BryonySeries: Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Feb. 15 to Feb. 21

Friday, February 21, 2025

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Feb. 15 to Feb. 21

Good morning!

I have fourteen feature stories to share with you today at the bottom of this post, with more stories going live this weekend, especially since I am working through the weekend. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Before the stories I also have a list of additional updates, resources, and information. Please check them out, too.

And if you'd like to find more kindness in your life, consider this book.

And have a great Friday!

Event Updates

Calkins Day 2025 took place at The Book Market in Crest Hill and it was a wonderful celebration of laughter, imagination, generosity, and the release of "Recovering Ruthless," the third book in the BryonySeries Ruthless series by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara.

The book display will remain up at The Book Market through St. Patrick's Day. And we now have some Irish-themed ribbit specials, too.

More about this on Monday. But if you're out and above in the Crest Hill area today or tomorrow, do check it out!

BryonySeries books-in-progress

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: :Cornell Dyer and the House of Horreur" (because the toymaker's last name is "Horreur.") is stalled until Timothy finishes his master's degree at the end of February.

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, is nearly done with the cover portrait. I let this book slide for other BryonySeries projects. But I'm hoping to finish the book in 2025.

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.

For books and more information about the series, visit bryonyseries.com.

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.

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

Will County housing market will be hit by Trump administration’s tariffs, builders group says

Channahon plant: ‘Higher steel costs are passed along to consumers’

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2025/02/15/trump-administrations-tariffs-will-undoubtedly-impact-will-county-housing-market-builders-group-says/

UCP Joliet’s Great Chefs event to benefit respite care

Client-created large quilt centerpiece of live auction

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2025/02/18/ucp-joliets-great-chefs-event-to-benefit-respite-care/

Lockport mobile studio keeps painting parties ‘fun and relaxed’

No previous painting experience is necessary

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2025/02/17/lockport-mobile-studio-keeps-painting-parties-fun-and-relaxed/

High egg prices have Joliet-area restaurants, bakeries scrambling

USDA: Cost per dozen ranging from $4.95 to $9.69