About the BryonySeries: McSorley’s Old Ale House

Cindy, who makes our Ribbit-Ribbits, announced at our marketing dinner in December that she and her family would be spending New Year's Eve at Times Square and a few days in New York, seeing "the sights."

At the time, Cindy didn't have any "sights" in mind. So I suggested a few.

Because the BryonySeries prequel "Before The Blood" is part historical fiction, I created the "feel" of the time and locations by lightly blending real landmarks and events into the overall story.

One landmark was McSorley's Old Alehouse, which was established in 1854.

McSorley's Old Alehouse appears twice in the first installment of the BryonySeries prequel "Before the Blood" (excerpts to follow below the photos).

But first, a few facts about this old establishment, which was closed to women until 1974 and opened its first women's restroom in 1986.

 

The floor is covered with sawdust, the bar has no stools and no cash register, and the space is frequently standing room only. And no beer: only light or dark ale.

The menu still has original items, such as turkey and the famous cheese, cracker, and raw onion plate. 

Cindy actually went back a second time for the wishbones, which she didn't notice the first time. 

The legend is that McSorley's gave patrons off to fight in World War I a free turkey dinner before they left. These patrons hung their wishbones, to split when they returned.

Legend says these old dusty McSorley wishbones are from soldiers who never returned to claim them.

Now for the excerpts:

Excerpt No. 1

Helsby looked at John.

            "The ladies of the church are hosting a tea in Miss Bartlett's honor this afternoon. When I return from escorting her, would you accompany me to McSorley's? The ale, raw onions, and turkey all are first rate, I promise you. It's just we two. Tommy is busy with his studies."

            "The villa's host is scorning the toque?"

            "Alas, the host's culinary skills are so poor, even the lads on the roof won't touch his dinners."

            "Then McSorley's it is."

            "I shan't be long. If you like, you may play piano in the parlor. The music won't disturb Tommy. He's deaf in one ear."

            The door closed, and John, deliberately ignoring the leaning floor and the scrabbling behind the faded wallpaper, wandered into the parlor. For all its shabbiness, the flat was clean. Poverty, at least for the future Mr. and Mrs. Helsby, didn't equal substandard housekeeping, although the abode could have used a picture here and there and perhaps a potted plant or two to lighten its bleakness.

            A small upright that shouted "scrap heap" pressed against one wall. John plunked a yellow key and winced at its reply. Taking a pass on torture, John gazed out the window and tried to envision what Savannah might be doing. Next year, John vowed, Helsby and his wife would spend their summer at the farm. He wondered if either of them could ride. Well, no matter. Between him and Savannah, it would simple to teach...

            "Well, this is truly a first: Master John and a silent piano occupying the same room. I'd not have believed if my own eyes hadn't witnessed it."

            John started from the reverie and turned from the window. "I didn't hear you come in."

            "I'm quieter than mice. Ready?"

            "Yes. Are we walking?"

            "No, it's too far. I've called for a cab. And no, you shan't pay for it. It's my treat. I've been saving for it."

            Lined up on the sidewalk outside the pub at 15 East 7th Street were empty barrels, all bearing the lettering McSorley's. The sign above the door extended from  one end of the building to the other and read, McSorley's Old Ale House: Established 1854. Inside, sawdust covered the dark wood floors; tintype photographs and Harrigan and Hart playbills lined the walls. After inquiring if John would prefer the porter or the cream ale, Helsby ordered for them both and found a table.

            "So don't be mum, Master John. What's her name?"

            "Savannah Holloway."

            Helsby leaned forward, eyes alight, the color rising in his cheeks. "The robber baron's widow?"

            Inwardly, John smiled. He had forgotten Helsby's fascination with society news.

            "The very same, Helsby."

            "However did you meet her? Through your father?"

            "You could say that."

            Their meal arrived. Each man bowed his head for a silent prayer. After swallowing a generous forkful of turkey, Helsby asked, "And you're actually engaged?"

            "Yes."

            He shook his head and cut another slice. "A pity she had a conflict, but I suppose she must be quite occupied with finances. Mr. Holloway had amassed a substantial fortune."

            "My interest is Savannah, not her money."

            Astonished, Helsby set the fork down. "I never meant to imply otherwise. I only wished to say her affairs must keep her busy. But, as they say, marriage requires many sacrifices, and they often begin well before the 'I do's.'"

            "So it seems, Helsby, so it seems."

Excerpt No. 2

Ticket sales remained high for days, despite the effects of an ice storm that lasted all week, another fallout from January's blizzard. One afternoon, soon after the temperatures rose, and as John had launched into his final practice piece, Henry walked up to him.

             "I dying to try McSorley's. Shall we?"

            They took a cab to lower Manhattan, with Henry chatting all the way about New York's cantankerous weather, how it kept him busy with news articles all winter, even as it ruined one suit after another. Despite Henry's fine manners, he seemed equally at home with the rustic McSorley's as he had been inside Delmonico's.

            Not until John picked up his ale and took a long drink, the type of drink Jackson would approve, did he dare ask, "So Lord Girard's ward enjoys reporting?"

            "I never said I enjoyed it." Henry raised his glass to his lips and sipped it. "Well, this is quite good."

             "Writing is not your passion?" John couldn't fathom why anyone as rich as Henry was would engage in business he did not enjoy, especially when he need not engage in business at all.

            "Journalism is not my passion," Henry set down his glass. "But writing most certainly is, the main reason for my marriage to Agnes King."

            "I don't understand."

            Henry held out the plate. "Soda cracker?"

              John shook his head, still watching Henry.  

             "I prefer shocking to informing." Henry grabbed another cracker. "Supernatural stories, not news stories.

            "I see."

            "But penning content for dime novels doesn't pay Fifth Avenue rent."

            "You're renting? On Fifth Avenue? But I thought..."

            "That I subsisted off Lord Girard's riches? Hardly."

            "And a reporter's salary covers those expenses?"

            Amusement on his lips. Henry took out a card, inscribed something on it, and then passed it to John. "This is my address. You're welcome to call on me."

             John read the card. His eyes widened. Henry merely cut another slice of turkey and said, "I see you recognize the address. My, did Mr. Russell have plenty to say about you when my story broke."

            "About?"

             "About how Little Lonnie, who's not quite so little anymore, would be so accomplished if you hadn't abandoned your commitment to teaching 'the dear one.'"

            Henry, John thought, for all his dandyisms, understood more than he showed.

            "So," John said, deciding no further remarks about the Russells were necessary, "you intend to use the King family riches to further your goals?"

            "Not exactly, no. I view it as an exchange of resources. Trust me, Agnes King is, and will be, amply compensated."

            "I still don't comprehend why you must marry Agnes when you have Lord Girard as a...resource."

            Henry waved for the bill and then leaned forward with a sly look.

            "Lord Girard is fairly young and healthy, making an early demise and acquisition of his inheritance unlikely for some time."

            "That's cold."

            "See here, John, don't act so coy. You and I, we are nearly the same."

            "How so?"

            "Similar resources, congruent goals, but..." Henry grinned impishly. "... different applications."

            John said nothing.

BryonySeries: Limbo Trilogy

I think vague ideas for the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy started coming into my mind in 2018.

I wanted to explore what happens when a place becomes frozen in time.

But I didn't start jotting thoughts (none saved anyway) until spring 2019.

However, I realized as I wrote the three books in the Limbo trilogy ("The Phoenix," "Call of the Siren," and "House on Top of the Hill") that the value of this series was more than a fun exploration of the activity in a seemingly stalled and stagnant locale.

The Limbo series actually connects the ends of the original "drop of blood" young adult vampire trilogy and its prequel (the five-installment "Before The Blood"), filling in the blanks, answering (and raising) questions, and creating a seamless story loop without any real beginning or end.

As I wrote at the end of my second writing retreat in 2024:

Now, I could be wrong about “House on Top of the Hill” being the last novel. But at age sixty-three, I want to be sure I finish these other BryonySeries books, while I’m still able to finish them. So I'm definitely not bidding creative writing good-bye. I have plenty of book projects to last me a long time.

Also, for anyone who has read the BryonySeries, this "House on Top of the Hill" brings the series to a nice full circle. 

You see, if one starts with the drop of blood trilogy (“Bryony,” “Visage,” and “Staked!”),  the five installments of “Before The Blood” becomes a terrific prequel to the series. Limbo then fills in the time period between “drop” and BTB, the eighty years when nothing seemingly happens.

Or if one reads the books in chronological order – beginning with “Before The Blood,” and then moving onto to Limbo and then “drop of blood,” the novel “Staked!” gives a nice finish to the series. 

And if you start with Limbo, you can read BTB and “drop” to see what happened before and what happens after, which also works quite logically, especially since "drop" seamlessly follows "House on Top of the Hill."

Now, I don’t want to forget HOW to write a novel. And who knows? I might have another lurking in my brain somewhere, just waiting for the right time to show itself.

Or perhaps I’ll co-write a novel or helps other authors polish theirs. But from my viewpoint on this Monday morning, “House on Top of the Hill” is likely my last novel.

Of course, I did say that after “Before The Blood,” too. 

And if we want to travel down that path, I really only intended to write one novel, “Bryony.” But the story was too big for one book. 

Fine, I thought. I’ll write a sequel. But the story was too big for THAT book, too.

Fine. A trilogy then. Except now I had all this background backstory and my little band of fans for “drop of blood” wanted to read the series back story, which turned into an eight-year project for the five installments.

So there you have it. A series that overtook itself much like the poisonous bryony took over Simons Mansion, the Simons estate, and worked its way into the woods (which wasn’t Simons Woods after all, as you shall see in "House on Top of the Hill").

And with that, here is a summary of the trilogy, along with the back cover copy of all three books.

Limbo

Its tagline reads: "What happens when time stops in a fishing village in Northern Michigan? The supernatural reigns."

This BryonySeries trilogy - in three separate and very unique novels - explore the time period of the very late nineteenth century through nineteen seventy-five, when all progress appears to stop in Munsonville, Michigan, giving the illusion that time has also stopped.

The first novel spans a few short months. The second two span approximately forty years each. 

The third has an unusual structure: each chapter is (almost) a separate short story that (most of the time) moves the greater story forward. You would have to read it to know what I mean.

The Phoenix

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?

Call of the Siren

Sue Bass is haunted by dreams of her father, who died in a boating accident before she was born, alluring dreams of water and song. But then a soft-spoken outside man with an inside plan comes to town, and Sue's sleepwalking fades, only to resurface with greater magnetism when he leaves. 

Two voices beckon. Which one will she heed?

House on Top of the Hill

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

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

Especially when it changes everyone, including Steve, forever.

BryonySeries "Before The Blood" Prequel

I was still in the drafting and editing phases for the BryonySeries original trilogy (2009 to 2010) when I began to seriously consider writing a prequel.

Because the prequel is mostly historical fiction with supernatural undercurrents, the initial research alone took several years.

At the time, I saw the prequel as one novel (which it is). But I struggled to find the best protagonist for the story, since no one character possessed the overarching "best perspective."

I finally decided to tell the story from the point of view from four main characters (each character would have his or her own section) with the storylines weaving and crisscrossing - until all four appeared together in the final section like a 1970s disaster movie.

I was well into the writing when Rebekah suggested publishing each section as a separate installment, since each section was really five incomplete novels that comprised one larger (and also incomplete) novel.

The initial research continued several years until I finally began any serious writing in January 2014. More research continued throughout the writing and initial editing process until the end of 2018.

I had entire the novel ready to go before publishing the first volume in January 2019. And then released each installment in two-month segments, working on each segment in those quiet spaces.

We called it "Before The Blood" because the action tells the back story before the three main BryonySeries vampires became vampires (although one is actually turned in BTB) and the events that led to the vampirism in the first place. 

The fourth character is Bryony herself, who only appears in the prequel, despite the entire series bearing her name.

Sue Midlock, who creates all The Adventures of Cornell Dyer art, worked with me to create a cover concept with a nineteenth century feel.

Christopher Gleason, cover artist for "Staked!" and "Snowbell," created five frontispieces for each volume. The colors are stunning; and we considered publishing them in color, but the cost was prohibitive.

However, you may enjoy them on the BryonySeries Facebook page.

And Colleen H. Robbins shared her editorial skills to find areas to polish that my own editing missed.

Here is the description for each book.

Browse - and enjoy!

Before The Blood

"Before The Blood" is a five installment prequel to the original "drop of blood" trilogy. It's part historical fiction, part gothic fiction, and part tragedy as it centers on four key characters and how they ruin their lives.

Its tagline reads: "Step into the past when dreams were still bright and the future was unwritten."

Before The Blood: John Simons

In Book One, read how nineteenth century pianist/composer John Simons goes from riches to rags to riches, and the price he pays along the way.

Before The Blood: Kellen Wechsler

In Book Two, read how Kellen Wechsler goes from rags to riches, and the lives he discards along the way.

Before The Blood: Bryony Marseilles

In Book Three, read how little Bryony Marseilles, spoiled sheltered, and sickly, uses her introversion and imagination to make sense of her Utopia.

Before The Blood: Henry Matthews

In Book Four, read how Henry Matthews goes from rags to riches and what he sacrifices to serve the riches.

Before The Blood: Bryony Simons

In Book Five, read how Bryony Simons and those she loves destroy their dreams.

Before the Blood 

Get all five installments in one volume for a lower overall price. Just be aware the paper is white as opposed to cream and the print is very, very small.

BryonySeries: Original "Drop of Blood" Vampire Trilogy

On one of the first days of 1985, I lay on the couch trying to combat pregnancy nausea with a book of classic vampirestories. 

My two-year-old and eight-month-old were napping at the same time, a highly unusual occurrence. I laid the book upside down on my chest and decided to write a gothicy-style vampire novel.

Now, I had never written a novel, only short stories and one novella. Nor had I even written much fiction since my junior high school days, thanks to a series of illnesses in high school and a killer schedule in college. Since becoming a parent, I had not even read much fiction. I preferred the Bible, as well as books on pregnancy, childbirth, Cesarean sections (I've had six total), home birth (I've had none), breastfeeding (infants, toddlers, through pregnancy, and tandem), Christian parenting, and homeschooling.

 

Yet, by the time the kiddies had awakened, and I was soaping washcloths for diaper changes (Yes, I used cloth diapers, by choice), I had the rudiments of s story--a teenage girl falls in love with a vampire she meets by a remote lake--flowing through my mind.

 

Of course, the main character would be Melissa. That had been my name of choice for numerous childhood stories. Finally, Melissa would star in her "official" story. I decided to set her story in 1972 (I later changed it to 1975 simply because I wanted Halloween on a Friday) to give expansion room to the story. It was a slow growth.

 

The raising of six, lively, breastfed, homeschooled children left little time for writing. Drafts attempted in locked, toddler-proofed rooms offered little concentration. Those adorable little people who shared the space were more interested in tapping typewriting keys than playing with all the lovely, educational toys strewn on the floor. Many, many deleted scenes found their home in some landfill.

 

Yet, while other stories ideas have come and gone, this particular one would not go away. Finally, in 2007, I decided to write it as a novella for the seventeenth birthday of one of my sons. I figured it could write it in a weekend. I was wrong.

So in January 2008, I tackled the novel in earnest. At some point, I realized the story was too large for one book; it would need a sequel. And far too many sequels (in my opinion) aren't that good. And I was struggling to write one book without the specter of a second looming before me.

Not until I had outlined the sequel and was actively writing it did I realize the story was actually a trilogy. And that was a real problem (to me) because I had enough material for two books but not three.

So I paused writing the second until (for consistency's sake), I had an outline for the third. And, honestly, without integrating Ed Calkins as a character into the first novel (when it was only a first novel), that third novel would would never have happened, at least not in the wonderful directions it veered.

The rest of my ideas for the rest of the BryonySeries books derived from writing another book.

While writing the first novel, the companion cookbook derived from all the fun food references, the mentoring subplot, and my desire to give back.

The idea for the bonus short story came from my publicist, who wanted me to have something to read at pre-publication events.

While writing the first novel, Sarah had the idea for Girls of the BryonySeries subseries.

While writing the second novel, I had the idea for The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries.

While writing the third novel, Sarah had the idea for the Bertrand the Mouse subseries.

And while editing the first novel while drafting the second, I had the idea for the Before The Blood prequel and the werewolf story.

And after I published all five of those volumes, I had the idea for the Limbo trilogy.

And while writing the werewolf story, I had the idea for the "A Year of Shadows" novelette.

Funny how that happens, isn't it? The entire series really took on the life of its namesake noxious weed, which can easily overtake healthy vegetation..

Now although I've previously said I've likely written my last novel, a vague, wispy shadow of another BryonySeries story is already lurking in the back of my mind.

Ed thinks I have a another novel inside of me.

He may be right.

The original BryonySeries "drop of blood trilogy

These books for young adults and older below originate from the expansion of the initial idea and revolve around the idea of "a drop of blood, a deceptive fantasy.

In addition to the trilogy, this initial subseries has a bonus short story and companion cookbook featuring recipes for all the food references in "Bryony," which is a permanent fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties.

Bryony

After her father’s sudden death, seventeen-year-old Melissa Marchellis moves onto the former estate of nineteenth century composer and pianist John Simons, where a mysterious mist stalks her, ghostly piano music plays in her bedroom, and visions of John Simons’ young wife Bryony, who died in childbirth, invade her dreams. Those dreams, Melissa discovers, are simply a distraction for the midnight feedings of John Simons, now a vampire. 

So, John proposes a trade: Melissa may visit the past as Bryony in exchange for minute samples of her blood to neutralize his vampire state. For a time, Melissa happily seesaws between her adolescent routine of school, slumber parties, and cute boys to dancing at balls, attending formal dinner parties, and hosting garden fetes. 

But fantasy and reality blur when her eccentric, middle-aged English teacher penetrates her dreams as Melissa’s dashing, young vampire chaperone; her brother Brian adopts a peculiar stray cat after a friend disappears in a midnight exploration of the dilapidated mansion; and another girl with a similar vampire pact is gruesomely murdered. 

Caught between the danger of her agreement and her escalating infatuation with John Simons, Melissa contends with other vampires and their agendas, while struggling with her feelings for an undead musician.

Visage

While grieving the abrupt end of her blood bargain with nineteenth century pianist John Simons, eighteen-year-old Melissa Marchellis packs sensible goals for her life and marches off to college, where her obsession flings her into a relationship with a music professor, a man with a shady reputation and an uncanny resemblance to John.

Meanwhile, Melissa’s peer support crumbles, as her friends make other choices for their lives. Shelly and Laura attend out of town schools. Ann forsakes her wealthy ambitions for a Munsonville boy. Julie is preoccupied with studying and dating a nice, but dull, psychology major. Katie runs away with an aging medicine man.

Melissa quickly cycles from pursuer to victim when the professor develops a mysterious illness requiring unusual treatments; neighborhood pets disappear at alarming rates; and she begins caring for a child with a number of disturbing qualities: a voracious appetite, abhorrence for meat, luxurious red hair that defies trimming, extreme intelligence, and musical abilities beyond its tender years.

As her world unravels, Melissa glimpses the horrifying truth beneath her choices. Will Melissa use that knowledge to finally break free from Bryony’s past?

Staked!

For seventeen-year-old John-Peter Simotes, prodigy of a college music professor that died from a mysterious illness and was staked by his best friend’s vampire-slayer father, growing up in a remote fishing village means tolerating an English teacher mother, enduring a Bible-thumping grandfather, working for a newspaper delivery uncle and a funeral director stepfather, playing with astral projection, and waiting for the right opportunity to rescue the princess trapped in a bedroom mirror.

So when John-Peter accidentally discovers a diary written by his deceased great-grandmother, revealing her claims that a famous nineteenth century pianist and composer with a connection to the village and a resemblance to the music professor was actually a vampire, he and his best friend, Karla Dyer, decide to resurrect the vampire to prove her theory.

But experiments with magic and immortality do more than test the information set forth by a mentally unstable woman. They unlock the truth about John-Peter’s real identity, the evil motives of people he trusts, and the mission upon which he must embark to save them all.

Snowbell

While visiting an out of state friend, a snobbish teen decides to show up the locals by disproving their cherished ghost stories. However, her calculated prank becomes a terrifying night in a dilapidated mansion and a desperate wish that the legends were true.

Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony"

In Denise M. Baran-Unland's young adult vampire novel, Bryony, seventeen-year-old Melissa Marchellis trades her blood with a Victorian vampire for a trip back into time as his wife, Bryony. 

Yet, as Melissa zig-zags between 1975 and the late 1890's, she encounters plenty of food. These range from the familiar dishes that grace her family's dinner and holiday tables to unfamiliar Victorian fare: beef tongue, stuffed pigeons, and boiled calves head. 

The recipes included in this collection reflect the culture of both time periods to give the reader an insight into the world of "Bryony."

Whether you read this cookbook to enhance the story's enjoyment or for menu ideas, may you thoroughly delight in each "bite and nibble."

BryonySeries: Purple Roses

I don't remember how purple roses became a BryonySeries motif.

But because they are, loved ones people have gifted me with purple roses through the years ("All The Purple Roses I have Known") with Cindy being the top and most frequent "gifter" of purple roses). 

My mother always grew roses, so I have lovely memories of those bushes, some pink and some yellow, and their heavenly scent.

But how I decided to incorporate roses into the BryonySeries is lost in my mind of writing the first draft of the very first book, "Bryony" almost twenty years ago.

I remember researching the symbolism of roses and deciding that the mythical purple rose, with its symbolism of enchantment, was exactly what the story needed.

I have an old file on the computer called "Bryony and Purple Roses" from February 2, 2009, that only has scant information on white bryony - nothing at all about purple roses.

How purple roses came to be associated with the BryonySeries young dandy vampire Henry Matthews (or how that young vampire evolved from a staid old professor vampire) is also lost to my memory.

The purple rose motif only shows up in the original "drop of blood" trilogy and two of the "Before The Blood" books. And purple roses only receive a scant mention in "The Phoenix."

Yet, if you ask some people who've read BryonySeries books, "What color do you associate with the BryonySeries?" the answer is most often is, "purple."

I have no idea - truly - why that motif instead of others in the series has really resonated with people.

But here is the first purple roses reference from "Bryony."

The room, although not very large, felt warm and comfortable, with its wine-hued carpeting and wallpaper, overflowing bookshelves, and rich mahogany furniture. Several desks sat at the east end of the room. One held a heavy, black, silver, oddly shaped typewriter, very different from her mother’s slim, beige, electric machine. Vases of fragrant, purple roses filled the room. Fully awake now, Melissa rested her head on the back of the settee and blinked in surprise.

For reasons I won't share here (spoilders) "Bryony" protagonist Melissa Marchellis becomes very attached to purple roses, to the extent that an envelope of dried purple rose petals are one of her most precious treasures in "Visage" and that she keeps a vase of fresh purple roses in her bedroom "Staked!"

Her eyes fell on the envelope, and she remembered Henry’s admonition to forget vampires, including him—her undead chaperone--and especially John, who brought only death to Bryony. She could resist no longer. Carefully sliding her hand past the dried purple rose petals, Melissa retrieved the sheet of paper whose words she had long since memorized. ("Visage")

Melissa sat at her desk correcting papers by the tiny lamp. It was the only light in the entire room except for the pink candle she burned near the vase of the fresh purple roses she always insisted Kellen buy for her. ("Staked!")

But as enchanting as these passages sound - to Melissa and to some readers - the purple roses might just be more curse than blessing. 

Pre-vampire Henry Matthews was a very young boy selling newspapers on a busy street corner with his father when he first encountered the term "purple rose" in the BryonySeries prequel "Before The Blood: Henry Matthews."

Harold worked Western; Henry worked Clark. When the morning rush dissipated, Harold again swapped the pouches and scampered away. Henry guarded the newspapers and watched the caravan. The women sat in clusters and wove baskets. The men played stringed instruments.

One dark beauty in brilliant hues locked Henry's wondering gaze with her rippling irises.

So many beads, Henry mused. So many, many beads.

They rattled from her waist, dangled off her hair, and wrapped her neck in a chromatic embrace.

"Son, take a break."

They lounged against the remaining bundles, munching stale ham sandwiches and gulping hot coffee from the street peddlers. Soon after Harold disappeared between the buildings, no doubt seeking his own relief behind Henry's trash barrel, Henry sensed movement behind him.

Before he could react, a withered rose pressed into his palm.

"True love spumes," a woman hissed, "when the purple rose blooms."

Henry yelped, his father's strong hand yanked him away, and the gypsy fled. ("Before The Blood: Henry Matthews")

Henry, again for undisclosed spoiler reasons, winds up signing all his original oil paintings with a purple rose instead of penmanship. The indention denotes a flashback.

But these (images) disturbed her less than the purple roses. The artist had painted a single one at the right-hand base of each image.

       "What this?"

            "My signature."

            " I thought a signature required the alphabet and penmanship."

            "Not always."

Back in the passageway, she locked the door and tucked the key next to her heart. She had to get dressed and find Henry. ("Before The Blood: Bryony Simons")

And, of course, the purple rose also comes to symbolize the rivalry between John Simons the pianist and composer and Henry Matthews, the writer, artist, and horticulturist, summarized nicely in the purple music roses Jan Stack handmade and gifted to me, to distribute at events.

Back to the top image with the crocheted flowers and white box. 

Somewhere in the haze of health battles these last couple of years, Cindy crocheted the purple rose bouquet, which has sat near my office supplies, waiting for its own special post.

She gifted me the purple rose buds she crocheted and the purple rose in the box for Christmas 2024, which we celebrated on January 7, 2025. 

But on that day I was in the tail end of a bad virus and then straight into one health challenge after another for the rest of the year. So both boxes stayed near my desk, waiting for a quiet moment to give them their due and very heartfelt appreciation.

Those boxes waited so long, I no longer remembered what the "angel blessings" purple rose looked like. 

But yesterday, I finally had that quiet moment - and I took the photo you saw at the beginning of this blog.

And then I opened the box.

Unlike Henry, for whom purple roses were more curse than blessing, more heartache than joy, I rejoiced to see the gift before me, my own little angel of purple roses.

To me, they symbolized the parallel prayers, good wishes, and blessings that silently and out of my view, accompanied me through the challenges of 2025.

BryonySeries: Girls of the BryonySeries

The "Girls of the BryonySeries" is an eight-book subseries of the BryonySeries world.

Sarah actually first gave me the idea for this subseries nearly twenty years ago, which has slowly developed over the years, since she, Rebekah, and I all loved "girl" books when we were growing up.

Each book features one eleven-year-old girl with a seemingly insurmountable problem only she can solve that the people in her immediate world do not understand.

All eight of these protagonists first appeared as teens in the BryonySeries "drop of blood" trilogy.

I wanted the art simple: a portrait, a style my daughters and I loved in the many "girl books" we read over the years, since it immediately helped "make friends" with the protagonist.

I wanted to actually write three books before I launched the series - and four of the eight books are currently published and available for purchase. Simply click on their titles.

The artist for these portraits is Jennifer Wainwright, whose creative skill obviously extends beyond werewolf art.

Rebekah is designing all the covers.

One book takes place in the late nineteenth century and is a slight repackaging of a chapter from this BryonySeries novel.

Six books take place in 1969.

One book takes place in 1989.

I have back cover summaries for all eight.

I have outlines for all eight.

Here they are.

Girls of the BryonySeries

Julie and the Too-Hard Homework

Eleven-year-old Julie Drake impulsively choose “psychologist” as her lifelong career after becoming fascinated with one in a thriller she wasn’t allowed to see. But despite studying hard, Julie only makes so-so grades – and college isn’t in her family’s budget. Even worse, Julie’s mother is pressuring Julie to take piano lessons, which Julie hates. 

Julie doesn’t know what to do – until she gets her first client.

Katie and the Big Fear

Eleven-year-old Katie Miller has lots of fears. She’s afraid of the dark, strange noises, strong winds, and thunderstorms. And Katie is especially afraid of the big house in the woods. The villagers say it’s full of ghosts, and the stories they tell gives Katie nightmares. 

So Katie decides to stay home, where she thinks she’s safe – until fear comes looking for her.

Summer Sisters

Eleven-year-old Bryony Marseilles and her strict father live alone in a big house. Bryony doesn’t realize she’s lonely until she spends three months with a large family of girls at their farm. For the first time, Bryony can run free and enjoy the company of her peers. She learns people and situations aren’t always what they seem – and that people, even Bryony, can change.

Karla Joins In

Eleven-year-old Karla Dyer has one goal in life: to be like everyone else. But that’s hard to do when your father was killed slaying a vampire, and your mother is making it your mission to take his place in the world. Karla and her mom live in his old motor home, which is rotting away, and Karla must study grimoires and crystal balls after a full day of school. 

Karla just wants to hang out with her friends. Is that too much to ask?

Brainy Ann (Available late 2025 or early 2026)

Eleven-year-old Ann Dalton has everything a girl could want. She is pretty and smart. She has her own room with bookshelf walls filled with her favorite books. Her parents are loving and kind; her friends are trustworthy and loyal; she’s teacher’s pet; and even her little brother isn’t bad for a brother. But her support is collapsing, and everyone says it’s Ann’s fault. 

Ann thinks they’re just jealous of her. Is she right?

A Room for Laura (draft)

Eleven-year-old Laura Jones lives in a small house with her large family. No one seems to mind, except Laura, who loves to draw and dream. Laura is frustrated with her lack of privacy and jealous of her friends who have their own bedrooms. 

But then Laura comes face-to-face with the one person in the world who can help her – and things begin to change.

Changes for Shelly (draft)

Eleven-year-old Shelley Gallagher loves both her parents equally. That’s the problem. Shelley’s parents fight a lot. They scream and throw stuff at each other, which scares Shelley and makes her cry. Even worse, they expect Shelley, an only child, to choose sides. 

One day, someone really gets hurt. Now Shelley must decide whose side she’s really on.

Melissa and the Hidden Treasure (draft)

Eleven-year-old Melissa Marchellis has a terrible life. Her little brother is too annoying. Her father is too old and too sick. Her mother is too busy working and caring for Melissa’s father to pay much attention to any of them. And way too often, Melissa can’t hang out with her friends because she must entertain her brother or sit with her father – literally sit with her father, since he hates television and conversation. 

One day, she finds a dusty old box. And life is never the same again.

For more information about other books in the BryonySeries, visit Books of the BryonySeries: A Quick Overview.