APRIL 29–MAY 12, 2021 ISSUE #381 THE INKWELL Bryce Parks Publisher & Everything Else [email protected] Kristina Nesteby Design & Layout [email protected] Mike Ironside Nightlife [email protected] Lisa Stevenson Advertising [email protected] 563-580-1691 Lori Menke Advertising COVER [email protected] 15 Summer Festivals Calendar 319-450-5151 70 festivals and special events return to the Tri-State area CONTRIBUTING WRITERS for a jam-packed summer Gwen Beatty Good Advice FEATURES [email protected] 13 Vintage Torque Fest Matt Booth 14 Upcoming Events at Five Flags Mattitude 23 Picture Yourself in the Tri-States [email protected] Sara Carpenter SECTIONS DIY Advice 4 Events [email protected] 12 Arts Danny Fairchild 20 Nightlife Dining & Horoscopes [email protected] 24 Columnists Bob Gelms WHERE’S WANDO? Bob’s Book Reviews [email protected] We’ve hidden Wando somewhere in this issue of Pam Kress-Dunn 365ink. Can you fi nd him? Columnist [email protected] 365ink Magazine Sunil Malapati 432 Bluff St, Dubuque, IA 52001 Dining 563-588-4365 [email protected] [email protected] Dubuque365.com Sara Eliot Steuer Facebook: @Dubuque365 Feature Writer Instagram: @365ink [email protected] All contents © 2006–2021, Community Incorporated. All rights SPECIAL THANKS reserved. All bacon served semi-crispy. Christy Monk, Gina Siegert, Julien’s Journal, Fran Parks, Gen. Bob Felderman, Ron & Jennifer Tigges, Dave Haas, Rich Belmont & Margie Blair, Mike Damaso, Paul Gilligan, Paul & Sandy Meyer, Coco the offi ce dog, Wesley Cat, Copper Kettle’s Seared Sesame Tuna Bowls, all of our 365ink friends and advertisers… and you for reading. 2 365INK MAGAZINE APRIL 29–MAY 12, 2021 ISSUE #381 DUBUQUE365.COM authors, and the narrator himself, have Facebook pages and authors quitting doing audio versions of books because other outlets of their own, but there are also independent the financial side got so out of skew away from their favor fan pages dedicated to each of them and their books, or that it was not viable to continue that practice. And that’s even dedicated to some of the book series they write. These sad. Especially when there are more books in a series I artists are, within a smaller but very dedicated fanbase, very love but now I have to, God forbid, physically read the much rock stars. But most also don’t seem to carry egos next book if I want to continue the story. Blasphemy! I’ve written before about my teency-weency addic- with them. Heck, a lot talk openly about how their Audible I thank R.C. Bray for introducing me to authors like Craig tion to audiobooks. I swear I can quit whenever I want. success has allowed them to quit regular jobs and dedi- Alanson, Joshua Gayou, Keith C. Whitmore, Jeremy Robin- It started with me checking out every book that was cate their lives to the craft they love. And they are also not son, Russell Blake, Nicholas Sandbury Smith, Craig DiLouie, close to interesting on CDs from the library and rip- afraid to chime in on Facebook posts and comments about Rhett C. Bruno, Michael Mammay, and more. And although I ping them to my computer, then to my phone. Then their works. More than once, the author of a book I really would LOVE if he could read all their books, if he can’t, now I started getting CDs in the mail via a subscription enjoyed popped in and liked what I said or commented on that I’ve found them I’ll still keep reading their new stuff and before Audible became a viable option. Hundreds of my observations. I can’t tell you how odd that feeling is. cross my fingers that they can find another reader that does books in now, somehow I have not run out of books Almost like crossing literally 4th wall (look it up). But I also their works justice. And then R.C. Bray might take me down that interest me. Thankfully, part of that has to do appreciate it. It doesn’t ruin anything and often adds more new rabbit holes and discover talents I’ve yet to enjoy. with finding a set of authors I particularly enjoy, and depth to my comprehension of the work we’re discussing. And he’s not the only one, of course. These rabbit they have been pretty prolific in their output. These authors are also acutely aware that having R.C. holes have forks in the road, and now I’m like a fisher- A number of these writers started as self-published Bray read their books basically instantly gives their book a man with 20 lines in the pond. The right reader in the authors who found an audience and success through certain level of success because thousands of people like right setting makes a book. Bray is awesome, but I can’t Audible first and printed books later. It seems that Audi- me are going to gladly dive down the next rabbit hole with imagine him reading Scott Bartlett’s Undying Mercenar- ble has done for some aspiring writers what YouTube did him. I’ve read genres I never thought I’d care about simply ies Series with the perfect Southern swagger that Mark for aspiring musicians and podcasts did for comedians because he read it. Post-apocalyptic survival, zombies, Boyett brings or the way that Ray Porter’s conversa- who got too lazy to tour (just kidding, sort of). And now, WWII Naval submarine warfare, Hollywood private eyes, tional delivery brings the Dennis E. Taylor’s Bobiverse “readers” like me are reaping the rewards. Is it legit to and most definitely space operas about snarky a-hole series to life. To me, these guys are up there with the call myself a reader if someone is reading to me? I think ancient artificial intelligences shaped like a beer can. Yeah, all-time great readers like George Guidall and Jim Dale. so. It’s not like I’m lazy. I write half of this magazine every you read that right. Long live Skippy the Magnificent! Nothing is quite as disappointing as when a series you two weeks, so maybe I just like to NOT stare at a screen It’s also clear that the connection he makes between the are many books into suddenly changes readers. It’s just all of words all the time. I’m also a chronic multitasker. authors creates friendships there as well, and if you deep wrong. Like when Guidall retires and they bring in Scott I found one of the groups of writers I really enjoy by dive like I have, you’ll see homages to each other’s books Brick to read Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series. People must following a favorite book narrator of mine down the rabbit and characters in new works, which is like little easter eggs have freaked because they drug George out of retirement hole. If you are a junkie like me, you quickly learn that a bad that only Bray fans will get in the reading. The writers are to do the next one again. Sorry Scott, I think too many reader can ruin a good book, but a great reader can make a also very supportive of each other’s new works. It feels like marginal Cotton Malone books killed it for me. Read- decent book good and a good book great. One of my favor- a family of writers and fans that all are in on the secret. ers become their characters in these multi-book series. ites is a guy named R.C. Bray. There are few books he has Between the social media, interviews, podcasts, and Dick Hill (retired) IS Lee Child’s Jack Reacher (not Scott narrated that I have not enjoyed. So it’s a pretty quick tan- online forums, you also get a glimpse of the uglier side of Brick!) Ron McLarty (RIP) WAS Baldacci’s John Puller gent to take to look for more books he has read, and Audi- the business. It probably should not be a surprise that a (who is, let’s be honest, just Baldacci’s Jack Reacher) ble does make it possible to search books by the author. company owned by Amazon may not treat their “employ- but I guess he died, so I can’t hold it against him. To the So here I am a few years later, and I’ve probably “read” ees” the best, and that can include these authors and rest of you amazing writers and readers I love, you do over 100 books simply because this guy did the narration. readers who are so very tied to Audible for their success. not have my permission to ever die… or retire… or really I’m not the only one. The Bray fandom has expanded So you find yourself rooting for them to succeed when even take long vacations for that matter. Back to work! into social media, of course, as do groups who follow some they hit obstacles like not being able to work with Bray If only I had golden pipes. Alas, I’ll just keep typ- of the writers he’s most associated with. Not only do these on their next work, or I’ve even read blog posts about ing with my closed fists like the filthy monkey I am. n DUBUQUE365.COM ISSUE #381 APRIL 29–MAY 12, 2021 365INK MAGAZINE 3 EVENTS THU 4/29 Preserve the Taste Dubuque Farmers’ Market of Summer: Jam SATURDAYS: MAY 1–SEPTEMBER 25 @ 7 AM–NOON AND OCTOBER 2–30 @ 8 AM–NOON Making Basics NEAR 12TH AND IOWA ST 6:30–7:30 PM @ ONLINE Now in its 176th year, Iowa’s oldest farmers’ market, the items that make perfect gifts for Mother’s Day, gradu- April 29 and May 20.