Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Sue's Diner: Pumpkin Roll

If you'd like to serve a  pumpkin dessert for your Thanksgiving dinner that isn't pie, we have a good one to share with you today.

And we're sharing it early in case you want a couple weeks to practice it, especially for those who've never made a cake rol).

This week's recipe is "Pumpkin Roll," which Sarah submitted for the BryonySeries cookbook Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony." 

Here is an excerpt from Bryony that puts the recipe in context:

Steve arrived at the cottage early Thanksgiving morning, and Brian was up to meet him. Together, they babysat the turkey and prepared side dishes. Brian even set the table.

Melissa spent the morning reading and trying not to think about vampires. Her mother finished a story. The smell of food reached Melissa’s nose long before Brian announced dinner. In amazement, Melissa gazed at the festive table Brian had laid: lace tablecloth, her mother’s real silverware, and even a centerpiece of autumn leaves. Just last summer Brian scorned napkins. Gracing the table, in addition to the turkey, was a medley of roasted vegetables that included regular and sweet potatoes, cornbread, baking powder biscuits, and a salad Brian had tossed with a special dressing he made. Yesterday, her mother had prepared trifle and her traditional pumpkin log with cream cheese filling. The table looked so good no one wanted to touch it.

No one, that is, except Brian. “I mean, we made all this food to eat, right?”

Try this recipe on the Sue's Diner page on the BryonySeries website

But try the recipe this week. It will be gone some time next week. A new recipe will take it's place. 

All proceeds from Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony." are donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties

If you have any troubleshooting questions or comments, email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. 




By the way, Sue's Diner is only real in the BryonySeries world. But didn't Timothy do a great job making the page look like a real menu at a vintage diner?

Here is the full diner page: bryonyseries.com/sue-s-diner. You can't really order, of course (wouldn't it be great if you could?).

For more BryonySeries recipes, check out our three cookbooks at our BryonySeries bryonyseries.com/general-store.

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

The Last Fortune Cookie

So two weeks ago, Timothy and Daniel brought Chinese carryout home for all of us for dinner one night.

For whatever reason, the dinner had an extra fortune cookie. And everyone left it for everyone else.

Well, I'm not one to see a fortune cookie go to waste. So I opened it. And...

...I'm so confused by the meaning.

What are your thoughts (opened cookie is on the second photo, please scroll for it).



See what I mean? 

What does this message say to you? 

Was "setting" supposed to be "settling" instead?

Yet, even then...I'm still not sure. Maybe I should have left it on the counter?

Thoughts? (I did actually eat the cookie).



Monday, November 4, 2024

A Mess Too Messy For Many Words

Well, my third at-home writing retreat was a huge success in that I completed my goal.

I completed the copyedits on the proof copy of "House on Top of the Hill," the third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy.

But at what cost?

Well (again), I set aside all "life" and housework tasks except those of the greatest necessity, even more than has been set aside all year as one emergency after another wedged themselves into our lives.

Let's just say I have my work cut out for me this month.

So my focus for November is gratitude.

Gratitude I completed the book goal in the midst of a confusing year and a stressful week.

\Gratitude for a home that necessitates house work

Gratitude for life to even have "life" tasks.

Of course, give the past three years in our family, any number of "GOTCHAS" can leap out and derails these plans.

I hoping not.

I'm really looking forward to creating something orderly and beautiful once again from all this chaos.

That's a lovely thought for Monday, isn't it?

So my wish for you today is that, whatever needs sprucing up in your life, you somehow find the space to tackle it.

The illustration is by Sue Midlock, and it appears in "Cornell Dyer and the Calcium Deficient Bones."

Happy Monday!



Saturday, November 2, 2024

"Recovering Ruthless" by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

 So Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, has sent few telegrams this year.

But that's because he's been hard at work writing his third book in the BryonySeries "Ruthless" trilogy.

The title is called "Recovering Ruthless."

And editing this novel is my next project, once I finish the final copyedits for "House on Top of the Hill" (the third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy). 

I've dabbled a little with the manuscript as Ed has sent chapters. But I will really dig into hard, heavy edits on Wednesday, when I have a leftover vacation day scheduled.

I don't have back cover summary yet for "Recovering Ruthless" - or an updated Table of Contents.

But I do have the book's cover art and chapter heading art, once again lovingly created by Ed's wife, Nancy Calkins (aka Nala).

If all goes well, "Recovering Ruthless" will be available for sale by Calkins Day 2024 (February 13).

And, yes, Ed already has ideas for a fourth book (not part of the Ruthless trilogy), using new and returning BryonySeries characters.

But Ed (according to Ed) is likely not among those characters. But that is OK.

For the entire trilogy has shifted away from Ed's backstory to other stories. Readers, I think, will see the growth in Ed, both as a reader and as a person.

Happy Saturday!



Friday, November 1, 2024

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Oct. 26 to Nov. 1

Good morning!

I have eleven stories to share with you today at the bottom of this post (even though I'm not working this week) with more stories going live over the weekend.

So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

But before the stories, I have a list of additional updates, resources, and information. Please check them out, too.

And if you'd like to find more kindness in your life, consider this book.

And have a great Friday!

Event Updates

The BryonySeries Halloween display is up at The Book Market. Along with seven curated BryonySeries books for you to browse and buy, the display features all-new Halloween Ribbit-Ribbits from Cindy - and some free gifts with purchase while supplies last. So please do check it out, since this particular display will be in place for a few more days.

We are also participating in four more events (so far) in November and December.

North Pole Christmas Market: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Renaissance Center, 214 N. Ottawa St., Joliet. The Christmas Market is part of the Joliet City Center Partnership's "Light Up the Holidays Festival and Parade." And we are participating in three unique ways this year. More details to come later.

WriteOn Joliet 8th Annual Anthology Release Party: 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5, Joliet Public Library, 3395 Black Road, Joliet. FREE chef-created heavy appetizers and desserts and FREE photos with Santa. Chance to meet WriteOn Joliet authors and browse many varieties of locally written genres. One-stop checkout.

Plus, the ByronySeries will appear at The Book Market in Crest Hill from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on one date in November and one in December, both TBA.

BryonySeries books-in-progress

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I am two-thirds through the proof copy and we are hoping the book will be released in a week or so, with print copies available for sale at WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party on Dec. 5.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: No updates here in a very long time, mostly because Timothy and Daniel are super busy with school on top of work (and plenty of work-related traveling). However, I outlined a "bonus" book that is intended for distribution at Bicentennial's "Ye Olde Mayfest" event in 2025. Here is a recap of the 2024 event.

Timothy said his concept for the next book in the actual series will be slightly dark ("slightly" because it's for kids, too) and will involve an old toy store. We are also working on the last book in the series (but it's not the final book, if that makes sense). Timothy is actually writing that one. In order to make progress on any of this, Timothy is hoping to schedule a "Cornell breakfast." But Timothy and Daniel are very busy with work and school right now. We've scheduled and broke several Cornell breakfasts in 2023 and 2024. Our last one was July 2022. So we are LONG, LONG, LONG overdue.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright, who welcomed her first child into the world in April, has already started working on the cover portrait. I've neglected this book for a few months and hope to revisit it soon. We wanted to release it in late 2024, but 2024 has been a challenging year. I'm shooting for early 2025.

Jennifer designed the cover portraits for "Julie and the Too-Hard Homework," "Katie and the Big Fear," "Summer Sisters." and "Karla Joins In," as well as the frontispiece for Lycanthropic Summer.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very slowly) updating the BryonySeries YouTube and Pinterest accounts. And she' catching up with Kindles for some of the BryonySeries books. So do watch for those.

And finally...

The manuscript for Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara's third book in his Ruthless trilogy is submitted and will be my next editing project once "House on Top of the Hill" is complete. Ed

s first book is "Ruthless," his second is "The Fifth," and he is also the author of "Denise Unland's Irish Genealogy."

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

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Sue's Diner is a fictional restaurant in the fictional Munsonville that only exists in the BryonySeries.

Each Wednesday, we post a new recipe. The recipe is either featured in one of our cookbooks, will be featured in an upcoming cookbook, or is just an "extra" we want to share with you.

Check out the recipe here.

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 and two ways to attend meetings. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every 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 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 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 haven't posted anything on Twitter/X (except a daily Bible verse) since September I can no longer schedule posts in advance. I'm not sure yet how to manage the account without that option. But you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I used to curated content relating to the BryonySeries on Twitter/X at @BryonySeries and still post assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeriesyoutube.com/user/BryonySeries, and themes of each book in the BryonySeries at pinterest.com/bryonyseries.

Again, not sure yet about the direction of the BryonySeries Twitter/X account. Still mulling that over.

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

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

Joliet museum premieres ‘Illinois Heroes of Rock’

Concert will showcase Illinois rock music history

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/31/joliet-museum-premieres-illinois-heroes-of-rock/

Chef Rick Bayless opens new restaurant in Joliet

Tortazo features menu item unique to this location

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/29/tortazo-by-rick-bayless-now-open-in-joliet/

Leaders at New Lenox Trinity Services appointed to state task forces

Both appointments went into effect in September

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/26/leaders-at-new-lenox-trinity-services-appointed-to-state-task-forces/

Lockport’s Tallgrass restaurant reopening Friday

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/30/lockports-tallgrass-restaurant-reopening-friday/

Founder of Lincoln-Way Area Business Women’s Organization honored

Mayor of New Lenox also honored Niemann with a proclamation

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/23/lincoln-way-area-business-womens-organization-founder-honored/

Fry the Coop restaurant opens Bolingbrook location

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/11/01/fry-the-coop-opens-bolingbrook-location/

Registration open for Silver Cross Hospital Diabetes Fair on Nov. 6

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/28/registration-open-for-silver-cross-hospital-diabetes-fair-on-nov-6/

Joliet police seek information on report of shots fired

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/27/joliet-police-seek-information-on-report-of-shots-fired/

Pets of the Week: Oct. 28, 2024

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/28/pets-of-the-week-oct-28-2024/

5 Things to Do in Will County: Mega Music Rummage Sale

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/10/30/5-things-to-do-in-will-county-mega-music-rummage-sale/

Also, check out "Eyes on Enterprise" on the Oct. 30 e-edition at https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/enewspaper/


 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Forsake Reading Nevermore!

If you are out and about on this Halloween day, pop into The Book Market in Crest Hill (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.)  and ask to see the fun "nevermore" Halloween prop with the blinking eyes.

Janet Staley brought it out to show Rebekah and me when we hung out there last week. And it's sure to delight any bookworm, not just "Poe" fans.


You can also check out our BryonySeries Halloween display before that goes away and pick up some last minute treats for people who might enjoy them.

Haunted house, anyone?

And if not a haunted house...


...maybe you'll discover some new authors and titles tucked away, here and there, just lurking...


...where you least expect them.

Happy Halloween!





Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Sue's Diner: Halloween Salad

Although candy will take centerstage tomorrow night this salad proves that Halloween has room for healthy food, too.

In addition to lettuce, this salad contains features black olives and green olives, cherry tomatoes, humus, fresh mozzarella, baby carrots, and slivered almonds arranged in spookily spectacular ways.

Try this recipe on the Sue's Diner page on the BryonySeries website. 

But try the recipe this week. It will be gone some time next week. A new recipe will take it's place. 

If you have any troubleshooting questions or comments, email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. 


By the way, Sue's Diner is only real in the BryonySeries world. But didn't Timothy do a great job making the page look like a real menu at a vintage diner?

Here is the full diner page: bryonyseries.com/sue-s-diner. You can't really order, of course (wouldn't it be great if you could?).

For more BryonySeries recipes, check out our three cookbooks at our BryonySeries bryonyseries.com/general-store.

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

"Stingy Jack" at Spirits with the Spirits Oct. 30

 WriteOn Joliet member Cean Magosky and I are participating in a Halloween event in downtown Joliet tomorrow night.

It's called "Spirits with the Spirits" and will run 5 to 9 p.m. at various locations.

Cean and I will be at Black Cat Curiosities reading original ghost stories - and you can browse our books, too.

I'm planning to read the BryonySeries version of "Stingy Jack," a legend about the origin of the jack-o-lantern that's been told and re-told by others in various versions. And if there's time, I have two others planned (just haven't decided which one).

I'm also planning to wear this super fun "Stingy Jack" necklace that Rebekah bought me from The Raven's House when we participated in "Panic at the Plaza" earlier this month (recap still to follow).

The Raven's House owner was super nice and had some gorgeous, very unique, and mostly handmade jewelry Rebekah also bought a pair of earrings for herself.

Come "Spirits with the Spirits" early and learn and perform a "Thriller" dance.

For details and to register, visit jolietccp.com/spirits.








Monday, October 28, 2024

It Begins: 3rd At-Home Writing Retreat of 2024

Good morning!

The proof copy of "House on Top of the Hill" arrived on Wednesday, but I haven't made much progression in reading through it, just the prologue and two chapters.

So the goal this week is to read through ALL of it and upload the copyedited manuscript to KDP, which will hopefully result in an approved book and copies ordered.

I'm also planning to work on hard edits for the third book the BryonySeries Ruthless trilogy by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara.

Oh, and I have a slew of BryonySeries, WriteOn Joliet, and assorted "life" tasks that need addressing. So this week of work is shaping up to be a working week of another kind.

Anyway, here is the synopsis and chapter titles of "House on Top of the Hill," the third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. Cover image is by Timothy Baran.

Note: Despite the wording of the synopsis none of the story is actually told from the perspective of Steve Barnes, although he appears in most of the chapters.

Instead the novel, which spans forty - fairly consecutively - years, is told through a slew of different protagonists in a seemingly short story format. But the chapters all possess an underlying theme, recurring characters, and an ending that won't make sense if you skip to it first.

This post has more details on how the BryonySeries fits together.

Happy Monday!

Change comes slowly to Munsonville, and for Steve Barnes, who spends his entire life in the village, that's just fine. From boyhood to manhood, he savors the slow pace and friendly smiles, even while working by his parents' side from sunup to sundown to run the family diner.

The only blight is this fishing village's preoccupation with an empty mansion in the woods, whose tales of former glory and catastrophe fueled a rampage of ghost stories. Steve doesn't believe them, but some do – and no no one can deny the power the crumbling old building holds over them.

Especially when it changes everyone, including Steve, forever.

Prologue

Chapter 1: The Traveling Salesman

Chapter 2: Roundtable

Chapter 3: Bottle of the Red Stuff

Chapter 4: Cracking Open the Nest Egg

Chapter 5: Picture Postcards

Chapter 6: Whispers of the Heart

Chapter 7: I Run at Night

Chapter 8: Laid to Rest

Chapter 9: Necking

Chapter 10: Spider and Fly

Chapter 11: Death Heard Round the World

Chapter 12: Mine

Chapter 13: Second Sight

Chapter 14: Chop, Sizzle, Broil, and Bake

Chapter 15: The Rage

Chapter 16: Hard Choice to Make

Chapter 17: Through the Camera’s Eye

Chapter 18: Words Enough For Me

Chapter 19: The All-Hallowed Albatross

Chapter 20: Dancing in the Past

Chapter 21: The New Professor

Chapter 22: Enigma in Residence

Chapter 23: Rain

Chapter 24: From Fry Pan to Factotum

Chapter 25: Nutty Tina Swanson

Chapter 26: Preternatural Guest

Chapter 27: A New Lease on a Very Old Dream

Chapter 28: Journey of a Thousand Heartaches

Chapter 29: The News That Changed Everything

Chapter 30: Severed Links

Epilogue




Saturday, October 26, 2024

Twenty Questions with Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

Next week, I'm taking my fourth at-home writing retreat, and I have two projects waiting for me.

One, I'm looking for errors in my proof copy of "House on Top of the Hill," which is the third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy.

Two, I'm working on line edits in the third book of the BryonySeries Ruthless trilogy by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara.

That feels like a good reason to repost this blog, which includes the original twenty questions from 2011 before we ever released "Bryony" (the first book ever in the BryonySeries) and the introduction to the reposting in 2015.

We certainly could not have imagined such a writing journey when my family and I first met Ed in a warehouse in 2007 back in our newspaper delivery days.

And we certainly could never have imagined that we'd still be on the journey nearly two decades later.

The journey has developed our writing, developed us as people, and blossomed into friendship.

What's especially interesting to me is seeing Ed's version of the Ruthless dictator (a hybrid of himself) turn into an unreliable narrator, who is then challenged by another character to use his ruthlessness and vampirism for good, which then becomes Ed the author again, who now wants to use his time write a book that doesn't include himself for a character.

So here is the insight for those of us who enjoy art and for those of us who create art: art has the ability to transform us.

Whether that transformation is good or evil is up to us.

Happy Saturday!



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 fictionalized 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 IrelandIreland 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.”








Friday, October 25, 2024

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Oct. 19 to Oct. 25

 Good morning!

I have sixteen stories to share with you today at the bottom of this post (it's been a very busy week) with more stories going live over the weekend and next week, when I'm off work for my fourth at-home writing retreat of 2024.

So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

But before the stories, I have a list of additional updates, resources, and information. Please check them out, too.

And if you'd like to find more kindness in your life, consider this book.

And have a great Friday!

Event Updates

The BryonySeries Halloween display is up at The Book Market. Along with seven curated BryonySeries books for you to browse and buy, the display features all-new Halloween Ribbit-Ribbits from Cindy - and some free gifts with purchase while supplies last. So please do check it out.

We are also participating in two more events (so far) this month

Today: The Book Market in Crest Hill from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oct. 30: Black Cat Curiosities in Joliet with WriteOn member Cean Magosky as part of the Joliet City Center Partnership's "Spirits with the Spirits" event.

BryonySeries books-in-progress

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. The proof copy arrived on Wednesday, and I'm already working on copyedits. We are still estimating a late 2024 release date for this book, with copies available for sale at WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party on Dec. 5.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: No updates here in a very long time, mostly because Timothy and Daniel are super busy with school on top of work (and plenty of work-related traveling). However, I outlined a "bonus" book that is intended for distribution at Bicentennial's "Ye Olde Mayfest" event in 2025. Here is a recap of the 2024 event.

Timothy said his concept for the next book in the actual series will be slightly dark ("slightly" because it's for kids, too) and will involve an old toy store. We are also working on the last book in the series (but it's not the final book, if that makes sense). Timothy is actually writing that one. In order to make progress on any of this, Timothy is hoping to schedule a "Cornell breakfast." But Timothy and Daniel are very busy with work and school right now. We've scheduled and broke several Cornell breakfasts in 2023 and 2024. Our last one was July 2022. So we are LONG, LONG, LONG overdue.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright, who welcomed her first child into the world in April, has already started working on the cover portrait. I've neglected this book for a few months and hope to revisit it soon. We wanted to release it in late 2024, but 2024 has been a challenging year. I'm shooting for early 2025.

Jennifer designed the cover portraits for "Julie and the Too-Hard Homework," "Katie and the Big Fear," "Summer Sisters." and "Karla Joins In," as well as the frontispiece for Lycanthropic Summer.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very slowly) updating the BryonySeries YouTube and Pinterest accounts. And she' catching up with Kindles for some of the BryonySeries books. So do watch for those.

And finally...

The manuscript for Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara's third book in his Ruthless trilogy is submitted and will be my next editing project once "House on Top of the Hill" is complete. Ed

s first book is "Ruthless," his second is "The Fifth," and he is also the author of "Denise Unland's Irish Genealogy."

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

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Sue's Diner is a fictional restaurant in the fictional Munsonville that only exists in the BryonySeries.

Each Wednesday, we post a new recipe. The recipe is either featured in one of our cookbooks, will be featured in an upcoming cookbook, or is just an "extra" we want to share with you.

Check out the recipe here.

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 and two ways to attend meetings. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every 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 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 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 haven't posted anything on Twitter/X (except a daily Bible verse) since September I can no longer schedule posts in advance. I'm not sure yet how to manage the account without that option. But you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I used to curated content relating to the BryonySeries on Twitter/X at @BryonySeries and still post assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeriesyoutube.com/user/BryonySeries, and themes of each book in the BryonySeries at pinterest.com/bryonyseries.

Again, not sure yet about the direction of the BryonySeries Twitter/X account. Still mulling that over.

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

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

Lightways Hospice in Joliet dedicates street to former CEO Duane Krieger

The late Shorewood resident and former Will Co. coroner led way for the first in-patient hospice in Illinois

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/24/lightways-hospice-in-joliet-honors-former-ceo/

Plainfield couple turns events into festival fun with Mr. Salty Eats

Jeremy Olson: ‘Nobody brings the festival to you like we do’

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/10/20/plainfield-couples-mr-salty-catering-puts-personal-flair-on-festival-food/

The Clifton restaurant in Plainfield blends sophistication with ‘a little bit of everything’

Restaurant owner Dan Tacone: ‘We wanted to build with our community’

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/10/11/the-clifton-in-plainfield-blends-sophistication-with-a-little-bit-of-everything/

Baran-Unland: Check out winning downtown Joliet Halloween windows

Vicki Sanchez, Joliet City Center Partnership: ‘You can tell who really loves Halloween’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/20/baran-unland-check-out-winning-downtown-joliet-halloween-windows/

Joliet Central teacher records Halloween tunes for music video

Rich Goberville wanted to write lyrics that were ‘fun and catchy’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/19/joliet-central-teacher-records-halloween-tunes-for-music-video/

Haunted Plainfield yard pays tribute to pop culture horror

Dave and Aubrey Appel of Plainfield also received their 1st major commission

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/22/haunted-plainfield-yard-pays-tribute-to-pop-culture-horror/

Joliet’s St. Joseph Church will remain a stand-alone church

Joliet Diocese Bishop Ronald Hicks won’t appeal Rome’s decision

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/18/joliet-st-joseph-church-will-remain-a-stand-alone-church/

Silver Cross New Lenox opens outpatient heart and vascular center

Center provides ‘more comfortable atmosphere’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/21/silver-cross-new-lenox-opens-outpatient-heart-and-vascular-center/

Personal training company moved Shorewood

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/19/personal-training-company-moved-shorewood/

Joliet Brats, Bourbon and Brews benefits veterans

Tickets available for Tuesday evening

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/20/joliet-brats-bourbon-brews-benefits-veterans/

Elite Tea shop opens in Plainfield

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/17/elite-tea-opens-in-plainfield/

Joliet chamber seeking ‘Great Teachers’ nominations

Nomination deadline is Nov. 11

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/22/joliet-chamber-seeking-great-teachers-nominations/

Plainfield police host site for drug take-back event Saturday

Controlled, noncontrolled and over-the-counter medications may be dropped off

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/23/plainfield-police-host-site-for-drug-take-back-event-on-saturday/

Plainfield’s Werk Force Brewing wins 2 medals at beer festival

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/25/plainfields-werk-force-brewing-wins-2-medals-at-beer-festival/

Pets of the Week: Oct. 21, 2024

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/10/21/pets-of-the-week-oct-21-2024/

5 Things to Do in Will County: Time for Trunk and Treats

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/10/24/5-things-to-do-in-will-county-time-for-trunk-and-treats/

 


 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"