Tonight: Ask Us About Our...

Gifts! Gifts! Gifts!

Because TONIGHT is WriteOn Joliet's 9th Anthology Release Party.

Here are ten reasons why you should attend.

Here is tonight's menu.

Here is your chance to connect with six small businesses.

And (finally) when you stop at the BryonySeries tables at the party, be sure to ask about the following.

1. Our handmade Christmas mice...

...that come with their own handmade stockings:

2. Our hot chocolate bombs.

3. Our mystery boxes.

All of these items are courtesy of Cindy from Ribbit-Ribbits, her gift to you with select purchases (and she will decide what those purchases are).

None of these items are for sale.

But you might be able to take some of them home (while supplies last).

So...

When you stop at the BryonySeries tables at WriteOn Joliet's 9th Annual Anthology Release Party tonight, be sure to ask about them.

Coffee With Bertrand the Mouse

Good morning!

I found an old coffee photo of Bertrand the Mouse the other day, which made me think of all the coffee memories we've made together.

I'm sharing seven with you this morning, with the last photo also featuring Uncle Barty. I hope you enjoy them.

Happy Monday! 

Special BryonySeries Gifts With Select Purchases TODAY at The Book Market

If you're out and about the Crest Hill area today (Dec. 17), be sure to pop into The Book Market between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

You can check out our BryonySeries Christmas display of eleven curated BryonySeries books, Cindy's backpack bear Ribbit-Ribbits, free purple music roses with select purchases, three Christmas mice that still need adopting, and beautiful mystery gift boxes from Cindy (all free with select purchases while supplies last). 

Even the boxes themselves are gorgeous and sturdy enough for keeping other treasures inside them.

And who can turn their backs on these sweet little crocheted homeless mice?

Rebekah and I will be hanging out with the rest of the books in the series, too. We'll be able to answer your questions about the series and maybe read an excerpt (or two) of your choice.

The Book Market owner Janet Staley is super-friendly, too, and always ready and willing to help you find the perfect book in this family-owned bookstore of new, used, and rare books.

Maybe we will see you there.

Happy Tuesday!

BryonySeries at the North Pole Christmas Market

So my "wish list" event for many years was participating in the North Pole Christmas Market at Joliet's annual "Light Up the Holidays" event, which is held every year in several downtown locations the day after Thanksgiving.

The Joliet City Center Partnership hosts a wonderful event with live entertainment, ice skating, horse-drawn carriages, visits with Santa, ice sculpture demos, children's Ferris wheel, slide, tree lighting (canceled this year due to construction downtown), and a large parade towards evening.

Usually by the time I had my family holiday schedule (who was doing what, when, and where), I'd run out of time to apply.

This year I was smart (it happens sometimes), and I applied early. And I was accepted!

So needless to say...

Bertrand and Uncle Barty are super excited to attend, especially since I was asked to also be part of the entertainment and read some Christmas stories to the children (with a special giveaway, details on Monday).

And we also have some special "extras" planned at my booth.

The main one is a BryonySeries miniature backpack, which is doubling as a swag bag for the event. I'll be giving twenty of these bags away from my booth during the event. I'll share the details of that bag on Tuesday.

But we also have two more giveaways.

For any book purchase in the $15 dollar-ish range, you may take home one of these purple music roses (while supplies last), created by Joliet Public Library Youth Services Clerk Jan Stack.

And we also have crocheted mice for adoption for adoption for those who purchase three Bertrand books for $15, which is discounted from $7 for each book, one mouse per three books (while mice are available).

Bertrand knows each and every one of them, and he can assure you they will make lovely companions, all of which will be very thankful to have a new home for the holidays.

Happy Thursday!