Another Version of "The Tale of Stingy Jack"

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Oct. 18 through Oct. 30

WHEW! What a first week back at work.

Fortunately, I was smart enough (it happens, sometimes) to sift through email and plan my week on Sunday. Sometimes I am smart like that, and the week felt very productive.

Last night, I took my first glimpse at some of The Phoenix that I worked on during the second at-home writing retreat of 2020. Most of these excerpts will only need editing, so I am super pleased about that. 

Plans for this weekend: Halloween plans remain uncertain at this point, but Rebekah wants to assemble some Halloween bags for the grandchildren.

I definitely will be working on The Phoenix, as well as Ruthless.

I have to finish the BryonySeries November calendar.

And I have two more editing clients, whose work I hope to start tackling next week - or even this weekend, if the contracts come back in time.

Be sure to check out two amazing reviews for the newly released Lycanthropic Summer. 

I hope anyone who is reading this blog is having an amazing morning and that Friday only gets better.

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page. 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 every year, well, except this year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.com.

ARTISTS

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

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.

For 5 years Joliet woman helped the homeless - now she's 1 of them

VIDEO: She lost her home on Friday night

VIDEO: Coming home the day after a fire

Pets of the Week: Oct. 26

K-9 officer at Will County forest preserve retires 

Grieving loved ones this year? Honor them with a light of love

Cause of fire that left Joliet family homeless under investigation  

Brother, can you spare a ride? Senior Services of Will County seeking volunteer drivers

LocalLit book review: Captain Character, The Legend

Plainfield woman making Ghoulie Gourds to benefit local animal rescues

'I’d rather keep people alive than make a quilt'

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

Around the Community

Few people would argue that 2020 has been a tumultuous year.

And yet, despite 2020's effort to crush us, people still rise above the craziness and do great things.

Here are a few of them over the past couple weeks that I've posted as part of my role with The Herald-News.

May each and every one of you have a blessed and joyous day today.

Bishop Roger L. Kaffer Outstanding Principal Award presented to Lockport principal 

D. 202 in Plainfield seeks community input for new 5-year strategic plan

Sign up for free Narcan training via Zoom

Virtual film festival to benefited JJC scholarship fund

Troy 30-C teacher recognized for excellence in music education

'Deconstructing Stereotypes' exhibit on loan through Dec. 6 at Romeoville museum #IndigenousPeople Native Americans

ALDI to open store in Shorewood Nov. 12

Bolingbrook Golf Club recognized for environmental excellence 

Zonta Club of the Joliet Area honors Dick and Millie Schuster 

D. 202 in Plainfield is distributing 6,700 laptops to PreK-3 students for remote learning 

American Red Cross of the Illinois River Valley welcomes new board members

Lockport Chamber seeks candidates to fill open board seats

Top Driver to hosted Illinois Driver Ed 101 webinar for parents

Partial closure in place for part of Channahon Community Park

Troy teachers adapt to new technology for hybrid teaching of students

Illustration by Christopher Gleason for "Staked!"

Vampire over London (1952) [Comedy] [Horror]

Forget About Reaching The Top

About a decade, I listened to part of a TED talk someone shared with me.

The speaker was an author (can't recall her name), who'd found success (can't recall with what) and was speaking on that topic (sort of).

But her point was absolutely memorable. And it's something to ponder, especially if you've set any goals in your life.

By the way, it's good to set goals. Keep doing it.

However, she said that we spend so much focusing on the top of the mountain when most of our time is actually spent climbing that mountain - and then climbing back down.

Most of us don't mind the climb up if we feel the goal is attainable. We strive and push for the prize.

Yet the view at the top, however breathtaking and spectacular it must be, lasts for a short time. We then must descend the mountain.

And she said we forget to prepare for that descent.

In fact, for anyone who has outshone someone else (or even outshone yourself) must keep in mind someone else (sooner than you can possibly realize) will be faster, smarter, more succinct, etc.

We will spend most of our time in life on the journey up or the journey down.

We should strive, yes.

Nevertheless, we should also know where most of life happens.

The view there is pretty good, too.

Illustration by Christopher Gleason for "Staked!"

Results of the Second At-Home Writing Retreat of 2020

Welcome, Monday! Here is a quick recap of my second at-home writing retreat of 2020.

I had three projects on the table: finish a workable draft of the even chapters of The Phoenix, do some initial editing on Ed Calkins' Ruthless, and wrap up a non-fiction project.

It was an ambitious list, and I was only partially successful.

I do have a workable draft of The Phoenix, although one section of a chapter didn't save, so I have to rewrite it, grumble. That was a bit of demoralizing find when I was scrolling through chapters late on Saturday night.

I got carried away with Ruthless, which pulled me away from the non-fiction project. But I did give an initial edit to thirteen chapters.

However, I cut the writing retreat a bit short and worked all day Sunday, so Monday wouldn't be crazy, having been out of the swing of things all week.

At the same time, I ought to gain a little time in the evenings this week for the neglected project.

Am I happy to be back at work? Absolutely, and I mean that sincerely.

True, I'm very thankful for the opportunity to spend some lingering time working on fiction.

However, since many of those projects are dark in tone, that tone is not where I like to keep my mind most of the time. And all of the projects, the dark ones and light, fun reads, really stretch my creativity. It's good to let mental muscles relax.

The work at The Herald-News is positive, community-focused, and interesting.

Nevertheless, I''ll be just as happy this weekend to spend some time sinking deeply into a chapter or two of The Phoenix and tackling some line editing. Because allowing creativity to reign for a day or two rests the mental muscles I exercise for my features writing.

See? It's all about balance. 

And coffee.

And reading good books.

And plenty of rest - which I had last night.

And great people in your life to serve and love.

I hope whatever project or work you're tackling today, may it bring you great joy and satisfaction.

So Far "Ruthless" is a Really Fun Read

About halfway into this week, Ed Calkins began sending me final drafts of Ruthless for editing.

We are up to thirteen of the twenty-four (including the prologue).

I returned a sample chapter and did a close read and some general editing. Over the next few weekends, I'll be a bit pickier.

For those reading this blog for the first time, Ruthless is the Ed Calkins back story and will be part of my BryonySeries.

Ed Calkins is a real person who allowed himself to be fictionalized, legally, for my series. A BryonySeries fan asked me to write his back story. 

But if you know Ed (the man or the myth), you will know that's a story only Ed can write. He's been working on it all year.

Here are some of my initial thoughts:

This book is not for everyone, even if you are a fan of the BryonySeries, due to the brand of strange humor it contains.

You know how some authors like feel their book is for everyone? I can (kind of) say that about Ruthless. It has something offensive for nearly everyone. 

But the biggest putdowns are in Ed's direction. And I think many readers (if they are honest with themselves) will relate to his self-deprecating form of humor since it is very, very human.

For example, Ed, as an imaginary "ruthless dictator," when faced by angry mobs he must address, hides under his desk and must be coaxed out by his secretary. 

"Ruthless" is like Lewis Carroll for adults. You have no idea where Ed is taking the story or what he might do in each sentence (the fact he's dyslexic adds to the puzzle, so lots of copy editing as I was reading), which is part of what makes this fun to read (for me, at least). 

And yet, I could see the underlying structure and purpose in the work, even if I can't tell where it's heading.

I never laughed so hard at a single, well-placed word ("Bunny").

But then, I did a lot of laughing out loud.

The characters are over the top and strangely very human.

If you've read Staked!, you will understand the mirror concept. However, Ed has taken it to degrees I never imagined and made woven it into his story in ways that makes total (non)sense.

Satan is a were-goat (part goat, part leprechaun) and speaks in Gaelic brogue.

A few BryonySeries characters make cameo appearances (and some, cameo mentions). Glorna is a secondary character, as is Angela. But they may not be as you recall them. 

This is fine with me because Ed Calkins the character is completely unreliable as a narrator. If you've read the book young adult "drop of blood" BryonySeries trilogy, you'll know what I mean.

I make a cameo appearance as The Goddess. And that nickname preceded the current one from Ed (Mistress of My Immortality). He adds a flashback on how that nickname came to be (and splices that scene together with one from Visage).

Speaking of "The Goddess," today I enter the last full day of my second at-home writing retreat of 2020.

I might not hit every goal and some of my resolve went sideways (I actually did some marketing last night), but I will be very close, and I accomplished a few additional projects that ought to forgive the rest.

But I still have a day and a half. It's not over yet.

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Oct. 17 through Oct. 23

Good morning!

Even though I was off work this week, some of last week's work didn't run until this week.

So just a short list this week: just seven stories I wrote and one I edited for the features section.

As far as the writing retreat goes, I've done some preliminary editing on the first thirteen chapters of Ruthless (I only have the first thirteen chapters of Ed's final draft), made a dent in the editing of my non-fiction project, and have two and half chapters and an epilogue to go with the second draft of The Phoenix.

The view this morning is that most of The Phoenix is doable but maybe not all the edits of the non-fiction work - but I still have two and a half more days to go. And it won't be for lack of trying. 

I've shown up, put the time in, and made significant progress. Getting caught up in Ruthless set me back on the non-fiction book, but Ed's novel is so hilarious, I restructured some of goals to allow for spontaneous redirection.

Be sure to check out two amazing reviews for the newly released Lycanthropic Summer. This is what makes an at-home writing retreat worth it - not reviews, per se, but knowing the hours at the computer has entertained at least two people so well.

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

I hope anyone who is reading this blog is having an amazing morning and that Friday only gets better.

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page. 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 every year, well, except this year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.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.


FEATURE STORIES:

Diabetes may not increase your risk of catching the coronavirus: But diabetics are at risk for more severe outcomes — here's why

Free 'store' for homeless military veterans on Nov. 7 at Joliet post

An Extraordinary Life: 'Nobody questioned his integrity or honesty': James V. Smith's devotion to the Joliet community was exemplary

Baran-Unland: How did you tackle 2020?: Seeking submissions for a 'covid coping' story

LocalLit book spotlight: Captain Character, The Legend' by Christine Van Horn of Joliet

Pets of the Week: Oct 19

K-9 officer at Will County forest preserve retires

Mystery Diner: Sovereign in Plainfield serves up outstanding, locally inspired food

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

Artists For Hire

From the very beginning of the BryonySeries, the art has been a very important part of the story concept.

To execute it, I always use local and/or independent artists.

Like local and indie authors, visual and musical artists struggle to to share their talents with the wider world.

All of these artists (except one) are taking commissions. 

So feel free to check out their work and the style of their works. And reach out to them if you'd like to collaborate.

Rebekah Baran

My youngest daughter designs custom websites, formats books for print and Kindle, and can design covers.

She's currently working on a separate website for me, a cover for my first non-fiction book, and recently designed the cover for Lycanthropic Summer.

Message her at dmbaranunland@gmail.com.

Matt Coundiff

This former Will County Illinois resident did the cover art and interior illustrations for Visage.

He also created the interior art for Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."

Matt is also a tattoo artist.

Message him at mattcoundiff on Instagram.

Terri Ellinger

This Will County resident sketched illustrations of Bryony and Anna for several of the Bertrand the Mouse books.

To see more of her work and to message her, visit sites.google.com/view/terriellingerfineart.

Topher Gleason

This Will County, Illinois resident created the cover art for Snowbell, the cover art and interior illustrations for Staked! and the frontispieces for all five installments of Before The Blood: John Simons, Kellen Wechsler, Bryony Marseilles, Henry Matthews, and Bryony Simons.

To see more of his work, visit imagekind.com/artists/Artworkbytopher/all/fine-art-prints.

To message him, email Topher@ArtWorkbyTopher.com.

Sue Midlock 

This Will County, Illinois resident is a local author. She also does photography and works in several mediums.

Sue has created all of the cover and interior artwork for The Adventures of Cornell Dyer series.

To see more of her work and to message her, visit suemydliak.wordpress.com.

James Onohan

An Indiana police officer, James writes romantic piano music and plays live music (covers and original) at events.

James also created all the music for the BryonySeries CD: "The Best-Loved Compositions of John Simons," which includes the Bryony theme song referenced through many of the books.

To hear more of his music, to buy individual songs or entire CDs, and to message him, jamesonohan.com.

Jennifer Wainwright

A former Illinois resident, Jennifer created the frontispiece for Lycanthropic Summer and the illustration of Main Street for the BryonySeries website.

Message her at jenniboom94@gmail.com.

Second At-Home Writing Retreat of 2020: A View from the Midweek

I am not naturally a motivated person. 

It's true.

I'm not particularly ambitious, driven, and am, in fact, rather lazy. I'd rather read than write, and I'm most happy with my writings when they're done and I can read them.

I also like the grass on the other side of the fence - and my muse (Warren Peace) joins me in that view.

When I'm at work, Warren nudges me with great ideas for that next chapter in the novel. And I think, "Oh, I can't for the weekend until I can work on that."

But when I get to the weekend, or even when I have a wonderful opportunity to take not one, but two (so far) writing retreats in a calendar year, Warren keeps tapping me on the shoulder and saying, "Hey, wouldn't this make a great story for The Herald-News?" and "You really need to schedule this and this source?" etc.

Still, like most people, I do have goals and projects I'd like to accomplish. Unlike most people, I'm inclined to do none of them.

So I'm always parent and child and employer and employee to myself.

And I'm a fairly whiny child.

This is why I lay out the plan. And then I make myself do it. 

But making myself do it is always challenging because it doesn't matter what the activity is or how much I enjoy it, a more enticing one is always beckoning from the horizon.

Fortunately, my parent and employee don't let me slack off too much.

To keep me on track this week, neither one will let me get away with, "Oh, I'll just and see where I wind up." Nope, I have a schedule. And it's sitting at the left side of the keyboard.

On work days, I have a list with my daily and weekly must-do items sitting in the same place. I can't miss seeing it.

On fiction writing days, I have something similar.

For the record, I'm somewhat behind schedule. 

I had a great Friday night into Monday morning. Then Monday went slightly sidewise. I had a few non-writing things to address, and that particular chapter proved to be quite troublesome.

I came into Tuesday super tired and super behind. But through the miracle of coffee, perseverance, two minor kitty naps in the desk chair, and God mostly, I am heading in the direction of getting caught up.

Today I'm more rested, hopeful, and motivated.

I'm stressing the "hopeful."

Second Review for "Lycanthropic Summer"

I'm taking an at-home writing retreat and hit a major snag yesterday.

By last night I was tired and discouraged. The chapter of the day needed more work than I'd estimated, and I wound up with less time to address it.

And then this review appeared in my inbox. 

And while the muse didn't suddenly vroom into action, I definitely felt inspired and encouraged.

Or as I wrote back to the reviewer last night, "Kind of like that glass of cold water to the weary traveler in search of Eldorado..."

BTW, he writes in my favorite genre, and I had the honor of editing his book. You can find it here.

So I just finished the book...

Every so often, you read a story that makes you momentarily glance away from the pages and ask yourself, “why can’t I come up with something like THAT?” Other stories have a pacing that feels like perfect cruise control – comfortably mesmerizing – where you just don’t want to stop.

This book has both.

The characters are interesting, the mood was set perfectly to each setting, it’s funny in the right places and overall, really witty. The way you were able to tell the whole story from Caryn’s perspective but in two distinct voices (her diary vs. manuscript) and make it completely seamless was awesome. Loved how she referenced much of her real-life experiences to fuel the story she was writing - that sure rang a bell! LOL. I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, and I almost felt bad about popping in the bookmark and stopping when I had to, concerned I might not find that pace again, but I did, each time. The descriptions were vivid but not overdone, and even the little expositional tangents still managed to retwine back into the story in one way or another.

As someone still learning (with a LOT to learn) about such nuances in storytelling, this was a good lesson…and a hell of a fun read!

 

Congrats on a kickass story!

Kevin Trusty

www.ktwriting.com

www.radbournsrevenant.com

Sneak Peek: Bertrand's First Cookbook

My daughter Rebekah, a pastry chef, is on a creative cookbook roll right now.

On Saturday, she and Bertrand the Mouse collaborated to to whip up his very first cookbook while I slaved away on my second writing retreat (more on this tomorrow) and tate-tested.

We hope it will be ready by early November. Here are a few photo highlights. The cookbook will features twelve recipes in all. 

The chocolate mice truffles at the bottom are my favorite. The chocolate part is a mixture of chocolate sandwich cookies and cream cheese. The inside is cherry. 

The recipes will either have mouse-shapes, be made with cheese, or be both. There are snack recipes as well as recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.

Rebekah's first cookbook (all werewolf-themed recipes) is out now. You can buy it here.

And for those wondering why we didn't release any Bertrand books this year, you will be happy to know we have two in the "works" - just in time for holiday giving.

Ed Calkins Updates His Progress on "Ruthless"

Over the past few weeks, Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, has sent two updated versions of his upcoming BryonySeries novel Ruthless.

Then we had a phone chat to set up an editing timeline (the book is scheduled for release mid-January so he'll have copies before Calkins Day 2021) and deadlines for cover and interior art, which I sent via telegram (i.e. email) after we hung up

Ed has since sent more chapters and the following correspondence. You will note he addresses me by his first nickname for me ("goddess") as opposed to the BryonySeries one (MOMI - Mistress of My Immortality).

So as I had into my second writing retreat of 2021 with three goals, I have just added a fourth: edit one chapter a day of Ruthless. As the steward himself said in Staked!, "? I’m so dyslexic and scatterbrained, even spell-check doesn’t recognize my words.”

And these are very true words, spoken to me by Ed one morning at the dock of the distribution center, as I was heading out.

So editing his prose is an adventure. But so is reading it. Ed is a good writer, full of imagination and unpredictable humor.

The challenge will be staying on task with my own work and not getting lost is his.

 Dear Goddess,

Sorry about the half month delay. I finished very late at night. It took two days to recover sleep wise and after that, every time I went to send it to you, I got to editing instead. 

I consider this a first draft, but I expect to have the final draft before Thanksgiving. There's been some plot changes. The chap called Forward is of course the Forward....the Chap called Backward is now the first chapter. There is one chapter I didn't write yet ...Counsel of Scantily Clothed Merrows..which I hoping to use to include anything I forgot to write as I read my novel for the first time.

I don't know what to do about the changes. I've rewritten the Forward, Backward, and Pigs Don't Plow....that went quickly. Now I'm rewriting the first chapter I jotted down when I was trying to get a sense of what a back story would look like. 

So much has changed, but...

I promise not to change the stuff I send you now.       

Ruthlessly yours,

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Oct. 10 through Oct. 16

Good morning and happy Friday!

Ten feature stories (and one video) for you this morning.

And don't forget, The Herald-News is running a special series of coronavirus fiction - or our pandemic world reimagined in 2021.

The stories are free and sent weekly to subscribers of The Herald-News' LocalLit newsletter. For details and to subscribe, go here.

We're about halfway through the stories, so to read the rest, sign up soon. The stories have been going out about midweek. 

In addition, the BryonySeries has also recently released three books: Lycanthropic Summer, Cornell Dyer and the Old Folks Home, and a cookbook of a dozen werewolf-themed recipes that are easy and fun to make.

And if that's not enough reading material, you can check out even more BryonySeries books on our website.

And if that's STILL not enough reading material for you (I get it; you should see the stack of books at my bedside), I'm spending the next week and a half on my second at-home writing retreat.

The plan is to finish up my final draft of The Phoneox (the first book in the new BryonySeries Limbo trilogy) and my very first NON-FICTION book (a project I pecked away at all year - no wasting a pandemic for me).

With that, I need to make another cup of coffee...

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page. 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 every year, well, except this year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.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.


FEATURE STORIES:

Why, their little party's just beginning: Witches Night Out goes virtual this year with a month's work of fundraising fun

This Joliet business is doing sew-sew — and that's a good thing

Cold, flu or covid? How to tell the difference — especially in kids

Pets of the Week: Oct. 12

LocalLit spotlight: NewLenox man writes memoir about his rare disease

And my book review

Frankfort woman puts "hope and meaning" into three scary letters: ALS 

An Extraordinary Life: Attuned to the will of his God: Bill Scheer of Braidwood served wherever he was called

Minooka girl's illustration featured in an upcoming J.K. Rowling book

VIDEO: Minooka girl learns she won Scholastic illustration contest for new J.K. Rowling book 

Her insurance wouldn't pay for reconstruction after mastectomy — so this Joliet mom of 6 found help elsewhere

A student 'time capsule' on 2,500 index cards is making its way home: Retired teacher at New Lenox school wants to return special cards to former students 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

31 Ideas for a Happier Halloween

 When Timothy redesigned the BryonySeries website, he overhauled the events calendar and provided a space for me to add an event for every day of every month.

I balked at first. How would I host an event for each day? I had three objections: no time, no money, little interest (who cares about a daily BryonySeries event)?

Well, he knew that, of course. But together, we developed a way to accomplish it - and it's been just perfect for 2020.

Now September was so full of family emergencies, I never did get the September calendar completed. October was shaping up to be more of the same and then it finally tapered off.

So I completed the October BryonySeries calendar on Tuesday. 

The great thing about these events is that you can do most of these posted anytime during the month. 

And because most of these events link to the websites of other people, if you still can't get to an activity, bookmark it for later.

All of the activities tie back into one or more of the BryonySeries books. Most have appeal for all ages. And most of them promote the websites and activities of other people, thus introducing my readers and followers to others who share the same interests - which will, hopefully, increase THEIR following, too.

Here are the first fifteen events of the month as examples of what you will find the rest of the days. And feel free to take a peek through Oct. 31 - the events are all there (well, except the November dates. I'm still working on those).

Confusing? Go the calendar yourself and you will see what I mean.

To access the calendar, visit bryonyseries.com/calendar-of-events and then hover over your date of choice. The activity will appear - like magic! (wink).

Here's what I posted on the first fifteen days:

How to build an upcycled top hot

Make Halloween-themed paper plate silhouettes

Enjoy a free printable Halloween-themed Bingo game

A variety of free, printable mouse-themed coloring pages

A "spooky expanding ghost" science experiment

Make a bat out of a paper bag

A "scary" Halloween-themed salad

Trailer for Lon Chaney silent film "The Penalty" to the theme of a "monster" song

How to make easy spider webs from craft sticks and yarn

A version of "Danse Macabre" with clips of silent horror films

A vocabulary-building video of "The Lion and the Mouse"

Practice math skills while vanquishing vampires

Make paper chains with a decorative twist

And of course - two meetings of WriteOn Joliet 

Ronnie Barker - Mispronunciation Sketch

Community News and Writing Projects

Good morning! Is everyone having a great day so far? 

Below is a list to nearly twenty pieces of news I posted recently for The Herald-News.

Because I worked this past weekend, I'm off work today, so I have plenty of non-work (but non-fiction) writing projects to keep me busy today - after I (finally) finish the BryonySeries calendar for October.

First up is a news release for WriteOn Joliet's next author of the month.

Then I hope to plug up any open spaces on a non-fiction book I wrote this past year, a bookI hope to release next month.

Looking ahead...

On Friday, I will start my second writer's retreat for this year and (hopefully) get a final draft of The Phoenix done so I can work on self-editing the rest of the year. I'd like to have it ready for my editor after the holidays.

If Timothy has time, we still need to schedule a "Cornell" meeting.

Now The Phoenix is the first book in a new BryonySeries trilogy called "Limbo."

The other two books are named Call of the Siren and House at the Top of the Hill. And I already have some rambling notes for these, too.

Speaking of rambling notes, I also have notes for two standalone novels: The Emporium Orphans and the witch story I started to write when I was fifteen and spent many hours in the New Lenox library researching the topic. 

However, the witch story will be written in a style few authors have dared write, but it seems to be the best style for this book.

So if this pandemic continues, I have enough projects to keep me occupied.

Or in the words of Caryn Rochelle from Lycanthropic Summer, "Right? Write?"

Public Service Announcement MorningStar Mission Thanksgiving/Christmas Baskets

Owner of Frankfort photography studio named juror for Swedish competition

Hunters at Midewin can now go directly to trailhead parking areas and sign in

Frankfort trustee Keith Ogle to run for mayor in April 2021 election

Joliet Central teachers receive 2020 Yale Educator Award

Current 8th-graders: take a free practice high school placement test: Joliet Catholic Academy offering test on Oct. 12

Will County bank donates $5,000 each to 3 local nonprofits 

Need free breakfasts and lunches for your children?: Joliet Public Schools District 86 has added additional times, for any child 18 and under 

Will County in top 10 Illinois counties for crashes involving deer in 2019

Joliet West seniors named 2021 Commended Students

Silver Cross in New Lenox awards $60,000 in #scholarships to hospital employees/children

Plainfield church hosted drive-thru pet blessing  

Bobcats caught on Will County forest preserve's game camera

Stay safe in the kitchen: cooking is the leading cause of fires in the U.S.

Lockport man’s hungry heron photo devours photo competition 

Twelve D. 202 students earn National Merit 'commended' rank

G&D Integrated donates 22,000 new file folders to D. 86 in Joliet 

Village of Frankfort to sell surplus real estate

Here's the First Review for "Lycanthropic Summer"

 Yesterday was a working Sunday AND my youngest son turned a quarter if a century.

So when I signed off the computer yesterday, I didn't jump back online until this morning.

I found this waiting for me on Amazon - and I'm humbled, honored, and awake (I was stumbling around Monday morning fashion until I read this0.

May all of you who write have fans as loyal as this one.

May all of you who read find as great of enjoyment in your books.

And may all of us have a great Monday

 Lyncanthropic Summer has one helluva bite

Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2020

Verified Purchase

Author, Denise Baran-Unland, banks on the fact that her readers will take her words at face value. She uses words sparingly, but all are carefully chosen to reveal only what she wants the reader to see. Oh, and she hides a lot between the lines.

"Lycanthropic Summer" is one of the most terrifying books I've ever read because its characters appear so normal. Five pages in I found myself identifying with 17-year-old protagonist, Caryn Rochelle. Like Caryn, I was a hostile, snotty and potty-mouthed teen. That was the hook. Once I swallowed it, I deluded myself that I knew where the story was heading.

Summarily, Caryn is obsessed by werewolves and longs to author "The World's Greatest Werewolf Love Story." Again, what girl on the threshold of ripe womanhood isn't drawn to virile and dangerous men? For me it was Bela Lugosi's Dracula, Caryn likes her men dangerous and hairy.

{For instance} the entire romance novel industry thrives on dark desires. The wanton (but virginal) protagonist finds her beast. After playing hard to get for at least ten chapters, she bestows her greatest gift upon him - her maidenhead. Her love transforms him from a beast back into the misunderstood youngest son of Scottish royalty. He sweeps her away to his Edinburgh castle, etc.

 "Lycanthropic Summer" is not a romance novel. Still, I was sort of hoping for a mutually-satisfying resolution. After all, a werewolf is really just a great, big dog, right? Sure, Caryn's werewolf isn't titled, well-groomed or paper trained, but even Lassie had to start somewhere.

 Let's talk terror. If you love stories about sewer-dwelling clowns that devour children, the subtleties of "Lycanthropic Summer" might be wasted on you. Unland's style is closer to Alfred Hitchcock's. One of the most frightening 30 seconds in cinema is the shower scene in "Psycho." Like Hitchcock, Unland doesn't underestimate her reader's imagination. She understands the most terrifying thoughts are locked within our subconscious (and she holds the key).

The story didn't immediately scare me. The terror crept up on me, slowly and inexorably. I was reading alone in the evening, just after dark. Now, I knew the thud issuing from my back porch was Millie the Raccoon stealing cat food, but my heart nearly exploded. I turned on every light in the house and searched all rooms (including closets) for a growling, slobbering werewolf (yes, really). I could not even work up the nerve to open the back door.

At some point, I no longer identified with Caryn, and I realized her veterinarian father and "Aunt Silly" were genuinely creepy - maybe even evil. Like Unland's "Bryony" series, there are fugue states and altered reality that play with your mind and defeat logic. The story could be interpreted in a number of ways, all of them frightening.

Is the boy she finds chained in a rich man's basement the child who mysteriously disappeared with his parents nearly eighteen years ago? Is he a werewolf, a prisoner or mentally ill? Why does Caryn feel a psychic connection to him? Whatever the truth, the unfortunate young man inspires Caryn to write, and what she writes is horrifying. It becomes increasingly clear she has no desire to discover the werewolf's inner-Lassie.

As Caryn spins out of control, existing between the pages of her book, her father and aunt appear stupidly unaware of her plight. There are moments of lucidity in which Caryn is about to put two and two together, but the obsession clouds her logic. When she finally learns the truth, it's too late. Or is it?

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

Don't know what the IVA is?

Neither did I until Ed Calkins explained it.

For those who haven't heard of Ed, he is a real person who legally allowed me to fictionalize the part of his identity that he fictionalized as recurring character in the BryonySeries.

He wrote my "Irish genealogy," which we published in honor of Calkins Day a few years ago.

And he is currently working on his first novel, Ruthless, which he hopes to release for Calkins Day 2021 (Feb. 13).

Here, then, is Ed's original explanation of the IVA.

But first, a telegram from our sponsor with an update on Ruthless.

Dear MOMI:

I finished it.

At least, I have a completed first draft.

I'll send it to you along with the other chapters in the morning.

I can’t wait to start editing as I realize now that it will bulk up rather than slim down

Ruthlessly yours,

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara, Explains the IVA

There are two ways to join. The first way is the simplest.

 1) You can think you're Ed Calkins, and thus the spokesman for the Irish Vampiew 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 retailation, 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 too this day when any sight is deemed visually unappealling, 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

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Oct. 3 through Oct. 9

Good morning and happy Friday!

A baker's dozen worth of feature stories this morning.

And if that's not enough reading material for you, I have a few other suggestions.

One, The Herald-News is running a special series of coronavirus fiction - or our pandemic world reimagined in 2020.

The stories are free and sent weekly to subscribers of The Herald-News' LocalLit newsletter. For details and to subscribe, go here.

The BryonySeries has also recently released three books: Lycanthropic Summer, Cornell Dyer and the Old Folks Home, and a cookbook of a dozen werewolf-themed recipes that are easy and fun to make.

Have a great day!

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page. 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 every year, well, except this year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.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.


FEATURE STORIES:

Will County's 'Take Back the Night’ goes virtual this year — but the impact is real

Joliet Firefighters Peer Support Group honors crisis hotline

Baran-Unland: All the world's a Zoom stage?: Joliet Junior College and Lewis University offering fall plays virtually

Here's why clients returned to Daybreak Center in Joliet 2 weeks ago

LocalLit book review: Project Sumer Snow

LocalLit book spotlight: 'Necessary Blood' by R. Michael Markley of Joliet

And the review

An Extraordinary Life: Crest Hill woman stitched her family together with love

'We don’t just give food only. We provide a touch point of hope:' Hundreds of people seek out Joliet #SalvationArmy each week to meet their food needs

Pets of the Week: Oct. 5

Breast cancer patient at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox participated in 2 clinical trials: 'If I had to go on this journey, I wanted to participate in as many research protocols as I could' 

Crest Hill man determined to raise money for teen's adaptive van 

Frankfort family opens smoothie bar in New Lenox: Family also owns Smoothie King franchises in Bolingbrook, Naperville

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."

Six Day Bicycle Race In New York (1937)

Comedy for ELT - Ministry of Poetry

A Pair of Werewolves

So in honor of October being Halloween, we at the BryonySeries (that's sounds rather official, doesn't it?) bring you a pair of werewolf books for your reading and eating pleasure.

One is a standalone novel in the series. It's called Lycanthropic Summer and you can read the details here.

The other is called GRRR: Twelve pawtastic werewolf-themed recipes. 

My daughter Rebekah created the entire book, from recipe adaptations to their actual preparation to the assembly of the actual book, including the cover, etc.

Timothy lent his photography skills, and I lent my editing ones (so you may find a few typos).

The recipes are simply laid out, so they're perfect for busy adults who wish to add a bit of whimsy to their Halloween (or any month of the year) or busy parents and grandparents who want a fun project with their grandkids (even if they must cook together virtually).

Buy the werewolf cookbook here.

Illustration draft by Jennifer Wainwright for Lycanthropic Summer.

A Relatively Boring Weekend

It was a walking, talking, some working, some editing on The Phoenix (which is coming along nicely), two movies kind of a weekend.

Bertrand and I watched Timothy worked on the BryonySeries website for an hour or two because he wanted to show me changes. 

I drank coffee. Did some research for and gave some support to someone going through a tough time.

We were going to try a socially distance, masked visit with Joshua and his family, but it was too cold and too rainy (Saturday) and everyone was too tired on Sunday, but that always happens to us during weather changes.

The End.

Stingy Jack

Happy Saturday readers, writers, and BryonySeries fans.

In honor of October and autumn fun, here's a short story excerpt from the third installment of Before the Blood.

It's the late nineteenth century in a fishing village in northern Michigan. The gathering is an all-age harvest party at Fisher Farm. The perspective is third person, from a sheltered nine-year-old's point of view, who's at the party with her aunt and uncle.

The storyteller is Owen Munson, the village leader. He just won a bottle of "Grandpa" Clyde Fisher's moonshine for winning a pumpkin carving contest.

If you'd like to know more of the Irish lore behind this piece of fiction, visit https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/jack-o-lantern-turnips-ireland

            Gradually, the men arranged the pumpkins, now grotesquely carved and lit with candles, around the bonfire, which now burned lower, less brightly.

            "Owen, come git yore prize!"

            Mesmerized, Bryony watched the flickering eyes of the cadaverous lanterns.

            "Now, you young'un's know the legend of the Stingy Jack?" Mr. Munson asked.

            The reply was a chorus of. "Noooo!"

            Immersed in the mystery of the night, Bryony could only watch Mr. Munson and shake her head.

            A sly expression crossed his face, and he took a swig from his well-earned bottle.

            "Well, it just so happens Stingy Jack's legend begins with a bottle just like this."

            Mr. Munson held it up for all to see.

           "Now everyone knows," Mr. Munson dropped his voice, "that the devil makes the best moonshine around." He raised his eyes and the bottle. "No slam, Clyde!"

            "None, taken!"

            "So Stingy Jack longed for some of the devil's brew, but he didn't want to ante up for it. 'Course, he wouldn't share that information with you-know-who. So he washed his face and combed his hair and knocked on the door of hell and told the devil he wanted to buy his best spirits."

            "'Why, come in, Jack,' the devil says, setting down his pitchfork and opening the furnace door wide. 'I've got just the thing.'"

            "So Jack goes inside, drinks up the sample, and says, 'Oh, ho, devil, you have to get up early in the morning to trick Old Jack. I said I wanted to buy your best spirits.' And Jack threw down the glass."

            Mr. Munson's eyes swept over the crowd. "Now what do you  s'pose happened to poor Jack?"

            No one answered. Bryony's mouth hung loose, and she shrank lower on her hay bale..

            "Well, the devil says, 'Why, Jack, you are a clever man. I only save the best spirits for the most worthy of drinkers.' And the devil brought in a fresh glass for Jack to taste.'

            "Jacks drinks it up, smacks his lips, and again throws down the glass. 'Mr. Satan,' Jack said, 'I'm beginning to think the tales about your moonshine are false. If you don't have anything better'n this, I'll be on my way.'

            "But as Jack turns to leave, the devil grabs him by the throat. 'Now, Jack,' the devil says, 'I'll have no dissatisfied customers, especially when they are as discerning as you. Wait here."

            Mr. Munson took a gulp and swiped his mouth on his shoulder.

            "So Jack waits, and he waits, and he waits, and he waits, and he waits. After a long, long wait, the devil trots in with a glass of the clearest brew Jack ever did see. Jack, delighted the devil finally brought forth the goods, savored that drink, sip by itty bitty sip, until he was done."

            Mr. Munson paused, grinning as wickedly as a Hoberdy lantern.

            "'Did you enjoy it?' the devil asked. "I've had better,' Jack said and turned to the door, only to find the door had disappeared into the flames, as had the walls and everything else except for him and Satan.

            "'It's time to settle your debt, Jack,' the devil softly said.

            "This frightened Jack, but he still was keen on outwitting the devil. 'Lookee here, Satan,' Jack said. 'I've somehow misplaced my wallet. If you just let me run home, I'll be back lickety-split with your money.'

            "'I'm afraid it's not that simple, Jack,' the devil replied.

            Mr. Munson took a gulp of Old Man Fisher's moonshine and a step toward the audience.

            "'You see, Jack, anyone who's tasted my prized spirits can no longer enter heaven, but because you tried swindling me, you ain't fit for hell, either.'"

            Mr. Munson moved closer to the hay hales.

            "This frightened Jack. He wished he never heard of the devil or his moonshine."

            Mr. Munson leaned close to the front row.

            "'There's only one way to pay for this, Jack. I'm gonna have to take..."

            He grabbed Freddie Betts' throat, and Freddie slid right off his bale and out of Mr. Munson's clutches.

            "Your soul! MUAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!"

              Freddie sprinted to the outhouse. With a snarl and a chuckle, Mr. Munson brought the bottle to his lips, leaned down, and scanned the faces before him.

            "Now that the devil had poor Jack's soul, he needed a place to stick it. So he sliced the top off a juicy pumpkin, gouged out some eye holes, and a nose hole, and a mouth hole so Jack could see the world he lost, stuffed Jack's soul in, and popped back the top."

           An invisible force lured Bryony's gaze to the rows of Hoberdy lanterns, their lost souls cavorting in hellfire and damnation.