“What is a Blog Chain?” Yvonne says, A blog chain involves about a dozen people who have a blog and want to participate in a fun group activity. Each participant visits the blog of every person on the chain within one week of being sent the list of URLs. When visiting each blog, participants read and comment on one post they find interesting. When you leave a comment on the other eleven blogs you will in turn receive eleven comments on your own blog. And, the search engines smile upon you because this kind of activity increases your blog’s popularity and raises its ranks in search engines.

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Who’s Blogging?

Here are our blogging friends who form the chain. Again, from Yvonne:

If you’d like to play with us and get in some great reading this week, simply visit each blog and leave a comment along with the URL to your own blog. You may also want to follow these people on Twitter.

Allison Maslan’s blog is about self-empowerment in body mind and spirit. Learn how to make the changes you want in business, career, relationships, and your body when you visit http://www.myblastoff.com/blog. Be sure to follow Allison on Twitter: @AllisonMaslan

After much debate about which of my blogs to feature in this blog chain, I’ve decided to introduce you to my book, More Than Meets the Eye. Learn about the process of death and dying, find green burial info, consider activity in the afterlife, and talk about spirit communication at http://deathdyingafterlife.blogspot.com/. You’ll recognize my constant tweeting as @writersinthesky.

On Writer’s Journey is a blog owned by Penny Lockwood Ehrenkranz. Visit her at http://pennylockwoodehrenkranz.blogspot.com/ to read author interviews, book reviews, and all things writing related. She is so generous that she reviewed two of my books and interviewed me twice! Penny is @pennyehrenkranz on Twitter.

Carolyn Howard-Johnson is a long-time networking friend of mine. She and I have done multiple joint venture projects like this blog chain. She has several blogs, but we have chosen http://warpeacetolerance.blogspot.com/ to honor our soldiers during this blog chain. Carolyn is on Twitter as @frugalbookpromo.

After 15 years of working in the industry as an ASE-certified automobile technician, my son, Robert “Zeb” McCurley, has started his own Nashville business, Wheel Fix It Mobile Vehicle Maintenance and Repair. His rates are much lower than the cost of taking a car to the shop; plus, he comes to your location! Find auto care tips and information about how to contact him for a local repair when you visit his blog at http://wheelfixit.blogspot.com/. Follow @WheelFixItNow on Twitter.

Tisha Morris is a new WITS client and I am thrilled to be helping her promote her new book, 27 Things to FengShui Your Home. Her blog http://www.mindbodyom.com/ has some great tips for declutter your life, home, and workspace. I’ve been cleaning like a fiend ever since I got hold of her book! She’s on Twitter as @mindbodyom.

If you are looking for something to do outdoors or some new place to go for vacation, you’ll love Loretta Leda’s blog http://www.newoutdooradventures.blogspot.com. Follow her on Twitter: @FloridaSpaGirls.

Schall Adams is a new girlfriend and networking partner I found when working on Allison Maslan’s Amazon book launch. Schall’s blog is all about women empowering women to live Happy Successful Passionate lives! http://www.mygirlfriendmentors.com/blog

Another WITS client, networker, and dear friend has joined this blog chain. Janet Riehl and I were virtual friends for years before we met in person when she came to Nashville for a recording session with my son-in-law, Scott Kidd. When you visit her blog, http://www.riehlife.com, you may read about the audio book they created! You’ll want to follow Janet on Twitter as @Riehlife.

http://bethtrissel.blogspot.com/ Historical and Light Paranormal Romance Author. Gardening with a focus on herbs, heirloom plants and old Southern recipes. Please follow Beth on Twitter: @BethTrissel.

Denise DeMaras is a women’s health coach, artist, and writer whose medicine is change. She helps women process emotions, reduce stress, and increase creativity, to make changes or cope with them. She is a board-certified nutrition consultant, Chopra Certified Meditation Instructor, Chapman University Certified Art for Healing Instructor, Columbia University Certified Holistic Health Counselor. I love her fabulous blog at http://blog.denisedemaras.com/ ! Follow Denise on Twitter: @ddemaras.

http://folkheartpressblog.blogspot.com/ is about folklore and family stories, mythology and more. Follow Folkheart Press on Twitter: @Folkheartpress.

http://iwritesome.blogspot.com/ features the musings of Dennis S Martin; poet, playwright and novelist from Baltimore, Maryland. Follow Dennis on Twitter: @dsmartin49.

http://leedesign2.blogspot.com/ Tips on Mac computers and graphic design. Follow Jessica Galbraith on Twitter: @leedesign.

http://nancykellyallen.blogspot.com/ This blog is all about writing tips for writers and teachers of writing. Each week I will address one aspect of writing. Occasionally, I will post tips about no-fee contests and calls for submissions by publishers. Follow Nancy Allen on Twitter: @NancyKellyAllen.

The book publicist Scott Lorenz is president of Westwind Communications, a public republic relations and marketing firm with a special knack for working with authors and entrepreneurs to help them get all the publicity they deserve and more. Scott is a regular contributor to WITS Newsletter. http://thebookpublicist.blogspot.com/. Follow Scott on Twitter: @aBookPublicist.

Tom is a retired pharmacist and now does dentistry in third-world countries to help less-fortunate children. Read his blog about his adventures at http://tomvancel.blogspot.com/ .

Long-time WITS client Linda Ballou is about to introduce another book. Find out more about her first book, Wai-nani, High Chiefess of Hawaii-Her Epic Journey, when you visit her blog: http://wwwlindaballouauthor.blogspot.com/. Follow Linda on Twitter: @LindaBallou.

Happy networking, everyone. Let me know how it goes.

Yvonne Perry,
Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services

http://writersinthesky.com

* “The Little School.” by Argentinian writer Alicia Partnoy.
* “The Colour of the Moon” by the Greek author Alkouni Papadaki.
* “Once in a Promised Land’ by Jordanian author Laila Halaby.
* “A Handbook to Luck,” by Cuban author Cristina Garcia.
* Catalina de Erasuo, Memoir of a Basque Lieutenant Nun: Transvestite in the New World (1626-30, Spain), true story.
* “The Bone People,” by Keri Hulme, a Maori writer from New Zealand.

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International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, IWD is a national holiday. The first IWD was run in 1911. Next year is IWD Global Centenary 1911-201. [From International Women's Day site.]

Here’s how Robin’s review begins:

Based on Robert Kaplow’s novel of the same name, “Me and Orson Welles” is a coming of age story unfolding during the course of one week in 1937.

What could be better? A drama about the creative process–crashes & crescendos–set in that fascinating decade the 1930s. I’ll see you there!

The Academy of American Poets revealed the National Poetry Month poster for 2010 by award-winning illustrator and graphic designer Marian Bantjes, who recently created several campaigns for Saks Fifth Avenue. Bantjes’s intricate design features kaleidoscopic figures turning beneath a star-filled sky—a scene inspired by the poetry of Wallace Stevens. Lines from the poem “Final Soliloquy of the Interior Paramour” curve across the poster: “We make a dwelling in the evening air, / In which being there together is enough.”

Download and print a copy of the poster now or request one for your school, bookstore, library, or community center. March 1st is the deadline to request a free copy of this year’s poster and receive it in time for April.

Not a member or need to renew? Send in a membership check with your submission, or do it with credit card online:
$30 ($15 for student) Consider adding a $20 donation to your $30 and get Margie VIII free.

CONTEST DEADLINE BEVERLY HOPKINS MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL CONTEST: postmark MARCH 1. Membership not required.

Opportunites:

Get over to Craft Alliance at the Kranzberg Art Center at 501 Grand and Olive in Grand Center to seeTim Curtis’ SEE HOW MY MIND WORKS installation and respond by writing a poem or two. Gallery hours: W-Sat, 12-6pm, Sun. 12-5pm… closed Mon. and Tues. THIS Saturday IS THE LAST saturday BEFORE THE EVENT…. bring change for parking meters.

March 6, Saturday, 1-3 pm; OPEN MIC EVENT in the gallery.

THE POET’S VOICE: TALK BACK
register for a 5 minute spot at poetsvoice@stlouispoetrycenter.org, or sign up at the door.

For the words,

Nancy Hughes
Executive Director
St. Louis Poetry Center
www.stlouispoetrycenter.org
314-973-0616

Opening Reception: Friday, March 5th, 6-9 p.m. 2010
Conversations with Roshani: Sunday, March 7th, 3-5 p.m. Free & open to the public Marbles Yoga Studio & Gallery 1905 Park Ave, Lafayette Square, St. Louis, MO 63104

Exhibiting through March 28th! Open hours prior to scheduled yoga classes or by appointment, 314.791.6466.

Dates: March 5th, 2010 @ 6pm to March 7th, 2010 @ 5pm
Location:Marbles Yoga Studio & Art Gallery
Address: 1905 Park Avenue in Lafayette Square, Saint Louis, MO 63104

Other readers include:

Mary Eden, Jessica Freeman, Dena Molen, Julia Gordon-Bramer, Lisa Ebert, and Kristin Sharp.

Join the St. Louis poetry community for a guaranteed good time. Free refreshments. Music by Tom Cunningham.

About Matthew Freeman

Matthew Freeman has been a poet since he was a teenager in Dogtown, St. Louis. Since then he has fallen in love, traveled the country, and sung his songs. Diagnosed with Schizophrenia at the age of 24, he drifted in and out of hospitals before finally beginning his recovery. He now lives and writes in the Loop, in St. Louis. Darkness Never Far is his third collection of poems exploring the impact of mental illness on language and mythos.