, a third week without tacking the editing on Visage (Believe me, I'm trying to get it done), although I'm thinking I'm being a little ambitious here.
My goal, remember, when writing the BryonySeries was to get the story out of my head, share it with anyone interested in reading it, and have fun. So far, we're at three out of three, oh yeah!
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