Calkins Day (Feb. 13) is the BryonySeries' official holiday. It's a day to celebrate laughter, imagination, generosity, and the birthday of Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara: man, myth, and author.
And once again we celebrated at The Book Market in Crest Hill.
The drop-in celebration included free food (including pizza), a chance to win an original acrylic waterscape painted by Ed’s wife Nancy Calkins (an accomplished artist and retired art teacher), and the opportunity to purchase books authored by Ed and books in which Ed appears as a character.
One of those books included the recently released “Recovering Ruthless,” the third book in the outrageous, literary nonsense BryonySeries Ruthless series, all authored by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara.
The first book is simply called “Ruthless.” The second book is titled “The Fifth.”
Ed also wrote my Irish genealogy. (I’m not Irish).
Ed also appeared as himself (as in himself, a ruthless dictator, and an Irish vampire) in “Bryony,” “Visage,” and “Staked!”
Who is Ed Calkins? Here is a twenty-question interview withthe real Ed Calkins, here is my Calkins Day address from 2020, and here is Ed’s Calkins Day message from 2018.
Here is why we celebrate Calkins Day.
Here is how to celebrate Calkins Day in our "Guide to Becoming Un-Serious."
I must also add that Ed is very dyslexic, which makes writing more challenging for him than many other writers. But he not only works through the challenge, he’s made dyslexia a key part of the plot in his Ruthless trilogy in ways that has nothing to do with reading or writing.
You also might want to listen to this podcast.
But for now, scroll through some of the photos and relive the fun (if you attended) or enjoy a small glimpse of the fun you missed (be sure to put February 13, 2026, on you calendar now).
