Fresh Content Daily . . . Maybe

Get Well Soon, Willa!

2010-03-09T23:34:00.001-08:00

FEEL BETTER, WILLA!!

XOXO FROM BARBARA

How To Knit A Love Song

2010-03-01T17:28:00.001-08:00

I'm so excited! Our own Rachael Herron's first novel, HOW TO KNIT A LOVE SONG, hits the stands tomorrow and you really, truly owe it to yourself to pick up a copy ASAP.

Am I biased? Yes. Definitely! I'm a shameless fan of Rachael's blog and was thrilled beyond measure when I had the privilege of reading a review copy of HOW TO KNIT A LOVE SONG last year.

I loved it. Honestly loved it. I loved it so much that it was my favorite fiction read of 2009. It's the one I can't quite get out of my mind. And trust me, knitters, you are going to love it too.

Rachael doesn't know I'm posting this. I may even embarrass her. But there's only one first novel and there's only one Rachael Herron and I couldn't let the moment slip by without shouting from the rooftops: "You've gotta buy this book!"

Mazel tov, Rachael. Enjoy every second of the excitement.

And please write fast, okay?

xoxo from BB

More Knitterly Humor

2010-02-25T12:48:00.001-08:00

Knitterly Humor

2010-02-20T12:43:00.001-08:00

A must-read book!

2010-01-28T19:51:00.000-08:00

"When Henrietta Lacks [the descendant of freed slaves] was diagnosed with cancer in 1951, doctors took her cells and grew them in test tubes. Those cells led to breakthroughs
in everything from Parkinson's to polio. But today, Henrietta is all but forgotten. In an excerpt from her book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Rebecca Skloot tells her story."

Click here to read the excerpt.

I know you're busy. We're all busy. But please take the time to check out this incredible true account of life and death and science. I'm a 30 year cancer survivor and I owe a debt of gratitude to Henrietta and the scientists whose hard work make my life (and maybe yours as well) possible.

The book hits the stores on February 2nd. I can't wait.

Why I Love Marie

2010-01-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

(I'm devastated. Blogger blew away the original post.)

As I was saying . . .

I love Marie Watley-Browne. Not only is she beautiful, witty, sophisticated, smart, and the mother of one of my other favorite women on the planet, Marie is also an extremely talented baker.

I mean, when it comes to baking (and everything else), Marie of Brookyn rocks.

Those of you who are lucky enough to be on her list know exactly what I'm talking about. Those of you who aren't? Oh, I feel sorry for you! You have no idea what you're missing.

I mean, Santa's only a seasonal player while Marie's cinnamon-and-chocolate workshop is open year-round for her to perform her magic. Christmas! Easter! Halloween! Valentine's Day! You never know when something delicious is going to land on your doorstep.

Here's a sample of the Christmas '09 goodies I was lucky enough to receive. (I'd show you more but I ate the rest. Just saved a couple for the camera!)

Happy Birthday, Marie, with much love from BB & R!

Happy 2010 and 2 Best Reads of 2009

2010-01-01T20:53:00.001-08:00

I can't say I wasn't warned.

Once you decide to make your blog your de facto home page, you owe it to your visitors to actually provide new content every so often. Daily is best. Every other day is acceptable. Once a week is borderline. Once a season? Not so much.

I don't make resolutions. At least not in the traditional New Year's sense. (They have a way of coming back to haunt you, don't they?) I mean, I've probably pledged blogging fidelity at least a half dozen times before. So I won't say it. But let's see what happens.

2009 was a reading year for me and there are two clear cut winners for top marks.

My Life in France - Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme
I fell in love with Julia. Head-over-heels, as a matter of fact. Her joie de vivre is irresistible. Her story? Better than fiction.

and

How To Knit A Love Song - Rachael Herron
I was lucky enough to read an advance copy and I literally couldn't put it down until I reached the end. If you're familiar with Rachael's fab blog, then you're probably head-over-heels for Rachael already. Her warm, funny, engaging style translates seamlessly from blog to novel. Best of all, this is book #1 in a series!

To be continued . . .

A peek at Stephanie Plum's New Jersey

2009-09-06T12:46:00.000-07:00

At least a tiny piece of it.

2009-08-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

This is a short, fairly uneventful trip past the Princeton Battlefield and along Quaker Road toward Route 1 near Quakerbridge Mall aka Stephanie Plum territory.

Yes I'm 10 years old at heart

2009-08-23T11:33:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry. It's juvenile. I know it's juvenile. But I had to do it anyway.

Maybe dancing is the answer

2009-08-21T20:38:00.001-07:00

This made me cry. But in a good way. Let me know how if you feel more hopeful, too, after you watch it.

What's wrong with me?!?!

2009-08-17T19:55:00.001-07:00

I can't believe I forgot to mention there will be two more Sugar Maple books. What was I thinking? Was I thinking at all?

Oh yeah. I remember. I collapsed on the floor in a pile of sock yarn when I got the word. No writer ever knit so many socks while waiting for the go-ahead. I think I set a world record.

Now all I have to do is write the books!

Why We Should Wash Our Windshield

2009-08-17T15:07:00.001-07:00

The only thing missing is dead bug residue. This is the road we take to get to Princeton, which is about 10 miles or so from home. And yes, it's New Jersey but don't tell anyone. It's our secret.

August Blog Tour Schedule

2009-08-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

I've been remiss. Seriously remiss. Here's the complete August Blog Tour Schedule. I hope you'll put one or all of them on your list of must-visit sites. (One of the best parts of the blog tour has been discovering new sites and fabulous readers.)

Aug. 3 – Dear Author (guest post) www.dearauthor.com
Aug. 4 – Blogcritics (interview) www.blogcritics.org
Aug. 5 – Popin’s Lair (guest post) www.proudbookworm.blogspot.com
Aug. 6 – Popin’s Lair (book review) www.proudbookworm.blogspot.com
Aug. 7 – Undercover Book Lover (book review) www.undercoverbooklover.blogspot.com

Aug. 10 – Chick with Books (book review) www.chickwithbooks.blogspot.com

Home Sweet Home Writing Challenge (interview)

www.homesweethomewritingchallenge.wordpress.com
Aug. 11 – Bookin’ with Bingo (book review and book giveaway)
www.bookinwithbingo.blogspot.com
Aug. 12 – A Bookish Mom (guest post) www.abookishmom.blogspot.com

This Book for Free (guest post & book giveaway)

www.thisbookforfree.com
Aug. 13 – Patricia’s Vampire Notes (Interview & Book Giveaway)
www.patricias-vampire-notes.blogspot.com
Aug. 14 – The Writer’s Life (interview) www.thewriterslife.blogspot.com

Aug. 17 – The Writer’s Life (guest post) www.thewriterslife.blogspot.com
Aug. 18 – Café of Dreams (book review) www.cafeofdreams.blogspot.com
Aug. 19 – Must Read Faster (book review) www.mustreadfaster.blogspot.com
Aug. 20 – Patricia’s Vampire Notes (book review)
www.patricias-vampire-notes.blogspot.com
Aug. 21 – Falling Off the Shelf (book review)
www.fallingofftheshelf.blogspot.com

Aug. 24 – Chick Loves Lit (book review) www.chickloveslit.blogspot.com
Aug. 25 – So Many Books, So Little Time (book review) www.purplg8r-somanybooks.blogspot.com
Aug. 26 – I’m Booking It (book review) www.imbookingit.wordpress.com
Aug. 27 – Bibliophiles ‘R’ Us (guest post) www.nightdweller20.wordpress.com
Aug. 28 – A Journey of Books (book review) www.ajourneyofbooks.blogspot.com

A quick Bada Bing moment from Atlantic City

2009-08-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

To make you laugh:

The Romance Book Club

2009-08-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

You'll find a blog post here and another giveaway!

And another stop on the blog tour

2009-08-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

You'll find me today (actually yesterday; I goofed up) at Fang-Tastic Books. It's my second visit and I love them this time even more than I did last time. Stop by. You'll find out why I'm seriously considering the witness protection plan.

Blog Tour Begins

2009-08-03T07:34:00.001-07:00

We're off and running with the start of my very first Blog Tour.

Today you'll find me at:

1. BlogCritics with an interview

2. The Romance Club with a guest post

3. Dear Author with a "First Sale" guest post

Like I said last week, you'll know more about me when this tour ends than the DH does.

Blog Talk Radio and other goodies

2009-07-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

Kim Smith, writer and wonderful Blog Talk Radio host, interviewed me on Tuesday and to say I had a blast is putting it mildly. If you'd like to listen, click here and follow instructions on the screen.

Did I tell you about the totally terrific Bonnie Blose at Accessible World who invited me to spend an hour with her and her wonderful readers, talking about writing and love and life? I'll be back again for another visit at the end of August but you can listen to last month's free-wheeling chat right here. This was pretty much a writer's dream visit. Bonnie hosts a romance novel book club and somehow they found Sentimental Journey, a twenty year old Harlequin American Romance of mine. Sentimental Journey is one of my all-time favorite writing experiences. It was part of the wonderful Century of American Romances, a truly spectacular group of books that deserved a far wider audience than they received. Sentimental Journey was about the World War II homefront here in the United States and its follow-up book, Stranger in Paradise, continued the story during the McCarthy Era 1950s. Can you imagine my excitement when out of the blue I received an email from Bonnie and discovered that my books had found new readers after all this time? I love the internet!

I'm embarking on a gigantic blog tour on Monday so be prepared for lots of links. You're going to know everything there is to know about me (even things you'd rather not know!) by the time this is over.

Willa, my wonderfully talented web designer and jewelry maker, will be doing a cosmetic overhaul of the blog the next few days so there won't be any new content until Sunday or Monday.

I'll be posting at our other blog Romancing the Yarn so please check there for updates.

Laced With Magic goes on-sale Tuesday August 4th and I'm entering the Crazed Author Zone. As anyone who knows me can attest, I'm not too great at letting go of a manuscript. Given my druthers, I'd still be making revisions in the back of the truck as the books leave the printer.

Did I tell you that Publishers Weekly gave Laced With Magic a coveted starred review? In case you missed it:

Laced with Magic Barbara Bretton. Berkley, $15 paper (352p) ISBN 978-0-425-22752-7

Half-sorceress Chloe Hobbs and policeman Luke MacKenzie, the only humans in the sleepy Vermont town of Sugar Maple, face worldly and unearthly challenges in this sweetly charming sequel to 2008's Casting Spells. When Luke's ex-wife, Karen, shows up in town claiming that their dead daughter is trying to ask them for help, Chloe must deal with smalltown gossip and fix her relationship with Luke while she battles her old Fae enemy, Isadora, over the child's spirit and the future of Sugar Maple. Bretton seamlessly blends a playful world of eccentric and meddling supernatural creatures living in the midst of New England with a warm, natural and romantic story and just a hint of mystery. Scenes in Chloe's yarn shop and helpful knitting tips hold extra appeal for yarn aficionados while never distracting from the plot.

And Penguin posted an interview with me on their new paranormal website. You can find it here.

Jeremy Bredeson posted a wonderful review of Laced With Magic on Facing North, a terrific and very magical website I think you'll enjoy.

Oh, and did I tell you that all of our tomatoes are dead or dying thanks to the same blight that destroyed Ireland's potato crop? We finally decide to try our hand again at growing and a blight strikes up and down the east coast. I mean, what are the odds??

More to come. Stay tuned!

Blog Talk Radio at 8:30 pm EDT

2009-07-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

I just realized it's a call-in show! If you have time and the inclination, please drop by!

Follow this link.

Best Wedding Entrance of All Time

2009-07-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

Now this is a wedding to remember! Why be like everyone else when you can be true to yourselves? (It reminds me of the Robert & Amy wedding episode on Everybody Loves Raymond. Their first dance was to a remix of Elvis's A Little Less Conversation (A Little More Action.)

Enjoy! If this doesn't make you smile, nothing will.

Harvest!

2009-07-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

It ain't much but it's all ours! Our first Topsy Turvy tomato is on the left. Plum tomato (a second one has been harvested) is next (like you didn't know, right?) Three container plant tomatoes from two separate containers on our deck.

The (meager) haul almost makes up for the fact that a storm the other night blew all the baby cucumbers off the vine and into oblivion.

Let's just say it's a good thing I'm a writer, not a farmer . . .

It's a book!

2009-07-10T21:10:00.000-07:00

My editor sent me a copy, hot off the press!

Garden Report - July

2009-07-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

If you forget about the dirt, the bugs, and the blazing sun, gardening's a lot of fun. You've probably already guessed that I'm not exactly Nature Girl. I'm not crazy about dirt, am scared witless by bugs, and don't believe in sweat which doesn't make me a great candidate for Gardener of the Year.

Want to know the Topsy Turvy target customer? You're reading her right now. This whole container gardening thing is pure genius and so far it's going pretty well.

Because there's (gardening) life beyond Topsy Turvy, here's a brief report.

1. Orange and yellow marigolds for no other reason than they're beautiful.

2. Crookneck squash, taken a few days ago. It's awash in big yellow flowers today.

3. Globe basil running amok.

4. Green peppers!

5. A tiny salsa pepper

6. Plum tomatoes, taken a few days ago. The tomato is now a deep red and the one next to it is catching up fast. Even better, two new tomatoes popped up.

7. English cucumbers plus very busy ant

8. Three defectors in search of freedom. They leaped off one of the plants and tried to make a run for it but I was too fast for them.

9. Zucchini? I can't remember.

We now have an adorable Japanese eggplant forming and, to my amazement and delight, a few ripening Topsy Turvys.

Not Stephanie Plum's New Jersey

2009-07-08T19:40:00.000-07:00

The truth is I live very close to Stephanie Plum's New Jersey. Trenton isn't all that far away and God knows I've spent more than my share of hours wandering through Quakerbridge Mall on Route 1.

But here's the New Jersey I love, right in my own backyard: