Tag: fiction

Ideas, The Latest Twist

If Barrett Book Shop Were Real

JAB

Barrett Book Shop Door is always open 

Where is Barrett Book Shop?

When I meet readers at the arts and crafts festivals, I’m frequently asked where my shop is so they can drop by to chat, browse the shelves, and purchase more books.

More and more readers have discovered and enjoy the convenience of shopping at Barrett Book Shop, online and under a canopy tent at one and two-day arts and crafts events in the spring and fall, but a physical storefront that is staffed by the Barrett Book Shop team? There’s a story for that…

The Shop that Never Closes

I love the opportunity to explain that they can buy a paperback, ebook, or audiobook from the online Barrett Book Shop anytime. Ebook and audiobook links are instantly emailed, and I’ll sign the paperbacks before we ship them. As a bonus, readers can buy the entire series or trilogies in paperback, ebook, or audiobook format at a bargain price that other retailers can’t match.

Of course, the question about the brick-and-mortar bookshop sent my imagination into overdrive, so I had to have a photo of our Barrett Book Shop. If Barrett Book Shop were physically real with an address on Main Street in a small town in Georgia, this is how I imagine it would look. Wind chimes near the front door, which is always open, and lots of books.

Inside Barrett Book Shop

Hang onto your imagination and let’s go inside.

The air smells faintly of coffee, cinnamon, and old paper; a familiar scent that whispers, “Stay awhile.” Sunlight streams in across a row of worn wood tables stacked with paperbacks, each cover promising danger, mystery, a killer or two, and the twist you never see coming.

A small sign by the door reads “Not your typical author; not your typical stories.”

Behind the counter, a tall man, whose official title is Senior Staff, adds more paperback, ebook, and audio books to a shelf labeled “The Rest of the Stories,” which is where the next book in each series lives. The brown dog at his side is the supervisor. The shelf is dedicated to readers who have just finished the first book in a series and are wondering what happens next.

The shelves along the wall are dedicated to the Judith A. Barrett Books. Each series has its own shelf: Maggie Sloan Thriller Series, Jenna Ross Thriller Series, Wren and Rascal Mystery Series, Riley Malloy Mystery Series, Donut Lady Cozy Mystery Series, and Grid Down Survival Series.

In the back is a reading nook with mismatched chairs and a lazy old black and tan lab asleep nearby. There’s a sign overhead, “You keep reading; I’ll keep writing.”

You’ll find me sitting alongside the readers with my feet propped up and a computer on my lap as I alternate furiously writing the next scene in a story and staring into space. You’ll hear the quiet rustle of turning pages, chuckles from e-book readers and audiobook listeners, and then a burst of laughter when someone discovers a new favorite line, which must be shared. And we all laugh.

But for now, Barrett Book Shop exists in pixels and imagination in a cozy corner of the internet where you can still explore the shelves and find your next great read. You can visit anytime, from anywhere, and with your favorite beverage in hand.

Browse, Shop, Enjoy

So come on in. Browse, shop, enjoy!

See what’s waiting on The Rest of the Stories shelf because the adventure doesn’t end with Book One.

And if you could spend an afternoon at Barrett Book Shop, which shelf would you visit first?

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!

Judith signature

BarrettBookShop.com

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Behind the Series: When Life Fuels Art

Peach Blossom Retreat Bed-and-Breakfast

I didn’t suddenly imagine the Peach Blossom Retreat; it grew out of years of memories, encounters, and places that stitched themselves into the vision of a bed-and-breakfast that would eventually become the heart of the Jenna Ross Thriller Series.

The Visionaries

Years ago when I worked in Washington, D.C., I knew a young married couple whose dream was to own a bed-and-breakfast in rural Maryland. They were determined planners who never took their eyes off their goal. They talked incessantly about their small successes and next steps. Nobody listened to their chatter except me, and I silently celebrated with them from the sidelines. It took them seven years, but they reached their goal. Their managers and coworkers were shocked by their seemingly abrupt departure when the couple pooled their resources, emptied their retirement funds, and walked away with a deed in their pocket and a vision in their hearts. 

Our Travels

Their courage inspired me, and because of them, my husband and I enjoyed bed-and-breakfasts in our travels when we weren’t camping. Each inn offered more than just a place to stay; it offered a glimpse into the personalities, the quirks, and the warmth of the people who ran them. Those stays left a lasting impression.

The Perfect Barn

When we were considering moving to Georgia, we inspected a house for sale with a massive barn on the property. The barn was in surprisingly good shape, complete with a loft studio apartment above it. As soon as we saw it, we imagined its potential for wedding venues, family celebrations, community events. If the house itself had been a closer fit for us, we would have jumped at the chance to make that vision real.

The House Past Its Prime

Remember the fixer-upper we found that would have been a perfect bed-and-breakfast if it hadn’t been condemned and razed to the ground?  (Check the June 27, 2025 blog titled When Life Hands You Peaches. Scroll back in the blogs to read!)

Abandoned house

Life Fuels Art

The Peach Blossom Retreat is the culmination of those random touchpoints. It’s the place where all those seeds of inspiration finally found fertile ground. In Jenna Ross’s world, the inn isn’t just a business; it’s a refuge, a gathering place, and a setting full of charm and danger in equal measure.

So while the Peach Blossom Retreat may exist only on the page, it’s built on the foundation of real-life dreams, discoveries, and “what ifs.” That’s what makes writing about it such a joy. It’s both familiar and new; imagined and remembered. 

Have you ever stayed at a bed-and-breakfast that left an impression on you? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!

Judith signature

What’s New with the Jenna Ross Thriller Series?

Hint: Conspiracy Widow

Jenna Ross Thriller Series, Books 1-5! 

 

The Latest Twist

When Life Hands You Peaches

After we bought a bit of land in Georgia, we planted peach trees on the property to add a little variety to the acres of pine trees. Next, we decided we wanted to move closer to our property so we could enjoy it more often than once a month.

I found the absolutely perfect fixer-upper that would have been a wonderful bed-and-breakfast!  

Abandoned house

FarmerMan wasn’t as thrilled as I was, but since he’s such a kind-hearted soul, he’d drive past it occasionally while I explained what its potential was. I even envisioned what its name would be. 

My vision of Peach Blossom RetreatPEACH BLOSSOM RETREAT 

I was sorrowful the last time we drove past my dream bed-and-breakfast when the house was gone with not even one board left, much less the once beautiful, broken down wrought-iron fence. Condemned and razed to the ground. Alas!

Six years ago we did finally find the house we agreed was for us and moved to Georgia, and then three years ago, we planted peach trees. The following year, we fenced in our peach trees because the neighborhood deer were dining on the leaves.  

Fenced in Peach Trees 

This year, we have a bumper crop of peaches! When Life hands you peaches, it’s time to celebrate! 

Peaches from our trees

I never forgot my Peach Blossom Retreat, though. 

Jenna Ross Thriller Series 

Jenna Ross Thriller Series  

Jenna is a young widow, innkeeper, and a most unlikely crimefighter.

Jenna Ross Series Books 1-4

Jenna Ross Thriller Series Books 1-4

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing! 

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What If…

Maggie dressed in black pretending to be a spy

I’m thinking about writing a follow up bonus story for the Maggie Sloan Thriller Series. What story would you like to read about Maggie?

One that I’ve been kicking around is What If Parker had not been ambushed…

Can you think of a story you’d like to read?

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!

Judith A. Barrett Logo
Judith A. Barrett Storyteller and Author

The Latest Twist

Planning for the Best

I’ve spent the past week preparing for the Spring Festival Season. The thirteen bins of books and two bins of tablecloths and table signs are packed and ready to load into the cargo trailer.

Books Ready for the first 2025 Spring Festival

For the Spring Festivals a year ago, the bins were much larger and held more books, but they became so heavy I couldn’t lift them to help load and unload books.

At the beginning of the 2024 Fall Festival season, we needed more bins because I’d written more books, but we had maxed out on the number of large bins that would fit into the backseat of the truck. If we had put any more books into the large bins, not even Senior Staff (aka Labor, according to him and his vendor buddy from a festival) could lift them.

We bought smaller bins, which we could fill completely. They took up less space and fit in the truck’s backseat. Because I could lift the bins, we also shortened the time it took for us to load and unload books. 

Before the end of the Fall Festival season, we bought a small cargo trailer. Finally, our festival equipment: the tent, tent weights, tables, chairs, bookrack, ceiling fan, wagons, hand truck, and tools, would be in one place, so we wouldn’t have to load and unload the truck for every festival. 

We added three more bins for the 2025 Spring Festival season. More new books = more bins.

 Each bin is marked so we know which series it contains and whether it is unloaded immediately at the festival, or if it stays in the cargo trailer for extras for back up. 

We’ll unload 204 books to place on our tables and bookrack at each festival, which leaves 107 books on standby in the cargo trailer, so Senior Staff can grab extra books when we get dangerously low.

You may have done the quick math and realized the bins you see hold 311 books. We have either sold out or had only one left of a popular book at almost every festival, which is magnificent but terrifying. While it might sound logical to have extras of that one book, it has been a different book every festival, so I’ve planned for the best-case scenario. 

When each festival is over, we’ll unload the books from the cargo trailer because they have to be stored inside. Humidity in Georgia is a book killer. I’ll replenish the books we sold from what we have on hand.

I think I won’t have to order any more books until this summer after the season is over, but we’ll see. We have seven festivals lined up between the middle of March and the second week of May, which means we have only two weekends without a festival. So far.

Spring Festivals

  • Calico Arts & Crafts, March 15-16, Moultrie GA
  • Peanut Proud, March 22, Berkley GA
  • Fire Ant Festival, March 29, Ashburn GA
  • National Grits Festival, April 12, Warwick GA
  • Spring Fling, April 19, Moultrie GA
  • GA Strawberry Festival, April 26, Reynolds GA
  • Ocmulgee Wild Hog Festival, May 10, Abbeville GA

The Latest Twist

Fall and Fa-la-la Festivals

Arts and Crafts Festivals swing into high gear during the Fall and Winter Holidays. We will be going to a festival almost every weekend from October through December. My excitement every Saturday when a festival opens for visitors rivals Christmas morning for a six-year-old. Talking to readers is my jam. After all, my motto is You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!

GEORGIA PEANUT FESTIVAL

Event Photos - GA Peanut Festival Oct 2024
GA Peanut Festival Oct 2024

The morning was windy and cold, but we had our river rocks to keep the book pages from blowing. It warmed up by afternoon, of course! We experimented with our corner booth and added a few books on the side table. 

ELEVATE ARTISANS MARKET

Books at Elevate Artisans 2024
Elevate Artisans Market 2024

The person who had reserved the space next to us was a no-show, so since we learned about the advantage of having a “corner” booth, we moved a large table into the space. We loaded down the side table with duplicates of the series we stacked on our front table and added the new books from this year that we didn’t have space for on the front table.

We sold almost as many books to readers who stood at the “side” table (see the table with the black tablecloth?) to browse the books as we did to readers who looked at the books on the front table.

Lesson learned: people are comfortable taking their time to look at books if they don’t feel crowded.

What we’ll do: Double booths, so we can have two “side” tables in addition to our front table. We have a second canopy tent, and I had already ordered a duplicate banner after the Georgia Peanut Festival that we planned to use when we had a corner booth. 

Sometimes a plan comes together, even though it was never a plan to start with.

Our next event, Calico Holiday Festival in Moultrie GA, is November 9 and 10 and is inside, so we won’t need our tent(s). However, when I submitted our vendor form in June, I requested two booths next to each other as an experiment. We carefully planned our set up, and I have a sketch of it taped on the side of my bookcase that is next to my desk, but the sketch will be changing to two side tables and two front tables similar to our Elevate Artisans set up.  

Another Experiment

I’ve added a Gift Shop to Barrett Book Shop with reader-related merchandise that was inspired by different Judith A. Barrett books. Check it out. Barrett Book Shop Gift Shop

Our event after Calico is the Seafood Festival in St. Marys GA. As another experiment, I asked the St. Marys festival organizers if we could sell our reader-related totes in addition to all our books, and they approved them! 

Here’s a sample:

Our Weekend is Booked canvas Tote with a dragon
Our Weekend is Booked Canvas Tote 

Maggie Sloan Thriller Series readers will recognize Tonya and Kiki, her fierce, tiny (imaginary?) dragon that sat on her shoulder.

Browse, shop, and enjoy the NEW Gift shop! 

GIFT SHOP   

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!

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The Latest Twist

New Series With a Serious Twist

A New Series

Chapter One

According to my schedule for 2024, it was time for a new series.  The plan was for another series similar to Donut Lady: a older main character than we’d seen in the previous three series. I decided on a setting of a Bed and Breakfast. 

Romantic Mystery Series Bed-and-Breakfast 

By the middle of Chapter One, the real Jenna Ross, an accountant and  introvert, peeked out from behind her ledger books. Turns out she was actually a twenty-four-year old widow. Who knew?

The rewrite didn’t take long, and the story for Elusive Embezzler was well underway. 

Jenna Ross Mystery Book 1 Elusive Embezzler 

Chapter Nine

Because it was a completely new series, I asked a few beta readers to read what I had so far. Their comments helped fill a few glaring potholes and gave me some ideas. So I kept on writing. 

Chapter Sixteen

When I was halfway through Chapter Sixteen, I realized something was gnawing at me. I realized I needed a new Facebook group with a different perspective. And Barrett’s Banned Band of Book Bandits was born.

It’s a group unlike any of the typical Facebook Groups for readers. If you like it, fine; if not, that’s okay too. It’s low key bandits reading and minding their own business, and my business too actually, although they’d deny it. The group motto: Be Nice or Leave. 

The bandits pointed out Jenna Ross was more like Maggie Sloan. I could see their point.

Barrett's Banned Band of Book Bandits  

Chapter Sixteen

The bandits and I decided the first part of Chapter One was a little bland in comparison to the rest of the story. Even though the story was nearing the end, we did a major overhaul. While we were at it, we threw in a few tweaks to the story here and there to give it a little more edge. 

Chapter Eighteen

When I reached the end, we were shocked at the turns the story took as we re-read for edits. Yes there was a mystery and a hint of romance, but there were too many twists and subplots for a romantic mystery. Even the online grammar and spell checker wanted to soften the story and lighten it up a bit and  suggested maybe I should add a little kissing or something because the story had become something like this:

Jenna Ross Thriller Series 

The (New) End 

I didn’t think it was all that scary even if it did have a little heart-pounding excitement here and there. And an explosion. As a reviewer pointed out several years ago, I do love a good explosion.

Maybe I’ll use this for the cover series.  Or not. The Peach Blossom Retreat does need some updating. What do you think? 

Jenna Ross Thriller Series

Elusive Embezzler

Of course, we had to have a new cover for the Elusive Embezzler. A good friend jumped in and helped me out. He’s officially an honorary bandit.

Elusive Embezzler Jenna Ross Thriller Book 1 

Next up: a rewrite of the book description, and the book’s ready for its release on September 27 on the retailer sites and an earlier release date of September  20 on Barrett Book Shop. Yes, the bandits and I play favorites. 

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing! 

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The Latest Twist

It’s (Almost) Fall, Y’all

Fall is absolutely the best season of the year, with spring being a close second for arts and crafts festivals! My September goals are all about preparing for the Fall events.

One of the 8.5″x 11″ flyers I had on my table reminded readers I would sign their book(s). 

Flyers - Meet the Author 

Not bad, except no one noticed it, no matter where I put it on a table or on the book stand in front of my booth. My favorite critic said it was a great idea except it was too busy with too many font styles; it couldn’t be read from two feet away, and the clutter of books hid my face. No argument from me or FarmerMan who had noticed how surprised people were when they realized I was the author, not a random hawker of unputdownable books.

At the last event we attended in the spring, the vendor across the street from us had a chalkboard-style sandwich board sign in front of her tent. I was in awe. It was eye-catching, and FarmerMan and I watched while passersby slowed then stopped to pick up and smell the soap, then buy a bar or two. Boom!

 FarmerMan said I needed a sandwich board sign. I spent the entire summer researching styles of frames for signs. I couldn’t use the typical sidewalk-sized sign like you see in front of cafes because I’m limited by the amount of space allotted for each vendor at events. I couldn’t find a sandwich board that wasn’t too big, wouldn’t fall over with the slightest breeze, and not be so clunky that it detracted from my booth and the books.  

Sometimes my logic escapes even me. Since I couldn’t find a sandwich board I liked and found a great sale on printing 11″x17″ posters, I created and printed two posters.  

  Author Book Signing Judith A Barrett Books     Meet the Author Judith A. Barrett Books     

Talk about build it, and they will come! Two days before the posters arrived, I found a sandwich board that was 13″x 36″ with a 12″x 24″surface for the signs. I’ve ordered it, and we’ll have it next week. 

Our first arts and crafts event for fall is September 28 in Fitzgerald, Georgia, the town that’s famous for its wild chickens. If wild chickens and a Fall Festival sound interesting to you, come see me. I’ll be the one with a sandwich board in front of a tent with some random author hawking her own books.

If you can’t make it to Fitzgerald and would like a signed book, visit Barrett Book Shop and pick out a book or two. I’ll sign it, add a few goodies, and mail your book(s) to you.   https://barrettbookshop.com/collections/paperbacks.

Use this code, good for paperback orders only until September 30, for 15% off each paperback you order: SEP15.  

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!

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QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

When You Run with the Big Dogs

And you are a Big Dog…

TJ and me writing Mar 2024 smaller

TJ and His Forever Family

TJ is eleven years old. When he was two years old, we spotted each other at the county animal shelter. He was in a crate, which he and I instantly agreed was a cage,  in the restricted area (don’t ask how I accidentally wandered into the restricted area) while he waited for his owners to pick him up from the pound for the third time. The label on TJ’s crate said ‘Runaway’.

A week later, FarmerMan saw a video of a dog that a man had posted in a local group on Social Media. Ten minutes later, we were in front of the house, talking to the man about a dog.

The dog was TJ, and the man said they’d had TJ about six months, but TJ’s boy  was going into the Marines. The family couldn’t keep the dog because of Old Cat, who had a rule “No dogs in the house or zip code”. According to the owner, TJ had never been to the vet because  he’d never been sick. TJ went home with us.

First Vet Visit

TJ had his first visit with our talented vet. After a round of vaccinations and a check up, the vet told us that his wonky right back leg was from an untreated injury when he was a puppy, and most likely he’d been hit by a car. When we told her  he’d been labeled a runaway, she said he was looking for us, and we wouldn’t have any issues. Our brilliant vet was right.

Old Dogs Still Got It

Even though TJ now suffers from osteoarthritis, especially in his right back leg, he still guards me while I write, stalks and chases field mice in our front field,  reminds me to take our daily  walk, so he can have his supper, is a fierce hunter of armadillos, and will dance and sing for his meals or treats.

Teaching the Young Ones

TJ also taught our sweet Toby, who was a stray that came to the farm and stayed, the fine art of being a Faithful Kitchen Sentry. In the mornings, FarmerMan frequently whips up a batch of scrambled eggs with potatoes and sausage for us and a second breakfast of fried eggs for the sentries.

In the evening, I’m notorious for my wild chopping of vegetables that hit the floor, dropping the whisk while I make gravy, or the obligatory offering  of half of a pecan to each sentry when I whip up a batch of cookies.

Kitchen Sentries Mar 2024 smaller

Dog Stories

You might have noticed all my stories have at least one dog in them.  No surprise at all, is it?

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You keep reading; I’ll keep writing.

QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

Not Quite Spring

Heater in the Office Feb 9 2024 smaller

I’m not a fan of being cold. Have you ever noticed that the temperature drops around dawn and is really slow in its crawl back up?

It’s nine o’clock in the morning, and it’s 59°F. outside, but according to the weather, it feels like 54°. That might not sound all that cold to you, but it is to my Georgia blood that thrives on days with a light breeze and the perfect temperature of 76°, which is maybe two weeks in the spring and fall.

It might not be spring yet while I huddle next to the electric heater in the computer room and  wear wool socks and layers that include a long-sleeved shirt topped by a flannel shirt, but I’m working on my plans for spring events. 

 Even though I’m a cold-weather sissy, my preference for events are the ones that are outside because inside events are too crowded and noisy.  The main disadvantage of outdoor events is the weather, of course. My books don’t fare well if it’s too wet or windy, and I’m not crazy about too cold or too hot, but so far, we’ve coped.

When we went to the writers’ conference last November, one of the speakers was Ben Wolf, who writes amazing books for children and young adults. If you’re looking for great books for the younger set or would like to take a peek, here’s the link to his website:  Ben Wolf

As far as I’m concerned, Ben is the guru of selling books in person. One of the things he said was he sells a lot of Big Books. It sounded interesting to me, so of course, I asked him how that worked, and he helped me pull together my first Big Book.

BIG BOOK with 820 pages

Here’s my debut Big Book that we’ll be lugging to the events. It’s 820 pages of the complete Donut Lady Cozy Mystery Series, unabridged, in ONE BIG BOOK!

DL Love Big Books Feb 2024

I think I’ll make a large sticker for readers who buy the 3-pound book. You can order the Omnibus paperback, and I’ll sign it and send you a sticker too. Tap the button for your book and warn your mail carrier!

Shop Now Button clipped

What’s Your Weather Like?

What’s the temperature where you are? Would you be outside when it’s 59° enjoying the nice weather or (for my  friends who adore cold weather) would you be sweltering? And while I’m asking, do you prefer being indoors or outdoors?

Use the simple form to give me a shout! This is an experiment to see if we like it. Feel free to comment too! 

 

p.s.     This form doesn’t put you on an email list or anything, so if you want to sign up for my newsletter, use this link: https://judithabarrett.wordpress.com/newsletter