BryonySeries: free books

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.

Monday, July 6, 2026

Photo Recap: BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3, 2026

For the fourth year in a row, the BryonySeries B.L.O.C.K.S. team organized and ran free children's games with free prizes at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre's annual Independence Celebration on July 3.

During these past four years, the team has seen the event grow from a one-tent idea with a spinning wheel for a BryonySeries book giveaway and Bozo buckets to several tents with eight games and free prizes, branded merchandise, and a coloring and sticker station.

As I previously said, our part of the celebration was really wonderful way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country.

Because two very important things happened on July 3.

Entire families played games together.

And we saw a level of excitement for books and reading than we've never experienced at any event we've hosted in the fifteen years we've hosted events.

Meaning, we gave away 273 books – and could’ve given away the full 300 (the goal) if lightning didn’t cut the event short. Families were still approaching the tent as we were breaking down.

Please enjoy scrolling through the photos Timothy took during the setup.

Unfortunately, we were too busy once the event kicked off to take any more photos. We had just five volunteers -including one recently retired park employee who worked the event with us this year and did all the tent decorating.

In fact, one woman colored a picture just for her.

We are very thankful for the opportunity to bless the community in this way.

Saturday, July 4, 2026

Happy 250th, United States of America!

So because the 250tyh birthday of the United States landed on a Saturday, I'd asked Ed Calkins, Stewarf of Tara to write a special blog for today.

That's because Saturdays in the BryonySeries world are dedicated to Ed and all things Irish.

However, the storms knocked out Ed's power anbd he couldn't send the blog.

That left me with the very rare occasion of having no blog ready to publish - and readers having to wait for Ed's words for another week at least.

For once, I'm short on words, since I'm still tired (physically and mentally) from hustling in the heat yesterday, despite frequent breaks into air-conditioned cars and building and staying very hydrated (the BryonySeries B.L.O.C.K.S. team ran all the games at the Joliet Eve of Independence: America 250 Fireworks and Celebration at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre in Joliet.

So although I won't post a full recap on last night's very successful event (I know everyone says their events are successful. But this one really was), I will say this.

Last night was amazing, a really wonderful way to celebrate the 250th anniversary of our country.

Because two very important things happened last night.

Entire families played games together.

And we saw a level of excitement for books and reading than we've never experienced at any event we've hosted in the fifteen years we've hosted events.

I don't have all the numbers yet.

But I believe you (and I) will be very, very surprised.

And those two very important things are, I believe, a very good way to celebrate American independence.

Happy 250th, United States of America!

Tuesday, June 30, 2026

A Cricut for Rebekah

If you haven't guessed right now, we are a "project" family.

Christopher, Joshua, and Daniel love car projects.

Timothy loves creative projects, from culinary to storytelling to branding and design.

Sarah loves so many different projects, it's difficult to name them all, She is currently remodeling an out-of-state home, doing much of the work herself.

Rebekah especially loves craft-related projects. We're currently in the process of moving and have already planned a large dedicated protected space where Rebekah can set out craft projects in progress and work at them bit by bit.

So when Cindy brought a cricut for her craft-related projects, she suggested to Rebekah that they learn how to use it together to create BryonySeries swag.

They recently took some training at the Joliet Public Library's Digital Media Studio, which led Rebekah getting bit by the cricut bug and placing buying one of her own on her "someday" list.

Instead, I told Rebekah to pick the one best suited to everyone's needs and let BryonySeries buy it for her, since Rebekah's intention is to use it mainly for BryonySeries projects (she's already planned a list, too).

It arrived Saturday after the presentation and she was thrilled.

Really thrilled.

As in she couldn't wait to try it out.

I'm glad she did because I had no idea how it worked, and I had fun watching the process.

Rebekah's goal is to create approximately seventy BryonySeries miniature backpacks before Friday.

On Friday, we are running the children's games for the Independence Celebration at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park in Joliet for the fourth year in a row.

And we ran out of our previous stock of bags at last year's events.

Yes, we aren't leaving ourselves much time. But that's not do to our excellent planning abilities and more to the boulders life keeps placing in our paths.

So Rebekah printed all her logo sheets on Sunday.

And then she "weeded" them all last night, from the time she clocked out of work until long past her bedtime.

Rebekah is planning to complete everything by Wednesday night.

The backpacks are black, but the BryonySeries logo will feature different colors.

Rebekah is very pleased with her test.

Just so you know, we are not selling these on Friday.

We are distributing them for free to people who play the games.

This gives them a handy place to put their books, prizes, and creations (we have a coloring/sticker/craft stations this year).

Thoughts?

Thursday, June 18, 2026

The Awkward, Awkward Ask

Well, I am glad I pre-wrote this post as I'm currently experiencing the worst bout of diverticulitis yet.

That's not to play the sympathy card (cliche, I know), but can you help an author out?

Side note: If you're a member of WriteOn Joliet, you can stop reading here. The ask if not for you.

UPDATE: All books are ordered, packed, and ready to go. But we do still need sponsors. Deadline is Thursday, July 23.

Interested? Email writeonjolietgroup@gmail.com. We do have a sponsorship letter, too.

And now - the details!

Here goes.

In 2024, WriteOn Joliet participated in Kidz Fest in downtown Joliet for the first time.

We gave away nearly 90 locally authored books for kids and adults, which I purchased with my manuscript editing funds.

In fact. those 90 books were gone in the first 90 minutes of a five-hour event.

We also gave away approximately one hundred bookmarks people could color at home.

We distributed eighty-five special subscription offers to The Herald-News in Joliet.

We gave away word finds and crossword puzzles based on some of the books.

In 2025, WriteOn Joliet gave away 300 books, as well as bookmarks and handmade "write-your-own poetry books from Holly Coop. Only 50 books remained three hours into the five-hour event.

Both years, our word blocks were hugely successful, especially after the books disappeared. Kids and adults enjoyed manipulating our 48 double-sided blocks (so 96 words in all) to create fun sentences and simple short stories.

On Aug. 1, WriteOn Joliet will participate in Kidz Fest again this year with the same activities.

So this year, WriteOn Joliet is planning to give away 500 books.

And this year, I have the books of nearly every WriteOn Joliet author sponsored (a few are still pending).

This is the "awkward ask" part.

Because of my role in the community, I'm not comfortable seeking sponsorships for my BryonySeries books, which we will also give away on Aug. 1.

In addition, the BryonySeries B.L.O.C.K.S. team will provide free kids games with prizes and free BryonySeries books at the Independence Day celebration on July 3 at Bicentennial Park in Joliet, for the fourth year in a row.

The first year, we gave away 33 books, the second year we gave away 82, and last year we gave away 135 BryonySeries books at the July 3 event.

Now, I'm not completely self-funding the books this year as one of my B.L.O.C.K.S. team members has actively solicited her contacts to help us out.

But we still have some BryonySeries books to go. Please see "How to help" below

Why are we doing this?

Because reading scores are low at both the high school and the grade school level.

Because not all families can afford new books.

Because even when families can afford new books, a free book is a no-risk way to explore the works of unfamiliar authors and books.

Because families should read together.

Because when kids see adults enthused about books, they will often naturally follow.

Because the level of our excitement at our table as familes scooped up the books was off the charts, and we wish to create that experience again, both for the families and the WriteOn Joliet authors.

How to help

1. Browse my list of BryonySeries books.

2. Purchase the book(s) you'd like to gift for the giveaway at Bicentennial Park on July 3 and Kidz Fest on Aug. 1.

We especially need more books in the Bertrand the Mouse and The Adventures of Cornell Dyer series. If you can believe it, ALL of the Girls of the BryonySeries books have been sponsored.

3. Mail to: Denise M. Unland, P.O. Box 2789, Joliet, IL, 60436.

4. My one non-BryonySeries book "Nine Months of Kindness" is also available for purchase or sponsorship.

Can I deduct my purchase at tax time?

Unfortunately, since neither WriteOn Joliet nor BryonySeries is a nonprofit, you will not be able to write off your purchase at tax time as a donation.

But that isn't necessarily true if you are sponsoring books. If you are interested in a true sponsorship, email me at dunland@bryonyseries.com.

Please know your purchases place locally authored books into the hands of readers and nonreaders alike.

For kids who struggle with reading or who aren't enthused about reading, simply taking home a book written by someone in their community can help strip the mystique sway from books.

Perhaps it may spark their own creativity, knowing writing a book is really, really possible.

And it can't hurt when reading and writing are presented in such a fun way.

Saturday, February 7, 2026

Calkins Day is Less Than a Week Away!

Calkins Day is less than a week away!

What is Calkins Day, you may ask?

It's the BryonySeries official holiday, and a day to celebrate creativity, generosity, and laughter.

This post will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Calkins Day (and most likely more than you ever dreamed possible).

The flyer at the bottom of today's post sums up the event experience (although you really need to attend for the full experience).

Can't attend due to prior commitments? Live to far away?

Why, just attend in your imagination, which is an Ed Calkins-approved way to attend anything.

Concerned financial restrictions might impede your ability to celebrate? Then check out "Calkins Day on a Budget."

However, if you live reasonably close to The Book Market in Crest Hill, the only financial concern is gas money for your car, since the entire event is FREE (unless you buy a book, which is highly unlikely, as Ed is more likely to simply give you one).

Wearing a striped shirt like this one is optional and only if you have one. One year I didn't wear mine, and Ed called me out on it. However, that's only because he knows I DO own one. So you probably have more flexability on this point.

Your greater concern really should be your answer to this question: "Are you a member of the IVA?" And my advice to you is to carefully consider your answer and ONLY after you read this post.

And remember: CALKINS DAY IS LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY!

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

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!

Thursday, August 8, 2024

WriteOn Joliet At Kidz Fest on August 3, 2024: A Recap

WriteOn Joliet participated in its very first Kidz Fest in downtown Joliet on Saturday and our booth did extremely well.

We gave away nearly ninety locally authored books for children and adults. All but five books were gone by 11:40 a.m. And the last book left our table at 12:10 p.m., three hours before the event ended.

Colleen Robbins and Dale Hansen did a terrific job of pairing people's interests with just the right books to take home. And people were excited to take home books.

We also gave away approximately one hundred bookmarks people could color at home.

We distributed eighty-five special subscription offers to The Herald-News in Joliet.

We gave away word finds and crossword puzzles based on some of the books.

And our word blocks were hugely successful, especially after the books disappeared. Kids and adults enjoyed manipulating our 48 double-sided blocks (so 96 words in all) to create fun sentences and simple short stories.

Two parents asked where we bought them. Well, we didn't buy them. We invented them!

Four of the five volunteers wore their WriteOn Joliet T-shirts that Jasmine made for us prior to the event. We had an extra shirt (because I'd made a mistake in sizing) and quite a few people wanted to buy it.

We actually did finally sell it. And for those interested in shirts, we did direct them to The Book Market in Crest Hill, where the BryonySeries is also selling hand-dyed tie dyed shirts.

But seriously.

You just can't miss the jubilance in Mauverneen Blevins' face (last photo on this post) after the last book found its happy home.

This was totally worth the five hours of hanging out in one hundred degree heat with one hundred degree humidity.

Well, maybe Rebekah, who helped the entire five hours, didn't think so. But I did treat her to ice cream afterwards. So that helped.

Sooooooo looking forward to next year!

Thursday, August 1, 2024

Visit the WriteOn Joliet Booth at Kidz Fest on Saturday

Can you believe it's August already? And it's a packed month in my world: work, events, doctors appointments, family birthdays, family funeral on Friday, meeting a new grandson...and debating if I should use some 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 for the first time this year - and we are excited!

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Will County Lot, 302 N. Chicago St. in Joliet.

Activities include magic shows, face painting, pony rides, petting zoo, roller skating, inflatable slide, and vendors, including WriteOn Joliet.

And if you come out, please by the WriteOn Joliet booth where we are all about the words!

1. We will give way approximately 80 locally authored books for children and adults.

2. We will have 140 FREE bookmarks to color on site or at home.

3. We will distribute special subscription offers to The Herald-News in Joliet.

4. We will also have word finds and crossword puzzles based on some of the books.

But the main event is... (yes, keep scrolling)

Our word blocks!

Kids and adults alike can manipulate our 48 double-sided blocks (so 96 words in all) 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 the very talented Jasmine and her Cricut 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.

Thursday, June 20, 2024

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3

Come celebrate Independence Day with us!

BryonySeries returns to the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre on July 3 as part of the park's celebration.

The Independence Day celebration will be from 6 to 10 p.m. July 3 at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

Here are six ways you can have fun at our tent.

1. Spin for a free children's book (while supplies last).

2. Play two games with free prizes (while prizes last).

3. Take home a free hand-dyed and stenciled BryonySeries shirt with select book purchases OR buy a shirt at full price.

4. Get a summer-themed Ribbit-Ribbit at half price with the purchase of any book OR buy a Ribbit-Ribbit at full price, while supplies last. (Pictures below are only examples. The exact Ribbit Ribbits shown here may not be available on July 3).

5. Inspire a loved one (or yourself) with a BryonySeries Mystery Quotes for $1 (perfect for gift giving).

6. Plus, the first twenty people to stop at our booth will receive a FREE copy of WriteOn Joliet's "Cheetah Stories," courtesy of New Lenox Dental Group.

The Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration will also include ,live entertainment, food trucks, and fireworks over the water.

For more information, visit bryonyseries.com, writeonjoliet.com, bicentennialpark.org, newlenoxdental.com.

Saturday, March 11, 2023

Ed Calkins Day 2023 at The Book Market

Saturday, February 4, 2023

Five Reasons Why You Should Attend Calkins Day 2023 on Feb. 13 at The Book Market in Crest Hill

Now that the world has "National Day of " just about anything you can name, why not have a day to celebrate laughter, imagination, and generosity?

Wait - we do!

It's called Calkins Day.

Calkins Day was invented by Ed Calkins. Ed was a former supervisor of mine in our family's newspaper delivery era.

He created an alter ego for himself (ruthless dictator) and named his birthday (Feb. 13) as Calkins Day.

Ed said the day should be celebrated with a parade (we had a small one in 2017, where Rebekah and I walked a bowl of candy to The Herald-News on my day off; watch the video here) and a three -day holiday (since it falls between Abraham Lincoln's birthday and Valentine's Day).

Because Ed is both a BryonySeries author and Irish vampire character, the BryonySeries adopted Calkins Day as its very own holiday, which we will celebrate this year on Feb. 13 at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

Here why you should attend:

1) No long lines: Local author events tend to attract the author and a few family and friends, both of which thin out when you've been hosting such events for more than a decade.

2) Free stuff: Authors can leave with one of five BryonySeries books for free if they bring one they've written (or appeared in) as a gift for Ed, who loves reading, promoting, and buying books by local authors (true story).

For details, read the flyer below or this blog post from last week.

And refreshments are also free.

3) We are celebrating laughter: Who needs a good laugh? You, maybe? I certainly do.

You can laugh at our paltry attempts to create a holiday out of nothing. (We do). You can laugh at our attempts to write good books (We do).

Or maybe just come out and laugh - or, at the very least, muster up a smile or two. Life is hard, especially on a Monday night.

But you can pop in for just a few minutes (because lines will be short to nonexistent), grab your free stuff, and then (hopefully) leave smiling.

4) We are celebrating imagination: Reality is hard sometimes, isn't it? And yet, imagination is such a great escape! It costs nothing and can provide endless hours of amusement.

And what can be more imaginative than a dyslexic sixty-something man imagining himself as a ruthless dictator (his creation), Irish vampire (my creation), who then becomes an author despite his dyslexia (all true), who turns his dyslexia into a novel featuring my characters and a few of his own (all true and we have the book to prove it, which you can take home for free while supplies last. And what local author doesn't have a decent supply of books he cannot sell?).

5) We are celebrating generosity: Ed is generous. When he supervised a portion of the distribution center where my family worked, he bought and cooked steaks on the Fourth of July for all his carriers, hosted a Queen of Christmas contest where the winner distributed the gifts Ed and his wife Nancy bought for the children (ages twelve and younger) of his carriers, distributed free candy canes to all the carriers every day during December, and organized a pallet jack race for Labor Day.

And this was just for starters.

So the BryonySeries is continuing that theme of generosity with free stuff (explained in point two).

And you thought Calkins Day was just a ploy to market our books! Sheesh.

Of course, we will have other BryonySeries titles for sale. And The Book Market has thousands of new, used, and rare book titles you may browse and buy at this after-hours event.

So...we hope to see you there!

Because we will be there, chatting among ourselves and watching the front door with hopeful eyes, waiting for someone to show up.

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Authors: Help Build the Steward's Library on Calkins Day (And Take Home a Book for Yourself)

Readers, writers, and everyone else is invited to join us for Calkins Day 2023.

Calkins Day will be held this year from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 13 (Calkins Day, what else) at The Book Market in Crest Hill, 2365 Plainfield Road.

For very detailed and very precise information on a BryonySeries holiday that actually preceded the series, read this post from last week.

Here are the highlights for the event:

1) Meet Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara: Ed is a real person who worked through his dyslexia to become a real BryonySeries author (he's written two books and is working on a third). Ed is also an Irish vampire in the BryonySeries "drop of blood" trilogy.

2) Enjoy refreshments: We have some special treats in the planning stage. And we're not sharing details.

3) A special offer for local authors: If you are a local author, bring one of your books as a birthday gift to Ed and then take home one of ours (offer limited to books Ed has either written or appeared as a character). The first twenty authors to bring a book will also receive a $5 gift card to The Book Market, redeemable that night or any time.

And if your book isn't in the local authors section at The Book Market yet, the owner Janet Staley will be happy to add it. Unlike some bookstores, she doesn't charge a fee to place the book to the shelf. Talk to her ahout the consignment process.

For instance, Ed really enjoyed this non-BryonySeries book and bought five copies in December to give as Christmas gifts to his friends and family members. So he enjoys your book, he may wind up buying multiple copies.

4) Everyone else who wants a free book: Talk him out of one. Present an original limerick. Read something original that you have written. Flatter him. Dress like a BryonySeries character. Wear a striped shirt. Cry. Wheedle. You get the idea.

5) Browse our table of additional BryonySeries books for sale.

6) Browse The Book Market, which has thousands of new, used, and rare books for sale.

7) Chat with guests. This is a very low-key birthday party event that celebrates (according to official Calkins Day verbiage) laughter, imagination, and generosity.

We hope to see you there!

Saturday, January 21, 2023

Save the Date: Calkins Day 2023

Readers, writers, and everyone else is invited to join us for Calkins Day 2023.

Calkins Day will be held this year from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 13 (Calkins Day, what else) at The Book Market in Crest Hill, 2365 Plainfield Road.

Precise details on the festivities are forthcoming.

In the meantime, we have plenty of information to help you prepare, enough information to keep you busy and entertained until Calkins Day.

For anyone who is not familiar (yet) with Calkins Day, read our Guide to Becoming Un-Serious right here.

This post has all the details: why we celebrate, what we celebrate, how to celebrate, what to wear, foods associated with the holiday, and why Calkins Day is not an excuse to sell books.

For information on the holiday's namesake, read this interview.

For photos of Ed Calkins 2018 Calkins Day book signing, go here.

And for Ed Calkins' first interview, go here.

For photos and recap of our 2019 Calkins Day Limerick Slam, go here.

For the back story on how Calkins Day came to be, go to this video from our 2020 Calkins Day event.

And for Ed Calkins' performance at the microphone during Calkins Day 2020, go here.

For details on our virtual Calkins Day event in 2021, go here.

And for Timothy's video on the virtual food he planned for the virtual Calkins Day, go here.

Calkins Day 2021 was a hilarious Zoom chat (by Ed Calkins' request) and a "viralish" book giveaway.

Ed Calkins is the author of Ruthless and Denise M. Baran-Unland's Irish Genealogy. Ed Calkins is currently working on his second novel.

Ed Calkins has appeared as the alive and undead version of himself in all three books of the original "drop of blood" trilogy: Bryony, Visage and Staked!.

But Calkins' favorite BryonySeries book is this one.