Visit the WriteOn Joliet Booth at Kidz Fest on Aug. 1

Can you believe it's August already? 

And it's a packed month in my world: moving, work, events, doctors appointments (and likely more medical tests), family birthdays, a radio play...and debating if I should use more of my vacation days in August or wait until September.

Hmmm...

We will kick off the festivities this Saturday when WriteOn Joliet participates in Kidz Fest (sometimes seen as Kids Fest) for the third time this year - and we are excited!

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the City Square in Downtown Joliet

Activities include magic shows, magic show, pony rides, touch-a-truck, inflatable slide, and free entertainment by vendors, including WriteOn Joliet.

So please stop by the WriteOn Joliet booth where we are all about the words and sharing wonderful stories!

Here's what you'll find:

1. We will give way approximately 500-plus (I've lost count) locally authored books for children and adults (all ready to go in my new basement).

2. We will have FREE bookmarks to color on site or at home.

3. We will distribute copies of our FREE shoe anthology (while supplies last)

4. We will distribute information on our sponsors (more on these next week).

But the main event is...

Our word blocks!

Kids and adults alike can manipulate our double-sided blocks to create fun sentences and simple short stories.

Here are three examples.

Where did we buy them? We didn't. We invented them!

We took child-safe wood blocks, curated a list of words, and then added white backgrounds and each letter one at a time.

We've tried them out at home, and they are lots of fun. You might not want to stop at just one sentence.

WriteOn Joliet will also have information about the group as a whole and individual authors separately.

We hope you will leave our table more excited about reading and writing then before you arrived.

For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com, bryonyseries.com, and jolietccp.com/kidz-fest.

SAVE THE DATE: WriteOn Joliet Live: From Page To Stage on Aug. 28

Eight members of WriteOn Joliet present “Page to Stage,” original radio theater-style performance at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 at ROXY Lockport.

Admission is free.

"Page to Stage" features curated stories and poems from four years of WriteOn Joliet live programs. All creations came from the minds of WriteOn members, who also became the actors, bringing their stories and poems to life in exciting, inspiring, and dramatic ways.

Authors and performers are Denise M. Baran-Unland, Mauverneen Blevins, Edward Calkins, Holly Coop, Steve Cordin, Cean Magosky, Jenny Russ and Duanne Walton.

A full bar and snacks are available for purchase and benefit Trinity Services, owner of ROXY Lockport.

Donations to Trinity Services welcome.

WriteOn Joliet anthologies – along with books and other merchandise by individual author/performers – will be available for purchase before the show, during intermission and immediately after the show’s conclusion.

The first 10 attendees at each performance will receive a free copy of WriteOn Joliet’s anthology "Write Where We Are: Tales Our Soles Tell,” courtesy of Edward and Nancy Calkins.

And the first ten attendees at the BryonySeries table will receive a FREE booklet called "Angel or Demon" (source material for one of the show's pieces), courtesy of The Raven's House

For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com, roxylockport.com, and trinityservices.org.

Take a Reading Journey with WriteOn Joliet this Summer

Several years ago, a member of WriteOn Joliet brought a photograph of a black pump in ditch to the meeting as a writing prompt.

That inspired shoe-themed stories of all kinds and many sugggestions that we compile a special WriteOn Joliet anthology based on "shoes" and "journey."

Well, we finally did it, and we had a good reason to pick this year, too.

"Write Where We Are: Tales Our Soles Tell" is now available for purchase on Amazon.

And Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara (BryonySeries author and character and WriteOn Joliet member) and his wife Nancy Calkins (an artist who designed this cover) generously offered to sponsor 100 copies of this book as their gift to the community.

We plan to offer limited copies of this book for free at the following events:

June 27: "Presentation 101: An Overview for Authors Entering the Industry" 1 p.m., Joliet Public Library, 150 N. Ottawa St. Joliet. 

July 3: Joliet Eve of Independence: America 250 Fireworks and Celebration: 6 to 10 p.m., Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park & Theatre, 201 W. Jefferson St., Joliet. Live music, food vendors, and children’s activities by B.L.O.CK.S., the BryonySeries umbrella brand. B.L.O.C.K.S. will also have limited giveaways of BryonySeries books for all ages and WriteOn Joliet's upcoming "Shoe" anthology. The evening will conclude with a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Aug. 1: Kid Fest: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., City Square, Downtown Joliet. For the third year in a row, WriteOn Joliet will have a tent at the annual Kidz Fest celebration. Write your own story with our unique, one-of-a-kind, made-just-for-us story manipulable story blocks. And be sure to pick up one (or more) WriteOn Joliet-authored books (titles for all ages), which we will distribute for free.

WriteOn Joliet will also offer copies at a special "shoe" event for writers on Sept. 24 at the Joliet Public Library. Details to come later!

We also have a few events this summer where a few copies MAY be spontaneously gifted (depending on available supplies, of course).

Here is the book's synopsis:

For 150 years, Joliet Public Library has been a place where stories begin. For the last 14 years, the Joliet Public Library has given space to WriteOn Joliet, for writers to begin and refine their stories, too.

In that spirit, WriteOn Joliet presents this special shoe and journey-themed anthology to entertain, inspire, and connect with readers on their journeys.

As Judy Quilty Smith wrote in this anthology, we hope readers “remember their Shoes and Journey stories because we all have them. I hope they remember the shoes that hurt and the shoes that felt beautiful, the shoes that looked lovely, and the shoes they received as a gift from one of their loved ones.”

Enjoy!

WriteOn Joliet at The Timbers of Shorewood 2026 Part 3

On January 17, The Timbers of Shorewood retirement community held its fourth "Meet the Authors" event for the members of WriteOn Joliet who contributed to its 2024 and 2025 anthologies.

Amy Odell, activities director, created light bulb ornaments for each participant.

For details about the event, our sponsors, and some really nice photos, read "Seniors meet local authors at ‘WriteOn Joliet’ annual event at Timbers of Shorewood."

Please enjoy the final part of the video.

WriteOn Joliet at The Timbers of Shorewood 2026 Part 1

On January 17, The Timbers of Shorewood retirement community held its fourth "Meet the Authors" event for the members of WriteOn Joliet who contributed to its 2024 and 2025 anthologies.

Amy Odell, activities director, created their light bulb ornaments for each participant.

For details about the event, our sponsors, and some really nice photos, read "Seniors meet local authors at ‘WriteOn Joliet’ annual event at Timbers of Shorewood."

And then watch part one of the event:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pabKhtEB5d0&t=562s

WriteOn Joliet Radio-Player: Denise M. Baran-Unland

Good morning!

You're probably tired of reading another promo for WriteOn Joliet's radio play, but...I have four more to go! (including this one).

Eight members of WriteOn Joliet will present “Shades of Noir." an original radio theater production, at 2 and 7 p.m. April 18 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet.

Admission is $5.

And one of the author/performers is me.

I'm the primary author of the phantasmic BryonySeries, which includes the “drop of blood” vampire trilogy for young and new adults, a Gothic prequel for adults, the Limbo trilogy, a standalone werewolf novel, the Adventures of Cornell Dyer mystery series for grade and middle school students, the Girls of the BryonySeries series for tween girls, and the Bertrand the Mouse series for young children.

I have six adult children, three adult stepchildren, twenty total grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, six godchildren, two grand-cats, and one corgi.

I'm the co-founder of WriteOn Joliet and have published several anthologies for the group. I previously taught features writing for a homeschool coop, with the students' work published in the co-op magazine and The Herald-News in Joliet.

I blog daily (as you can see) and I'm currently the features editor at The Herald-News. To read her feature stories, visit shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

For more information about my writings and to follow me on social media, visit bryonyseries.com and dmbaranunland.com.

The other authors and performers on April 18 are  Mauverneen Blevins, Ed Calkins, Holly Coop, Steve Cordin, Cean Magosky, Jenny Russ, and Duanne Walton.

Director is Jake Thomas.

Production assistant is Rebekah Baran.

Cast T-shirt sponsors are Coops Bowsmith and Holly Coop Books.

Cast supplies provided by Edward and Nancy Calkins.

Lobby doors open at 6 p.m. Concessions and drinks available for purchase. WriteOn Joliet books and anthologies will be available for purchase one hour before the show, during intermission and immediately after the show’s conclusion.

In addition, the first ten attendees at each performance will receive a FREE 2025 WriteOn Joliet anthology, courtesy of the BryonySeries creative group B.L.O.C.K.S.

The first thirteen attendees at the BryonySeries before the 2 p.m.performance and the first twelve attendees at the BryonySeries table before the 7 p.m. performance will receive a FREE booklet called "Angel or Demon" (source material for one of the show's pieces), courtesy of The Raven's House, who will be selling select noir pieces at the BryonySeries table.

The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre is at 201 West Jefferson Street, downtown Joliet, 60432.

For tickets and more information, visit eventbrite.com.

WriteOn Joliet Radio-Player: Rebekah Baran

No show can go on without a production assistant that does the miscellaneous behind-the-scenes grunt work: running errands, stuffing scripts, picking up and distributing flyers, providing feedback, hunting up miscellaneous items as needed, finding missing hearing aids backstage, and running WriteOn Joliet meetings as needed.

But that's exactly some of the tasks WriteOn member Rebekah Baran has executed for WriteOn Joliet's four years of radio plays - and 2026 is no exception!

Eight members of WriteOn Joliet will present “Shades of Noir." an original radio theater production, at 2 and 7 p.m. April 18 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet.

Admission is $5.

Rebekah Baran has a knack in learning technology very quickly and easily taught herself the basics of website design, formatting manuscripts for print books and eBooks, book cover design, and the basics of self-publishing.

She is the to-go production person for all of the BryonySeries books and the WriteOn Joliet anthologies and website.

Rebekah earned an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts from Joliet Junior College in 2016 and has worked as a pastry chef, prep cook, and assistant sous chef in Will County restaurants.

She loves, baking, cooking, reading, researching new products, and all things pertaining to Asian culture.

Contact Rebekah at dmbaranunland@gmail.com. 

The other authors and performers on April 18 are Denise M. Baran-Unland, Mauverneen Blevins, Ed Calkins, Holly Coop, Steve Cordin, Cean Magosky, Jenny Russ, and Duanne Walton.

Director is Jake Thomas.

Production assistant is Rebekah Baran.

Cast T-shirt sponsors are Coops Bowsmith and Holly Coop Books.

Cast supplies provided by Edward and Nancy Calkins.

Lobby doors open at 6 p.m. Concessions and drinks available for purchase. WriteOn Joliet books and anthologies will be available for purchase one hour before the show, during intermission and immediately after the show’s conclusion.

In addition, the first ten attendees at each performance will receive a FREE 2025 WriteOn Joliet anthology, courtesy of the BryonySeries creative group B.L.O.C.K.S.

The first thirteen attendees at the BryonySeries before the 2 p.m.performance and the first twelve attendees at the BryonySeries table before the 7 p.m. performance will receive a FREE booklet called "Angel or Demon" (source material for one of the show's pieces), courtesy of The Raven's House, who will be selling select noir pieces at the BryonySeries table.

The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre is at 201 West Jefferson Street, downtown Joliet, 60432.

For tickets and more information, visit eventbrite.com.

"Shades of Noir"-Inspired Jewelry from The Raven's House

Good morning! Aren't these pieces stunning?

The Raven's House created these specifically for WriteOn Joliet's fourth annual original radio theater production on April 18 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet.

This year's production is called "Shades of Noir." Admission is only $5.

The Raven's House will sell these and other noir-themed jewelry at the BryonySeries table before during and after the 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. performances.

PLUS, the first thirteen attendees at the BryonySeries table before the 2 p.m.performance and the first twelve attendees at the BryonySeries table before the 7 p.m. performance will receive a FREE booklet called "Angel or Demon" (source material for one of the show's pieces), courtesy of The Raven's House. 

Authors and performers on April 18 are Denise M. Baran-Unland, Mauverneen Blevins, Ed Calkins, Holly Coop, Steve Cordin, Cean Magosky, Jenny Russ, and Duanne Walton.

Director is Jake Thomas.

Production assistant is Rebekah Baran.

Cast T-shirt sponsors are Coops Bowsmith and Holly Coop Books.

Cast supplies provided by Edward and Nancy Calkins.

Lobby doors open at 6 p.m. Concessions and drinks available for purchase. WriteOn Joliet books and anthologies will be available for purchase one hour before the show, during intermission and immediately after the show’s conclusion.

In addition, the first ten attendees at EACH performance will receive a FREE 2025 WriteOn Joliet anthology, courtesy of the BryonySeries creative group B.L.O.C.K.S.

Plus, the other author/performers will sell their books and other merchandise, too.

The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre is at 201 West Jefferson Street, downtown Joliet, 60432.

For tickets and more information, visit eventbrite.com.

Tonight: Ask Us About Our...

Gifts! Gifts! Gifts!

Because TONIGHT is WriteOn Joliet's 9th Anthology Release Party.

Here are ten reasons why you should attend.

Here is tonight's menu.

Here is your chance to connect with six small businesses.

And (finally) when you stop at the BryonySeries tables at the party, be sure to ask about the following.

1. Our handmade Christmas mice...

...that come with their own handmade stockings:

2. Our hot chocolate bombs.

3. Our mystery boxes.

All of these items are courtesy of Cindy from Ribbit-Ribbits, her gift to you with select purchases (and she will decide what those purchases are).

None of these items are for sale.

But you might be able to take some of them home (while supplies last).

So...

When you stop at the BryonySeries tables at WriteOn Joliet's 9th Annual Anthology Release Party tonight, be sure to ask about them.

WriteOn Joliet Anthology Release Party: Books and Six Small Businesses

By now, you have read Ten Reasons Why You Should Attend WriteOn Joliet's 2025 Anthology Release Party on Thursday - and you may also have read the post with the menu for all the free chef-created heavy appetizers.

But new this year (and not in any of the previous posts) is each guest receives one FREE raffle ticket for a $10 voucher to one of five local business, which will be randomly drawn at the end of the party.

Most winners will be notified by email with a virtual voucher attached and instructions for redeeming it.

Because most of the vouchers are virtual, store owners will be provided the name of the winner.

The businesses are:

Any of the five restaurants in the Arkas Restaurant Group (winner must be present for this voucher)

Audiophils Records

Black Cat Curiosities

Blue Heron Bagels

Internode Greenery & Home 

PLUS, the first fifty customers  will leave with a bookmark to The Book Market in Crest Hill featuring a ten percent discount regular books at The Book Market through January 31 2026.

So attendees: Be sure to see Carter tomorrow night! He will be walking around with raffle tickets and a very cool hat.

And maybe when you leave the party Thursday night (very full from all the delicious food and balancing stacks of books) will have $10 off toward your next shopping or dining experience.

Happy Thursday!

Menu for WriteOn Joliet's 9th Annual Anthology Release Party on Dec. 4

Good morning!

WriteOn Joliet will host its 9th Annual Anthology Release Party from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Joliet Public Library, 150 N. Ottawa St. in Joliet.

The event is free to attend and open to the public. 

The chef-created heavy appetizers, coffee and water (we might have hot chocolate, too) and photos with Santa are also free. 

In fact, we have ten great reasons why you should attend.

But today's blog is all about the food. Here's what Chef Tim has planned for you on Thursday.

Beef Tenderloin Sliders

Marinated and roasted beef tenderloin, slow cooked onion, garlic aioli

 

Chicken Ceaser Salad

Applewood smoked chicken breast, lightly toasted croutons, creamy caesar dressing

 

Kale and Cranberry Salad

Peppered pulled pork, buttered crumbs, carrots, cabbage, and a creamy mustard dressing

 

Key Lime Bites

Lime Juice, lime zest, lime syrup, whipped cream

 

Cream & Berries

Fresh vanilla scented whipped cream, assorted berries, vanilla wafer, raspberry sauce

 

Cookies & Cream

Cocoa crisp, white chocolate, flake salt

This pre-Calkins Day 2020 video Timothy created for the virtual event gives you an idea of his culinary skills.

Happy Tuesday!

For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com. 

10 Reasons Why You Should Attend WriteOn Joliet's 2025 Anthology Release Party

Good morning!

It's not too early to be thinking about WriteOn Joliet's Anthology Release Party on Dec. 4, which will arrive before you know it.

To be sure you don't miss the fun, here are ten reasons why should consider putting this event on your calendar right now.

1. FREE, fantastic, chef-prepared heavy appetizers and desserts.

2. FREE photos with Santa.

3. An opportunity to chat with a really great group of local authors and browse through their books with no pressure to buy.

4. One-stop Christmas shop for all the bookworms on your list, children through adult, with one-stop checkout, courtesy of Janet Staley, owner of The Book Market in Crest Hill.

5. A treasure trove of books with a wide variety of genres and storylines you haven't (yet) imagined, including copies of ALL WriteOn Joliet's anthologies, including our 2025 edition.

6. Each purchase supports The Book Market, a local business.

7, Each purchase supports local art, either the authors individually and or the group.

8. Really unique and gift-worthy giveaways at the BryonySeries table with book purchases (while supplies last).

9. Notecards, framed artwork, handcrafted wood pieces, vintage postcards of downtown Joliet: these are some of the other items you may find for sale, since many WriteOn authors are talented in other artistic ways.

10. An opportunity to stroll through the Joliet Public Library if you haven't done so lately. Staff is friendly and ready to assist you. Have you explored all the things you can do in the Digital Media Studio?

And did I mention FREE, fantastic, chef-prepared heavy appetizers and desserts? No rushing home to cook dinner on that night!

The event is from 6 to 8 p.m. Dec. 4 at the Joliet Public Library, 150 N. Ottawa Street in Joliet. PLEASE NOTE new location this year while the Black Road branch is being renovated.

For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com. 

We look forward to meeting you!

WriteOn Joliet Open Mic Night at Critical Grind

WriteOn Joliet started offering its open mic nights in the fall of 2013, when my former co-leader Tom Hernandez (who passed from brain cancer in 2024) decided we should be sharing our works publicly with the community.

We typically held them twice a year at the former Book and Bean Cafe inside the Joliet Public Cafe, with WriteOn Joliet's last open mic in 2023, because the Book and Bean Cafe closed at the end of the year.

With the closing of Book and Bean, WriteOn (along with many other groups) lost a wonderful community gathering space. 

But approximately six months later, Critical Grind Board Game Cafe in Shoreood started hosting a twice monthly writers meetup called Inkwells and Espresso.

I was working for the first one but popped in to show support. The owner told me I was the only one who attended.

So I started sharing the information with WriteOn. And our writers started coming out, which attracted more writers, a few who also starated coming to WriteOn Joliet meetings for added support.

And now, WriteOn Joliet will host its first open mic at Critcal Grind from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 25. Local writers will read short pieces (three to five minutes) of original works in all genres.

WriteOn members will have an opportunity to signup in advance.

The community may sign up on a first come, first serve basis starting at 5:30 p.m.

We will give away a 2024 WriteOn Joliet anthology and have additional anthologies (2017 to present plus the "cheetah" anthology) for sale.

We will also have information about WriteOn Joliet's annual anthology release party on Dec. 4.

We will have information about WriteOn, along with individual WriteOn authors.

Admission is the price of any drink or snack from the cafe.

Come out to read, come out to be entertained.

Questions?

Email us at writeonjolietgroup.com.

Hope to see you there!

WriteOn Joliet Presents "We Can Be Heroes"

Two years ago, WriteOn Joliet did something very unusual for a writer's group.

Eight WriteOn Joliet members presented original readings in a radio theater style performance at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park in Joliet, which you can watch here and here.

The response was so positive, Bicentennial Park invited us back with a new show in 2024 for two performances instead of one. 

Each member of the original cast returned. A ninth WriteOn Joliet member joined us.

And sooooooo...

In 2024, WriteOn Joliet presented “Fragments of Time,” another original radio theater production, at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre in Joliet, which you can watch here and here.

Well, we're back in 2025 - and we've added a THIRD show.

Ten members of WriteOn Joliet will explore various aspects of heroism in original radio-style stories and poems at 7 p.m. April 25 and 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 26  at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre.

Admission to “We Can Be Heroes” is $5.

Authors and performers are Denise M. Baran-Unland, Mauverneen Blevins, Edward Calkins, Holly Coop, Steve Cordin, Diana Estell, Cean Magosky, Colleen H. Robbins, Jenny Russ and Duanne Walton.

Director is Anne Magosky.

Production Assistant is Rebekah Baran.

Lobby doors open one hour before performances. Concessions and drinks are available for purchase. WriteOn Joliet books and anthologies will be available for purchase one hour before the show, during intermission and immediately after the show’s conclusion.

The first 15 attendees at each performance will receive a free copy of WriteOn Joliet’s 2024 anthology “Write Where We Are,” courtesy of Saporta Law Offices in Joliet.

The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre is at 201 West Jefferson Street, downtown Joliet, 60432.

For tickets and more information, visit bicentennialpark.org or contact the office: 815-724-3761/ bipark@joliet.gov.

WriteOn Joliet is a welcoming, diverse group of writers of varied skills, interests and experience. The group includes professional journalists, fiction novelists, bloggers, screenwriters, musicians and poets. We promise a safe, comfortable and supportive atmosphere to share your work, and constructive feedback so that everyone can benefit from our shared knowledge.

WriteOn Joliet is a proud partner of the Joliet Public Library and The Book Market in Crest Hill.

 For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com.

Stop out if you can! We strive to entertain and inspire you!

WriteOn at The Timbers 2024: A Tom Hernandez Tribute

WriteOn at The Timbers 2024 Part 4

WriteOn at The Timbers 2024 Part 3

WriteOn at The Timbers 2024, Part 2

WriteOn at The Timbers 2024, Part One

"Read Local" This Winter

As you line up your "winter read" this month, be sure to pop into The Book Market in Crest Hill and pick up a WriteOn Joliet anthology (or two).

WriteOn Joliet is a welcoming, diverse group of writers of varied skills, interests and experience. The group includes professional journalists, fiction novelists, bloggers, screenwriters, musicians and poets.

And WriteOn Joliet has published an anthology of original poems, essays, and short stories since 2017.

We have copies of each edition of "Write Where We Are" currently for sale except for our two bonus anthologies: the "cheetah" anthology and the holiday anthology (we are currently out of copies).

But both are available on Amazon.

Not only is each anthology a uniquely wonderful read, each purchase supports local authors and a local small business.

And you might just discover a new favorite author, one that lives and writes in the community.

Happy Monday!