Are You Ready to Visit NOLA? (Or, How I’m Celebrating the Best Decisions I’ve Ever Made in My Life)
This is typically the pre-post point wherein I give you an update on NOLA. You know, something witty, adorably personal, maybe with a touch of Bohemian humor.
Well, I hate to disappoint y’all, but there will be no pre-post update.
Awww, don’t cry! It’s okay. No, really. It is.
Wanna know why?
Well, I’ll tell ya:
NOLA IS FINISHED AND WILL BE RELEASED NEXT WEEK!
How do you like them beignets?
NOLA, by Molly Jo Realy
Isn’t she pretty? I’m so in love with the cover. Like, crazyinlove with it.
Ah, but first. The celebrations.
It was exactly one year ago today I woke up, and I just knew. I knew in the way no one questions the blue sky, or green grass. I knew I had to move to South Carolina.
What started as a five-year plan so became a one-year plan. Then maybe a six-month plan. Then God smiled and said, “Fasten your seat belt, honey. You’re on a race track and there are no stop signs.” Four months later, I unlocked the door to my new home.
That’s Celebration No. 1.
Celebration No. 2, of course, is finishing NOLA.
Like, really finishing it. Not just typing “The End” and going back to fix what wasn’t broken. But hiring the book designer, stop micromanaging the character dialogue, and just letting it simmer. Let a tea kettle on the stove on a hot summer day.
Which, come to think of it, is kinda what today is.
And you know what? That tea kettle is singing for attention. Yup. That’s right. I pulled that baby right off the burner, poured it over some leaves, let it cool, and now we have a nice brewed book ready to be drunk in with all the love a sweet summer tea can offer.
NOLA will be available through Amazon starting Wednesday, June 26.
That is Celebration No. 3.
And a very significant anniversary. It was seven years ago to the date that I started NOLA. What began as an idea for the name of a free-spirited character evolved into a short story until it became apparent a novel was born.
NOLA Research
And now here we are. I’m becoming Josie. I’m living in the South. And my book is a real thing. I just don’t know what to do with all this goodness except drink it in, toss my hair back, and smile.
Yup. It’s time to party.
Oh, did I mention I’m having a Launch Party on Facebook? You can join now if you like: NOLA Facebook Live Launch Party. There will be posts, polls, and lots of fun stuff for the next few days. The Live Event will be Wednesday, June 26 at 9pm EDT. Did I also mention gifts and prizes? I didn’t? Must’ve slipped my mind …
Well, much as I’d love to stay and chat, it’s super late on Thursday night and I need to make sure this gets posted. I also have some beignets to order.
Leave a comment: What are you celebrating this summer?
With a cup full of chicory and heart full of love, Happy Writing. ~Molly Jo
Frankly, My Dear . . . Savor the Journey!
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Bohemian Hurricane
Molly Jo is better known as the Bohemian Hurricane. She is the author/curator of The Unemployment Cookbook and several eBooks available on Amazon. Her work-in-progress, NOLA, is a romantic mystery novel set in New Orleans, and the first in her City Series. [Note to Self: Time to change the bio info. #shazam!]
Earlier this week, the unthinkable happened. I couldn’t get into Facebook. Or Instagram. Not terribly heart-attack inducing, until my cohort Irene messaged me “Please tell me your Facebook account wasn’t deleted!” So of course, I did the only thing I could: I panicked.
I Googled “Facebook broke” and whoa-hoh. The ensuing disaster happened before my internet eyes. There in digital black and white was confirmation that both sites were down, and had been for a few hours, worldwide.
Now, my peeps are often scaringwarningpreparing me for the apocalyptic EMP that will someday take the world wide web, and my life, down with it. Can I just say this little glimpse into the future did not–I repeat, did not–make the warm and fuzzies show up.
The worst was when no one else could access their accounts, either. Or maybe that was the best. I mean, at least I wasn’t alone in my aloneness. Know what I mean?
Thoughts in rapid-fire succession came to me:
How will I contact my besties?
How can I blog?
How long will this last?
Do I have any other survival skills?
Why can’t I feel my fingertips?
When will the room stop spinning?
How long before my dead body is found, crumpled in a heap at the foot of my MacBook Pro?
Don’t laugh.
I made good use of my five minutes of rediscovery. I made a meme. Only thing was, I couldn’t post it until the event was over.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Day the Internet Broke
Sure. It’s funny now. But not during. It was a hit to my social media funny bone.
So let’s not do it again, web.
[Note to self: Remember the digital isn’t the only world out there. I know, I’m laughing too. But they say it’s true.]
Tell me, what do you do when your social media doesn’t work?
(Originally published on The Write Conversation. Reprinted/updated here with permission.)
Everywhere we turn we’re hit with the message of how great social media is. Don’t get me wrong, I love social media. But I didn’t start out loving it. I began my relationship with this new paradigm by hating it.
I don’t have a background in computers or marketing or anything that might make social media look interesting. Add to that fact that I’m a natural introvert, and you have a recipe for a disaster. Truthfully, that was how my relationship with social media began—as a disaster. Here are, from my own experience, the top 10 ways to make yourself miserable with social media.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Miserable with Social Media
Sign up for Twitter, and keep your tweets protected. This means you have to approve anyone who follows you. This make absolutely no sense at all. You’re on Twitter to get your name out there. Having to approve followers means no one (okay, almost no one) will follow you.
Never add to the social conversation. This means you never comment on Facebook, or tweet on Twitter or take part in any of the dialogue. You just follow what’s being said and wonder why social media isn’t working. For social media to work, you have to wade in and join the fun.
Refuse to upload a picture of yourself as your Twitter avatar. If you just keep the default Egg Avatar on Twitter you’re telling the world one of two things. You’re a Twitter newbie and don’t know what you’re doing, or you’re a spammer.
Join every new social media platform that comes out. As of this moment, there are well over 150 individual social media platforms, and that number changes by the hour. There’s no way anyone can reasonably interact on that many. Join Twitter and Facebook, but beyond that, pick one or two more you like best and concentrate on those.
Use Facebook as a platform to air all grievances. There’s a saying that what happens on the Internet STAYS on the Internet. It’s true. No matter how much you later regret an outburst or ill-considered post, it’s there to stay. It’s almost impossible to erase all traces of something written on the Internet and that’s especially true with social media. My rule is to NEVER post anything negative on social media.
Spend the bulk of your writing time doing social media. Yes, social media can help you get a contract (whether it’s for an article or book). But it won’t help if you can’t write. Writers need to be spending the majority of time writing and learning to write, NOT on social media. I recommend writers spend no more than 30 minutes a day on social media.
Post all your social media updates at once, in a short window of time. This will insure you get noticed—but not in the way you want. Hogging the stream will cause your friends and followers to stop interacting with you and even delete you from their streams faster than almost anything.
Just do social media when the mood hits. Posting when you feel like it, instead of working at it consistently is a guaranteed way to fail. Small, consistent steps are a guaranteed route to success.
Don’t use an ancillary program to keep track of social media. I recommend Hootsuite, but Buffer and Tweetdeck are also viable alternatives. Not sure what I’m talking about? Then read this post on Hootsuite Basics to see what you’re missing.
The best way to make yourself miserable with social media is to NOT do it. If you don’t give it a try you’ll always be wondering what you’re missing, and feeling guilty because you know it’s something you should do.
Now it’s your turn, what part of social media has made you miserable and how have you overcome it?
Find your voice, live your story…is the foundation of Edie Melson’s message, no matter if she’s addressing parents, military families or writers. As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Connect with her on her blog and through Twitter and Facebook.You can also connect with Edie through Twitter and Facebook.
So. This author? Lindsey? We kissed frogs together. #truestory.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Kissing Our Frog Princes at Blue Ridge
She has completely hunted me downthreatenedencouraged me to embrace my inner Southern Belle and pushed me toward being the person I am today. Yeah, I’m sorry. Wait. What?
No, seriously. Since I met her a few years ago, she’s been nagging me. “When are you gonna write for Splickety?” “How can I pray for you?” “Are you working on NOLA this week?” “When do we get to have coffee?” I mean, the girl is just . . . such an encourager. Sigh.
Annnnnd in the throes of being a wife, mother, magazine editor, and local newspaper columnist, she just published her debut novel, Still Waters.
Cora Anne Halloway has a history degree and a plan: avoid her own past—despite being wait-listed for graduate school. Then her beloved grandmother requests—and her dispassionate mother insists—that she spend the summer at Still Waters, the family cottage on Edisto Beach, South Carolina.
Despite its picturesque setting, Still Waters haunts Cora Anne with loss. At Still Waters her grandfather died, her parents’ marriage disintegrated, and as a child, she caused a tragic drowning. But lingering among the oak canopies and gentle tides, this place also tempts her with forgiveness—especially since Nan hired Tennessee Watson to oversee cottage repairs. A local contractor, but dedicated to the island’s preservation from development, Tennessee offers her friendship and more, if she can move beyond her guilt.
When a family reunion reveals Nan’s failing health, Cora Anne discovers how far Tennessee will go to protect her—and Edisto—from more desolation. Will Cora Anne choose between a life driven by guilt, or one washed clean by the tides of grace?
I’ll review Still Waters next week, but tonight, we’re celebrating. How? Why, having a Facebook Launch Event, of course! C’mon, you know you want in on this action.
Here’s all you have to do: Click this link: Still Waters Launch Party. That’s it. Follow the link, click, “going”, and show up. I’ll be interviewing Lindsey about her book, the writing process, and her life, and she’s got a few giveaways for y’all as well.
(republished with permission. And be sure to check out my post today on Edie’s blog, The Write Conversation. ~Molly Jo)
Edie Melson: How to Craft a Perfect Facebook Post Using Headline Techniques
With a compelling headline, a browser becomes a reader. In the same way, a compelling Facebook post gives the web surfer the impetus to visit your blog or buy your book. But what makes a great headline?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : What makes a great headline?
The best posts contain your entire message in one memorable bite…without spoiling the ending.
Here are some of the basic types of headlines:
Direct Headlines go straight to the heart of the matter, without any attempt at cleverness. A direct Facebook post might read Free SEO E-book.
An Indirect Headline takes a more subtle approach. It uses curiosity to raise a question in the reader’s mind. It frequently uses clever words with double meanings. One of my favorites was, Why You Should NOT have a Facebook page. The actual blog post was written tongue-in-cheek about not wanting to promote a product.
A News Headline is pretty self-explanatory, as long as the news really is news. It might be a product announcement, an improved version, or even a content scoop. Introducing the New Google Plus.
The How to Headline is everywhere—mainly because it works. Just be careful not to work it too much. How to Craft a Perfect Facebook Post.
A Question Headline must be more than just a question—it must be something your audience is actually interested in. How can Google Plus Help You?
The Command Headline issues an order, telling the reader what to do, such as Subscribe to The Write Conversation Today!
Another effective technique is called the Reason Why Headline. This is where your popular Top Ten Reasons to … fall.
Finally, we have the Testimonial Headline, this works because it provides outside proof that what you offer has value. This is the only headline that uses quotation marks in the title. It lets the reader know this is a testimonial and will be continued in the body of the email.
What are some key components to a compelling headline?
It must provide the reader with the tools to evaluate the content.
It needs to resonate with a reader’s urgency.
It’s important to show the reader why this offer/product/person is unique.
And it must do all of this clearly and concisely.
Now it’s your turn. Do you have a strategy when it comes to posting on Facebook? What makes a Facebook link one you want to click on?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : What makes a Facebook link one you want to click on?
Find your voice, live your story…is the foundation of Edie Melson’s message, no matter if she’s addressing parents, military families or writers. As an author, blogger, and speaker she’s encouraged and challenged audiences across the country and around the world. Connect with her on her blog and through Twitter and Facebook.You can also connect with Edie through Twitter and Facebook.
