Friday, November 24, 2023

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Nov. 17 to Nov. 24

Good morning! It's Day Two of Thanksgiving in my family, and we are thankful, even if the celebration is looking like the rest of our year, with immediate frustration and disappointment, even though we are thankful for so much.

At least one family member won't be joining the celebration today due to illness - and this family worked so hard to make the day special. So please send up good healing thoughts and prayers for her.

I plan to (finally_ share a recap Local Author Fair at the Downers Grover Public Library next week and the second The Timbers of Shorewood held a second "Meet The Author" night. It was a busy family (but also under the weather) week for me. So please stay tuned!

Be sure to stop out at WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party on December 7. The event will include free chef-created appetizers, free photos with Santa, and an opportunity to meet some really outstanding local writers and (maybe) do a little holiday shopping for the readers in your life.

Today I am sharing ten news and feature stories. But more will be posted over weekend since I'm working the weekend, So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

We have recently published two new BryonySeries books: "Cornell Dyer and the Howls of Basketville" and "Karla Joins In."

The fun and good will of Bertrand's Back-To-School Birthday Bash, which happened in August at The Book Market in Crest Hill, is continuing this fall at The Book Market in Crest Hill with a special display to help Santa distribute books to children and special needs adults this holiday season.

So please consider a gift for Santa during your Black Friday and Small Business Saturday shopping experiences.

No updates (yet) on the WriteOn Joliet radio play recording, which we recorded at digital media center at the downtown branch of the Joliet Public Library in the beginning of August.

WriteOn Joliet almost finished editing the radio play that eight members (including me) presented at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Theatre in Joliet on April 22.and at the Joliet Public Library on Sept. 9.

One section didn't save and needs to be re-edited. So if the emergencies would just settle down, please and thank you, I will get back to the downtown branch very soon and finish the project.

Speaking of radio plays, Bicentennial Park actually scheduled WriteOn Joliet's radio play for TWO days in 2024: April 19 and April 20 (mark your calendars).

We also have more exciting news in the works. Stay tuned!

Here is a quick recap of BryonySeries projects in progress:

The Fifth: This is the second novel by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, author of the BryonySeries novel Ruthless. He has sent me all chapters except one, which I hope to start editing the beginning of November. He is hoping we can release the book in time for Calkins Day on February 13, so I have my work cut out for me.

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book, two chapters that are ready for final edits, and a prologue that is taking an interesting turn. Writing on this book is paused until I finish the guidebook. We are estimating a 2024 release date.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: Timothy said the next book will be slightly dark ("slightly" because it's for kids, too) and will involve an old toy store. We had scheduled a "Cornell breakfast" for Halloween morning, but...well, you know. We do plan to schedule one over the Christmas holidays.

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

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and ready for some serious writing in 2024. Jennifer Wainwright has already started working on the cover portrait.

Jennifer designed the cover portraits for "Julie and the Too-Hard Homework," "Katie and the Big Fear," "Summer Sisters." and "Karla Joins In," as well as the frontispiece for Lycanthropic Summer. I can't wait to see her "Karla" illustration.

BryonySeries reference/guide bookThis book is finally finished (on my end). Rebekah is nearly done with the formatting. My I'm hoping to have copies at WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party on Dec. 7 at the Black Road branch of the Joliet Public Library,

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. Writing on this is also paused in favor of completing the BryonySeries guidebook. We are estimating a late 2024 release date.

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 pageWe'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/X at @BryonySeries and assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeriesyoutube.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

Be a Herald Angel: Help Will County United Way help those in need: Sarah Oprzedek, United Way of Will County: ‘I don’t know anyone who is not experiencing need’

‘The Voice’ gave boost to Lockport singer’s promising career: More plans are in the works for Olivia Minogue

Will County Habitat of Humanity gets land donation from Joliet family: Funds from the nonprofit’s recent golf outing will benefit the James V. Smith Memorial

Joliet Public Library book club celebrates 25 years: Longtime member Margaret Holzrichter of Joliet said she ‘must have her books’

‘Good Morning America’ invites Joliet Junior College teacher to share Thanksgiving tips: Javier Reyes, JJC: ‘Just about every problem has a solution’

Joliet MLK Day of Service needs projects, volunteers: Last year 500 volunteers of all ages worked on 25 service projects

Joliet Catholic Academy, Providence H.S. compete for blood donations

Shaw Local News Network seeking holiday ornament stories

Pets of the Week: Nov. 20, 2023: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

The Local Scene: Tree lighting in Joliet, Lockport: Here are 5 things to do this weekend





Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

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