Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, May 27 to June 3

Good morning!

I have eleven feature stories to share with you today and more yet posted. So do check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news. 

Over the last couple of months, I also wrote an additional nineteen stories for a special "Thank You, Teachers," edition that will ran in print and online on May 5. You can check out all those stories at this link: https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/thank-you/teachers/

Tomorrow I will be at The Book Market in Crest Hill from noon to 2 p.m. I have five $10 gas cards to the first five customers who make select purchases (one gas card per customer). Details about tomorrow's event are here.

On the fiction side of things, we released Cornell Dyer and the "Mistical" Being last week. It's not available in the BryonySeries bookstore yet, but it is available on Amazon.

I have read through the proof copies for Call of the Siren (the second book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy, with gorgeous cover art by Nancy Calkins) and Cornell Dyer and the Calcium Deficient Bones (with artwork by Sue Midlock) and hope to incorporate their edits into the hard copy this weekend.

I'm working on outlining the final book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy: House on Top of the Hill. 

And I'm also working on a guide book to the series called: Welcome to Munsonville: the People, Places, and Things of the BryonySeries.

Next up in the series: a Sherlock Holmes parody (the main character is Sherman Homes). Timothy and I (FINALLY!) have a Cornell breakfast scheduled for tomorrow. Can't wait to get started on this story. Sue Midlock is already working on the cover.

Jennifer Wainright (frontispiece artist for Lycanthropic Summer) has completed two portraits for  "Girls of the BryonySeries" series for tween girls and is currently working on a third. The portraits are beautiful and it shows that artist Jennifer Wainright can draw anything from werewolves to portraits! 

Rebekah has completed cover art for two of "Girls of the BryonySeries" books. They are beautiful! One book in this series of eight books is completely written, a second is halfway written, and the rest are outlined. 

Rebekah is also working on updating the BryonySeries YouTube and Pinterest accounts, so watch for those.

Now back to the eleven 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 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 on Twitter at @BryonySeries and assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeries, youtube.com/user/BryonySeries, and themes of each book in the BryonySeries at pinterest.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.

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

 ‘I think we carry our dead around with us’:  WillCounty residents remember all loved ones on 

Racial death threats allegedly target Black workers at Joliet’s Amazon facility: Ceniceros: ‘Everyone deserves safe working conditions.’ 

High rent forces 75-year-old Will County auto repair shop to shut down for good: Lucenta Tire closed its last location Wednesday

Lucenta’s founder had 6th grade education and immigrant will to succeed: The seven-decade business started with a one-pump gas station in Joliet.

Baran-Unland: Where have all the swimming holes gone?

Pets of the Week: May 30: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption.

‘Of course, he had no knowledge he was going to die’: Shorewood Navy veteran tends the grave of a friend’s son who died in Vietnam. That’s what Memorial Day is.

Lucenta’s founder had 6th grade education and immigrant will to succeed: The seven-decade business started with a one-pump gas station in Joliet.

Mystery Diner in Joliet: Al’s Steak House serves some of the finest charbroiled steaks: Experienced chefs cut the meats each day

5 Things to do in Will County: Plenty of live music all weekend long: Plus, Touch-A-Truck and Wilmington-wide garage sale

Be good to yourself on Saturday. Clean up a Will County trail: Participate at an official site. Or choose your own path. /

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"