Tag: JudithABarrettBooks

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One Big Book, A Bundle, and Readers Rock

One Big Book 50% Off

An OMNIBUS of 820 pages!

Exclusive from Barrett Book Shop

A paperback  to read while you rock. Bookmark included.

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The complete set of Donut Lady books all in ONE BIG BOOK! 

Donut Lady’s side hustle is exposing killers.

Karen O’Brien is a former teacher and convicted felon. After prison, she looks forward to a new, quiet life in her hometown in Georgia despite the disruption of her lurking shadows and terrifying nightmares.

She becomes the Donut Lady after she buys a donut shop complete with a sweet German Shepherd, Colonel, and a sassy gray cat, Mia.  

Donut Lady’s specialties are freshly made donuts, scones, hot coffee, and solving crimes. Good plan, except for the pesky killers that intend for her to die.

 The COMPLETE set of ALL the  Donut Lady Cozy Mystery books in ONE Hefty Paperback!  (1)Sweet Deal Sealed, (2) Sweet Deal Concealed, (3) Sweet Deal Revealed, (4) Sweet Deal Appealed, (5) Sweet Secret Deal, and (6) Sweet and Sour Deal.

 

A Bundle 50% Off

Maybe you’d rather have the entire Cozy Mystery Series in eBooks with a little less weight to carry around. 

Exclusive from Barrett Book Shop

I gotcha!

SIX BOOK eBUNDLE Feb 5 2024 

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The Complete Set of Donut Lady Books for you to read on your Kindle, Nook, or phone!

Donut Lady’s side hustle is exposing killers.

Karen O’Brien is a former teacher and convicted felon. After prison, she looks forward to a new, quiet life in her hometown in Georgia despite the disruption of her lurking shadows and terrifying nightmares.

She becomes the Donut Lady after she buys a donut shop complete with a sweet German Shepherd, Colonel, and a sassy gray cat, Mia.  

Donut Lady’s specialties are freshly made donuts, scones, hot coffee, and solving crimes. Good plan, except for the pesky killers that intend for her to die.

The COMPLETE Set of ALL the Donut Lady Cozy Mystery Series eBooks delivered to your Kindle or ereader!  (1)Sweet Deal Sealed, (2) Sweet Deal Concealed, (3) Sweet Deal Revealed, (4) Sweet Deal Appealed, (5) Sweet Secret Deal, and (6) Sweet and Sour Deal.

 

 

Readers Rock!

Readers Rock

I wanted a really cool sticker to include with signed paperbacks that are ordered from the Barrett Book Shop. Because…Readers Rock! 

But while I created the sticker, I wondered about the history of rocking chairs…a natural progression, wouldn’t you think?

Trivia

History of Rocking Chairs

Here’s a rabbit hole for the fascinating story of rocking chairs History of Rocking Chairs. I’d forgotten about the therapeutic uses of the rocking chair. Add a book, and you’re relaxing your back and going on an adventure with your favorite characters! 

History of Donuts

Donuts have a much longer history than rocking chairs. Here’s what the Britannica has to say on the topic of donuts: https://www.britannica.com/topic/doughnut 

My favorite was the tale of the sailor, Hanson Gregory, who was said to have pierced a hole in the pastry with the ship’s wheel during a storm, which reminded me of the pirate in another series… but that’s ANOTHER story!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The History of Rocking Chairs

 

QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

Dressed for Success

Mistletoe Market 2024 smaller

Dressed for Success? I didn’t realize how well my new Christmasy long-sleeved shirt matched my $5.00  Walmart tablecloth. At least no one had trouble finding my booth!

My last event for 2023 was the Mistletoe Market in Cairo, Georgia. It’s one of my favorites; I love seeing my previous readers who return for more books and meeting new readers!

A shout out to the Mom who marched up to my booth with a slip of paper in her hand and announced, “My daughter said I’m supposed to get the Stalking book for her.”

Nearby shoppers gave her the side-eye, but she was a Mom on a Mission and impervious to any judgy attitudes.

In 2022, I ordered five of my newest paperback, which was book 3 in a series, as soon as I published it. When my books arrived, I was thoroughly embarrassed when I realized I had the wrong title on the spine! The five books were perfectly fine except for the spine. I hid them in the back of our office closet.

I decided to embrace my mistake and offered the first three books of the series, with the third book being the mistake book, at the same price as the two books plus $5.00. I have three mistake books (rare first editions?) left.  I’ll keep taking my mistake books to events until they’re gone.

My plan for 2024: Even more in-person events and increased focus on BARRETT BOOK SHOP where readers can buy paperbacks, ebooks, and audiobooks directly from me.

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing! 

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QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

Dragon On Her Shoulder

If you have read the Maggie Sloan Thriller series, you might remember Kiki, the tiny imaginary dragon in Book 5 who rode on the shoulder of Maggie’s new friend, Tonya.

If you haven’t read any of the Maggie Sloan books, it’s okay. You can start with Book 1, I Always Wanted to Be a Spy. It’s available as an ebook, paperback, or audiobook. You have choices.  Maggie Sloan Thriller Series

Not to give too much away, but Maggie has two friends who are imaginary men; one is Palace Guard.

Here’s a tiny excerpt from “See Beyond the Fog.”

Tonya, who has been hard of hearing since birth, said, “I didn’t have many friends when I was a kid; only an imaginary dragon, and she was my best friend; she still comes around once in a while, but she really is shy. My husband can see my Kiki; can Kevin see your imaginary Palace Guard?”
“Yes, he can. Do you have any idea how strange this conversation is?”
“Yes, and it’s also why I don’t have many friends. When someone talks to me in a rude way, Kiki pretends she is wounded by their words and reels then drops to the floor and plays dead; unfortunately, I laugh.”
I giggled, and Palace Guard grinned. “I’m afraid I’d laugh too.” 

I went to a weeklong writers’ conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. So, given the fact that I believe in imaginary men and tiny dragons, can you imagine how excited I was to see an author with a dragon on her shoulder? I chased her down the hallway to get a photo with her dragon, Cobalt. I didn’t see anyone else waiting to get a snapshot with Cobalt, so I’m pretty sure he must be imaginary too.

Dragon on the shoulder

N. A. Davenport, author, writes YA and middle grade books. Check her out on Amazon. N. A. Davenport, Author Tell her Palace Guard sent you.

QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

Then and Now

Elevate Artisans Market 2019 to 2023

Elevate Artisans Market is my favorite event. It’s held every year on the Saturday closest to Halloween. The event is hosted at an Alpaca Farm by an amazingly energetic farmer and talented artisan, Della Lovett.

2019

Elevate All Set Up 2019 First year

I had five books in 2019. It was my first in-person event at an arts and crafts show, and I  tried to make my two tables as neat and eye-pleasing as possible. I’m not sure why I didn’t take advantage of all the space under my tent, though. Doesn’t it look like it might be a little cramped for space where our chairs are behind the tables? Maybe I thought it would be more welcoming for visitors if there was room for them under the tent, but they’d have to be short. Hopefully, we raised the tent before the tall FarmerMan, who takes care of the $ transactions and everything else except the author-stuff  made his way to his chair.

It must have been warm because I’m in a short-sleeved shirt. Note that I am not wearing a ball cap…definitely back in the day!

What did I learn? I discovered how much I loved to ask people what they liked to read. I made friends and to my amazement, I sold books.

2020

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The weather was cooler in 2020. I’m wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt under my Halloween shirt, and it must have been windy because we have our gallon jugs filled with water to keep the tent from blowing away.

I have three books neatly arranged on the table that is a little closer to the front of the tent and books on a table behind me. Those must be the rare collector’s items because they’re in a rack not within reach of anyone, not even me, because my chair is blocking me. I’m not certain what the purpose of the table with lone Halloween sack on it was. Maybe it was for all the candy.

What did I learn? I dearly love to listen to their excitement when people talk about what they read. I watched  people’s faces as they looked at my book covers and was fascinated by what attracted them.

2021 and 2022

Elevate 2021 smaller Barrett ELEVATE Arts and Crafts Oct 2022

2021 was cold, and 2022 was rainy, but visitors braved the elements and showed up. I had three then four series and more books. I’ll never be a decorator, but I tried to carefully arrange my table with only a few books, so it didn’t look too crowded.

What did I learn? Other than what a patient, kind-hearted man FarmerMan is for going to all these events with me, I’m surprised at how many readers really love a paperback. Ebooks might be cheaper and audiobooks might be better for a commuter, but there are a lot of people who prefer to hold a paperback while they read.

2023

Elevate 2023 smaller

It was cool in the morning but heated up in the afternoon. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. I had books all over the place. I tried to be relatively neat, but with five series of 30 different books, I had books stacked and stashed everywhere.

What did I learn? I’ve been surprised every year at how many people tell me they read Historical Fiction. I realized after the event was over what a huge opportunity I’ve missed. I’ve never once asked anyone what time period or era of Historical Fiction they read. I’ll fix that.

What do you read?

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing! 

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QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

Author at Work

authorwriting      Chickens with grass Jan 2023 clipped

My New Author Bio?

Judith A. Barrett: The Georgia-based, award-snatching author who’s convinced her chickens might be plotting the next big mystery, or are they burying the evidence? 

With her loyal husband as her alibi, two dogs who are terrible at keeping secrets, and a penchant for spinning yarns ranging from mysterious thrillers to cuddle-worthy cozies, Judith has a story for every kind of reader. She’s taken on the challenge of combining mystery and crime with just a sprinkle of sweet romance to all her stories to keep them mildly spicy like sugar and cinnamon – not like jalapeno and ghost peppers!

Her motto? “You keep reading, or the chickens get it! Just kidding… I’ll keep writing!“

Bitter-barn-smaller-1 Chickens who go broody and won’t leave the nest go into the Bitter Barn to cool off. She’s crying fowl on the charges. If she begs you to open the barn door with a promise of eggs, she’s scamming you. Broody hens don’t lay eggs. There’s a story…

Buy Judith a cup of coffee!

Did you enjoy the new bio? Consider buying me a cup of coffee! Coffee is magical writer’s fuel and keeps me writing, researching, and sharing stories with you. Thank you for your continued support!

$2.00

QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

Legendary Author/Legendary Readers

Pepper Festival Sept 2023

My latest festival was the two-day Pepper Musical Festival: I wore my taco socks and used my chili pepper apron to spice up my table.  I expected to see a pepper eating contest or some  reason for the event to be the Pepper Festival, but as far as I know, it was the Pepper Festival just because.

You might have noticed that we finally realized that putting up the side panels on our tent helped block the sun. We also remembered to charge the fan the night before. For some unexplainable reason, I forgot all my tablecloths except for one small, white one. Walmart to the rescue! We found the cheap (yay!), green vinyl tablecloth that is now my favorite.  I love a bargain!

The vendor sites were spacious because of the large field where the event was hosted; we didn’t feel crowded at all and had a perfect location for our booth. The stage for the bands and the bleachers were in front of our site with an open, spacious, grassy area between us.

The two-day event was a challenge because the festival lasted until ten o’clock both nights, but Friday night was a blast. The headliner band played Hispanic music, and the area in front of us was filled with families. In addition to our  all time favorite music from the southwest, we had live entertainment as the children chased each other and rolled in the grass, and the toddlers bounced to the music.  We enjoyed an impromptu wrestling match between preteen boys that could have rivaled any high school wrestling team for style and technique.

Saturday was exhausting. We had to take our books back to the campground Friday night then haul them back to the event on Saturday morning because books and morning dew don’t mix; however, our campground was less than ten minutes away, which was a wonderful bonus.

A young, local police officer entertained himself most of Saturday by stopping by my booth and teasing me about some imaginary flaw in one of my books. He brought  a group of other police officers and firefighters to my booth to show them my fan then expounded on the imaginary flaw. I told him he was fired as my public relations manager, and his buddies roared with laughter.

The Saturday night crowd was mostly teenagers who were there to see and be seen. They were entertaining enough to watch, but they couldn’t come close to  the bouncing toddlers. The headliner music was not their type of music or ours either. Adults sat on the bleachers and politely applauded; it must have been their type of music.

The most amazing sight of all on Saturday night was the number of food trucks that magically appeared; everyone we saw was eating something!

We quietly packed our things and left at nine o’clock.  In theory, we won’t be invited back as vendors because we left before ten, but we’re okay with that. Our campground was great, and we had a terrific time; we’ll go back next year to camp at the great campground,  shout out to you, Tifton KOA Journey,  and enjoy the Friday night music and entertainment.

Will we consider another two-day event? It depends…

Remember the pesky police officer? The police chief stopped by my booth later and told me I was a legend.  Legendary Author: should I add that to my biography?

You know who reads the works of a Legendary Author, don’t you?

Legendary Readers: readers who  form theories based on clues and stray, almost random, hints the author leaves along the way in the story. That’s you, isn’t it?

How’s this for a new tagline?

The Legendary Author Who Writes for Legendary Readers.

Buy Judith a cup of coffee!

Did you enjoy the story? Consider buying me a cup of coffee – it’s writer’s fuel and keeps me writing, photographing, and sharing stories with you. Thank you for your continued support and being a Legendary Reader!

$2.00

QuickJAB, The Latest Twist

When the Wind Blows…

When the wind blows Jun 2023 smaller

Everybody knows that trees shouldn’t be planted too close to a house. When a particularly vicious storm roared through our area this summer, the wind took down a gigantic oak tree that was in the woods behind our house.

The good news is that the gigantic oak tree fell away from the house. Even though the tree was in the woods, the root ball was so large  that it took our chain link fence with it!  An interesting fact is that people who lived in the county south of us didn’t know anything about our severe storm, so I’m positive you didn’t either.

We lived in New Mexico for a number of years where everybody knows about dust storms and tumbleweeds, but I didn’t know about the severe dust storms that plagued Arizona until part of our family moved there a few years ago.

Our oak tree and the dust storms in Arizona reminded me that there are things that only “the locals” know, especially when it comes to weather. I know about hurricanes because we lived in Florida and tornados because we lived in Texas. I also know about blizzards because we lived in Minnesota, but I’m hoping I don’t ever have a blizzard in any of the books I write because I’d get too cold. I have a very active imagination, but you knew that!

My latest novel takes place in Arizona, and my main character is from Georgia, so I knew she wouldn’t know about a ‘haboob,’ which is a word frequently used for the miles long, towering  Arizona dust storms with sand and debris. Thank goodness one of the locals told her, or it would have been my shortest novel ever!

What is it that “everybody knows” where you live that a newcomer wouldn’t know? I’m always looking for a weather story I can use in a book!

Interested in reading a book that takes place in Arizona?

Bloodshed in the Badlands Cover April 24 2023

Wren’s new writing assignment, a haunted campground in Arizona, is perfect except for the killer who wants her dead.

Shop HERE in the Barrett Book Shop

or Buy the new book  HERE if you have a favorite retailer.

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing! 

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Where is the Best Place to Start?

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis G. Carroll, we read, “Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” 

Start here 4  Sounds logical enough,  Wait here  but how do we know when we’ve reached The End? 

I’ve been like most writers,  a great story pops into my head, and I start writing. Midway in the story, usually at the 40,000 word point, I realize I probably need a title, a cover, and a description of sorts. Let the scrambling begin!

With my latest new book, I started with the cover! And not just A Cover, but covers for all the books in the new series. After I had the cover and the title, the description was easy.

I’m just past the 40,000 word mark, and I don’t miss the scrambling. Starting at THE END has made the book easier (notice I didn’t say easy) to write. I think I even know how the series might end – rare for me!

Bloodshed in the Badlands Cover April 24 2023

Wren’s new writing assignment, a haunted campground in Arizona, is perfect except for the killer who wants her dead.

BLOODSHED IN THE BADLANDS Release Date: August 21.

Tap to Preorder NOW from Barrett Book Shop

or Tap to select your preferred Retail Book Seller.

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing! 

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Current Affairs

              

Readers tell me that the events in the GRID DOWN SURVIVAL stories seem close to real life but are actually encouraging because of the hope and strength in the exciting stories of Major, Aimee Louise, Stuart, and the rest of their friends and family.

I published my first Grid Down book, DANGER IN THE CLOUDS, in 2019. I wrote it for my resident FarmerMan because he’d read all the books in all the post-apoc series that he liked.

He asked me to write a book for him, and I did. He liked it, and so did a few other people. When he asked me to write the next book, I did, and more people liked the stories, so I kept going from there. I’ve published at least one book a year since the first book. 

Book 7, DANGER ON THE RISE, was released a little over a week ago. Interesting trivia, at least   to me  and three other people: Five of the seven books were published in May, June, or July. The other two were published in December or January. 

This might be a stretch, but it’s hot outside in Georgia, and maybe where you are too, and we deserve a break! It’s time to celebrate the Series that hatches mostly in the summer!  (told you it was a stretch)

If you’re interested in becoming immersed in the exciting adventures of a small family that joins with their neighbors in overcoming adversity, start with DANGER IN THE CLOUDS.

If you’re intrigued AND love a bargain, buy two or more GRID DOWN SURVIVAL SERIES books between now and July 17. The bargain? Use the discount code GRID16 for 16% off two or more of the books in the series.

Tap HERE for the GRID DOWN SURVIVAL SERIES  and use your GRID16 discount code!

Have you already read all the GRID DOWN SURVIVAL SERIES, or would you like to see what other books might interest you more? (I have more series and bargains to entice you to try a new series!)

Tap HERE for BARRETT BOOK SHOP to browse for other bargains or on the Barrett Book Shop logo that doubles as a button. 

You keep reading; I’ll keep writing!