Some Housekeeping Stuff

Sign-Up Dates for the A-Z Blogging Challenge:March 23 - April 4Remember to sign up! If you'd signed up for the Theme Reveal it doesn't automatically make you signed up for the main challenge.

If you encourage people to join the challenge, they can add to the sign-up form that you had done so, and you can get into the draw to win a chance to guest post on the A-Z Challenge Blog.


Remember to visit other blogs during the A-Z Challenge and leave comments! The point of a blog hop is to visit others, leave comments, and get visitors to your blog.
Let's start with some basics to help you get the most out of this April's A-Z Challenge. These older posts on our blog is still useful today:10 Common Misconceptions About Blog CommentsBlogging Basics: Hyperlink SignatureHow To Make Your Blog "Comment Friendly"
Building on all of that, I have to add something that I've come up against in during the Theme Reveal hop: Substack.
I just got my Substack account suspended for commenting on A-Z participants' posts with the usual links. Turns out it isn't blog hop friendly. I think people should be aware of this issue when commenting on blogs hosted on Substack before their accounts get inadvertently suspended. It's not always clear when a blog is hosted on Substack, so it gets tricky. Also, some of these "blogs" don't allow you to comment unless you're a paid subscriber.
I thought I'd warn people to not leave hyperlinks (or any kind of links) in the comments they leave on Substack. I have appealed their decision to suspend my account, but it's up in the air if I'll get it back.
As J rightly said when I raised the issue: "I'm not sure anyone using Substack is really hoping for new comments, so it makes no sense to join a blog hop. Blog hops are for people who hope for maximum comments and know that means, yeah, you'll occasionally have to toss out some spam, but mostly you'll get actual interested humans."
I'm not against anyone using Substack. But I think you ought to add in your CTA (call to action) at the end of your A-Z posts a warning that people shouldn't leave links, just their blog's name in their comments. Oh, and if only paid subscribers can comment, what's the point?

---

Excited Omg GIFfrom Excited GIFs

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge

Theme Reveal Blog Hop #AtoZchallenge

https://forms.gle/xhieZKo9RTbhnwrs9 Sign up for the THEME REVEAL blog hop here.
CLOSES on March 14!

Then visit fellow bloggers to learn about their themes. Here are all of the theme reveal links: https://tinyurl.com/3dv4n7vw 

Our team theme for April is “Aspirations: Blogging hopes, dreams, and goals”.
The A to Z Team has a theme that we hope you'll all really enjoy. Of course, no blogger is required to have a theme to take part in the April Blogging from A to Z Challenge. This is a bonus blog hop. Themes pull a month's posts together and often make writing a month of posts easier. Themes give you direction. It can also drum up interest from potential new readers. A theme connects your 26 April posts, what you'll convey over the month, and inspires readers to ponder what you'll blog about on that topic. 

LINK DIRECTLY TO YOUR THEME REVEAL POST.

Not to your main blog, website, or creator dashboard. 

This year, we're also encouraging everyone to "bring a blogging friend" to the challenge. Encouraging others to join us for the first time could win you a guest blog spot right here on the A to Z blog (which gets tens of thousands of views all year long). 

 

We recommend that you make a copy of the Google Sheet with the theme reveal results once the Theme Reveal closes on March 14. If you make a copy, you can use it to 😁 track which blogs you visit!

📢 Official Challenge Sign-ups : March 23- April 4

Be sure you come back here during those dates to sign your blog up for the official APRIL Blogging from A to Z Challenge. 💡💖

Taking part in the Theme Reveal does not sign you up for the main challenge. It increases your odds of winning the challenge by posting all month, and it increases the odds that you'll receive more visits and comments. You could let others know whether you've taken part in the challenge before or whether you usually visit your commenters' blogs. 

🤤 Get readers salivating, eager for your April posts. Have fellow blog hoppers pounding the refresh button, waiting for your April First "A" post. ⟳ 

http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/p/2026-graphics.html At the top of the page, you'll see the bookmark page link for this year's graphics, for your use. HTML is included for those who prefer code. 

---

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge

Dates for the #AtoZChallenge 2026 International Blog Hop

Important dates for 2026:

March 9 - 14 Theme Reveal

March 23 - April 4 Sign-up

May 4 - 9 Reflections

May 11 - Road Trip opens

Our team-theme for the site this year:

A is for Aspirations: Blogging hopes, dreams, and goals

Knowing what you hope to get from blogging is the key to staying motivated. The A to Z team will spend April on this blog, sharing tips, tricks, and ideas. Be sure to check out the alphabet of posts!

As is tradition, this blog will host the Theme Reveal blog hop, the A-to-Z Challenge blog hop, the Reflections blog hop, and the Road Trip. Please make a note of the dates! 

(Americans especially- please note the MONDAY week-start calendar format!)

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge 

Fondue Month! #AtoZChallenge

It's Fondue Month!

I love fondue. There's a restaurant we like to go to called The Melting Pot. When one opened within an hour of my house, I knew it would be my go-to celebration location! It's expensive, but it's worth the experience. From dipping fruit and veggies and bread into cheese, to delicious salads, to cooking meat and veggies in the fondue pot, to dipping decadent desserts into delicious chocolate, it's always a good time!

What is your favorite food experience? Tell us in the comments!

Also, if you haven't started thinking of your A to Z Blog theme, April is just around the corner!

---

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge 

Be On-Purpose

January is National 'Be On-Purpose' month. It's a reminder of the importance of intentional living. Living with purpose doesn't just happen. Good intentions and goals need to be put into action. 

It's recommended that those who desire to succeed start by defining what success looks like to them, then making a plan to achieve that success, and then having a backup plan in case everything goes wrong, and finally, putting a support system in place (such as a friend who is encouraging and checks on progress, perhaps even brainstorms with them if they get stuck). 

How could you create positive change to achieve your blogging goals this year? What good intentions can you put into action to meet those goals? Perhaps, reevaluate the purpose of your blog to see if you're setting yourself up for success. Knowing your purpose can help motivate you to create new and interesting posts. How does your blog benefit you, your immediate circle of people, the blogging community, and the world?

---

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge 

Books Make Great Gifts Month

Or maybe I think that because I’m a bookworm. LOL.

Some of the greatest gifts I’ve received throughout my life are books. Specifically, books that showed that the person behind the gift knew me well enough to choose the right topic when they bought the book.

This is the time of year when people normally exchange gifts (though books make great gifts year-round!). Compared to other things, say those snazzy noise-cancelling headphones, books are an inexpensive gift. You can buy an entire twelve book series in paperback and have change left over instead of buying those headphones…

Am I pushing books too much?

Reading is good for you!

• ·         Improves sleep.
• ·         Reduces stress.
• ·         Improves memory.
• ·         Develops and increases empathy.
• ·         Increases vocabulary.
• ·         Improves writing skills.
• ·         Boosts imagination.
• ·         Exercises your brain.
• ·         Expands your knowledge.
• ·         Enhances imagination.

There are many more benefits from reading for pleasure than all this and for your mental health and overall wellbeing.

Give reading a chance.

So where can you get books? Well, you can give a loved-one a library card (help them get theirs from their local library) so they can access all the books (physical and digital) their library offers. You can get them a subscription from a service like Kobo Plus (eBooks and audiobooks). Or you can buy them books (eBooks, audiobooks, paperbacks, hardbacks, special editions – the choices are only limited by your imagination). You can buy books online, in bookstores, or directly from authors (from their websites or a Kickstarter campaign).

You can find all of my books here.

Go and give someone the gift of reading this month.

---

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge 

Dream Destinations A to Z

Okay travel blogging A to Z fans, here's a list of "dream destinations." 

Will this alphabet of locations be around long enough for most of us to visit? Have you had the chance to visit any of these places? 

Which of these would you most wish to visit (assuming unlimited funds, time, and health)? 

• A is for — Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (the northernmost national park in the United States, situated entirely north of the Arctic Circle).
• B is for — Bangkok, Thailand, a blend of tradition and modernity.
• C is for — The Ajanta Caves are 30 rock-cut Buddhist cave monuments dating from the second century BCE, in India.
• D is for — The Dead Sea, bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west, is the lowest point on Earth.
• E is for — Everglades, Florida, in the United States, can be beautiful and dangerous. It is mostly six feet above sea level.
• F is for — Franz Josef Glacier is one of New Zealand's most famous and accessible glaciers. The nearby town of Franz Josef provides accommodation and booking services for various tours.
• G is for — Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s cornerstone of global biodiversity and ocean health. 90 percent is now very vulnerable to starvation and disease, and the potential death of the reef.
• H is for — Roatán is the largest of the Bay Islands of Honduras, and is known for world-class snorkeling and scuba diving.
• I is for — The Solomon Islands are a collection of islands about 2,000 miles from Australia in the South Pacific. They are barely above sea level.
• J is for — Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, Iceland, where one can see icebergs on Diamond Beach, go glacier hiking, and spot wildlife year-round.
• K is for — Komodo Island has unique ecosystems and is most famous for its Komodo dragons.
• L is for Long Island, minutes from Manhattan, NYC, in the United States, which features beaches and historic lighthouses.
• M is for — The Maldives, in the Indian Ocean, is over 1,000 coral islands, most barely above sea level.
• N is for — Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, the world's oldest hotel, operating since 705AD, in Japan.
• O is for — Osaka, Japan, has a castle, theme park, architecture, nightlife, street food, cherry-blossom trees, and an ancient shrine.
• P is for — The Patagonian Ice Field, located between Chile and Argentina, offers activities such as ice hiking, trekking, and boat tours to view the glaciers.
• Q is for — Magdalen Islands in Quebec, Canada, which feature stunning landscapes, hiking, kayaking, kitesurfing, museums, and beaches.
• R is for — Amazon Rainforest in Brazil, especially the "arc of destruction," a region surrounding the Shingu territory.
• S is for — Shanghai, on China’s central coast. See The Bund, Yu Garden, Oriental Pearl Tower, museums, shopping, and more.
• T is for — Tuvalu, a remote island nation in the Pacific Ocean.
• U is for — United States, Glacier National Park, Montana. Current melting rates suggest tourists have less than five years to visit before it's gone forever!
• V is for — Venice, with a maze of canals and stunning Renaissance architecture.
• W is for — The Great Wall of China is one of the most famous man-made structures in the world.
• X is for — Xcaret is a popular eco-archaeological park in Mexico. Visitors can swim in rivers, explore caves, and experience the nightly cultural show.
• Y is for — Yellowstone is one of the few dozen volcanoes on Earth capable of "supereruptions". Yellowstone National Park in the United States is 2.2 million acres (89,030,841,293 square meters).
• Z is for Zimbabwe, located in Africa, which features Victoria Falls and Mana Pools National Park.

(I did struggle with "U." I considered Ukraine for the historic cities and beautiful landscapes. Given the current political situation, the country may also vanish in under five years. 😔)

Any places you feel are unworthy of this list? Any you wish were added? 

---

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge 

Who wants to play a game with the #AtoZChallenge folks!?

Who wants to play a game with the #AtoZChallenge folks!?

As the weather gets colder here in the United States, we turn to more indoor activities. My favorite indoor activity is gaming. Board games, card games, roleplaying games... let's do it!

In my opinion, the best way to find new games is to go to gaming conventions. I've been to GenCon (Indiana), Origins (Ohio), MEPACON (Pennsylvania), and ConnectiCon (Connecticut). BoardGameGeek has a whole list of worldwide conventions! You should check out your local convention or travel to one of the major ones. They can be a lot of fun!

Tell us what your favorite indoor activity is AND your favorite gaming convention!

 

---

Please follow us!

bloglovin.com/blogs/blogging-from-a-to-z-april-challenge-3294742
http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com
@a.to.z.challenge     @atozchallenge   @atozchallenge.bsky.social
@AprilA2Z Our hashtag is #AtoZChallenge