Sue's Diner: Cucumbers and Tomatoes

This week's recipe is for a cucumber and tomato pasta salad, which Justine Evirs submitted for the BryonySeries cookbook Memories in the Kitchen: Bites and Nibbles from "Bryony."

The cookbook is available on the BryonySeries book store and on Amazon and is a permanent fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Will and Grundy Counties.

This recipe is also referenced in the Bryony, the first book in the young adult "drop of blood" vampire trilogy. 

Here's what the cookbook said:

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.

Try this 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.

Birthday Girl at the Mall

During the twenty-two years I wrote the "An Extraordinary Life" feature, I heard hundreds of inspirational stories about the extraordinary way ordinary people lived their lives before they died.

And because I was listening to people who, in many cases, were still grieving, I allotted plenty of time for them to talk.

I remember once such instance when a very young man had died of cancer. His family sat around the conference room table with me, sharing photos and one story after another about the brave was he faced and tackled his cancer.

As the family prepared to leave, one member said, "This was better than the therapy we're paying for."

And yet, all I did was listen and take notes.

Even more years ago - when I was in college - I became a Big Sister to an eight-year-old, the youngest in a family of five children. 

This little girl had a habit of eating very slowly, not a bad habit, right? But if the family were eating at a fast food restaurant, they often either packed up the rest of her meal or divided it among her siblings so the food could get eaten and they could get going.

So for our first "sister" date," we had dinner at a sit-down, family-style restaurant, her first experience t such a venue. I let her order what she wanted and let her take all the time she needed to finish. She ate A LOT of food, which surprised her mother.

I share a July 15 birthday with my granddaughter Riley. Rebekah and I had made plans to take her to Fox Valley Mall for the day. I wasn't feeling very well. But that turned out to be a good thing.

If I had been feeling well, we would have spent the day honoring a triple set of interests: Riley's, Rebekah's, and mine. 

Instead, we let Riley follow hers for the, and I captured her experiences with my camera phone.

So what's the moral of this story today?

Many children can't enjoy an experience at their own pace.

Many adults never get a captive audience for their words.

Giving another person your undivided time and attention might really be the best gift of all.

Birthday Cake for Breakfast

I share a July 15 birthday with my granddaughter Riley.

She turned eight this year, and I turned sixty-three.

We celebrated on July 13 with a family cookout at a park and then we went swimming.

The candles didn't stay lit on our cakes, so we never blew them out (but we did sing "Happy Birthday").

We went swimming afterwards, but that was cut short with a storm (accompanied by thunder and lightning).

I had spent fourteen hours overnight in the ER earlier that week and did a second act after the party ended.

July 15 followed two all-nighters for me (both due to pain) and a celebration trip to Fox Valley Mall for Rebekah, Riley, and me. The day was bracketed by stressful doctors appointments on either end. The finale was quite the storm that night (and plenty storm coverage by The Herald-News editorial team the next day).

So we never cut into my cake until mid-week, due to circumstances and the fact the four of us who live together wanted to enjoy that cake together. So we did that one day, early in the morning, before everyone dashed off to work.

So what's the moral of the story here?

As I've previously mentioned, we've had a challenging few years of many emergencies and deaths. June and July have been especially intense, with a near constant feeling of hanging off a precipice.

More is in store for us, but we did get a much welcomed breather this weekend. So thankful!

So the point of this post is not to whine, but to maybe offer some hope for dark times.

"This too shall pass" is really true (I am currently not in pain).

Don't get hung up when plans don't work out according to our plans. Make other plans. Yes, really.

Storms will come, but the sun will come out again. (It's raining today, but the sun shone this past weekend).

Circumstances will sometimes rule the day. But every once in a while, rule the circumstances, just to show circumstances who's really boss.

There's nothing wrong with having cake for breakfast.

🎻 32 really famous classical pieces you've heard and don't know the name! 🎶

Michele McLaughlin - Across the Burren

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, July 13 to July 26

Good morning!

I have fourteen stories to share with you today with stories posting over the weekend, especially since I am working on Saturday. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Currently, I am also writing two more stories just for print. One is called "Eye on Enterprise" and it runs on Wednesdays. The other is a print version of "5 Things to do," which is slightly different from the online version.

"Eye on Enterprise" is a roundup of local business development, as wells as businesses that are opening or closing.

People outside our coverage area and those who don't subscribe to a physical newspaper should know The Herald-News also has an e-edition. This is an online version of the print publication with virtual pages that actually turn.

You can access The Herald-News e-edition here: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/enewspaper.

In the BryonySeries world:

BryonySeries was one of the sponsors for Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3 and we had a fantastic night! I will recap the details for next week (for sure).

But the short summary is that we gave away sixty-five BryonySeries books, ran four games, and sold twenty-two WriteOn Joliet anthologies. We are definitely looking forward to next year.

We also have a special BryonySeries Summer Book Sale at The Book Market that's getting "enhanced," if you will this weekend. So if you live in the area, do check it out. And stay tuned for the updates!

Also, BryonySeries will be part of two larger WriteOn Joliet events. One is Kidz Fest on Aug. 3 in downtown Joliet. The other is New Orleans North on Aug. 16 at the Slammers stadium, also in downtown Joliet.

Finally, here is an update on my BryonySeries book projects:

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book, with nearly two-thirds that are ready for final edits. I've done some minor editing since the at-home writing retreat, but June was a super packed month, which I anticipated. July (so far) has also been packed, but I did get another chapter and a half in good shape and some minor editing on several other chapters. We are estimating a late 2024 release date for this book, which is looking a little impossible since the end of July is quickly approaching. But I still have two more at-home writing retreats, so I'm not pushing the release date out yet.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: No updates here in a very long time, mostly because Timothy and Daniel are super busy with school on top of work (and plenty of work-related traveling). However, I outlined a "bonus" book that is intended for distribution at Bicentennial's "Ye Olde Mayfest" event in 2025. Here is a recap of the 2024 event.

Timothy said his concept for the next book in the actual series 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. In order to make progress on any of this, Timothy is hoping to schedule a "Cornell breakfast." But Timothy and Daniel are very busy with work and school right now. We've scheduled and broke several Cornell breakfasts in 2023 and 2024. Our last one was July 2022. So we are LONG, LONG, LONG overdue.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright, who welcomed her first child into the world in April, has already started working on the cover portrait. I've neglected this book for a few months and hope to revisit it soon. We'd like to release it in late 2024.

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.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very 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.

And finally...

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, has sent me twenty-one chapters to edit for his third book in his Ruthless trilogy. His first book is "Ruthless," his second is "The Fifth," and he is also the author of "Denise Unland's Irish Genealogy."

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 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 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/BryonySeries, youtube.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 police sergeant finds role as counselor another way to serve community

Dwayne English has ‘a gift’ for helping people

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/12/joliet-police-sergeant-finds-role-as-counselor-another-way-to-serve-community/

Two Joliet family businesses ready to hand off to next generation

Both Robert Filotto and Edward Dollinger believe their sons will grow their businesses

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/20/fathers-and-sons-2-joliet-family-businesses-ready-to-hand-off-to-next-generation/

New Lenox, Silver Cross Hospital rename boulevard to honor Ruth Colby

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/25/new-lenox-silver-cross-rename-boulevard-to-honor-ruth-colby/

Plainfield mom turns passion for cookies into bakery business

Heather Kratz: ‘You can use the skills you have and create something awesome with that’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/15/plainfield-mom-turned-passion-for-cookies-into-home-based-bakery-business/

Will County senior dancers to get ‘Friday Flyover’ at health expo

About 20 dancers will be ‘strutting their stuff’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/24/will-county-senior-dancers-to-get-friday-flyover-at-health-expo/

Joliet Chamber’s Council for Working Women donates semi-truck load of food to pantry

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/23/joliet-ccw-donates-semi-truck-load-of-food-to-church-food-pantry/

New Lenox Silver Cross Foundation raised $337,000 at golf outing

Proceeds advance patient care at Silver Cross Hospital

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/23/new-lenox-silver-cross-foundation-raised-337000-at-golf-outing/

Joliet Bishop Hill winery hosting Sunday concert series

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/17/joliet-bishop-hill-winery-hosting-sunday-concert-series/

Strike Out Pancreatic Cancer night at Joliet Slammers game

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/14/stike-out-pancreatic-cancer-night-at-joliet-slammers-game/

Fundraiser supports Will County students and STEAM education

Tickets are $100 for the July 24 event

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/13/fundraiser-supports-steam-education-for-will-county-students/

Will County Pets of the Week: July 22, 2024

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/22/will-county-pets-of-the-week-july-22-2024/

Will County Pets of the Week: July 15, 2024

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/15/will-county-pets-of-the-week-july-15-2024/

5 Things to do in Will County: Wilmington Catfish Days

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/07/25/5-things-to-do-in-will-county-wilmington-catfish-days/

5 Things to do in Will County: Lockport’s Comicopolis

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/07/18/5-things-to-do-in-will-county-lockports-comicopolis/

 

 

 

 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

Sue's Diner: Chocolate-Caramel Bread Pudding

This week's recipe for Chocolate-Caramel Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce is not mentioned in any BryonySeries book or available in any BryonySeries cookbook (yet).

Rebekah actually created this recipe in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic to use up leftovers.

You may try Rebekah's bread pudding 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. 

For more great recipes, check out 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.

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.

Blue Birthday Towels (and Cash for Shoes)

Good morning!

I'm holding off posting a new recipe for Sue's Diner today. Rebekah had a rough day yesterday, but she has a special recipe she'd like me to share. 

So our nineteenth century chicken salad recipes with homemade crackers is still on the Sue's Diner menu if you haven't tried it yet.

Instead, I'd like to show you this lovely birthday gift from Cindy: a set of dark blue towels in a dark blue bag with dark blue tissue paper, a lovely card, and $50 toward shoes.

That might seem like an unusual birthday gift, but I'm also the type of person that loved a shower curtain birthday gift. 

Here's why the gift is so thoughtful and shows Cindy gave from her heart.

Dark blue is my favorite color. Just looking at dark blue makes me feel good.

I love objects that project happiness. I mean, just look at that card! It projects joy and smiles.

I almost never buy shoes and clothes for myself until the need for both is high. It's partly because I don't like shopping in general (unless I'm shopping with someone else because they like to shop and I'm just there for the socialization).

It also has to do with the way I budget my money.

I have an overall life philosophy of "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." (In short, I'm cheap).

It also has to do with the fact it's difficult to find shoes that correctly fit my feet. And shoes are expensive.

But as a walker (and an aging walk at that), good shoes are important.

Soooo...

Cindy's gift will take me good places with a smile. And when I return home, and it's time to relax and a pamper myself, I'll be surrounded with a stack of soft blue towels.

Happy Wednesday!

A Gift of Earth and Water

Look at the beautiful set of coasters Rebekah made for my birthday!

Yes, they came in a kit.

But you will see the level of detail when you scroll through the individual photos.

Rebekah spent many, many, many, many tedious hours after work at her desk assembling these for me.

She did it because I eat and drink at my desk for most meals and use plenty of coasters.

And also because...

I like water and fish-themed decor.

Rebekah knew they'd make me smile.

Rebekah is cognizant of what people already like - and what they could like based on their interests.

Rebekah is one of the most loving and giving people that I know.

Because of her internal struggles, she sometimes struggles with her own goals.

But when the project is for someone else, she goes all out in terms of her time and attention.

And all of that is packed into each coaster. 

Please scroll through the photos to see how lovely they are.

Happy Tuesday!

Birthday Surprise: 63 Pieces of BryonySeries Swag

Yesterday Jasmine stopped by the house with a late birthday gift she made for me: 63 pieces of BryonySeries tumblers and bags that, among all her projects (including more of my projects), she made time to create for me.

Sixty-three pieces. That's a lot of swag!

The gift has value on so many levels.

The obvious value, of course, is to the customer. We can pair pieces with BryonySeries books for gifts, giveaways, standalone sales, etc. - however Rebekah and other our team decide to use them. (I stay out of most sales and marketing decisions except at the most foundational level). 

The more subtle value is the meaning behind the pieces. Jasmine understands what's important to me and presented me with a gift she knew I'd love.

But the most valuable value (so to speak) is that the gift shows the type of person Jasmine is. She conceived the idea, bought sixty-three pieces and enough vinyl for sixty-three pieces out of her hard-earned money, and then spent hours and hours of her time using a Cricut (which is very hot work, especially in the summer) to hand-create each piece.

So a lot of unselfish love is packed into that box.

And it is that love that customers will take home.

Happy Monday!

Cats vs Pianos! (A Compilation)

Old Irish Piano

Friday Free Space

Good morning!

Ever since I began this blog in 2010, Fridays were a day to post a roundup of all my story links for The Herald-News.

Today I'm breaking from that tradition since I don't have many to post this week.

One, I was off last Friday and Monday for my birthday. Shaw Media is generous in that it gives us a day off in our birthday month.

Two, when I returned, a lot of the focus was on storm coverage and two stories just for print.

Three, the last few weeks have been super challenging - and have been filled with some wonderful moments, too. I'd prefer only the latter, of course - but life doesn't serve itself up that way.

And speaking of moments, most of life is lived within moments. So instead of linking to my work, I'm sharing a random moment in 2018 that I caught with my phone camera, a moment I don't remember living.

I guess the lesson here is this: no matter how topsy turvy life can get, find reasons to smile.

And try to capture those moments via camera, too, for a second smile years down the road.

(Bertrand the Mouse approves this message).

Baby Shower Pictionary

Yesterday Christopher's girl friend Sabrina was supposed to be induced.

But the hospital got backed up with inducements, so the arrival of David Patrick is not scheduled to begin until this afternoon. Needless to say, we are all very excited to meet him!

Now last month, in the midst of the chaos that's been our lives for the past six weeks, we hosted a small baby shower for Sabrina.

The baby shower was small because we didn't have the time or space to plan something larger with an actual guest list of extended family and friends. 

But we had four of the immediate women in the family and two of the little nieces/granddaughters for lunch, games, and gifts, and we had lots of fun. 

One of those games was Baby Shower Pictionary.

We love Pictionary in our family. But no one in the gaming world (as far as w could see) had ever invented a Baby Shower Pictionary. So we created our own.

Here are the topics we used. Each of the related clues related to babies somehow: Baby Animals, People in a baby's life, Places a baby might go, Actions a baby might make, and Objects associated with babies.

So we drew and guessed things like piglet, doctor, zoo, peek-a-boo, and car seat.

Fun, huh?

A Simple Solution

Good morning!

A long month crammed with work, events, and not feeling well for one reason or another is ebbing (I hope) with waking up this morning feeling more discomfort than pain.

The details are for another blog post (quite a few half-started over the last couple of weeks). But last Monday's episode left me with some mild head pain that became significant head and neck pain by Thursday.

Tests from the first ER trip were normal - and so were tests from the second. Either way, I still need follow-up tests. But it's easier to think and get things done when one is not in pain.

Last Monday night was an al-nighter in the ER (and then I went to work). Last Saturday was an a---nighter in the ER - and then the pain didn't let me sleep on Sunday night.

So, three all-nighters in the last week.

During Monday night's violent storm, I found relief leaning against the wall in the basement and fell asleep.

So Rebekah suggested a heating pad. 

She brought hers downstairs for me to use while we watched a bit of "Sanditon" to distract me. The heat really felt good.

I woke up yesterday after a decent rest with much of the head pain gone and feeling very tight in my neck and shoulders. That was a very hopeful sign. 

I used the heating pad after work last night and the pain was much reduced over the evening. So I used it again before bedtime.

I expect the pain to flare up as I use my head and neck today. But I'm hopeful that the intensity will be reduced.

Who'd have thought the solution could be so simple?

Peder B. Helland - Warm Light

Irish Happy Birthday Video jig

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, July 6 to July12

 Good morning!

I have just five stories to share with you today, but more stories will post over the weekend, So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Why so light on stories this week? A couple of reasons.

One, I do have four days off (including the weekend) for birthday festivities, so I had to cover those deadlines. And I spent twelve hours in the emergency room on Monday night into Tuesday afternoon for an exploding headache that came out of nowhere.

Initial tests showed nothing wrong, although I do have a mild, somewhat persistent headache. So I will let my providers (and not anxiety) guide the next steps.

Currently, I am also writing two more stories just for print. One is called "Eye on Enterprise" and it runs on Wednesdays. The other is a print version of "5 Things to do," which is slightly different from the online version.

"Eye on Enterprise" is a roundup of local business development, as wells as businesses that are opening or closing.

People outside our coverage area and those who don't subscribe to a physical newspaper should know The Herald-News also has an e-edition. This is an online version of the print publication with virtual pages that actually turn.

You can access The Herald-News e-edition here: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/enewspaper.

In the BryonySeries world:

BryonySeries was one of the sponsors for Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3 and we had a fantastic night! I will recap the details for next week (for sure). Wound up in the ER for twelve hours on Monday night into Tuesday afternoon. So needless to say, I'm a little behindQ

But the short summary is that we gave away sixty-five BryonySeries books, ran four games, and sold twenty-two WriteOn Joliet anthologies. We are definitely looking forward to next year.

We also have a special BryonySeries Summer Book Sale at The Book Market. So if you live in the area, do check it out.

Finally, here is an update on my BryonySeries book projects:

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book, with nearly two-thirds that are ready for final edits. I've done some minor editing since the at-home writing retreat, but June was a super packed month, which I anticipated. July (so far) has also been packed, but I did get a little editing done yesterday. We are estimating a late 2024 release date for this book.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: No updates here in a very long time, mostly because Timothy and Daniel are super busy with school on top of work (and plenty of work-related traveling). However, I outlined a "bonus" book that is intended for distribution at Bicentennial's "Ye Olde Mayfest" event in 2025. Here is a recap of the 2024 event.

Timothy said his concept for the next book in the actual series 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. In order to make progress on any of this, Timothy is hoping to schedule a "Cornell breakfast." But Timothy and Daniel are very busy with work and school right now. We've scheduled and broke several Cornell breakfasts in 2023 and 2024. Our last one was July 2022. So we are LONG, LONG, LONG overdue.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright, who welcomed her first child into the world in April, has already started working on the cover portrait. I've neglected this book for a few months and hope to revisit it soon. We'd like to release it in late 2024.

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.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very 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.

And finally...

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, has sent me twenty-one chapters to edit for his third book in his Ruthless trilogy. His first book is "Ruthless," his second is "The Fifth," and he is also the author of "Denise Unland's Irish Genealogy."

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 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 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/BryonySeries, youtube.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 church to host Greek food festival Saturday and Sunday

The festival is All Saints Greek Orthodox Church’s main fundraiser

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/11/joliet-church-to-host-greek-food-festival-saturday-and-sunday/

Lincoln-Way Area Business Women’s Organization awards 26 scholarships

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/10/lincoln-way-area-business-womens-organization-awards-26-scholarships/

Shorewood reconstruction, water main replacement project begins in mid-July

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/06/shorewood-reconstruction-water-main-replacement-project-begins-mid-july/

Will County Pets of the Week: July 8, 2024

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/08/will-county-pets-of-the-week-july-8-2024/

5 Things to Do in Will County: Live music at Joliet record store

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/07/11/5-things-to-do-in-will-county-live-music-at-joliet-record-store/

 

 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

Sue's Diner: Chicken Salad and Crackers

This week's recipe for chicken salad and crackers was mentioned in the first book in the BryonySeries "drop of blood" trilogy: Bryony.

In chapter twenty-one John apologized to Melissa for his coldness by scheduling a large garden party where she could play gracious hostess. One of the items served was chicken salad with crackers. 

Our recipe is adapted from one that appeared in the nineteenth century cookbook Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy.

This chicken salad and homemade crackers recipe also 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.

You may try the recipe for chicken salad and crackers 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.

BryonySeries Bags from Jasmine and Rebekah

Good morning!

Pulling an all-nighter and beyond in the ER on Monday night left me with no energy after work to yesterday to change up the recipe at Sue's Diner. Hopefully I will get to it tonight. 

In the meantime, please check out our slightly modified, but totally Victorian, nineteenth century Independence Cake right here: bryonyseries.com/sue-s-diner.

The BryonySeries website has a slightly different look since  Timothy reverted it parts of it to an earlier version. The latest version was glitching, and between work, work travel, and working on his master's degree with Daniel, Timothy won't have much extra time until after February. 

In the meantime, look at beautiful BryonySeries bags from Jasmine and Rebekah. After me asking Rebekah for a tote bag or two (she has lots) whenever I leave for an event, Rebekah found a blank one that is perfect for me, and Jasmine personalized it.

Thanks to their kindness and talent, I will look a little more professional and put-together when I go here and there with books and supplies.

This is certainly just one more reason to be thankful this morning.

Happy Wednesday!

The Luna Moth on my Window

During the late afternoon on June 26, I glanced up from the computer where I was working on deadline and saw this creature, left wing flapping in the breeze.

I got up for a closer look, wondering what in the heck it was, and then snapped a couple of pictures and texted them to Nancy Kuhajda, University of Illinois Extension Will and Grundy master gardener and program coordinator.

Nancy said it was a luna moth, “magnificent member of the silk moth family.”

“Sadly, these beautiful adults only live about five to ten days days because they're born without mouths,” Nancy said.

Luna moths don’t eat, and they don’t drink, none of the silk moths do. “It’s “tragic, really,” Nancy said.

She said once luna moths hatch from their cocoons, they find their mate and then die.

“In a somewhat chemical irony, there was a sleeping pill called Lunesta that used the lunar moth in their logo,” Nancy said. “In reality moths are up all night.”

So why was this luna moth hanging out on my window? Seeking shade, most likely, Nancy said. Large moths are easy prey for birds and other animals during the day and typically come out after dark, Nancy said.

Lina moths tend to fly high and toward trees, she said.

“Often in the mornings, I'll see them inside the top of the pavilion at Pilcher Park,” Nancy said.  It's just where they hang out. And also if it's not moving, it could have just landed and died there…That's just what happens.”

She said the “little hands” of luna moths have hooks in them, so like they hooking to screens.

“It may have passed, but it could also just be waiting for nighttime,” Nancy said. “And then it'll be there one minute and gone the next.”

I “googled” luna moths and read they symbolize the cycle of life and death, transformation and change.

Hmmm.

So what happened to my luna moth?’

It stayed all evening and was still hanging onto my window when I went to bed. When I awakened in the morning, it was gone.

“Just consider it a blessing that you got to see it so up close,” Nancy said. “Very few people see them live and in-person.”

The Star-Spangled Banner Medley - Patriotic Piano Instrumental from The Jason Coleman Show

The Irish Volunteer · David Kincaid

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, June 29 to July 5

Good morning!

I have eleven stories to share with you today, but more stories will post over the weekend, So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Currently, I am also writing two more stories just for print. One is called "Eye on Enterprise" and it runs on Wednesdays. The other is a print version of "5 Things to do," which is slightly different from the online version.

"Eye on Enterprise" is a roundup of local business development, as wells as businesses that are opening or closing. I am enjoying the project so far as it's giving me a deeper look at local enterprise.

As I started researching the topic, I found many new businesses (and many new small businesses) that I might have known had actually "opened shop" in Will County - and I'm enjoying the process of discovering them.

People outside our coverage area and those who don't subscribe to a physical newspaper should know The Herald-News also has an e-edition. This is an online version of the print publication with virtual pages that actually turn.

You can access The Herald-News e-edition here: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/enewspaper.

In the BryonySeries world:

BryonySeries was one of the sponsors for Bicentennial Park's Independence Celebration on July 3 and we had a fantastic night! I will recap the details for next week. But the short summary is that we gave away sixty-five BryonySeries books, ran four games, and sold twenty-two WriteOn Joliet anthologies.

We cannot wait for next year!

Next, we do have a special BryonySeries Summer Book Sale at The Book Market. So if you live in the area, do check it out.

Plus, we've released TWO new books!

Bertrand the Mouse has a new book, just in time for summer.

And we also released "A Year of Shadows and Moonlight, of Gathering Blooms in the Woods," which is, well, interesting. The story is part journey, part lyrical novelette. Here is its back cover summary:

You place the snowy candle in the center of your palm and hold it high.

You gaze across the bubbly foam over the azure lake.

And you take the first step to

Who you are

What you lost

And why all your magic can’t bring it back

"A Year of Shadows and Moonlight, of Gathering Blooms in the Woods" is currently available on Amazon.

Finally, here is an update on my BryonySeries book projects:

House on Top of the Hill: Third book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy. I now have a good working draft of the entire book, with nearly two-thirds that are ready for final edits. I've done some minor editing since the at-home writing retreat, but June was a super packed month, which I anticipated. July (so far) has also been packed, but I did get a little editing done yesterday. We are estimating a late 2024 release date for this book.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: No updates here in a very long time, mostly because Timothy and Daniel are super busy with school on top of work (and plenty of work-related traveling). However, I outlined a "bonus" book that is intended for distribution at Bicentennial's "Ye Olde Mayfest" event in 2025. Here is a recap of the 2024 event.

Timothy said his concept for the next book in the actual series 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. In order to make progress on any of this, Timothy is hoping to schedule a "Cornell breakfast." But Timothy and Daniel are very busy with work and school right now. We've scheduled and broke several Cornell breakfasts in 2023 and 2024. Our last one was July 2022. So we are LONG, LONG, LONG overdue.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries is outlined and the first chapter is written, hurray! Jennifer Wainwright, who welcomed her first child into the world in April, has already started working on the cover portrait. I've neglected this book for a few months and hope to revisit it soon. We'd like to release it in late 2024.

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.

Rebekah is also slowly (very, very 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.

And finally...

Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara, has sent me twenty chapters to edit for his third book in his Ruthless trilogy. His first book is "Ruthless," his second is "The Fifth," and he is also the author of "Denise Unland's Irish Genealogy."

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 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 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/BryonySeries, youtube.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

Wishstock to benefit Will County children with life-threatening illnesses

Wish Upon a Star fulfills wishes for children ages 2 through 18

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/04/wishstock-to-benefit-will-county-children-with-life-threatening-diseases/

Joliet’s ‘A Day of Healing’ celebrated community involvement, rejecting violence

Organizer: ‘We showed that we can be a village’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/01/joliets-a-day-of-healing-celebrated-community-involvement-alternative-to-violence/

Plainfield Fest delivered 3 days of summer festival fun

Plainfield native Debbie Jeffers: ‘We never miss it’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/01/plainfield-fest-delivered-3-days-of-summer-festival-fun/

Newbery Medal-winning author makes $130,000 endowment to Joliet Junior College Foundation

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has childhood roots in Joliet

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/02/award-winning-author-makes-160000-endowment-to-joliet-junior-college-foundation/

Plainfield woman joins with Joliet Slammers for Strike Out Pancreatic Cancer night

Audrey Montalto has raised money and awareness since 2005

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/02/plainfield-woman-joins-with-joliet-slammers-for-strike-out-pancreatic-cancer-night/

Joliet parrot becomes local celebrity at Walt’s Ice Cream

Petey’s owners admit they got him hooked

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/01/joliet-parrot-becomes-local-celebrity-at-walts-ice-cream/

Joliet winery to host ‘Nashville on the Hill’ concert series

Sunday’s performers are Katie Pederson and Bonner Black

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/14/joliet-winery-to-host-nashville-on-the-hill-concert-series

Baran-Unland: Goodbye, St. Bernard Joliet

The reality is that everything changes except God

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/06/30/baran-unland-goodbye-st-bernard-joliet/

Joliet Fire Department mourns death of Captain Kevin Hargis

Hargis had a ‘passion for helping others’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/01/joliet-fire-department-mourns-death-of-captain-kevin-hargis/

Will County Pets of the Week: July 1, 2024

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2024/07/01/will-county-pets-of-the-week-july-1-2024/

Things to do in Will County: Independence Celebration at Joliet park

https://www.shawlocal.com/thescene/2024/07/03/things-to-do-in-will-county-independence-celebration-at-joliet-park/

 

 

 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"