The official blog of Denise M. Baran-Unland, author. Discover her books for all ages at bryonyseries.com.
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Friday, September 29, 2017
Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Sept. 22 through Sept. 29
Several recaps today, stories and what's in store tomorrow at the White Oak Author Fest in Crest Hill.
First, the event:
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
Next, what I personally have in store for those who stop at my table to say, "Hi" to me, Rebekah, and/or Bertrand (Yes, of course, Bertrand will be there).
1) A variety of BryonySeries product for sale: books, cookbooks, and bryony-themed homemade soy candles in five scents. Steep discounts on proof copies of Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone. (new copies haven't arrived yet).
2) Assorted small giveaways for kids (sticks, eraser, plastic spiders, and the like).
3) Free gift of sample chapter from Before the Blood when you sign up for the upcoming BryonySeries newsletter.
4) A chance to win a BryonySeries basket full of great BryonySeries stuff.
5) A chance to win the out-of-print 2012 holiday edition of Visage. (It's the only place where I'm photographed as a kangaroo. Seriously).
6) For those who've read Bryony: Play the Bryony trivia game and win a 20 percent discount on anything for sale on my table. Play as many times as you like. Each win gets you another 20 percent discount.
7) Information on upcoming releases.
8) Information on WriteOn Joliet and WriteOn Joliet's upcoming open mic night.
Hope to see you there!
Moving on...
Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. Your support is greatly appreciated.
First, the event:
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
Etc: Local authors, talks (book preservation and Illinois Author Project), and bookish crafts. BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: whiteoakauthorfest.org.Next, what I personally have in store for those who stop at my table to say, "Hi" to me, Rebekah, and/or Bertrand (Yes, of course, Bertrand will be there).
1) A variety of BryonySeries product for sale: books, cookbooks, and bryony-themed homemade soy candles in five scents. Steep discounts on proof copies of Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone. (new copies haven't arrived yet).
2) Assorted small giveaways for kids (sticks, eraser, plastic spiders, and the like).
3) Free gift of sample chapter from Before the Blood when you sign up for the upcoming BryonySeries newsletter.
4) A chance to win a BryonySeries basket full of great BryonySeries stuff.
5) A chance to win the out-of-print 2012 holiday edition of Visage. (It's the only place where I'm photographed as a kangaroo. Seriously).
6) For those who've read Bryony: Play the Bryony trivia game and win a 20 percent discount on anything for sale on my table. Play as many times as you like. Each win gets you another 20 percent discount.
7) Information on upcoming releases.
8) Information on WriteOn Joliet and WriteOn Joliet's upcoming open mic night.
Hope to see you there!
Moving on...
Where to find my non-bylined works?
Local events: Pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars: where to find them? Under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down. Assembled by moi.
Local events: Pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars: where to find them? Under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down. Assembled by moi.
More local events: Gotta Do It, also by me, runs each Sunday in the People section.
Community news: Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web and in web on other days as I have the time: Monday (pets), Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (arts and entertainment), and Sunday (people).
Daily updates: I do post the briefs and calendars 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
Minooka woman discovers 'The Way'
By Jean Tyrell
This past summer in July, Pam Boucher of Elwood and I were
able to walk one of the Camino routes and I got to experience what it means to
be a modern day pilgrim.
An Extraordinary Life: Minooka man wrestled giants and slew dragons
"As little boys, we believe our dads can wrestle
giants, slay dragons, and protect us from monsters," Jason Strode, of Wilmington,
wrote in his father Dave Strode's eulogy. "Now that I am grown with a wife
and children of my own, I see that my dad did wrestle giants, slay dragons, and
fight monsters, but they were far scarier than those I imagined as a
child."
Mokena girl is best in her class
On Aug. 23, Lyla
Grace Wroble of Mokena won the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville,
Kentucky, for her age group.
At 10, Lyla takes her win in stride. Whether she rides for
pleasure or competition, it’s ultimately a fun experience, Lyla said.
Pets of the Week: Sept. 25
Read the caption of each photo to find out about that pet,
including where he or she can be adopted.
Joliet chef's on his third TV show
At 9 p.m. Sept. 27 on the Food Network Joliet Junior College
pastry chef Andy Chlebana was one of eight chefs competing for the title
Best Baker in America.
In Q&A format, he discusses the show's
premise, his past TV competition experiences and why he loves competing.
Joliet pagan group puts its own spin on Thanksgiving and new
beginnings
At the center of the celebration for Treibh na Tintean is
Mabon, a Welsh god.
“He’s kind of an obscure god who represents the great
hunter,” Sandy Costa said. “He’s also a god of light and youth and strength. And
although there is no real evidence the holiday was meant to be named after him,
he’s a very good symbol of it.”
Joliet Franciscan captures the extraordinary in the ordinary
As Sister Marianne Saieg's ministry brochure states, "embedded in
Franciscan spirituality and with a passion for beauty, she illuminates the
ordinary as an extraordinary means to encounter the holy."
Patriotic quilt at Joliet VFW will benefit veterans
Admirers of her patriotic quilt have offered to pay Cheryl Kraus of Joliet to make quilts for them, too, but Cheryl had to decline.
"I quilt for my own pleasure," she said.
And, in this case, to support veterans, too.
Thursday, September 28, 2017
BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Setting and POV or What my Architect Father Inadvertently Taught My About World-Building
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Years ago, when my first husband and I were in the process
of buying our first house, I brought my architect father with me to check out
each possibility, well, the ones my husband and I both agreed were
possibilities. For him, the more modern, the more trendy, the better. For me,
the more vintage and within our price range, the better.
I learned a lot about fiction that way.
While I noted high ceilings, large rooms, sufficient
bedrooms for our current brood (three at the time) with room to grow that
family, whether or not such and such a room would need redecorating, and the
size of the yard so the kids would have room to play, my father was checking
out other things: the number of outlets in a room (should be one to each wall),
amps or breakers and their number (breakers preferred), if the electric was up
to current code, the amount of insulation in the attic, the heat source (He
sternly advised against gravity heat in a three-story house), the last well
test, and the location of the septic field. He'd even want to get up on the
roof.
Creating a plausible setting for your story is more than
simply describing the landscape. Setting has everything to do with your characters.
Most of us, perhaps without realizing it, do not just notice our settings, we
filter them, AND we react to them.
Suppose two of my sons - Christopher and Timothy - take me
to a cell phone store to buy a cell phone for me. Since I don't understand the
technology (even when it's explained to me), I usually let them do the sorting
out of possibilities, while I wander around.
Both boys have a solid understanding of current products and
can discuss cell phones for hours (Literally). Christopher, like his father,
veers towards the newest, the latest, the whistles and bells - the obtaining
of the most options for his money - and he will negotiate anything and
everything in order to get as much free stuff as possible. He will also zero in
on the sales person he will be most likely to "persuade" into those
things. Timothy wants to discuss battery life, memory storage, the pros and
cons of each brand and the specs of company that produces those phones, the
contract terms.
Both boys will agree on free upgrades and the necessity of
my phone fitting into pockets of chick jeans, which are notoriously teeny.
Apparently, clothing designers can't understand some women like their clothing
to be functional, as well as decorative.
So when describing a room, a landscape, a town, a person,
remember that it's usually from the point view from the character noticing it.
This will help you add the details and the ruminations particular to that
character.
Some examples from my books:
Her mother
parked in front of a dingy, squat-looking building, Sue’s Diner. Brian turned
and rolled his eyes. Melissa mouthed back, probably get food poisoning.
She fretted about the report all the way past Main Street,
which now split in two. One road led into the deeper part of the woods; the other
wound up the hill toward their new home. Brian wiggled and bounced to see
everything at once. The tops of the lush, profuse trees touched each other, but
the sun filtered through the leaves and formed lacy patterns on the asphalt.
Lake Munson, full of ducks and geese, rippled a clear blue-green.
Big deal, she thought, catching herself watching them,
determined to find nothing redeeming about her new home. Who cares about a
bunch of old birds?
The box-shaped cottage was too flat, too old, too gray, too
small, and most of all, too ugly. The Grover’s Park ranch, with grey-blue
siding, black shutters, and a manicured yard with a few perennials and tomato
plants, had been home. This could never be home.
She took three steps down the creaking stairs and glimpsed
an old furnace and a washer and drier. Melissa couldn’t imagine doing laundry
in that musty place, where snakes might lurk. She’d let Brian do it. He’d
probably find it fun.
A wrought iron sign hanging from a small one-story building
advertised homemade soaps, while the wood sign posted on the two-story home
next door promoted its hand-dipped candles, which reminded Melissa of the
candelabra on John’s desk inside Simons Mansion’s library.
One step inside Rudy’s, a large Queen Anne of reddish-brown
stone, and Melissa knew Jenny had understated its elegance. To one side of the
main lobby sat a concert grand piano, although not, Melissa thought smugly, a
Schwechten.
Two boys shouldering
matching blue-gray vinyl bags soon joined them. The taller boy had neatly
combed sandy hair, gold-wire glasses, bow-shaped lips, and a serious face. His
much thinner companion, with wispy brown hair and a scrawny mustache, winked at
Tracy, and she blushed, the first time Melissa had seen her even slightly
flustered. The boys unzipped their bags and removed shoes, several balls of
different styles and weights, wrist braces, and monogrammed hand towels.
“I think I’m in the wrong place,” Melissa said.
Julie set her own ball on the return and grinned. “You’ll do
fine. Let’s go find you a ball.”
An angry clicking sounded from the pond’s edge, and a cloud
of monarch butterflies shot from the purple milkweed, hotly pursuing the flower
sprites that preyed on their nectar. A hearty laugh broke through John-Peter’s
lips and fluttered away into the woods. Although reluctant to leave such
serenity, he stood, hungry now for something more than dandelions and ground
beetles. He chuckled to himself. Those butterflies would never catch the fairy
pack, especially with Aodhan leading it.
The oak trees surrounding him moaned his name, and the cool
breeze rippled their leaves, as well as the tender grasses, causing them to
dance about his feet. John-Peter, the
oaks' national hero, acknowledged their greeting with a detached nod. From
here, the earth sloped downward, but John-Peter saw the top of the thatched
roof of the tiny mud and grass cottage he forsook centuries ago. Even before he
reached his home, he spied the overgrown weeds of what used to be his garden
and decided he might have to hoe and plant before he brought the princess here,
just in case she didn’t hunt for her food. Still, he waded through the tall
greenery and stumbled upon a few cabbages and potatoes, entirely inappropriate
for an ancient, abandoned, Irish garden, but this wasn’t his fantasy, and,
besides, he was plenty thankful for their existence. He gathered an armful of
food and trotted back to the cottage. Today’s breakfast, at least, was assured,
thanks to the steward’s benevolence. He noted the cord of wood, as he pushed
through the grassy, rear doorway. What a surprise. That wood should have rotted
eons ago.
On Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation when Abbot was in
town, father and son attended High Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, its
Federal-style architecture and plaster ceiling and walls resembling home: hard,
beautiful, and cold. As erect and immobile as the marble statues, but not
nearly so tall, Abbot stood beside his son, and, to the accompaniment of the
Erben organ, sang those majestic Latin hymns in a strong and powerful tenor
voice.
The outline of buildings came into view. John slowed his
pace. He couldn't avoid spending his summer as a chore boy, but he could delay
it. The white farmhouse, trimmed in dark gray, looked fresh and inviting in the
early morning light. The shutters were still closed, a sign that the aged
mistress of the farm, bound in the distance ancient sycamores, hadn't yet
stirred. He rode straight back to the barns. Despite their age, they, too,
appeared sturdy and well maintained, almost as if recently built. John hitched
the horse and went inside the first one, meandering through the large building,
gazing from side to side at the sleek thoroughbreds. The condition of the barn
was impeccable. How had a single, elderly woman managed it, and did the widow
really require his services?
Posted by Denise M. Baran-Unland at 5:54 AM
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Interested in the BryonySeries Newsletter?
Last year over Thanksgiving weekend, I wrote out a four-page, comprehensive, well-researched marketing plan for the BryonySeries, of which I've expanded this past year.
One part of the plan was a weekly BryonySeries newsletter. I'm starting one in early 2018.
The newsletter will contain updates about the series and quite a bit of curated content as I'm an avid cross-promoter. These will include related articles on topics pertaining to the series; useful information on writing, editing, and publishing for authors; themed recipes; vintage poetry and short stories; ways to connect with other WriteOn Joliet authors; and even products in related themes, most of which are available on Etsy.
How to sign up: message me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.
Or stop y my table at one of the upcoming author fairs. Information on those fairs are HERE.
As a courtesy for signing up, I'll send you the first chapter in the fifth and final novel in my work-in-progress BryonySeries prequel, Before the Blood.
Of course, opting out of the newsletter is always an option.
Either way, thank you for your support. Writing a satisfying story for you, the reader, is the entire point of the series.
One part of the plan was a weekly BryonySeries newsletter. I'm starting one in early 2018.
The newsletter will contain updates about the series and quite a bit of curated content as I'm an avid cross-promoter. These will include related articles on topics pertaining to the series; useful information on writing, editing, and publishing for authors; themed recipes; vintage poetry and short stories; ways to connect with other WriteOn Joliet authors; and even products in related themes, most of which are available on Etsy.
How to sign up: message me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.
Or stop y my table at one of the upcoming author fairs. Information on those fairs are HERE.
As a courtesy for signing up, I'll send you the first chapter in the fifth and final novel in my work-in-progress BryonySeries prequel, Before the Blood.
Of course, opting out of the newsletter is always an option.
Either way, thank you for your support. Writing a satisfying story for you, the reader, is the entire point of the series.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Some Upcoming Author Events, Some Giveaways
It's countdown time!
I've made a list and am obsessively checking it a gazillion times! Am I ready for the author fairs?
Well:
1) BryonySeries books for sale, six titles in all (so far). CHECK!
2) BryonySeries table decor. CHECK! (But what to choose? I've got so much...)
3) BryonySeries homemade soy candles (by Valerie's Heavenly Scents) in five scents (bryony, purple rose, Lake Munson, Simons Woods, Sue's Diner) to sell. CHECK!
4) Freebies for kids (stickers, erasers, etc.). CHECK!
5) BryonySeries trivia contest (correct answers get you discounts). CHECK-sih (where did I put those slips?)
6) Holiday edition of Visage to raffle off. CHECK!
7) Free chapter from the BryonySeries prequel Before the Blood (as gift for signing up for the upcoming BryonSeries newsletter). Almost check. Need to print out.
8) Discounts on select products. CHECK-ish (almost done)
9) Information on upcoming releases (Information, yes. Hand-out cards, not yet).
10) Raffle basket items. CHECK! (But you have to stop by my table to know what they are).
ANTHOLOGY RELEASE PARTY
WriteOn Joliet will release its first anthology Write Where We Are in approximately one month. The editing/formatting is done; the cover art is designed, and the whole was uploaded to Createspace (again) this weekend (had some shifting issues). Hopefully it's fixed this time and them, voila!
The anthology will contain essays, poetry, short stories, one novella, and one excerpt from my BryonSeries prequel in progress, Before the Blood.
Copies should be available online Nov. 1, but if you'd like autographed copies and an opportunity to meet the writers (along with checking out their other works), plan to attend this event:
WriteOn Joliet Anthology Release Party
When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17
Where: The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road in Crest Hill
Information: www.writeonjoliet.com.
AUTHOR FAIRS
A number of WriteOn Joliet authors (including moi) will be participating in the following events. I'll be raffling off a basket of BryonySeries stuff and giving away a chapter from Before the Blood as a thank you gift for signing up for my newsletter, which begins in 2018.
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
I've made a list and am obsessively checking it a gazillion times! Am I ready for the author fairs?
Well:
1) BryonySeries books for sale, six titles in all (so far). CHECK!
2) BryonySeries table decor. CHECK! (But what to choose? I've got so much...)
3) BryonySeries homemade soy candles (by Valerie's Heavenly Scents) in five scents (bryony, purple rose, Lake Munson, Simons Woods, Sue's Diner) to sell. CHECK!
4) Freebies for kids (stickers, erasers, etc.). CHECK!
5) BryonySeries trivia contest (correct answers get you discounts). CHECK-sih (where did I put those slips?)
6) Holiday edition of Visage to raffle off. CHECK!
7) Free chapter from the BryonySeries prequel Before the Blood (as gift for signing up for the upcoming BryonSeries newsletter). Almost check. Need to print out.
8) Discounts on select products. CHECK-ish (almost done)
9) Information on upcoming releases (Information, yes. Hand-out cards, not yet).
10) Raffle basket items. CHECK! (But you have to stop by my table to know what they are).
ANTHOLOGY RELEASE PARTY
WriteOn Joliet will release its first anthology Write Where We Are in approximately one month. The editing/formatting is done; the cover art is designed, and the whole was uploaded to Createspace (again) this weekend (had some shifting issues). Hopefully it's fixed this time and them, voila!
The anthology will contain essays, poetry, short stories, one novella, and one excerpt from my BryonSeries prequel in progress, Before the Blood.
Copies should be available online Nov. 1, but if you'd like autographed copies and an opportunity to meet the writers (along with checking out their other works), plan to attend this event:
WriteOn Joliet Anthology Release Party
When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17
Where: The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road in Crest Hill
Information: www.writeonjoliet.com.
AUTHOR FAIRS
A number of WriteOn Joliet authors (including moi) will be participating in the following events. I'll be raffling off a basket of BryonySeries stuff and giving away a chapter from Before the Blood as a thank you gift for signing up for my newsletter, which begins in 2018.
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
Etc: Local authors, talks (book preservation and Illinois Author Project), and bookish crafts. BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: whiteoakauthorfest.org.
Oswego Literary Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 7
Where: Oswego Public Library, 32 Jefferson St., Oswego
Etc: Local authors, BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: www.oswegoil.org
Indie Author Day
What: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 14
Where: Plainfield Public Library, 15025 S. Illinois St., Plainfield
Etc: Local authors, BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: plainfieldpubliclibrary.org
WriteOn Joliet Open Night Mic
When: 6 p.m. Nov. 2
Where: Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, Joliet (inside the Joliet Public Library)
Etc: WriteOn Joliet will read excerpts from their works and share information about the upcoming anthology and Nov. 17's anthology release party.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: writeonJoliet.com or www.bryonyseries.com
Below, BryonySeries candles in all five scents. They come in four different sizes. Along with other projects, Rebekah and I are working on the BryonySeries store, where you can buy our various BryonySeries products, whose selection is growing all the time. :)
Below, BryonySeries candles in all five scents. They come in four different sizes. Along with other projects, Rebekah and I are working on the BryonySeries store, where you can buy our various BryonySeries products, whose selection is growing all the time. :)
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Sue's Diner: Cucumbers and Tomatoes By Justine Evirs
Melissa is thrilled when John finally invites her
to a picnic away from the mansion, just the two of them. Of course, John feels
Bryga packed enough food to feed them for a week, but even that careless remark
couldn’t completely dampen Melissa’s excitement of being alone with John.
One of those items was a pasta salad with vegetables. Justine Evirs makes one just like it and supplied the recipe.
One of those items was a pasta salad with vegetables. Justine Evirs makes one just like it and supplied the recipe.
Saturday, September 23, 2017
Ed Calkins on Asian Carp and Neanderthals
Dear MOMI (Mistress of My Immortality)
I've been a little reoccupied lately on the problem of Asian Carp. Every time I think of some plan to handle it, I get distracted.
Now, if you're assuming that the problem I'm working on is about invasive species, I might point out the hypocrisy inherent on humans calling that out. Talk to whales, and they'll tell you that the oceans were fine before mankind invented ships. I'm sure birds, although I've not verbal conformation, feel the same way about planes and skies.
Nowhere however, is the hypocrisy of invasive species more apparent than to Neanderthals. I'm speaking of the great undocumented migration of Homo Sapiens from Africa into Europe. As you may recall, (I'm not suggesting you're old enough to remember this so you have to take my word for it), before this time, all of humanity (I exclude Neanderthals, which my be a prejudice.) lived on tropical lake front property around the area that is the Sahara desert today. This lake in the tongue of ancient caveman was called 'Uga Buga Wuga' which means "a really nice place to live." (I'll write later on what it will be called).
You know the bit about every 20 thousand years the earth's tilt and Uga Buga Wuga' dried out, causing waves of impoverished Homo Sapiens to brave the Neanderthal border patrols and cross into "Neatherland" without legal right to do so? The problem got so bad the really big leader of Neatherland called his senators together to demand that a giant wall be invented first, then built. As you know, despite this ingenious preemptive attempt to keep Neatherland great, humans continued to pour into Europe without even an attempt to assimilate into Neatherland culture.
Archaeological evidence shows that humans stayed, Neanderthals didn't, and no wall was ever invited or built. Reasons why may be politically divisive and so I will not lend my name to the debate. Let it not be said, however, that these primates did nothing, for on the borders they posted signs presumed to discourage illegal immigration.
As to theories on what drove Neanderthals into extinction, they have that political problem as well so I can pretend that I don't know (as do you (because I told you)), that it was the Ug-Lee syndrome.
Oh yes, I was talking about the fish. See what I mean.
Okay.
Remember, the twenty thousands years land grab for lake front property around the Sahara is going to be a giant lake again in a mere ten thousand years. I mean to own that lake by buying all the land around it and making it the best place in the world to fish, but also the safest.
Using selective spawning, I'd hoped to evolve a fish that grows very big, taste like lobster or steak, and then bites a sinker, grips its mouth tightly around it, and doesn't let go until its safely in the net. Sounds great, right?
The problem is the Asian Carp has that beat for fishermen. It grows big, tastes good (although not quite like surf and turf) and jumps right in the boat as you pass. How am I suppose to beat that? I'd have to breed a fish that cooks itself!
There's another matter of which I find some discomfort in mentioning; a financial matter. Despite my contempt for such uninteresting considerations, I find myself in need of funds. Well known are the Saudis for valuing their oil wells, but who would have thought they'd value so highly all the land that encircles them?
No, MOMI, I'm not asking you directly for money, you're a writer; you don't have two pennies to rub together. I'm asking you to solicit investors. I'll need one hundred of them at 50 mil a piece. Just tell them that if they give Ed Calkins fifty million dollars, he'll make them rich.
Later on how beer came to Ireland and the Irish came to (back) to Africa.
Also why I haven't read Staked!.
Yet
Ruthlessly yours,
Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara
Friday, September 22, 2017
Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Sept. 17 through Sept. 22
I did ZERO fiction-writing this week but only because I spent that time on marketing and finalizing formatting for a couple of my projects as well as the WriteOn inaugural anthology.
I made a little progress on The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz, but it's progress.
Except for work and working out (some), that was the week. I'm the weekend editor, so I'll be cooking this weekend with Rebekah instead of writing, although if I'm fortunate, I can sneak a little fiction in somewhere. Not anticipating it, though.
For the curious, what does cooking with Rebekah have to do with being the weekend editor?
For the past few months, she and I have been cooking recipes from the BryonySeries cookbook Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony," and posting the results on the Sue's Diner page at www.bryonyseries.com and on this blog.
The only time we have to work on this project together is Saturday afternoons, of which time I'm usually still writing. So we decided to cook for a couple hours on weekend editor Saturdays. We can always pause while I address a work-related issue, and if I'm needed for more than a pause, she can continue cooking.
And there we are. And onward...
Where to find my non-bylined works?
Local events: Pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars: where to find them? Under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down. Assembled by moi.
I made a little progress on The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz, but it's progress.
Except for work and working out (some), that was the week. I'm the weekend editor, so I'll be cooking this weekend with Rebekah instead of writing, although if I'm fortunate, I can sneak a little fiction in somewhere. Not anticipating it, though.
For the curious, what does cooking with Rebekah have to do with being the weekend editor?
For the past few months, she and I have been cooking recipes from the BryonySeries cookbook Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony," and posting the results on the Sue's Diner page at www.bryonyseries.com and on this blog.
The only time we have to work on this project together is Saturday afternoons, of which time I'm usually still writing. So we decided to cook for a couple hours on weekend editor Saturdays. We can always pause while I address a work-related issue, and if I'm needed for more than a pause, she can continue cooking.
And there we are. And onward...
Where to find my non-bylined works?
Local events: Pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars: where to find them? Under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down. Assembled by moi.
More local events: Gotta Do It, also by me, runs each Sunday in the People section.
Community news: Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web and in web on other days as I have the time: Monday (pets), Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (arts and entertainment), and Sunday (people).
Daily updates: I do post the briefs and calendars 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
He's a Joliet music man
"Kevin is an excellent musician," John Herder, Joliet American Legion Band president, said.
"One of the things we liked about Kevin is that his needle points up. His
future is very, very bright. We saw only the upside with Kevin and how he and
the band can grow together."
An Extraordinary Life: A stellar volunteer, a teacher at
heart
After Irene Klindworth's death, her husband Carl said he
learned Irene completed that degree in three years, instead of the typical
four. But it didn’t surprise him.
“She was a very intelligent and strong-willed person. I
don’t know [how] she put up with me,” Carl said. “But she would laugh with me.”
Joliet women help with pet rescue efforts following Hurricane Harvey
"We know how to talk to dogs, vet dogs and clean up after dogs," Peggy Grandahl said. "We saw what was going on and we knew how bad [Hurricane] Katrina was. Knowing the area was underserved and knowing there wasn't enough help, we thought, "Well, we can lend ourselves."
Pets of the Week: Sept. 18
Read the caption of each photo to find out about that pet,
including where he or she can be adopted.
Rock for the babies, comfort the parents
Car seat, crib and bumpers, booties, diapers and hooded
towels: typical items purchased by expecting parents.
They usually don't consider caskets and headstones. But The
TEARS Foundation does.
Coal City chef prepping 'recipe for success'
The owners of Milkman Cafe in Coal City, a meal prep service
that uses locally produced foods, are within a few hundred dollars of their
$8,000 goal. It's an overall modest goal for the food industry, but the Larson
have three big plans for the funds.
Their Kickstarter campaign ends tomorrow at 9:28 p.m.
Channahon pastor didn't give up on God
Rev. Tim Casey often takes people aback.
Especially people who meet him for the first time to discuss
challenges in their lives. Because that's when they find out he's a
quadriplegic and ministers from a wheelchair.
"They say to me, 'I've come to talk to you about my
problems and you have your own problems,' " Casey said.
As Tim looks back on 20 years, he feels life's "worked
out pretty well." But not until he'd traversed some rocky spiritual
terrain.
"I was suicidal, you know," Tim said.
Why does Joliet Junior College own a brand-new harpsichord?
And not just any harpsichord. It's a custom-made,
one-of-a-kind, hand decorated harpsichord, designed in the style of the 17th
century Flemish Ruckers family, who were renowned for their harpsichords.
Artworks: Catching up with Plainfield-based Marina City
Ryan Arghast of Plainfield was just 17 and a Plainfield
North High School student when he launched his pop music career with Toxic
Productions.
Arghast even filmed his music video "Forever 17"
at the school. Watch it on YouTube.
Now in his mid-20s, Arghast is still performing music – as
vocalist for his band Marina City – except the genre has somewhat changed.
Recently, Arghast took a few moments to discuss where the band is now.
Thursday, September 21, 2017
BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: 10 Questions with Videographer Stephen Tuplin
Originally posted in two parts in January 2011.
Stephen Tuplin is working on his last semester at Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, a digital media arts school located in Chicago, Illinois.
Stephen Tuplin is working on his last semester at Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, a digital media arts school located in Chicago, Illinois.
He has agreed to film the Bryony trailer; a music video for
James Onohan (http://www.jamesonohan.com/), the composer/pianist for Bryony;
and a series of interviews with the Bryony team.
Last summer, I had asked
Stephen if he'd like to jump on board because his passion for movies was just
the vision I needed for the Bryony trailer.
Stephen also regularly posts in-depth movie reviews on his
Facebook page. Below is the first of a two-part interview with Stephen.
Connect with Stephen at echowhitefox@yahoo.comecho
whitefox@mac.com
http://flavors.me/echowhitefoxhttp://www.facebook.com/echowhitefoxhttp://twitter.com/#!/echowhitefox.
1) Have you always
been a movie buff? Why?
"Movies have
always been in my life. Some of my best childhood memories involved watching
movies with my family with a roaring fire
in the fireplace. Every time I would watch a movie, I would always get
something from it. I don’t do my homework with the TV on cause I need to watch
what’s on. The way I see it, movies are about entering the world of another
person’s personal vision. Whether it’s a good experience or a bad one, I still
respect all film; someone had the guts to pull it off.
2) When did you first try your hand at filmmaking? What did
you film?
"In the summer of 2003, my friend Luke and I started
production on a film called, “the Squirrel”. It took us about four months to
do. The production had no script; just a handicam and some terrible actors: Us.
Needless to say, this film doesn’t get shown often. Good times though.
3) What made you pursue a filmmaking degree?
"I knew I wanted
to go into filmmaking in high school. People regarded me as the “movie guy” so
I knew it was just in my blood. To be honest, I consider this question done; I
was always going to make movies no matter what.
4) Why did you choose Flashpoint Academy?
"In my senior year of high school, my dad told me about
a new school in Chicago that was all about media arts and filmmaking. He sent
me the link to the website and I signed up for my newsletter. The next day,
after coming home from JJC doing my annoying Gen. Eds, Flashpoint personally
called me. Their policy is to contact everyone who joins their site; this was
encouraging for me. After going on their tour, there really wasn’t any other
school that could satisfy me. Tribeca Flashpoint Academy is an all hands on
school that doesn’t waste my time. Students from Columbia room with students
from Tribeca, and they are always surprised at all the things we get to do.
Word of mouth can contain exaggerations; Tribeca doesn’t need to."
5) Which do you enjoy more, filming or editing? Why?
"The highlight of my year last year was directing. I
get no greater pleasure than working with actors and collaborating with fellow
filmmakers. Editing is just one of the many facets that Tribeca was able to
teach me. Editing is something I enjoy thoroughly, but it’s not something I
would call myself a pro at. The film is crafted, and sometimes saved in the
editing room, but the actual shoot is where my adrenaline is."
6) Where do you hope to use your skills after you graduate?
"I hope to either work for a production company, or do
PA work on shoots happening around Chicago. I’m really open to whatever opens
up. God’s brought me this far; I don’t worry about tomorrow."
7) It's ten years from today. What are you doing?
"I hope to be directing at an independent film company,
perhaps my own."
8) Is creating a compelling book trailer more difficult than
creating a movie trailer? Can you elaborate?
"Well, a trailer consists of footage from a movie that
has already been shot. Since this is a book, it’s more about making it into a
movie and then making a trailer. Since I don’t have the means to do this, it’ll
be more about thinking up specific shots and sequences to film. So, this is
going to be more difficult than a movie trailer; but it’ll still be a
blast."
9) After agreeing to create the Bryony trailer, you offered
to film interviews with members of the Bryony team? Why are these extras
important to have?
"I proposed this because it sounds like your website
for the book is in need of content. Since you’ll have a video for the book, it
only seems more convenient to have face-to-face interviews with those
responsible for the book. Knowing the faces of the people behind a novel causes
a connection for the reader. I find I respect a film more after watching behind
the scenes footage of the filming; a book is no different."
10) What feeling will
people have after viewing the Bryony trailer?
"My goal is to tease the audience with ambiguity and
wonder; but also some surrealism. If the footage is the book's cover, it’s my
goal to make them want to open it."
Wednesday, September 20, 2017
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
For Authors: What Constitutes "Publishing?"
One often hears writers say, "I'm a published author."
But in today's electronic, self-publishing age, what does that mean?
According to Merriam-Webster, publishing is "the business or profession of the commercial production and issuance of literature, information, musical scores or sometimes recordings, or art," such as "newspaper publishing" or "software publishing."
For authors, that process was once straightforward: bundle up manuscripts, ship to publishers, and hope for the best. In the twenty-first century, this feels as outdated as coke syrup for morning sickness.
This doesn't even get into the differences between commercial and creating writing (more on this in another post). For today, let's just touch on the basics.
1) Blogging is considered publishing.
Yes, that's correct. With bloggers often receiving the same first amendment rights as journalists while being held to the same accountability as journalists.
What this means in terms of publishing your short story on your blog or on an online site or a fan fiction page is this: if you wish to submit the same story to a traditional publisher, be aware some publishers might consider the story already published and be disinterested. That's not true of all publishers. But it is something to consider before posting you work anywhere on a whim.
2) The same mindset applies to pay-to-publish companies and true self-publishing.
Yes, they are very different animals. Both can bite whether or not the work does well.
Some traditional publishers want to see high sales before taking a chance. Others will eschew a work with high sales feeling sales are pretty much exhausted. Neither are likely to be interested when sales are poor.
3) The assumption behind the phrase, "I'm a published author."
The assumption is that your work has gone through a vetting process with a traditional publishing house and was accepted for publication.
But this shouldn't knock the accomplishments of writers choosing one of the options in No. 2. It takes discipline to write a book, even if it doesn't approach the editorial standards or commercial expectations of a publishing house. So take pride in that.
4) Being accepted by a traditional publisher isn't a reward for good writing.
True, traditional publishers generally like good writing and will lean toward manuscripts that need little in terms of editing. But traditional publishers are mostly seeking salable works.
If you've written a masterpiece, but the market won't support it, you'll have difficulty finding a traditional home for it, no matter how stellar the writing, plot, characters, world-building is.
Likewise, if you've written a salable masterpiece, but a particular house has already purchased two like it, you'll have difficulty finding a traditional home for it.
Furthermore, a work may need quite a bit of editing and still receive an offer from a traditional publisher simply because the house feels the work will sell well (after the editing).
5) Being accepted by a traditional publisher doesn't mean your work will sell of that you will make lots of money.
Even if you're a "bestseller."
In short, if your goal for a particular work is traditional publishing, the conservative opinion would be to shy away from any forms of publication, including print and "e." Doing otherwise doesn't necessarily mean death for the work. But it might reduce the odds of living in traditional form.
Then again, publishing online might get it noticed. Or garner fans who help get it noticed. Think Amanda Hocking. Or Fifty Shades.
Just don't count on it. Because like many things in life, there are no guarantees when it comes to writing and publishing.
Except one.
There is absolutely no substitute for hard work and the long tail. Meaning, the more you do to perfect your craft and learn the business side of publishing over the long haul (cliche), the more likely you will find a home within its borders.
But in today's electronic, self-publishing age, what does that mean?
According to Merriam-Webster, publishing is "the business or profession of the commercial production and issuance of literature, information, musical scores or sometimes recordings, or art," such as "newspaper publishing" or "software publishing."
For authors, that process was once straightforward: bundle up manuscripts, ship to publishers, and hope for the best. In the twenty-first century, this feels as outdated as coke syrup for morning sickness.
This doesn't even get into the differences between commercial and creating writing (more on this in another post). For today, let's just touch on the basics.
1) Blogging is considered publishing.
Yes, that's correct. With bloggers often receiving the same first amendment rights as journalists while being held to the same accountability as journalists.
What this means in terms of publishing your short story on your blog or on an online site or a fan fiction page is this: if you wish to submit the same story to a traditional publisher, be aware some publishers might consider the story already published and be disinterested. That's not true of all publishers. But it is something to consider before posting you work anywhere on a whim.
2) The same mindset applies to pay-to-publish companies and true self-publishing.
Yes, they are very different animals. Both can bite whether or not the work does well.
Some traditional publishers want to see high sales before taking a chance. Others will eschew a work with high sales feeling sales are pretty much exhausted. Neither are likely to be interested when sales are poor.
3) The assumption behind the phrase, "I'm a published author."
The assumption is that your work has gone through a vetting process with a traditional publishing house and was accepted for publication.
But this shouldn't knock the accomplishments of writers choosing one of the options in No. 2. It takes discipline to write a book, even if it doesn't approach the editorial standards or commercial expectations of a publishing house. So take pride in that.
4) Being accepted by a traditional publisher isn't a reward for good writing.
True, traditional publishers generally like good writing and will lean toward manuscripts that need little in terms of editing. But traditional publishers are mostly seeking salable works.
If you've written a masterpiece, but the market won't support it, you'll have difficulty finding a traditional home for it, no matter how stellar the writing, plot, characters, world-building is.
Likewise, if you've written a salable masterpiece, but a particular house has already purchased two like it, you'll have difficulty finding a traditional home for it.
Furthermore, a work may need quite a bit of editing and still receive an offer from a traditional publisher simply because the house feels the work will sell well (after the editing).
5) Being accepted by a traditional publisher doesn't mean your work will sell of that you will make lots of money.
Even if you're a "bestseller."
In short, if your goal for a particular work is traditional publishing, the conservative opinion would be to shy away from any forms of publication, including print and "e." Doing otherwise doesn't necessarily mean death for the work. But it might reduce the odds of living in traditional form.
Then again, publishing online might get it noticed. Or garner fans who help get it noticed. Think Amanda Hocking. Or Fifty Shades.
Just don't count on it. Because like many things in life, there are no guarantees when it comes to writing and publishing.
Except one.
There is absolutely no substitute for hard work and the long tail. Meaning, the more you do to perfect your craft and learn the business side of publishing over the long haul (cliche), the more likely you will find a home within its borders.
Monday, September 18, 2017
Looking for Good Reads and Free Stuff? Read On!
Looking for good reading material, for you, for other adults, for teens, for kids?
Do you like free stuff? Do you like to win stuff?
Keep reading!
ANTHOLOGY
WriteOn Joliet will release its first anthology Write Where We Are in approximately six weeks. The editing/formatting is done; the cover art is designed, and the whole was uploaded to Createspace this weekend. All that's need is for CS, and then the contributors, to approve the book.
The anthology will contain essays, poetry, short stories, one novella, and one excerpt from my BryonSeries prequel in progress, Before the Blood.
Copies should be available online Nov. 1 with autographed copies on Nov. 17 at WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party, 6 p.m., at The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road in Crest Hill. Details about that event will follow as we get closer to that date.
In the meantime, here's some opportunities to score some great reads (BryonySeries and otherwise) along with free stuff.
AUTHOR FAIRS
A number of WriteOn Joliet authors (including moi) will be participating in the following events. I'll be raffling off a basket of BryonySeries stuff and giving away a chapter from Before the Blood as a thank you gift for signing up for my newsletter, which begins in 2018.
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
In addition to free stuff for kids (stickers, erasers and the like), I'll be giving away several different items at these events. One is a raffle basket full of BryonySeries product. Another is a copy of the out-of-print holiday edition of Visage, the second book in the BryonySeries (the official edition of this book is still available).
The other is a free chapter in the BryonySeries prequel in progress when you sign up for my newsletter, which will begin in early 2018.
I'll also have discounts on select products and information on upcoming releases.
I'll also have a BryonySeries trivia contest. Answer a random question correctly and receive half off any BryonySeries product on my table.
Or simply plan to stop by and chat. I'd love to meet ya. :)
Do you like free stuff? Do you like to win stuff?
Keep reading!
ANTHOLOGY
WriteOn Joliet will release its first anthology Write Where We Are in approximately six weeks. The editing/formatting is done; the cover art is designed, and the whole was uploaded to Createspace this weekend. All that's need is for CS, and then the contributors, to approve the book.
The anthology will contain essays, poetry, short stories, one novella, and one excerpt from my BryonSeries prequel in progress, Before the Blood.
Copies should be available online Nov. 1 with autographed copies on Nov. 17 at WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party, 6 p.m., at The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road in Crest Hill. Details about that event will follow as we get closer to that date.
In the meantime, here's some opportunities to score some great reads (BryonySeries and otherwise) along with free stuff.
AUTHOR FAIRS
A number of WriteOn Joliet authors (including moi) will be participating in the following events. I'll be raffling off a basket of BryonySeries stuff and giving away a chapter from Before the Blood as a thank you gift for signing up for my newsletter, which begins in 2018.
White Oak Author Fest:
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.,
Where: White Oak Library, Crest Hill Branch, 20670 Len Kubinski Drive, Crest Hill
Etc: Local authors, talks (book preservation and Illinois Author Project), and bookish crafts. BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: whiteoakauthorfest.org.
Oswego Literary Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 7
Where: Oswego Public Library, 32 Jefferson St., Oswego
Etc: Local authors, BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: www.oswegoil.org
Indie Author Day
What: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 14
Where: Plainfield Public Library, 15025 S. Illinois St., Plainfield
Etc: Local authors, BryonySeries books and other merchandise for sale, giveaways and raffle baskets. Free to attend.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: plainfieldpubliclibrary.org
WriteOn Joliet Open Night Mic
When: 6 p.m. Nov. 2
Where: Book and Bean Cafe, 3395 Black Road, Joliet (inside the Joliet Public Library)
Etc: WriteOn Joliet will read excerpts from their works and share information about the upcoming anthology and Nov. 17's anthology release party.
Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com
Visit: writeonJoliet.com or www.bryonyseries.com
GIVEAWAYS/DISCOUNTS
In addition to free stuff for kids (stickers, erasers and the like), I'll be giving away several different items at these events. One is a raffle basket full of BryonySeries product. Another is a copy of the out-of-print holiday edition of Visage, the second book in the BryonySeries (the official edition of this book is still available).
The other is a free chapter in the BryonySeries prequel in progress when you sign up for my newsletter, which will begin in early 2018.
I'll also have discounts on select products and information on upcoming releases.
I'll also have a BryonySeries trivia contest. Answer a random question correctly and receive half off any BryonySeries product on my table.
Or simply plan to stop by and chat. I'd love to meet ya. :)
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Sue's Diner: What's Cooking?
Unfortunately, nothing since I've returned from Raleigh.
Between vacation catch-up (work, hearth, working out), weekend editor duties, editing and formatting an anthology for WriteOn Joliet, working on Before the Blood (and falling way behind on the second Cornell Dyer book), getting two more Bertrand The Mouse books ready for publication, and planning for four author events this fall...well, you see what I mean.
However, Rebekah and I have selected more recipes and, unless something extremely pressing intervenes, we will be back in the kitchen on Saturday.
In the meantime, please consider purchasing a copy of the cookbook from whence we are cooking: Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."
Between its pages are many Victorian and 1970s recipes to try, everything from boiled calves head to pizza, all grounded in Bryony, with references to the storyline. Even if you don't like to cook (or eat), the book is fun reading for history and/or BryonySeries buffs.
It makes a great gift for any age (Christmas is coming) all proceeds are donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties.
For an autographed copy, email me at bryonyseries.com.
To order a copy, visit www.bryonseries.com.
Between vacation catch-up (work, hearth, working out), weekend editor duties, editing and formatting an anthology for WriteOn Joliet, working on Before the Blood (and falling way behind on the second Cornell Dyer book), getting two more Bertrand The Mouse books ready for publication, and planning for four author events this fall...well, you see what I mean.
However, Rebekah and I have selected more recipes and, unless something extremely pressing intervenes, we will be back in the kitchen on Saturday.
In the meantime, please consider purchasing a copy of the cookbook from whence we are cooking: Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."
Between its pages are many Victorian and 1970s recipes to try, everything from boiled calves head to pizza, all grounded in Bryony, with references to the storyline. Even if you don't like to cook (or eat), the book is fun reading for history and/or BryonySeries buffs.
It makes a great gift for any age (Christmas is coming) all proceeds are donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties.
For an autographed copy, email me at bryonyseries.com.
To order a copy, visit www.bryonseries.com.
Saturday, September 16, 2017
The Ruthless Times (First Edition of Ed Calkins' Free Newspaper)
For the backstory of The Ruthless Times (not to be confused with The Munsonville Times), read last week's post HERE.
Weather:
Ruthlessly hot, cold, mild, raining, snowing, earthquakes, hurricanes, lava flows, or any number of things depending on where you are. (hint; look up at the sky.)
No major Ice Ages since the last publication, and only one major flood.
No major life-as-we-know-it-ends meteor showers in the last 20k years, but hey, we're due so have your Utopian underground city built, stocked, and ready. (You should let Ed Calkins know where it is.)
Top Stories:
Nothing really.
A bunch of wars and stuff.
The Fountain of Tooth was never found (the Spanish mistranslated concept (Fountain of Youth) sounded good. Actually it was merely a stream of with a high concentration of fluoride that native American dentists where rumored to have stolen. (More likely, it was the IVA as tooth decay can be a problem.))
Egypt got rid of its pharaohs, Rome got rid of its empire, Barbarians got rid of the Romans, and China started drinking tea.
New Zealand (pronounce new 'Z' land) and Nazis (pronounced 'not Zs') both had unrelated unimportant wars, but the names were made up to incite mythological relief from the boring truth.
Some people went into outer space, but they came back.
A few went to the moon and found it so disappointing they left without picking up their stuff. Since then, no one has gone back.
Recent stuff:
Again, nothing much.
The ruthlessly independent state of Texas undid its 'second largest' static by leaving the Untied States and joining the larger-then-Alaska Gulf of Mexico.
In Florida, a president had to cancel his tee time, and the weather there came northward thus revising the habit of northern people going south for that weather.
North Korea has become a problem with its new intercontinental launching accuracy. Its rockets still can't hit the right continent, but every time they launch a threat it hits the White House between the ears.
Aliens are in the news largely because they're because unwelcome for some reason. (Hint: just impose a tax on flying saucers).
On this date one thousand years from now:
Lets see, 3017 right? The Twitter-Face Book Global War rages on leaving anarchy and lawlessness across the once civilized world but its not all gloom. There is a lot of doom as well.
With more the 60 per cent of the world's population living in the catatonic state of post-apocalyptic insults, the reminder of people are reduced to using AOL and Prodigy (as predicted by the education "How to Sacrifice a Virgin" piece once posted)
Some cold wars between nations are more traditional. The Rocky Islands and the Alp Islands fight limerick-laced differences on global warming. Both sides disbelieve it, but each claims the other is propagating its heresy in an effort to incite panic. Both sides promise a nuclear solution to the war as soon as a way to haul ballistic missiles from the ocean floor, dry them out on the surface, and build new missiles site to launch them can be completed.
McDonald's presents its civil case against the Bryony crop. for using the signage "Over "# million sold" over its bookstores. (the # here is used to mark an unknown amount. Who wants to spoil the surprise?)
Friday, September 15, 2017
Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Sept. 10 through Sept. 15
Other than work (which you'll find below) and working out, what did I do this week?
I began The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz, the least I could so since he sent it to me. A BryonySeries fan feels he and I have similar writing styles, so I'm reading it on two levels. So far, not seeing any similarities, but I AM enjoying it.
The WriteOn Joliet anthology is edited, very nearly formatted, and has a cover created by Sue Mydliak, a member of the group and the illustrator for Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone. I began an account for the group and plan to upload anthology this weekend.
I worked on SEO for the bryonyseries website.
Tomorrow I'm working on Before the Blood. Rebekah is planning to format two more Bertrand the Mouse books so I have them for upcoming events. But that's after today, which is full of deadlines and interviews.
And there we are! And onward...
Where to find non-bylined stuff?
Local events: Health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars: where to find them? Under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down. Assembled by moi.
I began The Silent Corner by Dean Koontz, the least I could so since he sent it to me. A BryonySeries fan feels he and I have similar writing styles, so I'm reading it on two levels. So far, not seeing any similarities, but I AM enjoying it.
The WriteOn Joliet anthology is edited, very nearly formatted, and has a cover created by Sue Mydliak, a member of the group and the illustrator for Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone. I began an account for the group and plan to upload anthology this weekend.
I worked on SEO for the bryonyseries website.
Tomorrow I'm working on Before the Blood. Rebekah is planning to format two more Bertrand the Mouse books so I have them for upcoming events. But that's after today, which is full of deadlines and interviews.
And there we are! And onward...
Where to find non-bylined stuff?
Local events: Health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars: where to find them? Under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down. Assembled by moi.
More local events: Gotta Do It, also by me, runs each Sunday in the People section.
Community news: Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web and in web on other days as I have the time: Monday (pets), Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (arts and entertainment), and Sunday (people).
Daily updates: I do post the briefs and calendars 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
Not just a matter of ABC
When people come to the U.S., they often want to drop the
"home language." But Pamela Maxey – a former literacy adviser for a national
language in Cameroon, Africa – isn't a fan of that, either inside or outside
the classroom.
In fact, Maxey wants to support families in using both
English and their native tongue.
An Extraordinary Life: A very good neighbor, in and out of Manhattan
"He just wanted to help everyone be the best they could
be," Jim Gentile said, "without making anyone feel uncomfortable."
Taste of freedom for Ruby, the red-tailed hawk
"She flew very straight," John Papach said. "Her
wing is recovered, but she's not gaining height yet."
Never too old to ride
Do you want to ride a horse?
That was the question Ann Abraytis of Marseilles asked her
92-year-old mother, Dorothy Almberg of Joliet.
And Almberg did.
Pets of the Week
Read the caption of each photo to find out about that pet,
including where he or she can be adopted.
http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/09/05/29a6543da7bd45829d60c2065fd94843/index.xml
Moving to the music
Led by Stacey Jager of Lockport, a music therapist who sings
and plays guitar during the program, "Music and Movement" helps
seniors and chair-bound adults to gently exercise their bodies as well as their
minds while being entertained and reminiscing on days gone by
Local Flavor: Troy administrator shares favorite recipes
from Cameroon, part 2
Pamela Maxey, the new Troy Community School District 30-C
director of early childhood education, was once a literacy advisor for a
national language in Cameroon, Africa.
Check out her recipes for sugared peanuts and Cameroonian Peanut Sauce.
Coffee and doughnuts with God and neighbor
The new café worship service at Channahon United Methodist
Church is not simply another contemporary service.
It's a come-as-you-are interactive second-service worship
that includes sitting around tables, singing praise music and watching videos
related to the day's message.
Joliet university's got the music goods
Tomorrow: Buy lps, 45s, 78s, CDs, Blu-rays, cassettes, VHS, 8-tracks, sheet
music, instruments, stereos, turntables, cassette players, professional and
home audio equipment and more – all used, all for sale and all donated either
from the community or from the WCSF radio station itself.
Read on for details.
Artworks: The joke's not on them
Faith-based comedy group is gaining momentum. Here's why.
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