Nov 13, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Firsts in Fiction Team
The FiF Team is at it again, folks. You won’t want to miss tomorrow’s live podcast episode as we continue our discussion on genres. This week, we’re talking mystery/police procedural, with very special guest Steven James.
Steven is a national best selling author of over thirty books including fiction and nonfiction. His Bowers Files series has been called “nailbiting,” and “psychological thrillers.”
He’s also a very talented public speaker.
I met Steven at my first Blue Ridge Conference. Anyone who has taken his classes walks away with more than information and guidance. He teaches writing in a way that lets the writer live what we learn.
Join us tomorrow evening, 6:30 PST as Steven shares his insights on writing a remarkable thriller.
Click here to join the podcast: Firsts in Fiction: Steven James.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Nov 12, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, On Faith.
God doesn’t lie. He doesn’t manipulate, coerce, or push us into doing things.
Sure, there are times on this earth when life goes sideways or worse, upside down. That’s not God’s design. That’s the result of free will and sin.
You know what God’s design for us here on earth is? Joy. Peace. Community. Love. Beauty. Understanding. Freedom. Rest.
There’s at least one reference to resting in God in each book of the Bible. I’d say that means it’s a pretty significant message, wouldn’t you?
Then Jesus said, “Come to me,
all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 NLT
The thing is, we’re taught to carry our own loads. That it’s not “cool” to ask for help or slow down the busy pace of life. We especially don’t want to inconvenience someone else. Am I right?
But what if that part of our teaching is wrong? What if we could simply stop, take a breath, and ask God to help us? Do you think He would?
Frankly, On Faith: God Will Give You Rest
Resting is our body’s way of healing itself. Whether it’s just a day’s work, or a significant illness, during sleep our bodies are working to recover and get back to God’s design for our humanity. So is it really out of the question to think He should be our first Go-To Guy when we need rest of any kind?
Whether it’s physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual, God’s got this. We just need to let Him.
TWEET THIS: Will you give God the opportunity to give you rest? @MollyJoRealy #franklyonfaith #restinHim
And Franky, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Nov 11, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Social Media Saturday
It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about holidays (at least, not here on the blog.)
I’m talking about what happens after the holidays. That’s write right.
I’m talking about making a plan for the future of your media.
Hey, if you’re like me (and I know at least some of you are), you’re figuring out how to move forward with your health, your budget, your home. So why not your media presence as well?
If you want your social media to grow, you can’t just scatter a bunch of seeds and hope they stick. You have to plot the garden, figure how to feed what needs feeding, and prune what needs pruning.
It’s not too soon to think about a marketing budget, a posting schedule, and contacts you need to make to get the word out.
Overwhelmed? Don’t be.
It’s as easy as getting a weekly calendar and plotting out ahead of time things you want to draw attention to, and maintenance you need to do. If you’re blogging, it might look something like this:
SATURDAY: Schedule posts for week.
SUNDAY: List themes/ideas for next week.
MONDAY: Read book notes, write review.
TUESDAY: Contact/Call/Email so-and-so re: guest blogging
WEDNESDAY: Pull research for next week
THURSDAY: Rough draft posts
FRIDAY: Review/edit posts
Or, if you’re only about posting to Twitter or Instagram, it might look a little different:
SATURDAY: Share recipe posts from so-and-so
SUNDAY: Search hashtags for NYC
MONDAY: Post coffee facts
TUESDAY: Create memes for the week
WEDNESDAY: Follow three new people
THURSDAY: Share three #throwbackthursday posts
FRIDAY: Create list of themes/ideas for next week
Sure, you say. But that’s just weekly. How does a year calendar come into play? Easy-peasy answer coming up! Try to pick a theme for each month before the month starts, and curate information and other links to share. Boom. Job half done. Got guest bloggers? Assign them a day each week or month, and remind them ahead of time. Bam. Another to-do marked off. And once or twice a monthly (even weekly) schedule time to review your stats and responses. See what works, what doesn’t, and change accordingly.
Having a theme and a calendar makes it easy to track the special days you want to celebrate online, the stories you want to write about, and the times you may need someone to fill in if you’re on vacation or at the dentist. [Note to self: Reschedule exam after the holidays.] There are several websites that list Celebration Days. For instance, did you know tomorrow is National Pizza with The Works Except the Anchovies Day? Hey, I’m not making this stuff up!
Now, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say I think y’all can tell I’ve not been following any calendar guide lately. Short posts, late night posts. But hey. At least I’m posting, right?
Y’all will be happy to know it’s time This Girl picked up next year’s Happy Planner. I’m gonna Plan the bejeebies out of 2018. Who’s with me? #plannersunite
Frankly, My Dear . . . : MoJo’s Happy Planners
Okay. So that’s my social media scheduling advice. What do you do to keep track, and how do you get through the days you don’t?
TWEET THIS: Social Media Saturday: Planning is Key @MollyJoRealy #socialmedia
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
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Nov 10, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . :Five Things Friday
I know this may come as a shock to y’all, but I like reading. Almost as much as writing.
And while I’m a fan of reading something new, I also enjoy revisiting my favorite stories.
I recently compiled a list of books to read in the next few weeks, and well, let’s just say I think I’m set for the next year.
Here are my five favorite books to read each holiday season:
- The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. So, technically, this is a series of books, but for me, they’re bound into one volume. The saga of the Pevensie children and others as they continue to be drawn into Narnia has always been one of my favorites. Mr. Tumnus, the Beavers, and Aslan are just a few unforgettable characters that make the Gospel Story told in a remarkable way.
- A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Hullo. The original self-published book, am I right? The three ghosts, poverty, pride, and a change of heart. What’s not to like?
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. This book shaped my youth and my writing. With Jo March as one of my first mentors, I learned it was okay to not fit in, and as long as I remain true to myself, good things follow.
- The Complete Collection of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Yes, another collection. And I admittedly have not yet read it in its entirety. But it’s still a fascinating read and one that I love to experience on a cozy fireplace weekend.
- Cookbooks. They are too books! And I know, I know. This isn’t one book for the list. But really? You’re gonna make me choose between Better Homes and Gardens’ sugar cookie recipe, or Scharffen Berger’s chocolate liqueur? What about Taste of Home’s casseroles? No. No, I can’t choose just one. Please don’t make me.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Books to Read This Season
So there you have it. My more-than-five favorites for this week.
What books do you like to read during winter?
TWEET THIS: Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Books to Read This Season @MollyJoRealy #amreading
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Nov 9, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
[Edited from original post, December 11, 2011.]
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
And this is what it looks like in my house:
See that salty good mix? This is my version of the original Chex Party Mix. I’ve always known it as “Doo-Dads”. Others call it “Nuts and Bolts.” Still others, just “Snack Mix.”
A little this, a little that. How could y’all not want some Doo-Dads?
You can deck the halls all you want, but in my house it’s not The Season until the Doo-Dads are made.
I pretty much live on a diet of this and my mocha mix from Thanksgiving til Christmas. I try not to overindulge. But it’s the holidays. I’ve been known to get a little carried away. Hence, the Security Patrol, otherwise known as Nutcracker. And believe me, there’s a lot of Doo-Dads to guard. At least, at first.
It may not look like a lot from this shot, but that tin is 14 inches tall and 10 inches wide. And this is just one batch!
Wanna guess how long before we ran out of the first batch? Let’s just say I made the second batch when nobody else would be home for hours. Easier to guard with less snack attackers around.
Here’s a few helpful hints when making this recipe:
*20 cups of cereal and snacks can be a lot for one bowl to contain, so I usually put all the dry ingredients into a large trash bag for easier mixing. If you do this, make sure to use a regular plastic trash bag and not a “scented” or “clean fragrance” one. You don’t want your Doo-Dads to taste lemony fresh. That’s so not part of the recipe.
*After mixing all the dry ingredients, pour the butter sauce into the bag. Make sure you have a tight grip on the bag and shake it, shift it, however you want to mix it. Just make sure you don’t crush the Doo-Dads. You’ll know when it’s all coated once the bag itself has been coated on the inside.
*Use large roasting pans. To make clean up easier, I buy the cheap disposable ones. No matter how many batches I make, all I have to do when I’m done is toss them out. No dishpan hands for me!
*If you’ve mixed the Doo-Dads in a large bag, make sure you have a good grip on the bag, taking in all the excess and holding it like a pour spout. The mix will tumble out quickly so be careful not to overfill the pans.
*When stirring every 15 minutes, I take one pan out, stir it and set it aside. I take the next pan, stir, and put it where the first pan was; rotating each pan clockwise, and putting the first pan into the last empty spot. Of course, they’ll roast no matter where they’re placed in the oven, but this ensures that the roasting is nice and even.
And now, from my house to yours… The Recipe.
Merry Christmas. Eat, Drink, and Be Merry!
Ingredients
- 5 Cups Corn Chex
- 5 Cups Rice Chex
- 5 Cups Wheat Chex
- 4 Cups Cheerios
- 1 Bag (12 oz.) Pretzel Sticks
- 1 Box (13.5 oz ea.) Cheez-It Crackers
- 2 Cans (14.5 oz ea.) Salted Peanuts
- 1 Cup + 2 TBS Butter
- 1/3 Cup Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 1/2 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Seasoned Salt
Instructions
- Mix together cereals, pretzels, cheese crackers and peanuts. Set aside.
- In small saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
- Add worcestershire sauce to butter, stir.
- Add garlic salt and seasoned salt to butter sauce. Stir constantly until blended.
- Pour sauce over dry mix. Mix thoroughly.
- Spread into shallow baking or roasting pans.
- Roast at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.
3.1
https://franklymydearmojo.com/2017/11/09/recipe-doo-dads/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
What are some of your favorite holiday recipes?
TWEET THIS: Doo-Dads: A family favorite holiday recipe. @MollyJoRealy #doodads #holiday
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
