Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Dec. 31, 2022 to Jan. 6, 2023

Good morning.

Today I have just eleven features and news stories to share with you today, with more that will be posted over the weekend. So be sure to check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news.

Tuesday marked my first day back after having COVID. Although the virus was relatively mild for me, it did bring quite a bit of fatigue, which made this week challenging. I'm feeling pretty good today, and I 'm happy about that, since we celebrate our family Christmas tomorrow, and I have lots to do tonight.

Here is a quick recap on BryonySeries projects in the works.

I now rough drafts for the first five chapters of in the final book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy: House on Top of the Hill. 

I am in the process of writing the net book in The Adventures of Cornell Dyer subseries: Cornell Dyer and the Hounds of Basketville. Sue Midlock almost has the art done, too. But I will adjust and get that book written soon.

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. But I'm not sharing any details yet. 

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 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

Neurosurgery program at Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox to expand in 2023: Dr. Peleg Horowitz: ‘When I speak to these patients, they are very grateful to not have to travel into the city.’

5 generations of women were married at same Lockport church: Abigail Rodewald Brown: ‘I can’t mess with tradition by any means.’

Lincoln-Way West H.S. bowling coach honored for meritorious service: Scott Ullian: ‘To further someone else life means more to me than me shooting a 300 game.’ 

Top 10 most-read stories from The Herald-News in Joliet

Will County officials, residents share their hopes with the Herald-News for 2023

Joliet grassroots event raises $160,000 for 6 Will County agencies: Denise Maffeo: ‘Which I think is really amazing for just a party with costumes.’ 

Hospitals in Will, Grundy counties announce their 1st babies of 2023

2 shot in Joliet house; 18-year-old man arrested

Man rushed to hospital after he was burned in car fire at Shorewood parking lot: The cause of the blaze is under investigation

Pets of the Week: Jan. 2, 2023: Will County rescues have dogs and cats for adoption.

5 Things to do in Will County: plenty of live music to start 2023: Plus, celebrate 2023 in the style of a 1759 French-Canadian fur trader

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Nov. 5 through Nov. 10

It's been a busy week and even busier fall. But I'm nearly on the other side of the hecticness.

One more work week (and working weekend) and the I go on writer's retreat (a fancy way of saying I have vacation time to use up and will spending it working on book No. 5 of the Before the Blood).

This weekend, I'm wrapping up the stories in a three-part series I wrote, exploring how devastating illness impacts families. I also have some incomplete marketing projects to, well, complete.

But looking back, I've made nearly all my goals for this year. That, combined with the fact I finally got some decent sleep last night, makes for an overall satisfying feeling.

Overall because I lost an object important to me yesterday. Also, I wanted to run something timely in the newspaper but moved another, not as timely item on the page instead, again, the product of being tired, which is grating on my nerves this morning.

Before I move onward to features, I'd like to give a quick shout-out to WriteOn Joliet's anthology release party. Details below. Have a blessed Friday, all! :)

WriteOn Joliet Anthology Release Party

When: 6 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 17

Where: The Book Market, 2365 Plainfield Road, Crest Hill

Etc.: Copies of "Write Where We Are" (WriteOn Joliet's first anthology) will be for sale. Information about WriteOn Joliet. A chance to meet and talk to some of WriteOn Joliet's members, as well as purchase books written by individual WriteOn Joliet authors as well as browse the store and purchase others books. Chef-created refreshments. BryonySeries raffles. Free admission.

Contact: bryonyseries@gmail.com

Visit: writeonJoliet.com or www.bryonyseries.com

Features, etc.:

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 in web on other days as I have the time: Monday (pets), Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (arts and entertainment), and Sunday (people).

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.

Thank you for reading The Herald-News. And for reading this blog. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Micro pantries cropping up in Will and Grundy Counties

So far, people are jumping in where they can, and Jeff Eberhard is certain the project will keep snowballing.

 Eberhard is referring to Little Free Food Pantries.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/10/31/b58803cf92b24a0db77e773bcaafac35/index.xml

'Grandpa, you should write a book'

Joliet man took his passions and flew with them

Flying and hard work were mainstays of his entire life. But how Albert arrived there might make modern parents cringe.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/10/31/5bb6dda8d93e44d8bb8769f8deaf28b1/index.xml

'I prefer to live in the moment'

“At the time, we thought it to be good news," Krystal Bettega said of her daughter Madi Mumm's diagnosis. "We finally knew what was going on and there would be a cure or treatment that would help,:

And then Krystal learned the details of Madi’s disorder.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/11/05/1bfa5496936f4230b7440e7b11f249d2/index.xml

'You just deal with it'

“Day-to-day life is not predictable,” Rosemarie Melnik of Tinley Park said about her granddaughter Bella Brya. “Bella has no verbal communication. If something is bothering her, she is not able to tell you. She’s lost all her motor skills. She cannot move her arms and legs and cannot hold up her head. She cannot swallow. She has a feeding tube."

Bella's brother Liam Bella and father Bill Brya also have health challenges.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/11/05/ca68dfb07dec439b8f2d08499ce010ba/index.xml

Mystery Diner: Old Fashioned Pancake House: casual atmosphere, great value since 1986

Did we want breakfast, lunch or dinner? Despite the late hour, we could order any menu item.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/10/30/0bbe209f14e4487ab9d55fd6e050769e/index.xml?page=1

'Psalms of Paul' addresses life, love and faith

Two years ago, when Paul Oliver turned 50, he desired to leave a legacy for his grandchildren, so they might know he was more than a water treatment plant employee.

“Now you can ‘Google’ my name and see I’m a writer of poetry,” Oliver said. “[They can say] he had a mind and a soul and actually accomplished something.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/11/08/08b8b08707234ec187a0a7e54b28beb4/index.xml

WriteOn Joliet publishes first anthology

Writers don't have to look far for resources

WriteOn Joliet recently published its first anthology: "Write Where We Are" and will host a launch part on Nov. 17 at The Book Market in Crest Hill.

The anthology contains poems, short stories, essays, a novella and a novel excerpt by these local writers: Mauverneen (Maureen) Blevins, Holly Coop, Emily Duncan, Diana Estell, Joshua Henderson, Tom Hernandez, Beth Higgins, Sharon M.E. Houk, R. Michael Markley, Sue Mydliak, Colleen H Robbins, Jennifer Russ, Stephen T. Saporta and Duanne Walton, as well as Tom and me.

http://www.theherald-news.com/lists/2017/11/08/dab119046d314c2ab2ac6e7a2a326845/index.xml?page=1