Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, June 16 through June 21

I hope everyone is having a great week, and has an even better weekend plan.

I have a smattering of things planned. Here's a quick glance:

Transfer my copy edits of the fifth and final installment of Before the Blood from hard copy to manuscript.

Read through the proof copy of Cornell Dyer and the Eerie Lake.

Start the actual writing for Cornell Dyer and the Never Robbers.

Keep working on the outlines for Lycanthropic Summer and the "Limbo" trilogy.

Spend an hour or two with one of my grandsons to assess him for second grade (his parents are planning to homeschool him next year, and I'm helping them plan a curriculum). The trade-off: Joshua is cooking dinner (his famous poor boys, yum!).

Work on Phyllis' memoir.

Bring a friend who has lung cancer a couple surprises.

Visit Ron in the nursing home if he is up to it. For those of you who pray or think good thoughts, please keep him in prayer. This is a trying time for our family.

Have a great weekend readers, writers, and BryonySeries fans. :)

Non-bylined features:

Monday through Saturday I assembled my non-bylined works - brief posts and calendar listings - into one convenient file and posting them on Facebook in the evening, so readers can easily choose the ones they want to read.

One can also find those event listings, the Gotta Do It calendar, as well as the pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars, under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down.  Gotta Do It runs under "people."

Community news? Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web (and some only on web on other days as I have the time): 

 Social media:

Daily updates: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries at @BryonySeries. And assorted related content at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries. And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to jon WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/writeonminooka/?ref=bookmarks. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

Upcoming events:

Once Timothy Baran is done updating this page, these will listed here: https://www.bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts.

Check out the progress he has made so far. Each square is hand-built. And be sure to "hover" your hand over the first square. Note: this only works (so far) with the desktop version.

But he's also made A LOT of changes to the website. So be sure to roam around a bit.

Books and Such

Information on my books (including where to buy) along with upcoming events is at www.bryonyseries.com. Again, Timothy is in the process of updating the website, so all titles may not appear. If you have any 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.

Giving healing a chance to bloom
Former Joliet man chronicles his grief at the loss of his father

"I know there are a lot of people, adults, who have gone through similar things," Jeff Joutras said. "It's OK to be vulnerable. That's when we experience love and freedom, is when we're vulnerable. To keep all that stuff inside is not very healthy."

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/06/11/5681e028842841b98b06b34bbe81d734/index.xml


An Extraordinary Life: Everyone's faith-filled 'go-to lady'
Rev. Genevieve Brown of Joliet was a woman trailblazing accomplishments

Steve Evans said, "We did not have a lot of things, but she made sure we had love for each other as brothers and sisters, something she stressed through our adult lives. She was an amazing, amazing woman."

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/06/11/0e377858222f40d885552fbf2fdfd634/index.xml


Local 'Prodigal Son' returns home to help
Joliet pastor says, 'No one is born saved. We've all done something.'

Steve Evans said, "During my teens years, I made some bad decisions. I got into scrapes with the law and I was a drug addict for over 30 years. I was an alcoholic, as well. But God delivered me from that – it's been about 27 years now that I've been what they call 'clean and sober.'"

https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/06/11/local-prodigal-son-returns-home-to-help/aqs517i/


A 'refined and sophisticated' drink
Joliet Bourbon Club helping museum with its bourbon tasting event

"It's just an informal group of guys that have common love for bourbon," Michael Murray, secretary, said.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/06/18/dd2c13010f3643a59ab23d78156484be/index.xml


Meet the author, hear his music
Chicago musician Dean Milano set to appear at Joliet theater on June 30 

This event is just one of the many monthly events the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 is planning to host, said Ron Romero, museum founder and president.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/06/16/cbeb98c812ce431998c75c65277fcfcb/index.xml


Artworks 'It's 40-year dream finally realized'
David Bellah of New Lenox receives high-profile praise for 1st CD

Bellah said, "I think it takes time for you to take all these musical influences and put them in the blender and go, 'OK, this is Dave being Dave. Not Dave being Steven Tyler or Paul Rogers or whoever.'"

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/06/16/219eb310c046486ab388744c8d530ba6/index.xml


LocalLit book spotlight: 'My Dad's Rose' by Jeffrey F. Joutras 
Upcoming review of book by former Joliet resident on the grieving process 

In "My Dad's Rose, Joutras shares how the grief affection him for decades, "through his career and through his own journey as a father of five, the loss ultimately manifesting in a depression that he hid for years," the description also said.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2019/06/20/ec4e4a79bfd145c7b35513539da9da28/index.xml

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage." Follow him at www.facebook.com/artbymattcoundiff