Going to be a paperback writer! With an appetite, evidently.

[mollyringle]

Some of you already know this, but here's a more general announcement: a small press has offered me a contract for my novel The Ghost Downstairs! External validation rocks, as my husband said by way of congratulations.

It won't be out for months yet, but in the meantime check out my userinfo for details, including the cover art they drew up for me. I love the house in particular. It's perfect; just as I pictured it.

So, hurrah, and I'll tell you more when there's more to tell. Be prepared to see me promote the heck out of it on this journal. I plan to beg you all to write Amazon reviews for me and stuff.

* * *

Now, a few quick food reviews:

Beets: good! I seldom had them when growing up (maybe my parents don't like them), but lately have been getting basic canned sliced beets and eating them on salad. They're so tender and fresh and delicious. How did I ever live without beets on my salad?

Cactus leaves (nopales): not so good. Tried slicing and steaming them as recommended, added a bit of honey since they were still so sour; tried butter, salt, pepper; but no. Still tasted like eating a plant rather than eating a vegetable. I'm sure you understand the difference.

Almond Breeze (Blue Diamond's milk substitute), Vanilla: good! Smooth and not at all chalky or weird. Makes a nice lightweight shake when mixed with regular milk.

Silk (soy milk), Chocolate: also good! Tastes just like regular chocolate milk.

Silk, Vanilla: not so good. In fact, *shudder*. By the way, we're only trying these to vary the large amounts of regular milk we and our toddler drink. None of us are actually lactose intolerant; just interested in new flavors and ingredients.

3 Musketeers Mint With Dark Chocolate: oh my gosh, so good. Satiny dark chocolate with a soft bright white mint nougat filling. Like original 3 Musketeers meeting a York Peppermint Patty, but better than either. And soft enough that I can easily eat them even with my braces-tender teeth, which is a major plus. Several varieties of chocolate are too thick for me to bite through lately, which, as you can imagine, is practically reason enough for me to declare a state of emergency and apply for federal disaster relief.

Comments

[madbard.livejournal.com]

That's completely awesome! Congratulations!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And congrats to you as well, btw, for all the external validation Blenderman is getting. Must feel pretty great!

[madbard.livejournal.com]

Yes indeedy. We are two validated people right now.

[jigglykat.livejournal.com]

THAT'S FANTASTIC! Congrats, m'dear! I eagerly await!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I eagerly await my revisions. :)

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

I'm intrigued by this 3 Musketeers Mint with Dark Chocolate. But I haven't seen that here, so that's just one of the many sweet things that you guys have that we don't that I envy you for :( Other items include Oreo Cakesters and Trader Joe's Peanut Butter Chocolate Malt Balls.

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

And yes, much congratulations on the book as well, my mind's just on food right now ;) I should probably go eat something!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Heheh. It's my own fault for bringing up the food. :) Thanks, and may you find awesome chocolate out there.

[capra-maritimus.livejournal.com]

Ooooh ! Congratulations!!!! :D:D:D:D:D

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :D

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thanks much!

[modmerseygirl.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Hooray about your book! The cover looks splendid. I can't wait to read it!!! :-)

PS I love Three Musketeers Mint with Dark Chocolate candy bars. Delicious!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much, dearie! Heheh--you have such good taste in chocolate, as in most other things. ;)

[nicbemused.livejournal.com]

That's FABULOUS! Congrats!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Hope you're having a relaxing weekend. :)

[pith]

Congrats!

(Will you be doing signed bookplates for all your lovely LJ fans?)

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Bookplates! That's a great idea, especially since w/ such a small press I won't be getting free paperbacks to send out at will. :) Thanks!

[dirae.livejournal.com]

Oh, the artwork is aces! I guess that is one less thing to worry about in the course of getting this book up and out -- covers mean so much to particular readers (I'm the finicky type, so I'm speaking from book purchasing experience).

Plus, the male on the cover looks a bit like a shaggy young Sal Mineo.

Glad you're happy with it.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Hee--hadn't noticed the Sal resemblance, but you're right. Cool.

Yeah, I can be finicky about cover art too, so I figure I got lucky here. But then they did actually ask for ideas and preferences from me, so it isn't entirely luck. They're nice that way.

[dirae.livejournal.com]

Oh, thats is so cool. Not many presses even discuss artwork with their newish authors. Good sign.

[BTW - you need to add the Twin Peaks gold box editions episodes to your netflix cue... and There Will Be Blood.]

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Done and done on the Netflix. Liked your review of Blood, and catching up on Twin Peaks seems obligatory for a Pacific NWer. (We've eaten dinner at the Snoqualmie Falls Lodge, which featured in the show, btw. Very pretty!)

Yeah, the press had me fill out some basic info forms about the story and myself, including one for the cover artist regarding what the characters looked like, whether we preferred items or people on the cover, description of important objects, etc. Fun to think about on my part, and quite considerate of them.

[mariole.livejournal.com]

What a gorgeous cover! Congratulations! By all means, trumpet the news when it's available!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

I sure will! Thank you. I'll be looking forward to sharing publication experiences with you. :)

[mariole.livejournal.com]

Yes! Let's hope I have another one to share in return. :)

Yeehaw!

[fictualities.livejournal.com]

YAAAAAAAY! Congrats! Beautiful cover, too!

Nice food: oatmeal made with (unflavored) soy milk. No, really. The natural nutty flavor of the soy milk complements the oatmeal. Even better with chopped pecans stirred in, and the whole thing is a protein bonanza.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm excited, naturally.

Ooh, the oatmeal idea sounds good. I bet it would work nicely, since the first two ingredients in those yummy Odwalla shakes are soy milk and oat milk. Probably complements coffee well too, on the rare occasions I drink coffee...

[tdj.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank ye!

[gavinworld.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, and thanks for the chocolate recommendation! I love dark chocolate, and I love mint.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And you're welcome. Those chocolate bars are dangerously good.

[shebit.livejournal.com]

I recommand fresh beetroots roasted in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. They end up tender and earthy and sweet and very very tasty.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Yum! I do need to try them from scratch, as it were, someday. I tossed the canned ones with salad dressing before serving them, which enhanced the flavor beautifully. So good. I could eat them alone with the dressing. Mmm.

[shebit.livejournal.com]

I've never tried tinned beetroots, but I do love pickled beetroot from a jar for salads.

You should try fresh ones - they're very easy to prepare, you just get turned a bit pink if you don't wear rubber gloves.

[atherisch.livejournal.com]

wow, congrats!!

and yes, three musketeers mint is the cat's pajamas.

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And yeah, they put crack in that stuff or something.

Congratulations!

[naill-renfro.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! That's wonderful!

/Likes nopales, doesn't like beets

Re: Congratulations!

[mollyringle.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

I bet nopales in a better chef's hands would appeal. I won't rule them out if I'm in a fine New Mexico restaurant someday.

[naill-renfro.livejournal.com]

When it comes to texture, I'm willing to concede that they resemble scraps of boiled wetsuit...