Congrats on joining the blogging community!  Blogging is a great way to express yourself and find a likeminded audience to share engaging discourse.  Indeed, many people have a “blog roll,” which is where they list the blogs they read and appreciate.  You do not need permission from the blog to include their site on your blog roll, and in fact, it is often seen as a compliment.  The most effective way to market your blog is to network with other blogs.  Stay engaged in the current conversation, and leave interesting comments on major bloggers.  When you do so, you can include your link, which gives other people the opportunity to click on your site and become fans of your blog.  Good luck!