BryonySeries: Meet B.L.O.C.K.S. (Again)

Ever since Timothy rolled out B.L.O.C.K.S. in August to help support the BryonySeries and related ventures, he's worked on constructing the teams "building blocks."

This means he's refined the logo into one everyone really likes, built presentation slides, and developed a shared workspace where everyone on the immediate team can access marketing materials, fonts, colors, etc.

In fact, that shared workspace was initially an under-recognized and under-appreciated benefit of finally having domain emails, which we've only softly rolled out so far.

While the advantages for growth and support seem obvious, another benefit of B.L.O.C.K.S. actually addresses conversations we've had with the team the last few challenging years: if something happens to me, what happens to all books and all the the projects in progress?

Side note: "Midnight Ink" is a placeholder name for mine and Rebekah's editing and formatting projects for clients. Rebekah built this website in 2020, since we were getting lots of requests and we needed a way to provide information without launching into long explanations with every request.

B.L.O.C.K.S. will ensure that those books and projects will remain less about me and more about them.

So here's the slightly modified logo and the informational cards with the original logo.

Thoughts?

And for more information about B.L.O.C.K.S. and the BryonySeries, visit bryonyseries.com.

BryonySeries Bags from Jasmine and Rebekah

Good morning!

Pulling an all-nighter and beyond in the ER on Monday night left me with no energy after work to yesterday to change up the recipe at Sue's Diner. Hopefully I will get to it tonight. 

In the meantime, please check out our slightly modified, but totally Victorian, nineteenth century Independence Cake right here: bryonyseries.com/sue-s-diner.

The BryonySeries website has a slightly different look since  Timothy reverted it parts of it to an earlier version. The latest version was glitching, and between work, work travel, and working on his master's degree with Daniel, Timothy won't have much extra time until after February. 

In the meantime, look at beautiful BryonySeries bags from Jasmine and Rebekah. After me asking Rebekah for a tote bag or two (she has lots) whenever I leave for an event, Rebekah found a blank one that is perfect for me, and Jasmine personalized it.

Thanks to their kindness and talent, I will look a little more professional and put-together when I go here and there with books and supplies.

This is certainly just one more reason to be thankful this morning.

Happy Wednesday!

The Evolution of One Simple Flyer (And a Tour of My Space)

Good Monday morning!

I am back with another spammy promotion of my BryonySeries/The Book Market Holiday Book Sale.

Late Friday afternoon, Rebekah decided to design a flyer to go with the promotion. She did several versions and then showed them to Timothy.

Timothy, who had to design weekly menus at a previous job, got in the game later that night. Each version you see on my bedroom floor probably underwent no less than thirty tweaks in terms of layout, selection of graphics, font size, font shape, font shading, font color, the view on black and white versus color, and so forth.

Now a quick view of my room. Behind me is an antique dresser that belonged to my maternal grandmother, who died suddenly when I had just turned seven. I used to sleep in the double bed with her in a very small bedroom in their two-family bungalow on the southside of Chicago. That room had just enough space for the bed and that dresser.

To the right is a lamp with shelves for my books from Timothy. The bed is simple and monastic. Daniel bought the metal frame ($50 from Amazon) a couple years ago to get me off the floor. The mattress is new, as the old one had fallen apart right before the pandemic, so I'd been sleeping on an air mattress.

Everything on the bed are gifts from my kids: from the pillows to the quilts to the mattress covers. The two exceptions are the quilt with the fringe and the Bible verse (from my grandson Ezekiel) and the white quilt with the cat prints (a gift from Jasmine), which the cats, of course, have claimed.

In front of the bed is potting soil and a large planter for Chloe "Lucky" Hawk, my office plant (gift from a job shadower a few years ago), the only plant that has stayed alive under my care. Timothy bought all these gifts for Chloe, and he will transplant her - again - when he has a few moments and isn't designing flyers.

Chloe is sitting on top of my fake fireplace (a gift from Timothy last year), which is always on at night and in the early morning. Next to Chloe is all the artwork for Ed Calkins' upcoming novel "Ruthless," was still not scanned into my computer as of Friday night. Ed's wife Nancy created the cover and did all the interior artwork, too. She doesn't want any credit, saying it's all Ed's project. I'm ignoring her and giving her lots of credit.

The antique dresser next to the fireplace belonged to Ron's mother, who died a year before I met Ron. That dresser and the tall one across from it are two pieces I kept when we lost our home in Channahon after Ron lost his job due to dementia. 

The tall dresser was sitting under the attic stairs when we moved into the home and has been glued back together many times. Some of the items on top of it include two antique tea cups (gifts from Timothy and Sue Midlock), two different purple roses (gifts from Cindy and Jasmine), rose pot pourri (gift from Rebekah), and a handmade BryonySeries music box that plays real music (although not the "Bryony" theme), which was a gift from BryonySeries artist Christopher Gleason.

The tray below the dresser contains items from my bedroom in Channahon because I haven't figured out where to display them (yet).

On the dresser next to the fireplace I am burning new incense (gift from Timothy) and displaying the beautiful little tree (gift from Joshua and Timothy).

Next to the dresser by the little closet is a nightstand (gift from Daniel) that I'm using for work paperwork, my office files, and my mailings. Next to that is a laundry hamper (gift from Rebekah, who offered to do my laundry with hers back in 2013 when we lost the house and has continued to do so ever since, even folding it and putting it away).

The computer set up, including desk, larger screen, and desk lamp, along with the bookshelves to the left are all gifts from Timothy, who is sitting at the computer, back to the camera, working on the flyer. On the day we moved, I went to work. He bought the desk, assembled the desk, and set up my computer, printer, and entire office area before any other items were brought into the townhome.

By the desk lamp is a clear bulb ornament with a battery operated tealight from St. Nicholas one year. The battery finally died. Timothy bought me a new one.

Above the computer and to the left is a good deal of the artwork local artists have created for my series. Timothy has framed quite a bit of them and hung them on the walls. A stack of artwork is still stacked on my grandmother's dresser, ready for hanging.

The organizer hanging off the door is a gift from Rebekah, who has even bought organizers for my drawers, too. 

The little stuffed Woodstock on the carpet was St. Nicholas' gift to me one year. But Faith, my calico claimed it, and she drags it all over the place. My royal blue St. Nicholas stocking hanging off the door knob was a gift from Ron. It's a little bedragged, but I don't have it in my heart to replace it.

What you can't hear is that Christmas music is playing in the background from the new speakers that Timothy just bought me because the wires on the old speakers he had bought me weren't working right. And he installed them, too.

What you also can't see is all the hard work Rebekah has put into formatting and reformatting books this year past year and the work she's put in designing a second website for me since I've done some editing projects for clients this year.

While Timothy was working on the flyer, he commented on how cozy the room was. Well, how can it not be? It's filled with reminders of love everywhere you look. I spend the majority of time in this space, including most of 2020.

I'll post the flyer tomorrow in another spammy post.

In the meantime, you can access the details about the BryonySeries/The Book Market Holiday Book Sale by visiting bryonyseries.com/promotions.

Instead of WriteOn Joliet's Author of the Month...

 ...I bring you the BryonySeries/The Book Market Holiday Book Sale.

This is what we're doing and why.

For the last three years, WriteOn Joliet has hosted its annual, open-to-the-public anthology release party (with free, chef-created food) at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

And for the last two years, we've featured an "Author of the Month," with our WriteOn Joliet authors, which has included a book signing, also at The Book Market.

This year because of COVID, some of our monthly author signings were canceled - including the one in December. And the anthology release party didn't happen at all.

Now The Book Market doesn't rise and fall on sales from WriteOn Joliet authors (I wish!). But we do generate SOME sales, and the store's owner Janet Staley always feels that our release party generates enough sales to make it worth staying open late on party night.

So Timothy, Rebekah and I put our heads together last week and devised this plan.

From now until January 7, you will receive a $1 credit to The Book Market for every $5 worth of books you order directly from me. I have approximately twenty titles of books for nearly every age, so perhaps you might find something that interests you (or will interest someone you know).

Timothy even generated some beautiful coupons that we will email to you. A draft is below. I am paying the credit forward to The Book Market, so money only flows toward the store, not away from it.

This year has been a tough year for many people and businesses, especially small businesses and their owners. By working together, we can bring some holiday cheer to this indie bookstore in Crest Hill.

For step-by-step instructions on how to participate, follow this link: bryonyseries.com/promotions.

Holding Off on Story Round-Up

For those of you who like catching up with my feature stories for the week, I'm holding off on that post for one more day.

That's because some of the stories won't be posting online until later today.

So, instead, here's a quick catch-up on the other parts of my writing world.

Memoir: The proof copy arrived in the mail yesterday! Rebekah immediately caught one typo and a couple formatting issues. Phyllis just got out of the hospital, so before I hand the book off to my copy editor, I do want her to see it. 

Although this project was challenging to fit into the last eighteen months of a demanding work schedule, now that I've held the book, I'm really glad I accepted the offer.

Fiction: Even though I had a long weekend last weekend, I only read through the parts I'd previously written in both The Phoenix (the first book in the Limbo series) and Lycanthropic Summer (a standalone werewolf novel).

What's especially interesting about the first book is that it's required me to research the history of nineteenth century journalism, which, during these times of "the death of journalism" trope, is a good reminder that journalism is not dead but ever-evolving.

Finally, if you have a few minutes to brave what's supposed to be really crummy weather tomorrow, stop out at The Book Market in Crest hill between 3 and 5 p.m.

I'll be there with a cup of hot coffee, all of my books titles (discounted), and my daughter Rebekah, who will be happy to haggle prices with you.

And if nothing I've written interests you, browse the store: thousands of titles, something for everyone. If you can't find a book you're seeking, the owner Janet Staley will be happy to help you out.

Have a fantastic Friday: readers, writers and BryonySeries fans.

Surprise Gift

Recently, Diana Estell, one of the members of WriteOn Joliet surprised me with this lovely gift that, I believe, anyone who lives vintage and Victorian will appreciate, including a beautiful bracelet with a blue (my favorite color) stone that's 1873, two years before Bryony was born.

Diana, thank you! I shall treasure these forever. <3 p="">

Here's what I found inside:

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Personalize Your Novel: Motifs and Epigraphs

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Personalize Your Novel: Motifs and Epigraphs

Huh?

A motif is a symbol or collection of symbols and ideas that are repeated throughout your novel that enhances your theme and conjure up your book(s) to readers long after the last page is read. In the BryonySeries, these include:

* mist

* The song, Bryony

* the music box that plays, Bryony

* purple roses

* a flock of crows (otherwise called "a murder")

* the exchange of blood in many forms AND

* the emphasis on food and eating (think about that)

* the mention of fairies and fairy tales

* limericks

* bryony (vine and name), vines, and herbs

* Irish soda bread

* vanilla ice cream

* white cats

* leprechauns

* writing, literature, especially Charles Dickens' Tale of Two Cities

* Henry's love of quotes

* predators of varying kinds

Even my repeated dedication: This book is lovingly dedicated to the reader, whoever you might be


An epigraph is a quote used at the beginning of your book or preceding each of your chapters that ties into its theme. Examples from my books include:

Bryony: Bryony is a rapidly growing invasive perennial vine, with dark green, palmate leaves and a thick, extensive rooting system. Its round berries are poisonous to humans and animals. (epigraphish)

Visage: There are a sort of men whose visages do cream and mantle like a standing pond, and do a willful stillness entertain, with purpose to be dress'd in opinion of wisdom, gravity, profound conceit, as who should say, "I am Sir Oracle, and when I open up my lips no dog bark!" William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice

Staked!: Think now and then that there is a man who would give his life, to keep a life you love beside you!" Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

Calkins Day 2018

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: I Am A commodity

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

I Am a Commodity

I didn’t say it. My publicist, Dulcinea Hawksworth, did, about me.

I argue that my writing is a commodity, and she agrees with that, but also insists that I, too, as Bryony's author, am a commodity. Because I trust Dulcinea’s judgment, that’s why I’m at the mall with my mother and my daughter Rebekah, 17, when I should be huddled under the covers nursing my cold.

They have talked me into finally using the gift card one of my older sons gave to me four Christmases ago. My throat burns, my head hurts, and my body is really aching, but my mother, armed with credit cards and coupons, is definitely on a mission, since I only do this shopping thing about once every five years (No, seriously).

My oldest daughter, Sarah, who lives out of state, is serving as consultant via cell phone cameras. Rebekah has a supply of water bottles in her purse and feeds me an occasional cough drop. My mother buys me a coffee.

I am a commodity.

In JCPenney, the racks are full of jeans with pre-made holes. Before I decide I’m in style, after all, I catch a glimpse of my image, still dressed in route clothing, as I pass a mirror. I resemble a waif from an Oliver Twist orphanage. I decide to keep my mouth shut.

I am a commodity.

I stand in front of the mirror at Christopher & Banks with an armful of clothes my entourage selected for me and repeat those words. It’s not working. I'm still not believing it. The words of the White Queen from Through the Looking Glass echo in my head.

“Try again,” I hear the White Queen say. “Draw a long breath, and shut your eyes.”

Nope, I still don’t believe it, and it’s not because I haven’t had much practice, either. In a household as lively as ours, I have sometimes witnessed six impossible things before breakfast. I open the door, show off a very nice purple skirt and sweater combination and stare in horror at the khaki pants my mother is holding up.

“I can’t wear that color,” I protest. “I’ll look like I have yellow fever.”

But she pairs it with a navy blue sweater, which offsets the sallow color. The combination actually looks quite nice. It’s one of many clothing battles I will lose that day. The biggest conflict concerned the skinny-leg jeans at Carson Pirie Scott.

“My legs are too bony for these,” I said.

Rebekah and my mother look at each other and roll their eyes. “Some of us would love to have those legs,” my mother said.

“I can’t even move. I feel like I’m wrapped in cling plastic.”

“I’ll get a bigger size,” my mother said and returns with a 6.

I try them on, but they’re too baggy, so it’s back to the 4’s. Once the they’re are paired with a cream-colored turtle neck; a quilted, reversible vest; and a pair of nice, suede boots, I’m relaxed enough that I try on, for a lark, mind you, the size two leopard dress someone had abandoned in the dressing room.

My mother and Rebekah take bets on whether or not I’ll get into it. Ha! I do.
Triumphantly, I open the door. My mother looks pleased (she’s the one who found the dress), and an amazed Rebekah takes my picture with her cell phone and sends it to Sarah. Arghh! Too late!

“Did you include terms of use?”

Rebekah looks blank.

“Great. Knowing Sarah, she’ll probably post that as my new profile picture on Facebook.”

I check when I get home, to be sure, but the only thing Sarah has posted is a link to the music room on the Bryony website (http://www.bryonyseries.com/). The page looks great, and Sarah is highly pleased with her efforts. She's also had a highly productive phone consult with Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara, but that's for another post.

However, I've been out way too late when I have to get up at midnight and deliver newspapers. Rebekah has offered to put away the entire wardrobe, so I drag myself up the ladder stairs to my attic office to check mail. My oldest son is gone for the night, but offered his chauffeuring assistance for the following night, after the blizzard starts, if I’m still sick.

Oh, and did I mention my mother gave Bryony’s website to every salesperson we met? So, I guess, whether or not I’m a commodity at this point is irrelevant. Right now, I’m feeling pretty blessed with my very supportive family. Even though, my mother's parting remark was, "Next, we'll have to do something about your hair!"

Not the hair!!!

My Stubborn Stance Towards Marketing

As I gradually build the marketing portion of the BryonySeries, I'm still stubbornly stuck on several points.

1) No "spammy" posts or gimmicky sales pitches. Never.

2) Marketing is about making one's unique writing footprints known, which may lead to sales and ultimately readers and fans of the series. Delight in the walk.

3) Curate content that relates to the BryonySeries because "like" follows "like."

4) It's about the reader. It's always about the reader. The books are dedicated to the reader. 

5) Put your very, very best work out there and be confident (not arrogant) in it.

6) If you like someone else's work, share it. Everything isn't always about you. It could be just the "read" someone in your network is seeking, and it takes nothing from you to be kind.

7) Be social with readers, potential readers, or followers. How I wish I could have communicated with the authors of my favorite childhood books.

8) If someone doesn't care to read your books or doesn't like your books, it's not a personal slight. It means someone didn't care to read your books or didn't like your books, which leads to...

9) No pity sales. No one I know should ever, EVER, feel pressured to buy something I wrote because I wrote it. That's how books collect dust. Books are meant to be read. 

10: No speaking fees. I'm not for sale. My books are. If fees are part of the process, make checks payable to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties (if related to the BryonySeries) or WriteOn Joliet (when asked to speaking about writing, editing, and self-publishing).

11) THE EXCEPTION: Pity sales and gimmicky pitches are fine when it come to pitching the official BryonySeries cookbook, Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony." Because proceeds (about half the cost, the other half is to order another book) benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties. So even if that book gathers dust, the organization is still helped. But seriously, it's money well-spent if you find even one recipe you enjoy (you have to cook tonight anyway). And where else can you find a cookbook featuring both Victorian and 1970s recipes?

Buy it HERE.

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! :)