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

Visiting the setting of Mistaken

July 30, 2013By Karen Barnett 1 Comment

We traveled north to Port Angeles, Washington this week for a family reunion, and I had the opportunity to revisit some of the locations I used in MISTAKEN. For those of you who have read the book, I thought you might enjoy seeing how these places look today. Above, I’m posing on the lovely walkway … Read More

Hitting the Road to History

February 20, 2013By Karen Barnett No Comments

For me, historical research usually entails hours spent chasing rabbit trails through Google or leafing through dusty history books. But every once in awhile, authors get to hit the road and experience history first-hand and it is sheer joy. This past weekend I got to do just that by visiting LeMay America’s Car Museum in … Read More

Hope Chronicles: Abby Fischer

November 8, 2012By Karen Barnett 120 Comments

The Hope Chronicles is a blog hop and journal between 5 historical romance authors. Our desire is to bring you lasting hope through these letters, grounded in the hope of our Lord that does not disappoint, and written from the fictional viewpoints of each book’s heroine. We’re so glad to have you join the event. … Read More

Pick up the phone!

October 24, 2012By Karen Barnett 1 Comment

Today I’ve been doing one of those tasks that I just HATE–making appointments. Doctor, dentist, optometrist, hair stylist. It combines two of my least favorite activities, being on the telephone and waiting rooms. (Shiver). In celebration of making the dreaded calls, I’m going to re-post one of my favorite blog posts: “Double Vision.” I wrote this … Read More

Dreaming BIG

October 22, 2012By Karen Barnett 1 Comment

I recently returned from a writer’s retreat hosted by Books & Such Literary Agency. Our theme was “By Design, Creating the Career of Your Dreams” and agent Wendy Lawton (who works with my wonderful agent, Rachel Kent) and author Debbie Macomber encouraged us to dream BIG. Wendy quoted C.S. Lewis: “Aim at heaven and you will get … Read More

Our Very Own Christmas Special!

December 20, 2011By Karen Barnett No Comments

My daughter’s class memorized Luke 2:1-14 to recite at the school’s Christmas program. Today, while her brother was busy playing with a friend, she and I looked for a fun mother/daughter project to keep us occupied. We decided to record her saying her verses. The amazing girl did it in a single take. We paired it with … Read More