Dave Wischnowsky is one of the really nice guys in the media. He’s a columnist for The Ottawa Daily Times, and he did a great story on Kim & Jason awhile back. He has an interesting new book out, called “Northern IlliNOISE: Tales of a Territory”. The book is a collection of 75 of Dave’s “Wisch List” columns, including the column that he wrote about K&J.
Also included in the book is a feature story that he wrote this past summer about a man named “Pilgrim George” who, for the past 34 years, has been walking on a pilgrimage in the name of Jesus Christ. He walked through Ottawa in June. The “Pilgrim George” story recently won him first-place for Personality Features in the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association contest.
I don’t get any cut in Dave’s sales, but you might want to check it out. Especially if you enjoy good writing and interesting stories. You can pick up a copy online or by phone at 1-888-795-4274.
Related Posts:
I’ve been busy as all get out lately. Visiting schools, talking to youth groups, finishing the first draft of my upcoming book, and working on new product designs for next year. The WOW greeting card line has been a pretty good success so far, and we’re planning on doubling the line in January. So, I’ve been busy working on 24 new card designs…the creativity never stops…To be honest, I could really use a break. Bill Watterson (the creator of Calvin & Hobbes) used to take lengthy sabbaticals during the year to recharge his batteries. I can’t argue with the guy’s results, but I haven’t figured out how to squeeze such things into my schedule. Maybe a stellar showing in holiday sales will give me a reason to steal away with Kim for a few days. Anybody have a timeshare in Hawaii I could borrow? Actually, a couple days in a motel with cable and pizza delivery would make me pretty happy right about now… But I digress. Here is a look at one of the newest pieces slated to become a card someday soon…the paint is barely even dry on this one.
And that’s actually a good thing. The other night, Kim (a kindergarten teacher by day) sold a few candles to her principal. Red Hot Cinnamon was the candle of choice for Cheryl, but her son was interested in our candle tins. Fresh Dirt, to be specific. 
He works as a landscaper and LOVES dirt. Apparently, he was quite taken that there was such a candle in existence. He bought it, and has had it burning in his room for the last several days. His room happens to be in the basement of the house, and Cheryl mentioned to Kim that their whole basement now smells "exactly like dirt." Kim asked her if her son has ever had a candle before. "No, this is his first," replied Cheryl. "But he loves it." Good for us, bad for Cheryl, who makes wonderful floral wreaths and has to share the basement with her son and his new candle. She has taken it all in good humor, but I don’t think we’ll aggressively ask for a re-order, because it just seems like good sense to keep the boss on your good side. Being a landscaper, perhaps her son would be interested in our Lilac candle…
Lately I’ve been cursing my genetically hard-wired male tendencies. I wish I could think more like a woman. Allow me to explain. We’ve done enormous amounts of research and analysis with Kim & Jason. Although the comic strip appeals to a wide range of people of various ages and genders, it is typically the women who buy a good majority of our stuff. And it’s not because our stuff is girly (at least I hope it isn’t), but because women tend to buy most of the gifts and cards and candles in this country. If we come out with Kim & Jason beer or Kim & Jason stereo equipment, perhaps our target market would skew somewhat. My wife is great when it comes to giving gifts. When I say great at giving gifts, what I mean is that she actually GIVES gifts. As opposed to not having the thought cross your mind. At all. So I figured that in order to really be effective at growing this company and improving the bottom line, I’d better get more informed on how women think. I bought and read a book called Marketing To Women. Very fascinating. I learned a lot of differences between men and women and how they shop and how they buy. But since I’ve read the book, I’ve found that there is a great big disconnect between knowing the information and actually applying it. It’s hard to apply principles that aren’t normal functions of your everyday brain activity. In order to make some inroads in this area, I’ve made it a point to go to lunch with some very smart women. I’ve been trying to pick their brains about why they like Kim & Jason and how they would market it to people like themselves. I always come away with a treasure chest of information, but I feel like a blind guy coming away with a description of an elephant. It seems to make sense, but I have the sneaky suspicion that I’m never going to really grasp the full picture. It seems like with every great idea they give me I think: Excellent idea! Makes perfect sense! How in the heck did I not already think of that? And therein lies the problem. I did not think of that because frankly, I can’t. I’m not a woman. 
But just when I’m about to regret the fact that I’m a stupid dumb guy, my friend Jaimie (you may know her as the Publicity Princess), goes and has her first child. Kim and I were honored to have been named Godparents of baby Belle, and we got to hold her when she was only hours old. Watching Jaimie progress through the nine months of pregnancy and then hearing about how well she did throughout the delivery made me eternally grateful to be a guy. I don’t know how in the world women can handle being pregnant and going through labor, because I know I couldn’t. It makes me glad on many fronts. I’m glad I don’t have to go through being pregnant. But I’m glad that women handle it so well, because nothing beats holding a newborn, and it would be a shame to be without that opportunity. And I’m also glad that my wife remembered to pick up a gift before we went to the hospital.
