First Review for "Call of the Siren"

My BryonySeries super fan strikes again!

 Once again, she has left a phenomenal review on Amazon, this time for my latest novel, the second in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy: Call of the Siren.

 I've posted it below. But you may also read it here.

And for a few quotes/excerpts, see this post.

 But first, enjoy a few "bonus" comments from her that you won't find on Amazon:

"You're masterful at blending magic/horror and reality into one package."

 "This was strictly human level pain. There were no riches. There was no perceived savior or a rush to fame and fortune. Illusions were ripped away. It was so starkly and darkly human."

 "The beauty of this story is Sue is everyone's ancestor - someone who struggled - REALLY struggled - to fit in and to make a place for herself in a very cruel world. Yes, the magic is most certainly there, but it's that double-edged magic - the real thing. Bloody and ugly and vengeful."

 "It is the reality of Sue that makes the book beautiful. Even the true "fey" could never figure her out."

 And, finally, lest I sit back and rejoice TOO much, she added this: "Don't rest on your laurels, Missy. Waiting for the next fix."

 Yeah, yeah.

 But even the last comment is very BryonySeries. "Missy" was John-Peter's nickname for Karla.

 Thank you for reading this far. Here, now, is the review:

 

 "Call of the Siren" is an irresistible and terrifying novel

After I finished reading "Call of the Siren" it occurred to me that the story has so many elements of a fairy tale. There's Sue, an enchanted child, whose birth is shrouded in mystery. A vague and dangerous melody only she can hear, plays through her mind day and night. For most of her childhood, Sue appears to be in a state of fugue - sleep walking through her life as if she's waiting for something to happen

Sue's mother, Sally, is a hardworking soul - providing everything her daughter needs through her arduous work as a cook at Munsonville Inn. Though Sally provides food and shelter, there appears to be a disconnect between mother and daughter. It's as if they're two strangers forced to live together. You don't get the idea that Sue's life is filled with hugs and comfort.

Lacking a sitter, Sally brings young Sue to work with her each day, where supporting characters show more interest and love than her own mother. When Sue begins wandering to Lake Munsonville at night, Sally is alarmed. The lake is a tragic place where she lost her husband. Before Sue was born, a freak storm killed most the men fishing on Lake Munsonville. The fact that Sue is drawn to the haunted body of water terrifies Sally.

Sally, who is all about fulfilling her obligations, locks Sue in the bedroom at night while she sleeps on a couch outside the girl's room. And though Sally worries there's a strange spell on her daughter, both she and Sue accept the song and its dangers stoically.

Think of princesses before they achieve "happily after after." Sue is the very image of Cinderella, with her years of drudgery and and loneliness in the face of the unfairness of her life. Like the princesses in fairy tales, Sue is passive and submissive. Life is something that happens to her and she allows it. She's appears incapable of fighting back.

The author painfully brings home the tedium of Sue's life - the unending routine of rising at dawn, trudging through the elements to get to a job of drudgery in a kitchen of the local inn. These routines continue throughout Sue's life, with the occasional burst of excitement. Yet, if Sue minds the monotony it seldom shows.

Bursts of poignant poetry dot the book. The verses bring a sense of high emotion that clashes with the harsh reality, making their existence that much more painful.

As she grows, the song in Sue's hears in her head isolates her from her peers. She's a freak whose malady attracts the creepy denizens of the town's underworld (quite a lot of fun for the reader). The authors villains are truly the bottom of the barrel when it comes to evildoing.

Though "Sirens" is a standalone tale, reading the author's other serial books, or at least "Bryony Marseilles" will shed light on a few of the fascinating characters like Dr. Martin Parks, Dr. Gothart - and indeed, the possible origins of Sue's song. Well worth the effort, and more than likely you'll find yourself hooked on Bryony, with your winter reads all lined up.

Halfway through the book, it's clear that Sue is unlikely to ride off into the sunset with a handsome prince. After all, Sue lives in Munsonville, Michigan. Like Stephen King's Derry, Maine, Munsonville is not a "happily ever after" type of burg. Munsonville is the heart of the author's terrifying Bryony series and happiness is rare.

Though she never meets a prince, Sue does fall in love. When she comes of age, Sue takes on odd jobs in the kitchen where her mother works. It's where she first lays eyes on a man named Sam. Now, most folks would take a look at Sam and label him a scheister. That isn't really fair, but neither is life.

But,to Sue, he's the sun and the moon and the stars. The sparkle in his eyes and crooked smile reduce the song to a mere whisper. When she's near Sam the song becomes a mere whisper. Unfortunately, before she can declare her undying love (slipping forever out of passive mode), Sam calls her crazy and disappears.

After Sally's death - and the earth-shattering admission that she is not Sue's birth mother - Sue finds herself lost. Luther, a reporter for the local paper takes over in assuring Sue does not sleep walk. Each night, he carefully locks her in. Each day, she questions who she really is. Predictably, she and Luther become lovers, though her heart belongs to Sam. Still, Luther's not a bad catch, and the reader anticipates a "happily ever after, or perhaps "happily for the time being."

GOTCHA!

Do NOT - repeat: DO NOT - attempt to outfox the author. Denise Baran-Unland's complex prose - her twists and turns and dead ends - will make a fool of you every time.

"Call of the Siren" is Unland's most complex composition to date. It's not an easy read. It is well worth reading, but it will take a bit of discipline. Again, reading a few of the other books in the series will help to a great extent. However, unlike the other books in the series, this one hits where it hurts. The siren song and creepy characters aside, most of us suffer the pains of tedium, rejection and loneliness, and this book brings that home in a very painful way. As adults, we know vampires and monsters are remote possibilities at best. Living with ourselves and our frailties and fears is far more frightening.

In fact, it's painful. Most of us have been Sue. We've faced rejection and confusion. We lose sight of who we really are. We feel a sense of helplessness in dealing with life. When we finally claim our prize, it slips away, leaving us depressed and alone.

"Call of the Siren" is powerful in that it invokes the deep seated fear of abandonment and rejection that lurks in our subconscious no matter how confident we appear. As a horror novel, it's unlike the other books in the Bryony series, but it is every bit as terrifying.

An Eclectic Collection of Christmas Gifts from Some Really Awesome People

My family will conclude the main part of the Christmas season on January 7, the day when some of us will gather and open our gifts.

It is also a day when we will distribute gifts to other members of the family and celebrate Rebekah's birthday.

However, some really dear loved ones surprised me with spectacular gifts in December. 

Do you know what's most wonderful about receiving gifts? Every time you see a gift, or use it, your mind and heart immediately go straight to the person who gave it, and you feel the warmth of your time together.

Whether a person is physically near or physically too far away, gifts given and received in love create more love.

So here is the eclectic collection.

And yes, this gift box was one of the gifts, from Timothy. He came home from a dinner in Naperville one night and suprised me with these chcoolate truffles (below).

If you can believe it, most of them are still not eaten, since we've had other Christmas treats in the house, most of them made/baked by Rebekah.

But I have been eating them and sharing them two at a time with the other three people in my home. 

I take two matching ones, split them in half, and distribute.

This book is a gift from Kathleen Ellinger, whom I interviewed for The Herald-News in 2018, and I subsequently reviewed one of her books for the now cancelled LocalLit newsletter.

Her sister Terri has since created some pen and ink illustrations for certain Bertrand the Mouse books.

Kathleen is now a dear friend on social media. And on St. Nicholas Day (December 6), she dropped off the above book of her original poetry and artwork for me at The Herald-News...

...along with this bookmark she created...

...and this really sweet note. And, yes, I am enjoying her book immensely. You can buy it here.

My very first BryonySeries fan in the whole world surprised me with this mug, which also arrived on St.Nicholas Day.

Bobbi discovered my first book Bryony shortly after its release in 2011 through the piano music of James Onohan, who composed and performed ten original songs for the BryonySeries CD, including the "Bryony" theme song.

She loved my books so much, she even approached the now defunct Hastings Entertainment and begged it to carry them, which it did. Isn't she amazing?

We have spoken just twice, the last time being 2020. We have made it our goal to finally meet once this pandemic has become endemic (she has health issues, too).

Here is the back of the mug! I love it!

The little coffee guy in the background on the left is from Duanne, one of the orignal members of WriteOn Joliet, who gifted it to me several years ago.

I met Duanne at a book signing shortly after the release of Bryony. The Three Rivers Arts Council in Minooka hosted the event back when it rented the old Minooka firehouse. 

A blurb ran in The Herald-News, Duanne saw it, and out he came, heading straight for the book. He also brought a journal of his own writings, which he shared with me that day.

And this is the lovely card (in my favorite shade of blue) that Bobbi sent to accompany the mug.

This coffee sticker is another gift from Duanne (not from this year). I adhered the stick to a cabinet door of my former computer area. The setup wasn't very stable, and it did not survive one of our moves.

However, Duanne is important to me, and the sticker was, too. So Timothy removed the little cabinet door before sending the rest of the setup to the dumpster.

The little door stood on a shelf by my computer in my last bedroom.

And it now sits at the coffee bar in my new townhome.

Duanne gifted me with this candle for Christmas this year.

It reminded him of the BryonySeries standalone werewolf novel I released in 2020.

The novel, about a teen girl trying to write the world's greatest love story, buys little mementoes that she hopes will trigger her use. One of these items is a candle.

I select a thick pine chunk with black flecks. It’s called “The Forest at Midnight” and it smells of jasmine and sage, the way I imagine running through the woods at night on my werewolf’s back.

By the way, Duanne's candle smells terrific! 

These two coffee paintings came from my WriteOn Joliet co-leader Tom Hernandez. 

The artist is Tammy Duckworth, owner of the Book and Bean Cafe inside the Black Road Branch of the Joliet Public Library, one of WriteOn Joliet's partners and where we hope to resume in-person meetings once a month in 2022 (the second meeting will continue on Zoom).

Since I don't have a car (and can't drive at night even if I had one), Tom has provided nearly all of my transportion to and from meetings since 2013.

Along with those riders, he has also treated me to dinner and coffee at the Book and Bean Cafe before the meetigs. Think about that a moment: twice a month meetings since 2013. That's a lot of time, gas, and money - many, many a generous gifts.

Until the pandemic, Tammy has also hosted WriteOn Joliet's open mic nights, which we held one to two times a year. Duanne has recorded them, so you can see them here.

Tammy also opens her wall space to local artists and graciously hosted four of my BryonySeries artists in September and October 2018. Joliet TV came out and covered it. you can learn more about the cafe (and those artists) right here. 

An artist herself, Tammy also hosts painting classes in her cafe. I had long admired these coffee mugs Tammy had painted, but they were not for sale.

So Tom (as he told the story), persuaded her to give up one, which was apparently difficult to do.

Once Tom talked Tammy into selling one painting, he talked her into selling a second. He had a point in presenting the pair.

He wanted to remind me of how he and I led WriteOn Joliet all these years (the two cups) along with all the great coffee, double hot dogs (me), and open mics, and more we have shared and enjoyed in her marvelous community space.

This was a surprise gift from Janet Staley, owner of The Book Market in Crest Hill. This longstanding bookstore for new and used books is super friendly to local and independent authors and is WriteOn Joliet's second community partner.

WriteOn Joliet typically hosts its annual anthology release at The Book Market, but we moved it to the Joliet Public Library this year (after canceling it altogether last year), for reasons of space - and more efficient social distancing.

Janet was to handle all checkouts, so she would still benefit from our sales, too. But then she unexpectedly hospitalized, so Tom handled the anthology portion of checkouts and donated a percentage to the store.

Then Tom and I held back-to-back signings at her bookstore the Saturday before Christmas. All of us sold well that day: Janet, Tom, and I. Janet was super happy.

So why this gift? 

You can read those details here. And you can buy WriteOn Joliet's fifth anthology here.

But the short reason for why Janet gifted this particular village piece is that I'm the features editor for The Herald-News in Joliet.

Along with the Christmas village piece, Janet included this lovely three dimensional card with an even lovlier note to accompany the beautiful gift.

I  had written several stories about the author of this book before her death - and then wrote this tribute piece to her after she had died.

When she started her beautiful blog around the time I started mine (2010), I followed it until she stopped writing. You can still read her posts here. 

I wanted to buy a copy of the above book at the 2019 WriteOn Joliet anthology release party - and it was sold before I could get to it.

But a friend loaned me his copy - and I subsequently wrote this review about the book.

Sophia's daughter Maureen Blevins is now a member of WriteOn Joliet and writes this cheerful blog.

Maureen found a few extra copies of this book at her home - and so very thoughtfully gifted me with one of then. Hurray!

Colleen Robbins, a WriteOn Joliet author who has helped with the editing of many of the BryonySeies books, gifted me with these syringe pens, saying they reminded her of Dr. Martin Parks from The Phoenix, which the BryonySeries team released in 2020.

Aren't they awesome?

And, finally, WriteOn Joliet member Diane Short, who gave me a primer of calligraphy a few years ago when I received a set with a quill pen from BryonySeries artist Topher Gleason (So I could have an awesome signature for events), gifted me with this calendar that members of a calligraphy group, to which she belongs, created.

I waited until January 1 to open the first card. And then I will open the second card on February 1. 

So instead of one gift, Diane really gifted me with twelve little gifts of beauty that I may enjoy the entire year.

May 2022 be, for you, full of love, joy, peace, and yes, creativity and lovely things.

Final story:

Rebekah made this Christmas/winter wreath from white tissue paper on a wire coat hanger. She twisted inexpensive glitter ornaments onto the wire and added a red bow from the dollar store.

Sr. Rita Pawlik (deceased) from St. Bernard's Catholic School in Joliet (the building no longer stands) taught me how to make these in her art class when I was in the sixth grade. 

She loved to play classical music in the background during art class, a habit I adopted and adapted when I home-schooled my six children.

Sarah made many of these wreaths one year (she was no more than nine) as her Christmas gifts to relatives. 

And now Rebekah has made one we can enjoy on the front door of our new home all winter long.

New Review for "Visage"

 I'm glad to know that, even though Visage was published nine years ago this November, readers are still finding this first book of the BryonySeries and enjoying it.

This review was recently left on Amazon.

 The mystery deepens…and delightfully not in the ways you’d expect

Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021

"Picking up right where the first book in the series, Bryony, left off, the plot becomes even thicker – and more satisfying. 

"Melissa, now in college, finds herself mired in one strange situation after another as she tries to balance the rigors of her scholastic pursuits with her personal relationships, all while being pulled in many frightening directions. 

"Once again, the character development, for both new and returning characters, is exemplary and provides a stout backbone to complement the increasingly interesting story. 

Even more than its predecessor, Visage gives the reader an ongoing sense that something is coming, or is about to happen, or will be revealed, you just don’t know when or where the turn will be. Even with the expectancy of that impending…something, you still won’t be fully ready for it when it happens. 

"It’s all part of an engaging, delightful read that will have you turning page after page and anxiously expecting the next installment."

New Review for "Bryony"

A new recipe in Sue's Diner is coming tomorrow - I promise!

Rebekah and I both had a busy Monday at work, and we simply forgot to swap it out (she has the recipe and photo).

So I'll share this really nice review of Bryony instead.

Because I', glad to know that, even though Bryony was published ten years ago this November, readers are still finding this first book of the BryonySeries and enjoying it.

This review was left on Amazon recently.

Strong characters and a compelling story make this a page turner!

Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2021

"Vampire stories have existed for centuries. Therefore, it’s not too often you come across one that is refreshingly unique in its overall presentation, yet that’s exactly what Bryony is." 

"Within its pages resides an engaging tale that fascinatingly blends reality and historical dreamscapes – the real life normalcies and obsessive past life fantasies – of the main character, Melissa. Therein lies the strength of this book: The characters."

"Each one, good or evil, along with the settings, and eras within the story truly feel real. You know them, you’ve seen them, you relate to them, you’ve been there. The incredible character development and world building throughout this story are what bring the compelling plot to life, making the reader excited to discover what happens next."

"From everyday small town activities to chilling scenes of horror throughout a century-spanning web of mysteries, this first book in a three-part series leaves one tasty vampiric crumb after another for the reader to bite into."

Fun with Archetypes

My one BryonySeries super fan has often commented on my use (although unintentional on my part) of archetypes throughout the books.

So over the weekend, we had a bit of online fun and listed the characters we felt best fit certain categories. For me, it was fun to get out of the writing box and approach my own work as a reader and through a different perspective.

Here are our results. 

Do you agree or disagree with our choices? What would you decide?

HER:

Ruler: Dr. Gothart

Creator/Artist: Owen Munson

Sage: Old Man Fisher

Innocent: Galien and Adele (With the flip side of that coin being ignorance). Susan, too. John-Peter

Explorer: Owen Munson

Rebel: Bryony

Hero: John-Peter

Wizard: Owen Munson

Jester: Kellen

Everyman: "There are many supporting characters in each of the books that lend that feeling of normalcy to the point where I've been shocked when you've kicked the chair out from under me. Seriously, Ed Calkins could assume that role when he wanted to, though of course, it was a disguise."

Lover: Henry

Caregiver: Maybelle, Melissa (in the trilogy)

She also said, "In the Tarot, John would be The Fool. I've always felt strongly about that one."

ME:

Ruler: Abbott Simons, Lord Girard

Creator/Artist: Henry Matthews

Sage: Everett Spencer, Grandpa Clyde

Innocent: Bryony Marseilles/Simons,  Flossie McGee, Lucetta Spencer/Simons

Explorer: Owen Munson

Rebel: John Simons

Hero: John-Peter Simotes

Wizard:  Dr. Rothgard etc., Granny Spencer

Jester: Cornell Dyer, Ed Calkins

Everyman: Steve Barnes

Lover: Henry Matthews, Boswell Pike

Caregiver: Darlene Marchellis/Barnes, Maybelle Fisher

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

Flawed, Yet Beautiful

In the third and fifth installments of Before The Blood, I have a character who is mentioned only once by name in Bryony as part of the parade of guests at the garden party.

There was the short and stocky Mayor James Fisher and his equally short and stocky wife Maybelle, and their two daughters, whose names Melissa did not catch, and who resembled a female version of Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

In Before the Blood, all these characters come alive and become more than a quick look. Maybelle's first two descriptions are these:

"Listen to you. I'm as fat as a little pig and still you tempt me with food. Why, Maybelle's ankles look like sticks compared to mine. I don't belong in a cabin. I belong in a pasture, chomping clover and mooing."

All summer Maybelle, as plump and sweet as an overripe peach now that she was expecting, stocked the Marseilles cabin with bounties from Fisher Farm.

The reader eventually meets Maybelle "in person." Maybelle has a tendency to babble (in fact, others often interrupt her just to get to the point), and she grows larger with each child (Seven are mentioned, but it's unknown if Maybelle ever had a miscarriage or stillbirth).

And while it's easy to make assumptions or dismiss her (she's a secondary character and her role is minor), one reader names her as a favorite and sent me this over the weekend:

Maybelle is Mother Earth - the true strong, feminine ideal. Her willingness to fix the broken children at any expense to herself. You sense she's stronger than the men. Yet, she never loses her feminine mystique.

She absolutely shines. In the tarot she'd be the empress.

I responded: I love this. Maybelle isn't fashionably thin  and she talks too much. And yet you, the reader, can appreciate her strong femininity. I think Maybelle would be surprised, but humbled and thankful, someone sees her this way.

Do you know a "Maybelle?"

Illustration by Kathleen Rose Van Pelt for "Bryony."

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Six Questions with Bryony Fan Wayne David Blankenship

Monday, October 18, 2010

Six Questions with Bryony Fan Wayne David Blankenship

Wayne David Blankenship is an avid fan and reader of the Bryony Facebook page. He is following the posts and waiting patiently for Bryony’s release date. So Bryony’s web administrator Sarah Stegall sent Wayne a few questions about his interest in Bryony, books, and vampires.


Sarah: “What is the first thing you would do if you wrote a famous book?”

Wayne: “The first thing I would do is help family and friends in need with the earnings from the book. I would also start a savings account for my family, and make sure to spend the money wisely, and make it last.”

Sarah: “What is your favorite thing about the Victorian Era?”

Wayne: “I would definitely say my favorite thing about the Victorian era was its long period of peace, the prosperity of the British people, and all of the innovations that were born out of the era.”

Sarah: “Why is it important to still pick up a book when technology is everywhere?”

Wayne: “I think technology is good for quick answers to questions, socializing, and catching up on the news. However, nothing beats reading books when it comes to diving deep into a subject, immersing oneself into a magical world, or following comical characters hitchhiking through the universe.”

Sarah: “Vampires: Real or myth?”

Wayne: “Are vampires real.....although vampiric entities have been recorded in many cultures and although speculation of their presence has been around since seeming the beginning of time, I believe they are mythical creatures.”

Sarah: “Why do you find the Bryony Facebook posts interesting?”

Wayne: “They leave me wanting more, wanting to hear more of the story, and definitely point to a vampire story that is original, not just "another teenage vampire movie."

Sarah: “What is something you'd like to see on the Bryony blog?”

Wayne: “I would enjoy seeing more snippets from the book, and people's opinions thereof. I would like to know how many people, other than myself, are interested in the book.”

http://www.bryonyseries.com/

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday: Meet Bobbi Phelps Towery, "Bryony" Fan Extraordinaire

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Meet Bobbi Phelps Towery, "Bryony" Fan Extraordinaire

Recently, Hastings Entertainment in Utah (www.gohastings.com)

purchased several copies of Bryony, and it’s all due to Bobbie Phelps Towery, a Bryony fan extraordinaire, who brought her copy to the store manager and persuaded him to order copies.

Not only has Bobbi been talking up the book, she’s passed out flyers around town, letting readers know where they can enjoy the book, too.

Today, Bobbi shares why she’s so fond of the story.


1) What kinds of books do you generally read?

   “Mysteries, romance novels if set in other time periods, sleuth/spy novels.”


2) How did you hear about Bryony?

    “I learned about Bryony through the music videos on YouTube by pianist/composer James Onohan.”

3) What led you to purchase a copy?

   “Once I heard James' Bryony music, I read about the book then I watched the trailer, and I was hooked. I had to purchase the book and read the whole story!”


4) What did you like about the story?

   “I mostly liked the fact that Melissa (the main character) never really lost her innocence through the whole story even though she wanted more than anything to be loved by John just as Bryony was. But I also liked the suspense and the unpredictability of the story. The storyline was easy to follow.”

5) What did you dislike?

   “It was too short!”


6) Who was your favorite character, and why?

   “Melissa. Even though she's not sure most of the time whether she's living in a dream or in reality, she never loses her composure.”

7) Who was your least favorite character, and why?

   “Kellen. He was the ruthless devil that caused John to sell his soul and murdered so many innocent women.”


8) Team John, Henry, or Kellen, and why?

   “Team John; Even though music was the first love of his life, I believe he truly loved Bryony and although his soul was tormented by her death, when Melissa was "Bryony,” I believed he had real feelings for her as well. I connect with John in the sense that music is a source or channel for the release of torment.”


9) Any final comments?

   “Music, especially piano, has been my lifelong love as well, and in my opinion, the story ofBryony has all the components that touches my heart: music, mystery, romance, innocence. Awesome storytelling!”