Happy Book Birthday to BEYOND THE ASHES!

June 16, 2015By Karen Barnett No Comments

It’s HERE! Launch day for Beyond the Ashes, Golden Gate Chronicles 2, is finally here! So many of you have said to me, “I can’t wait until the next book!” Believe me, the wait is even harder on my end. I fell in love with Gerald and Ruby years ago, and I’ve been sitting on pins … Read More

Remembering the 1906 Earthquake: Up from the Ashes

April 18, 2015By Karen Barnett No Comments

As many of you know, today is the anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake which occurred on April 18, 1906. All week I’ve been posting eyewitness accounts of the disaster that occurred 109 years ago. I hope you’ve enjoyed these glimpses into the lives of the people who survived. Also, in honor of the … Read More

Remembering the 1906 Earthquake: The days that followed

April 17, 2015By Karen Barnett 1 Comment

In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. Today is the LAST DAY to enter the giveaway for my two novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes. Don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. The contests will close at … Read More

Remembering the 1906 Earthquake: Feeling the Heat

April 16, 2015By Karen Barnett 4 Comments

In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the 1906 Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. If you’d like to enter to win copies of my novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes, don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. As horrific as … Read More

Remembering the 1906 Earthquake: Searching for Safety

April 15, 2015By Karen Barnett 5 Comments

In honor of Saturday’s anniversary of the Great San Francisco Earthquake, I’m devoting each blog post this week to survivor stories. If you’d like to enter to win copies of my novels based during the disaster, Out of the Ruins and Beyond the Ashes, don’t miss the information at the bottom of this post. Shortly … Read More

Remembering the 1906 Earthquake: The Shaking Begins

April 14, 2015By Karen Barnett 13 Comments

Many people have asked what inspired me to write a novel about the 1906 earthquake. The answer is simple. The stories. I love historical documentaries and when I watched American Experience: The Great San Francisco Earthquake, I was gripped by the stories told by elderly survivors. They’d all been children at the time, but their memories were … Read More

Anniversary Week: Bringing the 1906 Earthquake to Life

April 13, 2015By Karen Barnett 18 Comments

Do you remember a day in your life when everything changed? How about a day in our nation’s history?  What springs to mind–Pearl Harbor, JFK’s assassination, Septemeber 11? For many San Franciscans, that memorable date was April 18, 1906. The region was rocked by a massive earthquake, touching off an inferno that consumed much of … Read More

Win an Early Copy of Beyond the Ashes!

March 31, 2015By Karen Barnett 7 Comments

When I turned in the second book of the Golden Gate Chronicles, the release date seemed like an impossible wait–June 16, 2015. Now it’s only a few months away! Whee! I can’t WAIT for you to read this story. I’m head-over-heels for these characters, and their love story about broke my heart. That might sound … Read More

And the WINNER is . . .

November 21, 2013By Karen Barnett 4 Comments

I’m excited to announce the winner of the Out of the Ruins cover reveal giveaway! I received 218 entries and Random.org chose entry 183. Who is #183? I’m glad you asked. It’s Linda Oliver Thompson! Congratulations, Linda! I went ahead and sent you an email. Linda will be choosing either a copy of MISTAKEN or … Read More

When God Hands You a Meal Ticket

November 5, 2013By Karen Barnett 6 Comments

“God, I can’t do this. I can’t make this story work.” I’d reached that point in the rough draft where everything seems hopeless. The characters feel flat; the plot twisted beyond help. I’d been there with Mistaken. I’d pushed through it with Out of the Ruins (Book 1 of the Golden Gate Chronicles, releasing in … Read More