Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Sept. 30 through Oct. 5

Wonderful news to share!

I talked with my editor Colleen Robbins before WriteOn Joliet met last night. She has read through three of the four Before the Blood manuscripts and even apologized for taking so long (She's only had them a couple of weeks).

She is currently in book number four, which means I really need to get number five done as I don't want any gaps in her reading (She doesn't feel it's an issue. She recalls my original words from excerpts I read back in 2014. Can you imagine? She's brilliant!).

In short, we are on schedule for publication, if not a bit ahead of it.

Her comments thus far: one major error (a character died in two different chapters, something I didnt' catch when I loved things around) and a few typos so far. Overall, she praised the plot, character development, world building, dialogue, and noted plenty of conflict everywhere.

YAY!!!!!

Last week, the very nice Dick Schuster from Joliet Community Television (JCTV) came out and did a 15-minute segment on the artists participating in the "Art of the BryonySeries" show. He is planning to air the episode several times a day through the next month (the exhibit comes down on Oct. 31).

For the station's program schedule, visit cityofjoliet.info/residents/jctv.

Also, the exhibit will remain up through October. I do have plenty of photos to share and am hoping to make albums on the BryonySeries Facebook page in another week or so.

To learn more about each individual artist, visit the story that ran in The Herald-News:

Artworks: 4 artists in group show at Joliet cafe

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/08/28/bc593eb99bc3459285b283962945731f/index.xml

And now, here's where to find me on social media and links to this weeks's feature stories.

Non-bylined features:

Monday through Saturday I assembled my non-bylined works - brief posts and calendar listings - into one convenient file and posting them on Facebook in the evening, so readers can easily choose the ones they want to read.

 One can also find those event listings, the Gotta Do It calendar, as well as the pets, health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars, under the sections tab on the left hand side of http://www.theherald-news.com/. Click on "features" and the topics drop down.  Gotta Do It runs under "people."

Community news? Again, under the sections tab, under features, and by topic. Updates are posted on these days in print and web (and some only on web on other days as I have the time): Monday (pets), Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (arts and entertainment), and Sunday (people).

Social media:

Daily updates: I do post the briefs and calendars 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 at @BryonySeries. And assorted related content at www.facebook.com/BryonySeries. And of course, please follow the adventures of Bertrand the Mouse on Instagram at bertrand_bryonyseries.

If you're a writer anywhere in the world, you're welcome to jon WriteOn Joliet's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/writeonminooka/?ref=bookmarks. We're based in Joliet, Illinois, but we love to meet and interact with writers outside our area, too.

Upcoming events: 

These are listed here: https://www.bryonyseries.com/fetes-and-feasts

Books and Such

Information on my books (including where to buy) along with upcoming events is at www.bryonyseries.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.

Bringing love in a clean cup of water
Student at Romeoville university helping a Kenyan orphanage become self-sustaining

Read in her own words what she's done so far - and what she plans to do in the future.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/09/27/a04431a70760429fb8eba51056d6f2ac/index.xml


Shorewood family raising money for service dog's training

The 2-year-old has health issues and no diagnosis yet. But the his mother is hopeful the service dog will help her son cope.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/09/25/5875433ac62345f2a349bb8ce715c61d/index.xml?page=1


Oncology nurse chooses New Lenox hospital for breast cancer treatment

Why? Read on! Plus, Kathleen Wilk has encouraging words for people facing trials of all kinds.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/09/30/95bc76b9aa164fa8a66515c89513c8dd/index.xml


Make chicken medallions at home

Joliet Junior College chef instructor Timothy Bucci explains the steps, adds wine sauce.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/10/02/2646ce38a7c148e0b2dc85a83cb43ba6/index.xml


Whisking It Up with JJC (a new cooking show, episode 1)

An 8-week "cooking show" made possible by the video talents of HN reporter Alex Ortiz. "Whisking it Up with JJC - Episode 2" Joliet Junior College chef instructor Timothy Bucci shows how tto make sauteed chicken medallions with an herbed wine sauce.

https://www.theherald-news.com/video/id/29d274c0-f5ea-41b3-930c-e078b1d05ea4.html


Joliet woman has kept the faith for 10 decades 

As she turns 100, Mary Martha Thompson shares the real meaning of life.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/10/03/e8aee7e2c2f54597b0c85fa9e2b34771/index.xml

Artworks: Folger Adam key from Joliet inspired a new mystery novel

A man from England on holiday in Florida finds an old Joliet key at a flea market,. As he learns about the key's history, a work of fiction takes shape in his mind.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/10/02/07f1df432c774cd6ae7f91195e8acb9d/index.xml


LocalLit author spotlight: Vern Coop of Joliet

Vern gives credit for his writing passion to his wife Holly Coop, also a writer, who inspired and nurtured it.

https://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2018/10/03/b0a3d840432c4a02a129dad68da08060/index.xml

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage." Follow him at www.facebook.com/artbymattcoundiff

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, April 24 through April 29

It's been a good productive, well-rested week.

I had a quiet on-call weekend, which I used by getting Tuesday's Health pages done early (just in case) and editing about 75 briefs and pushing about half of them to web...and still not done!

I'm coming into Friday better prepared than I had the last several weeks, so I'm content. Novel-wise, I worked out a couple stubborn scenes in Before the Blood. 

Now the roundup.

Check out the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page through the week.

Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.

Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

And if you do peek at these stories, to quote our editor Kate Schott, "Thank you for reading The Herald-News." :)


American Red Cross to honor Plainfield teen with rare disorder for outreach efforts

In the last three years, Caley Trepac, who has a neurological disorder of the brain and spine called Chiari malformation, has donated thousands of stuffed animals to hospitals through collection drives.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/04/21/american-red-cross-to-honor-plainfield-teen-with-rare-disorder-for-outreach-efforts/at6df5p/


Outgoing Plainfield woman went skydiving at age 77

“We took her to the athletic store to get the right outfit and she had her hair done because she knew it was going to be videoed,” said Bobby Bostanche, of Plainfield. “I said, ‘Mom, as soon you jump out of the plane, it’s not going to matter,’ but she said, ‘I have to look good for it.’ ”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/04/21/outgoing-plainfield-woman-went-skydiving-at-age-77/acw0b0v/


Joliet woman to speak at Holocaust event at Joliet Jewish Congregation (VIDEO EXTRA)

Michelle Rubovits has flashbacks of German soldiers in their big black boots asking her, “Where is your father?”

“If I would have said, ‘Oh, he’s in the barn milking the cows,’ that would have been the end of us,” Rubovits said. “But I said, “I don’t have a father.’ ”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/04/21/joliet-woman-to-speak-at-holocaust-event-at-joliet-jewish-congregation/az16d7t/


Lewis University student showing photos of Joliet prison in Lockport

By Jeanne Millsap

“What you see is the architectural detail,” said Pam Owens, executive director of the Gaylord Building in Lockport. “She took such beautiful artistic photos of such a high resolution.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/04/21/lewis-university-student-showing-photos-of-joliet-prison-in-lockport/asz50c1/

Joliet Elks Lodge #296 auctioning Fletcher Ransom painting for capital improvements

The current bid is $40,000. Overseeing the auction is Robert Edward Auctions in New Jersey, whom the Elks contacted in late 2015, said Brian Dwyer, president of the auction facilitator. Dwyer said the painting is significant for several reasons.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/04/26/joliet-elks-lodge-296-auctioning-fletcher-ransom-painting-for-capital-improvements/ah8emb8/