Barbara Samuel's Blog: A Writer Afoot, page 18

How I spent my afternoon

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Raisin Nut Bread, made from a pate Viennoise starter, a little rye flour, and the liquide levain I've been working and working with. I also soaked the raisins in orange juice and a little bit of vanilla. Isn't it beautiful? I know what I'll be eating for breakfast tomorrow!

Pancake kisses, bacon hugs

[image error]THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING is out today! To celebrate, a love song to breakfast.

PANCAKE KISSES, BACON HUGS

Why breakfast is the secret of everything

I suppose I should confess upfront that I am a morning person. I wake up cheery, chatty and at the very first fingers of sunlight creeping over the horizon. I know you find this annoying. I know you wish I'd stop humming under my breath as I crack eggs and start the coffee, but I can't help it. I was born a singing lark. This does, however...

1 day till THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING arrives in stores

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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...

6 days till THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING arrives in stores

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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...

If you're shopping for Christmas this weekend, try these books

First, before I forget, if you want a chance to win a collection of gourmet salts, go to barbaraoneal.com [image error]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...

Midnight, by Sister Souljah

Gritty, heady, erotic, lyrical, romance

I've been meaning to review this book for a couple of weeks and finally have some time. This is my review for GoodReads (and if you are not a member, really, it's lovely!)

I picked up Midnight by Sister Souljah a couple of months ago. Total impulse buy from the center aisle of new trade paperbacks at my local Barnes and Noble. I liked the cover, that beautiful face, and picked it up, and the first page utterly captured me. I started reading that...

The tipping point for e-readers

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, [image error]old...

Win a free ARC

[image error]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 ...

The Monday After

[image error]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 ...

Right brain book building

[image error]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...