Oct 24, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Last week it was cloudy. Windy. A bit rainy. And, yup. A carnival came to town. Did I go? Puh-leese. Do ducks eat hippopotamus? Of course not. I’m all for a good scare, but on my own terms. I certainly don’t need my own version of Something Wicked This Way Comes.
But all y’all know I love thriller suspense and ghost stories, yah? I’m not talking those icky, gory, demon-possessed movies, although I wouldn’t mind seeing Stephen King’s IT before it leaves theatres. [Note to self: buy movie ticket for friends. There’s safety in numbers.]
So for those moments I can’t find someone to go to the movies with, [translate: Ain’t no one wanting to sit next to me when I get scared. I go home still scared. They go home with bruised and decirculated limbs.] it’s safer for everyone when I hunker down in the soft chair and read a good book.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Two Books to Read
This time of year, my two go-to favorites are The Haunting of America by Jean Anderson, and Great Southern Mysteries by E. Randall Floyd.
I didn’t have a passion for the South (that I know of) until the last five or so years. It tickled into me as I began to write NOLA, and grew into my lifeblood as I attended the Blue Ridge conference and met so many wonderful Southern people I now consider family. But looking back, it’s evident I have always been a displaced Southerner. [Read: By The Pricking of My Thumb.] It’s spooky how something from my childhood could be reclaimed with such impetus; how something I was unaware of took root decades before I recognized its force in my life.
I’ve been reading The Haunting of America since I was in grade school. I used to check it out of the libraries regularly. Remember when you’d sign your name on the lined card and the librarian would date stamp it so you’d know when to return it? My librarian always joked I should just keep the book for as often as I checked it out. The card had my name, my name, my name, someone else–wait, what?! Someone else dared to borrow my book from the library? I was appalled. Worse, I was restless. There was no substitute. It was a long two weeks before I had my treasured book back in my hands. Some years ago I was thrilled–no pun intended–to find a used copy on Amazon. Needless to say, it was a short two days before I had my treasured book back in my hands.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Marie Laveau
The Haunting of America is a collection of 24 “true” ghost stories. It’s written for children, but adults will appreciate it as well. It’s where I first met the Gray Man and Marie Laveau. It affirmed what I already knew about Lincoln, and orbs. And it’s where I first visited the Winchester Mystery House. Each story is just a few pages long, making them easy to read, and just as easy to thrill.
Great Southern Mysteries is another collection of short ghost stories, but this is written for adults. The Riddle of the Mounds and In Search of Cofitachequi are just two of the unexplained happenings that fill the book. Lost islands, Flight 19, ghost lights.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Riddle of the Mounds
The Gray Man and Marie Laveau are here, too.
The beauty of short story collections is you can reread only the ones you know will raise the hair on all y’all’s cackles. Which, come to think of it, is every story.
What do you like to reread this time of year?
TWEET THIS: Two books to read this week. @MollyJoRealy #amreading #mystery #haunts
With a reading lamp and security blanket,
Happy haunts!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Oct 23, 2017 |
by Edie Melson @EdieMelson
I teach writers how to build an online platform by investing thirty minutes a day in social media. I do this by utilizing a scheduling program (my favorite is Hootsuite). But, I also caution them not to spend much time talking about themselves, reminding them about Edie’s 5-to-1 rule.
For every 5 social media updates you share on any network,
you are only allowed 1 about yourself.
Remember, social media is not advertising. It’s a way of connecting with others online. These connections will come into play and be your cheerleaders when you are promoting a book or sharing something you care about. But we don’t start with what’s in it for us, we start with what’s in it for them.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Valuable Social Media
The key to only spending a short time each day scheduling social media updates is having a ready library of things to share. Today I’m going to teach you how to have the resources you need—always on hand—for valuable social media updates.
The Basics
Before you can build a library of resources, you need a focus for your social media updates. Your social media personality needs to have a focus. Just like an unfocused blog, a social media personality that posts about everything under the sun isn’t going to garner many followers. It doesn’t have to be just one thing, but it should be well-defined.
My focus for social media updates covers four areas. Yours will probably be something different, but that’s okay. The process is the same:
- Social media how-to for writers, business owners, non-profits, and ministries.
- Writing instruction and inspiration.
- Things to help military families and the communities that support them.
- Prayer/devotional thoughts.
These are the four primary topics I share about on social media.
I go to three basic places to find things to share on these topics.
- Blogs and sites I read regularly (I make sure I get email notifications when something new is shared on one of these sites).
- Social media updates that others share.
- Hashtags and people I follow on social media—especially on Twitter.
I refer to these resources as my library. But they are only helpful if I already have them close at hand. If I have to spend time searching through websites or scanning social media every time I want to schedule updates, thirty minutes isn’t nearly long enough.
Join me next month and I’ll share my tips on how to build the library.
Now I’d like to hear from you. Any questions about the specifics? Tips that you’ve found to help gather valuable social media updates? Be sure to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
TWEET THIS: Helpful tips for valuable #socialmedia updates. @MollyJoRealy @EdieMelson
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Edie Melson
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.
Oct 22, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, On Faith.
Isn’t it great–I mean, soul-soothing, flower-smelling, song-singing great—to know that God has so much planned for your life? We start life with our own designs, our blueprints, if you will, and He comes along as the professional and lets us know what will work and what won’t.
And here’s the thing. He’s right. Because He can see the whole neighborhood we’re trying to get into. He knows the structure, the elements, how close it is to the convenience store, and which stores we shouldn’t be close to.
Yeah. That’s our designer, God.
We want our spiritual home on earth to be everything He needs it to be for us. But it won’t stay the same. There will be renovations. Heck, maybe even a move or two. If you’re a nomad, maybe God will ask you to show up in the park but not stay too long.
“For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.”
~Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT
I like to capture this verse when I’m overwhelmed, or worse, feel trapped. I know things will change. That knowledge causes me to recognize the everyday glories, and exhale the momentary dissatisfactions.
Life itself is fleeting, and we never know when God’s plans for us will shift.
We should always leave the porch light on and let Him enter at will. He doesn’t care about the mess. He cares about the people living in it.
Give Him the chance to redecorate your life, and give Him your ear when He tells you when it’s time to fix the cracks in the pavement.
Frankly, On Faith: Have a Firm Foundation
TWEET THIS: Fluid Blueprints with a Firm Foundation @MollyJoRealy #faith #asformeandmyhouse
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Oct 21, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Are you serving up your media with flavor?
I know, you’re thinking, “What the heck is that?!”
Lemme tell ya with an example.
We all (okay, not all-all, but mostly-all) like coffee. But we don’t all like it the same way.
I sometimes take my coffee flavored. I sometimes drink it black.
ELF takes his with sugar.
Gibbs takes his coffee with coffee. (He’s Gibbs. He can do whatever he wants.)
The thing is, when it comes to reaching your audience, you need to think of yourself as a barista. You can serve it up your style, but for your customers, you need to know how they take it. Right?
Coffee is the starter base for what we do. It’s what we add to it, and how we serve our guests, that determines if they come back for more. The same for social media.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Now Serving With Flavor
There’s a lot that goes into being a social media barista. You must have a knowledge of where your customers hang, what they like to drink, and how they like to drink it. I’m not gonna tell all y’all to drink your coffee black. Neither am I gonna strip down my posts to info-only-no-personality-please. That’s equivalent to water without fruit infusion. It’s good for some peeps, but not for my crowd.
Now, if you’re Gibbs, I’m adding coffee on coffee on coffee. If you’re ELF, I’m gonna put a small coffee in a large cup and just add sugar. And if you’re me, well, I’m just gonna smile and ask what kind of mood you’re in.
My point is, wake up, smell the coffee, and serve it to your people in the style you’re all accustomed to. Ain’t nothing better than a fine cup of joe with your peeps. Unless it’s a fine cup of joe with your peeps, and pie. Am I right?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Goes Well With Coffee
TWEET THIS: Social Media Saturday: Now Serving with Flavor @MollyJoRealy #socialmedia #coffee
With a big mug and a clean apron,
Happy serving!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Oct 20, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Five Things Friday
Ah, the sounds of baseball and crunchy leaves. The feel of a cool breeze and warm coffees. The taste of chestnuts, roasted apples, pumpkin anything . . . What have I missed? It’s the most wonderful time of the year, before the most wonderful time of the year. Am I right? I think I’m right.
Social media is already abuzz with changing weather, pre-holiday plans, and the color orange. I mean, who can resist? It’s like you just speak the word “autumn” and the Fall Fairies fly out and populate everything into a cozy dreamland.
One of my favorite benefits of this time of year (and I know I’m not alone, y’all) is soups. Ohsomany delicious, hearty, smooth, or chunky moments of hot bliss when the world pauses long enough for you take a sip or a spoonful of pretty much any flavor you want.
Some of my favorite restaurant soups include Olive Garden’s Gnocchi Soup, Marie Callendar’s Potato Cheese Soup, and Mamnoon’s Red Lentil Soup. But I can’t always fly to Seattle when I’m craving some warm goodness, so I turn to my own kitchen more often this time of year.
Whether it’s slow cooker style or stove top friendly, soup is both a main entree or a side dish. Don’t believe me? Try any of these for lunch, dinner, or even a late night snack. Want the recipes? Click on the title links.
- Cheesy Potato Soup. You can make this hearty dish with large or small cuts of potatoes and vegetables. It’s up to you. I like to mix up the cheeses now and then. Gruyere adds a nice flavor, smoked Parmesan too.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Cheesy Potato Soup
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup. This is a recent addition to my recipe planner. It’s easily modified for sweetness and texture, by adding more or less cream and spices, and by pureeing your vegetables before adding them into the soup.
Frankly, My Dear . . . Slow Cooker Pumpkin Soup
- Homemade Chicken Soup. This is not only a great recipe for soup, it’s also a great starter for freezer broth to add to later soups and casseroles. It’s incredibly easy, aromatic, and the health benefits are amazing. Your momma always told you to eat your chicken soup, didn’t she?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Chicken Stock and Soup
- Chicken Soup with Rice. So, this is a little cheater recipe, using most of #3 above. But that’s the beauty of soups! Y’all can fix them to your own, uh, tastes. [See what I did there?]
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Chicken Soup With Rice
- Baked Potato Soup. This reminds me of the egg gravy recipe I’ve loved since, well, forever. Add some green onion and bacon and potato skins. Hulloh! Deliciously perfect. I mean it. Try it. It’s *awesome*.
Baked Potato Soup, from Laughter is Louder with Good Food Cookbook
I’m sure within the week I’ll have more wonderful soup recipes ready to share. How ’bout you?
TWEET THIS: Autumn means soups. What are your favorite flavors? @MollyJoRealy #foodie #flavors
With a a bowlful of warmth and a heart full of joy,
Happy eating!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
