Category Archives: Public Appearance

Announcement, Book Presentation, e-Publishing, Product, Public Appearance, Update

Update on All Points of Interest

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Things Going On & Things Coming Up!

March 19th, 2019, Tom Trimbath and I will take the floor again at the Langley Public Library to give our “Self-Publishing: From Inspiration to Publication” presentation. If you’re anywhere between considering writing and publishing a book or close to completion, check the WIBC events page and put us on your calendar. Coupeville and Freeland libraries here on Whidbey Island have also been talking toward hosting events including and in addition to Self-Publishing: From Inspiration to Publication.

Tom and I are looking for additional locations and avenues to present this topic and help authors along their paths.  Here’s video of our October presentation — I also made an audio recording which I intend to post somewhere online ASAP.  The video stopped about an hour into the evening, however my audio recording captured the whole night.

After completing and publishing “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” in both paper book and e-book forms last Fall, I didn’t take a break — I rolled right in to my next 2 book projects! One is a cookie recipe book which I’m quite excited about, the other is a bagpipe sheet music book for a veterans organization I’m honored to be a part of. While I am working on both, the sheet music book has taken the lead as I am aiming to have it published come spring — somewhat more specifically, June.

No-no — it’s a good thing — really ……. I think. 😉

Now that things are getting stabilized with pivoting WIBC from being a production baking company to writing & publishing books, yours truly is on the hunt for a day job.  Lately I’ve reworked my resume so it is in fit fighting form and I have gotten a few interviews line up with interesting looking local employers.  At the same time, I’m working on my infamous truck to further get it into fit commuting form.  Since buying it I’ve done a lot of needed repairs; while it is currently in good shape, there are these last few projects to address so it is less likely to create interruptions as I re-join the traditional workfarce …. er, I mean, workforce.

And now, further on the audio front …

Three things I’m excited to tell you about!

A year ago I started looking into becoming an audio book narrator.  I developed a solid initial understanding of the industry and ways to get into it.  This interest is still in me, however I have had higher priorities.  I plan to narrate my own books and others — first though I need to get things stabilized with my day job.

I’ve said a few times recently that I have 4 recordings ‘in the can’ for my experiential recording project Archive Of Resonance.  I’m getting help with the audio now  and intend to (er, finally) complete each album as time allows — if I can get all of these put together and published through Amazon this year, great, if not then no big deal … they’ll get done when they’re supposed to.

LASTLY And Not Leastly …
In my superhero persona as BagpiperDon, I have taken on a personal challenge!  An online bagpipe school called Dojo University has put forth an activity that bagpipers may take part in For FREE.  I’ve known about Dojo U for years, heard nothing but good things about them, and would LOVE to make use of their services.  They produce various Free materials which I have been gratefully using in the mean time — chiefly e-articles and some videos.  Lately I’ve been taking part in the “Dojo U 100 Day Bagpipe Challenge“.  The primary part of the challenge is for pipers, in their individual practice, to assemble their pipes and practice one tune (any tune) a day for 100 consecutive days …. and if you miss a day, you have to start over.  I see the object of this as not so much to work on one’s playing ability as it is to develop discipline.  Today will be Day 017 for me — only 083 days to go!

Thanks for keeping up with me!
~ Don

Announcement, Author, Baking, Book, Cookies, Experiment, Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies, Product, Public Appearance, Publication, Update

New Year – New Endeavours!

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HAPPY 2019!

New Years can be a bit funny — because what is it really?  Another 365 days and 6 hours* past and another to go … a December 31st and January 1st is just the difference of a day … and yet it is also something many of us use as an opportunity.  We look to the past to make changes or try something new with the future — and sometimes it’s not so much about the past as it is about trying something new to enjoy.  So what does 2019 hold for you?  I know a few of the things I’m looking toward…
(* Yes, 6 hours — this is how we get leap year AKA the bissextus or a or bissextile year)

It’s harder to show a picture of the e-book version…

This past October I published my first book — “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” — then in mid-December I followed with publishing the e-book version.  I’ve had the pleasure of getting to present my book a few times during late 2018, and with the New Year I aim to get more speaking dates.  I thoroughly  ENJOY getting to talk with other people about baking — getting new-bakers turned on to the idea and talking with old-hats at baking to find out about their ideas!

On the heals of releasing Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies I was compelled to get to work on 2 new books — yes, “compelled“!  These were not the next projects I thought I would do, but they were the two that chewed on my mind the most — I was just drawn to them…

But what are they?

I both can and can’t tell you you that…

Yours truly in my other superhero persona… (you can also find me on FB as BagpiperDon BTW)

YES, 2 books, not just 1 …. because that’s how I do things.

One of these books is an ‘official’ Highland bagpipe sheet music book for the local-chapter of a Scottish military origination I’m a part of.  The aim of this is not just to create something for my group but ultimately to offer this to the national organization to become all of our ‘official’ bagpipe sheet music book ….. SO, potentially producing and publishing a book for a national (actually international) organization … it’s kind of a big deal!

As for the other book…
(I’m really excited about this project!)

As a performing musician and recording artist I have learned to play certain things close to the vest.  I have something in excess of 30 album ideas which I would LOVE to record — and have every intention to produce ….. HOWEVER … I generally don’t reveal those ideas to many if any people beforehand.  Why?  Simply because I want to make my albums — as opposed to someone hearing my idea, swiping it, and beating me to the punch.  This other book is along these lines, but I will tell you this…

  • So far as I know there is only one other recipe book at all similar to it currently on the market &/or ever before made; it involves cookies which I am developing new recipes specifically for this project.
  • I may be partnering with another writer for the content of this book.
  • To fully and correctly publish this book I will have to learn and do things that I previously have only been familiar with however have not otherwise done.
  • This will probably be a coffee table book.  I would like this book to have its own t-shirt.  I may not make an e-book version however I definitely would like to make an audiobook version.  AND it is my preference to release all of these at the same time.

AND two other things I’m working on…

Well …. not quite like this.

As an extension of being a professional musician I like to record things — and I do mean ‘things’ being not-music however are sounds I find interesting.  I do this under the project name of Archive Of Resonance.  I have been a busy boy over the last number of years — both getting things done and sometimes having to put a few things on the shelf.  One such thing …. or moreover four such things … are AOR recordings.  While there are recordings I have wanted to make*, I have captured four sets of audio which I have wanted to turn into albums …. just that finishing this work has not been a priority.  By my guesstimate, each of these need about 20 hours of work.  My aim is to work on these over the course of 2019, publish them, and make them available on Amazon.
(*mostly couldn’t because I lacked transportation — but that’s changed now!)

AND LASTLY …

With pivoting WIBC from production baking to writing and publishing books and other products, I knew that I would need to get an Author’s/Musician’s Day Job.  I got an initial start on my job search in the fall of 2018 and will be getting back at in during January 2019.  This previous start was a decent beginning — I have some leads that look interesting and a decent idea of what my skills apply to.  So the future looks …… interesting!

Going Forward!
~ Don

Announcement, Book Presentation, Product, Public Appearance

Sumer 2015

To put it lightly, WIBC has kept busy & kept me busy these past months.  In addition to supporting the shops & restaurants my products are carried in, most Thursday evenings and Saturday mid-days my company could be found at farmers markets.  On special occasions WIBC had the pleasure of appearing at a convention and a few annual events.

Farmers Markets – There is a pleasant number of markets on Whidbey Island, and WIBC participated in the Oak Harbor and Coupeville markets.  Similar to the product demos I’ve done at a couple of Island stores, it was great to connect with folks.  I enjoyed getting to introduce my products publicly and to talk about the direction of my company and my ideas for products – and often people would give me ideas for products, which was a real gift!  It was also through the farmers markets that I started giving a military discount.  Through this I get to help support the military, meet a lot of great people, and I get to say “Thank you for your service.”

Special Events – Bringing WIBC to various events was a considerable amount of work and it paid off in even more enjoyment.  The first experience was being both at the Coupeville Farmers Market while also being at a quilt show on the other side of town – I had a special tie-in because the show was hosted by one of my mom’s quilt groups.  I spent a weekend with my fellow sci-fi fans at Galacticon IV (a Battlestar Galactica & Firefly/Serenity science-fiction convention).  Soon following I was invited to bring WIBC to the Whidbey Island Highland Games – it was great to get to bring my products to one of my communities.  Toward the end of the season – last minute – I got WIBC registered to be a vendor at the Oak Harbor Music Festival.  Everyone came out for the great bands along with some sun & fun and more than enough rain.  I got to hear Willie Nelson’s son headline with his band – look out for a new star!

Summer 2015 proved to be a lot of work, and I’m already working on my list for 2016 events.

Okay, back to work.
Don

Baking, Book Presentation, Kitchen Demo, Product, Public Appearance

WIBC – In-Store Demos

(January 10th & 24th 2015)

I got to do my first in-store demos of my product January 10th & 24th 2015 at Goose Grocery in Bayview on Whidbey Island.

The 10th preceded a professional football game. I’m not a game person but apparently this was an important one locally as the Seahawks were getting into the finals going toward the Super Bowl. I don’t know what the Super Bowl is, but by the name alone I suspect it is a very large bowl and people are very pleased about it. I on the other hand wonder if I can mix a lot of biscotti dough in it &/or fill it with biscotti and serve it to many people. I will set the official WIBC R&D Department on finding out the dimensions of this bowl right away – more will be revealed.

I sampled the January flavour array from WIBC – Double Chocolate, Almond, and Espresso. While I planned to be there for four hours I think I was there for five. It was great! Samples went out every minute. People talked with me about my company. A few even shared ideas they had – I love that! The Whidbey Island County Commissioner met me – COOL – saying that she is pleased to see new businesses on the island and enjoyed seeing mine. A few days later she started a very nice email dialogue and now I’m scheduled to meet with her on the 30th to talk about ways to further my company. All in all it was thrilling to get to this point – nearly two years in the making – getting to tell people about my product and seeing many people enjoy it for the first time. By the end of my time I was nearly out of samples and I had (basically) sold-out Goose’s stock.

January 24th I was back … this time having the nerve to do something in the way of marketing I’ve had in mind since early in the inception … I wore my kilt. I figure my biscotto is not like normal biscotti, so why should my advertising be … plain? Besides, it was the eve of Robert Burns Day (a Scottish poet from the 1700s who is still celebrated today … or, well, tomorrow as it was). My product seemed to get plenty of attention – which I saw as good since I really wanted to not get too much personal attention, kilt attention, or confuse the public. Again, samples flew off the table and much enjoyment was had (yea). By the end of my time I was nearly out of samples and I had (basically) sold-out Goose’s stock.

Here’s a few things with these in-store demos …

  • For all the performing I’ve done, wearing my kilt or as with the first week wearing jeans and a fitted dress shirt, I found myself extremely nervous. I believe in my product, and my baking has already made many people very happy; now that I am doing it professionally I have become very critical and I want it to show well. I want people to give it a chance.
  • When talking with people, while I had some speaking points, I wanted to not be scripted. I wanted to connect with people, and that’s what everyone gave back to me. We talked, we laughed, I told them about my biscotti, some told me some of their flavour ideas and baking tips, and I was flattered to hear many compliments on my biscotti.
  • In my now two demo experiences I’ve found that there is an energy level that comes up as you meet many people and talk constantly about your product. A few hours into each demo I found myself about as dingy as I could possibly be. The experience cooks your brains. Although I was pleased with what went on each day, afterward I was tired. I felt like I had spent all day playing my (bag)pipes at a festival with my Celtic-rock band – high energy, hard work, put all of your passion out. As much as it lifts you up, it can also wear you out.
  • In addition to samples I gave out small bags of my cookie crumbs. I’d look for kids, give these to them, and tell them to take them home and put the crumbs on their ice cream. The kids were pleased with this and so were their parents. No kid was more pleased than one little girl who I saw on the 24th. After I gave her a bag of crumbs she said thank you. Her and her mom came by my table about 3 more times as they did their shopping, and each time she said “THANK YOU FOR MY CRUMBS!” and the whole store knew it. As she passed by my table she did a skipping little dance holding up the bag of crumbs. I hope to never forget her – she was AWESOME!

Until the next one,
Don