Four Locally Authored Christmas Books You Can Buy Now

The days leading up to Christmas and beyond are perfect to snuggle into a warm blanket with a warm drink in one hand and a good Christmas story in the other.

Here are four locally authored Christmas book you can enjoy now.

All four are available on Amazon.

The first three are also available at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

The first two are also available for immediate reading on Kindle.

The last is only available in print on Amazon.

So although that fourth book may not arrive in time for Christmas, it's still sweet reading for the holiday season.

And if you'd like more local author suggestions, check out this list I assembled in late 2019.

And remember, even if you don't want to read the books yourself, you can make the holidays brighter for a child who does.

Happy reading!

Bertrand and the Christmas Surprise

It's Bertrand's first Christmas, and he can't wait to meet Santa. But instead of the man in the red suit, Bertrand comes face to face with a bit of Christmas magic.

Cornell Dyer and the Flu

It’s Christmas Eve and a very sick Cornell Dyer is stuck in the hospital, frustrated because he can’t find the vending machine and because he’s too sick to solve his latest supernatural mystery. Another patient tries to help Cornell, not with food and medicine, but with a journey into realms Cornell doesn’t want to go.

Write Where We Are: Holiday Edition: Stories, poems, and essays for the holiday season

Nearly everyone has traditions. For the last eight years, Write On Joliet has assembled an anthology of our members’ works, published and offered to the public as a way to share our passion with the community.

This year, we are offering a special holiday edition of Write Where We Are. We hope this collection of stories, essays, and poems that touch on many aspects of the holiday season, will become a new tradition for your family: a chance to lose yourself in a memory, take a break from the holiday hustle, and enjoy something a little different and home-grown.

Write On Joliet is comprised of writers from across the southern suburbs who share a passion for creative writing. In addition to publishing an annual anthology,

WriteOn Joliet produces a live theatrical reading performance each spring, and its members participate in other community arts events throughout the year.

Sarah's Christmas Wish

A heartwarming Christmas story about a seven year old girl living in an orphanage with her two best friends. Her dream is to find a home with parents for herself and her friends. The orphanage is not one of warmth or compassion but it doesn't stop Sarah's dreaming and good nature.

12 Quotes from Cornell Dyer and the Flu

When we were getting ready to release Bryony back in 2011, my daughter Sarah (who did a lot of the marketing for me) suggested I pull thirty teaser quotes from the book that she could post on Facebook, one each day.

We did the same for the second book, Visage, which is also part of the BryonySeries.

But for some reason, I never did the same for another book.

So now I am catching up.

Here is the synopsis and chapter headings for Cornell Dyer and the Flu, followed by twelve quotes, one from each chapter.

As an aside, "Cornell Dyer and the Flu" is a parody of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

Enjoy!

It’s Christmas Eve and a very sick Cornell Dyer is stuck in the hospital, frustrated because he can’t find the vending machine and because he’s too sick to solve his latest supernatural mystery. Another patient tries to help Cornell, not with food and medicine, but with a journey into realms Cornell doesn’t want to go.

Prologue: 

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

 “I need help here!”

Chapter 1: Snacking to Death

“I said look at me. What do you see?”

“I see an old, white-haired man in a bathrobe sitting at a desk who won’t let me ask him for a quarter for the vending machine.”

“No, no! You’re focusing on the outside. What do you see?”

Chapter 2: Walkers and Wheelchairs

“This is not a regular hospital, Charlie.”

 “Sure it is.” Charlie gestured around him. “It has doctors, nurses, patients, loved ones. Some people get well and go home. And some people get well in other ways and go to their eternal home.”

“What about the golden cords? I’ve never seen cords like this in a hospital.”

“The golden cords have nothing to do with the hospital, Professor. Here, look.”

Chapter 3: On a Thin Line

The cats continued playing and prancing as if they were frolicking in a spring meadow instead of a subterranean laboratory.

Chapter 4: Opposites Attract

“We heard you saved him,” one nurse said. “How’d you know he wasn’t faking? 

“We didn’t. That’s why we ordered pizza first. He wasn’t going to fool us again.”

Chapter 5: Darkness is Dangerous

And he heard a friendly voice, the friendliest voice he had ever heard, a voice he had never expected to hear ever again.

It’s the fever, Cornell told himself. The last time he heard that voice, Cornell had a fever.

Chapter 6: A Trip to the Beach 

"I didn’t think I’d see you for a long, long time yet,” Jack continued. “Are you sure you’re supposed to be here?”

Cornell sighed happily. “Who cares? It’s perfect here. Wait. What’s that noise?”

Chapter 7: Sudden Shocks 

The sun had nearly set, and twilight had nearly arrived by the time Charlie exited the long highway and pulled into a gas station.

Finally! Snacks!

Chapter 8: Grandpa Mo  

“I know you’ve helped a lot of people, Cornell,” Grandpa Mo said. “But you’ve missed out on the most important part of life.

“It’s true,” a thick syrupy voice piped up.

Oh, no, Cornell thought. It couldn’t be.

He whirled around.

Chapter 9: Larry the Llama 

"I am the Llama of Cornell Present, and I am here to help you with your attachment issues.”

“I don’t have attachment issues!”

“Oh, no? Then why didn’t you go to prom?”

“You were there! I was making a potion!”

 “You were too afraid to spend an entire evening with the very pretty Amy Whitefield!”

“Who?”

“See? Attachment issues.”

Chapter 10: Picture Perfect

After taking two slices, he positioned himself in the middle of the room, to best answer their questions and quote his prices.

Epilogue:

No potato chips. No orange drink.

Not even a candy cane or a chocolate Santa.

 What kind of food was this?

The FIT Foundation Donated 30 WriteOn Joliet Holiday Anthologies. Here's How You Can Get One

In 2023, Angie Aegerter donated thirty 2022 WriteOn Joliet anthologies to The Timbers of Shorewood's book club.

Angie is the founder of the FIT Foundation in Crest Hill, a meal prep company. And she approached me this summer, asking if I had any additional upcoming donation opportunities.

Well, it just so happens that WriteOn Joliet created its first holiday anthology this fall. So Angie offered to sponsor thirty copies, as a Christmas gift for the community.

The anthology has ninety-three pages of locally written poems, short stories, and essays that are perfect for the holiday season.

WriteOn Joliet Holiday Anthology Contributors: Denise M. Baran-­Unland, Mauverneen Blevins, Ed Calkins, Pat Camalliere, Holly Coop, Steven James Cordin, Tom Hernandez, Cean Magosky, Sue Midlock, Colleen H. Robbins, Jennifer Russ, Stephen Saporta, and Duanne Walton.

Here are two ways you can get a free copy (while supplies last) of "Write Where We Are: Holiday Edition: Stories, poems, and essays for the holiday season."

Ten copies will be at the counter of The Book Market in Crest Hill sometime in early December to be given away however the owner Janet Staley decides. Could be just free, could be free with purchase. 

The other twenty copies will go inside the mini bookbags that Jasmine made for my birthday this year. We will distribute these bags from the BryonySeries table at Friday's North Pole Christmas Market in Joliet.

This is the same event where I will be reading Christmas stories and giving away ten free copies of "Bertrand and the Christmas Surprise."

But these swag bags will have a few "extras," too.

Nineteen of those bags will include a copy of the BryonySeries holiday edition of "Visage," which is out of print and not available for purchase.

This holiday edition has a unique cover, slightly different editing, an introduction by moi (the only time I've written one for any of my books), and some fun appendixes (for instance, it's the only place you'll see me dressed as a kangaroo).

The other six bags will include a copy of "Cornell Dyer and the Flu," a parody of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," which is geared towards children age eight (depending on reading level and parental guidance) through adult.

The swag bags will also contain one of more "mystery quotes," which are suitable for slipping into greeting cards, your purse or wallet, or any place someone might find a spark of imagination or inspiration.

But wait! That's not all!

The swag bags will also contain a "sweet treat" in BryonySeries colors, some special offers, and information about upcoming (and local) holiday events.

Now, depending on the book combinations, this BryonySeries swag bag (bag and contents) has a retail value of thirty to thirty-five dollars. And these are FREE to the first twenty-five North Pole Christmas Market attendees that stop at our table.

And don't forget, the BryonySeries table will also have FREE purple music roses with select book purchases, as well as crocheted mice for adoption with select book purchases, all while supplies last.

WriteOn Joliet will also have copies of both its holiday anthology and the 2024 edition of its "regular" anthology for sale at its 8th annual anthology release party on Dec. 5 at the Black Road branch of the Joliet Public Library.

Here are ten reasons why you should attend WriteOn Joliet's 8th Annual Anthology Release Party.

Does hearing the word FREE put you into the holiday spirit? It should - and not just because of "free."

"Free" is possible because of big-hearted people in the community who just want to be a blessing.

The anthologies are free because Angie Aegerter has (TWICE) donated copies for people's reading pleasure. Angie runs a small business, not a large corporation. And if you follow her business on Facebook, you will see the other ways she blesses the community all year round.

The "swag" is free because Jasmine made it herself and then gifted it to me.

The purple music roses are free (with select purchases) because Jan Stack, the youth services clerk at the Joliet Public Library, made them and gifted them to me.

The adoptable crocheted mice (with select purchases) are free because Cindy made the mice. An every one is hoping for loving home this holiday season.

The chef-created heavy appetizers at WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party are free because Timothy buys all the ingredients and makes all the food as his way of elevating the celebratory spirit as we connect local writers with local readers.

The photos with Santa at the release party are free because Santa is loving and giving.

And the rest if free because we at the BryonySeries want you to start the holiday season with a smile.

Many of us (including us) have struggled this past year (past few years for us) and might be coming in to the season feeling not quite so merry and bright.

And every now and again, it's nice to band together and bring a little of joy and generosity to our little portion of the world.

Happy Wednesday!

Editor's note: This post was updated to correct the amount of books going to each location.

Two BryonySeries Christmas Books You Can Read Now

Do you need some last-minute Christmas cheer for you or the child in your life?

Here are two holiday-themed books for children of all ages that you can read on Kindle now. 

Or order print copies through the store on the BryonySeries website or Amazon and enjoy them through the holiday season (and beyond).

Bertrand and the Christmas Surprise: 

It's Bertrand's first Christmas, and he can't wait to meet Santa. But instead of the man in the red suit, #BertrandTheMouse comes face to face with a bit of Christmas magic.

Order the Kindle here.

Cornell Dyer and the Flu (a "Christmas Carol" parody):

Supernatural super sleuth Cornell Dyer is stuck in the hospital on Christmas Eve, frustrated because he can’t find the vending machine and because he’s too sick to solve his latest supernatural mystery. And now he must take a journey into realms he doesn't want to go.

Order the Kindle here.

Perfect Timing

One common theme I often hear when I write my "An Extraordinary Life" features for The Herald-News is that the subject of the story "never complained" when fighting cancer or other devastating illnesses.

No one willl ever say that about me.

Nothing kicks up anxiety for me and for some of my children like illness. Maybe that's because we've been blessed/cursed with some of the most unusual maladies out there: pheochromocytoma, Steven Johnson Syndrome, refractory diseases.

For those of us who complain (I'm raising my hand over here), the complaining is not whining. The complaining serves as a reality check as to what is and is not typical and whether or not someone should act, whether the guard should go up or down.

Too much of the time, getting sick for us is not a simple thing. Too much of the time, going to the doctor is fraught with stress because the only reason we are seeking medical help is because we either couldn't figure out the issue or the issue is too great for us to fix on our own. Too much of the time, the doctor can't get it right on the first try, either.

Two weekends ago I worked. It was a quiet weekend and accomplished a lot. So I was really looking forward to tackling some fiction this weekend.

But on Friday, both Rebekah and I came down with some sort of viral bug.

So on Saturday, we did the responsible thing: we broke open our first home COVID test. Both test results were negative.

On Sunday, we did the next responsible thing: we went for PCR testing. We got the results back yesterday, actually immediately after I told my supervisor I was sick. Both results were negative.

This morning, we are starting to feel better. And the timing was perfect, really.

Daniel has wanted to carve some time out to watch The Haunting of Hill House. Well, since I didn't feel up to anything else, we blew through it this weekend. We're also halfway through The Haunting of Bly Manor. See what happens when you don't have the energy to work out or clean house?

On Sunday, I was starting to feel better and wound up finishing the last two chapters of Call of the Siren after all. Hurray! I'm on the right side of getting well.

But Sunday night, the virus showed its teeth and kept me up half the night.

On Sunday night, I fretted about a big project at work - which I finished on Monday.

On Sunday night, I fretted about some "life" things coming up that this virus might take out only to wake up at 4 a.m. and realize the virus was barely whimpering.

This morning, I'm feeling more assured that some bugs are simply some bugs, and we do get over most of them. The timing of this one was perfect, really, with COVID cases at an all-time low.

I'm a planner, and it's good to plan. I'd never get much accomplished without planning.

I also like protecting my health. I spent the first two decades of my life not feeling well most of the time. And my efforts at wellness have served me well for most of my adult life.

But when plans go sideways, it opens the door for other opportunities.

When the timing is perfect.

Illustration by Sue Midlock for "Cornell Dyer and the Flu"

A BryonySeries Gift For You

Today is the feast day of St. Nicholas.

St. Nicholas is the patron saint of giving gifts, especially giving gifts to children.

We at the BryonySeries wish to continue that tradition.

Although Christmas happens in many of the BryonySeries books, we currently have two books completely devoted to Christmas.

Email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com and tell us which book you'd like to receive. Include your address, and we will send it to you. This offer is good through Dec. 31, 2021.

You might also enjoy reading these Christmas excerpts from some of the other BryonySeries novels.

Here are the books:

Bertrand and the Christmas Surprise

It's Bertrand's first Christmas, and he can't wait to meet Santa. But instead of the man in the red suit, Bertrand comes face to face with a bit of Christmas magic.

Cornell Dyer and the Flu

It’s Christmas Eve and a very sick Cornell Dyer is stuck in the hospital, frustrated because he can’t find the vending machine and because he’s too sick to solve his latest supernatural mystery. Another patient tries to help Cornell, not with food and medicine, but with a journey into realms Cornell doesn’t want to go.

Enjoy the day! 

Catching Up and Progressing

Just one story to share this week, and I'm not the writer.

Rachel Barks, who interned at The Herald-News this summer, finished this story on our last day of her - hers as an intern and mine before I caught a plane to Raleigh.

She did a great job, and the cause is a worthy one. I've posted it at the bottom of this blog.

This past week has been one of catching up and moving forward with new stories.

On the features side of things, my day is full of interviews, starting at noon and continuing through the evening. I'm also meeting with a group of teens who are creating a newspaper and are looking for practical guidance.

Plus, we are heading into a holiday weekend, so I've got some extra work on that front, too. Bring on the coffee!

Also on the features side of things, but as an independent project, I'm ghostwriting the memoir of a Joliet woman. I've neglected that project the last couple of weeks, but with new ones coming up through the ranks, I hope to finish a draft for her to read this weekend.

I'm also reading through an edgy (and extremely well-written) novel I'm editing for a local author and hope to finish the first reading this weekend, too, as I have at least three more intriguing editing projects this fall as well.

On the creative side of things, a solid structure for my werewolf story (Lycanthropic Summer) is nicely taking shape. I did a lot of mental writing in Raleigh during my alone times at Falls Lake. I did bring some excerpts to WriteOn Joliet two weeks ago, but we ran out of time before I shared them. But there's always next time (or the time after that).

At times, ideas come very quickly, but always at the wrong time, like when I'm falling asleep or on deadline. Why do these type of thoughts, so strong when they arrive, fade to wisps when I have time to write them down?

Timothy has also outlined Cornell Dyer and the Flu, so I need to tackle that soon. Just not not this weekend. Cornell Dyer and the Never Robbers was released while I was in Raleigh.

He's also designed a new BryonySeries card. The former "drop of blood" card that's perfect for the original trilogy isn't going out of print - Timothy is calling it the "legacy" card.

But this new card will be more representative of all the books in the BryonySeries (the "drop of blood" trilogy, the Before the Blood prequel, the Adventures of Cornell Dyer chapter book series, the Bertrand the Mouse children's book series, the cookbooks, the Limbo series (in slow progress), and the standalones (Emporium Orphans and Lycanthropic Summer).

The card is very attractive, and I can't wait to see more than a concept in his computer.

In addition to that, Rebekah and I have a checklist of chores we need to complete in preparation for VampCon Chicago next month.

And Colleen Robbins is done with the copyedits for WriteOn Joliet's third annual anthology, which she'll hand off to me at WriteOn Joliet's next meeting on Sept. 5 at the Joliet Public Library, Black Road branch.

Below is Rachel's story, and below that are websites and social media sites for connecting with The Herald-News and the BryonySeries (including Bertrand the Mouse).

Have a great Friday and long weekend!


The search for a donor and a cure
A Plainfield teen with severe aplastic anemia is hopeful for both
By Rachel Barks

Aplastic anemia is a condition that results when the body stops producing enough new blood cells.

This can cause severe fatigue and a weakened immune system with a high risk of infection and uncontrolled bleeding. The only cure for aplastic anemia is a blood stem cell transplant from a matched donor.

"It changed everything about my life, changed how I think, changed my personality; it changed everything," Gardner said.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/08/16/0ed15a97aa26424b92a272644889715e/index.xml

Non-bylined features:

Monday through Saturday I assembled my non-bylined works - brief posts and calendar listings - into one convenient file and posting them on Facebook in the evening, so readers can easily choose the ones they want to read.

One can also find those event listings, the Gotta Do It calendar, as well as the pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars, under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down.  Gotta Do It runs under "people."

Community news? Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web (and some only on web on other days as I have the time): 

 Social media:

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

BryonySeries stuff: I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries. And assorted related content at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries. And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

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

Upcoming events:

Once Timothy Baran is done updating this page, these will listed here: https://www.bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts.

Check out the progress he has made so far. Each square is hand-built. And be sure to "hover" your hand over the first square. Note: this only works (so far) with the desktop version.

But he's also made A LOT of changes to the website. So be sure to roam around a bit.

Books and Such

Information on my books (including where to buy) along with upcoming events is at www.bryonyseries.com. Again, Timothy is in the process of updating the website, so all titles may not appear. If you have any questions, email me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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