Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Dec. 23 to Dec. 29

Good morning!

Today I am sharing ten 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 worked last weekend and through Christmas Day. So I've been off work, wrapping up some end-of-year projects, writing some recap blogs still hanging in draft mode, and getting ready for our family Christmas on January 7.

I'm also finishing the editing on "The Fifth," the second novel by Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara. Other than that, I have no further BryonySeries updates to report. For a list of projects in progress, check out last week's story roundup.

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'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 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

Silver Cross NICU baby finally home for the holidays: Krystal Acred, mother: ‘We got him right before Thanksgiving’

Lockport’s Springview Sweets owner giving back while in Greatest Baker contest: If she wins, owner Megan DiCaro plans to donate part ofprize to brain cancer research

Joliet dance team fundraising for nationals competition: Maddy Smietanski, USF head dance team coach: ‘Anything that we can get helps for sure’

Grundy County residents experiencing greater food insecurity: Inflation, reduced SNAP benefits are contributing factors

Cancer patients focus on family, hope at Christmas

Joliet West’s Jeremy Fears Jr. reported shot early Saturday: Michigan State University freshman ‘resting comfortably’after surgery

Joliet’s Hufford student orchestra takes holiday music intothe community: This was the 14th year for the holiday tour

RE/MAX throws pizza party for Joliet Boys and Girls Club: Ryan Behrens of RE/MAX also donated $10,000 to the club in2023

$1 million lottery ticket sold in Lockport

The Local Scene: Tour Joliet’s houses decorated for theholidays: Here are 5 things to do this weekend

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, March 11 to March 17

Good morning!

Today I have just ten features and news stories to share with you today with more to be posted over the weekend, since I am working through the weekend.

So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

I've also been working on stories for a new edition The Herald-News will begin in March and a new "Thank You, Teachers" edition in May.

Also, here is a "save the date" event for people in the general Will County area:  WriteOn Joliet will host its first radio-style reading on April 22 at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park in Joliet. 

And now we are officially on Bicentennial Park's calendar, which you can see here.

We held our annual Calkins Day celebration on Feb. 13 at The Book Market in Crest Hill. If you don't know what Calkins Day is, read this post and then read this post.

This year, we built our celebration around the local authors and independent authors in order to help build up Ed's library of such authors and provide a little exposure for these authors.

Authors were invited to gift Ed Calkins, Steward of Tara with one of their books. In turn, they could take home any one of five books Ed either wrote or appeared in. Readers could talk Ed out of a book.

Over the next few weeks, I'll dedicate separate posts to these authors and give them additional exposure on social media. Here is one such post from three weeks ago, one post from two weeks ago, and one post from last week. 

So do check out these posts - and watch for more posts, too. They may just lead you to your next favorite book.

Fiction projects are coming along very slowly, but they are coming along. I'm also working simultaneously working on five books and just released a new Bertrand the Mouse book in time for Easter and am eagerly awaiting my copies.

However, you can buy it now on Amazon. 

So here's the latest update on the other books:

I now have completed rough drafts for the prologue and first thirteen chapters of the final book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy: House on Top of the Hill and hope to get another done this weekend.

I am in the process of fleshing out the next book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries: Cornell Dyer and the Hounds of Basketville and made some progress on that story on Monday. Timothy and I drafted it months ago, and I currently have five solid chapters. Sue Midlock sent all the interior art and it is stunning! Sue is currently working on the cover.

I have also completed three chapters for the fourth book in The Girls of the BryonySeries series.

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. 

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

And I'm also working on a novella. I have written and edited a fourth of it and have about another third of it loosely written. But that's all I'm sharing about it for now.

Rebekah is also slowly 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 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 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

Arkas Restaurant group taking ‘Joliet restaurant scene up a level’: Bill Dimitroulas, president, is loyal to Joliet 

Gov. JB Pritzker discusses education plan on Thursday at Joliet Junior College" Gov. JB Pritzker: ‘When I first took office, people were leaving Illinois to get a college education’ 

Reception planned Sunday for Joliet West basketball player Jeremy Fears Jr.: Jeremy Kreiger: ‘It’s unusual to see someone so accomplished at the age of 17’ 

Joliet Junior College professor is now 1 of just 10 certified master pastry chefs in the U.S.: Andy Chlebana earns certification after June brain surgery

Joliet West senior named Gatorade Illinois Boys Basketball Player of the Year: Jeremy Fears Jr. is also McDonald’s All-American Game selection 

New Lenox hospital makes Newsweek’s ‘World’s Best Hospitals 2023′ list: Ruth Colby: ‘It’s all about the people who work here.’ 

Gnomes and leprechauns take Joliet stage in time for St. Patrick’s Day: Patrons must be ages 18 and up 

Support lung care with Silver Cross Foundation fundraiser in Frankfort: Sponsorships are available 

Pets of the Week: March 13, 2023: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption.

5 Things to do in Will County: 5 ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day: Features include food, music, shamrock search and other activities

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"