The Mystery of the Disappearing Calendar: Solved!

What's the old saying? You learn something new everyday?

Well, we learned something new on Saturday about how the back door of our BryonySeries site works.

Like many authors, we use a website builder to create the website, because none of us are web designers with coding skills.

Now, except for updating the events calendar, I rarely make any changes to the site - Timothy has pretty much assumed the reigns there.

But apparently "except for updating the events calendar" is problematic if we are both in the site at the same time. 

I'll explain.

Tuesday was the last day I posted any events because I had received messages from people who clicked on the link and could not access the promised content. On this particular day, the content was coloring pages of Vikings.

So I waited until Saturday night when Timothy was not working to update the calendar. I figured if I had trouble, he could troubleshoot it, since he hand-built it.

Well, I had trouble with events either not saving or not publishing. So I called Timothy - who just happened to be working on the BryonySeries store.

We had some back and forth conversation and testing of saving and publishing and...voila! Mystery of the disappearing events solved.

New protocol: I cannot go into the back door of the BryonySeries website without first checking with Timothy.

Here are the events you may have missed. You can see them here. 

January 1: Listen to the other-worldly sounds of a frozen lake in winter.

January 2: Enjoy a really nice version of Auld Lang Syne by The Irish Rovers.

January 3: Learn about a famous faith healer of the nineteenth century.

January 4: Create a fun, mouse-themed tic tac toe game for you and the child in your life to play together.

January 5: Check out a variety of free, printable coloring pages of the Vikings.

January 6: Look at the type of tree you can make from cardboard!

January 7: Do you like to write your own stories? Are you over eighteen?

​Consider joining WriteOn Joliet 

January 8: Learn a few quick facts about the poisonous plant bryony, for whom the BryonySeries is named.

January 9: For bored kids and adults: make your own leprechaun sand from two ingredients you most likely have in your cabinet.

January 10: ​Read about which five Bordeaux wines are among the most expensive in the world.

A Relatively Boring Weekend

It was a walking, talking, some working, some editing on The Phoenix (which is coming along nicely), two movies kind of a weekend.

Bertrand and I watched Timothy worked on the BryonySeries website for an hour or two because he wanted to show me changes. 

I drank coffee. Did some research for and gave some support to someone going through a tough time.

We were going to try a socially distance, masked visit with Joshua and his family, but it was too cold and too rainy (Saturday) and everyone was too tired on Sunday, but that always happens to us during weather changes.

The End.

The Calendar is Now Up...

...and Timothy's vision for it was beyond anything I could have imagined.

Short website recap: More than ten years ago when I was writing my first book and reading how writers needed websites, I wanted something more than just five pages of basic information where readers visited once and never returned.

I wanted a site readers could use that mirrored the series. I had no idea what that would like it or how to make one.

Enter my oldest son Christopher who tried to teach himself web hosting. But a slew of health problems took that time and energy away from him so the website baton was passed down to Sarah.

Sarah had never created a website either, so she researched options and settled upon a service who shall not be named. She honed her ability to learn quickly with her creativity and created a site, using the service's templates, that had pages reflecting the first book, Bryony.

Fast forward more than half a dozen years later, and mobile views were more popular than desktop ones, and this particular service couldn't keep up. Moreover, it was clunky to use.

This resulted in the website sitting dormant for almost two years. I stopped referring people to it because it was nearly useless, and the experience was poor.

With Sarah being extremely busy at work, the website baton passed to Rebekah, who researched other services and rebuilt the site. She based a lot of it on Sarah's original work and used new templates to replicate the look and feel of the original, while adding new pages to incorporate new books, which now included Visage and Staked! to the "drop of blood" trilogy and a chapter book series and a series for children.

Finally, Timothy, who had just finished a marketing class, stepped in. At first he simply wanted to adjust a few colors. But eventually he decided the entire site needed an overhaul because the original inspiration was inadequate to truly represent the series.

He, too, took inspiration from the original vision and from Sarah and Rebekah's hard work.

Timothy has been working on this site for almost two years (I think), spending a lot of nights, weekends, and down time in airports while traveling to bring it to the point it is today (and it's still in not quite there).

It's led to the design of a new business card, original artwork for the landing page, and a calendar of events so cool, I can't believe this young man, with zero knowledge of coding, created it.

What Timothy did (and you need to log onto this calendar from the desktop to get the full experience), was to create a set of cards for each day of the month - kind of like a dance card or an invitation to something fun.

For the desktop view, (it doesn't work on the mobile view), he based his design off the old advent calendars he enjoyed as a child: You lift up a flap each day to see the picture beneath it.

At first I objected to a full calendar of dates. As an indie novelist with a tiny following and a full-time job, I could not fill a each day with an event. Furthermore, no one (not even my family) would come out to a BryonySeries event every day of the month - or even once a month.

Timothy pushed back and said the "events" did not have to be actual physical events, like book signings. They could be other things.

And he was right.

When creating the events, I tried to keep in terms of family friendly and all age. All of the events, even those based on the adult books, will have a timeless appeal, and parents and grandparents and parent figures can feel comfortable enjoying them with their children.

If you don't have children in your life, even the childish events can be a source of quick amusement.

For people who enjoy more complication in their pastimes, any of these events can be a springboard for more exploration or creativity.

Because of the three dimensional nature of the BryonySeries, I kept all five senses in mind when posting the first month's worth of events.

I also kept the range of books in mind when creating events based on them - and provided links to the books that inspired the events.

To keep events interactive for readers who like interaction, I encouraged people to email photos that I can share on the blog.

For now, all the events are virtual and all will be up for the month. That means you can check out one  a day or skim the month and do ten and sign out until next month.

Rebekah and I are already eyeballing April 19. Anyone care to virtually join us?

https://www.bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."

One Page Nearly Done

No, not another book (although I have four in various stages of loose production).

This past weekend, Timothy finished the basic setup of the BryonySeries store.

This means he completed a design he liked, added all titles, and then linked them to Amazon.

The overall goal is to link the store to my PayPal account and run special prices, but we're having a few issues with that.

If you're curious, here is the direct link: https://www.bryonyseries.com/copy-of-general-store.

He is still tweaking other pages, merging some, and creating subpages for a cleaner, more streamlined experience.

Sue's Diner and Fetes and Feasts (events calendar) are nearly done, too, so feel free to browse.

Have a great Tuesday, readers, writers, and BryonySeries fans! :)

It Takes a Village...

...or maybe a "Board of Trustees."

Anyway, when Sarah first began designing the BryonySeries website, she wanted to dedicate an entire page to me (gack!).

Obviously my contribution as author was an important one, but it wasn't the only one in terms of the series' "feel."

And I also felt the other creative contributions should be recognized, too. And not in a "me" and "everybody else" way either.

Moreover, since the website concept was to mirror the series, a page that included everyone (Board of Trustees; if you've read the first book Bryony, you'll understand) was the best way to go.

The page is not nearly complete (for instance, the artist for our landing page art, the beautiful pen and ink aerial view of "Munsonville," is not yet added), but it gives you a great idea of the talent behind the concept.

Check out the team here.

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

When Three People See The Same Thing

Over the last few months, Timothy has been redesigning the BryonySeries website to encompass the feel of all the books.

We do "converse" (bicker) back and forth sometimes regarding concepts.

One of those conversations revolved around an illustration he placed on landing page. He wanted a page before the home page, and I had no problem with it.

But this illustration from Bryony by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt didn't work as an all-encompassing piece of art for the landing page.

So we talked concepts until we agreed.

Then he asked his girlfriend's sister, whom I only know right now as "Jenny" to create it.

Jasmine (Timothy's girlfriend) has read Bryony and Visage. The scene Jenny was to draw is featured early in Bryony.

From time to time, Jenny sent a draft or texted a question. But mostly she turned to Jasmine for guidance, as apparently Jasmine had some definite ideas, too.

It took Jenny a few months. But the final piece came home shortly after midnight. Timothy placed it to the website this morning and then showed it to me.

Jasmine was pretty excited for me to see it. Jenny's piece, to her, looked pretty close to the way Jasmine envisioned it.

I was astonished. Because Jenny had captured, pretty much, the way I see it, too.

It's an amazing thing to take a story out of one's head and fabricate it into a story.

It's quite another to have someone else do the same with pen and ink.

Wanna check it out: Visit www.bryonyseries.com.

But please look the page from your desktop. The mobile view is not yet tweaked, and you won't be able to scroll up and down to see the complete image.

"Dead Serious," by Kristina Skaggs

For Michael Hudson, a routine doctor's appointment brings shocking news: he's not sick; he's dead.
But although being dead has some distinct advantages, before Michael will take the doctor's word, he needs confirmation. “You’re dead.”

This is the first story Kristina Skaggs, co-owner of Complete Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Joliet (www.completechiroandwellness.com), published  on Bryony's website.

She is also the founder of "Write On," the writer's group that meets every first and third Thursdays of the months at the Three Rivers Arts Council in Minooka (http://www.three-rivers-arts.org/index.htm). Read Kristina's blog at www.pokkadotdog.wordpress.com.

  

Michael Hudson glanced up at his doctor, suspecting there was more to what she’d just said. There wasn’t. He decided to ask her to elaborate. “Are you sure?”

   
“Yes.”

  
Doctor Michelle Hughes clicked her pen several times, as if spanking a bad child on its bottom, and continued to script and scroll through paperwork. A bad cold was one thing, but to be dead was a completely different scenario. Would family and friends need to be contacted? How much paperwork would this involve?

  
“You’ve been dead for a while. I’m surprised you were even able to make this appointment.”

His doctor clicked her pen once more and placed it into her lab coat pocket. Her lips, when she went over the charts, made lines, which he did not find charming. Mostly, they frowned.

   
“I should….”

   
“You should relax, Mr. Hudson. You are dead now. These things happen.”

  
The pat on the back she gave him was friendly, but nothing more than a pat on his back. She began to walk away, indicating the end of their appointment. But she paused and turned her head back to him, as if getting one last look at the dead guy. Whatever thought she had to say made a final attempt as her lips parted. He thought how the color of her lipstick made her look crass. Dr. Michelle Hudson closed her mouth, turned the knob on the door, and walked out, leaving Michael in nothing but a thin juniper-colored exam gown.

  
“Dead.”

  
Saying it aloud, the word was foreign coming out of his mouth. Here, he thought he was just sniffling too much. Snot had a way of annoying him, and it was never tolerated. He’d go around with Kleenex sticking out of both nostrils, if he had to get things done. But, no. Now, he was dead.

  
Michael got dressed in the khakis and polo he’d arrived in. They were comfortable, better than the gown. He looked as if he’d just come from a game of golf. But maybe it would have been better to have died in a suit? He looked better with a tie on. He assumed most dead people walked around in their last worn clothes. He would be the dead guy in a polo.

  
The receptionist at the office didn’t ask him to pay his bill; the taxi driver who took him home didn’t ask for his fare. As far as Michael knew, being dead was a free world. At his apartment, the clothes piled up in his laundry basket did not wash or dry themselves. Can’t have everything.

  
After a lunch, which he had to make himself, Michael decided to call his family and friends. They had to know about his predicament. They had to know he was dead.

  
“Hey, Dad.” Michael rubbed his head raw, trying to come up with the best way to tell his parents.

His father pitched him the perfect segue," Michael, how are you?”

  
“Turns out I’m dead.”

  
There was silence on the other line. A pregnant pause so long Michael thought the connection had been lost.

  
“Dad?”

  
“I’m here, Michael. Your mother and I knew that you’d figure this out, one way or the other. Truth is, you’ve been dead for awhile.”

  
This time, it was Michael’s turn to be pregnant.

“You still there, Michael?” His mother’s voice lit up the line, and Michael knew she’d have a better way to explain it.

  
"Mom, how could I have been dead without knowing it?

   
“Sweetie, it’s been going on for quite some time now, honestly. I thought you knew. We figured it out at your junior high school dance. You took that one impressionable young girl from church…Maggie…Marcia….”

   
His mother strained to make her memory recall this girl’s name.

  
“Mary,” his father threw in.

  
“No, she was blonde with those cute ring curls. I always wanted a daughter so I could curl her hair like that.”

  
“Mom,” Michael blushed on the other line.

   
“Anyway, that’s when we knew. You took Mary or Marcia to the dance, and the entire time that you wanted to hold her hand or kiss her, you never did. She sat with her group of friends and left with
them afterward.”

   
He was dead because he hadn’t touched Mary/Maggie/Marcia? Michael needed to make some more calls.

   
The afternoon was spent dialing friends from the office, friends from college, friends from high school. His best friend Mike told him he’d been dead since the day he passed up a promotion at work. His high school friend, Mickey, told him he was dead when he refused to smoke pot after gym class.

There was one more number he needed to call. It was Michaela Kerry’s number, which had been burned into his memory three years prior, when they’d been dating. First on, now they were officially off.

  
Michael had scrubbed his routine clean. He would ask if she remembered him. If she said yes, and he hoped she would, he would tell her that some startling news had come upon him. He was dead. That had gone so well with the others, they knew exactly what he was calling about before he even had to say it.

   
“Hello?” Her crisp voice answered on the third ring.

Michael stuttered.

   
“Hello?” she asked, this time with more urgency in her voice, but still blanketed with her sweet politeness.

   
“Michaela, this is Michael. Do you remember me?”

    
It sounded so silly, to be asking an ex-girlfriend that question. Of course, she did remember, but had she wanted to forget him.

  
“Michael?” The name rolled off her tongue as strangely as it rolled off his.

  
“Yes.” He paused for the powerful effect. “I’m dead.”

   
“Dead?” she asked.

  
“Dead,” he repeated.

“Well, I don’t know about dead,” she scoffed. A nervous laugh trickled down her through the phone wire. “You were very serious and uptight, but you weren’t dead.”

  
Michaela went into a few stories he would have liked to forget. The time at the movies when the popcorn was too salty; the sock drawer he meticulously organized; the kitten heel shoes of hers he’d tripped over. If she didn’t think he was dead after the assortment of occurrences leading up to their break-up, then why did everyone else think so?

  
Michael hung up, feeling better about death, knowing that maybe it wasn’t so bad, as long as your ex doesn’t think you’re dead, just serious.

"Toying With Death," by Kristina Skaggs

Kristina Skaggs, co-owner of Complete Chiropractic and Wellness Center in Joliet (www.completechiroandwellness.com), has the unparalleled honor of being the first writer to submit and publish a short story on Bryony's website.

She is also the founder of "Write On," the writer's group that meets every first and third Thursdays of the months at the Three Rivers Arts Council in Minooka (http://www.three-rivers-arts.org/index.htm). Read Kristina's blog at www.pokkadotdog.wordpress.com.

Here is Kristina's latest twist on death. Enjoy!

Geoffrey predicted a few years.  He would say his goodbyes.  He’d blame it on the recession.  Then he would die. 

There wasn’t much to his predicament.  The pink elephants at the end of the shelf knew what was coming.   Each Christmas another kid pointed avidly at the anorexic bleached blond Plastic Fantastic doll in the aisle.  She didn’t have to worry about job security.  Everyone loves a party girl.  Birthdays, bachelor parties, and each and every Christmas, she was there, beneath ribbons, ready to be unwrapped and played with. 

Plastic Fantastic, she’d get what was coming.  The shoes would be the first to get lost then her blond hair would be chopped off with safety scissors.  They’d strip off her panties and discard them in a crayon box.  Her pointy breasts would lead to dozens of unanswered questions.  Eventually the rest of her clothes would be scattered and shoved between couch cushions. They’d find her naked laying face down, a scene taken right out of SVU.  

The choking hazard cars, the glorified robotic hamster that also could be used as a cat toy, they had all had their hey day.  Geoffrey was more of a sentimental item.  He was cuddly, sure.  He didn’t talk though.  There was no battery pack stowed away in his rear end to make him recite lovey-dovey phrases.  The talking ones, they got played with until their batteries ran out anyway.  After Teddy started babbling through the Goldilocks and the Three Bears he’d be sent to the ceiling hamper with the rest of the stuffed lot.  Sentenced to a lifetime of having to look adoringly onto the bedroom of a child who no longer remembered them.  At least they had company. 

Geoffrey had come to terms with his inevitable.  He’d be picked out as a last minute shower gift.  Wrapped in pastels, Geoffrey preferred baby blue.  There would be squeezing and facial nuzzling by the adults.  They would awe at each other, saying how he was “cute” and “fluffy.”  And then he’d sit untouched in a white barred prison, until his cellmate arrived.

He’d be kicked unexpectedly in the night, he’d put up with the outburst of crying and spats of bulimic purging.  His ears would be used for numbing new teeth; his eyeballs would be pulled out and get vacuumed up.  He’d be dragged everywhere.  There would be attempts to wash him, but his color would never return.  There would be snuggles, hugs, kisses, and then he’d go late in the night; out with the binkies and the tattered security blanket.  The parents would replace him with a newer, flashier toy.  Maybe even get Plastic Fantastic and her accessories, which they’d regret when they stepped barefoot onto her handbags and tripped over her convertible. 

Geoffrey, he’d go peacefully.  There would be a little fussiness, but sooner rather then later, was best.  He’d be there and then not.  He expected death, but not without a few years of toying around. 

             

Ladies and Gentlemen, We Have a Book!

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

Meet Tommy Connolly, Matt Coundiff, and Kristina Skaggs!

Please welcome the two newest members of the Bryony team: Tommy Connolly, who will be assisting with marketing, and Matt Coundiff, the illustrator for the interior images of the official Bryony cookbook: "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From 'Bryony.'"

Tommy Connolly is a Chicago area actor, writer, voiceover artist, and comedian, who has appeared in such productions as "Chicago Code," "Shameless," "Contagion," and "Chasing Hollywood."

However, Tommy's passion is inspiring others. After 28 years of battling addiction and depression, Connolly shares his journey to recovery in his blog (www.tommyconnolly.blogspot.com) and in his book, "Soul Parole: Making Peace with My Mind, God, and Myself," which will be released in November.

Matt Coundiff is an illustrator, professional wrestler, and the manager and tattoo artist at A Thin Line Tattoo in Plainfield. He is also starting a T-shirt and design company. Matt's goals are to support himself with his art and to grow as a person and as an artist. For more information, visit www.athinlinetatoo.com

I'd also like you to meet writer Kristina Skaggs. Her short story, "Dead Serious," will be posted on the "Harold Masters Literature Class" page on the BryonySeries website (www.bryonyseries.com)and will be the BryonySeries blog featured short story tomorrow. Be sure to check it out!

Kristina read this story at an event last night, and she impressed everyone with her humor and interesting twist on a normally serious subject.

Have a great day!

A Most Profitable Conversation

First meeting this morning: 4:30 a.m., and a darn good meeting it was, too.

Back in January, I noticed the Bryony team needed another member. I prayed for guidance, asked God to please deliver, and even checked out a few possiblities, then waited to see if those doors would open or close.

A few weeks ago, someone I had not considered for the role knocked on my virtual door and made the inquiry. Now, although nothing is official yet--since some of it hinges on his finishing Bryony (He's read one-third and likes it so far, but it's early....) and deciding for sure if that's a project for him--we've had one dynamic meeting and a couple of productive phone calls, including the one a few hours ago.

So why am I considering someone I had not approached?

1) He brings some interesting marketing qualities to the table.

2) He's interested in collaborating with the existing Bryony team members.

3) He's followed the Bryony website, blog, Facebook, etc., etc., etc., and so was already familiar with the project.

4) He's proactive. We have a "maybe" deal, but he has already sent out feelers and done some homework.

5) Lastly...and to me, most importantly...he came with three qualities only God could have arranged which, when put together, form something greater than a coincidence. No matter how prepared he was to list the reasons why we should work together, he couldn't have contrived this last. (No, I'm not saying, either, but they concern details from the third book in the Bryony series, first draft completed over a year ago).

Basically, here's how I work. If an opportunity feels like it's coming from God, I trust Him enough to take a chance. If I'm wrong, He'll slam the window shut and open another. God's plan is worth a a few pinched fingers.

"The LORD sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." Samuel 16:7.

Bryony Receives a Makeover

Over the next few weeks www.bryonyseries.com will be incorporating new variables. The newest is a color makeover. The Bryony business cards which are circulating in several areas have intoxicating shades of purple. Newcomers to Bryony rave over the design, color, and sleekness of the card. Purple is a significant color choice to the story, so the web administrator, Sarah Stegall, has been adding it onto the pages. The process was more time consuming than planned. There were a few snags, colors not showing up well, font hard to read, but everything seems smoothed out now.

Currently the timeline, Humane Society Page, Homepage, and Board of Trustees Page are receiving page overhauls. In fact, you may notice changes immediately on the Home Page. Feel free to comment with suggestions or things you'd like to see. With a book release in the nearing future, we are trying to whip everything into tip-top shape.

Sarah Stegall

Bryony Business Cards....

....are in and the first 1500 or so are distributed.
These plastic-coated cards features the Bryony logo, complete with Bryony's signature vines (created by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt (http://www.imaginarylinesstudio.com/), tagline (a drop of blood, a deceptive fantasy), and contact information: website, blog, Facebook page, and email.

THANK YOU Christine at CAL Graphics, Inc. (http://www.calgraphicsinc.com/) for designing a fabulous logo!

Best of all, they cards are FREE!

If you'd like some, contact me at BryonySeries@gmail.com, and I'll send you some.

Sarah Stegall's Thoughts on Bryony, Part 4

16) Last fall, when the author was hospitalized, you did some guest posting on the Bryony blog. What did you write about?

"Coffee, dreams, DNA, updates, a short story, a funny story from the eyes of my three year old, and an interview."


17) How did you come up with ideas?

"I wasn't entirely sure what the rhythm was behind the blog so I tried to keep in theme with Bryony, without it actually being Bryony. Everything I posted was indirectly related to vampires or the book."


18) What group of readers might enjoy Bryony?

"I don't think it can be pinned down to just one age bracket or just one type of reader. Bryony offers a little for everyone. My 75 year old grandpa read it (loved it) and my twenty and thirty something friends have been hounding me for my copy of the manuscript."


19) Why will they enjoy it?

"It's an exciting, thrilling, story. Some elements are left up to the reader to weigh in on, while other parts leave you reading twice as fast to get to what you think is going to happen, only to find out it's cleverly deceptive and the story changes. For the main character, Melissa, she is back and forth between 1975 and the Victorian Era. Readers can look forward to their favorite time era depending on what interests them. Also, food and music are nicely intertwined throughout Bryony."


20) Tell us about James Onohan and his contribution to the overall project. Why made you seek out and persuade this composer to join the Bryony team?

"James is my greatest mistake (for the book, I never make mistakes in real life). While researching out of date music, I stumbled across a song of his on Youtube. He composes all his music and the song I was hearing sounded like it ran off the pages of the book, straight into my ears. His sound mimicked exactly what we were missing. I immediately emailed him and after a brief correspondence, he agreed to jump on board. Currently he is composing the book's theme song, (a huge part of the series) and working on ten new compositions for a cd to go along with Bryony."

Sarah Stegall's Thoughts on Bryony, Part 3

11) How did you wind up with the Bryony website?

"When I created the FB page, I was disappointed because we didn't have a coinciding website to further direct readers. As a reader, when I become interested in a series, I check out all that the series has to offer online. Where was the website? Where was the blog? Ugh, so frustrating."


12) Why was creating the Bryony website important to you?

"I felt I was contributing to getting projects accomplished. In my head I was crossing off my own checklist and I was racking up new experiences left and right. We needed a website and I was eager to learn how to make one."


13) What will people find on the website?

"Mass information involving the team behind the book, additional links directing readers to other sites, interactive pages where they can submit their own short stories, view unique pictures, eventually listen to the theme song and purchase related merchandise, and possibly be able to play different types of games."


14) Why are those elements there?

"To draw readers into the world Denise has created with the Bryony Series and to immerse themselves in all things Bryony. We want readers to be able to get their fill. I don't want anyone left hanging."


15) What else do you hope to add?

"Anything that is demanded. Our site features a guest book where comments and questions can be left. Oh, and games. I have all these nifty ideas for games and nobody that knows how to design them."

Sarah Stegall and the Magic of Bryony

My cell phone rings, and there's a chorus of groans.

"Betcha it's Sarah," one disgruntled adult child says. It doesn't matter which adult child. They've ALL said it. Nary a day passes when Sarah and I don't speak at least once, and one time is on the low side.

That wasn't the case a year ago.

Sarah is my oldest daughter. She lives out of state, but she could have lived on Pluto for all we communicated, mostly by email, even if she had lived next door. Things had been tense at best since her teen years, although we had progressed to some polite, if not friendly, communication.

Then, after the first round of editing, my niece asked to read Bryony. Except for four members of my household, no one else had read it or expressed a remote interest in reading it.

That got the proverbial ball rolling.

My niece loved it and begged her mother, my sister, to read it. My sister told me yesterday she had resisted, certain the story wouldn't be very good. But she read it, to please her daughter and loved it, so much that my parents wanted a copy. They, too, loved it, and my mother said so to Sarah.

That's when my daughter called and wanted to know why I hadn't let her read it. I told her she might, if she liked.

Sarah later told me she only wanted to read it so she could publically and harshly denigrate it. Hoiwever, I already knew that, which is why I couldn't box up a copy and send it out to her fast enough. Bryony was about to face her greatest critic.

A couple days later I received a Facebook message from Sarah: "Where are the other two drafts?" That was all, but she was in, "sucked in," she likes to say. Well, it is a vampire story. It was also a peaceful truce to years of conflict.

Since then, Sarah has created and maintained Bryony's Facebook page and website, helped with the cookbook, and has been the book's biggest champion and promotor. No one, including the author, has more enthusiasm for the story. Sarah has read Bryony cover to cover more than anybody and intends to keep that record, even after the book's release.

I like to think her reaction is a testimony to a good story. Sarah says she'd hate to see Bryony take off and miss her chance at being rich and famous. Hmmm....

"Every man shall give as he is able." Deuteronomy 16:17

*On Friday night, Bryony did just that. In the entire scheme of Bowl for Kids' Sake, the annual fundraiser of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties (http://www.bbbswillgrundy.org/), ten bowlers' efforts for the two Bryony teams--Just Steve and Stake and Blade--seem small and insignificant, but it will make the difference for one child. *We made our fundraising goal of $1,000, the amount it takes to match one child from a single parent home with one positive adult mentor. *To be sure, we sweated it, and we reached the eleventh hour not certain if we would make it. Everyone we know (including us) is broke, so soliciting those donations was hard work. *Still, most people were happy to help, even if all they could offer was a dollar. My fifteen year old son obtained a solicitor's permit and went door to door. We even had a donation post online at midnight, just as the bowling ended. The next day, we received a cash donation. *Besides, we had a blast. My mother bought my daughter, Sarah Stegall, Bryony's web administrator, a plane ticket from North Carolina to Illinois. Sarah like a rock star by flying into town for twenty-four hours for a fundraiser and a taped Bryony interview at the P. Seth Magosky Museum of Victorian Life (http://www.museumofvictorianlife.org/). *Anyway, Sarah deserved to feel like a rock star. She designed and maintains the BryonySeries Facebook page, has been instrumental in solicting recipes for the Bryony cookbook, set up the BryonySeries blog, and is the entire creative force behind the BryonySeries website. Moreoever, she raised several hundred for the cause (all this while caring for a four-year old at home). *During the bowling, my twenty-year-old son performed a ridiculous turkey dance, which Sarah videotaped on her phone and plans to upload soon. *My seventeen year old daughter Rebekah bowled with a case of hives and fell asleep between turns due to the antihistamine and a very long day at work. *It was the first time I had seen my adult godddaughter since she lost over a hundred pounds. She's had a makeover, works out, and looks so great, I stood in admiration of her all evening. *We even will have a souvenior of Bryony's first bowling fundraiser. My adult son Christopher bid on and won a blank bowling pin, which a local artist has agreed to decorate in whatever theme the winner requested. *Naturally, Christopher told her he wanted the Bryony logo. He also took a bet that other team members would have some money in their pockets, because he bid more than he had in his wallet. *The high point for the author, fundraising goals aside, was spending a lighthearted evening with all six of her children. With one living out of town and conflicting work and school schedules amongst the rest of them, this hasn't happened in year. *And yes, we got an updated sibling shot. Look for Sarah to post soon at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries.

So, Is There Really Going to be a Book?

LOL! Yes, there is. It’s been four months since I returned Round Three Bryony Edits to WriteLife, but word is that my editor is finishing up a comprehensive edit, and I should see the manuscript again soon. In the meantime, there is plenty of Byrony pre-publication bliss to keep me happy: * Just saw the proof for the business cards, and they took terrific! * My editor posted a quote from Bryony on her site. Woo Hoo! * My publicist, Dulcinea Hawksworth, has talked to people eager to review Bryony AND * The first person to review it (a university English professor) sounds positive AND * Dulcinea is lining up venues interested in a Bryony event AND * I'm to appear at a pre-event in April (details as we get closer). * Fundraising for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bowl for Kids’ Sake on March 25 is slow, but happening. * I’ve met a number of terrific people willing to be interviewed for the BryonySeries blog. * Sarah Stegall, Bryony’s web administrator, has added a music room page to the Bryony website (http://www.bryonyseries.com/) and is working on a humane society page. Plus, the board of trustees page is updated. Check them out! * Stephen Tuplin, Bryony’s filmmaker, has begun some initial shooting for the Bryony trailer in a REAL Victorian mansion. * A small press that MIGHT be interested in the Bryony cookbook is reviewing those files. We're getting closer....

Animals Wanted

Bryony web administrator Sarah Stegall is adding a new feature to the Bryony website: a humane society page.

In Bryony, the Munsonville veterinarian's office doubles as the village humane society, which was the last stop for Melissa and Brian's little brown and white dog before he found a home with them.

Since the website echoes the novel, Sarah figured a humane society page is another way of making the story come alive online, while helping needy animals and promoting animal-friendly projects.

While the page is still officially blank, Sarah is collecting permissions to add information and links to interested shelters, rescue groups, and similar organizations. She hopes other animals will find their "forever home" with the help of Bryony, as Melissa and Brian's dog did.

Sarah is open to suggestions. Email her at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Meet James Onohan, The Musical Sound of John Simons

By Denise M. Baran-Unland

Self-taught pianist and composer James Onohan produces music that sounds like John Simons played it, but his resemblance to Bryony’s fictional lead vampire doesn’t stop there.

Not only is Onohan close in age to Bryony’s main vampire, but he’s a perfectionist whose happiest moments are onstage performing and whose best creative moments are alone, in a nearly dark room.

“I just close my eyes and play what I’m feeling,” Onohan, 30, of Indiana, said. “That’s how the best pieces come out, from somewhere inside me. It’s something I have to do. It’s like I’m in a whole other world. I wait until everyone is sleeping, put down the lights really low, close my eyes and just play. When I listen to some of the recordings I’ve made, I don’t think I could ever duplicate them.”

Onohan is creating 10 new songs for a CD called The Best-Loved Compositions of John Simons. This CD is mentioned in Bryony when Melissa borrows it from the Munsonville Library.

Included on those tracks is, Bryony. the piece Simons created as wedding present for his young bride and played at the conclusion of every practice and concert. Onohan has already composed that piece and is working on the rest.

Bryony’s web administrator, Sarah Stegall, of North Carolina, found Onohan and his music on YouTube when she was seeking classical piano music for the Bryony website (http://www.bryonseries.com/).

Stegall felt the site needed “samples” of Simons’ work, but the only non-copyrighted music she found was organ music. She heard Onohan’s most popular selection, One Last Time, on YouTube and loved it, so she immediately located Onohan’s website and sent him a message.

“I had sat for hours on YouTube and various websites listening to out of copyright classical piano that we could use for Bryony. Nothing fit,” Stegall said. “I was listening to Debussy and I was clicking randomly on the side links. I almost clicked out when I heard James and realized, ‘Oh wow, he's what we are looking for!’

“The enchanting sounds he was plinking out were so captivating, I could see why Melissa played her music box over and over. I immediately found his website and listened over and over. He became my John Simons that night. However, I had quite a few problems. The biggest was that he wasn't out of copyright. I sent him a brief email wondering if maybe, just maybe, he would let us market his songs under the book.”

To her surprise, Onohan responded almost as quickly. Stegall explained her project and quickly summarized the novel for him. Her original request was permission to reproduce some of his musical clips on the website, but Onohan had a better idea. Why couldn’t he write the book’s theme song and create the CD Melissa checked out from the Munsonville Library?

“When Sarah called me about the book deal, I was very surprised, very flattered and very happy for the opportunity,” Onohan said. “I had been finding it hard to get the inspiration to write new music, so doing the songs for this book has gotten me past the writer’s block.”

Onohan and music go so far back in time, he can’t remember when his love for the medium began. His earliest musical memory was sitting near his father while he played organ and picking up one of the music books and flipping to the back. Depicted there was a keyboard marked with the notes. Intrigued, Onohan used that tool to teach himself how to read music.

“Reading music helped me in band and, when I was able to play the piano, in learning more complex pieces,” Onohan said. “When it comes to playing by ear, I’m not that good. I can’t hear something and reproduce it like some people can, except when I’m creating my own music. I just hear it in my head and play it from there.”

At age 8, Onohan learned clarinet for the school band. He later swapped instruments—flute for clarinet--with his best friend. “My voice has a nice vibrato, so it gives the flute a beautiful sound,” Onohan said. “I really liked the music I produced with it.

Each weekend, Onohan and his father traveled to Chicago for sheet music. During one of those times Onohan, now 12, picked up a book of Mozart selections and began learning them. He played one of those pieces to several thousand people as part of a city festival and liked it.

“It was the best day of my life,” Onohan said. “I was overwhelmed by that performance and have wanted to relive it ever since. Just to get onstage and play my music for an audience has been my dream.”

Onohan continued with the flute and band during high school, although he did play piano for the high school jazz band. He also participated in all-city competitions and talent shows.

Eventually, the piano became Onohan’s primary instrument, although he does still play flute. “I’m not a guy who works well with words; I don’t talk a lot,” he said. “The piano lets me express my feelings without speaking. The ideal is for me to feel what I’m playing, so I can pour out my emotions through my fingers.”

After high school, Onohan enrolled in general education courses at a local community college, but his heart gravitated toward a fulltime music career. Eventually, he convinced his parents to let him attend VanderCook Music College in Chicago. He lasted three months.

Once there, Onohan realized the program was slanted toward those that wanted to teach music, not perform it. “It was no the environment I wanted to be in,” Onohan said. “I didn’t want to play music anymore and when I don’t play music for awhile, I’m not at peace with myself. I’ve never regretted leaving.”

Instead, Onohan joined the police force and recently celebrated his ninth anniversary with it. Onohan then bought a fancy keyboard, continued to compose and play—he compares his style to Yanni—and began recording his music and creating sheet music, which helped him recreate his own music. Within eight years, Onohan wrote and recorded over 35 original compositions—many of which are found on his three CDs-- and recorded a Christmas CD.

Although his CDs and sheet music are now selling modestly well online—One Last Time and Only You are his top sellers—Onohan’s first audience was his family, friends, and fellow police officers.

“I sold CDs by hand and passed out CDs to everybody in my academy classes,” Onohan said. “Talk about a bunch of grown men getting copies of romantic piano music! But I got really great reviews from these men about how great my piano music was. That was really flattering.”

Although getting married and starting a family were personal high points in Onohan’s life, it was a dark time for his music, he said, due to lack of free time. “I didn’t even think about playing,” Onohan said, “and then one day, a couple of years ago, I met a producer who had her own little studio. That inspired me to build mine.”

In addition to composing music for Bryony, Onohan’s current projects including writing original music for vocalists and other new artists. He plays only his original music for weddings and other events. Onohan still dreams of the day he becomes a fulltime concert pianist. For now, he is content that others are enjoying his music.

“My biggest fulfillment is when people respond and I read how my music is affecting other people’s lives,” Onohan said. “I know it sounds corny, but that, to me, is priceless.”

For more information and to purchase Onohan’s music visit http://www.jamesonohan.com/. Onohan is also featured on the Bryony website at http://www.bryonyseries.com/.