Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, May 8 through May 14

Good morning!

I have fourteen stories to share with you this morning - with a whopping eighteen that haven't posted to The Herald-News website yet.

Here's a quick summary of where I'm at, fiction-wise.

Rebekah is finishing up a Kindle for a client and then she will format the next book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer series (Cornell Dyer and the Whispering Wardrobe). Because, yes, I did finish it last weekend, hurray.

This means Timothy and I just might be starting the next book in the series: Cornell Dyer and the Calcium-Deficient Bones

A new proof copy of the first book in the new BryonySeries Limbo trilogy (The Phoenix) is on its way. If I don't to make any substantial changes to it, we could have a release by June.

Last night, I did spend some time on the second book if the Limbo trilogy - Call of the Siren - but I am far, far, far away from having more than a very loose-ish outline done. I don't even have a good working draft.

Now, I'm not unmotivated and my muse has not dried up. But the book is a substantial change from the other books in the series, so I have a lot of back end work to get done.

Now back to the fourteen feature stories. Simply click on the link of the story that looks interesting to you. Happy scrolling!

But before the stories, I have a list of additional resources and information. Please check them out, too -

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

And have a great Friday!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

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

Each Sunday, we post a new recipe. The recipe is either featured in one of our cookbooks or will be featured in an upcoming cookbook.

Check out the 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. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every year, well, except this 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 support in your writing, I highly recommend this Twitter group: #5amwritersclub. I  joined it last year. Writers support each other on Twitter and meet every three weeks at 5 a.m. (4 a.m. CST - needless to say, I am often late!) on Zoom.

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 Will County Go Guide and Sign up for the LocalLit Short Story and Book Review Newsletter at https://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/

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 do post the briefs 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.

BRYONYSERIES BOOKS

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

BRYONYSERIES EVENTS

A full month of virtual events can be found at bryonyseries.com/calendar-of-events-1.

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

‘Behind those walls of the NICU lies the tiniest fighters’: Joliet Junior College student finishes nursing degree after crisis pregnancy, aspires to work in labor or delivery or a NICU 

'A life is given in the midst of tragic deaths in COVID’: Silver Cross health care experts discuss labor, delivery in COVID-19-positive mothers

LocalLit book preview: #Minooka author works through the death of her youngest son: ‘If I have learned anything, it’s to trust my instincts’

'My worst fear was coming true: labor and the virus’: New mom learned she had #COVID-19 right before labor, honors nurse at Silver Cross Hospital who supported her 

Pets of the Week: May 10: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

United Way of Will County names new president & CEO: Kamala Martinez ‘will step into the role’ on May 17 

An Extraordinary Life: 'He lived the life most people don’t get to live’: Retired music director from #Joliet Central was a friend and mentor to many

Ashley Pilon of Minooka served as guest weather forecaster on WGN TV: This 4th-grader at Trinity Christian School in Shorewood was chosen due to her exemplary effort in the classroom 

New hearing clinic comes to Will County 

Nursing students from Lewis University in Romeoville help vaccinate people with special needs: Students worked in conjunction with the Will County Health Department 

Music, theater and outside fun - if the rain holds offWill County Inside/Outside Guide offers suggestions for enjoying your weekend 

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie celebrates 25 years with time capsule: Endangered prairie clover seeds and call-to-action letter just 2 of the items Midewin preserved

Northern Illinois Food Bank honors 2 Channahon volunteers: Carol Ferguson and Amy Winters both serve at the Joliet site 

Frankfort students raise more than $35,900 for American Heart Association

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage."