My Interview with Dave and Lillian Brummet

Dave and Lillian Brummet have been writing professionally as a team since 1999,starting out as freelance writers – which they continue to do today. To date, they have written 3 published books. The Brummets are also the hosts of the Conscious Discussions talk radio show and of the Authors Read radio program. They supplement these activities with two blogs and a newsletter in an effort to provide ample information to their audience. The main focus of their work is to inspire hope in individuals, helping them realize the value of their efforts and encouraging them to become more positive, proactive in life.

Kiki: At the top of your website, www.brummet.ca, it says “The Many Hats Of Dave and Lillian Brummet,” so obviously the first question which came to my mind was how did these two not only meet, but how did it come about that they decided to work together?

Lillian: Dave and I met and started dating 20 years ago in Kelowna where Dave was born and raised. I had lived there for only a year or so when I met him, and a year later we were living together – 8 years after that we got married in our back yard with just our parents present. Dave was a musician and I was running a business – until 1999 when our writing career began.

I had been involved in a vehicle accident that took away my business (physically unable to do the work) and left me feeling very depressed about life and the legacy I was leaving behind. Dave and I decided to pursue writing, starting with a correspondence course that we completed while working full time and helping with the family farm. Within a few months, my column Trash Talk was picked up and our professional writing career began from there.

Kiki: While you have written three different books, Trash Talk - An Inspirational Guide to Saving Time and Money through Better Waste and Resource Management, struck me first in connection to several of the awards you have been given. Can you tell me a little more about being recognized as Community Heroes by the LiveSmart BC Program?

Lillian: Now that was an exciting experience for us. Apparently we were nominated locally as a local hero and won a small award for that, but part of the contest has the winners entered in another category – which saw us receiving the Community Heroes award in honor of our work to create a healthy planet and sustainable community locally. One of the perks to this award was that we received a letter from the Premier of BC (Canada) congratulating us on the award and thanking us for our work! That was really cool.

Kiki: I’d like to encourage my blog readers to visit http://consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com -The Brummet's Conscious Discussions Blog - where you will find the eco-tip of the day, quote of the day and many resources for green living. I was personally blown away by the amount of information here, and will be looking into a Green Funeral – I strongly encourage you to read the blog to find out about this and much, much more!

It always amazes me how people come into their different interests, hobbies and passions as I watch my own sons grow. Can you tell me, Dave, how did you become interested in drums, and how or why you continued on with it as you have?

Dave: I initially, at a very young age, saw a drummer in a parade and wanted to drum ever since but didn’t get the chance until after I graduated from high school. Within the first year of playing I was in a band and have been doing so ever since with various styles of music. I continue to play drum-set and hand drums to this day because I absolutely love it! There is no bigger thrill than to play live in front of a crowd of dancing people or to see a student learn something for the first time – and get it right. That’s why I play, and in my own personal theory it is what keeps me young at heart because like a kid in a sandbox when I play the rest of the world (bills, stress, fatigue) goes on hold and nothing matters but the music for a while…

Kiki: Now, for Lillian, I have the same type of question about poetry. When/why did you first start writing it?

Lillian: I was not formally trained in poetry writing, I explored this writing style naturally as a way of dealing with my thoughts about life; the past, the people I met and society in general. It became a lifeline for me many times, when I felt suicidal or self-destructive especially. I grew up in a rough, abusive home – moved around constantly, and had very little experience bonding with humans. After being on my own at 13.5 years old, and carrying the baggage of controlling, manipulating parent figures and a childhood of sexual abuse, I found that poetry offered me the privacy and therapy I needed most of all. It wasn’t until long after the first book, Trash Talk, was released that I thought of putting a book of poetry together.

In doing this project we had to glean through more than 300 poems and determine which 120 poems were going to make it into the paperback version of Towards Understanding. The e-book version has been updated and includes 5 more poems, creating an ending I am more comfortable with. I continue to write poetry and Dave has inspired me to write a few song lyrics as well.

Kiki: What inspired you to write, Purple Snowflake Marketing, How To Make Your Book Stand Out In A Crowd?

Lillian: The concept of producing this book came from the experience of publishing 2 books, being freelance and staff writers for more than 10 years and our experience in running two businesses. When we became inundated with questions from fellow writers, asking for help on all kinds of issues and at all stages of the marketing plan – we decided that a book like this was really necessary. In my work, I do a lot of research – I am a Research Queen! (She laughs) – Seriously though I must have read dozens and dozens of books on marketing, on top of the business experience and business marketing courses I’d taken in the past – and in this research I noticed time and time again the lack of organization, the lack of a step-by-step guide, few personal experience stories and the lack of resources. So of course besides sharing our own marketing plan, we focus on providing those aspects in Purple Snowflake Marketing.

Kiki: Your website mentioned that you are members of Seeds of Diversity, and that you enjoy hosting intimate feasts at our home for family and friends using some of our own recipes. Can you share with me one of your favorite recipes?

Dave: I would love to! I’ll share one of our own recipes: This is a recipe based on a traditional dish from North Africa. Ground Nut Soup is one of our favorite uses for eggplant and peanut butter! You won’t believe it until you taste it! * The term Ground Nut refers to several varieties of “nuts” that grow underground – peanuts are one of these.

1 1/2 peanut butter
8 c. stock
6 oz tomato  paste
4 c. shredded green cabbage
3 medium zucchini, chopped
2 c. sliced mushrooms
2 c. shredded red cabbage
1 c. corn kernels
2  medium onions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaaspoon salt, miso or tamari
1 tablespoon garam masala

In a large soup pot, mix peanut butter with 2 c. stock to forma  smooth paste and begin to cook over low heat; adding little amounts of stock until all the stock is used. Add tomato paste and simmer 10 minutes; add the remaining ingredients and simmer on very low heat for 1 hour. Serve with fresh (or re-warmed) bread. This dish is better the next day and freezes well.

Kiki: I would like to now ask a more personal, but simple and fun question of you both. First, tell me what each of your favorite foods are? Second, is there a food one of you loves and the other hates? (For my husband and me it is peas – LOL)

Lillian: For myself, I am not big on large portions of meat but enjoy poultry and some fish, although I never willingly eat sea insects (shrimp/crabs/lobster) and other bottom feeders. I absolutely love salads, sweet peppers of all types, olives… crackers and cheese have got to be my favorite snack. My favorite cuisine would be a toss up between Greek, East Indian and Mexican.

Dave: I have a definite weakness for ginger beef – I could eat it until I split I swear. As for a food I don’t like, well…can I get back to you when I find if such a thing exists? Incidentally, I love the prawns, crabs and lobsters that Lillian doesn’t touch, which once again makes us a great team at the dinner table too.

Kiki: Quoting again from your website, Outdoor enthusiasts…"Our free time is spent cycling BC's abandoned railways, canoeing pristine lakes, or camping and backpacking among the cool, mountainous forests in the summer. Come wintertime we hit the deep, fluffy snow on our snowshoes or cross-country skis. While enjoying the outdoors, we practice what we call "clean walking". This involves picking up trash along the way whenever possible, and is discussed in our book, Trash Talk." Wow, is there anything on the horizon that you have yet to do, but hope to?

Lillian: Sure, there is always a long list of to-do’s in the office, around the home and in our career. I’m often feeling like there is less and less time in the day and that as I get into the 40’s I’m finding the energy is just not as high as it once was. I love to work in the morning; Dave is more of an evening/night person. As such we are able to find somewhat of a balance between who does what, when.

Kiki: What is it that drives you in life?

Lillian: One of the things I like to ask people on the Conscious Discussions Radio show is to tell us about themselves. Most of our guests are stumped by this question because we force them to think of themselves outside of their career and labels (mother, welder…) and delve into adjectives. This can be a very difficult task, so few of us really know ourselves and it is a question we are all constantly trying to answer while we evolve and grow as individuals. Who are we really? That is a big question in life.

The second one I like to as of myself as well as our guests is: What kind of legacy is being left behind? Life is too fragile on this planet and each of us can make a positive mark with the time we have been given starting right where we are – today. And by sharing what we are doing with others we can inspire others to become more proactive as well.

                                    ~ ~ ~ ~

- Dave & Lillian Brummet -

Authors of:

- Purple Snowflake Marketing - How to Make Your Book Stand Out In A Crowd 

- Trash Talk - Learn how you can impact the planet 

-Towards Understanding - a collection of 120 poems on society, the environment & overcoming trauma.  

Hosts of:

Conscious Discussions talk radio show:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/consciousdiscussions

Authors Read radio program: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/authorsread

Blog: http://www.consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com

Websites: 

http://www.myspace.com/canadianauthor

http://www.brummet.ca