BryonySeries: June 2020

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

News Around the Community

Seventeen pieces of local news that is not covid-related.

How about that?

While the world is far form feeling "normal" yet (especially with covid mutations and a new pandemic flu on the horizon), hopefully these bits of community happenings (even the fire, where no one was hurt) can remind us that normalcy is on the horizon.

Fire broke out at Plainfield McDonald's on Friday

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/21/fire-broke-out-at-plainfield-mcdonalds-on-friday/adude95/

Shorewood to host fireworks show on July 4

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/21/shorewood-to-host-fireworks-show-on-july-4/at0xglm/

Free Narcan training July 13 in New Lenox

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/21/free-narcan-training-july-13-in-new-lenox/aoy59yt/

Troy transportation director retires
Lucy Feeney spent 32 years in education at Troy, Channahon, Minooka, Plainfield

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/15/troy-transportation-director-retires/a85x25m/

Packaged garden salads linked to foodborne illness

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/22/packaged-garden-salads-linked-to-foodborne-illness/adq4xfa/

Diocese of Joliet announces new superintendent of schools

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/22/diocese-of-joliet-announces-new-superintendent-of-schools/a7hr1s3/

Timbers of Shorewood takes a step to normalcy with concert

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/22/timbers-of-shorewood-takes-a-step-to-normalcy-with-concert/d6tpwg3/

D. 86 in Joliet celebrates retirees

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/24/d-86-in-joliet-celebrates-retirees/axb0aiy/

Parents of new teen drivers urged to register for course

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/22/parents-of-new-teen-drivers-urged-to-register-for-course/a1t7jo9/

Celebrate National Pollinator Week with Midewin at home or on the trails

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/23/celebrate-national-pollinator-week-with-midewin-at-home-or-on-the-trails/a7c3u5v/

'Wallin Oaks' is name of 18TH District 202 elementary school in Plainfield

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/23/wallin-oaks-is-name-of-18th-district-202-elementary-school-in-plainfield/a6bw7ax/

Stay safe this summer: socially distance yourself from these plants
It's not just poison ivy that's potentially toxic

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/24/stay-safe-this-summer-socially-distance-yourself-from-these-plants/an61r44/

Joliet students honored for the virtue of 'love'

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/23/joliet-students-honored-for-the-virtue-of-love/a2mqtrt/

Trinity parent, board member receives award for advocacy efforts

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/22/trinity-parent-board-member-receives-award-for-advocacy-efforts/angbf5k/

District 202 in Plainfield will buy 10,000 laptops this summer

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/03/district-202-in-plainfield-will-buy-10-000-laptops-this-summer/aajtfb0/

Troy 30-C seeks new school board member

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/28/troy-30-c-seeks-new-school-board-member/ajf242f/

Students attending D. 86 in Joliet must be registered by July 16

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/23/students-attending-d-86-in-joliet-must-be-registered-by-july-16/a9wqbsm/

Illustration by Christopher Gleason for "Staked!" Follow him at artworkbytopher.com.

Monday, June 29, 2020

What a Great Weekend Looks Like to a Writer

The weekend felt like it started on Thursday, which was my first (nearly) full day off in two weeks.

I actually spent most of Thursday working on editing for clients, but I also treated myself to working on part of The Phoenix, one of my novels in progress. I'll add a synopsis at the bottom of this post.

Then on Friday afternoon, my last interview for the day moved the conversation in a direction I felt was useful for another story, too, so the interview was especially fruitful.

And then, we had this great storm on Friday night, perfect when you're composing a Gothic novel set in the late nineteenth century (The Phoenix). With incense (Christmas gifts from the kids) burning in the background, I wrote until nearly midnight, when the coffee quit working, and my mind felt mushy.

But I was back at it again the next morning until early afternoon, when I switched to editing for clients. Then Rebekah and I watched two episodes of the Chinese historical drama/tragedy The King's Woman, which, although fiction and with some unexpected cheesy moments that spoil some scenes, is also fairly accurate from a historical perspective (at least, that's what reviews and Rebekah tell me).

It's about the tyrant king who unified China and built the precursor of China's Great Wall. We're down to the last ten of forty-eight episodes.

On Sunday, I arose extra early to so I could work on Lycanthropic Summer, my first Gothic novel that has some subtle horror elements, before I switched to work. This was also very fruitful because one of my interviews also went off in another direction, which proved useful for another story that's in progress.

So I wrote one full-page story and then designed a page and created a web version. I also wrote two more stories and conducted two more interviews. Not bad for a Sunday, methinks.

I finished the day by reading through portions of Lycanthropic Summer I'd previously written. And I caught up with some of the kids. And I had a nice dinner with them. And I watched the Chinese drama with Rebekah.

So - a very nice Sunday, too.

If all this sounds writing like work, it really isn't. Different types of writing and editing engages my brain in different ways.

The "work writing" is so interesting, the hours just zip past. I have more ideas in progress than I can tackle efficiently, and I'm humbled I earn my money this way.

The books I'm editing for clients are so interesting, it's like getting paid to read. I'm even more humbled they trust me with their creations.

Writing fiction, although it was structure, feels more like play.. Many hours can pass until I realize I have not moved. I think it's because the pressure is off. I'm making up all the content, and I have no deadlines.

And if it sounds like I just churn these books out, I don't do that, either. My writing friend Ken McGee is FAR more prolific than I am and just released the second book of yet another series.

I started Lycanthropic Summer over a year ago and I'm only halfway done.

I conceived the Limbo trilogy (of which The Phoenix is the first book) also over a year ago and never got serious about working on it until the day after Christmas.

Here are the summaries of my two novels-in-progress:

The Phoenix:

This story is told from the perspective of two groups of people in alternating chapters. I am about three-quarters done with one set of alternating chapters.

Late 1895 in Munsonville, Michigan is all about survival and rebuilding: for the fishing village still reeling from deadly tragedies, for twelve-year-old Marie Clare who is grounded at Munsonville Inn with her dying father, and for two newly turned vampires foraging their meals from a dwindling supply of villagers.

But to rise strong and unscathed, some will be sacrificed along the way. Who gets to live and thrive? And who decides?

Lycanthropic Summer

This story has just three chapters - June, July, and August - and they are written in the form of diary entries.

But then this novel also has a subnovel, the novel Caryn is writing, and that has ten chapters.

The subnovel is writen, and June is nearly completed. I have also written parts of July and August, including the ending.

Caryn Rochelle loves werewolf stories and promised herself she would write the world's greatest werewolf love story before her eighteenth birthday. But with the date just months away, Caryn has shredded more drafts than she's kept and is feeling desperate.

But then she learns the town's most prestigious couple has a dark secret: they're keeping a savage boy her age locked in their basement. One glimpse, and Caryn's inspiration skyrockets. Caryn knows she ought to report them, but...

Can it really hurt to wait until she finishes her story?

And THAT is how I like to spend my days off.

Photo of one of my series' business card on a South Caroline beach, courtesy of Timothy Baran

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Steward Setback Saturday: Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara, Explains the IVA

Dear MOMI,

There are two ways to join the Irish Vampires Association (IVA).

The first way is the simplest.

1) You can think you're Ed Calkins, and thus the spokeman for the Irish Vampires Association.

2) You don't have to think you're a vampire, but you do have to think you're Irish and have a fondness and dedication to the Irish Vampire cause.

You must think that you should be a member, mention this to no one, pay what dues you think you should, and hold what office you think you should hold. What ever dues you pay are the budget for your office, so spend it wisely.

Also you must dislike any people you think an Irish Vampire would dislike, and think badly of them as a result.

Image the power of such a secretive structure! Few are foolish enough to cross the IVA.

For example, there was a flint dealer named Ug some 10,000 year ago that insulted the IVA. In retaliation, its members decided his daughter was unattractive. Poor Ug!

Not only did his daughter Lee remain unmarried (and thus childless; it was a simpler time), but to this day when any sight is deemed visually unappealing, the memory of Ug's Lee is mentioned.

P.S. If you are an IVA member and your department is under budget, you could send the excess to Ed Calkins.

Ruthlessly yours,

Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara

(Originally posted Saturday, June 18, 2011)

Friday, June 26, 2020

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

So I'm running super behind schedule this morning because, like Tootle in the old children's story, I decided to jump off the track and play in the meadow.

Meaning, instead of jumping into work, I decided to dive into my novel. I'm hoping I don't pay for it the rest of the day (although my muse is super happy).

Hope the start to your Friday is even better than this! :)

For those new to this blog, the first bit of information tells where to find me and my writings on social media. Beyond that are the story links, eighteen in all this week (although two are mystery diners written by Shaw Media employees).

Happy reading!

Non-bylined features:

Search by topic (people, pets, A and E, faith, health, and food) at theherald-news.com.

Once a week, I do combine a week's worth into a single blog post.

Social media:

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

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

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

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/writeonminooka/?ref=bookmarks. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

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

Upcoming BryonySeries events:

A full month of virtual events can be found at bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts.

Books and Such

Information on my books (including where to buy) along with upcoming events is at bryonyseries.com.

Newsletters:

Sign up for the Will County Go Guide

http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/will-county-go-guide/#//

Sign up for the LocalLit Short Story Newsletter

http://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/locallit/

Sign up for The Munsonville Times

https://www.bryonyseries.com/munsonville-times

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.

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

Thursday, June 25, 2020

Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat (The Lumière Brothers, 1895)

Wednesday, June 24, 2020

Open Mic Night 2016: Duanne Walton (Round 2)

Tuesday, June 23, 2020

Cinnamon Candies, Coffee, and Love

We are a family of little gifts.

That doesn't mean we're cheap (although, maybe we are), but we do like brightening each other's day with, well, stuff.

Like this mouse pad Rebekah ordered for me that (so far) isn't stained with coffee.

And while Timothy and Daniel were keeping me well-caffeinated over this past working weekend, Rebekah also brought me coffee and a package of these:

These were to replace the BIG bag of Cinnamon Fire Jolly Ranchers that Daniel bought me a few months back.

But since I've been working at home, "others" (who shall remain unnamed) have whittled down the bag's contents, which should have been a lifetime supply.

I like to think that MY role is being present for this large group of adult kids when they need my wisdom and support.

So with that in mind, I am now calling my oldest son. I missed the call thirty minutes ago because my phone was still on silent.

So I had Rebekah call him back to see if it was urgent.

I'm not sure what he said, but Rebekah told him, "She's working."

And then she told me, "He needs to talk to you. And he said you can't be working because you're all over Facebook."

Splutter!

See? Day brightener. ;)

Monday, June 22, 2020

Father's Day Throwback: A Tribute to my Dad

I worked this past weekend so I didn't reach out to my own father on Father's Day until Sunday night.

Naturally, no one was at home, so I left a message.

This post is from 2013 when I had a similar experience, and the photo was from our last dinner in Raleigh last year when Rebekah and I visited Sarah and my parents.

This post is as true today as it was seven years ago.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

So I Went to Visit my Father on Father's Day....

...and neither he nor my mother was home. This was unusual because, as a rule, my parents don't recognize Mother's Day and Father's Day to each other (as they are not each others' parents).

A quick back-up. Father's Day, for me, had already been full. I'd woken up pretty early this morning to work on a story, and left for church an hour early since Timothy was cooking a brunch today at the Renaissance Center, and I didn't have access to a vehicle. On those vehicleless Sundays, we ride with our assistant pastor, who needs to be at church early. Once there, I talked to Sarah (and got waylaid by Timothy's godfather who wanted me to chant the Epistle during liturgy), attended a Father's Day brunch in the church hall, came home to write a second story, and then helped Daniel finish a Father's Day brunch at the house for my oldest son, who had both his sons with his that day. So when Christopher went to bring one of the boys home (We get to keep the older one for another week), I suggested leaving a bit early to see my dad, as he is humbly proud of having lived long enough to see his great-grandkids.

Still, I (wrongly) assumed that my seventy-nine, very healthy, and still working parents had decided to take advantage of a very nice Sunday by going out to dinner.

Furthermore, as my father tends to keep his cell phone on only during business hours, I (again, wrongly) knew that a quick call would not disturb his dinner, but would, in fact, go straight to his voice mail, where he could enjoy it Monday morning.

I dialed. It rang, and my father picked it up on the fifth ring. I'm not certain where my mother was today--she's employed at a gift shop, so maybe working?--because my father was mostly certainly NOT at dinner.

He was about an hour away, conducting, of all things, a home inspection. Not many people my age (I'll be 52 on July 15) can boast about having parents as "young" as mine.

So who is my father?

* He's a retired architect, one that built up an impressive business. This included buying a large New Lenox church and converting it into his and other rented office space while maintaining the integral "feel" of the church (stained glass windows, etc.). He held an exclusive contract for all the life safety work on all the Joliet schools. He performed various government projects. He's now a consultant to other architects and a certified home inspector.

* He's the oldest of two sons, born to a prison guard (who walked to work) and his wife. He grew up in Napanoch, New York, a hamlet in Ulster County. The 2000 census reported a population of 1168.

* He's a Notre Dame graduate, one who rented from a family in South Bend while going to school, skipping meals when cash funds were tight. He didn't attend his college graduation because he had graduated early and had no desire to travel back for it.

* He taught me to ride a two-wheeler.

* He read every night to my sister and me, him and the book in the middle, and she and I snuggled into his sides.

* He gave us piggy back rides to bed before dumping us into our respective abodes of slumber.

* He paused while cutting the grass to show me how to catch and feed the enormous green grasshoppers that leaped across our yard.

* He faithfully mowed every week and pulled out the dandelions. He installed a rock garden and a metal shed in the backyard.

* He put up a sandbox, set up sprinklers for my sister and me to run through on hot summer days, assembled and filled wading pools.

* He frequently took us to Highland Park--which backed up to our yard--and pushed us on the swings. Moreover, he drove us there, as the playground portion was nowhere near our house.

* He could link his hands together to form a "swing" with his arms as the chains.

* He fooled us into thinking he could remove his thumb, a trick I've showed to everyone of my six children.

* When we went swimming at the long closed Michigan Beach in Joliet--where a neighbor (deceased) was manager--he taught me the basics of swimming, dog paddling and dead man floating. He also let my sister and me using his back as a "diving board."

* He played old Bing Crosby singalong records and taught us songs: Mairzy Doats, KKKKaty, Long Long Ago, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean, O Where O Where Has My Little Dog Gone, Take Me Out To the Ball Game, Daisy Daisy Give Me Your Answer Do. These are songs I sang to my children while pushing them on swings, at bedtime, or while driving from one destination to another.

* When my sister and I were playing dolls with our cardboard kitchen sink, metal table and chairs, and plastic food to go with our plastic dishes, he'd surprise us by donning his Tiny Tim wig and showing up as a guest. He'd sit at the table, "eat" the plastic food, and play a plastic "badminton" guitar to entertain us.

* He spanked us when we needed it. I remember my last spanking. I was seven. I don't remember the infraction, but I do remember thinking seven was too old for a spanking. My father apparently thought so, too, because I never received another.

* He showed me that peanut butter and bacon go well together on hot, buttered toast.

* When I was eleven, and he rented his first office space in downtown Joliet, 325 E. Cass Street, the former Relyea building (and George Relyea is now deceased), he brought me along to help him paint it: the reception/secretarial area, his private office, the conference room, the drafting room, the hall where all the files were kept, and the room where the blueprint machine was.

* At fifteen, when the asthma I'd suffered from my entire life was finally diagnosed, my father drove me into Joliet from New Lenox (where we now lived) each week for my allergy shots. When I was old enough to drive, he made sure I knew how to get there.

* My first job at sixteen (the previous three years worth of babysitting didn't count) was as a file clerk in his office. On nights he needed extra specs for a job copied, we'd stay downtown after hours, eat in a restaurant, and go back to work.

* While working for him, my father allowed me to tear apart and restructure his blueprint filing system and create a library of reference materials. When I was in college and received an "A" for an organizational communication class, he hired me to conduct a communication audit for his business.

* When my three oldest children were preschoolers, and my father still owned the former church, he would alternate them as his office cleaning partners. They would help empty wastebaskets for a quarter, some old keys, or the fun of copying their preschool pictures on the Xerox machine.

* Today, he helps out with rides, He's driven me to and accompanied me on various, in-person assignments. He occasionally takes my two youngest children to junior college or to their job. For a year (just a couple years ago), he was coming into the distribution center at midnight to help us roll papers.

* He read all three BryonySeries books when they were drafts. Visage was his favorite. He said he picked it up one morning, and never moved until he completed it. He created multiple displays for BryonySeries events, and even wrote a complete and bound "home inspection" for Simons Mansion.

* He reads extensively and can speak intelligently on many different subjects.

So how did those kaleidoscope experiences enrich my life? I learned industry, the joy of reading for reading's sake, innovation, entrepreneurship, creativity, self-discipline, and decent parenting skills.

I can only hope my own children will remember me for half as much. Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Saturday, June 20, 2020

A Beautiful Tune on the Irish Low D Whistle

Friday, June 19, 2020

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

Good morning everyone. I hope this day finds you happy, healthy, and in good spirits.

The day is sunny in my part of the world, although the air quality is poor. So I am planning on an early morning walk (hopefully) and then spending most of the day editing for clients.

I have a work meeting at 3 p.m. and then (again, hopefully), I'll play with some fiction for awhile. I'm also working through the weekend, but the goal is to spend Saturday evening (at least) with my own manuscripts open.

Catching up with features this week: more than a dozen links to peruse.

For those new to this blog, the first bit of information tells where to find me and my writings on social media. Beyond that are the story links.

Happy reading!

Non-bylined features:

Search by topic (people, pets, A and E, faith, health, and food) at theherald-news.com.

Once a week, I do combine a week's worth into a single blog post.

Social media:

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

Upcoming BryonySeries events:

A full month of virtual events can be found at bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts.

Books and Such

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.

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Some Non-Covid Community News

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Open Mic Night 2016: Duanne Walton (ME!)

Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Covid-Related Snippets

So if yesterday was ten things about me, the rest of the week is about everyone else.

Today I'm catching up on covid-related features briefs I posted on The Herald-News over the last couple weeks.

Everything here is related tot his virus: acts of kindness and good will, event cancellations or modifications, and tips and education for dealing with the virus.

Enjoy! :)

Joliet Catholic Academy plans to resume on-campus classes in August

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/15/joliet-catholic-academy-plans-to-resume-on-campus-classes-in-august/af2jeex/

Crest Hill yoga studio donates masks to Silver Cross Hospital

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/10/crest-hill-yoga-studio-donates-masks-to-silver-cross-hospital/a5sdz1y/

Channahon’s Three Rivers Festival for 2020 canceled

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/10/channahons-three-rivers-festival-for-2020-canceled/aygbmhp/

Plainfield East HS art students create coloring books for essential workers

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/09/plainfield-east-hs-art-students-create-coloring-books-for-essential-workers/axkh6or/

NRG donated $10,000 to local first responders

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/05/17/nrg-donated-10-000-to-local-first-responders/a92anfz/

Industry experts to show safe, effective ways to open Illinois restaurants

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/05/21/industry-experts-to-show-safe-effective-ways-to-open-illinois-restaurants/aerd5j0/

Illustration by Christopher Gleason for "Staked!" Follow him at artworkbytopher.com.

Monday, June 15, 2020

10 Surprising Facts About Me

A rare piece of self-indulgence.

For those who'd rather here about my writing updates, a quick summary of this weekend: some reading, some walking, good progress on both The Phoenix and Lycanthropic Summer, and some editing for two clients (first round on a book of short horror stories and third round on a literary novel).

Scant progress on the short story for a special project.

LOTS of great interviews set up for today for Herald-News features stories.

Have a wonderful Monday! :)

10 Surprising Facts About Me

1) I have never colored my hair.

The gray is in there...somewhere. And will eventually overtake all the brown. I'm cool with it.

2) I eat the same thing for breakfast every day.

Banana, cereal (uncooked oatmeal, wheatgerm and reconstituted powdered milk), half a cucumber, water, dark roast coffee

3) My childhood pets were goldfish.

Even if I wasn't allergic to everything else, my grandfather raised goldfish. He had a beautifully landscaped pond in his backyard on Parnell in Chicago (before it was chic to have such things) and built a 90 gallon tank into the floor of his basement.

He griped about the kids who crept into his yard and stole his fish by carrying them away in empty coffee cans ("Don't they realize you need a gallon of water for every inch of fish!" he'd fume) and surprised me on the Christmas when I was nine (the first year I realized Santa Claus truly didn't exist), much to the annoyance of my mother. I named every fish.

4) My favorite activity in the whole world is reading.

The real reason why I write. Writing is work; reading is heavenly. I have to make myself write every. single. day.

But I love great stories. So I keep pushing myself to write one.

5) If you are talking to me on the phone, I am probably walking.

Unless I am interviewing you. If not, I am up and moving. As soon as the phone rings, I am on my feet.

6) I was one of those weird nursing moms who nursed their kids for a long time.

Average weaning age: 4. And lest you think it makes kids "dependent," my six kids are some of the most strong-willed, opinionated, independent group of adults you'll ever meet.

7) I'm allergic to the world.

Real allergies, the stuff that sends people to the ER and and for allergy shots for a long time. Too many to mention all here.

And I have chronic hives, for which I've been prescribed off-label amounts of antihistamines. And asthma. I cover up in the sun or I wind up in welts. I layer up in the cold or I end up in welts.

Molds, trees, grasses, animals, peanuts, sunflower, several antibiotics: the list goes on.

8) I'm alive because I figured out my own rare tumor.

It's called a pheochromocytoma.

I figured it out by tracking symptoms and my blood pressure and glucose levels with home monitoring systems. The endocrine team was impressed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, although it was pretty scary to have a semi circle of these professionals surround your bed because they're concerned of how sick you are. Especially when you have little kids back home.

This will kill you unless it is discovered and then removed by someone who knows how to handle this tumor, which is a landmine of lethal catecholamines.

Read more about this rare and dangerous tumor here.

9) My husband and I remodeled parts of our property to support a youth group.

Our church had no space for one. So we spent upwards of $30,000 to convert two garages, a wooden shed, and the built another structure to create space for a playroom, work shop, game room, and movie room complete with a state-of-the-art TV (at the time).

We called it The Higher Ark and we ran it from 2005 to 2009 until my husband (who wound up with early onset dementia) was too ill to continue it. He lost his job the following year, and we lost our home (which his parents built) in 2013.

We are now divorced, and he is in a nursing home. But if he was proud of anything in his life, it was The Higher Ark.

10) In 2006, I had a Grammy award-winning singer perform my backyard.

My favorite Christian band is Petra. Its lead singer John Schlitt (all my husband's idea) hung out with the youth group and their families on the feast day of St. John the Baptist that June.

We had a pig roast and John performed karaoke style on our back porch. We have the DVD and newspaper clippings to prove it. The next day, he attended church with us and gave a short performance at our church.

Saturday, June 13, 2020

Steward Setback Saturday: On Becoming An Ed Calkins Wife, Part 3

For context, here is the link to the first and second posts.

If this is your introduction to Ed Calkins, read more about him here.

BTW, I am NOT an Ed Calkins wife and that is not a proposal depicted here.

I am this instead.

On Becoming An Ed Calkins Wife, Part 3

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Dear MOMI,

There exists a confusion about age limits for wives of Ed Calkins. After all, did I not put the minuim age of thirty-one in my last post?

Understand, though, that age is as relative as time. When I was sixteen, I did not require a prospective bride to be thirty-one. So, too, if a woman who was quite young had met me in the nineteenth century, such as Byrony/Melissa had, I would not be so dismissive as if I had met the same woman/girl in the present.

However, in the book, Byrony/Melissa did not agree to marriage (thus forever changing the ending). I'm sure you're thinking Bryony's current marriage prohibited it. This is simply incorrect.

Wife number one has three husbands other then me: one for gambling, one for gossip, and one for shopping and drinking. Should she decide to acquire other vices, say comic books, I'm sure she'll find a husband for that.

Ruthlessly yours,

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

Friday, June 12, 2020

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, June 6 through June 12

Whew! Sixteen stories (so far) posted this week - with more coming later in the day on The Herald-News site.

That does not include any of the features briefs I've posted (and we'll catch up on them next week).

With so much to read, I'll just give a quick update about my fiction, especially if you're wondering if I've had time to write any.

Yes, I'm making slow (but sure) progress on both The Phoenix (the first book in the Limbo series) and the standalone Lycanthropic Summer.

I am also (even more slowly) working on a side short story that ties into the series. But that one is one deadline so I need to get that keyboard moving.

I'm also wrapping up Phyllis' memoir (one of her granddaughters has the third proof copy and only has a couple ore slight changes; no need for another proof - hurray!).

I'm also working on the final round of edits for a client's novel and the first round for another client's short story collection (horror - right up my genre!)

And speaking of getting the keyboard moving, Rebekah noticed this week that some of the keys and part of the space bar is worn - and the keyboard was brand new in March, proof positive I do more than drink coffee and play on social media all day.

As far as social media does go, here's where to find me. After that are the story links.

Be safe, be well, be full of love, joy, and peace.

Non-bylined features:

Search by topic (people, pets, A and E, faith, health, and food) at theherald-news.com.

Once a week, I do combine a week's worth into a single blog post.

Social media:

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

Upcoming BryonySeries events:

A full month of virtual events can be found at bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts.

Books and Such

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.

A scrap of paper set this Joliet man free
'It's pretty much a miracle'

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/09/a-scrap-of-paper-set-this-joliet-man-free/ad98xmg/

'How is this man even conscious?' Joliet man shares his 5-week hospital stay with severe COVID-19

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/09/how-is-this-man-even-conscious/asfdn56/

Mystery Diner: Think 'Rax' for good roast beef in Joliet

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/09/mystery-diner-think-rax-for-good-roast-beef-in-joliet/dydqwpw/

LocalLit book rreview: 'Cherry Blossoms in Twilight'

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/08/locallit-book-review-cherry-blossoms-in-twilight/al4chlt/

An Extraordinary Life: ‘She always cared about the patients'
Plainfield EMT gave her best despite a life-threatening condition

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2020/06/07/606ec258d938473abe2c0f76c1d479da/index.xml?page=1

LocalLit book spotlight: ‘Cherry Blossoms in Twilight’

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/04/locallit-book-spotlight-cherry-blossoms-in-twilight/a8fqza5/

Cases of cannabis-induced psychosis increase during COVID-19 pandemic
“Each and everyone has said, 'I didn’t realize that. I didn’t know that'"

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/01/cases-of-cannabis-induced-psychosis-increase-during-covid-19-pandemic/axa9jtv/

Pets of the Week: June 8

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/07/pets-of-the-week-june-8/dki39ns/

How to make the most of video visits - and 2 places to schedule them locally

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/08/how-to-make-the-most-of-video-visits-and-2-places-to-schedule-them-locally/abj8y0o/

Recent studies shed new light on the novel coronavirus

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/09/recent-studies-shed-new-light-on-the-novel-coronavirus/aibetfk/

Joliet couple's income is art and music - and they're surviving the pandemic

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/08/joliet-couples-income-is-art-and-music-and-theyre-surviving-the-pandemic/aq71wjc/

‘Truth will get you into trouble; truth will get you killed’
Joliet pastor challenges people to listen to each other

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/07/truth-will-get-you-into-trouble-truth-will-get-you-killed/a9ljyp0/

'I have never gotten so frustrated that I felt like burning down Target'
Will County Board member says two wrongs don’t make a right

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/02/i-have-never-gotten-so-frustrated-that-i-felt-like-burning-down-target/ajk1yux/

'At the end of the day, we're all broken people, right?'
Joliet pastor says people need to take responsibility for racism

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/05/at-the-end-of-the-day-were-all-broken-people-right/agucfft/

'Black people have been in an unhealthy domestic abuse relationship with America'
#Joliet pastor said the oppressors need to fix the problem

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/04/black-people-have-been-in-an-unhealthy-domestic-abuse-relationship-with-america/aov3ksg/

'It's kind of like open season on the African American male'
Clergyman says real issue is flaw in judicial system

https://www.theherald-news.com/2020/06/02/its-kind-of-like-open-season-on-the-african-american-male/awfyaai/

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."