Barbara Samuel's Blog
December 23, 2009
Not long now!
I get so excited when it gets so close. I've known Tessa and Sam (oh, you will love her father!) and Vince and Natalie (darling, troubled Natalie) for more than two years. Very happy for you to be able to finally meet them.
Here's my favorite review of the week, from the B&N.com website:
"December 21, 2009: The Secret of Everything is a beautiful story about love and family, good food and gorgeous landscape, faithful dogs and a mysterious town. Tessa is a hiking tour guide...
December 18, 2009
First, before I forget, if you want a chance to win a collection of gourmet salts, go to barbaraoneal.com 
and post a favorite food from childhood.
Let's talk about books one more time before Christmas, shall we? What are you reading and recommending to others this year? What are some of your favorite reads of the year?
This week, I've been finishing Eclipse, the third book in the Stephanie Meyers group. I have read the oddest things about this book, feminist rhetoric that makes it plain the...
December 12, 2009
December 9, 2009
I remember standing at a publisher cocktail party years ago, talking with a publicist about electronic books, and she was shaking her head firmly, saying that e-books were still a non-issue. At the time, I was utterly hooked on Mario for GameBoy (the original, clunky, white one) and I made the case for a reader something like that unit, with a bigger screen. Something you could hold and transport easily. Everyone with me just shook their heads. If I stop and think about that fat, 
old...
December 3, 2009
THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING will be out in 27 26 days! Reader feedback so far has been extraordinary (check out the comments at GoodReads.com), and I'm very excited for everyone to read Tessa's story.
To celebrate, I'll offering a some little contests and giveaways over the next few weeks. This is the first one. I am giving away 4 free ARCs of THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING. As soon as I draw names, I'll run to the post office and mail them out, so you will have it by next Friday.
To win, just go ...
November 30, 2009
It is the Monday morning after the busy, family- and food-rich holiday of Thanksgiving. Technically, I should be digging back into my book, because I didn't work at all last week, but there is a sweet quiet in my office and I find all I want to do is soak in it. I turned Pandora radio to the Baroque Classical station and although the dog is sitting very, very close by to be sure I don't forget he needs his walk, I am alone for the first time in five days.
Now, I realize that many people do ...
November 23, 2009
My youngest son has a cat named Knucks, a long legged and elegant creature who must be coaxed and seduced into letting me play with him or pet him. He will play, he wants to play, and he especially wants me to rub his long black nose so he can purr almost silently, nose buried deep into my palm.
But there are rituals to follow. I can't just straightforwardly approach him, nor simply ignore him. He needs to know that I am engaged, paying attention, but he must be allowed to approach on his o...
November 17, 2009
November 13, 2009
Technically, I suppose, apple butter is smooth. I originally made this recipe last winter and pureed it afterward. Since, however, my main use for this particular condiment is in my morning oatmeal, I have found I much prefer it to be left chunky. Recipe is adapted from one I found at The Art of Homemaking.
SLOW COOKED CHUNKY, SPICY APPLE BUTTER
Apples enough to fill a crock pot–about 10-12 good sized apples.
2 T cinnamon
5-6 whole cloves
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 vanilla...
November 7, 2009
Sasha in November
This morning, I'm thinking about the difference in dogs and cats. As many of you know, my mid-size terrier mutt Sasha is almost 17 years old and over the past six months, her age has really been catching up with her. She's quite deaf and a little shortsighted and even the smeller is going, since she nips at our fingers just to make sure there is no treat hanging in the air. She's pigeon-toed and bow-legged because her legs are weak, and some days the shuffle is barely a...
Barbara Samuel's blog
- Barbara Samuel's profile
- 3 followers
