Saturday, February 27, 2021

Listen Now to Ed Calkins’ First Guest Appearance on a Podcast

A couple weeks ago, Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara and author of the BryonySeries novel Ruthless, received in an invitation to appear on a podcast that an online school for people with dyslexia hosts each week. 

Scheduling was a wee challenging due to the time difference (the school's founder and podcast host lives in Scotland) and my work schedule (Ed's wife Nancy and I were asked to appear, too, because of the nature of our involvement and to bolster Ed's confidence because he's really quite shy), but we got it done. 

I won't editorialize any further. Below is the podcast's introduction and links where you can listen to the one-hour show. I think Ed did a great job. 

 Just these last couple of weeks, he, along with Nancy, have learned Zoom and done three interviews. 

And I'm thrilled to have played a role in fulfilling a lifelong dream for him: writing and publishing a full-length novel. 


Podcast #103 Dyslexia, confidence and an alter ego who turned into a dynamic character of a novel. Ed Calkins

 February 25, 2021 Published by Darius Namdaran

We have a very special and mind-bending episode this week. It’s all about a man with dyslexia who worked 34 years as a driver for a newspaper company and recently published a book with himself as the main character.

 Let’s follow the story of Ed Calkins who had troubles with self-confidence all his life. As a hobby, he created fascinating stories with characters based on real-life people and shared them with his colleagues and friends. One of his friends is an author, Denise Unland, who decided to include Ed, as one of the characters in her trilogy.

 The character, Ed, ended up being a fan favourite that fans of the trilogy wanted to know more about his back story. Ed Calkins took on that challenge and wrote a novel based on the character with the same name. At first, Ed wasn’t confident about his story but after hearing positive feedback about the character, he was motivated to finish his novel.

BulletMap Academy: https://bulletmapacademy.com/103/

iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dyslexia-explored/id1387645599?i=1000510624210  

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1G4TRLzUHE6Alg69e2MLq3?si=a7RhjTinSeCxxEC9afNL0w 

Radiopublic: https://radiopublic.com/dyslexia-explored-Wkdb1l/s1!0fc16 

Podbeam: https://radiopublic.com/dyslexia-explored-Wkdb1l/s1!0fc16  

castbox: https://castbox.fm/episode/103-Dyslexia%2C-confidence-and-an-alter-ego-who-turned-into-a-dynamic-character-of-a-novel.-Ed-Calkins-id1295166-id358915402?country=us 

breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/dyslexia-explored 

Bulletmapacademy: https://bulletmapacademy.com/dyslexia-explored/




Friday, February 26, 2021

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Feb. 20 through Feb. 26

Good morning!

Seventeen stories to share this morning on this beautiful, forty-degree, no-snow day here in the Midwest.

I had a minor procedure on Wednesday, ran into a small snag on Thursday, and so I'm off work until Monday (hopefully snags are done).

Today I can finally eat some real food (albeit soft food). I can also fit both feet into my shoes (I had broken one toe a couple days after Christmas), so my plans today are eating, napping, reading, and getting out for at least one walk.

Have a great Friday!

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook pageWe're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

If you'd like to officially join WriteOn Joliet, we have two tiers of dues. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every year, well, except this year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.com.

I also suggest this book: Little Book of Revision: A Checklist for Fiction Writers. It's exactly as it says. Each page some with one suggestion for revision. The rest of the page is blank, so you can add your own notes. All proceeds benefit WriteOn Joliet.

If you need support in your writing, I highly recommend this Twitter group: #5amwritersclub. I  joined it last year. Writers support each other on Twitter and meet every three weeks at 5 a.m. (4 a.m. CST - needless to say, I am often late!) on Zoom.

If you need editing or help with self-publishing, check out dmbaranunland.com.

ARTISTS

If you need an artist for a project, I offer these recommendations.

NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for the Will County Go Guide and Sign up for the LocalLit Short Story and Book Review Newsletter at https://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/

Sign up for The Munsonville Times by emailing us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. The newsletter still isn't official yet, so we don't have an actual link on the website - but we are working on it! 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Daily updates: I do post the briefs on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries. And assorted related content at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries.

And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

BRYONYSERIES BOOKS

For books and more information about the series, visit bryonyseries.com.

BRYONYSERIES EVENTS

A full month of virtual events can be found at bryonyseries.com/calendar-of-events-1.

QUESTIONS

Email me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. Your support is greatly appreciated.

FEATURES


LocalLit book preview — Halloween Night: Trick or Treat: A collection of scary stories for scary February weather 

Joliet business creates replica of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ famous woolly mittens 

An Extraordinary Life: 105-year-old Frankfort sister was ‘small but mighty’: Sister Mary Anna Clare Meyer ‘celebrated life and cared for others’

Be kind to another’s heart: Plainfield Fire Protection District encouraging the community to learning CPR

LocalLit review: ‘Jimmy Jonny Brownie Stays Up All Night’: Charming book with vintage ‘feel’ for modern kids 

Winter weather causes blood supplies to drop: Versiti Blood Center of Illinois asking community to donate 

A new way to celebrate Black History Month: donate blood: American Red Cross honoring the legacies of Drs. Charles Drew, Jerome Holland

D. 204 hosts 3 virtual events for Black History Month 

‘COVID-19 has changed every aspect of school nursing’: Troy nurses expand their roles during the pandemic

Lockport man receives 10,000th vaccine at Silver Cross: His wife received No. 9,999  

Channahon man’s sunrise photo earns him top award in photo contest: Forest Preserve District of Will County received a record number of submissions in 2020 

Pets of the Week: Feb. 22: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

‘Joliet will feel the loss’: City champion Lynne Lichtenauer died from cancer on Tuesday morning

Channahon woman thankful for liver transplant, ‘new lease on life’

Tim Placher honored for promoting local music scene: Drauden Point MS music teacher received award in memory of local pastor

5 L-W art students win awards in the 2021 Scholastic Art Competition: 2 recipients will move onto the national competition

D. 202 high school musicians play in SPC Honor Band Festival: Students also participated in two master classes 



Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."


Thursday, February 25, 2021

No Crows

So I was planning to share a cool video of crows I took a few weeks ago and now I can't find it.

And that, folks, was the blog I was planning to post today.

That now leaves me at posting time scrambling for words. So I'll just leave a few of them here and let you continue with your day.

It's been an adventurous week of procedures (one for my cat Midnight and one for me), the passing of someone from the community whom I really respected (which resulted in that being the last story I wrote before preparing for my said procedure, literally right up to the minute - I was honored to write it), and few unexpected and really precious blessings I didn't see coming.

But this is really the essence of life.

As much as we think we predict it with our schedules and routines, the next minute is not promised to us in the way we imagine it.

That doesn't mean we should sit at the end of our seats holding our breaths. I, for one, am not likely to get much done without a schedule and routine. Most of my life is done by rote because it gives shape and direction to my day.

And yet, how wonderful it is when life tosses a bit of wonder in our direction.

Don't you agree?






Tuesday, February 23, 2021

Pinterest and YouTube

Last week, Rebekah unveiled a BryonySeries Pinterest she had created for the series from scratch - with more than 2100 pins.

Each block represents a book in the series. And then inside each block are sub-blocks with images that represent various elements in that book.

Please take a look at all her hard work: https://www.pinterest.com/bryonyseries/_saved/

Rebekah also worked very hard on the BryonySeries YouTube channel. Although the series has very little original content, I've been posting related content to this blog since I began it nearly eleven years ago (where does the time go???).

So Rebekah pulled the videos from the blog and made playlists on YouTube. The biggest folder, and this is where WriteOn Joliet's intrepid videographer Duanne Walton gets tons of credit, is all the videos of all the writers from WroteOn Joliet reading original stories at our open mic nights.

She's still fiddling with the YouTube channel, renaming playlists and moving things around. But, again, there's lot of content to explore and enjoy.






Monday, February 22, 2021

For Those With Anxiety

Breathe.

Not as in hyperventilation.

But as if you're floating on a wave under sunny sky on a warm day.

Unless, of course, water makes you anxious. If so, feel free to substitute the imagery with one more to your liking.

As a family, we are an anxious group, and we do have some back stories that led to it.

But I've discovered anxiety is quite common, and many people I know suffer from it.

You doubt that? Post a Bible verse or meme about anxiety and see how many "likes" you get. And I've received those "likes" from people I wouldn't have dreamed have an anxious bone in their bodies.

Certainly this past year has given many cause for anxiety.

Pandemic craziness aside, why do people experience so much anxiety? Why is it so prevalent?

Rebekah has a theory that anxious people are more "aware" than people who are not. This awareness makes us less able to live our lives in denial. We know what could happen - and so we fear.

But that is part of anxiety's like. Just because it could happen doesn't mean it will. And even if it does, it probably won't happen the way our overactive imagination paints it.

This morning, some of us are anxious about Midnight. Seemingly out of nowhere, she developed a soft mass on her back, which prompted an early physical.

"Most likely a cyst," the vet said after he examined it. "But let's keep an eye on it."

Then last Saturday, right after our Calkins Day celebration, Midnight's temperature shot up. Except for curing her tapeworms and ear mites when she came to us as a sixteen-week-old kitten (she was found abandoned with her siblings), she's never been sick.

I do mean "never." No fevers, not antibiotics, no infections.

But the animal hospital did a fine needle biopsy on the cyst. And some of it came back suspicious but inconclusive.

So fourteen-year-old Midnight is having the mass removed today for a proper biopsy. And that's one reason why a few of us are anxious this morning.

But just one reason. We can list off half a dozen more on any given day. Seriously. Just ask us.

Being anxious won't help Midnight. And it certainly won't make us feel better or change any outcomes.

It's good to be aware, of course. Being aware helps us make better decisions, I think - at least up to a point.

Yet anxiety can cause level-headedness to fly out the window, too. It can throw chaos into sound thinking and the decisions we made with a calmer mind.

One terrible part of anxiety is that it makes people feel alone in their fears. And that's why I'm writing this post today.

Because "feeling alone" is also part of anxiety's lie. The Anxiety Club is actually quite large. And somedays, our family feels like we hold all the officer, alumni, and emeritus positions.

None of this will make you feel less anxious today if anxiety is already ruling your Monday.

But, hopefully, you are smiling a little and feeling slightly less alone.

Breathe.










Saturday, February 20, 2021

Calkins Day Recap - and a Podcast Opportunity

Shortly before Calkins Day, the editor of a podcast reached out to Ed Calkins on the BryonySeries email account.

He had read an article about Ed and was inviting Ed to appear on the Dyslexia Explored podcast and share his story about living with dyslexia and how he overcame hid dyslexia in order to write his first novel, "Ruthless."

The only challenge is that the podcast is based in Scotland and we, of course, live in the Midwest in the United States. So the time difference is six hours.

But we found a mutually compatible time to meet on Zoom. Yes, "we."

For all of Ed's hilarious posts, he is actually very shy and lacks confidence, especially where his dyslexia is concerned. So he wanted Nancy and me to meet the host, Darius Namdaran (who also has dyslexia), with him.

I stayed mostly in the background until our meeting drew to a close so the three of them chat. Then I asked the "who" "what" "when" "where" and "how" about the actual podcast so Ed would know what to expect.

He was relieved to know it would look much like that day's Zoom meeting, except it would be recorded and it would have no video.

Scheduling was a bit of an issue, due to the time difference and my work schedule because Ed and Darius insisted I should be on the podcast, too.

But we are going to record it early in the morning early next week, before I would even need to be at work. When the link is live, I will share it on this blog. I've learned a lot about Ed and Nancy and dyslexia this past year through Ed's writing of Ruthless, and I am looking forward to hearing more of their stories.

As far as Calkins Day went, I think it went as well as a virtual event could go. No one had any major technical difficulties (except Chef Tim at the beginning). 

My WriteOn Joliet co-leader Tom Hernandez is a wonderfully engaging host, and Chef Tim's three cooking demos, sprinkled throughout the one-hour program, added to the vibrant, upbeat flow of the night.

We had thirty people register in advance. A few wound up not making it, but then a few registered shortly before the event started. We gave away three books (which Ed will sign and ship as soon as he receives them), with one of the winners being this author. 

A few people showed up as much as an hour early, so I quipped about them wanting to get a good seat. Anyone who brought the requested food ingredients could assemble their own refreshments under Chef Tim's tutorials. Anyone in attendance who wanted the recipe was invited to email us after the program.

We did not record the event to respect the privacy of those attending. So those who missed it will not, unfortunately, be able to catch it on the BryonySeries YouTube channel.

What about sales?

Ed's expectations are extremely modest and realistic, despite the proliferation of indie author success stories on the internet.

He's thrilled that he's sold about half a dozen copies online so far (before and after the event) and feels he's way ahead of Chaucer.

Ed and I both agree that the main goal is to write a good story and then work hard to find that story a home in the hands and mind and hearts of people who want to read it. BryonySeries marketing efforts are directed to that end.

To that end, this dyslexic, sixty-something, newly retired paper carrier is already working on his sequel.


Ed Calkins signs copies of his first book (a compilation of blog posts) at the Book and Bean Cafe in Joliet during Calkins Day 2018.




Friday, February 19, 2021

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Feb. 13 through Feb. 19

Good morning...

Does anyone out there suffer from the type of insomnia where you try to solve the world's problems when you've already gone to bed too late and need to get up extra early? Isn't that the worst?

I haven't done that in a long time, but I did it last night. And I'm paying for it...this morning...zzzzzzzzzzzz...

Oh, coffee, how I love thee this morning.

It's been a super-fast week with back to back writing group meetings (last night and early this morning). I have some deadlines to meet, a meeting, and then I hope to have a meeting of the minds waaaay later today (my mind and the minds of my characters in my new novel "Call of the Siren").

But first, I have eighteen stories to share with you - and two photo galleries the new photographer for The Herald-News: Geoff Stellfox. He's very talented, and I love collaborating with him, so definitely check out his work.

Finally, if you'd like more kindness in your life, here are some reflections where you might find it: Nine Months of Kindness. And maybe I should have included a reflection on, "Don't try to solve the world's problems when you're trying to sleep."

Right? Right!

Have a great Friday!

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook pageWe're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

If you'd like to officially join WriteOn Joliet, we have two tiers of dues. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every year, well, except this year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.com.

I also suggest this book: Little Book of Revision: A Checklist for Fiction Writers. It's exactly as it says. Each page some with one suggestion for revision. The rest of the page is blank, so you can add your own notes. All proceeds benefit WriteOn Joliet.

If you need support in your writing, I highly recommend this Twitter group: #5amwritersclub. I  joined it last year. Writers support each other on Twitter and meet every three weeks at 5 a.m. (4 a.m. CST - needless to say, I am often late!) on Zoom.

If you need editing or help with self-publishing, check out dmbaranunland.com.

ARTISTS

If you need an artist for a project, I offer these recommendations.

NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for the Will County Go Guide and Sign up for the LocalLit Short Story and Book Review Newsletter at https://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/

Sign up for The Munsonville Times by emailing us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. The newsletter still isn't official yet, so we don't have an actual link on the website - but we are working on it! 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Daily updates: I do post the briefs on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries. And assorted related content at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries.

And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

BRYONYSERIES BOOKS

For books and more information about the series, visit bryonyseries.com.

BRYONYSERIES EVENTS

A full month of virtual events can be found at bryonyseries.com/calendar-of-events-1.

QUESTIONS

Email me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. Your support is greatly appreciated.

FEATURES


Plainfield teacher sends ‘fan mail’ to her students

First Case of B.1.351 COVID-19 variant arrives in Illinois: IDPH says continued mask wearing and vaccination are essential

She’s just 8 but her acting career is promising: Ramona Williams of Joliet has appeared in ‘Chicago PD’ and ‘Saint Frances’ 

Supporting cancer patients in a pandemic: Cancer Support Center offers resources, virtual programs for cancer patients

An Extraordinary Life: Bev Welsch was ‘everything perfect in a human being’: Joliet woman made Providence’s sports ‘Hall of Fame’ without ever teaching or coaching a sport

LocalLit preview: ‘Jimmy Jonny Brownie Stays Up All Night’: But does reverse psychology really work for kids and bedtime?

All JJC campuses closed through 4 p.m. Tuesday due to weather: Joliet college will make decision by 2 p.m. for evening onsite labs 

L-W teacher takes home economics to an entirely new level: And the Illinois Education Association honored her efforts with an award 

Channahon Park District receives distinguished accreditation: End result ‘is to improve the quality of life for Illinois residents’ 

Pets of the Week: Feb. 15: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

’Our income level does not define who we are’: Award-winning Joliet teacher’s fine arts non-profit will be located on Joliet’s east side 

‘The hard part is making them in such volume’: Paczki’s popularity for Fat Tuesday among the general public keeps rising

Photos: Paczki Day at the Donut Den in Joliet

Ash Wednesday 2021: ‘Everything is so new this year’: Pandemic can’t keep churches from finding ways to observe the day

Friday fish fries and Lent still go together, even in a pandemic: Here’s where to find some good ones in Will County

Photos: Joliet's Ash Wednesday drive-thru fish fry

Ernest Crim to speak to speak to Plainfield High School students on Thursday: Plainfield South High School Black Student Association is hosting the event 

D. 86 in Joliet now taking applications for 2 academy programs: Deadline to register is March 19

Chocolate, cards, balloons - and donations to Alzheimer’s Association: Timbers of #Shorewood program showed ‘some real love’ this Valentine's Day 

When will Shorewood’s La Quinta Inn & Suites finally open?: Owner gives update on project that’s several years in the making




Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire?

 I don't know if it's journalistic instinct or the fact my in-laws had a scanner in their house and chased fires, but I'm pretty quick to act if I see something off.

That "off" this morning was thick black smoke in the distance when I paused at my bedroom window to admire the sunrise.

So I put my oversized slip-ons over my broken toe, slid my coat on over my flannels, grabbed a mask and press pass, and headed out into the tall snow. I got as far as I could get on foot, took some photos just in case, and then plodded back to the house.

Did you know how cold ankles can get without socks in this weather? Brrr....just saying.

By now, one of my sons (Timothy) were awake, so we drove in the direction of a nearby hospital. Lots of smoke, which was already diminishing. Furnaces, perhaps?

At any rate, Timothy turned to me and said, "Coffee?"

To which I replied, "I have coffee at my computer."

But he wanted to treat everybody. So I texted Daniel not to leave for work yet as Timothy had coffee for him (Daniel leaves early to stop for coffee).

And we brought back tea for Rebekah.

So I'm a little behind this morning, but I got outside (my first baby walk since we had all this snow), spent a little quality time with one of my sons, and wound up with a nice Americano to boot (well, no boots, Slip-ons).

Mostly, I was glad to know buildings and people were safe.

Nothing was reduced to ashes on a day people are observing Ash Wednesday.

Stay warm, stay safe, be blessed.




Saturday, February 13, 2021

Getting to Know Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

I have reposted this Q and A several times over the years, but it seems most appropriate today with the 2021 Calkins Day event.

Not only has Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, released his first book, "Ruthless," he is the first author to to write and publish for the BryonySeries.

We are celebrating his him and his accomplishment on Zoom tonight at 7 p.m. CST.

The event is free, but you must register for the Zoom link and menu.

You may register up until "show time," but I can't promise anyone will see your registration come in and give you access.

So register early. Here is the link: bryonyseries.com/registerforcalkinsday.

Now read the commentaries from a couple of reprints and then the original post from 2010. It feels good to look back and see how we've built over the decade.

If you're wondering, "Ruthless" contains elements of all the versions of Ed Calkins so far: his real back story, the back story he created for his "ruthless dictator" and "Steward of Tara" persona, as well as the Irish vampire character I created for the BryonySeries, which has elements of the first two.

And by the way, Ed is thinking the sequel to Ruthless should have some of the adventures of the Knights of the Red Branch.

Because after you read this, you may just wonder about that.

Commentary from the May 9, 2020 post

Why would a person allow himself to be legally fictionalized for a book series?

Read on and see.

 

But before you do, I'd like to mention the good that's resulted out of this collaboration, and I'm not talking money. (Nobody's making any serious money here).

 

One: Ed, who discusses his struggle to write through the years, was given space on this blog to write as the character he created. Yes, that's right. He created his own character for himself, and then I fictionalized it even further for the series.

 

Two: Ed realized his dream of seeing some of his works in print when I published a collection of his blogs a couple years ago for Calkins Day that dealt with my Irish genealogy. (I'm not Irish. Ed made it all up).

 

Three: Ed is now writing is own book for the BryonySeries based on his (and some of mine) characters. And he gets free editing services for this and all of his writings.

 

Four: He's slowly realizing his dream of just "being known." We've held some small scale celebrations of Calkins Day (with even smaller parades).

 

Except for using the character in the books, none of these above benefits were stated in print; they've evolved over the years as we've gotten to know each other.

 

And yes, I did turn down the marriage proposal.

 

 

 

Commentary from the April 6, 2019 post

 

When I first started the BryonySeries blog in 2011, I posted this Q A with the real Ed Calkins in several installments. We did this interview months before the release of the first book, and it has never again been published.

 

Now for the first time, in living black and purple, is the entire interview with the man that ficionalized himself and allowed me to fictionalize him further for the series.

 

Just to clarify: Ed Calkins is a real person. He really lives somewhere Chicago-ish and was a supervisor for one of the agents when The Herald-News circulation passed from The Sun Times to the Chicago Tribune. I reported to Ed for my Marycrest route.

 

Having missed his Ed Calkins parade several years in a row, I offered, as consolation, a one-page monthly newsletter for his imaginary world or a spot in my series as a vampire. His response was, "Immortality, of course."

 

My attorney drew up the necessary paperwork for Ed to sign off himself. Seriously.

 

No Ed, is not insane, but wonderfully creative. If you want to know Ed, read the novels, for I dutifully scrawled on brown paper wrapping snatches of conversation overheard in passing at the distribution center while Ed handed out papers or in longer conversations by phone to weave in real dialogue with the imaginary dialogue and overall character arc.

 

I also spent much time with him, getting to know his "ruthless dictator" persona, as to accurately portray it. In a wonderful and truly humbling act of trust, Ed did not want to read any drafts; rather, he wanted the experience of his fictional self however I chose to write it, a very literary and legally-bound, "Do with me as you will."

 

It was marvelously empowering.

 

PS: I did such a good writerly job with Ed that one day, after Timothy had been out of the distribution center for a year attending Joliet Junior College and working at the Renaissance Center, he offered to help us roll papers one night and ran into Ed.

 

Ed said something to the effect of, "Wow, I haven't see you in a long time." Timothy blinked, yes, literally blinked, in surprise, for he had been reading drafts of Staked! as I had chaptered it off and felt as if he'd seen Ed every day.

 

Any blog post on this series attributed to Ed was really written by Ed. Just so you know.

 

And now, the interview:

 

 

 1)  Who is the ruthless dictator?

 

“My son was doing a lot of role playing games, and he was trying to come up with a bard and give him magical powers. I told him there was no need coming up with magical items, because bards are already too powerful, providing they’re not trying to seek notoriety for themselves. Ruthless dictators are not afraid to die. They’re just afraid of how they’ll be remembered. It’s not effective to compose a song or a limerick or an epic poem glorifying yourself. You’ve got to have other people saying it about you. Why not cut the military in half and invent some really good limericks? You can really insult someone into submission.”

 

 

2)  Why did you invent him?

 

“I was bullied as a boy, so it came from the way I would get back at bullies. I would think something negative about them, because verbalizing it wouldn’t go well. In my mind, I called it even. The ruthless dictator really started when I got a ticket running a stop sign when I was delivering newspapers on a really snowy day. If I had stopped, I would never have gotten going again. I really thought the ticket was unfair. As revenge, I picked ten people out f the phone book and thought bad things about them. My wife thought that was pretty corny. Later, I took over the entire town. I didn’t have to conquer a nation. It just had to be a place, at least metaphorically. It had to have its own identity.”

 

 

3) What was your reaction when asked to become part of a vampire novel?

 

“I was nervous at revealing my ignorance about vampires. I didn’t know a lot about it. I worked quickly to remedy it.”

 

 

4) Why did you accept?

 

“Immortality, of course. I can’t think about myself in everything. I have to think about 1,000 years from now, and if there’s going to be a three-day holiday in my name or not. There’s a side of me that thinks this could be goofy enough to think this could actually happen.”

 

 

5)  Weren’t you afraid of how you might be portrayed?

 

“No, and a lot of that comes from my survival mechanism as a kid. I learned to play along with the bullies rather than fight them. Part of my comedic outreach is self-deprecating, so it didn’t really seem that anything negative could hurt me. The ruthless dictator would say, ‘Look, there’s no such thing as bad publicity.’ King Midas is much better off than King Midas the Second, even though he was portrayed in a bad light, because nobody remembers King Midas the Second.”

 

.

6) What if fans expect the real Ed Calkins to be similar to the fictional Ed Calkins?

 

“He is like him. There’s just that side of him. He’s significant in an offbeat way, enough to where he can claim the stewardship of Tara without blushing.”

 

 

7)  The Irish have no solid vampire legends. How do you feel about being the first, real Irish vampire?

 

“I think other people will make more of that than I will. Being known as the Steward of Tara is more of a crowing achievement in my mind.”

 

 

8) Where did your love of Irish lore and history begin?

 

“It started with my love of history. Then I looked into mythology, and I used to tell my son a lot of tales and legends. When he reached high school and heard the same thing, my credibility rose in his eyes. One thing I had told him that wasn’t really true is that Ireland was always a backwash of European history, unless your interest is war. Then, it is probably true. There were many Irish warriors. It’s just they tended to be fodder; they were never fighting for Ireland. Ireland is probably the only place where you get a sense of what pre-Christianity was about, so if you want to know Ireland, just study its myth. Even before I was really into being Irish, I had a disdain for the Roman Empire, which, I think, gave me a bias toward the Irish. In all honesty, I’m American, but my heritage is Irish. It only takes going to Ireland to know that.”

 

 

9)  How did you research your Irish heritage?

 

“I’ve read a lot of books. Also, as a college freshman, I got put into an Irish literature course, which I wasn’t very interested in it at the time. I’m not one of those people who have forgotten much of what they learned in college. So it stayed with all these years in a recessive way. The problem is that I’m very bad with names. The proper study of Irish mythology involves heroes, kings, and saints, in that order. They are alive today through the last names. I just don’t know who these people are.”

 

 

10)   When did you begin writing?

 

“I started with poetry. In the eighth grade I wrote poem that resonated a little bit.        So, throughout high school, I wrote poetry. I was an editor of the literary magazine and the editor in chief the last year. Something bizarre about me is that I can’t finish anything. I have these really organized fantasies, but I’m not a wordsmith. I just lost my hard drive, which means I lost everything I’ve written for the last twenty years. I should be beside myself, but I’m not, because none of the pieces were really finished

 

 

11)   What have you written?

 

“I actually wrote a historical fiction novel when I was in high school. I had a         fascination for Hannibal, so I put myself on the other side facing Hannibal’s army. I didn’t really know how to handle it, but I did write it.”

 

 

12)   How had you shared your writings in the past?

 

“I posted them. When I was working on my trilogy, someone would send me an e-mail that said, “Send me your story,” and I’d send them a few chapters. Then I’d get another email saying, ‘That was great. Send me some more.’ So, a lot of it was praise-driven. The problem is that twenty years have passed. The protagonist has become darker and the eroticism is no longer interesting, I hate to admit. In my mind, I’ve reduced the second book to a single, short story. Also, every novel I’ve written was also an idea for a game. I had done a really good job of writing the games, again not finished. The smallest details completely derail a project for me.”

 

13)    How do you overcome writer’s block?

 

“The truth is I don’t. My writing block is fear. By the time I do write, it’s only because the ideas have been spilling out over and over and over again through my mind, to where it’s enough already. The details have become an irritant, so I just sit down and write.”

 

 

14) What motivates you to compose a limerick?

 

   “I get ticked off, and my mind starts putting lines together. It’s different with limericks because I don’t have to actually write them. A limerick is not fine art. Because of its structure, a kindergartener is just as good as composing limericks as an adult.”

 

 

15)  Why is legacy important to you?

 

“I think it’s fascinating to me in the same way history is. Think of Sue, the Tyrannosaurus Rex, which lived approximately 25 million years ago and compare that to the 6,000 years of civilization. In the eyes of God, dinosaurs must be a statement of survivability. Humanity is still an experiment in its infancy. When all is said and done, the history of humans is going to be a lot more significant than the bones of a creature, but we’re not there yet. We’re gong to have to start with many things, including being a lot older than 6,000 years. Maybe there won’t be an Ed Calkins parade that 6,000 years old, but maybe there will a 1,000 years old Ed Calkins Day parade, which will create the much larger tradition of there still being parades.”

 

 

16) How did the idea for Ed Calkins day parade originate?

 

“I discovered that my birthday and Valentines Day had a little conflict when I started dating my wife. The first year I was dating her, we went out and celebrated my February 13th birthday. Guess what happened on the fourteenth?  I didn’t have Valentine for her. That offended her at the time. My defense was, ‘Come on, it was my birthday.’ I guess where started. Then I started joking with other people that my birthday should be a national holiday. When you couple that with Lincoln’s birthday and the stars aligned in the sky, you can see it was meant to be.”

 

 

17)  You’re famous for cookouts, Queen of Christmas contests, candy canes and Santa hat distribution and palette jack races. Why host these things?

 

“Have fun, of course. Distribution centers can be so dreary. If everyday is like the last, no one wants to get up.

 

 

18)   Do you own a kilt?

 

“I used to, but I gave it away to my brother. It no longer fit, at the waistline. So, currently, I do not have a kilt. They’re not cheap. They can cost a couple hundred dollars.”

 

 

19)  For what occasions did you wear it?

 

“Initially I wore it St. Paddy’s day. I wore it the whole day. I was I in newspapers and, yeah, I went to work with it. My wife wouldn’t let me do it after I married her. It happened this way. I have a way of not taking care of garments. When I was starting to date her, most of my jeans had holes in them. She takes care of her possessions. That how I knew we were serious when she started washing my clothes. But when a woman starts washing your clothes, she gets to say what get discarded and what gets kept. You know my striped shirts? Those were her idea. My wife now dresses me. I used to dress differently.

 

 

20)  What are your plans for this blog?

 

“I’d like make some myths of my own, but that won’t start until the book comes out. I’m thinking it might be fun to add different side stories of the character into the blog, but maybe, too, I might be able to introduce some of the traditional Irish myths. I’ve been wanting write something about the interplay of state fairs in Ireland. There were laws concerning them, such as you couldn’t arrest anyone during a fair and you could not engage in war. All combat had to be resolved before a fair was scheduled to start. I’d also like to write about the Knights of the Red Branch and maybe some adventure that happens to some of the knights. That’s the neat thing about a blog. Speaking from the character, if something doesn’t fit, or if there is something else I want to say, I can always come back with, ‘I was just joking. Here’s what really happened.’ I’m very excited about this. I feel I’m getting closer to that three-day holiday.”