Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, April 30 to May 6

 Good morning!

I have twenty-three feature stories to share with you today and more yet posted. So do check back on The Herald-News site: shawlocal.com/the-herald-news. 

Over the last couple of months, 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/

On the fiction side of things, I'm working on the final development of the minor characters in Call of the Siren. My goal (from a Friday morning point of view) is to complete that process this weekend. 

Call of the Siren is the second book in the BryonySeries Limbo trilogy, with gorgeous cover art by Nancy Calkins.

Now that our slew of family emergencies (2022) is an adventure: here is one of our emergencies), Rebekah is planning to dedicate two days in May to catching up with BryonySeries projects she's had to let go for a while.

That includes formatting Call of the Siren and do the finishing production touches of Cornell Dyer and the Calcium Deficient Bones and Cornell Dyer and the "Mistical" Being, along with some other behind-the-scenes projects, such as updating the BryonySeries Pinterest and YouTube pages.

Both Rebekah and our artist Sue Midlock have gone through health issues this past year, which has caused publication delays (both books were written last year. But I'd rather have delays and healthy collaborators. Please send up good thoughts for them both.

Next up in the series: a Sherlock Holmes parody (the main character is Sherman Homes). Timothy is ready for a Cornell breakfast to share his ideas.

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 are beautiful! One book in this series of eight books is completely written, a second is halfway written, and the rest are outlined. 

Now back to the twenty-three 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 Will County Go Guide and Sign up for the LocalLit Short Story and Book Review Newsletter at https://www.theherald-news.com/newsletter/

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

Camp Fire Illinois Prairie has Crest Hill chapter, offering day camp in Bolingbrook: Camp Fire Illinois Prairie also offers the NASA Astro Camp Collaborative Partners Program. 

Baran-Unland: Please give this sweet cat a home: Larry’s siblings Moe and Curly are already adopted. Larry is eager for a forever home, too.

Families of Bolingbrook school planning peaceful protest on Friday in Romeoville: Families at St. Dominic Catholic School in Bolingbrook want to know why its school is closing.

Catholic Charities’ Senior Companion Program aims to dispel loneliness and isolation in seniors: Schweikart: ‘Our volunteers are just amazingly caring individuals’ 

What’s good for the kidney is good for the heart: Sound waves are often used for breaking up kidney stones. Now Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox is using them to remove calcifications from the arteries. 

Clothilde Ewing had trouble finding diverse books for her kids, so she wrote her own: Ewing: ‘There weren’t as many books as I would have liked to have seen with a child who happens to be Black’

Joliet hospice honors its 120 volunteers with yard signs and field calls: But more volunteers are needed. Here’s how you can help. 

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

Severe weather rolling into Will and Grundy counties Saturday afternoon

Dispose of medications, documents on May 7 at Troy Township: Needles properly contained inside an approved sharps container also will be accepted

Armed robber killed in bar stickup near Frankfort: cops

Providence Catholic H.S. in New Lenox names new principal for 2022: Paul Houston steps into the role on July 1.

Will County Progressives want ‘lame duck’ to replace Connor: Ibarra, Bright, said neither Deomcratic candidate for the 43rd District should be appointed in the interim 

Connor resigns from Illinois SenateConnor’s resignation was effective Saturday: Connor’s resignation was effective Saturday

D-204 in Joliet announces its students of the month for April 2022: Service clubs honored ‘character, responsibility, and academic performance or improvement’ 

Come out and golf May 19 and help adults and kids with disabilities and mental health needs: Trinity Services in New Lenox serves more than 5800 people in more than 30 Illinois communities 

Timbers of Shorewood names Jennifer Loughran as its Volunteer of the Year: Odell: ‘Jennifer has truly been a blessing with her contagious smile, positive attitude, and upbeat personality’ 

Troy 30-C school board recognizes March 2022 Students of the Month: Students selected for their consistent effort, productive citizenship, positive attitude and participation in class

Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers earns 11 awards of excellence: Professional Research Consultants Inc. recognized Morris Hospital with the awards.

Morris Hospital announces its Fire Starter of the Month for April : Carl Pohl, an environmental services associate, was recognized for excellence and friendliness.

5 Things to do in Will County: Get back to nature this weekend with a hike and planting kit: Plus, check out 3 ways to enjoy music or comedy, too.

Morris Hospital to host blood drive May 13: Face masks are required.

Will-Grundy Medical Clinic celebrating 34 years, remodeling 100-year-old building: RSVP for the May 19 celebration by May 5.

Illustration by Matt Coundiff for "Visage"

Taking the Long Road

Life is, sometimes, a series of trade-offs.

All of us must decide how we shall spend each twenty-four block God, in His mercy and kindness, graciously gives us.

I've spend the last few weekends with mostly work projects, not working on the novel. And I shall do do again this weekend.

However, these were all projects I was pleased to tackle. And I'm learning a new skill, video editing, in the process. And the only way to accomplish all of the above was to, temporarily, trade off my fiction.

Which means finishing the formatting for Cornell Dyer and the Missing Tombstone takes a back seat until the weekend after this one. Because that will be the first opportunity for returning to it.

That said, today's post is short on purpose so I can spend my thirty minutes on Before the Blood.

Happy Monday, vampire fans! :)

Hello, Monday

It felt good working everyone else's Easter weekend.

It meant every editor had the holiday off, including me, when mine rolls around on May 1.

It meant the opportunity to catch up on some (not all; it was an ambitious list, but some) tasks I kept pushing back due to lack of time.

It meant working with two of the reporters, something I don't normally do.

It meant feeling good about having the upcoming weekend off. I have nothing planned (except fiction - Before the Blood -  on Saturday and church and health pages on Sunday).

It meant feeling good about helping out.

It meant feeling good about watching my youngest kids, now all adults, take commond of much of the household (I have my chores, which they did for me this weekend) and enjoying the fruits that come with the labors of others - and feeling proud of the adults they have become.

Monday morning mood over a delicious cup of dark roast: serene and anticipatory.

Hello, Monday. :)

Mental Calisthenics

The last couple months at work have been a tremendous editing workout. 

The sheer volume of information coming in regarding holiday events, along with the stockpiling of stories in anticipation for vacation days during Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year; and the tighter weekend editor rotation has stretched my brain and endurance in wonderful and frustrating ways.

It's a rare Sunday I even peek at Before the Blood, but maybe even that project should receive a day of rest.

I love the growth. I just don't always love the process. 

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Paul, of course, is referring to heavenly matters, but during times of kicking the heat up a few notches and increasing the weights I lift, I cling to these words.

Anyway, these are my thoughts as I leave a working weekend behind and enter the new work week. 

Happy Monday

Busy week ahead!

Since cramming a five-day-ish work week into three with early Thanksgiving deadlines is impossible, I've spread it out over the last few weekends, trying to get ahead. Still, as I glance at my schedule, an amazing amount of work still needs to be done. Strapping on the super powers!

The goal?

To concentrate on breaking news and projects without looming deadlines on Thursday, as I am the editor responsible for both newspapers on that day. The trade-off is that I get to spend Friday making piriohi with Rebekah and two of my grandchildren, while Timothy and Daniel put up the tree and decorate, and then enjoy a much-needed three-day weekend, which includes Before the Blood, of course.

I am so stoked! Watch out Munsonville, here I come!

Rebekah and I finished our St. Nicholas shopping on Saturday, well, except for regular-sized, regular-flavored (peppermint) candy canes, which seem to have dispppeared from shelves in favor of chocolate mint,  cinnamon, fruit-flavored, etc., blech!

Now that the kids are older and stretched across miles, we draw names of the adults and then names of the kids. We spend only $20 on the adults and $10 on the kids, and we do fill the stockings and not with useless junk, either. In fact, one year, Sarah had me and needed and extra stocking. We're that good!

Our family has recovered financially enough to once again host the St. Nicholas banquet at our church. Now that the congregation consists of a handful of elderly people plus clergy, no one is expecting St. Nicholas (Just about every man in the parish, as well as my sons, have filled that role over the years).

But I feel everyone needs a bit of surprise joy and magic in their lives. I received a donation of three boxes of lovely golden ornaments and, true to our form, am importing a St. Nicholas. Meaning, no one in our parish has ever met the man who is portraying the good bishop and distributing these lovely ornaments. Just in case a few do bring their grandchildren, we have extra ornaments, as well as gold coins...and candy canes, if can score any real ones.

Sorry for the scattered post, but that's the arrangment on my thoughts this morning. Time to put them to rights and get on it.

Happy Monday!

Minding the Shop

Busy weekend - the weekend editor for two newspapers, some of my own work that spilled into the weekend, and catching up on bills and other mundane chores/errands that keep getting pushed back for lack of time.

But my plan this morning is to leave shortly for church (We will miss next week for lack of transportation) and work on four things I really need to have done before tomorrow, if I don't want Monday to be stressful. And hopefully I will be able to help with a bit of the daily housework instead of pushing it all onto Rebekah and Daniel (again).

Although, on the other hand, they often are good about it, since that means I can spend an hour or so engaged with them. But still...

Doesn't sound like a great weekend to you?

Well, here's the deal.

It's been productive. It's not every weekend. And I totally adore this job.

Furthermore, I worked a portion of a scene in Before the Blood that just wasn't coming together. I began the last one in a very long chapter five. Now, I won't get that finished, but I'm hoping to break that final scene into "homework" sections and assign them to various weekday mornings, so I come into next weekend with chapter five complete.

Sounds like a great weekend to me.

Don't Look, Don't Look, Don't Look

So why does the muse spring to life at the END of the weekend?

Don't get me wrong. Although it was a busy weekend as the weekend editor, I did make weave Before the Blood amongst the duties. The muse was awake; progress was made.

This morning, as I'm sipping coffee and posting (officially for two newspapers and unofficially for BryonySeries), the urge to open up the chapter and re-read the parts I wrote is irresistable.

Sure, I could exercise self-restraint and not look until later.

But when is later? I have a full day today, a list of errands that resembles War and Peace to run after work, the features budget and phone calls to make tonight, plus things to do at home.

When is later? Tomorrow? In a week?

I think, just one quick peek.