Last Sunday my latest book — The Patriotic Piper, Vol. I — LAUNCHED!!! This newly published book is definitely different than many others you’ve seen — of that I am certain…
Here’s the short list of what’s in the first The Patriotic Piper …
20 traditional Scottish American military and patriotic bagpipe compositions, arranged into 8 performance numbers
15 delicious Scottish and Irish recipes
Numerous history and trivia writings accompanying the tunes and recipes
The Patriotic Piper is a fundraiser for the Scottish American Military Society Post #1889. Not only am I a member, I also serve as an officer leading our small but stout Pipe & Drum corps. This is the official music collection of the Post. The monies raised by this book will assist Post 1889 with their projects. S.A.M.S. is a national organization and is a Congressionally Chartered Veterans Service Organization, which is dedicated to the preservation of the contributions of the Scots to the American Military and Society.
Back Cover
Since its publishing Amazon has rated both the book and e-book as being a “#1 New Release in Military Marches“. These two versions of the book have held this position for several days during this past week.
Among the early people to comment, several said that they liked my concept of accompanying the music notation with the history of the tunes. Some even said that this was a deciding factor in their book purchase. Numerous people have said that they are excited about my inclusion of traditional Scottish and Irish recipes as the second half of the book. Certainly, there’s something for everyone in The Patriotic Piper, Vol. 01.
The Patriotic Piper is Available Now on Amazon Print Edition — Published 22Nov2020 E-Book — Published 05Nov2020
As it happens, with just standard baking ingredients most of us keep stocked at home — where many of us are at right now — the upcoming April recipe is well timed. It’s simple, fun, and takes no special kitchen implements to make — coco powder, powdered sugar, and a hand mixer is about as fancy as this gets! Quarantine
WITH FOLKS BEING COUPED UP IN
QUARANTINE-VILLE…
Imagine making your own custom fortunes…
I am considering posting a recipe for some big, soft Ginger Snaps I recently made. Dang if those things didn’t disappear within 24 hours… This could give everyone another activity and something tasty to take the edge off. Watch this website, Twitter @WIBakingCo, and my Facebook page for announcement of this recipe-post. Quarantine
With some luck I will be trying a modified version of this recipe later today — as a Ginger Snap Biscotti. I’ve also been looking to experimenting with making (flavoured?) fortune cookies lately ….
But things have been busy here in
The Apocalypse…
Baking has taken a bit of a back-seat lately. Everyone in the house here is dealing with some medial stuff — no, it’s not the virus or a toomah. I’m the most healthy and able person so I’m carrying a bit more of the work around here. Add to that… the pump on our well is threatening to go out any day, the well-guy has a Corona-reduced staff, so we’re working to establish temporary water supplies. ALL GOOD FUN when already juggling the adjustments that come with quarantine life (YAY!) — but we’re keeping our chins up and plowing forward. To that end…
WHILE YOU ARE DEALING WITH
WHATEVER IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW…
I encourage you to do everything you can to take care of yourself, your family, your friends, and your neighbors. Strive even to be extra-kind to everyone you meet when/if you are out & about — yes, even when you’re fighting over toilet paper. I know it’s tricky, but please do your best. This can be as simple as picking up the phone to call folks — just ask how they are. I’ve been doing this and it’s amazing the relief you can bring to someone when you present something so simple and so human. Quarantine
Since Friday I have taken to playing mini-concerts with my Scottish Smallpipes on Facebook and YouTube. A number of authors have been reading their books and musicians playing music online, livestreaming to give a little comfort and respite. So far I’ve played three times since March 20th and I plan to keep going. Smallpipes are more somber than what you’re used to seeing in parades. I’ve been playing tunes from an album I have planned and the traditional sheet music book I’m close to publishing, including Scot/Irish recipes. I play and talk about my books. I hope you’ll join me, please look for BagpiperDon on Facebook and Twitter, for announcements of when I’m going to play. Quarantine
Keep your chins up, be good to your self and do good for others, and we’ll all get through this together!
Best, Don
PS — For a limited time my debut recipe book “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” IS ON SALE on Amazon! I have priced the paperback version of my book roughly 25% off WORLDWIDE. You’re home, make something nice for yourself and your loved ones.
Earlier today I responded to a Twitter post by E.H. Night — author of “The Four Before Me” and “A Stray, Astray“. She spoke about the weird prioritization that some of us get into. With her endeavours she was considering making her 3rd-priority book her 1-st priority project or leave it where it’s at. I understand this — I DO THIS!!! Then came the question common to creatives of “Is this hell?”
I replied talking about my familiarity with this dilemma — I didn’t have a solution for her, only that I understand. It came to me though to use this to update everyone on my book projects and where they’re at …. otherwise put, it’s my excuse to blog this week. hell
Before finishing “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” (book 1) I started on a bagpipe sheet music book comprised of my own compositions (book 2). This got put on hold to start on my second recipe book (book 3). Summer 2018 this second recipe book (book 3) got put on hold to write (book 4) my military & patriotic Highland bagpipe tunes & tune history book. From my sheet music and tune history book (book 4) I got inspired to write a history book about one of the men who landed on Normandy as part of the D-day invasion (book 5). When I started it (book 5) I knew that I was going to have to gather my notes and set it aside for later. I’ve accomplished this and now I’m trying to complete my sheet music and tune history book (book 4) so I can have it published no later than June 2020. The only problem with that is the audience I developed from Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies(book 1) are ready and looking for another installment of recipes (book 2). hell
Clear as mud — RIGHT?!?
So is being a creative-type, having so many projects we want to bring to life a form of Hell? I don’t know — I’m only saying that I understand — that E.H. Night and all the other creative folks out there reading this is that you’re not alone.
For the past number of weeks I have used every minute available to study a part of WWII/D-Day history for my current book project. I’ve checked out nearly everything available from my library, clicked on countless weblinks, listened to 2 audiobooks, watched videos, and worked the indexes of nearly a dozen books. It’s been a fascinating study, I’ve learned loads, and even grown to where I seriously need a break from this focus. All of this has been to write 2 short essays for my next book — which is intended to be a fundraiser for a veteran’s group I am a member of. Last night I finally had a break-through! RESEARCH
Bill Millin landing on Sword Beach.
Yesterday I must have hit a critical mass in my research — I finally completed 1 of these 2 writings! These 2 essays are on Bill Millin — a Scottish soldier who was asked by his Brigade Commander to defy the stipulations of the British Army and play his bagpipes during the Normandy invasion. The playing of bagpipes on the battlefield had been officially ceased after WWI due to the high rate of loss of these soldiers. On D-Day Bill Millin wore a kilt and carried no modern weapon short of a small traditional knife called a sgian dubh. He play near the shoreline as his fellow commandos fought. He never got shot or injured. Later he learned from captured German snipers that they didn’t target him because they thought he had gone mad! Millin and his Brigade along with other Allied forces then moved inland. First liberating the port town of Ouistreham then relieving the 6th Airborne Division who had captured strategically important bridges over the Caen Canal and River Orne.
Glider infantry of the 2nd Battalion, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry, of the 6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division, in Normandy 1944.
WOW — weeks of research and I can now sum that up in one long paragraph! In any case … for the last number of things to accomplish and complete this book, this aspect has been the most daunting. I thought I would write the longer essay and then shorten it to what I wrote last night, but it seems I’ve gone the other way around — now I can build the long one off of the short one!
The rest of the project is downhill from here — last night’s development was a big relief & an IMPORTANT Step Toward Completion! RESEARCH
July is my busiest month of the year! Usually this is due to all the events and dates I participate in as a Highland bagpiper while staying on top of everything else. This year it seems like it has been a whole different juggle…
I just got back from the Seattle Highland Games. These games have been going on for nearly 75 years and is the second largest event of its kind on the US west coast, held annually on the last weekend of July. This year’s event was a long, hot weekend — and another great event! For me it proved to be a good book sales weekend.
As I left Whidbey Island I delivered additional copies of Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies to Kingfisher Bookstore in Coupeville and at Goose Community Grocery in Bayview. While in Enumclaw (where the Highland Games were) I sold a number of copies including some to veterans whom I give a military discount. Something I’m particularly excited about is that I made contact with a friend of mine from my last round of college — Richard has a gift basket business and he is looking to feature my book. More on that ASAP! My book business went so well that I think I need to re-order for my supply. If you’re interested in a book or e-book for yourself, please order on Amazon.com. Also, my e-book is 25% off through July 2019 on Smashwords.com.
Usually my summer schedule begins to mellow after July. For 2019 that doesn’t seem to be the case. Coming up in August I will be …
Juggling time between helping Meg with Kingfisher Bookstore during the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival and participating in a meet-the-author event at Goose Grocery the same weekend, and…
Last Sunday my latest book — The Patriotic Piper, Vol. I — LAUNCHED!!! This newly published book is definitely different than many others you’ve seen — of that I am certain…
