Welcome to Always Write
If you already feel welcomed and are tired of landing on this page, feel free to skip to the blog to see what’s new.
I’m Marsha Ingrao, your hostess and chief editor and publisher of this blog. If you want to know more about me check out my About Page.
Blogging- A Giant Experiment
Isn’t it great to publish a living blog? Writing, editing and publishing my blog compliments my philosophy of being a life-long learner.
Write for fun Publish Join others #Haiku by Marsha Ingrao

All bloggers are publishers. We monitor and approve what goes out to our public. That carries a great responsibility to be truthful, respectful, of good character.
I call myself a hobby blogger. Some people don’t like the term hobby or vanity blogger because they put so much of themselves into the blog including their professional expertise. From a government or financial position, a hobby blogger is someone who publishes a blog with no commercial agenda.
For about four years, I tried to make money from a blog, and was a 100% failure. Neither my heart, nor my talent were in that endeavor. But that doesn’t make me a failure as a blogger. Having blogged since 2012, I have a fair amount of expertise in my hobby of blogging which I am more than willing to share with others. I take pride in my hobby, blogging, and am proud of what I have accomplished.
You may be a hobby blogger, too. If so, tell me about your blogging experience and why you would call yourself a hobby blogger, like I am. You may not be a hobby blogger because blogging can be serious business whether or not it generates income.. If so, tell me about that, too. My goal and purpose in blogging these days is to have fun and to support and encourage you in your blogging experience whatever it may be.

Ways I Achieve My Goals and Mission
My mission: “Having fun, while encouraging, and promoting bloggers.” Below are some of the ways I currently try to fulfill that goal.
Story Chat
Starting with Hugh Robert’s “The People Under the Stairs,” both budding and experienced authors are invited to send me a 500-1,000 word unpublished story to post as a story chat experience. Readers will comment, then I’ll summarize comments and include special insight from the author. Come join us as we sit around the fire, sipping a glass of wine or a hot chocolate with marshmallows discussing YOUR story. STORY CHAT

Writer’s Quotes Wednesday Writing Challenge
“Old words are reborn with new faces.”
Criss Jami
Colleen Chesebro invited me to adopt this challenge that so many enjoyed when she and Ronovan hosted it. Now that we are safely moved to Prescott, AZ, I have the time to devote to this new project.
It’s easy, find a quote for each week’s theme and write a response.
“In quoting others, we cite ourselves.”
Julio Cortazar

“A very wise quote is a spectacular waterfall! When you see it, you feel its power!”
Mehmet Murat Ildan
Blog Challenges Interview Series
Blog challenges are how many bloggers strut their stuff and meet other people. How do bloggers come up with challenges? What does it take to host a challenge? When is a challenge not a challenge? How do you participate in challenges? Join me with an interview or a guest post. Do you have any questions you would like to ask a challenge host? Submit them on the form below.
Upcoming Interviews
- Carol Cormier – Thursday Trios
- Clare Horan – Share Your Desktop

Contact me today to be featured on Always Write.
Featured on This Blog
- Blog
- Interview Series Current: Blogs that host Photo and Writing Challenges – and those who participate
- Photo Challenges – not mine, the ones I join
- Flash Fiction – super new for me
- Poetry Challenges – Tanka Tuesday – my newest craze!
- Travel Commentaries – screeched to a COVID 19 halt.
- Hobbies – yours and mine
- YOUR guest posts. I am honored to write guest posts for you, too.
- Reblogged posts Checking in on my followers for great stuff that the Always Write blogger community would love to read
- Occasional outbursts of personality – mostly in the Comment Sections!

A Direct Result of Blogging
- Images of America Woodlake– a published by Arcadia Books
- So You Think You Can Blog? – Self published
Join me on FB LinkedIn, or Twitter, or by email at marshaalwayswrite@tchistorygal.net
Excellent! This is a great idea for newcomers and those who have been reading here for a little longer. I learn new things about you every time I visit.
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hahaha, Age, my dear sister, age. Lots of time for things to happen even when you take life easy!!! I’ve had a good life, and I’m loving it even more now. 🙂
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That’s my plan too.
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You are one prolific writer, Marcia… I love your enthusiasm for, well everything..! It all shines through in your writing… 😉
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hahaha Thanks Carolyn/Caroline. Takes one life enthusiast to recognize another! AND the same goes for writing! 🙂 It just so happens that I’m a big fan of yours as well. 🙂
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I like your new organization – You are amazing!!!!!
We just showed out place to 2 of our former students children for weddings next fall. We are getting OLD!!! See you at 7:30 am tomorrow morning!
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hahaha YOU will never be old. You are too adorable, no matter what your age! Good for Running P! 🙂
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Marsha, was it you who recommended the book The Worst Hard Time? I’ve found it excellent, though disturbing. If it was you, have you seen this movie, which was mentioned in the book: The Plow That Broke the Plains
Cheers! Yvonne
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It was me, and it was disturbing, and excellent. I haven’t seen the movie. Thanks for recommending it. We do so much plowing here that we have our own dustbowl problems right here in Central California.
Take care Yvonne, and have a Merry Christmas. Lots of love, Marsha xox
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Love the blog setup, Marsha. 🙂
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Thanks, Kevin. It’s so much easier than self-hosted, and it’s friendlier. I was never happy with my other blog, so I finally gave up fighting with it. I’m glad you like it. I thought I had lost you. I tried to look you up and got a no longer available sign. So did you do the same thing? I’m just excited to see you on line again. 🙂 Write soon. If you every want me to do a guest post, I owe you several. 🙂
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Sorry for the late reply, Marsha. I know what you mean. I finally settled down with this one. Lol. I would love for you to do a guest post if you’re truly comfortable with that. Let me know what you would like to do and when would be a good time: kevincooper693@gmail.com. 🙂
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Of course, I’m comfortable with you doing a guest post. Let’s chat by email or phone. marshaalwayswrite@tchistorygal.net.
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Hi Marsha, I was looking around your blog as a new follower, and as you say, we have so many other bloggers in common! BUT I have to tell you the most exciting thing is that the Australian road sign photo in this post is from where I live – Tumbarumba is mentioned and that’s my small town!! How incredible :). Love connections like this!
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That is so funny! I was there in 2016-2017 to visit my blogging friend, Carol – the Eternal Traveler. It was a fabulous trip. I could never have imagined every going to Australia (and by myself) but she made it possible. She is also a teacher. I have a series of posts on Australia if you write Australia in the search box.
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I’ll definitely take a look!! So funny the connections we make. I’ve met a few bloggers on our travels and it’s always a highlight of our trips despite my husband’s initial unease.
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Yes, mine, too, but we have been on two trips in the States with our friends, so he is friends with both of them on Facebook, too. Do you know Terri Webster Schrandt? He has met her as well and enjoyed her a lot. With all of us spread all over the world, sadly, it’s not too likely that most of us will ever meet. It’s just so fun when we do.
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Yes I love Terri and join in her Sunday stills photo challenge most weeks. I agree it’s so much fun when we manage to meet up and it always feels like we’ve known each other forever!! Which is weird when you try to tell non blogging friends about it, as they just don’t get it!! I’m great friends with Donna although I’ve not met her in person, apart from being on zoom calls and through our blogging! I’m in contact with her most weeks and she’s one of my favourites.
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I can understand that. I just met her and I think she is adorable. You call each other every week? Wow! Do you get together with several of your blogging friends that way all at the same time, or individually. I know exactly what you mean about non-blogging friends not getting it. Mine are starting to after all this time, but at first it was like my blogging friends weren’t “real.” I think it helps to meet some of them and if you can introduce them to your friends, they get it. 🙂
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I just re-checked and added a third pingback, Marsha. Hope the WordPress gremlins do their job this time! Lol!
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Thank you so much, Amanda. I’ll also be adding a pingback on this week’s post. So you are going to be pinged to death! 🙂
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Awesome. Ping away!!
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I will. 🙂
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