Mar 25, 2012 |
Congratulations to Charlene of The Babbling Baby, our winner in the Mojo Book Review and GIVEAWAY for Madeline Brandeis’ “Carmen of the Golden Coast”.
Charlene won with her mandatory entry, stating what her favorite childhood book was and why:
“My favorite book as a child was Alexander and The Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. I have no idea why I liked it so much. Probably because I could relate, after all who hasn’t had one of THOSE days. Plus, it was amusing, I loved his threat to move to Australia :)
Other favorites were the Little House on the Prairie set, the Anne of Green Gables set, anything by Judy Blume or Beverly Cleary… and lots more LOL”
Thanks to all who entered, and be sure to keep checking because we’ll be doing book giveaways, among other things, on a regular basis!
Happy reading!!
Mar 25, 2012 |
Sixteen months ago, I participated in NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writing Month. It’s a simple, fun community way to keep on track with writing. You can plot, plan, scheme for months at a time, but whatever you actually write for your book has to be written within that month of November.
Being the writer that I am and always trying to kill myself with too many To-Do’s striving for better writing accomplishments, I signed on in 2010 and yes, I actually wrote over 50,000 words in 30 days. It was not my finest work, but it did teach me about discipline.
So now that I’m promoting myself as a business owner slash writer slash publisher, I’m thinking it’s time to kick it into high gear again. Blogging doesn’t pay the bills, but publications might. And Megan’s waited long enough for me to stop tweaking the Prologue and Chapter One, and just move on. She’s got scenes in her head that I can’t wait to get to…
So why am I waiting?
This decision has slowly crept up on me over the last few days, but now I know there’s no getting around it.
I’m committing to writing 50,000 words in April. My own NaNoWriMo.
On top of blogging every day.
On top of running New Inklings Press.
On top of completing my assignments for the Institute of Children’s Literature.
The funny thing is, I don’t feel overloaded. I feel directed. I feel organized.
I feel ready.
Ready to write an average of 1,650 words a day.
Ready to move on with the characters, settings, plots, and drama.
Ready to give Megan something to be proud about.
Ready to really work on doing what it is we were born to do.
I’m ready to Write It Out.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Mar 24, 2012 |
I love Pinterest. I really do.
I signed up with the intent to carefully monitor my activity. But after the first two weeks, that’s gone out the window. Now, over a month later, next to facebook and my blog, Pinterest holds my digital interest more than any other website.
It’s my own personal, public digital clipping source. If I had to clip magazines to get all the information my Pinterest boards hold, I’d be able to pay my utilities with the paper recycling cash.
But I have a bone to pick with other Pinners, and it’s this: cite your source! I’ve read several posts from photographers who deleted their Pin Boards for copyright reasons. I understand that. I wouldn’t want my copyright works to be out there for anyone and everyone to take.
I do admit, I’m as bad as the next person when it comes to repinning from a friend. And I don’t have issues pinning a relaxing vacation site or a frog.
But if you were clipping from magazines, wouldn’t you want to know what store or cookbook or magazine to find more information from? If you have a wishlist for others to look at, don’t you want them to know where to get the goods?
I just spent 10 minutes trying to track down what was a great picture of a stockpile pantry with the promise of obtaining similar results without extreme couponing. So I clicked on it. But there was no information. So I clicked on the “via ________” link, which took me to that person’s source. Then to that person’s source. Then so on and so on.
I rabbit-trailed a back-up of more than ten – yes, ten – sources; and still none of them brought me to the information I sought. I finally gave up.
Now, I admit it’s fun to just have a pictoral collage of pretty rooms and fancy frames on the wall. I have a board “People I’d Love to Meet” which is self-explanatory.
But when it comes to a garden flower, a craft or a product on a wishlist, I want the whole information. Pinterest is now my source for clipping ideas and how-to’s. But that’s worthless to me if I don’t actually have the directions! It’s like showing the front of a haircut to my stylist and letting her figure out the rest without any other input… I could end up with a mullet!
Trust me. You want me to have all the information possible. You really, really do.
Without citing the original source, it’s almost plagiarism upon plagiarism. Pretty soon, no one will be able to verify anything. And I really like to verify my sources. I like the details. I like originality.
I can also only hope, as a blogger/writer/publisher, that anyone who pins links to my work, will actually pin links to my work. How else will others find me? How else can I build a credible business reputation?
Now here’s the flip side of that coin: it’s really hard to track the original source once a pin has been repinned. And I don’t have time to track down the original pin source. As, I’m sure, do you. Does that make me a hypocrite?
What do you think about Pinterest? Do you respect the source when you pin? Do you think there’s an absolute answer to this question?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Mar 23, 2012 |
I used to lie to myself. A lot. I used to let others define who I was, who I wasn’t, who I should be, where I came from… I used to let others define me.
The problem is, that was the problem.
Lately, I’ve been remembering these things. I don’t really know why. But I’m embarrassed for my past. For the legacy I’ve left for my family, for the friends I’ve lost, for the bosses I’ve failed. For the successes I never reached. For the go-with-the-flow mentality that wasn’t so smart to begin with.
It’s one thing to be laid-back and easy-going; it’s another to not stand your ground. To let others tell you what’s wrong with you, even when you know, deep down inside, that they’re wrong. I’m ashamed sometimes for who I was and who I let others see; even though they didn’t really see Me. I’m not talking about honest-to-God mistakes that we all make from time to time. I’m talking about people who kept me in A Box, in a design they created. They only saw what they wanted to see in me, and I let them believe it. I let them make me believe I was who they thought I was. Even though I knew better. Even though I knew it wasn’t true.
Even though I knew that nobody really knew me.
I think part of it is coming to terms with how I’m raising my daughter: am I doing a good job? Shouldn’t I have done better, yelled less, loved more? And with being unemployed. Why can’t I get a job? Am I that unemployable? What did I do wrong?
One of my friends is going through a break up with someone we both thought was The One. And today, I heard a song that reminded me of my first “real” boyfriend. [What does it say about someone when he picks Your Song to be “Hard to Say I’m Sorry…”?!] So Dot and I started talking about good relationships and bad relationships. I may still be single, but that’s a choice I made to give attention to my daughter and my writing. And I’m okay with that.
I haven’t had any responses from the applications and resumes I’ve been sending out. But I’ve been finding pocket change here and there; odd jobs and other ways to pay the bills. It’s not great. We’ve had to give up some sentimental things like our annual Disney passes. We clip coupons more than we used to. But we’re getting by. And I’m okay with that.
Sometimes I wonder if I’d done better at work, if I’d stayed in college, if I’d gone on another date… how my life would have been different. But then, it wouldn’t have been my life, would it?
There have been seasons in my life when I’ve doubted myself. When I’ve allowed others to guide me, lead me, direct me in the ways they want me to go. When I’ve let them tell me that Me Being Me isn’t not just not good enough, it was downright wrong.
I’m ashamed to admit I let people convince me of so many things. In retrospect I wonder how I could possibly have been so stupid, so gullible. But more so, I’m ashamed that I allowed that mentality to root itself inside me until I weeded it out. And it was painful; sometimes still is. Weeding is never a truly easy task. Pulling weeds is a dirty job. It grabs dirt and debris on its way out; and sometimes it grabs onto the good stuff as well. Have you ever had to pull up flowers along with the weeds? Discarding something lovely, something pleasing, is so painful, even though it’s necessary.
But I’d rather pull it all up and start new than live with shadows. Shadows are dark, creepy, misfigurations of things. They can scare, and hurt, and drain the light.
Yes, I’d rather live with new light than old shadows.
And it’s that push that keeps me facing my fears, my insecurities. My lies. That keeps me acknowledging people, places, things, and events from my past in a way that I can either accept and embrace them, or accept their lessons and say “Thank you, now good-bye.”
I’m no longer afraid of success. Of seeing people I used to know. Of being Me. Especially being the Me that I already am, and the Me I know I’m supposed to be.
Fundamentally, I know I’m a good mom, I’m a good provider, I’m a good daughter and friend and housekeeper and writer and… and… and…
And I am not stupid. I am not worthless. I am not confused or crazy or thick-headed or immature.
Standing my ground each day does not make me a bitch, it makes me powerful.
Laughing each day does not make me flippant, it makes me happy.
Writing every day does not make me lazy, it makes me confident.
Cooking every day does not make me fat, it makes me healthy.
Loving every day does not make me weak, it makes me strong.
And sharing myself every day through my blog, in person, asking for hugs from my family, and smiling at strangers… none of this makes me stupid or naive or gullible or careless or crazy.
It makes me, Me.
And you’re just gonna have to be okay with that. Or live in my shadow.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Mar 22, 2012 |
It’s here! Well, practically. It’s being published as I type this.
I am, of course, talking about this:
Nice teaser, huh? Like that artwork? I’m in love with it.
But not as much in love as I am with this:
That’s my logo. For my company.
How stinking lucky am I?!
I know, right?!
The past few months have been so blurry; and the last week even more so. I can’t believe what I’ve accomplished.
Of course, this isn’t just about me. This has been a family affair from the get-go. My mom and Dot have always encouraged the writing and the cooking (especially the cooking, for Dot!).
The cookbook was formatted and designed by my brother; and the logo, although designed by myself, was professionally done by my brother’s business partner. Are they the greatest computer artists ever?!
And today I finally set up a Facebook page for New Inklings Press. I’m looking forward to getting the website set up and maybe even a twitter page too.
In about a month I hope to have my “Study of the Ten Commandments” available as well as one or two more titles to follow shortly.
And now Megan and I have a way to get our series published.
But you don’t care about those little details. Am I right? You care about getting your hands on that cookbook!
Well, here’s your chance. More than one, actually.
Once I reach 50 subscribers to my Blog, I will use Random.org to select a random subscriber who will receive a free copy of the cookbook.
Once I reach 100 “likes” on my Molly Jo Facebook page, I will use Random.org to select a random follower who will receive a free copy of the cookbook.
There will only be one entry per person per prize, and only two prizes total (one for the Blog subscribers, one for the Facebook followers).
So spread the word via facebook, your blog, twitter, word of mouth… whatever it takes.
To “like” me on Facebook, click here.
To subscribe to my Blog, go to the right side of this post (if you’re reading this by email, click the title link to be taken to the actual blog) and enter your email address in the box where it reads “Subscribe By Email”.
These are two separate giveaways. There is no skill involved in winning. No monetary or substitution of prizes is allowed. The winners will be chosen completely at random through Random.Org once the required number of readers/followers has been reached.
Only legal U.S. residents 18 years and older are eligible to win (sorry, Canada, but you know I still love you!!). This isn’t me; it’s the international giveaway laws.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
