Good morning and Happy December!
December is my most favorite month of the entire year. In addition to my mind "seeing" December as a deep blue (my favorite color), Christmas Eve is my favorite holiday, which happens this month.
Today I am sharing eleven news and feature stories. But more will be posted over weekend. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.
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 AGAIN. 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.
We have recently published three new BryonySeries books: "Cornell Dyer and the Howls of Basketville," "Karla Joins In," and "Welcome to Munsonville: The People, Places, and Things of the BryonySeries."
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 and two chapters and a prologue that are ready for final edits. Writing on this book is paused until I finish editing "The Fifth.". 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.
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. 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'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.
Daily updates: I haven't posted anything on Twitter/X (except a daily Bible verse) since 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 Noon Lions hosting winter clothing drive: Donations accepted through Dec. 14
Have a favorite holiday ornament or decoration? We’d love to hear about it
Pets of the Week: Nov. 27, 2023: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption
The Local Scene: Enjoy model trains at free Joliet open house" Here are 5 things to do this weekend
Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"
