Jerome Beery of Los Alamos wrote his book, Ryans on Goose Creek, under the pen name M.E. Griggs. Courtesy photo

By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com

In his first book at age 87, Los Alamos resident Jerome Beery weaves fiction, history and a little of his own family into the story.

Ryans on Goose Creek is available on Amazon.com.

The book is part of a series, which follows the journey of Molly and Michael Ryan as they leave Ireland during the Great Potato Famine, immigrate to the U.S. and travel west.

Ryans on Goose Creek focuses on the adventures of two of their children: Kevin and Kathleen while living in west central Kansas in 1872. The siblings are captured by a band of renegades in the Kiowa Indian Territory. There, they remained for several months until rescued by the U.S. Army. During that time they lived with a Quaker teacher at a school in the Kiowa Camp.

Beery said he has the stories planned out for two more books but decided to focus on Ryans on Goose Creek, the third novel, first because “the third novel was the most interest to me”.

To write these historical novels, Beery said he read several historical nonfiction sources including a book on the Irish Potato Famine and a memoir of a Quaker teacher, Thomas C. Battey, who worked in the Oklahoma Territory.

Additionally, Beery put a little of his own family’s history into Ryans at Goose Creek. He explained that the book’s setting is near where he grew up in Kansas. Plus, Beery wrote under a pen name, ME Griggs, which is his mother’s name: Minerva Elizabeth Griggs.

“My mother loved stories … so in her honor I put her name as the author,” Beery said.

Beery said writing the book took about a year; he spent the summer of 2020 writing it. Looking back, he said the entire process of writing and publishing the book was a positive experience.

He explained that he would just write in “fits and starts” and allow his subconscious to develop the plot. Also, Amazon makes the process of publishing and copywriting simple, Beery said.

“I was amazed at how easy and enjoyable the process is … I guess the main thing I learned was how easy it is,” he said.

Being legally blind Beery said he relied on his wife, Joyce, to help with editing.

Beery isn’t the only published author in his family. His soon-to-be great grandson (by marriage), 9-year-old Brooks Worf, also wrote a book, which is published through Amazon. Worf’s book, “The Amazing Adventures of Myrtle Power,” is about a dog with superpowers. Similar to Beery, Worf drew inspiration from real life. Myrtle his family’s dog.

Regarding having another published author in the family, Berry said, “I love it!”

In fact, the writing bug seems to be catching on. Beery said his brother is now considering writing a book about his experiences in the U.S. military.

Ryans on Goose Creek is available in paperback and Kindle. Visit Amazon.com for more information.