Behind and Ahead, Part 1

January 1, 2015By Karen Barnett No Comments

I’m not much for resolutions, but I love to take the first few days of the year to look behind and look ahead. It’s good to look back and count your blessings. It’s also good to look ahead and dream about what might be in store. So, what happened in 2014? I’m only going to hit … Read More

Christmas Chronicles Winners!

December 8, 2014By Karen Barnett No Comments

Thank you so much to all of you who joined us last week for The Christmas Chronicles. What I’ve loved most about the three Chronicles events (Hope Chronicles in 2012, Trust Chronicles in 2013, and Christmas Chronicles in 2014) is the spirit of community that has blossomed each time. The five of us are so blessed by … Read More

Christmas Chronicles: Abby Fischer

December 4, 2014By Karen Barnett 157 Comments

The Christmas Chronicles is a blog hop between 5 historical romance authors. Our desire is to bring you joy through these letters, grounded in the true spirit of the season, and written from the fictional viewpoints of each book’s heroine. We’re so glad to have you join the event. Each day this week, a new … Read More

Book Pick: Dancing on the Head of a Pen by Robert Benson

October 21, 2014By Karen Barnett No Comments

Over the years I’ve recommended many writing aids–books to assist with plotting, characters, or navigating the publishing world. Today I want to recommend a book for inspiration. Dancing on the Head of a Pen: The Practice of a Writing Life is a wonderful journey into the heart and mind of a writer. Written by Robert Benson, … Read More

Shaking it up: Comparing the 1906 and 1989 Earthquakes

October 17, 2014By Karen Barnett No Comments

Did you know today is the 25th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake? I doubt folks in the Bay area are celebrating with balloons and cake, but I’ve already seen many of my friends posting the “Where were you when this happened?” type of questions on the internet. Having spent years researching the 1906 San Francisco … Read More

The Winner of the Reader Photo Contest is…

August 13, 2014By Karen Barnett 2 Comments

A couple of months ago I decided to do a fun contest. I encouraged readers to send me a photo of someone reading Out of the Ruins for a chance of winning a $25 Starbucks gift card. We’re well past the deadline, so it’s time to choose a winner. Only I can’t. I love them ALL. … Read More

GIVEAWAY celebrating MISTAKEN’s Cascade Award!

August 9, 2014By Karen Barnett 35 Comments

I just returned from the Oregon Christian Writers Summer Conference, and I’m thrilled to announce that my debut novel, MISTAKEN, took home a Cascade Award in the Published Historical Fiction Category. [In celebration of this win, I’m hosting a special GIVEAWAY. The winner can choose either a copy of Mistaken or my newest release, Out … Read More

Trivia Answers, Prize Winners, and More!

June 20, 2014By Karen Barnett 1 Comment

Happy Friday, everyone!  I wanted to thank all of you who attended my Author Chat Party on Facebook last night. What fun we had! I was able to learn so much about my readers, and hopefully you were able to learn a few things about Out of the Ruins and the Golden Gate Chronicles series. My … Read More

Would Jane Austen want an iPad for her birthday?

December 16, 2013By Karen Barnett 2 Comments

Happy Birthday, Jane Austen! It’s times like this where my brain starts turning in funny circles. What if Jane Austen (born Dec. 16, 1775) could be transported to today? What would she think of us reading her novels on iPads, Kindles, and Nooks? How would she react to her life’s work being offered for free … Read More

Fantastic 1920s Launch Party for Mistaken

September 9, 2013By Karen Barnett 3 Comments

On July 16th, we celebrated the launch of my debut novel, Mistaken, with a huge 1920s party. It took quite a bit of planning and preparation, and I must confess–I did much of my research on the internet. From Pinterest, to blogs, to Google… the ideas were out there! Now, in homage of all those … Read More