Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, June 24 to June 30

Good morning!

Today I have thirteen features and news stories to share with you today and one gallery of photos that I shot of an amazing STEAM exhibit that's at the downtown branch of the Joliet Public Library through the end of July.

I'm also working straight through to Wednesday, so more stories are coming. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

If you live in the Joliet area, BryonySeries will be part of the Fourth of July celebration at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre on July 3.

We will have free games with prizes and "Word Music" for $1 (new product) for sale, along with books for sale (free gift with select purchases). For more information, read this post.

On another note, if you're a writer, want to be a writer, or know someone in the Will/Grundy counties area that fits that description, be sure to check out this event.  It's free but seating is limited and registration is required.

Here's a recap of other my other writing projects:

Next week,  WriteOn Joliet will return to the digital media center at the downtown branch of the Joliet Public Library to continue editing the radio play we presented at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet on April 22.

We learned that recording and editing a radio play is very different from performing one. And it looks like we will be performing this play in another venue in the fall. More of that later.

And in the BryonySeries world:

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book and two chapters that are ready for final edits.

Cornell Dyer and the Howls of Basketville: The next book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries is ready for production - after the Fourth of July. Rebekah will be traveling and then she's taking a few days off. We can't wait to release it into the hands of readers. 

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. 

Karla Joins In: The fourth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries series. Eight chapters are completed. I'm hoping to write the ninth on Sunday. But we shall see.

BryonySeries reference/guide book: Welcome to Munsonville: the People, Places, and Things of the BryonySeries. I'd love to have this one ready by the end of the year. Pecking slowly at it.

A Year of Shadows and Moonlight, of Gathering Blooms in the Woods: A rather unusual, poetic novella in the second person. Half of it is written and edited and another half is loosely written. Rebekah is also playing around with art for the cover. 

Rebekah is also 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.

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

Baran-Unland: Don’t miss STEAM exhibit at Joliet Public Library: The exhibit is based on the Questioneers characters in the book series by author Andrea Beaty and illustrator David Roberts. 

PHOTOS: Questioneers at Joliet Public Library

Melissa McCarthy discusses Plainfield tornado while eating hot wings on “Hot Ones”: McCarthy said all the hot sauces were ‘terrible in their own different ways'

Air quality gradually improving in northern Illinois: The hope is that the upcoming rain might help dissipate smoke

Air quality won’t affect Fourth of July fireworks in Will County: Ben Benson: ‘We’re more concerned with dryness and potential fires’

When will air quality improve in Northern Illinois?: National Weather Service: ‘Conditions are pretty stagnant right now’

How to stay safe during unhealthy air quality: Dr. Kalisha Hill: ‘I think the pandemic conditioned us to wear a mask, if necessary’

New Lenox lighting company specializes in Christmas lights installation: Gary Fouts, owner: ‘They call us and the rest is done’ 

Summer in Will County: 10 free ways to enjoy the great outdoors: Spending time outside may boost your physical and your mental health

Joliet Catholic Academy teacher gave ‘110%’ to students with learning challenges: Amy Douglas: ‘I feel really good about what I’ve done’ 

30 young women receive #scholarships from Lincoln-Way Area Business Women’s Association

Valley View school board to hold special session on Monday: The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. 

Pets of the Week: June 26: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

5 Things to do in Will County: Joliet Slammers Military Appreciation Night: Plus 4 more suggestions for enjoying your weekend 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park on July 3: Free Gift With Select Purchases

If you come out to the Fourth of July celebration party on July 3 at  the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet, be sure to stop by the BryonySeries table.

You can check out our books, play some games, take home a free (and homemade) tie-dyed shirt with select book purchases, and purchase a piece of BryonySeries Word Music for $1.

You want details about this, right? Sure you do!

And here we go!

Books and Tie Dye Shirts:

Every person who buys one (or more) of these combinations will receive a free, locally tie dyed shirt per combination - while tie dyed shirts last.

Tie dyed shirts are not limited to one per customer. But for each additional shirt, you must still purchase one of these four combinations.

1) One "regular" young adult or adult BryonySeries book (choices include any book in the "drop of blood" trilogy, Lycanthropic Summer, The Phoenix, Call of the Siren, Ruthless by Ed Calkins Steward of Tara or any of the Before the Blood books) or Nine Months of Kindness.

2) Any two books in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer series.

3) Any two books in the Girls of the BryonySeries series.

4) Any three books in the Bertrand the Mouse series.

5) All three of our BryonySeries cookbooks.

To check out details of most of those books, visit bryonyseries.com/general-store.

To be clear, you cannot buy one of these shirts. They are strictly gifts for select purchases.

I know, I know. You want to know if the items sparkle? Well, yes. Some DO sparkle...a bit. A few might have glow.

But you'll have to stop by our table at Bicentennial Park on July 3 to know for sure.

The Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre is located at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

For more information on the event, visit bicentennialpark.org.

For more information on the BryonySeries, visit bryonyseries.com.

Sue's Diner: Independence Day Cake

This week's recipe was mentioned in the fifth installment of Before The Blood.

Munsonville Inn would also sell a frosted loaf, popular in Thornton, known as Independence Cake, and Bryony longed to try this food from a land so far away.

 More than once, she and Susan read the advertisement in the window, boasting it was "flavored with wine and brandy," as well as "rich with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, mace, and citron," and "heavily speckled with currants and raisons."

Here is an actual nineteenth century recipe we found online:

"Twenty pounds of flour, fifteen pounds of sugar, ten pounds of butter, four dozen of eggs, one quart of wine, one quart of brandy, one ounce of nutmegs, three ounces each of cinnamon, cloves, and mace, two pounds of citron, five pounds each of currants and raisins, and one quart of yeast. Frost it, and dress it with box and rose leaf."

It's now my favorite Fourth of July recipe (however, no one else in my family likes it). 

Still, you can try our modified recipe on the Sue's Diner page on the BryonySeries website.

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

Here is a non-Victorian version with sprinkles - because Timothy likes sprinkles, he said. I love the color combination.

Below that is a more traditional version.

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?).

BryonySeries at Bicentennial Park on July 3

Come celebrate the Fourth of July with us!

BryonySeries returns to the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre at 6:30 p.m. July 3 with books, a couple free games with prizes, BryonySeries Word Music for $1, and an extra special free gift with select purchases.

The Bicentennial Park is located at 201 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet.

After reading the above message, perhaps you're wondering if I posted the wrong image. 

Perhaps you expected to see a flyer that looked more like this:

But the first photo is actually the "free gift with select purchases" in progress. 

On Thursday, I will post photos of the finished products, along with how you can take one or more home with you. 

The raw materials and idea came from Daniel, as a Christmas present for me. But Jasmine took the concept a step further, as you will see on Thursday. And Rebekah has learned an amazing skill.

For now, enjoy the photos of Rebekah (left) and Jasmine (right) working hard to make something nice for you.

Jimmy Stewart Reads a Touching Poem About His Dog Beau | Carson Tonight Show

Relaxing Music and Calm Lake Sounds: Beautiful Piano, Sleep Music, Meditation Music, Peaceful Music

Irish Blessing - May the Road Rise Up to Meet You

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, June 17 to June 23

 Good morning!

Today I have just eight features and news stories to share with you today. 

I'm still working on a few, and I was out of the office on Friday and Tuesday for bereavement, so I'm also playing a bit of catching up.

So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

It's been a very family-focused few weeks, but I did pick at fiction a little. We had  my father's Celebration of Life on Saturday and we will have Ron's Celebration of Life this Saturday. I also spent time this past week with a friend who is battling brain cancer.

On another note, if you're a writer, want to be a writer, or know someone in the Will/Grundy counties area that fits that description, be sure to check out this event.  It's free but seating is limited and registration is required.

Here's a recap of other my other writing projects:

Last week three members of WriteOn Joliet hung out in the digital media center at the downtown branch of the Joliet Public Library to edit the radio play we presented at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet on April 22.

We learned that recording and editing a radio play is very different from performing one (more on that later). A few of us will go back into the studio in next week to edit some more. I'm super excited!

And in the BryonySeries world:

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book and two chapters that are ready for final edits.

Cornell Dyer and the Howls of Basketville: The next book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries is ready for production - after the Fourth of July. Rebekah will be traveling and then she's taking a few days off. We can't wait to release it into the hands of readers. 

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. 

Karla Joins In: The fourth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries series. Eight chapters are completed. I'm hoping to write the ninth on Sunday. But we shall see.

BryonySeries reference/guide book: Welcome to Munsonville: the People, Places, and Things of the BryonySeries. I'd love to have this one ready by the end of the year. Pecking slowly at it.

A Year of Shadows and Moonlight, of Gathering Blooms in the Woods: A rather unusual, poetic novella in the second person. Half of it is written and edited and another half is loosely written. Rebekah is also playing around with art for the cover. 

Rebekah is also 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.

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

Shorewood family-owned mattress company celebrates 50th anniversary: City Wide Mattress’ most efficient marketing strategy is word-of-mouth from satisfied customers.

Joliet museum hosts Juneteenth event: Toni Greathouse: ‘We are carving out space to find common ground’

Joliet library kicks off interactive STEAM exhibit of popular children’s series: The exhibit is based on ‘The Questioneers’ book series 

Joliet D. 86 offers instructions for 2023-2023 registration: District 86 provides additional resources on its registration page

Joliet Slammers, Duly Health and Care raising cancer awareness on Tuesday: A pre-game parade will honor cancer patients and cancer survivors

Fire caused ‘extensive damage’ to Joliet home on Friday: The residents escaped and were uninjured, the Joliet Fire Department said

Pets of the Week: June 19, 2023: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

5 Things to do in Will County: Taste of Joliet is Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Plus 4 more suggestions for enjoying your weekend

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

The Fate of the Last Chocolate Rabbit

So last week I shared my dilemma and indecisiveness regarding whether or not I should eat my very last chocolate Easter rabbit any time soon.

The house was completely devoid of chocolate. So you can understand my confliction. 

I am happy to report I am no longer out of chocolate.

Rebekah bought me this bar that you see below, and I am slowly working my way through it, one square at a time.

That means I don't eat the five pieces at a time that the package counts as a serving. I eat just one square at a time, one after lunch, one after dinner.

At that rate, this bar should last a good week (or more, if I eat it more slowly).

With my chocolate craving temporarily assuaged by a bar that could potentially last two weeks in the freezer, the last chocolate Easter rabbit is still safe on my shelf (in front of a two-year-old Valentine's Day candy basket from Rebekah, which is in front of a pen/pencil holder Sarah made for me in Brownies day camp more than thirty years ago. Yes, I still use it).

Yes, the last chocolate rabbit is safe from me.

For now.

Sue's Diner: Apple Ice

 This week's recipe is a nineteenth century apple ice, which is perfect for these warm summer days.

This recipe appears in the BryonySeries cookbook: Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony," which is a permanent fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties.

The recipe is referenced in the novel Bryony, where the protagonist, a 1970s teen named Melissa Marchellis, enounters it at a nineteenth century garden party at Simons Mansion. 

Here is the excerpt:

Several older ladies from church were discussing the latest corsets, so Melissa decided to join them. Henry Matthews, plate in hand, followed like an obedient puppy. He placed her food before her, sat beside her, and offered a glass. “I brought you an ice.”

With a frustrated sigh, Melissa accepted it, took a taste, then pointed her spoon at his nose. “Can’t you take a hint?”

This recipe for apple ice is adapted from Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy.

 You can try our modified recipe on the Sue's Diner page on the BryonySeries website.

But try the recipe this week. It will be gone some time 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.

All proceeds from "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From 'Bryony'" benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties at bbbswillgrundy.org.

Order the cookbook at bryonyseries.com.

Join Bing & Sing Along LP VINYL FULL ALBUM

Elwood P Dowd's Philosophy of Life

Gaius Yeong - Happy Father's Day (Piano Version)

Tell My Father - John Owen-Jones

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, June 10 to June 16

Good morning!

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

Also you missed my stories for The Herald-News' "Thank You, Teachers" edition on May 4, links are available at the very bottom of this post.

Taking today and Tuesday off from work since we have my father's Celebration of Life on Saturday and Ron's Celebration of Life the following Saturday. We have a few family members from out-of-town who came into town last night. So the focus the next few days will be family.

On another note, if you're a writer, want to be a writer, or know someone in the Will/Grundy counties area that fits that description, be sure to check out this event.  It's free but seating is limited and registration is required.

Here's a recap of other my other writing projects:

On Wednesday evening, three members of WriteOn Joliet hung out in the digital media center at the downtown branch of the Joliet Public Library to edit the radio play we presented at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet on April 22.

We learned that recording and editing a radio play is very different from performing one (more on that later). A few of us will go back into the studio in two weeks to edit some more. I'm super excited!

And in the BryonySeries world:

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book and one chapter ready to edit. 

Cornell Dyer and the Howls of Basketville: The next book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries is ready for production - after the Fourth of July. Rebekah will be traveling and then she's taking a few days off. We can't wait to release it into the hands of readers. 

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. 

Karla Joins In: The fourth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries series. Seven chapters are completed. I'm hoping to write the eighth on Sunday. But we shall see.

BryonySeries reference/guide book: Welcome to Munsonville: the People, Places, and Things of the BryonySeries. I'd love to have this one ready by the end of the year. Pecking slowly at it.

A Year of Shadows and Moonlight, of Gathering Blooms in the Woods: A rather unusual, poetic novella in the second person. Half of it is written and edited and another half is loosely written. Rebekah is also playing around with art for the cover. 

Rebekah is also 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.

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

Joliet food bank welcomes Indiana man walking across U.S. to end hunger: Steve Harold, food bank: ‘I loved to hear his appreciation of our volunteers here’

Zonta Club of Joliet Area honors #Plainfield librarian for service: Bonnie Winfrey, Joliet Zonta president: ' She’s the kind of person you want to have on a winning team’ 

Joliet theater family ‘coming full circle’ with upcoming musical ‘Godspell’: Performances will be held the next 2 weekends at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre 

Crest Hill minifigs store helping with LEGO-focused convention in Schaumburg this weekend: Brickworld Chicago is a LEGO-approved adult brick show that ‘happens all over the country'

Joliet museum to host Juneteenth event on June 19: Toni Greathouse: ‘We as Americans have so many things to be proud of, thing we have in common’ 

Wilmington artist painting mural outside Diamond restaurant: The Whistle Stop Café is very kid-friendly, and the mural reflects it

Lemont kicked off 150th anniversary celebration with proclamation, dedication of Village Green park: Lemont Mayor and State Rep. John Egofske: ‘Lemont, as we all know, is truly a special place’ 

Lockport’s Old Canal Days ‘attracts thousands of residents and visitors from all over the state’: The summer festival culminated with fireworks

Shorewood senior and 6-year-old play piano duet at retirement community: Amy Odell, Timbers of Shorewood activities director: ‘It was very moving’ 

Pets of the Week: June 12, 2023: Will County Rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

5 Things to do in Will County: Experience art Friday night Waywards Open Haus in Joliet: Plus 4 more suggestions for enjoying your weekend 

THANK YOU, TEACHERS

Joliet Central special needs teacher visits and raises money for orphans in Uganda: Assistant vice principal: ‘She’s remarkable, so full of love’

Plainfield’s District 202 director of student services committed to students’ social emotional health: ‘He has really been a leader and he will continue to keep it at the forefront for all of us’ 

Associate professor at Lewis University in Romeoville is a role model for future special education teachers: Jennifer Buss: ‘My goal was just to provide more doors being opened’  

Joliet’s District 86 hires its first French bilingual English language resource specialist: Kira Cloonan: ‘Once I found out this job was available, I just had to try for it’

Lincoln-Way West social worker ‘just lifts everyone’: Chrissy Hack promotes social-emotional health wherever she can

District 86 teacher shares her Colombian culture in Joliet classroom: Teacher Jenny Cuesta Hernandez said her Sator Sanchez students love learning new songs and games

Valley View special education teacher has taught every grade in 30-year career: Jennifer Foster ‘helps to build the whole child’  

Troy ELA teacher brings language to life for her students: Jennifer Lowe: ‘I so love getting kids up on their feet and getting them to engage’

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

In The Digital Media Studio of the Joliet Public Library

Early in the planning stages for the radio play, one of the members of WriteOn Joliet said we should record and audio version and pitch it to small, independent and/or cadio stations.

We held An Evening with WriteOn Joliet: Readings to Entertain and Inspire You on April 22 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre. 

And last week, we went into the recording studio in the Digital Media Studio at the Joliet Public Library to record audio tracks. One person at a time read through his or her lines.

Denise M. Baran-Unland

Pictured is Duanne Walton

Pictured is Mauverneen Blevins

Pictured is Cean Magosky

Pictured is Steve Cordin

So it was a lot of hurry up and wait.

Last night, we started editing those tracks, a process that's going to take a few weeks.

Recording and editing is a lot different than reading a play on stage.

But it was amazing to hear how all the tracks come together, how our lines are cleaned up, how clear our voices sound.

Our opening piece was a play "Enjoy," by Holly Coop. Each of us read a line, and the lines flow one into the other. We all speak the last line together.

Even though all eight of us recorded that last line separately, the final version sounds as if we were in the same room saying it together.

We are really learning a lot.

Sue's Diner: Stewed Fruit with Cream

Today's recipe appears in the cookbook Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."

Here is the background on where this week's recipe falls in the BryonySeries novel Bryony

Melissa is thrilled when John finally invites her to a picnic away from the mansion, just the two of them. Of course, John feels Bryga packed enough food to feed them for a week, but even that careless remark couldn’t completely dampen Melissa’s excitement of being alone with John.

This recipe was adapted from the nineteenth century cookbook Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy.

Try this recipe 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.

All proceeds from "Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles From 'Bryony'" benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties at bbbswillgrundy.org.

Order the cookbook at bryonyseries.com.

The Last Chocolate Rabbit

I am almost officially out of holiday chocolate, although it's taken me to June to eat through it.

The Christmas chocolate is gone. So is the Valentine's Day chocolate.

And now, the Easter chocolate is almost gone...except for one lone chocolate rabbit.

I really want this last piece of chocolate. But I'm sad to bid the actual gold-foiled rabbit good-bye.

I wound up with these chocolate rabbits somewhat randomly. Rebekah and I were purchasing post-Easter candy on sale in anticipation of Eastern Orthodox Easter when I noticed this package of chocolate Easter rabbits.

For some reason, I loved, really loved, the expression on the gold foil faces. 

So that package stayed out of the mix of the family candy just for me. And I ate them sparingly.

Now, only one remains. And I'm torn.

I really want the chocolate.

Yet I'm loathe to lose the personality.

Seriously, just look at this face. 

Still - I am out of chocolate. In fact, I've been chocolateless for nearly a week now. That is a very long time for me.

So I will probably eat this chocolate rabbit today.

Probably.

Maybe.

The Last Splutter

So the short horror story that I shared on May 25 has a part two and, ultimately, a happy ending.

But the road to that epic end was fraught with danger and unpleasant surprises.

Because Daniel's solution to coaxing the Keurig into giving up coffee for me was to appease it with extra water, to prime, was his explanation. Or maybe he meant "to bribe it."

At any rate, he didn't feel we needed a new Keurig because it always worked for him.

So each time I wanted a cup of coffee, I filled the Keurig with water, which I let run into the cup before I made the actual "for real" cup of coffee.

I should also mention that the Keurig took a long time to to heat.

So basically, a cup of coffee was a two-step, twenty-minute, back and forth process, before the Keurig reluctantly granted me what I so desperately sought.

I should mention that bowing before it and muttering a few incantations wasn't at all useful.

A few days later, Daniel's recommended amount of "priming" water ceased to work. The Keurig simply sucked it right up and demanded more.

It was totally in charge of this relationship. So I submitted to its demanded by adding a bit more...and a bit more...and a bit more.

But our relationship did disintegrate to the point that I eyed it suspiciously, especially in the pre-dawn hours when I was more desperate for coffee. I swear I heard it chuckle whenever I turned it on.

Then one day, it demanded so much water, that it made horrible grinding sounds, sounds I've never heard a Keurig emit.

But it did provide the desired coffee. I had won, this time.

As I headed upstairs with my cup of joy, I told Daniel I really thought that was the end of the Keurig.

He said, "You hoped."

I'm not going to lie. I did.

Well, the next morning, no amount of water would persuade the Keurig to send some of it back into my cup. It simply gave one last splutter and shut off. 

And it would not turn on, not even for Daniel.

But the story has a happy ending.

Yes! You guessed it!

We bought a nice, NEW Keurig.

And this nice, new Keurig produces hot, delicious coffee in record time.

Looking back, perhaps the old machine wasn't being vindictive. Perhaps, it's time had simply come.

Perhaps I should be thankful for all the hot cups of coffee it provided in between the death of the last machine and the new one.

Yes, I am thankful.

However...

The Keurig is dead. Long live the Keurig!

Peder B. Helland - Kesä

Irish man leaves funny recording for his funeral

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, June 3 to June 9

Good morning!

Today I have ten features and news stories to share with you today. More stories will be posted over the weekend since I'm working straight through to Tuesday. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

And if you missed my stories for The Herald-News' "Thank You, Teachers" edition on May 4, links are available at the very bottom of this post.

Thank you to those who stopped by the BryonySeries table last Friday night at New Orleans North in Downtown Joliet and on Tuesday at The Book Market in Crest Hill. We sold fourteen books total between the two events, and people left very happy with the purchases, so that makes us happy, too.

Last night eight members of WriteOn Joliet hung out in the digital media center at the downtown branch of the Joliet Public Library to record the radio play we presented at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet on April 22.

We learned that recording a radio play is very different from performing one (more on that later). A few of us will go back into the studio next week to edit. I'm super excited!

Plus, we made some good connections at the library last night. The only downside is that I left my script behind, so I'm tracking that down today.

Here is a recap of my BryonySeries projects so far.

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book and one chapter ready to edit. Hoping to sink into a second over this long weekend.

Cornell Dyer and the Howls of Basketville: The next book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries. Timothy and I drafted it months ago, and I currently have seven solid chapters ready to go and hoping for a seventh by the end of this weekend. Sue Midlock has already sent all the interior and cover. As always, the art is amazing and perfect for the 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. 

Karla Joins In: The fourth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries series. Seven chapters are completed and a hope to make progress on a seventh this weekend.

BryonySeries reference/guide book: Welcome to Munsonville: the People, Places, and Things of the BryonySeries. I'd love to have this one ready by the end of the year. Pecking slowly at it.

A Year of Shadows and Moonlight, of Gathering Blooms in the Woods: A rather unusual, poetic novella in the second person. Half of it is written and edited and another half is loosely written. Rebekah is also playing around with art for the cover. This is typically a Friday night project - so hoping to play with it tonight.

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

Joliet man striving to improve Joliet’s South side for its youth: Jaron Nabors: ‘I want to give kids something to do’

Plainfield store for active lifestyle opens rental venue for small events: Owners previously used the space for store events and a yoga instructor 

Joliet man in serious, stable condition following motorcycle crash

Lockport’s Old Canal Days runs through Sunday, culminates with fireworks show 

Joliet nonprofit is hosting 3rd annual Great American Big Wheel Race on July 22: Anastasia Tuskey: ‘Where else can you see adults competing on Big Wheels?’

Joliet church giving away free gasoline on June 24: Pastor Jonas Jones: ‘This is just something God has put on our hearts to do.’

Lemont celebrating 150th anniversary this week : The celebration should appeal to a wide variety of people

Lockport H.S. announces special recognitions for class of 2023: Students were recognized during Lockport Township High School District 205′s 2023 graduation ceremony on June 3.  

Pets of the Week: June 4, 2023: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

5 Things to do in Will County: Lockport’s Old Canal Days is Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday: Plus 4 more suggestions for enjoying your weekend

THANK YOU, TEACHERS

Joliet Central special needs teacher visits and raises money for orphans in Uganda: Assistant vice principal: ‘She’s remarkable, so full of love’

Plainfield’s District 202 director of student services committed to students’ social emotional health: ‘He has really been a leader and he will continue to keep it at the forefront for all of us’ 

Associate professor at Lewis University in Romeoville is a role model for future special education teachers: Jennifer Buss: ‘My goal was just to provide more doors being opened’  

Joliet’s District 86 hires its first French bilingual English language resource specialist: Kira Cloonan: ‘Once I found out this job was available, I just had to try for it’

Lincoln-Way West social worker ‘just lifts everyone’: Chrissy Hack promotes social-emotional health wherever she can

District 86 teacher shares her Colombian culture in Joliet classroom: Teacher Jenny Cuesta Hernandez said her Sator Sanchez students love learning new songs and games

Valley View special education teacher has taught every grade in 30-year career: Jennifer Foster ‘helps to build the whole child’  

Troy ELA teacher brings language to life for her students: Jennifer Lowe: ‘I so love getting kids up on their feet and getting them to engage’

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"