Friday, March 8, 2024

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, March 2 to March 8

Good morning!

I have thirteen news and features stories to share with you this week. But more will be posted over this weekend, especially with me working this weekend. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

It's been a topsy turvy year so far with a few health challenges...and one I have to address this morning.  

So far, the colonoscopy had to be pushed out to the end of next month due to a slew of (overall) relatively minor health (and other) challenges as far as impacting our day-to-day lives. But a steady stream of little challenges can add up to lots of stress. Please send up good thoughts that things settle down for us a bit, enough for us to catch out breath and relax.

This weekend is filled with family time (Saturday), friends (Sunday), and an obituary I was asked to write. But I'm still hoping for a little time for my own writing projects. We shall see.

Here are the BryonySeries book updates:

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 six chapters and a prologue that are ready for final edits. We are estimating a late 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 are also working on the last book in the series (but it's not the final book, if that makes sense). Timothy is actually writing that one. We had a tentative "Cornell breakfast" scheduled for last weekend, which didn't happen...and we have no opportunity for another for at least a couple of weeks. We've scheduled and broke several in 2023. Our last one was July 2022. So we are LONG overdue.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and ready for some serious writing in 2024. The first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright has already started working on the cover portrait. That one is called "Brainy Ann."

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.

A Year of Shadows and Moonlight, of Gathering Blooms in the Woods: A rather unusual, poetic novelette in the second person is completed and just needs final copyediting. Rebekah is also playing around with art for the cover. We are estimating a mid-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 Herald-News stories 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 haven't posted anything on Twitter/X (except a daily Bible verse) since September I can no longer schedule posts in advance. I'm not sure yet how to manage the account without that option. But you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I used to curated content relating to the BryonySeries on Twitter/X at @BryonySeries and still post assorted related content at facebook.com/BryonySeriesyoutube.com/user/BryonySeries, and themes of each book in the BryonySeries at pinterest.com/bryonyseries.

Again, not sure yet about the direction of the BryonySeries Twitter/X account. Still mulling that over.

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 hospice cares for non-hospice patients with chronic illness: Medicare and most insurance companies cover serious illness care through Lightways

Joliet West journalism student free hands tiger mural: Justin Matlow, student: ‘I wanted to be known for making art’

New Lenox psychologist modernizes Aesop fable in new book: Author Mike Mecozzi: ‘We need to take the time to reassess our personal values’

Gallery Seven in Lockport to host Open Lens XIV: Open Lens XIV will be juried and judged by the artist partners of Gallery Seven

Registration open for Plainfield Citizens Police and Fire Academy: Classes will be held for 12 consecutive Tuesdays

Plainfield students hosting game night fundraiser: Families also can bring canned food items

Register now for Plainfield District 202 summer art camp: Proceeds benefit the PEHS National Art Honor Society Scholarship

Troy Township to host Mobile DMV and ICash event

$10,000 waiting for Shorewood couple through ICash: ICash connects unclaimed property with the rightful owners

Baran-Unland: I had unclaimed money in ICash twice: It’s certainly worth a few minutes to look

 Find a Lenten fish fry across the Joliet region

Pets of the Week: March 4, 2024: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

The Local Scene: Downtown Joliet Shamrock Stroll: Here are 5 things to do this weekend




Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

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