Our Daily Show! With CJ: Karen Wilson, Mascoutah Chamber, & Isaac Sandidge!
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
BRIGHTON - Local author Isaac Sandidge has a new book, inspired by a Brighton staple.
“The Curse of Brighton Burgoo: A Brighton Legend” is available now. Sandidge, a Brighton resident, wrote the book as part of his Brighton series that started with “The Legend of the Brighton Werecat” in 2020. He explained that he enjoys writing about his hometown and sharing its quirks with the world.
“It’s a lot of fun. There’s some history to it, too. There’s some actual information in these stories,” he said. “Being able to take that and expand on it and just kind of let the creative juices flow, it’s a lot of fun.”
Sandidge will host a book reading and signing at the Brighton Public Library District. He’ll be at the Brighton Library at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, and he is eager to meet his fellow Brightonians and share his books.
He noted that while there are some “spooky elements” to the story, he was “intentional” about making sure “The Curse of Brighton Burgoo” stays family-friendly. His children, including his 5-year-old, were his first readers.
In fact, Sandidge’s writing journey started with his kids. In 2020, as the world was in lockdown, Sandidge was looking for a way to entertain his kids and “keep them from going out and wandering out into the cornfields.” Inspired by the many stray cats in Brighton, he came up with the Brighton werecat story.
“I sat down and started to do a little research and a little writing and before I knew it, ‘The Legend of the Brighton Werecat’ was born,” he shared. “We have so many feral cats that run around here, so that was kind of the inspiration for the story besides keeping the kids out of the cornfields. Like, what’s going on with those cats everywhere? There’s so many cats just running around all over the place. So it’s great. We love it.”
A few years later, his neighbors asked him if he was planning to write anything else about their town. Burgoo soup is a popular dish served at the Betsey Ann Picnic every year. Sandidge decided to research its origins, but he promises no “secret recipes” are shared in the book. His writing, he said, is all done in fun.
Looking forward, Sandidge plans to keep writing the Brighton books. If you’ve read “The Legend of the Brighton Werecat,” you might recognize a few names in “The Curse of Brighton Burgoo.” He hopes to continue the series and capitalize on the spooky Halloween themes.
As Sandidge and his family prepare for Halloween, they plan to read both books together and trick-or-treat to their heart’s content. He encourages people to come out to the Brighton Library on Oct. 23, 2025, to get their copies of the book, or you can reach out to him directly to buy a copy or learn more about his work.
For more information about “The Curse of Brighton Burgoo,” including how to buy a copy, click here. To purchase your copy of “The Legend of the Brighton Werecat,” click here.
