The official blog of Denise M. Baran-Unland, author. Discover her books for all ages at bryonyseries.com.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Dr. Heidegger's Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne
If you could be a young again, would you make life choices differently or more wisely? In this short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Dr. Heidegger brings a group of friends together and offers them a chance to drink from water he claims is from the legendary Fountain of Youth. How do they use their new-found youth? How would you? Read it online.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Julie Drake vs. Julie Drake, Part 3
15) When did you marry David? “Real” Julie Drake: “April 18th 1998.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “After we completed graduate school and set up our practices.” 16) Do you have children? “Real” Julie Drake: “I have two boys.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Are you nuts? I’m far too busy, and besides, after watching my friends’ parenting experiences. I’d rather skip the whole business, thank you very much. Life is too short to for all that drama.” 17) Where do you live? “Real” Julie Drake: “In a middle-class neighborhood in Illinois. I’m not poor, but I don’t live in a mansion.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “In an upscale neighborhood in Washington State.” 18) Do you like traveling? “Real” Julie Drake: “We just bought a 34-foot travel trailer to go on camping trips. I’m not a millionaire, but it’s important to me to that my kids plays sports and have vacations. I want my kids to have wonderful memories growing up. We have gone to Alabama to the beach, Disney, camping trips, Macinac Island, Gaylord Mi., Door County (once). Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I absolutely love it. The world is so big, and there is so much to see. Why confine yourself to just one corner of it?” 19) What is your current job? “Real” Julie Drake: “I’m a purchasing agent for a second generation, family owned company. I’ve worked there for more than twenty-five years and everyone is within a few years of my age, more or less.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “David and I are psychologists, in private practice.” 20) Are you open to paranormal experiences? “Real” Julie Drake: “Absolutely. I do believe there are people out there who are given psychic gifts. I’ve experienced it. I’ve witnessed it, and I’ve seen it. I’m not one to remember my dreams unless they have a message for me.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Very open. You never know what’s out there. Not everything can be experienced with just our five, basic senses.”
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Jule Drake vs. Julie Drake, Part 2
8) When you were growing up, did you have long or short hair? How did you wear it? “Real” Julie Drake: “Long, pony tail or braids.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Medium-long, braids.” 9) Do you hold grudges? “Real” Julie Drake: “Well I would say yes, if it is someone that has hurt my family or someone I love very much. If they hurt me I tend to be more forgiving.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Generally, no, but it really depends what the offense is.” 10) What did you family do for fun? “Real” Julie Drake: “We really just played in the back yard alot. We didn't have alot of money after my father died. When my mom remarried then we would travel. We would go stay at my Aunt Julie's in California. We had gone to Florida a few times. My mother loved scrabble, and we would play that.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Played board games and watch TV, when you could get reception.” 11) What was your first job? “Real” Julie Drake: “I cleaned stalls and fed and groomed horses for a local guy who had Arabians. He had a lot of money and paid me to take care of them.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Waitressing at Sue’s Diner. It’s interesting that the “real” Julie Drake cared for horses. Back in the nineteenth century, a famous composer and musician, John Simons, once lived here and he kept Arabian horses.” 12) What were your career goals? “Real” Julie Drake: “I really wanted to work with racehorses. I did until I was 19.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I loved analyzing people, especially when it came to figuring out why anyone would want to stay in Munsonville. I always wanted to be a psychologist in private practice, so that’s what I did.” 13) How did you meet David? “Real” Julie Drake: “First time I met Dave was at the Indy time trials.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: At Jenson College of Liberal Arts. We were both psychology majors. His last name wasn’t important, because David took my last name once we were married.” 14) What did you like about him? “Real” Julie Drake: “He just seemed very genuine to me, and I love blue eyes.” Bryony’s Julie Drake: “The fact that he was ambitious and yet easy-going. He was a little shy, too, but I knew he had a crush on me, so I didn’t mind asking him out. Besides, I loved his blue eyes, even behind the gold wire rims.”
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Julie Drake vs. Julie Drake, Part 1
1) How old are you in 2011? Real Julie Drake: “44.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “49.”
2) Tell me about your father:
“Real” Julie Drake: “My dad died in 1974, so that part of my life is a blur. There were five of us, and we were so poor, but you would never know it. I just remember we lived off our garden and how my older sister fixed my hair and got me ready for the school bus. We also spent a lot of time with my aunt because my mom was so busy with my dad.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I am an only child and my father is very much well and alive. However, my friend Melissa’s dad died in 1975 after a long battle with diabetes. Her mother was struggling to make ends meet, so when an opportunity opened up in Munsonville, she took it.”
3) Did you like school?
“Real” Julie Drake: “I got good enough grades, average. I could have done better if I tried, but I was not big on school. I would rather work with horses.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I loved school and learning about new things. Besides, I needed good grades to get into a great school. I saw education as the only way to leave Munsonville and never come back.”
4) Did you have any pets?
“Real” Julie Drake: “I was very passionate about horses. My aunt had a bunch of horses. When I got off the bus, I would do my chores right away and go riding until dark.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I used to like cats—I had several growing up—until the weekend Melissa’s family went to Detroit, and I kept her little brother’s cat for the weekend. That cat freaked me out so much, I never wanted another one.”
5) Describe your personality when you were fourteen:
“Real” Julie Drake: “I was very outgoing and confident, but I didn’t need to be the center of attention.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Ditto.”
6) How did you dress as a teen?
“Real” Julie Drake: “Jeans and T-shirt or sweatshirt. I hate shopping. I don’t go to ten stores to get the best price. I find what I need and leave.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I was that way, too, and still am.”
7) Did you play an instrument?
"Real" Julie Drake: "I did take piano lessons when I was younger, as did all of my siblings. The teacher told my mom out of all of her five children, I was the one that had the most talent for the piano. But no, I don't play it now."
Bryony's Julie Drake: Yes, piano, because my parents made me. It was okay, but I don't play anymore.
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “49.”
2) Tell me about your father:
“Real” Julie Drake: “My dad died in 1974, so that part of my life is a blur. There were five of us, and we were so poor, but you would never know it. I just remember we lived off our garden and how my older sister fixed my hair and got me ready for the school bus. We also spent a lot of time with my aunt because my mom was so busy with my dad.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I am an only child and my father is very much well and alive. However, my friend Melissa’s dad died in 1975 after a long battle with diabetes. Her mother was struggling to make ends meet, so when an opportunity opened up in Munsonville, she took it.”
3) Did you like school?
“Real” Julie Drake: “I got good enough grades, average. I could have done better if I tried, but I was not big on school. I would rather work with horses.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I loved school and learning about new things. Besides, I needed good grades to get into a great school. I saw education as the only way to leave Munsonville and never come back.”
4) Did you have any pets?
“Real” Julie Drake: “I was very passionate about horses. My aunt had a bunch of horses. When I got off the bus, I would do my chores right away and go riding until dark.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I used to like cats—I had several growing up—until the weekend Melissa’s family went to Detroit, and I kept her little brother’s cat for the weekend. That cat freaked me out so much, I never wanted another one.”
5) Describe your personality when you were fourteen:
“Real” Julie Drake: “I was very outgoing and confident, but I didn’t need to be the center of attention.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “Ditto.”
6) How did you dress as a teen?
“Real” Julie Drake: “Jeans and T-shirt or sweatshirt. I hate shopping. I don’t go to ten stores to get the best price. I find what I need and leave.”
Bryony’s Julie Drake: “I was that way, too, and still am.”
7) Did you play an instrument?
"Real" Julie Drake: "I did take piano lessons when I was younger, as did all of my siblings. The teacher told my mom out of all of her five children, I was the one that had the most talent for the piano. But no, I don't play it now."
Bryony's Julie Drake: Yes, piano, because my parents made me. It was okay, but I don't play anymore.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Will the Real Julie Drake Please Stand Up?
Last year, while writing An Extraordinary Life story about a local woman, my source, the woman's daughter, asked me to call her sister for additional information.
I agreed and asked for the sister’s name and number. I almost dropped the telephone when the voice on the other end said, “Julie Drake,” and proceeded to give me the number.
Of course, I had to tell Julie Drake about Bryony, because one of Melissa’s Munsonville friends is also named Julie Drake. Even more coincidental, the “real” Julie Drake has a husband named David. In later books, Julie’s boyfriend (and, eventually, her husband) is also named David.
“I can’t wait to read this book,” Julie said. “When I thought it was going to come out last December, I had told my two nieces about it because they love to read. When I first met Denise and spoke to her about, I knew we were supposed to meet. It was so comfortable talking with her.”
Recently, Julie agreed to let me interview her for the BryonySeries blog and see how she compares to the fictional Julie Drake, especially since both Julies grew up in the 1970s.
The three-part interview will run Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The first part is posted here. Parts three and four will be posted Tuesday and Wednesday.
I agreed and asked for the sister’s name and number. I almost dropped the telephone when the voice on the other end said, “Julie Drake,” and proceeded to give me the number.
Of course, I had to tell Julie Drake about Bryony, because one of Melissa’s Munsonville friends is also named Julie Drake. Even more coincidental, the “real” Julie Drake has a husband named David. In later books, Julie’s boyfriend (and, eventually, her husband) is also named David.
“I can’t wait to read this book,” Julie said. “When I thought it was going to come out last December, I had told my two nieces about it because they love to read. When I first met Denise and spoke to her about, I knew we were supposed to meet. It was so comfortable talking with her.”
Recently, Julie agreed to let me interview her for the BryonySeries blog and see how she compares to the fictional Julie Drake, especially since both Julies grew up in the 1970s.
The three-part interview will run Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The first part is posted here. Parts three and four will be posted Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Ever Been Confronted with a Life Changing Event?
I’m sure just about everyone could answer “yes.”
Yet, when I read this post on indie author Serena Diosa’s The Beginnings of Tinkey’s Goldfish Facebook page, I remembered an event from 1997 that didn’t seem particularly life-transforming on the surface.
However, as it happened, I felt an odd “shift” in myself. I recognized it as such, although I didn’t know at the time where it would lead me.
This is what happened: The pastor at the church where I belonged at the time asked me to accompany him to a three-day young adult ministry conference in Chicago. He could only stay for the first day. I was to attend break-out sessions all three days and submit a report, which would be forwarded to our bishop.
While it sounds like no big deal, it really was. I had not done anything like this since college, and I was thirty-six. I was married to my first husband and was raising and homeschooling six children between the ages of two and fifteen. I had not even had a proper vacation since I lived under my parent’s roof because money was so scarce.
Not until day two of the conference had ended, and I was checking into my hotel room did I realize I had never spent the night in a hotel without my family. Before I headed down to dinner, I kicked off my shoes, turned on some music, and literally reveled in the unseen change that had entered my life. Something was going to happen; I just knew it.
I enjoyed a nice dinner (accompanied by St. John of the Ladder’s The Ladder of Perfection, which I had always wanted to read) and spent the following day taking notes, meeting people, and networking with others in my denomination. On the last morning, I had breakfast with one of the session leaders.
Shortly thereafter, this same priest taught me the basics of writing on a computer (I didn’t own one) and assigned me stories for the diocesan newspaper. I was already writing two free columns a month for the local newspaper, and I do mean writing. I didn’t even own a typewriter anymore, but the opinion page editor liked my work (writing the columns was his idea), and I figured it was good experience.
Six months later, I was a single parent and writing for that newspaper. My resume? A happy fan who was also the manager at the newspaper's distribution center from where I delivered newspapers and clips from those columns and church newspaper.
Yet, when I read this post on indie author Serena Diosa’s The Beginnings of Tinkey’s Goldfish Facebook page, I remembered an event from 1997 that didn’t seem particularly life-transforming on the surface.
However, as it happened, I felt an odd “shift” in myself. I recognized it as such, although I didn’t know at the time where it would lead me.
This is what happened: The pastor at the church where I belonged at the time asked me to accompany him to a three-day young adult ministry conference in Chicago. He could only stay for the first day. I was to attend break-out sessions all three days and submit a report, which would be forwarded to our bishop.
While it sounds like no big deal, it really was. I had not done anything like this since college, and I was thirty-six. I was married to my first husband and was raising and homeschooling six children between the ages of two and fifteen. I had not even had a proper vacation since I lived under my parent’s roof because money was so scarce.
Not until day two of the conference had ended, and I was checking into my hotel room did I realize I had never spent the night in a hotel without my family. Before I headed down to dinner, I kicked off my shoes, turned on some music, and literally reveled in the unseen change that had entered my life. Something was going to happen; I just knew it.
I enjoyed a nice dinner (accompanied by St. John of the Ladder’s The Ladder of Perfection, which I had always wanted to read) and spent the following day taking notes, meeting people, and networking with others in my denomination. On the last morning, I had breakfast with one of the session leaders.
Shortly thereafter, this same priest taught me the basics of writing on a computer (I didn’t own one) and assigned me stories for the diocesan newspaper. I was already writing two free columns a month for the local newspaper, and I do mean writing. I didn’t even own a typewriter anymore, but the opinion page editor liked my work (writing the columns was his idea), and I figured it was good experience.
Six months later, I was a single parent and writing for that newspaper. My resume? A happy fan who was also the manager at the newspaper's distribution center from where I delivered newspapers and clips from those columns and church newspaper.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Irish Vampire Facts
There really aren't any.
True, Sheridan Le Fanu (Carmilla) and Bram Stoker (Dracula) were both Irish. There is also the Gaelic Dearg-Due, always female, that rises from the grave at night to drain the blood (some say life force) of men, but to kill them, not for a meal.
That's about it.
Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara, is not only creating legend for himself, he is establishing Ireland's first vampire lore.
Is this worthy of a national parade? You decide.
True, Sheridan Le Fanu (Carmilla) and Bram Stoker (Dracula) were both Irish. There is also the Gaelic Dearg-Due, always female, that rises from the grave at night to drain the blood (some say life force) of men, but to kill them, not for a meal.
That's about it.
Ed Calkins, the Steward of Tara, is not only creating legend for himself, he is establishing Ireland's first vampire lore.
Is this worthy of a national parade? You decide.
Friday, March 4, 2011
The Last Lesson by Alphonse Daudet
During the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), young French boy spurns his lessons for outdoor fun only to realize--too late--the greater joy and satisfaction of education in his mother tongue and the blessing of a teacher that dedicated his life to providing it.
Read it for free online.
Read it for free online.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
A Christmas Memory Worse Than Head of Cod
For old-timers like me, remember when your favorite television show would be interrupted by squiggly lines and a voice that said, "This is a test of the emergency broadcast system. For the next sixty seconds...."
Well, this is a test of the BryonySeries blog system. I'm about to find out if my parents read the blog.
As children, my sister and I enjoyed coloring, and so we owned voluminous amounts of coloring books. Our favorites--and we had many--were Christmas-themed coloring books.
I can't remember just how young my sister and I were the December we were seized with a sudden inspiration, but certainly young enough to not consider the consequences. We decided to fill several of these books and hang our masterpieces on the paneled walls of the finished basement as a Christmas surprise to our parents.
For weeks, we sat at the round play table in that basement, listening to old Christmas records and coloring, coloring, coloring. We carefully pulled the completed pictures from the binding and tucked them away for Christmas morning.
My sister and I had our own tradition of "playing Santa." We would rise in the middle of the night, gather our presents, sneak through the house to the basement, and descend the dark stairs to the tree.
One year, we actually tumbled down the stairs and, surprisingly, woke no one (which could have been bad if we had broken a leg or our necks). An even earlier year, Santa had brought us makeup and tiny transistor radios, which DID wake up our parents. I can still see my father's furious face, scrubbing makeup off my baby sister at 1 a.m.
This Christmas was no different. After we placed our presents around the tree, we began taping our pictures to the wall. We hadn't gone for before we ran out of tape. No matter. We had plenty of Elmer's School Glue.
The next morning, we thought better of it. While my mother cooked breakfast, we dashed downstairs to remove the zillions of pictures and clear all traces of glue from the paneled walls. No one ever knew...until now.
Well, this is a test of the BryonySeries blog system. I'm about to find out if my parents read the blog.
As children, my sister and I enjoyed coloring, and so we owned voluminous amounts of coloring books. Our favorites--and we had many--were Christmas-themed coloring books.
I can't remember just how young my sister and I were the December we were seized with a sudden inspiration, but certainly young enough to not consider the consequences. We decided to fill several of these books and hang our masterpieces on the paneled walls of the finished basement as a Christmas surprise to our parents.
For weeks, we sat at the round play table in that basement, listening to old Christmas records and coloring, coloring, coloring. We carefully pulled the completed pictures from the binding and tucked them away for Christmas morning.
My sister and I had our own tradition of "playing Santa." We would rise in the middle of the night, gather our presents, sneak through the house to the basement, and descend the dark stairs to the tree.
One year, we actually tumbled down the stairs and, surprisingly, woke no one (which could have been bad if we had broken a leg or our necks). An even earlier year, Santa had brought us makeup and tiny transistor radios, which DID wake up our parents. I can still see my father's furious face, scrubbing makeup off my baby sister at 1 a.m.
This Christmas was no different. After we placed our presents around the tree, we began taping our pictures to the wall. We hadn't gone for before we ran out of tape. No matter. We had plenty of Elmer's School Glue.
The next morning, we thought better of it. While my mother cooked breakfast, we dashed downstairs to remove the zillions of pictures and clear all traces of glue from the paneled walls. No one ever knew...until now.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Animals Wanted
Bryony web administrator Sarah Stegall is adding a new feature to the Bryony website: a humane society page.
In Bryony, the Munsonville veterinarian's office doubles as the village humane society, which was the last stop for Melissa and Brian's little brown and white dog before he found a home with them.
Since the website echoes the novel, Sarah figured a humane society page is another way of making the story come alive online, while helping needy animals and promoting animal-friendly projects.
While the page is still officially blank, Sarah is collecting permissions to add information and links to interested shelters, rescue groups, and similar organizations. She hopes other animals will find their "forever home" with the help of Bryony, as Melissa and Brian's dog did.
Sarah is open to suggestions. Email her at bryonyseries@gmail.com.
In Bryony, the Munsonville veterinarian's office doubles as the village humane society, which was the last stop for Melissa and Brian's little brown and white dog before he found a home with them.
Since the website echoes the novel, Sarah figured a humane society page is another way of making the story come alive online, while helping needy animals and promoting animal-friendly projects.
While the page is still officially blank, Sarah is collecting permissions to add information and links to interested shelters, rescue groups, and similar organizations. She hopes other animals will find their "forever home" with the help of Bryony, as Melissa and Brian's dog did.
Sarah is open to suggestions. Email her at bryonyseries@gmail.com.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Meet James Onohan, The Musical Sound of John Simons
By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Self-taught pianist and composer James Onohan produces music that sounds like John Simons played it, but his resemblance to Bryony’s fictional lead vampire doesn’t stop there.
Not only is Onohan close in age to Bryony’s main vampire, but he’s a perfectionist whose happiest moments are onstage performing and whose best creative moments are alone, in a nearly dark room.
“I just close my eyes and play what I’m feeling,” Onohan, 30, of Indiana, said. “That’s how the best pieces come out, from somewhere inside me. It’s something I have to do. It’s like I’m in a whole other world. I wait until everyone is sleeping, put down the lights really low, close my eyes and just play. When I listen to some of the recordings I’ve made, I don’t think I could ever duplicate them.”
Onohan is creating 10 new songs for a CD called The Best-Loved Compositions of John Simons. This CD is mentioned in Bryony when Melissa borrows it from the Munsonville Library.
Included on those tracks is, Bryony. the piece Simons created as wedding present for his young bride and played at the conclusion of every practice and concert. Onohan has already composed that piece and is working on the rest.
Bryony’s web administrator, Sarah Stegall, of North Carolina, found Onohan and his music on YouTube when she was seeking classical piano music for the Bryony website (http://www.bryonseries.com/).
Stegall felt the site needed “samples” of Simons’ work, but the only non-copyrighted music she found was organ music. She heard Onohan’s most popular selection, One Last Time, on YouTube and loved it, so she immediately located Onohan’s website and sent him a message.
“I had sat for hours on YouTube and various websites listening to out of copyright classical piano that we could use for Bryony. Nothing fit,” Stegall said. “I was listening to Debussy and I was clicking randomly on the side links. I almost clicked out when I heard James and realized, ‘Oh wow, he's what we are looking for!’
“The enchanting sounds he was plinking out were so captivating, I could see why Melissa played her music box over and over. I immediately found his website and listened over and over. He became my John Simons that night. However, I had quite a few problems. The biggest was that he wasn't out of copyright. I sent him a brief email wondering if maybe, just maybe, he would let us market his songs under the book.”
To her surprise, Onohan responded almost as quickly. Stegall explained her project and quickly summarized the novel for him. Her original request was permission to reproduce some of his musical clips on the website, but Onohan had a better idea. Why couldn’t he write the book’s theme song and create the CD Melissa checked out from the Munsonville Library?
“When Sarah called me about the book deal, I was very surprised, very flattered and very happy for the opportunity,” Onohan said. “I had been finding it hard to get the inspiration to write new music, so doing the songs for this book has gotten me past the writer’s block.”
Onohan and music go so far back in time, he can’t remember when his love for the medium began. His earliest musical memory was sitting near his father while he played organ and picking up one of the music books and flipping to the back. Depicted there was a keyboard marked with the notes. Intrigued, Onohan used that tool to teach himself how to read music.
“Reading music helped me in band and, when I was able to play the piano, in learning more complex pieces,” Onohan said. “When it comes to playing by ear, I’m not that good. I can’t hear something and reproduce it like some people can, except when I’m creating my own music. I just hear it in my head and play it from there.”
At age 8, Onohan learned clarinet for the school band. He later swapped instruments—flute for clarinet--with his best friend. “My voice has a nice vibrato, so it gives the flute a beautiful sound,” Onohan said. “I really liked the music I produced with it.
Each weekend, Onohan and his father traveled to Chicago for sheet music. During one of those times Onohan, now 12, picked up a book of Mozart selections and began learning them. He played one of those pieces to several thousand people as part of a city festival and liked it.
“It was the best day of my life,” Onohan said. “I was overwhelmed by that performance and have wanted to relive it ever since. Just to get onstage and play my music for an audience has been my dream.”
Onohan continued with the flute and band during high school, although he did play piano for the high school jazz band. He also participated in all-city competitions and talent shows.
Eventually, the piano became Onohan’s primary instrument, although he does still play flute. “I’m not a guy who works well with words; I don’t talk a lot,” he said. “The piano lets me express my feelings without speaking. The ideal is for me to feel what I’m playing, so I can pour out my emotions through my fingers.”
After high school, Onohan enrolled in general education courses at a local community college, but his heart gravitated toward a fulltime music career. Eventually, he convinced his parents to let him attend VanderCook Music College in Chicago. He lasted three months.
Once there, Onohan realized the program was slanted toward those that wanted to teach music, not perform it. “It was no the environment I wanted to be in,” Onohan said. “I didn’t want to play music anymore and when I don’t play music for awhile, I’m not at peace with myself. I’ve never regretted leaving.”
Instead, Onohan joined the police force and recently celebrated his ninth anniversary with it. Onohan then bought a fancy keyboard, continued to compose and play—he compares his style to Yanni—and began recording his music and creating sheet music, which helped him recreate his own music. Within eight years, Onohan wrote and recorded over 35 original compositions—many of which are found on his three CDs-- and recorded a Christmas CD.
Although his CDs and sheet music are now selling modestly well online—One Last Time and Only You are his top sellers—Onohan’s first audience was his family, friends, and fellow police officers.
“I sold CDs by hand and passed out CDs to everybody in my academy classes,” Onohan said. “Talk about a bunch of grown men getting copies of romantic piano music! But I got really great reviews from these men about how great my piano music was. That was really flattering.”
Although getting married and starting a family were personal high points in Onohan’s life, it was a dark time for his music, he said, due to lack of free time. “I didn’t even think about playing,” Onohan said, “and then one day, a couple of years ago, I met a producer who had her own little studio. That inspired me to build mine.”
In addition to composing music for Bryony, Onohan’s current projects including writing original music for vocalists and other new artists. He plays only his original music for weddings and other events. Onohan still dreams of the day he becomes a fulltime concert pianist. For now, he is content that others are enjoying his music.
“My biggest fulfillment is when people respond and I read how my music is affecting other people’s lives,” Onohan said. “I know it sounds corny, but that, to me, is priceless.”
For more information and to purchase Onohan’s music visit http://www.jamesonohan.com/. Onohan is also featured on the Bryony website at http://www.bryonyseries.com/.
Self-taught pianist and composer James Onohan produces music that sounds like John Simons played it, but his resemblance to Bryony’s fictional lead vampire doesn’t stop there.
Not only is Onohan close in age to Bryony’s main vampire, but he’s a perfectionist whose happiest moments are onstage performing and whose best creative moments are alone, in a nearly dark room.
“I just close my eyes and play what I’m feeling,” Onohan, 30, of Indiana, said. “That’s how the best pieces come out, from somewhere inside me. It’s something I have to do. It’s like I’m in a whole other world. I wait until everyone is sleeping, put down the lights really low, close my eyes and just play. When I listen to some of the recordings I’ve made, I don’t think I could ever duplicate them.”
Onohan is creating 10 new songs for a CD called The Best-Loved Compositions of John Simons. This CD is mentioned in Bryony when Melissa borrows it from the Munsonville Library.
Included on those tracks is, Bryony. the piece Simons created as wedding present for his young bride and played at the conclusion of every practice and concert. Onohan has already composed that piece and is working on the rest.
Bryony’s web administrator, Sarah Stegall, of North Carolina, found Onohan and his music on YouTube when she was seeking classical piano music for the Bryony website (http://www.bryonseries.com/).
Stegall felt the site needed “samples” of Simons’ work, but the only non-copyrighted music she found was organ music. She heard Onohan’s most popular selection, One Last Time, on YouTube and loved it, so she immediately located Onohan’s website and sent him a message.
“I had sat for hours on YouTube and various websites listening to out of copyright classical piano that we could use for Bryony. Nothing fit,” Stegall said. “I was listening to Debussy and I was clicking randomly on the side links. I almost clicked out when I heard James and realized, ‘Oh wow, he's what we are looking for!’
“The enchanting sounds he was plinking out were so captivating, I could see why Melissa played her music box over and over. I immediately found his website and listened over and over. He became my John Simons that night. However, I had quite a few problems. The biggest was that he wasn't out of copyright. I sent him a brief email wondering if maybe, just maybe, he would let us market his songs under the book.”
To her surprise, Onohan responded almost as quickly. Stegall explained her project and quickly summarized the novel for him. Her original request was permission to reproduce some of his musical clips on the website, but Onohan had a better idea. Why couldn’t he write the book’s theme song and create the CD Melissa checked out from the Munsonville Library?
“When Sarah called me about the book deal, I was very surprised, very flattered and very happy for the opportunity,” Onohan said. “I had been finding it hard to get the inspiration to write new music, so doing the songs for this book has gotten me past the writer’s block.”
Onohan and music go so far back in time, he can’t remember when his love for the medium began. His earliest musical memory was sitting near his father while he played organ and picking up one of the music books and flipping to the back. Depicted there was a keyboard marked with the notes. Intrigued, Onohan used that tool to teach himself how to read music.
“Reading music helped me in band and, when I was able to play the piano, in learning more complex pieces,” Onohan said. “When it comes to playing by ear, I’m not that good. I can’t hear something and reproduce it like some people can, except when I’m creating my own music. I just hear it in my head and play it from there.”
At age 8, Onohan learned clarinet for the school band. He later swapped instruments—flute for clarinet--with his best friend. “My voice has a nice vibrato, so it gives the flute a beautiful sound,” Onohan said. “I really liked the music I produced with it.
Each weekend, Onohan and his father traveled to Chicago for sheet music. During one of those times Onohan, now 12, picked up a book of Mozart selections and began learning them. He played one of those pieces to several thousand people as part of a city festival and liked it.
“It was the best day of my life,” Onohan said. “I was overwhelmed by that performance and have wanted to relive it ever since. Just to get onstage and play my music for an audience has been my dream.”
Onohan continued with the flute and band during high school, although he did play piano for the high school jazz band. He also participated in all-city competitions and talent shows.
Eventually, the piano became Onohan’s primary instrument, although he does still play flute. “I’m not a guy who works well with words; I don’t talk a lot,” he said. “The piano lets me express my feelings without speaking. The ideal is for me to feel what I’m playing, so I can pour out my emotions through my fingers.”
After high school, Onohan enrolled in general education courses at a local community college, but his heart gravitated toward a fulltime music career. Eventually, he convinced his parents to let him attend VanderCook Music College in Chicago. He lasted three months.
Once there, Onohan realized the program was slanted toward those that wanted to teach music, not perform it. “It was no the environment I wanted to be in,” Onohan said. “I didn’t want to play music anymore and when I don’t play music for awhile, I’m not at peace with myself. I’ve never regretted leaving.”
Instead, Onohan joined the police force and recently celebrated his ninth anniversary with it. Onohan then bought a fancy keyboard, continued to compose and play—he compares his style to Yanni—and began recording his music and creating sheet music, which helped him recreate his own music. Within eight years, Onohan wrote and recorded over 35 original compositions—many of which are found on his three CDs-- and recorded a Christmas CD.
Although his CDs and sheet music are now selling modestly well online—One Last Time and Only You are his top sellers—Onohan’s first audience was his family, friends, and fellow police officers.
“I sold CDs by hand and passed out CDs to everybody in my academy classes,” Onohan said. “Talk about a bunch of grown men getting copies of romantic piano music! But I got really great reviews from these men about how great my piano music was. That was really flattering.”
Although getting married and starting a family were personal high points in Onohan’s life, it was a dark time for his music, he said, due to lack of free time. “I didn’t even think about playing,” Onohan said, “and then one day, a couple of years ago, I met a producer who had her own little studio. That inspired me to build mine.”
In addition to composing music for Bryony, Onohan’s current projects including writing original music for vocalists and other new artists. He plays only his original music for weddings and other events. Onohan still dreams of the day he becomes a fulltime concert pianist. For now, he is content that others are enjoying his music.
“My biggest fulfillment is when people respond and I read how my music is affecting other people’s lives,” Onohan said. “I know it sounds corny, but that, to me, is priceless.”
For more information and to purchase Onohan’s music visit http://www.jamesonohan.com/. Onohan is also featured on the Bryony website at http://www.bryonyseries.com/.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Tinkey's Goldfish
Tinkey’s Goldfish is the title of the first book in a series of positive children’s reading material a writer acquaintance of mine, Serena Diosa, is hoping to create (She self-published the first book in 2009).
Writing objectives aside, Diosa’s ultimate goal is to offer a website full of quality children’s reading material from a variety of authors, perhaps even posting short stories children can read for free.
I find her aspiration and her steps toward it intriguing because, as a homeschool mother of six, a former Sunday School director and youth leader, I gravitate toward projects that support and affirm young people.
So, I “fanned” the Tinkey’s Goldfish Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-beginning-of-Tinkeys-Goldfish-childrens-book-series/259815391263?v=wall to keep up with Diosa’s progress.
That’s when I learned Serena just doesn’t merely encourage reading, but writing, too, by offering suggestions to start the words flowing.
Some of her ideas were though-provoking for me, too, so I clicked onto “New Document:” and began writing. I’ll share the results with you over the next few Sundays. Maybe, it will get someone else thinking (and typing), too.
Writing objectives aside, Diosa’s ultimate goal is to offer a website full of quality children’s reading material from a variety of authors, perhaps even posting short stories children can read for free.
I find her aspiration and her steps toward it intriguing because, as a homeschool mother of six, a former Sunday School director and youth leader, I gravitate toward projects that support and affirm young people.
So, I “fanned” the Tinkey’s Goldfish Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-beginning-of-Tinkeys-Goldfish-childrens-book-series/259815391263?v=wall to keep up with Diosa’s progress.
That’s when I learned Serena just doesn’t merely encourage reading, but writing, too, by offering suggestions to start the words flowing.
Some of her ideas were though-provoking for me, too, so I clicked onto “New Document:” and began writing. I’ll share the results with you over the next few Sundays. Maybe, it will get someone else thinking (and typing), too.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
The Man Without a Country by Everett Edward Hale
Written in the Victorian Era to inspire patriotism during the Civil War, Hale's piece is so convincingly written that people often believe the story is true.
I remember watching the 1973 movie with my parents and listening to, the following day, radio call-in comments about the cruelty of the punishment. I never read the actual story until years later when, as a homeschooler, Hale's story appeared in a high school literature textbook.
The story goes thus: During a trial for treason and in a fit of temper, U.S. Army lieutenant Philip Nolan renounces his country and is sentenced to life at sea with an added stipulation: He is forbidden future news about the United States.
The extreme measures to insure it, as well as Nolan's longing for homeland and developing patriotism is thought-provoking. Read it online.
I remember watching the 1973 movie with my parents and listening to, the following day, radio call-in comments about the cruelty of the punishment. I never read the actual story until years later when, as a homeschooler, Hale's story appeared in a high school literature textbook.
The story goes thus: During a trial for treason and in a fit of temper, U.S. Army lieutenant Philip Nolan renounces his country and is sentenced to life at sea with an added stipulation: He is forbidden future news about the United States.
The extreme measures to insure it, as well as Nolan's longing for homeland and developing patriotism is thought-provoking. Read it online.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Logo, Makeover, and First Appearances
Wow! Bryony is getting busy.
First, the official Bryony logo and tagline is complete, thanks to Bryony's illustrator, Kathleen Rose Van Pelt (http://www.imaginarylinesstudio.com/) and CAL Graphisc, Inc (http://www.calgraphicsinc.com/).
To view, click onto Bryony's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bryony/115857775121196?ref=sgm
My publicist, Dulcinea Hawksworth, has scheduled a makeover for this Friday afternoon and is coming with TWO cameras in tow--I don't own one :(--so she can take lots of pictures of the "new me" to post on the Bryony sites.
Now, this a little daunting for me because I don't wear makeup (I have chronic hives), but Dulcinea insists it's part of my packaging (see http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-am-commodity.html), and that the make-up is very hypo-allergenic.
I trust Dulcinea's judgment and, besides, it's should be a nice bonding time with my two daughters. Rebekah, seventeen, can heckle me in person, and my web administrator, Sarah Stegall, who lives out of state, can heckle me long-distance, via camera phones.
I have a dressmaker!!!
Last week she came to my house and measured me for my first, three Victorian outfits: two walking suits (spring and fall), and a ball gown. Yesterday, we purchased our first patterns and several yards of shimmering burgundy/black fabric, on sale.
Her future plans--sooner than later--is to kidnap me for a day (sans her children--two small boys who "helped" us yesterday look for patterns) and flee to a much larger, out-of-town fabric store.
Last, but certainly not least, Bryony has two upcoming events. Because any profits of the Bryony cookbook will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties (http://www.bbbs.org/), Bryony is supporting the 2011 Bowl for Kids' Sake in two ways, by helping to fund event costs and through pledge-sponsored bowling on March 25.
If you live in the area and want to become a sponsor, form a team, join an existing team, or pledge a bowler, visit http://bfks.kintera.org/ for details. It takes $1000 to match one child with a positive adult mentor, so any help is welcomed, appreciated, and put to good use.
Bryony will also participate in an April 10 event at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Joliet (http://www.uucj.com/). I don't have details, but will share them when I do. Although WriteLife LLC does not yet have a release date for Bryony, the entire Bryony team is eager to start spreading the word.
To view sketches and biographies of the Bryony team, visit our website at http://www.bryonyseries.com/ or click here: http://www.bryonyseries.com/About_Us_FFC4.html.
I wonder if the spring walking suit is appropriate for April 10. I certainly hope so!!!
First, the official Bryony logo and tagline is complete, thanks to Bryony's illustrator, Kathleen Rose Van Pelt (http://www.imaginarylinesstudio.com/) and CAL Graphisc, Inc (http://www.calgraphicsinc.com/).
To view, click onto Bryony's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bryony/115857775121196?ref=sgm
My publicist, Dulcinea Hawksworth, has scheduled a makeover for this Friday afternoon and is coming with TWO cameras in tow--I don't own one :(--so she can take lots of pictures of the "new me" to post on the Bryony sites.
Now, this a little daunting for me because I don't wear makeup (I have chronic hives), but Dulcinea insists it's part of my packaging (see http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-am-commodity.html), and that the make-up is very hypo-allergenic.
I trust Dulcinea's judgment and, besides, it's should be a nice bonding time with my two daughters. Rebekah, seventeen, can heckle me in person, and my web administrator, Sarah Stegall, who lives out of state, can heckle me long-distance, via camera phones.
I have a dressmaker!!!
Last week she came to my house and measured me for my first, three Victorian outfits: two walking suits (spring and fall), and a ball gown. Yesterday, we purchased our first patterns and several yards of shimmering burgundy/black fabric, on sale.
Her future plans--sooner than later--is to kidnap me for a day (sans her children--two small boys who "helped" us yesterday look for patterns) and flee to a much larger, out-of-town fabric store.
Last, but certainly not least, Bryony has two upcoming events. Because any profits of the Bryony cookbook will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties (http://www.bbbs.org/), Bryony is supporting the 2011 Bowl for Kids' Sake in two ways, by helping to fund event costs and through pledge-sponsored bowling on March 25.
If you live in the area and want to become a sponsor, form a team, join an existing team, or pledge a bowler, visit http://bfks.kintera.org/ for details. It takes $1000 to match one child with a positive adult mentor, so any help is welcomed, appreciated, and put to good use.
Bryony will also participate in an April 10 event at the Universalist Unitarian Church of Joliet (http://www.uucj.com/). I don't have details, but will share them when I do. Although WriteLife LLC does not yet have a release date for Bryony, the entire Bryony team is eager to start spreading the word.
To view sketches and biographies of the Bryony team, visit our website at http://www.bryonyseries.com/ or click here: http://www.bryonyseries.com/About_Us_FFC4.html.
I wonder if the spring walking suit is appropriate for April 10. I certainly hope so!!!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The Deep Dark Reason Why Friday’s Short Stories Have No Links
The answer is simple. Some sites that offer the free, copyright-expired stories don’t give permission to link to their sites.
Seriously.
I don’t understand why someone would create a site of stories to read for free, then not want people to link others to it. But I’ve read the terms of use on those sites, and it is right there, in the fine print.
However, finding the stories I succinctly summarize and review is simple. Just type the title and author into your browser and sites that offer it will pop up.
Not every story is a vampire story. Some are ghost stories or contain other aspects of the supernatural. Some are just stories I personally enjoy and/or find inspiring. Most are short and easily read in a short period of time.
FYI: I’m always looking for a good vampire story.
Feel free to send your ideas or links to bryonyseries@gmail.com.
Seriously.
I don’t understand why someone would create a site of stories to read for free, then not want people to link others to it. But I’ve read the terms of use on those sites, and it is right there, in the fine print.
However, finding the stories I succinctly summarize and review is simple. Just type the title and author into your browser and sites that offer it will pop up.
Not every story is a vampire story. Some are ghost stories or contain other aspects of the supernatural. Some are just stories I personally enjoy and/or find inspiring. Most are short and easily read in a short period of time.
FYI: I’m always looking for a good vampire story.
Feel free to send your ideas or links to bryonyseries@gmail.com.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Bryony's Three--Verse Scripture Playlist
Bryony is not a “Christian” vampire novel, nor did I write it specifically for a Christian audience.
And as a Christian, some—not all—of the songs on my inspirational playlist while I was writing Bryony are Christian. In fact, that playlist is very eclectic. I wrote about it here: http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2010/08/experimental-posts-and-play-lists.html
Yet, music was not the only tool I used to keep me focused on Bryony’s storyline during its roughtest drafts. Bryony contains thirty chapters, which I mentally divided into three parts of ten chapters each. Above each section was a virtual scripture-verse canopy that defined its theme. Here are the verses:
1 Peter 5:8. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
Deuteronomy 30:19: “I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life.”
Isaiah 5:20: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Perhaps, if Fr. Alexis had been more discerning, he might have impressed these verses on Melissa and urged her to make different choices. But he didn’t and so….
And as a Christian, some—not all—of the songs on my inspirational playlist while I was writing Bryony are Christian. In fact, that playlist is very eclectic. I wrote about it here: http://bryonyseries.blogspot.com/2010/08/experimental-posts-and-play-lists.html
Yet, music was not the only tool I used to keep me focused on Bryony’s storyline during its roughtest drafts. Bryony contains thirty chapters, which I mentally divided into three parts of ten chapters each. Above each section was a virtual scripture-verse canopy that defined its theme. Here are the verses:
1 Peter 5:8. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
Deuteronomy 30:19: “I set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Therefore choose life.”
Isaiah 5:20: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
Perhaps, if Fr. Alexis had been more discerning, he might have impressed these verses on Melissa and urged her to make different choices. But he didn’t and so….
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