The Christmas Pumpkin?

November 30, 2010By Karen Barnett No Comments

I peeked into my attic the other day, just far enough to find the Advent wreath.The rest of the Christmas decorations loomed nearby in the dusty shadows. I grabbed the wreath and slammed the door shut. I don’t know why, but I’m just not ready to decorate yet. All of our neighbors have their lights … Read More

Who is Ready for a Long Winter’s Nap?

November 17, 2010By Karen Barnett 2 Comments

So, my husband called me from work today. This is how the conversation went… Him: “So, how are you doing?” Me: “Oh, fine. The weather’s pretty dreary though.”  He works in a basement office with no windows, so I always feel compelled to give him a weather report. Him: “Oh, yeah?” Me: “Yep. Pretty typical February … Read More

Writing Fiction for Dummies by Randy Ingermanson–FREE!

November 15, 2010By Karen Barnett 4 Comments

For those budding writers out there, here is a deal you absolutely should NOT miss. I’ve been letting you know about freebies offered on Amazon for Kindle readers, and this is one of the best. Writing coach Randy Ingermanson (a.k.a. the “Snowflake Guy”) has put together some of his best writing tips in the book  Writing … Read More

Don’t Miss The Amazon Freebies!

November 10, 2010By Karen Barnett No Comments

How many of you have made the leap into the digital world with your reading? I still haven’t decided whether to buy a Kindle, iPad or Nook, but I have discovered that I enjoy reading books on my Droid smartphone. With a free downloadable app, you can read Kindle e-books on your computer, iPad, iPhone, Droid, Blackberry … Read More

Mood Skin and Sparkles

November 9, 2010By Karen Barnett 4 Comments

We often use colors to describe ourselves: red with anger, feeling blue, a golden glow, green with envy. Aren’t you glad that we don’t actually turn colors with our moods? We wouldn’t even have to ask, “How are you?” And we couldn’t get away with a simple, “fine, thanks.” Everyone would know if you were lying. I wonder … Read More

We ‘Otter’ Be Friends

November 3, 2010By Karen Barnett 6 Comments

I spent last week at an amazing writers retreat (hosted by Books&Such Literary Agency) in beautiful Monterey, California. It was exciting to sit around with other authors and discuss publishing, publicity, social networking and how to connect with your readers. As a still-yet-unpublished writer, I found this a bit overwhelming, but also a fantastic glimpse of what is … Read More