Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Jan. 31 through Feb. 6

Good morning!

I have ten stories online to share with you today. More stories will go live over the weekend and next week. So please check back at shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

To see the stories that ran in print this week and aren't online yet, click on the e-edition option at the top of The Herald-News website.

Before the stories, I also have a list of additional updates, resources, and information. Please check them out, too.

And if you'd like to find more kindness in your life, consider this book.

And have a great Friday!

Calendar

The BryonySeries calendar offers links to games, crafts, music, activities, science experiments, and  recipes that pick up themes to one or more of our books.

For January, all activities center around becoming your best self.

To participate, visit bryonyseries.com/ourcalendar.

Events (or where to find the BryonySeries) - so far:

Feb. 13: Calkins Day: 6 to 8:30 p.m., The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road, Crest Hill. Celebrate laughter, creativity, and generosity with Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara. BryonySeries book specials (some free), art raffle, free food, free gift certificates to The Book Market.

We also encourage you to check out our books by popping into The Book Market in Crest Hill (if you live in the area) or bookshop.org or Amazon if you don't. 

Please note: Bookshop does not carry all of our books.

What is the BryonySeries?

Please read "Books of the BryonySeries: A Quick Overview"

For more information on the developing "parent brand" that is removing some of the heavy marketing lifting from me, visit bryonyseries.com/blocks.

BryonySeries books-in-progress

Bertrand the Mouse: We have plenty of Bertrand photos and ideas. Several are at the top of the list. At some point, we will assemble and release some more.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: Cornell Dyer and the House of Horreur" (because the toymaker's last name is "Horreur.") is finally begun, although albeit very slowly. I'd like to get enough done over the next month or so to finally give Sue Midlock (our artist for The Adventures of Cornell Dyer) some ideas for the book's cover and chapter heading illustrations.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright has finished the cover portrait. I let this book slide for other BryonySeries projects. But the goal is to release "Brainy Ann" in 2026.

Jennifer designed the cover portraits for "Julie and the Too-Hard Homework," "Katie and the Big Fear," "Summer Sisters." and "Karla Joins In," as well as the frontispiece for "Lycanthropic Summer."

Other books: I am not writing a novel this year. But I have an idea for a BryonySeries Christmas anthology that I'd like to release in 2026. We also have a prologue/first chapter sampler of all the BryonySeries novels that's only available at certain events.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very slowly) updating the BryonySeries YouTube and Pinterest accounts. And she' catching up with Kindles for some of the BryonySeries books. So do watch for those.

For books and more information about the series, visit bryonyseries.com.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Sue's Diner is a fictional restaurant in the fictional Munsonville that only exists in the BryonySeries.

Each Wednesday, we post a new recipe. The recipe is either featured in one of our cookbooks, will be featured in an upcoming cookbook, or is just an "extra" we want to share with you.

Check out the weekly recipe here.

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

If you'd like to officially join WriteOn Joliet, we have two tiers of dues and two ways to attend meetings. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.com.

I also suggest this book: Little Book of Revision: A Checklist for Fiction Writers. It's exactly as it says. Each page some with one suggestion for revision. The rest of the page is blank, so you can add your own notes. All proceeds benefit WriteOn Joliet.

If you need editing or help with self-publishing, check out dmbaranunland.com.

ARTISTS

If you need an artist for a project, I offer these recommendations.

NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for The Munsonville Times by emailing us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. The newsletter still isn't official yet, so we don't have an actual link on the website - but we are working on it! 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Daily updates: I haven't posted anything on Twitter/X (except a daily Bible verse) since September I can no longer schedule posts in advance. I'm not sure yet how to manage the account without that option. But you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I used to curated content relating to the BryonySeries on Twitter/X at @BryonySeries and still post assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeries, youtube.com/user/BryonySeries, and themes of each book in the BryonySeries at pinterest.com/bryonyseries.

Again, not sure yet about the direction of the BryonySeries Twitter/X account. Still mulling that over.

And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

QUESTIONS

Email me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. Your support is greatly appreciated.

FEATURES

Book business sees revival in Will, Grundy counties

Independent stores, cafes spur resurgence

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/02/05/book-business-sees-revival-in-will-grundy-counties/

Blinking lights at Plainfield house is now a fundraiser for Will County Habitat for Humanity

Donate by Friday to enter raffle

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/02/05/blinking-lights-at-plainfield-house-is-now-a-fundraiser-for-will-county-habitat-for-humanity/

Shorewood cocktail lounge swaps speakeasy vibes for Victorian elegance and more martinis

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/02/01/shorewood-cocktail-lounge-swaps-speakeasy-vibes-for-mythological-victorian-baroque/

Plainfield resident speaks out on sustainability after winning international pageant

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/27/plainfield-resident-speaks-out-on-sustainability-after-winning-international-pageant/

Ryder taking on most employees at Minooka warehouse

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/02/03/ryder-taking-on-most-employees-at-minooka-warehouse/

New Joliet restaurant specializes in Venezuelan, Colombian dishes

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/31/joliet-restaurant-serves-venezuelan-and-colombian-food/

New hibachi restaurant opens in Bolingbrook

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/02/02/new-hibachi-restaurant-opens-in-bolingbrook/

Silver Cross opens urgent care in Orland Park

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/30/silver-cross-opens-urgent-care-in-orland-park/

2 health care-related businesses coming to Shorewood

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/02/01/2-health-care-related-businesses-coming-to-shorewood/

Will County Pets of the Week: Feb. 2, 2026

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/02/02/will-county-pets-of-the-week-feb-2-2026/

 

 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

SAVE THE DATE: WriteOn Joliet to Present "Shades of Noir" April 18

Eight members of WriteOn Joliet will explore “Shades of Noir” in original radio-style stories and poems at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. April 18 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre in Joliet.

This is WriteOn Joliet’s fourth annual radio theater-style performance and the first production under the partnership of the Joliet Drama Guild.

 

Admission to “Shades of Noir” is $5.

 

Authors and performers are Denise M. Baran-Unland, Mauverneen Blevins, Edward Calkins, Holly Coop, Steve Cordin, Cean Magosky, Jenny Russ and Duanne Walton.

 

Director is Jake Thomas.

 

Production Assistant is Rebekah Baran.

 

Lobby doors open one hour before performances. Concessions and drinks are available for purchase. WriteOn Joliet anthologies – along with books and other merchandise by individual author/performers – will be available for purchase one hour before the show, during intermission and immediately after the show’s conclusion.

 

The first 10 attendees at each performance will receive a free copy of WriteOn Joliet’s 2025 anthology “Write Where We Are,” courtesy of the B.L.O.C.K.S. creative group.

 

The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park and Theatre is at 201 West Jefferson Street, downtown Joliet, 60432.

 

For tickets and more information, visit bicentennialpark.org or contact the office: 815-724-3761 or bipark@joliet.gov.

 

WriteOn Joliet is a welcoming, diverse group of writers of varied skills, interests and experience. The group includes professional journalists, fiction novelists, bloggers, screenwriters, musicians and poets. We promise a safe, comfortable and supportive atmosphere to share your work, and constructive feedback so that everyone can benefit from our shared knowledge.

 

WriteOn Joliet is a proud partner of the Joliet Public Library, The Book Market in Crest Hill, and B.L.O.C.K.S.

For more information, visit writeonjoliet.com.

PS: Photo was taken during our initial table reading at The Book Market in Crest Hill. I should've asked Jan or Rebekah to take the photo, so I could have hopped into place, too. (face palm). Next time!

Sue's Diner: Vampire Meatballs

Valentine's Day is less than two weeks away.

So it's a perfect time to make and serve these sweet and sour "vampire" meatballs, either as an appetizer or a main dish.

Not only are they delicious, they won't scare anyone away. You can eat them with the lights turned on. And you don't have to be a fan of vampires to enjoy them.

This recipe not featured in any of the BryonySeries cookbooks, including Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony," which is a permanent fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties and features all the recipes referenced in the novel Bryony. 

However, you can try this recipe for vampire meatballs on the Sue's Diner page on the BryonySeries website. 

But try the recipe this week. It will be gone next week. A new recipe will take it's place. 

If you have any troubleshooting questions or comments, email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. 

Not sure what (or where) Sue's Diner is? Read: "Sue's Diner Through the Years."

By the way, Sue's Diner is only real in the BryonySeries world. But didn't Timothy do a great job making the page look like a real menu at a vintage diner?

Here is the full diner page: bryonyseries.com/sue-s-diner-food. You can't really order, of course (wouldn't it be great if you could?).

Check out all three BryonySeries cookbooks at bryonyseries.com/merchandise.

RECAP: BryonySeries at Critical Grind Author Fair

BryonySeries had the good fortune to participate in Critical Grind Board Game Cafe's first author fair on Saturday.

And then we also had the good fortune to share the table with longtime WriteOn Joliet member Dale Hansen.

I've participated in many author fairs over the past fifteen years. And this was one of the best in terms of steady and robust attendance abd marketing along with additional "fun" elements, such as genre-inspired beverages from the cafe, the fact Dale and I each sold seven books, and the surprise handmade bookmarks from Cindy, which we gave as gifts to anyone who bought one of our books.

Cindy chatted to attendees about B.L.O.C.K.S. and distributed information. Rebekah discussed tropes and helped select books to browse according to interests.

But don't take my word for it. Check out these videos Critical Grind uploaded to its Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1169522728588370

https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?ref=watch_permalink&v=1403052704534223

And then if you live in the area, come out to Critical Grind tonight at 7 p.m. and learn more about B.L.O.C.K.S. when Timothy presents information as part of Critical Grind's "Presentation Night."

Be blessed today!

B.L.O.C.K.S. Presentation at Critical Grind on Tuesday

Curious about the "B.L.O.C.K.S" initiatve some members of my BryonySeries team has created?

Timothy will give his first public presentation about B.L.O.CK.S. tomorrow night at "Presentation Night" at Critical Grind Board Game Cafe in Shorewood.

During "Presentation Night," which runs from 7 to 9 p.m., various presenters will deliver a five minute-ish presentation on just about any topic imaginable, which can be (according to Critical Grind), "funny, serious, or completely absurd."

So if you live in the area, consider coming out and becoming entertained, informed, and enjoying something deliciouis from the cafe.

Peder B. Helland - Dark Night

Celtic tavern. Cozy Irish melodies by the fireplace

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Jan. 24 through Jan. 30

Good morning!

I have seven stories online to share with you today. More stories will go live over the weekend and next week. So please check back at shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

To see the stories that ran in print this week and aren't online yet, click on the e-edition option at the top of The Herald-News website.

Before the stories, I also have a list of additional updates, resources, and information. Please check them out, too.

And if you'd like to find more kindness in your life, consider this book.

And have a great Friday!

Calendar

The BryonySeries calendar offers links to games, crafts, music, activities, science experiments, and  recipes that pick up themes to one or more of our books.

For January, all activities center around becoming your best self.

To participate, visit bryonyseries.com/ourcalendar.

Events (or where to find the BryonySeries) - so far:

We typically don't host in-person events in January to give us time to recoup and prepare for tax time - but we are participating in one!

Jan. 31: Critical Grind Winter Local Author Fair: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Critical Grind Board Game Cafe, 852 Sharp Drive No. L, Shorewood.

Feb. 3: Presentation Night: 7 to 9 p.m., Critical Grind Board Game Cafe, 852 Sharp Drive No. L, Shorewood. Various presenters will share a five-minute slide show on any topic imaginable. Timothy will present on B.L.O.C.K.S. Come out if you'd like to learn more.

Feb. 13: Calkins Day: 6 to 8:30 p.m., The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road, Crest Hill. Celebrate laughter, creativity, and generosity with Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara. BryonySeries book specials (some free), art raffle, free food, free gift certificates to The Book Market.

We also encourage you to check out our books by popping into The Book Market in Crest Hill (if you live in the area) or bookshop.org or Amazon if you don't. 

Please note: Bookshop does not carry all of our books.

What is the BryonySeries?

Please read "Books of the BryonySeries: A Quick Overview"

For more information on the developing "parent brand" that is removing some of the heavy marketing lifting from me, visit bryonyseries.com/blocks.

BryonySeries books-in-progress

Bertrand the Mouse: We have plenty of Bertrand photos and ideas. Several are at the top of the list. At some point, we will assemble and release some more.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: Cornell Dyer and the House of Horreur" (because the toymaker's last name is "Horreur.") is finally begun, although albeit very slowly. I'd like to get enough done over the next month or so to finally give Sue Midlock (our artist for The Adventures of Cornell Dyer) some ideas for the book's cover and chapter heading illustrations.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright has finished the cover portrait. I let this book slide for other BryonySeries projects. But the goal is to release "Brainy Ann" in 2026.

Jennifer designed the cover portraits for "Julie and the Too-Hard Homework," "Katie and the Big Fear," "Summer Sisters." and "Karla Joins In," as well as the frontispiece for "Lycanthropic Summer."

Other books: I am not writing a novel this year. But I have an idea for a BryonySeries Christmas anthology that I'd like to release in 2026. We also have a prologue/first chapter sampler of all the BryonySeries novels that's only available at certain events.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very slowly) updating the BryonySeries YouTube and Pinterest accounts. And she' catching up with Kindles for some of the BryonySeries books. So do watch for those.

For books and more information about the series, visit bryonyseries.com.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Sue's Diner is a fictional restaurant in the fictional Munsonville that only exists in the BryonySeries.

Each Wednesday, we post a new recipe. The recipe is either featured in one of our cookbooks, will be featured in an upcoming cookbook, or is just an "extra" we want to share with you.

Check out the weekly recipe here.

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

If you'd like to officially join WriteOn Joliet, we have two tiers of dues and two ways to attend meetings. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.com.

I also suggest this book: Little Book of Revision: A Checklist for Fiction Writers. It's exactly as it says. Each page some with one suggestion for revision. The rest of the page is blank, so you can add your own notes. All proceeds benefit WriteOn Joliet.

If you need editing or help with self-publishing, check out dmbaranunland.com.

ARTISTS

If you need an artist for a project, I offer these recommendations.

NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for The Munsonville Times by emailing us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. The newsletter still isn't official yet, so we don't have an actual link on the website - but we are working on it! 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Daily updates: I haven't posted anything on Twitter/X (except a daily Bible verse) since September I can no longer schedule posts in advance. I'm not sure yet how to manage the account without that option. But you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I used to curated content relating to the BryonySeries on Twitter/X at @BryonySeries and still post assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeries, youtube.com/user/BryonySeries, and themes of each book in the BryonySeries at pinterest.com/bryonyseries.

Again, not sure yet about the direction of the BryonySeries Twitter/X account. Still mulling that over.

And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

QUESTIONS

Email me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. Your support is greatly appreciated.

FEATURES

Herald Angels campaign once again raises a record amount for United Way of Will County

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/23/herald-angels-campaign-once-again-raises-a-record-amount-for-united-way-of-will-county/

Morris Herald Angels Campaign benefits United Way of Grundy County

https://www.shawlocal.com/morris-herald-news/2026/01/21/morris-herald-angels-campaign-benefits-united-way-of-grundy-county/

HOTWORX fitness studio coming to Shorewood

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/22/hotworx-fitness-studio-coming-to-shorewood/

Romeoville Village Board hears plan for 7-unit retail building

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/24/romeoville-village-board-hears-plan-for-7-unit-retail-building/

Warehouse 109 in Plainfield to unveil ‘The Library’ event space

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/25/warehouse-109-in-plainfield-to-unveil-the-library-event-space/

Will County Health Department held walk-in immunization clinics

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/26/will-county-health-department-holding-walk-in-immunization-clinics/

Will County Pets of the Week: Jan. 26, 2026

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/26/will-county-pets-of-the-week-jan-26-2026/

 

 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

Tiny and the Grape

So it's been a week.

The southward turn came Tuesday when I realized we hadn't received our tax packets from our accountant, which includes our meeting date. So I did the reasonable thing.

I called. On Tuesday, Jan. 27.

And am I glad we did!

We usually meet with our accountant the first Saturday of February. We've been in that rotation for years, and we don't jump out of it. One year, I was in the hospital or the ER or something, and I sent an adult child by proxy, if only to keep our place in line.

So when I called, the person at the other end of the line explained the many tax-related changes this year, which took longer to get the packets out. 

Then I asked for my appointment date and time, assuming she would tell me February 7.

No, the appointment is January 31.

Saturday.

This Saturday. In less than four days at the time of the call.

While I was already committed to the author fair at Critical Grind.

"Is that a problem?" she asked.

And then she very nicely moved the appointment to later in the afternoon to eliminate the conflict.

And then Rebekah and I have spent every night until very late at night (because we still don't have those tax packets yet), getting ready for our meeting with the accountant.

That brings us to last night's adventure.

It's already been a stressful week, and everyone was at sixes and sevens with each other when "it" occurred.

Rebekah was standing in front of the refrigerator moving grapes from the bag to the bowl to head back upstairs to her computer when a single grape hit the floor.

"You dropped a grape," I told her.

We both looked. Only a stem.

DAMN IT!

I ran into the living room  where Tiny (who wasn't even in the kitchen when Rebekah opened the refrigerator), was polishing off the last of the grape.

Now anyone who's owned a dog knows grapes are highly toxic to dogs - and there's no antidote to the toxin.

Treatment is usually a combination of inducing vomiting, maybe using charcoal, IV fluids to keep the kidneys flushed (necessitating a 48 to 72-hour hospital stay), bloodwork to monitor kidney fuction, and hope for the best.

Rebekah called the ER to let them know Tiny was on his way.

Timothy and Daniel - both of whom had late nights at work last night - took Tiny to the ER so Rebekah and I could do taxes. The ER staff took Tiny back immediately.

Tiny is one really, really, really lucky Pembroke Welsh Corgi.

Because we moved Tiny to the ER (almost) as quickly as Tiny snatched the grape from the kitchen floor, the vomiting brought up the entire grape, along with Tiny's only meal of the day because he refused all food and water that day until Daniel came home.

Yes, Tiny has a complicated relationship with food. But that's a whole other story.

Although I did keep fuming all night on how Tiny wouldn't eat his very nice (and expensive) kibble, but couldn't wait to devour a poisonous grape.

The veterinarian said no further treatment was needed because the grape hadn't yet left Tiny's stomach.

They did baseline bloodwork, finished the night off with a shot of Cerenia so Tiny wouldn't keep throwing up, and sent him home - in his crate, not a small box of ashes.

Tiny ate up his kibble last night with Daniel sitting beside him.

And then he settled in for a forty-five minute cuddle session with me, even though the next day was approaching, and I still had to take care of Faith.

We still don't have the tax packets.

But we should be ready for the accountant on Saturday, although we will need two more long nights after work in preparation.

But all's well that ends well.

Because we still have a corgi named Tiny.

Sue's Diner: Molten Cake

Here's a delectable recipe for a vampire-themed Valentine's Day (yes Valentine's Day is around the corner): chocolate-cherry molten cakes.

These dark, rich molten cakes not featured in any of the BryonySeries cookbooks, including Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony," which is a permanent fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties and features all the recipes referenced in the novel Bryony. 

However, you can try this recipe for molten cakes on the Sue's Diner page on the BryonySeries website. 

But try the recipe this week. It will be gone next week. A new recipe will take it's place. 

If you have any troubleshooting questions or comments, email us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. 

By the way, Sue's Diner is only real in the BryonySeries world. But didn't Timothy do a great job making the page look like a real menu at a vintage diner?

Here is the full diner page: bryonyseries.com/sue-s-diner. You can't really order, of course (wouldn't it be great if you could?).

For more BryonySeries recipes, check out our three cookbooks at our BryonySeries bryonyseries.com/general-store.

BryonySeries: Meet B.L.O.C.K.S. (Again)

Ever since Timothy rolled out B.L.O.C.K.S. in August to help support the BryonySeries and related ventures, he's worked on constructing the teams "building blocks."

This means he's refined the logo into one everyone really likes, built presentation slides, and developed a shared workspace where everyone on the immediate team can access marketing materials, fonts, colors, etc.

In fact, that shared workspace was initially an under-recognized and under-appreciated benefit of finally having domain emails, which we've only softly rolled out so far.

While the advantages for growth and support seem obvious, another benefit of B.L.O.C.K.S. actually addresses conversations we've had with the team the last few challenging years: if something happens to me, what happens to all books and all the the projects in progress?

Side note: "Midnight Ink" is a placeholder name for mine and Rebekah's editing and formatting projects for clients. Rebekah built this website in 2020, since we were getting lots of requests and we needed a way to provide information without launching into long explanations with every request.

B.L.O.C.K.S. will ensure that those books and projects will remain less about me and more about them.

So here's the slightly modified logo and the informational cards with the original logo.

Thoughts?

And for more information about B.L.O.C.K.S. and the BryonySeries, visit bryonyseries.com.

BryonySeries at Critical Grind on Saturday

Good morning!

I am super excited to participate in Critical Grind Board Game Cafe's Local Author Book Fair with TWO of my favorite authors.

One is WriteOn Joliet member Dale Hansen, who writes devotionals.

The other is children's author C.W. White, whom I met at Calkins Day 2023. I was so impressed with her books, I wound up ordering copies for my grandchildren.

In additon to BryonySeries books, I will have copies of WriteOn Joliet's anthologies (including copies of 2024 and 2025), and information on B.L.O.C.K.S.

Be sure to check out Critical Grind's menu and get yourself something good to eat and drink before you leave with your book purchases.

Because what could be better on these cold dark days than a hot drink and some new good books?

Happy Monday!

When the first snow falls | Piano Playlist

Save the Date: Calkins Day 2026

Calkins Day (Feb. 13) is the BryonySeries' official holiday. It's a day to celebrate laughter, imagination, generosity, and the birthday of Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara: man, myth, and author.

And we are inviting you to that celebration from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

The drop-in celebration will include free food, a chance to win an original acrylic waterscape painted by Ed’s wife Nancy Calkins (an accomplished artist and retired art teacher), and the opportunity to purchase books authored by Ed and books in which Ed appears as a character.

One of those books will include “Recovering Ruthless,” the third book in the outrageous, literary nonsense BryonySeries Ruthless series, all authored by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara.

The first book is simply called “Ruthless.” The second book is titled “The Fifth.”

Ed also wrote my Irish genealogy. (I’m not Irish).

Ed also appears as himself (as in himself, a ruthless dictator, and an Irish vampire) in “Bryony,” “Visage,” and “Staked!”

Who is Ed Calkins? Here is a twenty-question interview withthe real Ed Calkins, here is my Calkins Day address from 2020, and here is Ed’s Calkins Day message from 2018.

Here is why we celebrate Calkins Day.

Here is how to celebrate Calkins Day in our "Guide to Becoming Un-Serious."

I must also add that Ed is very dyslexic, which makes writing more challenging for him than many other writers. But he not only works through the challenge, he’s made dyslexia a key part of the plot in his Ruthless trilogy in ways that has nothing to do with reading or writing.

You also might want to listen to this podcast.

And if you follow those links, you might find yourself almost prepared to celebrate Calkins Day at The Book Market on Feb. 13.

But if you really want to impress the Steward of Tara (also known as Your Ruthlessness), come prepared to recite a limerick about him as WriteOn Joliet member Mauverneen Blevins did in 2023.

Or memorize “Birches” by Robert Frost and recite it to him.

And then watch the magic unfold.

Happy Saturday!

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Jan. 17 through Jan. 23

Good morning!

I have seven stories online to share with you today. More stories will go live over the weekend and next week. So please check back at shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

To see the stories that ran in print this week and aren't online yet, click on the e-edition option at the top of The Herald-News website.

Before the stories, I also have a list of additional updates, resources, and information. Please check them out, too.

And if you'd like to find more kindness in your life, consider this book.

And have a great Friday!

Calendar

The BryonySeries calendar offers links to games, crafts, music, activities, science experiments, and  recipes that pick up themes to one or more of our books.

For January, all activities center around becoming your best self.

To participate, visit bryonyseries.com/ourcalendar.

Events (or where to find the BryonySeries) - so far:

We typically don't host in-person events in January to give us time to recoup and prepare for tax time - but we are participating in one!

Jan. 31: Critical Grind Winter Local Author Fair: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Critical Grind Board Game Cafe, 852 Sharp Drive No. L, Shorewood.

Feb. 13: Calkins Day: 6 to 8:30 p.m., The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road, Crest Hill. Celebrate laughter, creativity, and generosity with Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara. BryonySeries book specials (some free), art raffle, free food, free gift certificates to The Book Market.

We also encourage you to check out our books by popping into The Book Market in Crest Hill (if you live in the area) or bookshop.org or Amazon if you don't. 

Please note: Bookshop does not carry all of our books.

What is the BryonySeries?

Please read "Books of the BryonySeries: A Quick Overview"

For more information on the developing "parent brand" that is removing some of the heavy marketing lifting from me, visit bryonyseries.com/blocks.

BryonySeries books-in-progress

Bertrand the Mouse: We have plenty of Bertrand photos and ideas. Several are at the top of the list. At some point, we will assemble and release some more.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: Cornell Dyer and the House of Horreur" (because the toymaker's last name is "Horreur.") is finally begun, although albeit very slowly. I'd like to get enough done over the next month or so to finally give Sue Midlock (our artist for The Adventures of Cornell Dyer) some ideas for the book's cover and chapter heading illustrations.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright has finished the cover portrait. I let this book slide for other BryonySeries projects. But the goal is to release "Brainy Ann" in early 2026.

Jennifer designed the cover portraits for "Julie and the Too-Hard Homework," "Katie and the Big Fear," "Summer Sisters." and "Karla Joins In," as well as the frontispiece for "Lycanthropic Summer."

Other books: I am not writing a novel this year. But I have an idea for a BryonySeries Christmas anthology that I'd like to release in 2026.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very slowly) updating the BryonySeries YouTube and Pinterest accounts. And she' catching up with Kindles for some of the BryonySeries books. So do watch for those.

For books and more information about the series, visit bryonyseries.com.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Sue's Diner is a fictional restaurant in the fictional Munsonville that only exists in the BryonySeries.

Each Wednesday, we post a new recipe. The recipe is either featured in one of our cookbooks, will be featured in an upcoming cookbook, or is just an "extra" we want to share with you.

Check out the weekly recipe here.

WRITERS

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to join WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

If you'd like to officially join WriteOn Joliet, we have two tiers of dues and two ways to attend meetings. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every year. Check us out at writeonjoliet.com.

I also suggest this book: Little Book of Revision: A Checklist for Fiction Writers. It's exactly as it says. Each page some with one suggestion for revision. The rest of the page is blank, so you can add your own notes. All proceeds benefit WriteOn Joliet.

If you need editing or help with self-publishing, check out dmbaranunland.com.

ARTISTS

If you need an artist for a project, I offer these recommendations.

NEWSLETTERS

Sign up for The Munsonville Times by emailing us at bryonyseries@gmail.com. The newsletter still isn't official yet, so we don't have an actual link on the website - but we are working on it! 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Daily updates: I haven't posted anything on Twitter/X (except a daily Bible verse) since September I can no longer schedule posts in advance. I'm not sure yet how to manage the account without that option. But you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I used to curated content relating to the BryonySeries on Twitter/X at @BryonySeries and still post assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeries, youtube.com/user/BryonySeries, and themes of each book in the BryonySeries at pinterest.com/bryonyseries.

Again, not sure yet about the direction of the BryonySeries Twitter/X account. Still mulling that over.

And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

QUESTIONS

Email me at bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. And if you've read (or plan to read) any of my books. Your support is greatly appreciated.

FEATURES

Morris Herald Angels Campaign benefits United Way of Grundy County

https://www.shawlocal.com/morris-herald-news/2026/01/21/morris-herald-angels-campaign-benefits-united-way-of-grundy-county/

Trump reverses mental health cuts, agencies in Will, Kendall counties say they likely would not be hit

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/17/trump-reverses-mental-health-cuts-agencies-in-will-kendall-counties-say-they-likely-would-not-be-hit/

Wendy’s closes Joliet site, property for sale

2 other Joliet locations remain open

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/10/wendys-in-joliet-closes-property-for-sale/

Jack-in-the-Box coming to Joliet’s Jefferson Street

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/21/jack-in-the-box-coming-to-joliets-jefferson-street/

Fate of Will County Noodles and Company locations unknown as company looks to close sites

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/21/noodles-and-company-plans-to-close-more-restaurants/

3 Will County GameStop locations closing

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/20/3-will-county-gamestop-locations-closing/

Will County Pets of the Week: Jan. 19, 2026

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/01/19/will-county-pets-of-the-week-jan-19-2026/

 

 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"