Nov 3, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . :Five Things Friday
Now that all I can for NOLA is wait for feedback, and given that it’s November, my project of the month is jump starting CENTRAL a la NaNoWriMo. Here it is day three and I’ve only 32 words written, but I think they’re pretty good words.
CENTRAL will be the second in my City Series. You know the drill. It’s really not a series because the characters and storyline are completely different. But using the location as a character is what remains the same. So, I’m affectionately calling it a series, and creating a subgenre I call location mystery. Will the world catch on? Eh. I dunno. But Stephenie Meyer created Renesme and the world thought that was a weird name. Still, she stuck to her guns. So I guess I will too. At least until I hear back from the editor and almost-agent. [Oh, side note: some peeps are asking if there will be a sequel to NOLA. I hadn’t thought about it . . . Until this week. We’ll see if the characters want to come back.]
So. Five Things you may or may not know about Central, the book, and the location:
- The opening line for my next novel. I’ve been around enough writers, and well, the mentor wrote a book called Firsts in Fiction, so I’d best get this right, right? Y’all ready for this?
“Serenity had a thing for cops. And the guys they arrested.”
I can’t say it will stay that way. But so far the pre-reader peeps are liking it. We’ll see.
- Central Park, located on Manhattan Island, is about 843 acres big (over 3.5 miles), and has been the location of over 350 films! The size is larger than some countries. And the movie total? Fuggedaboutit.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Central Park, NYC
- The Park isn’t just a park. It’s home to the Central Park Zoo, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tavern on the Green, many playgrounds and ball fields, as well as bridges, walkways, vendors. It’s a city unto itself!
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Central Park, NYC
- There are thousands of songs about New York City, and many of them include reference to Central Park. Two of my favorites are, of course, Sinatra’s “Theme from New York, New York” and Harry Connick, Jr’s “Autumn in New York.” While not exclusive to the Park, these songs embody a great connection to the Big Apple at the best time of year.
- CP was the first public, landscaped park in all the United States. Now that deserves some awards!
And there you have it! Five fun facts about Central, the book and the park!
What’s your favorite part of the park?
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Nov 24, 2016 |
Victory Coffee
Hey. How’s it going? Mind if I take a sip of chicory? Thanks. Mm. Good stuff.
So. You’re prob’ly wondering why I haven’t posted much lately. Or you don’t care. In either event, I have a plan to change both. I have a plan, and I have a planner.
It’s no secret I can get a little, well, shall we say, frazzled? [Note to Self: Stop saying fun words five times fast. Just get on with it.]
The more I put on my plate, the more plates I need, and the more I put on them . . . You tracking this circle with me? Yup. That’s right. Plates = Projects = More Plates = More Projects. [Get the food reference? Awesome. Remember this for later in the post.]
I keep myself pretty busy. So busy, in fact . . . Well, I’m not sure I want to admit to this . . . Don’t tell anyone, okay? But I keep myself so busy I’ve actually been forgetful. Yup. I’ve dropped the ball on promoting the Firsts in Fiction podcast. The housecleaning? Fuggettaboutit. And writing takes second chair to editing which takes second chair to whatever daily project I have emergency flares sent up for.
My purse-size organizer that I’ve had for ten years just doesn’t cut it anymore. Sure, it’s great for a wallet and small notes. But keeping track? Notsomuch. What’s This Girl to do?
I’ll tell you what. After months of distant admiration, I finally snagged myself a Happy Planner. For realz. That’s what it’s called. And that’s how it makes me feel.
MoJo Happy Planner
I want to scream from the rooftops how this planner has saved me, and I’ve only had it for a week! Already I’m making lists and creating recipes and keeping track of posts I’m writing for other sites as well as who’s guest blogging on Frankly, My Dear . . .
It’s like responsible scrapbooking. And who doesn’t love a good scrapbook?
I have about twenty photos I could share, but you don’t want all that. Am I right? You want the highlights? Well, let me run it down for you:
- Sturdy construction, laminated covers
- 18-month calendar with month- and week-at-a-glance pages
- Monthly page to mark important dates and other noteworthy items
- Inspirational quotes
- Completely personalized
My Happy Planner: Recipe Teaser
Remember the food reference I asked y’all to remember? Here’s why: I recently contacted Winco Foods and asked, “How much do you miss me?” “So much,” they said. “Please blog for us again.” “Of course,” I said. And I knew I’d need a better way of tracking test kitchen concoctions. The Happy Planner’s Recipe Organizer Extension Pack was what sold me. It has everything I love. Room to write, margin notes, prep and cook time. It’s perfect.
My Happy Planner is so fun responsible necessary I went back the next day and picked up the Home Planner pack. Now this is a working woman’s dream. It’s got a chore list, people. A chore list! I wish Dot was still home so I could show her how much fun it is. A meal planner complete with organized grocery list page. A budget sheet? Won’t that come in handy with my credit recovery posts? Yeah, yeah. And the actual home budget, too. I know. But what really made me buzz is the large To Do lists.
MoJo Happy Planner: To Do
Seriously! A full-size lined page that gives me the freedom to mark it up how I want. It’s not numbered. It’s not dated. It’s just a list! I lalalove it, don’t you? And as you can tell, I have quite a few regular post ideas to share. [Not seeing a topic you’d like? Let me know in the comments.]
And the day after that, I realized I need to protect this piece of gold, so I went to the store a third time and to get a case for it. Of course the case is gold. No pun intended, but there it is anyway. Ya just can’t escape fate.
And y’all know how things just sort of come full circle, right? Well. As it turns out, the accent color of my Happy Planner case happens to be the same accent color of my newest nutcracker, whom I call King, which happens to be the nickname of the main character, Dwayne Pride, of NCIS: New Orleans. New Orleans, people! As in, NOLA, the setting for the novel I’m writing. Coincidence? I think not. And both of which are similar to Raven’s shell. Yes, Raven. You know. My new laptop. [Oh, like you’ve never named your inanimate objects. Sip your coffee and move on.]
Anyway. They very closely resemble Tiffany Blue. Yes, of Tiffany & Co. Also of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Which is with Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard, and filmed in New York, which is where Central Park is, which is where my second novel will be set, which will be written when I finish NOLA, which my Happy Planner tells me I need to work on this weekend!
MoJo Color of the Year 2017: Tiffany Blue
So. Not only do I have a Happy Planner, but I have a Happy Planner which has helped me realize my color for 2017 and it’s Tiffany Blue.
And on that happy note, here are a few more photos for your enjoyment, and a few more To-Do’s for me . . .
MoJo Happy Planner: Accent
MoJo Happy Planner: This Month
MoJo Happy Planner: The First Week
MoJo Happy Planner: Pockets Make Me Happy!
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Mar 28, 2014 |
Five Things Friday at Frankly, My Dear…
This week I received a wonderful comment on a Five Things Friday post from last summer. It was about poetry, but when I reread the post today, I remembered it was also about the Writer’s Club I belong to. Having someone recognize a post I wrote so long ago makes me feel better about writing and blogging and, honestly, just sharing life in general.
Taryn’s comment also inspired me to reinstate the Five Things Friday blog posts. And what theme could be better to re-kick it into gear than, well, better? My favorite word of this year, and probably for life.
Let’s get this started ~ here are my Five Things Friday: Better.
1. Writing. Y’all saw my new desk last week, right? How could my writing not be better when I have such a great place to write?
BETTER! 2014
The plan must be working. Megan and I have locked up the first three chapters of Book 1 of The Grenalia Chronicles. We can’t wait for you to read about Amara, Saven, Fisal, Delving, Yez, Berin, Amrais and Linwe. Yes, we made up those names. Invented a few creatures. And are in the midst of creating a magical fantasy filled with swords and sorcery and dragons and . . . well, you’ll just have to stay tuned. We’re also keeping a notebook of things we write that won’t be in the final draft. Someday, that notebook will be a best seller in itself. We have quite the sense of humor when we’re tired.
2. All roads lead to NOLA. I’m also working hard on my novel set in New Orleans. My characters are coming to life bigger than ever. I tasted my first beignet two weeks ago, and it was everything I thought it would be. Of course, it’s not from Cafe du Monde, but it was acceptable.
My not-from-Cafe-de-Monde Beignet
I have a goal to finish NOLA by the end of this year, sell it big, and celebrate at next year’s Mardi Gras. That would pretty much make This Girl oh-so-happy. And y’all know Harry Connick, Jr. hails from NOLA, right? Yes, indeedy. Seeing him on American Idol every week ~ twice a week, at that ~ is just another way to keep me inspired.
3. Budget. It took a lot to get here, to the point where I’m secure in my finances. Let me rephrase that: my budget stinks. But I refuse to stress over it. Yes, I still have trouble making ends meet. Yes, I’ll be in trouble if a big emergency happens. But I’m not unique. I’m not special. Everyone is hitting hard times. The best I can do is the best I can do. It’s okay to tell the creditors that I can’t pay in full this month. It’s okay to pay just $5 more than the minimum payment. It’s okay to wait until just before the due date. And it’s okay to not feel bad for not doing more. All I can do is all I can do. And as long as I’m really trying, I’m seeing those glimpses of success. And someday soon, one bill will be paid off. And then another. And then another. And it may take another few months, or another year or two before I can take another trip to Disneyland or eat a beignet at Cafe du Monde. However long it takes, I’m okay with that.
4. My Housing Project. I’m still working on my dirt lot of a yard. I’ve decided to put little effort into changing it, and more effort into cleaning up and maintaining it. Next year I can plant and plot. This year will be the pre-work work. This summer I’ll pull up old stumps, weed, rake, and do whatever else it takes on the outside. The only planting for this year has already been done. I bought two more Photinia for under the Big Window, and a dwarf Pomegranate tree.
Photinia
Dwarf Pomegranate
On the inside, we’re doing things better, too. I hung curtains in the laundry room.
Laundry Room Door with Curtains
I love it. It’s a nice soft look for the house, blocks the bright summer sun, and keeps the neighbors from glimpsing over the fence line. (Thankfully, I have decent neighbors who don’t have voyeuristic tendencies.) It’s the finishing touch to the laundry room.
5. Appreciation. It’s a little thing, but what a difference it makes! I’m trying to put forth better effort into appreciating the people already in my life, the things around me, and the experiences I’ve had. I’m more aware that my perceptions of the world outside myself isn’t necessarily the reality. I don’t know the inner struggles of someone else unless they choose to tell me. I can’t understand the physics or engineering of putting a building together. But I’m thankful for the shelter. I want to be patient with what goes into making my life mine, and I want to better express my thanks to all that is already a part of it. If I do all that I can do, I hope it’s enough. Sometimes it’s hard to put into words. Sometimes all I can say is “thank you”. But I’m definitely paying attention. And I definitely have a new appreciation for everything, and everyone.
And those are my betters for Five Things Friday. What are yours? Leave your comments or link up your own blog posts in the comments below.
Thanks for reading!
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
The Friday Five – STORIES
Five Things Friday – TRAVEL
Five Things Friday: Everything Old is NEW Again
Five Things Friday: POETRY
Five Things Friday: The Big Easy
Five Things Friday: Safety in Numbers
Nov 14, 2011 |
It’s ten days til Thanksgiving.
Ten days til we wake up early and head to the kitchen for a marathon cooking day.
Ten days til we stuff ourselves like no tomorrow, pack up some leftovers and sleep it off in the recliner.
And somewhere in the midst of all that, we’ll turn on the TV for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
For the past few years, the parade has been less and less of the quality and holiday that it used to be. Who can forget three years ago when the abundance of music was loud rock and rap? Or last year when NBC’s cameras so often caught a shot of the scanty Victoria’s Secret billboard… yeah, Santa. That’s really what I want for Christmas. To keep seeing some other woman’s perky boobs laced in red during Family Time. Thanks.
Now before you go calling me a prude, I will be the first to admit that in three days I’ll be standing for hours in line to catch the midnight showing of Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. And it has nothing to do with Bella.
But that doesn’t mean I want vampires and werewolves around on Thanksgiving. There’s a time and a place for everything. And I just don’t think Macy’s is the place for, well, what it’s been the place for the past few years.
Last year, I had the grand idea to start a letter writing campaign: to let Macy’s, NBC, and New York City know that it’s okay to get back to the fundamentals of the season. To not promote celebrity for the sake of celebrity; but to honor talented individuals and groups. To hear them sing Christmas songs. To not be inundated with extravagant costumes and sales and bling; but to appreciate the gathering of people, the holiday cheer and good will.
How did it turn out, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you… it didn’t. It was one of those ideas that I didn’t write down, mention to anyone, or think I should even approach. So I let it go.
And now, here it is, almost time for the next Parade. And I’m holding my breath. Will Andrea Bocelli or Harry Connick, Jr. serenade us with holiday ballads? What Broadway shows will be featured? Will there be honors given to local heros? How high will the Rockettes kick this year?
While I know the opening and closing of the parade will be spectacular, and the High School Bands will be impressive, it’s the in-between stuff that has me wondering if I should even bother to watch. I’m certain to be disappointed, and possibly disgusted.
And the anticipation of that disappointment has me wondering… what would the perfect Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade be like?
If you were the planner/director person, how would you put on the parade? Would it have a particular holiday theme? What holiday elements would you like to see? Who would your performers be?
Leave your comments here. If this year’s Parade doesn’t hold up to standards, maybe I’ll forward this to Macy’s Social Department and see if our voices matter. (I think they do!)
Nov 13, 2011 |
[For the original article, click here.]
I’ve never been to New York, but someday I’ll get there.
It’s been a dream of mine; growing stronger every day.
Especially whenever I watch the holiday programming.
A few months ago, I decided to voice that longing in detail.
And give myself a little inspirational kick.
The economy being what it is, I may not vacation to NYC anytime soon…
but at least I can dream.
