Yes, I know it's the day after Mother's Day, but that day in my house is very busy, mainly with me on the phone with my many children, so there was no time for blogging. It's so great to hear from them all in one day! The three still at home showered me with gifts and love and we enjoyed the day together. On another of my blogs, Tuesday Theology , I shared a story about a heart-wrenching experience that many moms will understand. I've had quite a bit of response to that blog post and I thought I'd share it here, too. In one of my Helpful Quotes for Writer s on TheTotalWriter.com , I tell my students to weave feelings into their writing. This featured blog post shows exactly what I mean by that. Write well today. ~Tricia

I read a few blogs every week, as I'm sure you all do. Reading others' blogs is a great way to learn, not only what they're blogging about, but also what does and does not work in the "blogosphere." I want to point out three things that cause me to stop reading a person's blog. Everyone is busy; time is at a premium. Here are three practical ways to respect your readers' time.  These three things make me click off a blog, even in the midst of reading: 1. Poor grammar. I simply can't get past poor grammar. I'm not talking about the occasional typo; I'm talking about the abuse of the English language I see on some blogs. I click off and usually don't go back. 2. Music. I usually play my own music, or need a quiet room for my kids. When I open a blog post and music starts playing immediately, I click off.  3. Links that don't open in a new window. Bloggers, set your links to open in a new window so your readers won...