Karoline Barrett's Blog, page 3

T.J. Maxx you are no Borders

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day! Personally, it’s a difficult day for me, but that’s not what this post is about. I was at the mall last week, waiting for my new glasses to be ready, and I wandered into T.J. Maxx. Unlike most women, I don’t get the appeal of T.J. Maxx. Macy’s, Nordstroms, I get, but T.J. Maxx, meh!  Especially, not this particular one because it used to be a Borders book store.

I went in and was struck by how wrong the whole store looked. Where were all the books?  I looked around and  like ghosts rising up before me,  I saw the fiction section,  the mystery section, the romance section, the calendars, the magazines, the cook books, the humor section, and the bestsellers up front with their brand new jackets. I loved going to that store with my husband and buying books from my favorite authors, and discovering new ones. I loved looking at the covers, smelling the print, and reading jacket flaps. Going through racks of clothes and shoes instead of books just wasn’t as thrilling, and it was even a little sad.

I did pick up  a Mother’s Day present for my mother at T.J. Maxx, so my visit wasn’t a complete loss, but I still miss Borders!

Star struck

Since I began writing I don’t have a lot of time to read as much as I like. So, one of my goals this year was to read more, and so far I’m not doing too badly. My “to be read” pile is definitely shrinking.

The last mainstream ϋber popular book I read was GONE GIRL.  I was quite disappointed in it. I thought the hype exceeded the actual story. When THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN came out, I thought it looked like a great read, but when it was compared to GONE GIRL, I had second thoughts. Yesterday, I took a chance and picked it up at R.J. Julia bookstore in Madison, CT. I absolutely love, love, love this book. I am half-way through. It’s so hard to put it down to do anything else. I’m staring at it as I write this blog.

I tweeted how much I loved THE GIRL ON A TRAIN and included the author, Paula Hawkins’ Tweet handle.  I can’t explain my excitement when she tweeted her thank you to me! Here it is, word for word, in case  you’re dying to know what it said:

Paula Hawkins ‏@PaulaHWrites 

@KarolineBarrett thanks, glad you’re enjoying it

I can hear your collective sighs of wonder. I did the same thing! I couldn’t name the top five actors in Hollywood today and wouldn’t know, or care, if I passed one of them on the street. But having a New York Times best-selling author Tweet me? I’m all over it!  I’m breathless!  Totally star struck. It was like a cosmic fist-bump between us!

Yes, I am also a writer, yes I have a couple of books coming out (please buy them) but, I’m way down on the food chain from Paula Hawkins and her ilk. But authors are like that. Most are helpful, approachable, and super nice. I’m still thrilled that I’m actually friends with established cozy mystery authors on Facebook! Who needs the Kardashians, and Pitt and Jolie,  when you have authors?

Writing willy nilly

[image error]Let’s say, for the purpose of this blog, that writers are divided into two groups. Those of us who sensibly plot, outline, and plan our books to within an inch of their lives. Before we even touch the keyboard we know exactly what’s going to happen to whom, where it’s going to happen to the aforementioned whoms, why it’s going to happen, when it’s going to happen, and how it’s going to happen. And woe to any character who decides to flee the outline for a more exciting story line.

Then there are those writers who apparently like living on the wild side,  flirting with danger by not plotting, outlining, or planning at all (shudder, shudder). They get an idea and they JUST WRITE.

My previous three books were outlined (after all, they weren’t going to write themselves, were they?). Those outlines were my novels’ lifeblood. Without them my novels would perish. At the very least, wither. How could anyone just write with no order, no map telling them where the story was going? What the characters were going to do? How they were going to react? Oh, the lunacy!  You can’t write willy nilly.

In my last book, which was book two in my Bread and  Batter cozy mystery series starring bakery owner, Molly Tyler I amazingly found myself drifting away from my outline. For the last few chapters I didn’t even look at the poor crumpled thing. Instead, I added twists and turns as they popped into my head. I let the characters take the lead. I refrained from chastising them for doing things that were not in my outline, which, therefore, should have been totally undo-able and frowned upon. I wrote willy nilly!

I am now working on  book three of my cozy mystery series, tentatively titled KNEAD TO DIE  and I have . . . NO OUTLINE.  None. Nada. Zero. Nothing. I do have some things scribbled on my computer’s desk top sticky notes, but these can hardly be construed as an outline. I know who gets killed, but I don’t know why, where, when or who the killer is. Molly and her handsome detective boyfriend will figure it out as they go along.

There’s a certain freedom not being tethered to an outline and instead, letting your imagination run outside to play. It’s like the freedom of being up in a hot air balloon. I’ll let you know where we all land!

Interview with Molly Tyler, star of my Bread and Batter Series.

[image error]Hi Molly. Thanks for stopping by.  Can you start by telling us a little bit about what you do?

Sure! Thanks for hosting me. My partner, Olivia and I, own Bread & Batter Bakery. We sell bread, doughnuts, bagels, and cupcakes, etcetera.  When I’m not at the bakery, I’m busy solving murders.

Murders? As in plural? But you live in a small town, don’t you? How many murders can there be? Where exactly is Destiny?

Yes, I do live in a small town. Destiny is in upstate New York, right on a gorgeous lake. It’s surrounded by apple orchards and wineries. It’s the kind of town where most people know each other, which can be great, or can totally grate on your nerves! The murder thing is not the norm, I assure you. The first murder involved a well-known orchard owner. You’ll read more about her when my book comes out in November! The second murder you’ll read more about later. I don’t want to give anything away.

You were instrumental in finding out who killed the orchard owner, weren’t you?

I can’t take all the credit. If it weren’t for my ex-husband’s grandmother, Jane, the murderer may still be running loose. No offense intended toward our police department and a certain handsome detective.

How do you feel about murder solving?

I like it. It’s like solving a puzzle, figuring out how all the pieces fit. I loved Nancy Drew as a child. I’m not attracted to the actual murder, and I don’t want to know about the gory details, thank you very much, but I love the old-fashioned police work: Finding a motive, researching people-that’s so easy now, with the Internet-and just plain talking to people.

Do people tend to open up to you because they know you?

I think so. I’m good at getting people to talk. I’m a good listener.

Speaking of a certain handsome detective, aren’t you romantically involved?

Yes. I’m very happy about it, even though he’s a meat eater and loves big trucks. Pick your battles, right? Am I smiling like an idiot?

Not at all.  I feel your happiness! What does he think of your involvement in the murder solving business?

We should move on to the next question, ha ha. He’s proud of me, but I’m sure he’s said in so many words that he prefers I stick to bread and bagels and running Bread & Batter. He can’t deny though, I have a two and two record.

That deserves congratulations! What surprises you the most about murder?

Thanks! What surprises me most is the reasons behind it. There was a lot of personal pain behind the two murders I’ve solved. Okay, helped solve.

That makes sense.  So, who are your best friends in Destiny?

Oh, that’s easy! Olivia, whom I’ve mentioned, and Emily. She owns the bookstore next door to Bread & Batter. Then there’s my book club. The Destiny Divas. We’re all friends as well, even though we don’t see each other more than once a month. I used them to solve murder number two. 

That’s so neat. Sounds like you’ve got a busy life. For my last questions please say the first thing that comes to your mind:

Color Pink

Pet  My basset hound, Noelle, and Sean’s basset hound, Beau

Book Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier. I love a good suspenseful mystery 

Movie Ah, too many to name! Give me a good romance or comedy 

Coffee or tea  Tea!

Beach or mountains  Beach every time

Season Summer! 

Alone time Cooking, baking, reading, lying in the sun, boating, walking Noelle 

Thank for sharing a little of your life, Molly. I’m looking forward  to talking to you again! My pleasure! I’ll come back anytime!