With a Cherry on Top? [Better Blogging]

Please, please, please...pretty please with a cherry, whipped cream and nuts on top~~~

Would ya add your address to your blog profile?

Several times over the last couple of days, I've wanted to email someone who left a comment to tell them something personal, or ask a question, or just chat outside the blog's public forum. But guess what? I couldn't because there was no email address listed on the email that notified me of their comment on one of my posts.

I promise, it's not hard to do. Look, if I can do it, anybody can! You'll also be increasing your online presence and promoting blog love throughout the Blogland community. This is all you gotta do:

• Sign on at your blog
• Click "View My Complete Profile"
• Several options are listed such as Photo, Edit Profile and Contact. Click Contact, then Email.
• ADD YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS HERE, Save, and voila!

In just a few seconds you have made yourself accessible to others whose blogs you leave comments on. You can email back and forth with them. And who knows, maybe an agent or editor will be impressed with how savvy you are AND how easy it is to reach you!

Welcome to the blogging forefront. You shall no longer be lumped with all those other anonymous unreachable noreply-comment@blogger.com people!

Now, I don't wanna push it since we've talked about this several times already...but while you're in there tinkering around with your blog settings and preferences, wontcha consider taking off that annoying little Word Verification function? I promise you, since I started this blog back in September, I've had exactly two spam comments...and all I had to do was go in and delete them with the little trashcan icon. *poof* they were dust.

Add your email and lose the Word Verification thingy and your bloggy friends will be eternally grateful. You might even get more comments, followers and/or traffic. Don't believe me? Just ask Debbie at Suburb Sanity and Vodka Mom at I Need A Martini Mom. Their blogs are so busy, ya gotta take a number to get in and comment. LOL

Now, go spread the word. And since it's Sunday, do something nice for somebody! (o:l>

Kickin' The Blog Up a Notch

Some good stuff on tap today. First, some tippage on hosting a better blog, because don't we all want to improve our web presences to show ourselves in a better light? Sure we do, boys and girls! Here's a few things we can do to kick our bloggy homes up to the next level:

• Think about removing that aggravating word verification thingy from your comments form. I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating. I've had no spam incidents or other negative fallout since I removed that extra step, and I've had several visitors comment on how much easier it is to leave comments. [And isn't that what we want...our readers to feel at home and want to leave a few words?]


• A good rule of thumb: Visit unto others as you'd have them visit unto you. Ya know...if I visit your blog and comment daily or several times a week, isn't it just good bloggerish etiquette and form to return the favor? Tit for tat goes a long way in the social networking world.


• Keep it fresh. Our home environments can become stale and unappealing when kept static for long periods. Same thing goes for our blogs. I'm no Martha Stewart [just call me Erma], and admit that my Christmas tree is still up, but I do try to keep my Gumbo Writer content updated and appealing. It never hurts to tweak your settings and layout to better serve your friends and loyal readership. I'm not saying to redecorate for every holiday or season, or to top load your blog with so many buzzers and whistles that visitors go nuts from overstimulating graphics, or bored to tears waiting for everything on your page to download, but a little spiffing up never hurt anyone.


• Lagniappe is a good thing. [Come on, y'all. You been hanging around long enough to know what lagniappe is, but in case you're a new visitor, it means a little something extra.] There are lots of groovy widgets and things you can add to your blog including polls, photos, and trivia, or hey, what about a little fun contest now and then?
• Now, for the love of Pete, could ya put your email contact in your profile so that I can email you after I read your complete ID or straight from the automatically generated email I get when you comment? So many times I want to say something private or give a suggestion...and the return email address says, "noreply-comment@blogger.com." Argh!


• I'll be the first to admit I'm no expert. I'm just sharing a few things I've picked up along the blogging trail. For some even "betterer" advice, stop by Helen's Straight From Hel blog to learn some social networking hints. [This is a two-part post, so bring your favorite beverage and a pen/pad to take notes. It's a quick read, I promise, and easy to absorb.]

Now, a little shameless self promotion. I got an email last night from someone at bloginterviewer.com saying my blog had been nominated as a reader favorite or some such [thanks to whichever of my friends put my name in the hat!], and would I come fill out an interview form. It was quick and didn't strain my brain, so why not?

If I'm understanding correctly, I'm to ask readers and friends to vote for Gumbo Writer as blog-o-the-month for a chance to win $50. Isn't that exciting? And if I do happen to win, I'm going to buy some of Kimmi's The Unbreakable Child and Kathryn's Tender Graces books for contest prizes! Oh, and also some grits to send to you poor souls who haven't had the opportunity to try them yet!

So, if you're in a mood and of a mind to help three writer womens out, go pull the lever for me. You can vote once per day. [See icon at the top of my sidebar. The blue one with the LSU purple & gold colors. It'll take you to the short interview.] Thanks in advance for your vote. My campaign promise is this ~~ "A chicken & dumplin' in every pot!" :)

And speaking of Kathryn, stranded somewhere in Texas after visiting me here in Baton Rouge...her soon to be released book TENDER GRACES has a new page at publisher BelleBooks' site with a pre-order form included for those of you who've been waiting. [And it's also a cool look at what an indie publisher can do for your own future novel!]

Contest Winner, King Cake Recipe, Slow Cooked Poem & Bletiquette

...aaaand the winner is, with a guess of 883 and being closest to the number of beads in my head (LOL) of 935.....

Linda Crow of 2nd Cup of Coffee

Congratulations! Let me know your preferred flavor of King Cake so I can go order and ship it to ya! We'll expect full reportage on the glory of the yummy baked good after it arrives and is consumed. (Warning: A wee plastic baby may or may not be hidden inside the cake, so please do not chomp down unawares. I am not legally responsible for chipped teeth or broken crowns!) :)
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Check out my fun poem over at The Found Poetry Project -- A Slow Cooker, and leave a comment if you're so inclined.

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If you're interested in making your own King Cake for a Mardi Gras celebration, here's an easy recipe and a little history for ya:

Also known as Twelfth Night Cake, the brioche-style King Cake is made in Louisiana bakeries for the period between the Twelfth Night (January 6) and Ash Wednesday.

This delicious tradition is thought to have begun with French settlers, and dating back to 12th century France, when a similar cake was used to celebrate the coming of the three wise men bearing gifts twelve days after Christmas, calling it the feast of Epiphany, Twelfth Night, or King's Day.

The cakes are traditionally baked in the round shape to commemorate the circular route taken by the Kings, and usually contained a bean, pea, or a figurine symbolizing the baby Jesus. Around 1871 the tradition of choosing the Mardi Gras queen by who drew the prize-filled piece of cake began. Now the "winner" provides the next cake or hosts the next party.

Mardi Gras colors were chosen in 1872 to symbolize Justice (purple), Faith (green), and Power (gold).

King Cake

1 packet dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 Tbs. milk, scalded and cooled
4 1/2 - 5 cups flour
8 oz. butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs
2 tsp. melted butter
very small plastic doll
light corn syrup for topping
Colored sugar sprinkles (or make your own with granulated sugar colored with food coloring -- green, purple, and yellow)

Prepare yeast in warm water. Add milk and about 1/2 cup of flour. In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, salt and eggs. Add yeast mixture and mix well. Slowly add in 2 1/2 cups flour to make a medium dough. Place in a greased bowl and brush with melted butter. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise double in size (3-4 hours).

Use 1 cup or more flour to knead dough and roll into a 4 to 5-foot long rope. Form into a oval on a 14 x 17" greased baking sheet, connecting ends of the rope with a few drops of water, pinching to make a good seal.

Press the doll into the dough from bottom. Cover dough ring with a damp cloth and let rise about 1 hour. Bake at 325° for 35 to 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Brush top of cake with corn syrup and sprinkle with alternating bands of colored sugar. Cut, serve, enjoy!

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Now, friend Bella (aka That Damn Expat) has an important Public Service Announcement on the subject of Bletiquette; something I've touched on in a post or two here. Bella's version, however, seemed to touch a lot of nerves with 83 comments, so be sure to read her no-holds-barred list. Parts of it made me laugh out loud. Thanks, you crazy blog owner, for giving me permission to link to this important PSA.