Something amazing is happening. I do not know why it is happening, but I am excited about it.  

Nearly a year ago, July 2011, I was asked to write for Townhall.com. At the time I'd never heard for them, but I was eager to get my pro-energy message out to a wider audience. I asked my network of mentors, who have been around the political/news/energy world longer than I have, whether or not I should write for Townhall.com. "Yes!" I was told. "They are one of the leading conservative websites in the country."

So I accepted the non-paying offer. My first column was published on July 8. If you look at it you'll see that it shows zero Facebook "recommends," 2 tweets, and 5 comments. That is nothing to brag about.

Over the last year, I've written a column a week--and occasionally 2 a week. My column comes out on Sunday morning at 12:00 AM ET. Each week I watch the responses to my column. First thing in the morning I check to see how many "recommends," tweets and comments it has. Throughout the day I watch. Generally, I am pleased if the column gets 50 Facebook recommends--a few have received 100 or more, some only 25. I've occasionally received the stats from the publisher and know that each recommend translates into hundreds of readers.

What is exciting, even amazing, is that my last four columns have broken all past history. My column on wind energy, got 101 recommends, 49 tweets, and 33 comments. That's good. But the next week, "Tombstone" got 340 recommends, 26 tweets, and 56 comments.  My summary of the International Climate Change Conference received 165 recommends, 24 tweets, and an astonishing 273 comments. Last week, the numbers on the piece I wrote on the EPA's attack on Kentucky coal were 189, 28 and 101.

I have no idea if this trend will continue, but I hope so! My column for this weekend is already written and I think it is an important topic. (Of course, would I write on a topic that I do not think is important?)

While my Townhall.com column is not yet a year old, this is an anniversary of sorts as this weekend I am speaking at the Conservative Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, NV. It was here, last year, that I talked to my mentors about accepting the Townhall.com opportunity--last year's CLC was in July, and I spoke then as well.

Marita on KKOB

Townhall.com is just one of the outlets publishing my work. The column to the left highlights the other sites that regularly feature my work. A shortened version of my weekly column is also published in many newspapers. Plus, I am on several radio programs each week discussing the topic of my weekly column--which expands the messaging.

All of this means that each week tens of thousands of people are becoming more aware of energy, its importance, and the role environmentalists--and the government agencies they head up--play in controlling our use of energy.  Our combined efforts (you are a part of my support team) are making a difference--which is especially important in this election year.

Likewise, my speaking and media opportunities are increasing.

Marita on KNMI

In the past month, I've been on the radio and spoken in Farmington, NM--where I participated in the Four Corners Oil

Marita  with Congressman Sensenbrenner  at ICCC7

and Gas Conference; I've been in Chicago for the 7^th International Conference on Climate Change; and been part of a panel discussing energy and the economy in Albuquerque. Today, I am in Las Vegas. This afternoon, as a part of the Conservative Leadership Conference, I will be on the air with Roger Hedgecock. Next week, I will be speaking for the Las Vegas Valley Tea Party. On June 21, I'll be in Denver where I will be speaking for the Denver Petroleum Club. If they can raise funding to cover my airfare, I'll be speaking in Columbus, OH for the We the People Convention, June 29 & 30 (want to sponsor the airfare?). On July 3, I'll be in Roswell, NM, for the Desk and Derrick Club.

From now through November 6, I am committed to doing everything and anything I can to help the public understand the importance of energy in America. If you have a speaking or media opportunity for which my expertise would be a good fit, please let us know. If you have a company or organization newsletter for which my writing is appropriate, please feel free to use it--or just forward each week's column far and wide. I believe we are making a difference. As the economic impact of the energy policies implemented in the past few years is hitting people's pocket books, they are waking up. It is not too late to turn back the tide! You can help financially, you can help with speaking and media opportunities, and you can help by being involved (if you haven't yet sent comment to Karl Rove, Governor Sam Brownback, and Governor Mike Beebe, chastising them for promoting the extension of the PTC, please do).

We have 5 months to save America! Can we do it? Yes, we can!