Riehl on WITS Podcast: Internet Marketing & How to make an audio book

Three years ago I was one of Yvonne Perry’s Writers in the Sky podcasts shortly after the publication of “Sightlines: A Poet’s Diary.” Today Yvonne and I chat again on her podcast about “Sightlines: A Family Love Story in Poetry and Music” showing the miles we’ve traveled since then. This was recorded in the hospital…

CHECK OUT: Explore Bookstore top tab to learn more about Sightlines audio book blog tour

I’ve expanded the information for “Sightlines: A Family Love Story in Poetry and Music.” Look under the top tab for BOOKSTORE. You’ll see: FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR Consult the calendar for all 18 stops in June and July. There are blog posts, podcasts, a live telecall, an internet radio broadcast. Each stop contains unique information….

Buying My Car

Modest not ostentatious. A car that would blend in and not provoke envy. “Where do you want your wealth to reside?” Not in a heap of tin and heavy metal that starts to depreciate as soon as I drive off the car lot. “A car is an appliance,” my sales representative says to me as…

Riehlife Blog Posts: The Ones that Got Away…Readings, Art Museums, Plays, Movies, Products…and even (ahem!) Ideas

Recently I cleared out my piles on the credenza in my study. I found lots of scraps of paper noting ideas to blog about. Here, then, are “the ones that got away.” All of these blog-fish are pretty small, but some are beautifully striped. Ideas 1) Pop as “great connector” 2) Soil & Soul (poem…

The History of Reading, Mine (Art reflects culture? Yes.)

Last night at Left Bank Books (since 1969 St. Louis’ most famous and stable independent book store…blessedly in my neighborhood) Meg Wolitzer gave us an engaging look into her world view, writing process, and the rich language of The Ten-Year Nap which begins: “ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY, the women were waking up…” You can read…

St. Louis Culture: Out and about as a Woman Around Town.

I’ve been a woman about town these last few days. The dictionary defines this phrase as: A sophisticated and socially active woman who frequents fashionable places. Well, I can dream, can’t I? FREE–Thursday night I attended the Missouri History Museum’s Community Cinema Series to view “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Naathai.” (See post) FREE–Friday?…

Black Valentine’s Series #7: Cuddled Prayers Couples Linda Jones Hawkins & Charles Hawkins

Our Black Valentine’s Series concluded with the love story of Linda Jones Hawkins and Charles Hawkins. I met the couple at the 2007 Kwanzaa celebration in St. Louis. Linda showed me her beautiful poems and paintings, while Charles stood by, beaming. You’ve been reading three of Linda’s love poems in the last few days. Linda…

Black Valentine Series: #3 George and Marcia Williams (Gifted Productions)…40 years of romance during the easy times and hard times, too

In honor of the combination of Black History Month and Valentine’s Day week, I’m running a “Black Valentine” series to profile several of the most vibrant Black couples I’ve met in St. Louis. I met Marcia at a Black Community Empowerment Workshop run by Howard Denson of the Black Pages. Marcia is the creative drive…