May 4, 2018 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : That One Time a Fox Joined the Team and Tied Everything Together
It’s not that I haven’t been doing anything. I just haven’t been doing anything on the blog. At least, not as much as I used to. You see, I’ve been working behind the scenes lately, editing NOLA, working some freelance projects, crafting my upcoming newsletter. (Now, everyone, nod your heads in sympathetic busyness understanding. Thank you.)
Lemmetellya, it’s a bit of a challenge. I wanna get it just.right for y’all, and well, for me. People say “write for yourself” and while that’s a good way to remain happy, it ain’t always gonna bring in the readers. So I am happily crafting my message for you, my beloved Swarm.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : An Object in Motion . . .
And as promised, since it’s a new month, there’s a new Media Menagerie over at New Inklings Press. Did you miss the big reveal on Instagram? It was a live video, my Nippers’s first actually. And of course he (okay, I) forgot to save it for posterity. So while I introduced you to the current members of our #MediaMenagerie, Nippers also asked what our May member should be. And the next day he whispered his answer in my ear.
Ladies, gentlemen, Southern Belles and Yankee Gents, I give you May’s Media Menagerie Member, Gypsy Skylark Walton.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Say Hello to Gypsy Skylark Walton
Gypsy is a fox. Foxes are crafty. They’re quick. They’re stealth-like (hmm, maybe like a ninja?). They’re beautiful. Foxes are smart, too. Problem solvers. What, think I’m wrong? Read Aesop’s Fables. People call them sly and crazy. (the foxes, not the fables).
Now, how did Gypsy get his name? Well, first, from the beautiful Johnny Mercer song, Skylark. Y’all know This Girl’s favorite inspirational movie is Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. And my favorite song from the soundtrack is Skylark. There’s a line in the chorus, “sad as a gypsy,” and it just gets me every time. It’s such a beautiful visual.
“Gypsy” can mean so many things. Romanian descent. Fortune tellers. But for me, it’s the wanderer, the free spirit, that my Bohemian self relates to. It’s like that old toy, Spirograph. You set your pen in a stencil and draw as it bumps you along the edges. A few ink color and shape changes, and in the end, your wandering pen has created something uniquely beautiful. You can’t have that without the wandering. As a creative soul, there’s nothing more effusing than to be able to just be who I am. Gypsies get that. It could also be that I’m currently addicted to Hallmark Channel’s The Good Witch series. Who doesn’t love a little good magic now and then?
And Walton? Well, that’s two-fold. John-Boy Walton was a writer. Sure, he was a fictional TV character in the 70’s and early 80’s. But still. What self-respecting aspiring writer girl back then didn’t have a crush on him? It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized my fancy for the man was due in great part to his wordsmithing. Let’s not forget that greatest of all goodbyes, “Good night, John-Boy!” I say it often, mostly when signing off social media for the night. Which has led to others calling me Mary-Ellen. (Yah, I’m talking about you, Del and Caleb!). Which now brings me to Caleb. Affectionately known to me and my peeps as JB. Because his last name is Walton. And he’s from the South. And he grew up watching The Waltons and we still talk about our favorite episodes. Oh, and of course, JB (my “little big brother”, not the TV guy) is a writer. So there’s that.
Oh, but wait! There’s more. In chatting with JB recently (again, my JB, not the TV guy) [but if you’re out there, Richard Thomas, and feel like saying “hi,” I wouldn’t mind having you over for coffee!] and sharing Gypsy’s adoption, I realize his initial’s are GSW. Which, in NCIS world, stands for gun shot wound. Okay, not the Southern romantic history y’all were hoping for. But it’s NCIS. Which is another commonality I have with JB (and, well, about 13 billion other humans). And NCIS had the arc about Le Granouille (“The Frog”) which inspired my daughter and I to adopt the shaggy little frog now known as Nippers. And NCIS has a spin-off I may have mentioned once or twice. NCIS: New Orleans. Which is the location for my first City Series novel. Yup. We’ve come full circle.
I now own a stuffed fox named Gypsy because I wanted to be a writer with a frog. I know . . . It’s hard to be in my head sometimes. That’s okay. I know my thoughts. You just have to enjoy the outcome.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Say Hello to Gypsy Skylark Walton
Now I want to hear from you: How do you express your creative soul?
With a compass and a spirograph,
Happy wanderings.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Oh, PS: If you haven’t yet taken my survey, and/or want to be added to my email lists for this blog, and/or Firsts in Fiction Newsletter, and/or Molly Jo Realy: Author, Etc. . . . just click on this photo to sign up. BONUS: You’ll get to tell me how you like your coffee. Thanks! (And super-shout out to my über professional graphic artist brother who worked with me to create this awesome visual.)
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Author, Etc . . .
Apr 12, 2018 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Ufta! Oh, my. The winds are blowing around Bedford Manor. It’s times like these I’m glad the FabFurFour are indoor cats. And just as the wind is blowing outside, the winds of change are sweeping on the inside.
First things first: Y’all may have noticed a few subtle changes lately. Yup. I done and did it. I streamlined my social media from @RealMojo68 to @MollyJoRealy. I figure it’s my name, it’s a good name (thanks, folks!), so why not use it? Also, I know you know, but it kinda helps people to find me easier online.
Second, I’m starting a new newsletter.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Author, Etc.: a newsletter about writing. And other things in life.
Author, Etc.
As y’all know, writing isn’t just writing. We’re media specialists, marketers, editors, flame-throwers… whatever it takes to get the book noticed. Am I right? But we’re so much more than that. We’re creative people, parents/children/spouses/individuals. And we don’t associate with just writers. We watch movies, talk over coffee, love on our pets, clean our homes. A diamond isn’t a diamond because it’s flat. No! It has many amazing, beautiful, eye-catching facets. And so do writers. And chefs. And bus drivers. And people who breathe. This newsletter strives to bring a writer’s creativity into all aspects of our lives. Including how to create a newsletter and gather readers.
By the way, did I mention there will be a free download when you first subscribe to Author, Etc.? Still working on the perks, but you won’t want to miss this. I. Promise!
And of course, let’s not forget the Firsts in Fiction podcast we all know and love.
Then there’s the blog itself. And I know some topics are better than others.
So here’s the thing. It would help me out so much (and by so much, I mean SOSOSOSO MUCH!) if you would complete this ten question survey for me. You may have (should have) received it under separate email. But if you’re just looking at the blog without being a subscriber, click away! Your input matters, too!
CLICK HERE TO TAKE MY TEN-QUESTION SURVEY.
If you have shared Frankly, My Dear . . . in the past, please consider sharing it now so I can receive the right feedback to enable me to write more of what you want.
With a happy hug and wind-blown hair,
Thank you.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Frankly, My Dear . . . That One Time I Created a Survey for my Readers (that means you!)
Mar 26, 2018 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Y’all remember last month when New Inklings Press introduced their February #MediaMenagerie Member? [Phew, I double-dog dare ya to say that five times fast on a late Sunday evening.] Bridges the Raccoon was brought on board to help writers find a way to get from here to there . . . Whatever “here” and “there” is.
Well, this weekend, it was in the kitchen. And after a crazy usual month of go-here-see-there-stop-now-breathe-okay-get-going-again activity, I just needed a bit of a break. So I opened the fridge and pantry, and asked Bridges what he thought.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Unemployment Cookbook: Slow Cooker Pork & ‘Kraut
Being the smart raccoon that he is, he foraged around a little, and put me to work. Yup, this recipe was created over ten years ago in a tiny apartment by This Girl and her daughter. Then, just like Bridges did now, I grabbed a few items from the food stash and decided to put them together. I took a chance, turned on the slow cooker, and left the apartment. When Dot and I came home that evening, the aroma was heavenly. The taste like something from a restaurant. And I knew I had to write it down.
This Slow Cooker Pork & ‘Kraut recipe began
The Unemployment Cookbook.
And since I’m in full swing of writing-editing-blogging-marketing again, it’s a no-brainer that my no-time-to-cook weekend should include that which started it all.
Now, you gotta be impressed with the frugality of it all, yes? Take a look at this:
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Unemployment Cookbook: Slow Cooker Pork & ‘Kraut
With eight servings to this dish, that’s less than $1.75 per serving! Hey, I’m not making this stuff up! That’s some pretty hearty eating without a hefty price, dontcha think?
Don’t forget to set up your mise en place. It’s French, pronounced “MEES ahn plahs” and it basically means “everything in place.” Betcha didn’t think this was a cultural post, too, did ya? Well, there ya go. I mean, voila!
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Unemployment Cookbook: Slow Cooker Pork & ‘Kraut Mise en Place
So, you ready for the recipe? Okay, here it is, Bridges style:
The Unemployment Cookbook: Slow Cooker Pork & ‘Kraut
Bring people to your table with this hearty, delicious dish.
Ingredients
- 2 cans (22 oz. each) Cream of Mushroom Soup.
- 2 medium onions, peeled, and chopped. Because no one likes onion skins in their food.
- 6 medium russet potatoes, sliced. Like thick potato chips. Only raw.
- 1 jar (32 oz.) Old Fashioned Sauerkraut. The kind that Grandpa still makes.
- 8 thin-cut pork chops. Boneless. Because otherwise they wouldn't be so thin.
Instructions
- First peel the onions, and chop them. Some like them thick, some like thin. It's up to you.
- Then, wash your potatoes. Seriously. Bridges is a domesticate raccoon. He don't eat no dirt! Slice them, then rinse with cool water to remove the starch.
- Put the sauerkraut in a large colander and rinse, rinse, rinse. Sure, it's yummy stuff, but let's keep the flavor from being too overwhelming.
- Now, spread a large spoonful of soup on the bottom of your slow cooker. This keeps the meat from sticking. Layer some sauerkraut and onion. Cover with two pork chops. Maybe three. Depends on how much room you have in your cooker. Top with potato slices. You can even arrange them all pretty like if you want.
- Continue the layers until you run out of stuff to layer. Then you can just dump whatever's left on top.
- Make sure the cover fits snugly.
- Cook on low for eight hours, or medium/high for five.
- Serve with your favorite vegetable, bread, or wine.
- This is one dish you won't find going in the trash!
3.1
https://franklymydearmojo.com/2018/03/26/the-unemployment-cookbook-slow-cooker-pork-kraut/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
Click on any of the photos to order your own copy of The Unemployment Cookbook, or visit http://newinklingspress.com/.
Now if you’ll excuse me. Bridges forgot to take out the garbage. We’ll see ya round the dinner table.
With a big fork and a hungry tummy,
Happy Eating.
~Molly Jo
Mar 15, 2018 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Funerals and planes.
Yeaaahhhhh. We’re back to this again. But hold on! It’s a good thing. Honest! You know how sometimes the planets align or the flaming arrow flies through the rings or [okay, insert your own #itsasign metaphor here]? Well, that’s been happening.
First, it was about what was inside of me bubbling up, or as Caleb (affectionately known as John-Boy) and I like to toast with our sparkling ciders, “Effervesce, baby!”
But this week, it’s been about the arrows pointing at me. Not like painful arrows, although yeah. There’s been a few of those and I really wouldn’t mind if they shifted direction any second now. No, I mean the “Here’s Your Sign!” arrows. The “OMG! Would you puh-leease wake up and pay attention!” arrows. Yeah. Those arrows.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : That One Time I Remembered I’m a Writer
This week, I’ve been bombarded with an abundance of encouragement from those who mean most to me. Okay, yes, I kind of begged for it from a few of you. I’m sorry I whined and acted a little, uhm, young. [Don’t ask. You know who you are. Just move on.]
But there was a great portion of my peeps who just stepped up on their own. And these words came out of their mouths. Things like, “When are you gonna publish?” “How’s the writing going?” “What’s happening with NOLA?” So, like a reed when the wind stops, I snapped to attention. Yup. That’s right. This Girl has decided to write no matter what.
And ~ wait for it ~ the winds are pushing me to self publish.
I know. I know. That’s not really a surprise. I mean, I talk about it often enough. I created New Inklings Press for such a purpose. But still. There was this pull to get a traditional book deal. And a few days ago, the winds shifted [Again with the winds? Hey, I am the Bohemian Hurricane, so, yes.] and it became very apparent to my Swarm that self publishing is where I’m headed.
Imagine, in just a few months NOLA could be a real thing.
#nopressure, right? Riiiight.
So. I’m sitting here listening to Bread sing “Make It With You”, reworking NOLA, and believing that through the heartache of feeling, shall we say in our most dramatic Southern writer charm, abandoned, there really is a purpose behind everything. Even the painful moments. Ah, now the playlist has shifted to Hunter Hayes’ “Storm Warning.” [Y’all gotta watch his video here: Hunter Hayes’ Storm Warning.] [Thanks, Lindsay!]
Oh, but wait! There’s more!
So, today my friend Jim Rubart and his partner Thomas Umstattd of Novel Marketing had a Facebook Live Event to promote their new Patreon subscription service. Hullo! For what Jim says is the price of a coffee, y’all can join and get ah-mazing perks like freebies and discounts and access and such. What do they teach? Oh, just a little bit of marketing skills for indie writers. Huh. Imagine that. [Jim says give up one coffee a month. I told him that’s sacrilege. I’ll give up a fast food meal instead.]
Yeah. Totally. #itsasign.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Be Your Own Hero
So, This Girl pulled on her Big Girl Boots that were made for walking, and walked all the way to her laptop and finished rewriting Chapter One. Which is now Chapters 1-4.
And since y’all have been so patient with me (and because, let’s be honest, I need to amp up my marketing game), I’m gifting you the rewrite of NOLA, Chapter One. Just click on the link to get your PDF and start reading.
Your reader self will thank you for it.
With some keys to tap and shoes to fill,
Happy NOLA-ing.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
Mar 6, 2018 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Well, I thought I was sort of done with NOLA but the truth is (as so many of my writing peeps warned me), it’s only just begun. [Cue Carpenters’ music here.]
As y’all will recall (I hope) from a recent post, for a while there I forgot I was a writer. I mean, I was listening to so many others, and I was acting like a new student instead of a seasoned wordsmith. It took a little self-diagnosing to figure out the main problem was, well, me. *GASP* So not cool, right? Now here’s Part A of this awesome post. Y’all have heard me mention Caleb now and then. He’s this guy I adopted/befriended/took under my wings at the last Blue Ridge conference, and we’re planning to meet up again this year. I call him my kid, my little brother, JB. He wears all kinds of hats. One of the things I love most about him is his willingness to be a better writer.
We talk quite often about our characters’ backstories, what makes them tick, all that Jazz. And since I’m in the midst of a NOLA rewrite (that’s a good thing), I figured it’s time to finally make my story bible. I’ve had it in mind for years, I just never put one together. I know, shame on me. [Mom. Seriously. Stop agreeing and talking to the computer screen. No one can hear you when you do that.]
Frankly, My Dear . . . : That One Time I Created a Character Bio Template
And since y’all know my penchant habit compulsion for multi-purposing items and activities, of course I immediately decide to use one of my Happy Planners for the project.
Oh, but wait. There’s more.
I’ve also recently fallen in love with bullet journaling. See, Happy Planning is the planning and organizing side of things. Bullet Journaling is the tracking and history and recording side of things. And when the two met and fell in love, they married and had a creative baby called the NOLA story bible.
And since this baby is mine and mine alone, there’s no wrong way to dress up the information. Seriously. Like, you can do it too and no one can tell you you’re baby’s ugly because it’s your baby and you don’t have to show it to anyone. [Getting weird? Okay. We’ll stop.]
For starters, I’m having fun learning my characters’ backgrounds. Their likes, dislikes, nasty habits and saving graces. I curated a bunch of character bio sheet information, polled my writer peeps, and put it all together in one handy form.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Character Bio Template by Molly Jo Realy
Yup. That’s right. I created a Character Bio Template. It’s a handy-dandy resource to help you learn more about your character, even if some of that information doesn’t make it into your manuscript. Look at it this way: When you go into a restaurant, your waiter doesn’t need to know why you want cream and sugar for your coffee, or why you like sourdough instead of wheat. They just want to take your order and fill it. But you have your reasons, am I right?
A character bio gives you insights into why your character behaves/thinks/emotes the way he/she does. Your reader doesn’t need to know everything, but if you understand your character better, you’ll write a better story.
It’s a template because y’all can use as much or as little info as you want. It’s broken up into sections so you can compartmentalize your character’s info: The Basics, The Background, The Family Highlights, The Body, The Soul and Mind, The Back Story/Psychology, and The Favorites. I color-coded my sections and numbered the individual items. Now I have a full sheet of information for each protagonist, antagonist, and secondary characters. [That’s main good guys, main bad guys, and sidekicks, for all you non-writer folk.] I kind of wanna show you Josie’s bio, but you know, government secrets and all. Okay, not really. But when you’re a writer, it feels that intense. Gotta protect the story at all costs. So, sorry, no share. But here’s a pretty photo of the template in my Happy Planner/Story bible:
Frankly, My Dear . . . : That One Time I Created a Character Bio Template
I’d love to share the template with you. Just click here: Character Bio Template.
And now it’s your turn: How do you keep track of your character information?
With characters to organize and a story to tell,
Happy writing.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote!
