Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Aug 20 to Aug. 26

Good morning!

I have thirteen features and news stories to share with you today - and more not yet posted. So do check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news. 

This past spring, I also wrote an additional nineteen stories for a special "Thank You, Teachers," edition that will ran in print and online on May 5. You can check out all those stories at this link: https://www.shawlocal.com/the-herald-news/thank-you/teachers/

I also wrote a three-part series on the impact of COVID on kids, which you will at the bottom of this blog.

Last Friday in the middle of the workday, we had to unexpectedly euthanize our oldest cat. She had an amazing and somewhat mysterious life. You can read details here.

Also, please send up good thoughts/prayers etc. for Rebekah. She's had a challenging couple years, health-wise (especially the last twelve months). Her latest bloodwork was all over the place, more was ordered, and she now needs to see two specialists.

Rebekah is absolutely integral to the BryonySeries, not to mention our family. She oversees its all its financial aspects, handles all book production, manages two social media accounts, and is the go-to person at events. So we need her to feel much better soon.

This weekend, I'm hoping to get WriteOn Joliet's sixth anthology ready for proofing and read through the first eighteen chapters of the second book in the BryonySeries "ruthless" trilogy by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara while Ed is working on the remaining chapters.

He and I met by phone earlier this week to double-check what chapters he'd sent and where to place them in the manuscript since he's renamed and merged some chapters. You can find Ed's first book here.

Also on the fiction side of things, we recently released Cornell Dyer and the "Mistical" Being. It's not available in the BryonySeries bookstore yet, or on Kindle yet,  but it is available on Amazon.

We also released Cornell Dyer and the Calcium Deficient Bones. It, too, is not available in the BryonySeries bookstore yet, or on Kindle yet,  but it is available on Amazon.

And we also  released Call of the Siren (the second book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy, with gorgeous cover art by Nancy Calkins). It, too, is not available in the BryonySeries bookstore yet, or on Kindle yet,  but it is available on Amazon.

I'm currently outlining the final book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy: House on Top of the Hill. 

And I'm also working on a guide book to the series called: Welcome to Munsonville: the People, Places, and Things of the BryonySeries.

Next up in the series: a Sherlock Holmes parody (the main character is Sherman Homes), which has a solid outline. Sue Midlock is already working on the cover and the interior art: Sherman Homes and the Howls of Basketville.

Jennifer Wainright (frontispiece artist for Lycanthropic Summer) has completed two portraits for  "Girls of the BryonySeries" series for tween girls and is currently working on a third. The portraits are beautiful and it shows that artist Jennifer Wainright can draw anything from werewolves to portraits! 

Rebekah has completed cover art for two of "Girls of the BryonySeries" books. They, too, are beautiful! One book in this series of eight books is completely written, a second is nearly written, and the rest are outlined. 

Rebekah is also working on updating the BryonySeries YouTube and Pinterest accounts, so 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 Sunday, we post a new recipe. The recipe is either featured in one of our cookbooks or will be featured in an upcoming cookbook.

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. We also have a marketing arm that's getting longer every year, well, except this 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 support in your writing, I highly recommend this Twitter group: #5amwritersclub. I  joined it last year. Writers support each other on Twitter and meet every three weeks at 5 a.m. (4 a.m. CST - needless to say, I am often late!) on Zoom.

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 do post the briefs on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

BryonySeries stuff: I post curated content relating to the BryonySeries on Twitter at @BryonySeries and 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.

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

Child’s missing toy dog is now a social media celebrity: Joliet Park District seeking owner of the little stuffed dog Odie

Joliet hospice recently tripled the size of its pediatric program: Lightways Hospice and Serious Illness Care in Joliet now in ‘full throttle’ mode for raising funds 

Pets of the Week: Aug. 22, 2022: Will County Rescues have dogs and cats for adoption.

Baran-Unland: Frances came to the right back door: Many knew Frances as ‘Franny’ at Rock Soul Love in Morris.

Death of Will County Jail inmate remains under investigation: County jail staff found 78-year-old unresponsive

Fire destroys mobile home trailer and motor home on Joliet’s east side; one transported to hospital: Blaze was quickly extinguished

Most Will County college students see Biden’s loan forgiveness as relief

Will County joins lawsuit against CVS, Walgreen’s, other big-name pharmacies for role in opioid epidemic: ‘This case arises from the worst man-made epidemic in modern medical history,’ the lawsuit states

CAPA Housewalk returns on Sept. 10, with signature cocktails and ‘speakeasy tent’: Quinn Adamowski: ‘I think people, after the pandemic, want interesting experiences.’

5 Things to do in Will County: Enjoy the magic of sunflowers this Friday: Plus, a car show, two small festivals and a farmer’s market

Mammo-Palooza fundraiser on Saturday continues the legacy of #Joliet teen’s big heart: Matt ‘Mammo’ Mammosser ‘was aways first in line to lend a helping hand.’ 

Joliet Junior College renovated its police facility, quadrupling its space: Brandon Campbell: ‘The old setup was fragmented’

New Lenox hospital using new technology to diagnose lung cancer at early stage: Patients have 1 minimally invasive procedure and 1 exposure to anesthesia.

Kids and COVID

COVID-19 didn’t leave kids unscathed: Aschinberg: ‘Like any negative social event, kids who are most at risk bear most of the brunt’

The pandemic was a lonely time for kids: Loss of in-school experiences, sports affected many youth on some level.

Facing the post-pandemic: ‘We know when something is off with our children’: Showing kids how to talk about feelings is a good first step toward protecting their mental health. 

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

 

Christmas "Hope" Ornament

Some people have "hope chests" into which they place items they'd like to use one day in their marriage.

On Friday night, Cindy "gifted" me with a "hope ornament" for my Christmas tree this year.

This "hope ornament" features all three of my cats: their names and their basic likenesses.

It's especially sweet considering that all three are seniors now and that two are not in good health.

Frances is eighteen, has full-body arthritis, and recently battled her first urinary tract infection.

Midnight is sixteen, slowing down, and had a sarcoma removed a couple years ago, so we have to watch her for further skin lesions. She might also be developing arthritis.

Faith, one of Midnight's "kittens," is fifteen and nearly died this spring. She has small cell lymphoma that we have decided to treat just with steriods, vitamin B, and medicine for nausea as needed. 

Charity, one of Midnight's "kittens," died quiet unexpectedly in 2013 and is buried in the backyard of our former Channahon home.

And Hope (yes, we have a cat named Hope), also one of Midnight's kittens, is living the fun life is Morris.

Photos of all four cats below the ornament photo.

And finally Hope - who is living her best life (not with us):

Blessed

On this day in 2014, my freelance career ended as I became an official employee of The Herald-News in Joliet and of the Shaw Media Network.

I'm also sixty-one and a half today. And in the midst of a pandemic and that it brings, I am feeling really blessed.

I was sick on the day I was hired (I didn't know it at the time) and was feeling pretty overhwhelmed. I had worked as an independent contractor for so many years and corporate rules had changed. I had never used  aMac. And I had no idea how to work any of the programs.

In fact, my last employer was Rax Roast Beef in Joliet. I was nineteen.

At the time I was hired, my three young children and I were officially homeless and had lived with relatives for nine months.

My husband had dementia and was also living with family. 

But the job enabled my family and I to move out in May to a small, two bedroom apartment in walkng distance from the job and near public transporation for my two youngest, who were both working and attending school at Joliet Junior College.

I walked back and forth to work nearly every day carrying every file and every piece of paper I might need and my laptop in this case. Through the years, I wore out the wheels of many, many cases since I put about five miles a day on them.

On top of the case went a cooler/lunchbox, which held enough food for a long day, in case I got busy and had to stay. I had no transporation and no money. 

I walked in nearly all kinds of weather: rain, wind, snow, heat, and on ice in zero degree weather. Zero degrees was my limit. If temperatures dipped below that, I made other transportation arrangements.

But I never not made it to work unless I was deliberately working from home.

After the first nine months at The Herald-News, the kids and I moved into a small, two-bedroom townhome and life felt a little easier. 

Two of my cats (Faith and Midnight) knew the routine and were not always happy to see me leave.

But I always left, no matter how much they tried to persuade me otherwise. The cats always seemed to beg for petting once I was suited up and ready to go. Strange...

Faith really liked the days I did work from home. Through the years, my time did become more flexible, and I gradually started working two days from home.

Bertrand the Mouse, went back and forth to work with me. That's how the world works. Real aimals stay home. Pretend ones can hitch a ride.

I have a huge collection of hats and wore a different one every day starting with Day One. Here is my "editor in the yellow hat" picture.

I also wore out my many pairs of thermal boots. Here is one such pair, from those early days.

Walking back and forth to work meant I could experience the seasons as they unfolded and bask in them. Here is one view on Springfield Avenue in Joliet.

And here is another view on Springfield Avenue in Joliet.

And here is one view from Glenwood Avenue in Joliet.

Bertrand, of course, didn't mind the cold.

At work, I had coffee, small gifts from friends, and plenty of inspiration tacked up to keep me grounded, motivated, and inspired.

This is Chloe "Lucky" Hawk, my office plant. A job shadower presented her to me. She is the only plant who has ever stayed alive (and flourished) under my care. I still have her.

Bertrand, of course, liked hanging out at the office...

...and reading the news...

...and getting a little exercise on my desk "jungle gym...

...and finding ways to amuse himself when I worked late, which happened a lot on Friday nights.

Eventually, Fridays became so busy, I stayed put and worked from home.

Of course, since writing fiction is my hobby, Saturdays could get a little busy. See Bertrand playing editor?

In October 2019, right before the start of the pandemic, my two youngest and I moved into a three-bedroom townhouse two doors down from the two-bedroom, where Timothy remained.

What a godsend to have the extra space! Because a few months later, we had a pandemic and went home work.

Because for six years (2013 to 2019) Rebekah and I shared a small bedroom, which also doubled as my home office.

Now she finally had her own room. And I had my own bedroom/office.

This is the view of my office space the day before we moved again into larger townhomes, just this past August. I was working; Rebekah and Jasmine were packing; and Rebekah had just had her first gall bladder attack ever and landed in the ER.

As you can see from above, it was a busy day.

Of course, when we started working from home again, Chloe came home, too. Home agreed with my office plant because she kept outgrowing her planters.

Here is Chloe today in my current home office work space. Chloe and the cats (Frances is pictured) have learned to share a window view.

This photo shows how much I love my job.

I was interviewing a photographer in The Herald-News conference room. He was known for his wonderful candids of the people in Nepal.

He sat with his camera on his lap the entire time. He claimed he had a knack for snapping candids of people without them being aware that he'd taken them.

I was skeptical, of course, but whatever.

After he left and I returned to my desk, I opened an email from him. 

Attached was this photo, taken during the interview.

My skepticism vanished.

“[For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry],” by Christopher Smart

For people who love cats.

For people who love poetry.

For people who love to discover the gems in the obscure.

A truly delightful poem, Enjoy!

For more about the author, who lived in the 18th century, visit poetryfoundation.org/poets/christopher-smart.

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.

For he is the servant of the Living God duly and daily serving him.

For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.

For this is done by wreathing his body seven times round with elegant quickness.

For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.

For he rolls upon prank to work it in.

For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.

For this he performs in ten degrees.

For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.

For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.

For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.

For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.

For fifthly he washes himself.

For sixthly he rolls upon wash.

For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.

For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.

For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.

For tenthly he goes in quest of food.

For having consider'd God and himself he will consider his neighbour.

For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.

For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.

For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.

For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.

For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.

For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.

For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.

For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.

For he is of the tribe of Tiger.

For the Cherub Cat is a term of the Angel Tiger.

For he has the subtlety and hissing of a serpent, which in goodness he suppresses.

For he will not do destruction, if he is well-fed, neither will he spit without provocation.

For he purrs in thankfulness, when God tells him he's a good Cat.

For he is an instrument for the children to learn benevolence upon.

For every house is incomplete without him and a blessing is lacking in the spirit.

For the Lord commanded Moses concerning the cats at the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt.

For every family had one cat at least in the bag.

For the English Cats are the best in Europe.

For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.

For the dexterity of his defence is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.

For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.

For he is tenacious of his point.

For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.

For he knows that God is his Saviour.

For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.

For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion.

For he is of the Lord's poor and so indeed is he called by benevolence perpetually—Poor Jeoffry! poor Jeoffry! the rat has bit thy throat.

For I bless the name of the Lord Jesus that Jeoffry is better.

For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.

For his tongue is exceeding pure so that it has in purity what it wants in music.

For he is docile and can learn certain things.

For he can set up with gravity which is patience upon approbation.

For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.

For he can jump over a stick which is patience upon proof positive.

For he can spraggle upon waggle at the word of command.

For he can jump from an eminence into his master's bosom.

For he can catch the cork and toss it again.

For he is hated by the hypocrite and miser.

For the former is afraid of detection.

For the latter refuses the charge.

For he camels his back to bear the first notion of business.

For he is good to think on, if a man would express himself neatly.

For he made a great figure in Egypt for his signal services.

For he killed the Ichneumon-rat very pernicious by land.

For his ears are so acute that they sting again.

For from this proceeds the passing quickness of his attention.

For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.

For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire.

For the Electrical fire is the spiritual substance, which God sends from heaven to sustain the bodies both of man and beast.

For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.

For, tho he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.

For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than any other quadruped.

For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.

For he can swim for life.

For he can creep.

For my cat Frances, who gladly lent her image to this blog.

A Bittersweet Mother's Day

Before I discuss all the great aspects of this past weekend, I'd like to share the bittersweet ones.

Yesterday a friend from high school lost her battle with lung cancer. We'd reconnected strongly over this past year, but she was given just a couple months to live just as this coronavirus broke out, which meant "no visitors" to those hospital visits and eventual move to nursing home.

However, we did stay in touch via text and phone calls, and I talked to her briefly Friday morning. I could tell, then, that the end was near.

Her name is Sue, if you'd like to remember her with nice thoughts and/or prayers.

Sue's mother died from the same cancer, so I'd like to think that, on Mother's Day, her mother was waiting with open arms on the other side, and they had a lovely reconnection.

Also, our "original" cat Frances is having some health issues. All blood work is perfect, except for a smidgen of anemia, but she's suddenly started losing weight these past couple weeks, nearly a pound, so she's seeing the vet for weight checks.

We're expecting a call today for the next step as she's lost a little more during her weigh-in on Saturday.

She had been a stray at the I and M canal near our former home in Channahon when she appeared at our back door on October afternoon in 2005, and Daniel fed her a can of tuna (all unbeknownst to me) while I was upstairs working.

We've often wondered if she abandoned or if someone lost her, for she was about nine months old at the time and wore a red collar with a jingle bell.

If she was lost and the owner is reading this blog and wondering what happened to her, please know she's loved and she's been having a wonderful life. In fact, we invested in a $3,500 invisible fence just for her.

Since the canal is Frances' favorite place to be, Timothy and Daniel took her down there the day the state parks opened back up.

Tomorrow, I'll be less gloomy since I otherwise had a wonderful weekend. I hope you did, too.

Concern For Frances

Yesterday before I left for work, Frances and Faith got into a hissy fight that left one with a wound no one saw.

Rebekah noticed the blood on several places the floor and inspected both cats. She saw a little blood on one of Frances' paws, but it wasn't clear the blood was from the paw.

I went to work. Rebekah, who was off work yesterday, fed both cats at noon and saw no issues.

Last night, Frances abandoned most of her dinner. I noticed, and Rebekah coaxed her out so she could finish most it.

This morning, Frances is nowhere to be seen, and her breakfast is sitting by my computer so Faith doesn't gobble it up.

For a cat that lives for food, I'm concerned that she is two hours late for breakfast.

Please send up good thoughts for Frances. She is in the foreground, and Faith is in the background.

PS: In true snarky cat form, as soon as I hit "publish," she came running into my room, looking for breakfast, which she happily gobbled.

Cats!

Christmas Joy, Cats, and St. Nicholas

Celebration is important and unique to the individual, even when collectively celebrating.

This is why I'm all-encompassing at our home when it comes to celebration.

As a child when I had goldfish, I colored, cut, and taped paper decorations near the fish tank and added a pinch more food on Christmas.

When I had my first dog at age forty-ish, he always received a package of Buddig lunch meat for Christmas and Easter and inside his St. Nicholas stocking.

Scooter loved Buddig lunch meat and only received it these three times a year. No one could miss the rapture in his eyes.

Of course, he didn't have the same soul-depth appreciation for, say, the birth of a Savior. But we did, which allowed us to invite him to share the joy.

So obviously when cats became part of our lives and home, they also each received a St. Nicholas stocking (complete with their names in glitter, which is wearing off) empty on the Eve and filled with a tiny tin of cat food in gravy.

The same was repeated for Christmas, Easter etc.

Now after each holiday, all stockings were packed away to await the next feast day. But, somehow, Faith would find them, and randomly leave them all over the house. Coincidence? A hint?

But it happened. We'd walk in the door at six o'clock in the morning in early July after a night of delivering newspapers, and a tiny plush stocking would be laying in the middle of the mudroom floor.

Faith is no longer a kitten. I would call her geriatric exactly, but kittenhood is definitely in her paat.

So imagine my surprise when, on the morning of St. Nicholas Day, I awakened to this on my bedroom floor.

This meant Faith had to drag this stocking, with its weighted tin of food, away from the Christmas tree, across the living room floor to the staircase, trudge up the steep stairs to the landing, turn, climb another flight of stairs, turn again, and then drag this into the middle of my bedroom floor.

Amazing!

But, apparently, totally worth it to her.

The cats are, from left, Frances, Faith, and Midnight.

BryonySeries Throwback Thursday-Ish: A Tale of Four Cats

Because who doesn't love pictures of cats?

So the "throwback" in today's post isn't a previous post, but the opportunity to see all four cats on the same day...so why not take photos?

One of the greatest heartbreaks for any pet owner when losing a home through foreclosure (as if that isn't bad enough) is relinquishing ownership of pets when the "new" home doesn't allow for them.

We were fortunate that, during the eleven-thirtieth mark, an opportunity arose to keep most of the cats. We hadn't started out as pet owners, and how we did is a story unto itself. But we always strove to be responsible pet owners. With many rescues and shelters overflowing with more cats than they could place, the situation was bleak.

In the meantime, one cat died and one (my son's) was successfully rehomed, due to his marking issue (My cats didn't accept outsiders, sheesh. As if they didn't all start out that).

Two cats "found" their own foster homes in Morris, and how that happened is also a story unto itself. But with a family birthday celebration on July 15 (Fifty-six for me and a year for my granddaughter), I realized I could visit my other two cats.

As a little birthday present to myself, I took pictures with all four cats. Not because I'm a crazy cat lady. But to remind me how good God is, how he always provides, how he allowed me to continuing being a responsible pet owner to the same set of pets, and to stand in awe of his crazy ability to constantly widen our borders.

And now, the cats!

Frances, our original rescue kitty, who now lives at Gypsy Soul in Morris.

Hope, who now lives with a really nice family in Morris.

Faith, Hope's sister.

Midnight, mother of Faith, Hope and Charity (deceased).

Cat Pause

Instead of writerly jabbering this morning, just had to show off the great care Frances is receiving at Gypsy Soul in Morris and Hope is getting a couple blocks away at the family she picked out.

While I miss them terribly, it's great to know some wonderful people are taking care of them until we're in spot to have them back. First Frances and then Hope.

 

 

 

 

Holding Onto Hope

I had to drive to Morris yesterday to take some photos of Hope's foster owner for Monday's microchipping success story for The Herald-News...and he returned the favor by taking some of me. Isn't she beautiful?

Of course, I then stopped at Gypsy Soul in Morris to cuddle Frances, but, because I smelled like Hope (the two are archenemies), Frances bolted.