Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Aug. 1 through Aug. 7

Good morning!

I have eight stories online to share with you today, with more stories likely going live over the weekend, especially since I am working through the weekend. So please check back at 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!

Calendar

The BryonySeries calendar offers links to games, crafts, music, activities, science experiments, and  recipes that pick up themes to one or more of our books.

To participate, visit bryonyseries.com/ourcalendar.

Events (or where to find the BryonySeries) - so far:

POSTPONED Aug. 1: Kid Fest: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., City Square, Downtown Joliet. For the third year in a row, WriteOn Joliet will have a tent at the annual Kidz Fest celebration. Write your own story with our unique, one-of-a-kind, made-just-for-us story manipulable story blocks. And be sure to pick up one (or more) WriteOn Joliet-authored books (titles for all ages), which we will distribute for free.

Aug. 28: WriteOn Joliet Presents "Page to Stage:" 7 p.m., ROXY Lockport, 1017 S. State St., Lockport. Eight members of WriteOn Joliet will present a compilation show as a fundraiser for Trinity Services. For details, read this "save the date" post.

Sept. 19: Fountaindale Public Library Author Fair: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fontaindale Public Library District, 300 Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook.

Oct. 17: Halloween Night Market: 3 to 8 p.m.., Channahon Tractor Supply, Channahon

Nov. 12: WriteOn Joliet Annual Anthology Release Party: 6 to 8 p.m., Joliet Public Library, 3395 Black Road, Joliet. Anthologies as well as books by individual WriteOn Joliet authors for sale. Free chef-created refreshments and visits from Santa.

In addition, please check out our books by popping into The Book Market in Crest Hill (if you live in the area) or bookshop.org or Amazon if you don't. 

Also, many titles are available at the Joliet Public Library and the Downers Grove Public Library.

Please note: Bookshop and the libraries do not carry all of our books.

What is the BryonySeries?

Please read "Books of the BryonySeries: A Quick Overview"

For more information on the developing "parent brand" that is removing some of the heavy marketing lifting from me, visit bryonyseries.com/blocks.

BryonySeries books-in-progress

Bertrand the Mouse: We have plenty of Bertrand photos and ideas. Several are at the top of the list. At some point, we will assemble and release some more.

The Adventures of Cornell Dyer: Cornell Dyer and the House of Horreur" (because the toymaker's last name is "Horreur.") is finally begun, although albeit very slowly. I'd like to get enough done very soon to finally give Sue Midlock (our artist for The Adventures of Cornell Dyer) some ideas for the book's cover and chapter heading illustrations.Timothy's newest idea is to spend a couple of hours early on Saturday mornings, one chapter at a time, before his weekly breakfast with Daniel.

Brainy Ann: The fifth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries has three remaining chapters in drafts; the rest of the book is edited. I hope to finish it over Labor Day weekend and have it available for sale at WriteOn Joliet's Anthology Release party on Nov. 12.

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."

Other books: I am not writing a novel this year. But we plan to release a BryonySeries Christmas anthology around the holidays. This will be Christmas excerpts from existing BryonySeries novels along with a few bonus chapters (I hope) only available in this anthology.

We also have a prologue/first chapter sampler of all the BryonySeries novels and an novel excerpt (so far) that's only available at certain events and another sampler called "Angel or Demon" that is also only available at select events, including WriteOn Joliet's "Page to Stage" event on Aug. 28.

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 weekly 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'm gradually reviving BryonySeries on Twitter/X at x.com/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.

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

Want to avoid Cyclospora? Cook your vegetables; maybe skip the berries

Case rates in Grundy, Kendall and Will counties low despite national outbreak

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/08/04/want-to-prevent-cyclospora-cook-your-vegetables-maybe-skip-the-fresh-berries/

New industrial facility coming to Joliet

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/08/05/new-industrial-facility-coming-to-joliet/

Trinity Services offers new driver readiness program for teens and adults with disabilities

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/08/02/trinity-services-offers-new-driver-readiness-program-for-teens-and-adults-with-disabilities/

Illinois Bankers Association honors Jeannine Huck with Women of Impact Award

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/07/31/illinois-bankers-association-honors-jeannine-huck-with-women-of-impact-award/

CITGO Lemont Refinery seeking items for online auction benefiting United Way

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/08/01/citgo-lemont-refinery-seeking-items-for-online-auction-benefiting-united-way/

Dutch Bros. Coffee among new businesses opening in New Lenox

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/08/02/clothing-printer-dutch-bros-coffee-among-new-businesses-opening-in-new-lenox/

Diana Missig appointed to Silver Cross Foundation board

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/08/02/diana-missig-appointed-to-silver-cross-foundation-board/

Will County Pets of the Week: Aug. 3, 2026

Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption

https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/2026/08/03/will-county-pets-of-the-week-aug-3-2026/

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for 

Peder B. Helland - No Worries

I discovered this Norwegian composer quite randomly when struggling with writer's block with this BryonySeries novel.

The last few weeks have been extremely full with event preparation, moving, unpacking, a few marathon work weeks, and the long-awaited visit to a GI specialist yesterday.

It's raining in my part of the world today; maybe it is in yours?

Either way, I hope the music and its rain sounds provide you peace in your journey today.

Enjoy!

Sue's Diner: Lemon Drop Cakes

I am re-running this light, refreshing dessert because it didn't save last week on the website.

This week's recipe for lemon drop cakes is referenced in the BryonySeries novel Bryony, where these lemon drop cakes appeared on the buffet table at the Harrington ball.

John placed a glass of punch into Melissa’s hand and piled her plate with slices of cold beef, several tiny biscuits, miniature lemon and coconut cakes, and a mound of plum preserves.

We adapted our recipe from Miss Beecher’s domestic receiptbook: designed as a supplement to her Treatise on domestic economy, which is a real nineteenth century cookbook, for use in the modern kitchen.

This 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 can try the recipe for lemon drop cakes 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. 

Finally, 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.

For more BryonySeries recipes, check out our three cookbooks at our bryonyseries.com/merchandise.

Six Good Thoughts

Well wishes can show up in seeminly random places.

Here are half a dozen I've found in my journeys the past few years.

I hope at least one makes you smile.

Can You Help This Literacy Effort?

So Kids Fest on Aug. 1 in downtown Joliet was postponed due to weather - and the Joliet City Center Partnership, which hosts the event, said it will announce the new date this week.

So might you be interested in helping WriteOn Joliet's literacy efforts at this event?

Since 2024, WriteOn Joliet has distributed books authored by WriteOn Joliet authors at the annual Kidz Fest in Joliet.

In 2024, we gave away nearly 100 books in the event’s first 90 minutes. In 2025, we gave away 300 books, mostly in the first half of the event.

The books were funded by WriteOn Joliet’s leader and co-founder along with members of the B.L.O.C.K.S creative team in 2024 and 2025.

I currently have more than 500 books with titles for all ages packed up and ready for distribution in my bastment. (And we are not just giving away books at our booth!)

And (so far) 18 people,businesses, and organizations have helped fund this literacy effort.

According to the World Literacy Foundation, home libraries “are fabulous tools for improving academic performance, sparking a love for education, and equipping children for success.”

Books are also  “wonderful tools for fostering empathy and promoting positive mental health,” the foundation said.

Your sponsorship of any dollar amount will help provide locally written books to local readers for the 2026-2027 school year.

In return, we will distribute up to 200 pieces of your information with the books to increase your brand exposure. 

We will also display sponsor’s names at our booth and on the main page of WriteOn Joliet’s for the remainder of 2026 (actually, we're providing a link, since all the names didn't fit!).

Speaking of displays, here is our current sign, designed by Fast Printing of Joliet, and I'm taking that sign with me to every event (currently that's seven) I'm participating in for the remainder of 2026.

More sponsors means I'll need another two-foot by three-foot sign.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities, email writeonjolietgroup@gmail.com.

For more information about WriteOn Joliet, visit writeonjoliet.com.

All Creatures Great and Small Theme on Piano

Anyone new to the BryonySeries blog might wonder why I post piano music on Sundays and how that fits into the BryonySeries world.

That's because one character - John Simons - was a nineteenth century world-renowned pianist and composer before he died and became a vampire.

And why this piece today?

Because I hope the upbeat music and the title makes you smile today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyNxir5Mvi4

Fishy Limericks

Early this morning, Sarah sent me a quote from a book she's reading, where someone is trying to write limericks about fish and chips while falling asleep.

So let's have some fun with this.

Send us your original fish and chips limerick to bryonyseries@gmail.com.

Give us permission to publish your limerick with your first and last name on a future blog - and for Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara to read your limerick with your first name only on video to be uploaded to the BryonySeries YouTube account.

In return, we will send you a free ByronySeries book of any title you choose. Just let us know the title in your email and provide your address for shipping.

This offer expires at 11:59 p.m. Aug. 1, 2026, CST.