First and foremost I'd like to give a big thank you to Magnus Comics in downtown Maplewood, New Jersey. I met my guest, Brendan Deneen there for the first time in person and that's when we first discussed having his mother, Irene, joining us on the show together. (Magnus Comics 155 Maplewood Ave Floor 2, Maplewood, NJ 07040 Phone: (973) 327-2632) It was an absolute pleasure speaking with my two guests this week. Irene, my guest's mother, was excited to join us because she had her own story to tell. Her story of looking for love after a tough childhood lead her to getting married, raising a family of four children, working as a teacher but not really feeling loved. She decided to go to graduate school and eventually found, as she says, "her tribe." People that she truly connected with and she felt understood. Her son Brendan, share stories of a wonderful childhood growing up in Connecticut. Admiring his two older brothers; the eldest loved comics and his next oldest brother was a super athlete. Brendan tried to emulate both brothers and feels that today, he's right in the middle of both of their demeanor and accomplishments. And he truly loves his younger sister.
In speaking with my two guests, they shared stories of the three generations of writers in the family including, Irene's mother, Wilma, followed by my guest, Irene and her son Brendan. Brendan is an award winning graphic novel/picture book author and acquiring editor at Blackstone Publishing where he also runs the TV and Film Division even made notice of having his maternal grandmothers published books on his desk.
Brendan shares that he was always supported and encouraged by his family with his passion for comic books which he started writing and drawing caricatures at a young age.
In time, Irene expressed "that the family was moving in a different direction and the divorce was almost inevitable." Irene continues, "I'm highly emotionally intelligent and I finally found my tribe. I found people who spoke my language." This all occurred once she went back to school for her Masters Degree in Counseling, and later on became a social worker.
Brendan raves about his childhood as a latch key kid. He loved growing up in Connecticut. And now as a father, he appreciates even more what it takes for parents to raise their children. And now he's learned even more about what his mother was going through raising the four Deneen children.
Both Irene and Brendan claim to be emotionally intelligent-they are very good at listening to others, which Brendan feels that "not many people listen to one another these days." Brendan has always been there for his mom as a sounding board. Irene says " Brendan was my listening post." When she needed to talk, she call Brendan.They have a special bond for sure. They respect one another.
Irene Deneen Murray: Irene Deneen Murray grew up in the 50’s, an era when a woman could be a nurse, teacher or secretary. She chose teacher because it pleased her mother. In truth the first half of her life was devoted to taking care of or pleasing her mother. At age 50 having raised 4 kids in a Hollywood -worthy suburb, Irene became a divorcee and learned to love being more adventurous than she had previously ever imagined. By then she was working as a social worker having recently earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling. Irene loves the natural world and has been a devoted hiker and later a biker, paddler and pretty consistently a practitioner of yoga. She continues these pastimes presently sometimes to the chagrin of her children since they may picture her falling off a cliff, rolling over in her kayak or some other catastrophe. Her children and grandchildren are her greatest achievement. She is a good observer and has insight galore but is sometimes amazed at how each of her children has developed so uniquely.
Brendan Deneen is the author of the novelsThe Ninth Circle andThe Chrysalis, as well as the bestselling four-volume Night Night, Groot picture book series for Marvel/Disney. He’s also the author of the middle-grade graphic novelGreen Arrow: Stranded for DC Comics; the novels Morbius: Blood Ties and Guardians of the Galaxy: Annihilation:Conquest from Marvel/Titan, and Alien: Uncivil War from 20th Century Studios/Titan. His other graphic novel work includes multiple volumes of Flash Gordon, an original Island of Misfit Toys book, and the original graphic novel Scatterbrain.
In addition to his writing, Brendan has been working in the publishing and film/TV industries for twenty-five years, including development jobs with Scott Rudin Productions and Miramax, as well as editorial and book-to-film jobs with St. Martin's Press and Tor Books. He currently works at Blackstone Publishing, where he's an acquiring editor in addition to running the company's film/TV division, which he created, and where he has dozens of literary projects set up at movie studios, streamers, and networks. His short stories and essays have been published by St. Martin's Press, Reader's Digest Books, 13Thirty Press, and Necro Publications.
Brendan Deneen's Written Works:
NOVELS
The Ninth Circle
The Chrysalis
Morbius: Blood Ties
Guardians of the Galaxy: Annihilation-
-Conquest
Alien: Uncivil War
Tracer
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Scatterbrain
Flash Gordon: The Mercy Wars
Flash Gordon: Invasion of the Red Sword Flash Gordon: The Vengeance of Ming
The Island of Misfit Toys Green Arrow: Stranded
PICTURE BOOKS
Night Night, Groot
First Day of Groot!
Snow Day for Groot!
Summer Adventure for Groot!