Ryan ONeil's Blog: Ink Between The Lines

Every great rise starts with a spark.

Every dreamer has their demons.

And Zane Holiday is chasing both.

Zane Holiday—real name Zane Holloway—isn’t just chasing fame. He’s running from small-town ceilings, late-night doubts, and the fear of being nothing more than a “what could’ve been.” Back in Lititz, Pennsylvania, he had a reputation: golden voice, silver tongue, big hair, and even bigger ambition.

Now, he’s got a one-way ticket to Buffalo—where the dive bars are loud, the music scene is ruthless, and the jungle doesn’t care how talented you are... only how far you’re willing to go to make it.

Zane isn’t your typical frontman. He’s sex appeal in leather and grit, with a voice that rips through crowds and a presence that says I was born for this. He believes the stage belongs to him. And when it does, you feel it.

Holiday in the Jungle is a story about the price of wanting more. About music, identity, ego, temptation—and the wild world that chews up talent as fast as it discovers it.

Zane Holiday is stepping into the jungle.

You coming?

Releasing Plain Old Kirby Carson: Summer Camp Chronicles last week felt like catching up with an old friend you haven’t seen in years—one who still makes you laugh, still feels familiar, but has grown just a little.

It’s been almost 14 years since I first introduced Kirby to the world. Back then, I was just trying to prove to myself that I could do it—write a story, finish it, and put it out there. I poured so much of myself into that book, and in many ways, Kirby became a mirror of who I was at the time.

But this time around?

I came back to the page with a new energy. Focused. Reinvigorated. I didn’t need to prove anything—I just wanted to have fun with it. And I thought Kirby deserved to be a part of that.

The goal with Summer Camp Chronicles was simple: let Kirby and the crew have a good summer. Let the story unfold with humor, awkwardness, curiosity, and those little bursts of courage that only seem to show up when you're miles from home and out of your comfort zone.

Writing this book brought me back to my own summer memories. I only got to go to camp once as a kid—but I still remember the feeling:

The awkwardness of the unknown.
The friendships that formed fast.
The activities that made no sense but were still a blast.

That’s what I wanted to capture.

I hope this story brings readers that same kind of nostalgic smile. The kind that makes you say, “Yep... I remember when that happened at camp...” and laugh all over again.

And the best part?

You don’t have to read the first book to jump into this one. While I’ve always imagined Kirby’s world as a series, each book is written to stand on its own—like a new adventure waiting for you whenever you're ready to dive in.

Thanks to everyone who’s joined Kirby at camp so far.

I’ve got more stories to tell... and Kirby’s just getting started.

—Ryan

Before you pack your bags for Camp Arrowhead—or just dive into the pages of Plain Old Kirby Carson: Summer Camp Chronicles—you’re going to want to be prepared.

And no, I’m not just talking about bug spray (although that is on the list).

Here it is, straight from Kirby, Elliot, and Jamie—the unofficial, mostly practical, sometimes questionable…

🏕️ Kirby’s Camp Survival Kit

✅ Packing Checklist
Flashlight (for ghost stories and late-night snack missions)

Bug spray (because Jamie says he’s a mosquito magnet)

Extra socks (Trust me. Just… trust me.)

Notebook or journal (You never know when a mystery will break out)

Something that reminds you of home

Swimsuit (unless you're planning to “accidentally forget” and sit out canoe practice)

A book (preferably this one 👉 Summer Camp Chronicles)

Snacks (the good kind—don’t let Elliot pack them)

Your best joke

An open mind—you’re gonna need it

🧠 Mental Prep Tips from Kirby & Friends

“It’s okay to be nervous. Everyone is. Even the kid who acts like he’s not.” – Kirby

“Rules are mostly suggestions!” – Elliot (Do not try this at home. Or camp.)

“You don’t have to be loud to be brave.” – Jamie

🎨 Bonus Fun: Design Your Cabin Flag

Every cabin needs a symbol.
What’s yours?
Come up with a name for your cabin crew. Bonus points if it rhymes or sounds intimidating to raccoons.

🕵️ Mini-Mystery Prompt

Something’s missing from the mess hall.
You saw someone sneaking around after lights out.

What did they take?

Who do you think it was?

What’s your plan to find out?

This summer, don’t just read the story—step into it.

Use this survival kit however you like: to spark your imagination, as a fun activity for young readers, or as an excuse to draw your very own cabin flag while avoiding real-life responsibilities (Elliot would approve).

Got a favorite item from the list?
Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear what your survival kit would include!

—Ryan

Camp Arrowhead is officially open—and it’s time to meet a few of the personalities waiting inside Cabin 4 and beyond.

Starting this week, I’ll be posting short character teasers to introduce you to the crew behind Plain Old Kirby Carson: Summer Camp Chronicles. These aren’t your typical campers. Some are funny, some are awkward, some are unforgettable—and at least one may or may not be involved in a camp mystery...

Here’s a quick peek at three you’ll be hearing more about:

🟢 Kirby Carson
Still plain? Not quite. Kirby’s trying to step outside the shadow of self-doubt and into a summer where anything feels possible. He misses his best friend Sue—but Camp Arrowhead has a few surprises in store.

🟣 Elliot Parker
Back for another summer and louder than ever. Whether he’s leading a camp prank or misquoting rules, Elliot brings energy, chaos, and an accidental kind of charm. Just… don’t let him pack the snacks.

🔵 Jamie Alvarez
Quiet, younger, and unsure of himself—Jamie’s just trying to survive summer without being a target. He doesn’t know it yet, but someone at camp might just become the friend he never expected.

I’ll be diving deeper into each of them over the next week—what they’re afraid of, what they love, and how they end up tangled in something much bigger than s’mores and mosquito bites.

So grab your flashlight and stick close—we’re just getting started.

—Ryan

When you think of camp stories, you probably think of campfires, ghost stories, canoe races, and the smell of marshmallows burning just a little too much over the fire.
But camp stories are more than just nostalgic snapshots. They matter—maybe now more than ever.

Camp stories remind us that life isn’t lived through screens.
They show us a world where friendships are made face-to-face, where courage is found not in virtual achievements, but in stepping outside your comfort zone.
They remind us what it's like to be vulnerable—and to grow because of it.

In writing Plain Old Kirby Carson: Summer Camp Chronicles, I wanted to capture that feeling.
The nerves of walking into a cabin full of strangers.
The excitement of late-night whispers when you’re supposed to be asleep.
The pride of standing up for yourself—or for someone else—for the very first time.
The simple joy of realizing you’re braver, stronger, and more yourself than you ever thought you could be.

Camp stories still matter because they show young readers (and maybe remind us as adults) that growing up isn’t about having everything figured out.
It’s about trying.
It’s about laughing after mistakes.
It’s about making memories so real you can still smell the pine needles decades later.

For Kirby, camp is a place where fears are faced, friendships are forged, and confidence is earned the hard way—through experience.
And that’s why I think we need these kinds of stories now, maybe more than we ever did before.

Because whether you’ve been to camp or not, we’ve all had moments when we needed to believe we could find our place, face our fears, and feel at home under the wide-open sky.

Thanks for coming along for the adventure.

—Ryan

Hey there—

I know it’s been a little while. Life has a funny way of stepping in with a full calendar when you’re trying to finish a sentence. But the good news? I'm back—and I brought stories.

Over the past stretch of quiet, I’ve been working on a lot behind the scenes. Some of it was messy. Some of it was magic. Most of it was both.

You may know me from Plain Old Kirby Carson, and if you’ve ever found a little piece of yourself in Kirby’s story, you’ll be happy to know that he’s back in a brand-new summer adventure. Plain Old Kirby Carson: Summer Camp Chronicles takes him (and us) into the woods, where mystery, friendship, and a whole lot of growing up are waiting. It’s everything I love about being young in the summertime—awkward moments, unexpected friendships, and that one haunted corner of camp no one wants to admit they’re afraid of.

But Kirby isn’t the only one stepping into the spotlight again.

I’m also proud to share In the Shadows of Friendship, a very different kind of story told through fictional letters between two old friends. It’s raw, honest, sometimes heavy—but always hopeful. This one means a lot to me. It dives deep into mental health, memory, and the kind of connection that sticks with us even when time (and life) pull us apart.

And then there’s Holiday in the Jungle. Loud. Fast. Gritty. A love letter to rock and roll, pulp fiction, and every dreamer who ever chased fame only to find the shadows behind the spotlight. This one’s not for the faint of heart—but if you like your fiction with a power chord and a shot of danger, it’s got your name all over it.

Of course, I can’t forget A Journey Through Miles: 31 Poems on the Run. That book was born out of breath, sweat, and healing—poems written from the road, the trail, and the quiet places in between. If you’ve ever needed a reason to keep going, I hope that little collection offers you a few.

So yes—I've been away. But not idle. And now that I’m back between the lines, I hope you’ll walk (or run) with me again.

Stick around. There’s more to come.

—Ryan