Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, April 8 to April 14

Good morning!

Today I have eleven features and news stories to share with you today with more to be posted over the weekend. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

In addition to dealing with a new health issue (two doctors visits, one ER trip and one quick care visit over the last couple weeks), I've also been working on stories for a new edition The Herald-News will begin in March and a new "Thank You, Teachers" edition in May.

In additioin, WriteOn Joliet will host its first radio-style reading on April 22 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park in Joliet. 

And now we are officially on Bicentennial Park's calendar, which you can see here. 

And we have a promotional video, which you can see here.

So, as you can imagine, fiction projects are limping along. But they are progressing.

So far, I've completed rough drafts for the prologue and first sixteen chapters of the final book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy: House on Top of the Hill and hope to get another chapter drafted this weekend.

I am in the process of fleshing out the next book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries: Cornell Dyer and the Hounds of Basketville and made some progress on that story on Monday. Timothy and I drafted it months ago, and I currently have five solid chapters. 

Sue Midlock has already sent all the interior art and a rough draft of the cover. As always, the art is amazing and perfect for the series.

I have also completed three chapters for the fourth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries series.

You can find other titles in the series here. Timothy has not yet added our latest titles to the BryonySeries bookstore. But all titles are also on Amazon. 

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

And I'm also working on a novella. I have written and edited a fourth of it and have about another third of it loosely written. But that's all I'm sharing about it for now.

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

Now back to the 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 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 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 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

Last year, a 100-year-old Will County church nearly shut its doors. Now, it’s sprung to new life: Barb Palmer: ‘Whoever comes to our church will know that we love the Lord and that he’s done so much for us’

Engelbert Humperdinck returns to Joliet’s Rialto Square Theatre on April 27: Humperdinck said his show is highly entertaining, with plenty of high quality songs 

Plainfield ‘celebrity chef’ Arron Sain whipped up a business with culinary, bodybuilding skills: Arron Sain: ‘I chose to take the journey into the unknown’ 

Brother of Joliet teen with rare kidney syndrome now has same disease: Stacey Reyes: ‘I don’t know how fast his kidney function will decline’

Tim Placher bringing songwriters showcase to USF in #Joliet: Tim Placher: ‘These are people creating original music and trying to make it in the music business’ 

Joliet’s Visitation and Aid to hold spring brunch on May 7: Tickets are available now

Travis Tritt to perform at the Rialto in Joliet in August" Tickets are available now 

Marine veteran opens PuroClean franchise in Romeoville: PuroClean has nearly 425 locations in the U.S. and Canada @PuroClean

Will County Health Department names new assistant executive director: Denise Bergin: ‘I’m proud to be a part of this agency and of the work we do’ 

Pets of the Week: April 10, 2023: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption 

5 Things to do in Will County: ‘Meet’ Louis Jolliet this weekend: Also this weekend: Beatles music, Charlie Brown musical, S.T.E.M. Fest and free pancake breakfast

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"