On Writing: Promoting Your Work in the Spectrum in 2009

by Michele Cameron Drew


Are you a serious writer or poet who is publishing on the internet with Triond, Bukisa, eHow, Helium, AC, or elsewhere?

Are you finding yourself with less time to write as you are putting it all into promoting your articles or blog? Perhaps I can help.

Recently, myself, Lauren Axelrod, RJ Evans and other writers from various sites have begun building our network of blogs with the addition of guest articles. Basically the blog owner publishes an excerpt or your full article(with your links and byline) on their blog and then promotes it along with their own work. I know this is an age-old practice but it creates a "social networking" community where people of like interests are more likely to read and promote each others' work.

This also creates an opportunity to build your readership, the readership of your sites and those of like-minded writers and provides us a chance to revive some of those articles that didn't receive much exposure when first published.

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Broken Ends

by Michele Cameron Drew

Source

I lead you down paths of righteousness.
You lead me to paths of ruin.
Your deception has only cheated us,
Your infidelity, blackened the moon.

I now walk through black nights of emptiness,
Tears of loneliness, so deep and so sad,
In hope that the sun bring us happiness,
And you'll realize how much that we had.

For a moment the sun gave a second chance,
To repair all the damage you've done,
A glimmer of light to come back and dance,
In the beautiful warmth of the sun.

In that moment you wasted the chance away,
And opted for somebody new.
Though faithful, I opted to move away,
And let go of the reins holding you.

I'm broken straight down to the ends of me,
All reserve has been wasted to date.
I fear now you'll decide to come back to me,
And baby, it will be too late.

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Plagiarism and Promotion: Ideas and Suggestions

by Michele Cameron Drew

Have you noticed that your page hits have dropped considerably? Have you wondered if your articles are being plagiarized? How you can create more traffic? My rant, with useful suggestions and additional reading list...


Although this article is somewhat a rant, it is designed to shed some light on some things that many of us are experiencing right now. The loss of page views and/or income and a lack of promotion ideas. This problem could be due to a number of things. Have you stopped promoting the urls of your articles? Older articles can be promoted in new ways to generate more hits(are you still using the same old social bookmarking?).

Newer articles still need to be promoted to maximize exposure, even when you have a current readership. The more crosslinks, backlinks and SEO links a page contains, the higher it will place in the search engines and the more hits you will see to your articles.

Do you have a niche? Have you tried joining communities, social networks and forums related to that niche? Posting articles and opinions or helping other users in forums related to your niche is a great way to promote yourself and your articles. What about your blog? Do you have a blog? This is a great way to gain more exposure.

How about a writers' group networking site, where you can all network and promote each others' work? Similar to a social bookmarking site, but more in-depth, this type of site could be utilized for sharing all kinds of useful ideas and information.

On another note, recently, due to my name being within the text of one of my articles, plugging my own poem, I came across something not so lovely. There is a person out on the web that has been stealing work from a multitude of triond writers. I'm sure there are many others plagiarizing, but this individual has nearly 300 articles. Although I haven't checked anywhere near all of them, I do recognize and have researched enough to know that at least 5% have been from triond and every single article that I checked was originally published here.

I ran a Google search on my name, which I do periodically. I have been doing this much more often since this realization. I came across my article "In Retrospect, the Blizzard of '78: 30 Years Later" posted under a different name with no byline and all of the links removed that relate back to me, including the poem "Starbird Hill" which inspired the writing of the article.

This person is highly active in promoting our articles all over the internet under his/her own website where they are copy/pasted verbatim and advertised using the second image in the article. They have changed the title, removed the byline and original links and used new tags, then pasted the text and images to their own website. This is plain and simple copyright infringement.

Today I have noted the fact that this person is using notsolong.com(similar to tinyurl), to shorten their urls and probably to disguise them, because they have realized that I am on to them, having been banned from several sites.

Every day I come across more links and every day I go to the social bookmarking website owners and ask to have this user banned from their respective systems. I have emailed triond and they assure me that they will be looking into this.

I will not provide the link to his/her website here, so as not to promote this person's site in any way, but I will provide you with the address of their profile on the social bookmarking sites that I have found who have not yet removed this user, at the time of this writing.

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Castle in the Sun

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Castle In the Sun

There is a place within my dreams,
Where we live out all the scenes,
That only lovers can.
He comes to me with gentle touch,
A touch I find I need so much,
The warmth is in his hands.

He is all I'll ever need,
He gives to me a tiny seed,
To start a garden new.
A garden we will live upon,
And let our loving linger on,
A beauty shared by few.

As with our dreams we are fulfilled,
Beside the garden we will build,
Our castle in the sun.
Never will the bond be broken.
No words needed to be spoken.
Forever we are one.

And it will be a fortress grand,
Protecting those upon it's land,
This castle we will share,
With all of those that we hold dear,
They will come from far and near,
To live upon it's fare.

The garden fountain soon will be,
A place for all to come and see,
The finest in the land.
Toss a penny, make a wish,
And you will find a blessed kiss,
Was placed upon your hand.

There will be a joining now,
The fountain it will tell you how,
To live that dream you feel.
For it is here that dreams come true,
The dreams of love, you never knew,
Could ever be for real.

Forests of the finest wood,
Standing where they've always stood,
For miles everywhere,
We will walk together on,
Together spend a lifetime long,
In love beyond compare.

And we will rule this wonderous land,
As king and queen in strength we'll stand,
Knowing we have won,
Because we took the time to love,
We will be blessed from above,
In our castle in the sun.

-Michele Cameron Drew

Powerful Peppermint (Mentha Piperita)

by Michele Cameron Drew

Folk Names: Brandy Mint, Lammint
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Mercury
Element: Fire
Deity: Pluto
Powers: Purification, Sleep, Love, Healing, & Psychic Powers

Throughout time peppermint has been recorded as being used for medicinal purposes, even as far back as Ancient Greece. It is also to have been found in the Ancient Egyptian pyramids dating back to around 1000 BC.

Key constituents:
Volatile Oil - ( up to 1.5%) including Menthol at 35-55%, Menthone at 10-40%
Flavonoids - ( Luteolin, Menthoside )
Phenolic acids
Triterpenes

Menthol is antiseptic, antifungal, cooling, and an anesthetic to the skin although can also be an irritant to the skin if used incorrectly. Volatile oil is strongly antibacterial.

Whole herb has an antispasmodic effect on the digestive system.

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Recommended Reading:




The Complete Book of Herbs
by Lesley Bremness


With more than 340,000 copies sold in hardcover, this essential, full-color resource is now available in paperback. Revealing the enormous potential of herbs, this sourcebook includes information on planting, growing, and harvesting herbs, as well as the main uses of herbs. It also offers an exhaustive identification guide, recipes, ideas for gifts, and much more.



Encyclopedia of Herbs & Their Uses
by Deni Bown

This most authoritative work on the subject of herbs contains more than 1,500 color photos of herbs found both in the wild and in cultivation, accompanied by a description of each herb and tips on growing and harvesting. Bown also includes practical advice on planning and cultivating an herb garden and the various uses of herbs in cooking and medicine.



The Essential Oils Book : Creating Personal Blends for Mind & Body
by Colleen K. Dodt
Featuring dozens of easy-to-create aromatic recipes and a bit of historical insight, this intelligently written book by herbalist Colleen Dodt shows how readers can include homemade scents in every aspect of their lives. Printed on recycled paper with a matte finish.

Chillin' Out with Chamomile (Matricaria Recutita)

by Michele Cameron Drew

Folk Names: Camomyle, Chamaimelon, Ground Apple, Heermannchen (German), Manzanilla (Spanish), Maythen, Whig Plant
Gender: Masculine
Planet: Sun
Element: Water
Powers: Money, Sleep, Love, and Purification

Chamomile grows wild and we often mow right over it, without realizing what it is or its great benefits. Here is a whole new way to look at this wild flower. This aromatic, slightly bitter tasting herb is often found in the tea section of your local grocery store, but this herb has many medicinal uses that are not yet well known. Chamomile is grown in Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Argentina, Egypt, and the United States. It is most favored in Slovakia. Folk sayings indicate that individuals should bow when facing this herb to show respect for the hundreds of years of healing it has provided in the folk medicine of the country. One little known fact is that Chamomile is an official drug (recognized by government authority) in the pharmacopoeias of twenty-six countries.

Chamomile is used to attract money, and it is said that handwashing of the infusion is something gamblers do to ensure winnings. The infusion added to a bath is said to attract love and when sprinkled around a property, it removes curses and spells cast against you.

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The Electronic Cigarette - The Healthier Cigarette

By Stephen Rowley

The electronic cigarette is the latest cutting edge technology to come out of China. This simple yet effective device comprises of three components, the lithium battery, the atomizer and the cartridge.
The device works much like a real cigarette, once you draw on the butt end of the cigarette, air is drawn into the atomizer via two inlet holes on its side. The air flow triggers a switch and the battery heats up the atomizer which then vaporizes the fluid in the cartridge which is a mixture of nicotine, water, propylene glycol and some tabacco flavouring.
The smoker then inhales a nicotine and propylene glycol vapour, and a smokey coloured vapour is exhaled, giving the smoker the visual, taste and nicotine satisfaction of a real cigarette without the harmful effects of a real cigarette.


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Digital Scrapbooking: The Hobby and the Writer

by Glynis Smy

Digital Scrapbooking is a growing Internet hobby, but it can be valuable to the writer too.

Digital Scrapbooking is very popular on the internet. Community groups all share their creations, they have competitions,swap tips and give away layouts. Graphics cover every topic and it is popular with the male species as much as the ladies.

The software varies, there are programs just for scrapbooking such as ScrapBook Flair their free download is here or there are photographic software programs such as Adobe Photoshop Elements, there is a free trial download that can be used to try for 30 days here.

An image saved using a low resolution can be improved or changed using photographic adjusting programs.

There is no glue or glitter involved and you can email your end result within minutes of finishing, sharing with family and friends all over the world.

The two types of scrapbooking compliment each other, for example you can prepare and print out a digital scrap page and then add embellishments afterwards or you can do a stick and glue style page, scan it into your software and add digital graphics to the uploaded scan.

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Eid Party Celebration for Children

by Abdul Sabour Ayoubi, Dec 17, 2008

This article gives information about Muslim Eids. And a special Eid party where my colleagues I organised for children.

Eid is celebrated around the world by Muslims. It is a day of forgiveness, each and everyone goes to one and other houses to celebrate Eid. Traditionally everyone wears new cloths and new shoes. Families prepare plenty of food. In every house there are lots of dry fruits, biscuits, tea or coffee ready to be served.

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Blast Away Holiday Stress with Herbal Teas

by Darlene McFarlane

The Holiday season can be stressful. It's a time of overwork, over indulgence, over stimulation, and over spending. While herb teas can't help with your spending they can help you get through the season a little easier. Below is a collection of great tasting herb teas that will help blast away holiday upsets.

Courtesy of Flickr commons by adactio

*Rule of thumb for brewing herbs one heaping teaspoon of each dried herb per cup. If many herbs are being brewed at one time, increase water to 1½ cups

1. Take a Break Tea

This tea blend kicks the nervous system into action by strengthening and nourishing the body while bringing sweet relief to your frazzled inner self. It's a little blast of pleasure.

Method:

Put one heaping teaspoon of each herb (per cup) in a teapot or saucepan. Pour boiling water over the herbs, cover and let steep 5 to 10 minutes.

Herbs:

• lemon grass


• lemon balm


• passionflower


• rose hips


• chamomile


• honey (if desired)

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Two Sonnets - Angel on Your Shoulder & Day's End

source

Angel on Your Shoulder

The moment that our hearts so kindly met,

You touched my soul just like a gentle song.

Soft spoken words of yours I can't forget,

Sweet memory to last a lifetime long.

If I could write for you a single tune,

All dressed in blue reflective shining light,

I'd wrap it in the myst'ry of the moon,

Sung sweetly in the beauty of the night.

If you should ever feel lost or alone,

Please don't forget that you can count on me.

The angel on your shoulder guide you home,

Because that's where a friend should always be.

My dear sweet one for you I'll always pray.

One candle in the dark I'll light your way.

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Digital Art: Michele Cameron Drew

Art & Images (click for full size)
Within Castle Walls	The_Rose	Ocean Sunset	Sunny Bouquet
Grand Island Lighthouse	Oregon - Coastline	Waterwheel	Aqueduct
Violet	Freshly Picked	Guardian Angel	Just Pink Tulips
The War	Del Rico II - Another Perspective	Castle in the Sun	In the Dead of the Night
River Bridge	The Tower	On the Rocks	Basking
Life	Pine Cones	Santa at the Window	Winter Wonderland
Poinsettia