Julia Barrett's World

Happy Birthday, America!

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Something happens every time I fly through Seattle to get to Bozeman.

I’ve got the transfer timed perfectly because I don’t want to wait long in the Seattle airport – you know, no more than 40-60 minutes between flights.  I make it to my gate after a potty stop – which is a story in itself – hang on, I may have to seque…I headed into the crowded bathroom, waited for a stall, finally one opened up, LOL.  Went in, set down my computer bag, set my purse on top of my computer bag, as there was no hook on the door, sat down, etc. etc. (because flying always makes me have to pee a bunch.  TMI?)  As I was indisposed, it came to my attention that anytime anyone else opened or closed their stall door, my door popped open, lock or no lock.  So I had to reach forward in order to hold it closed, at which point, my entire toilet seat flew off the toilet with me on it. Good times!

After much ado, I arrive at the new gate – yes, I already know I’ll be flying in a small prop plane, but it’s all good because they serve free beer!

Announcement:   Passengers waiting for flight blah.blah.blah please remain in the boarding area.  There’s an eensy-weensy mechanical problem with your plane so we’re going to get it checked out by our mechanics, but we should be boarding soon.

How eensy-weensy???  Like, is there a check engine light on?  Not reassuring when the plane is about the size of a box of Triscuits.

Thirty minutes later, Announcement:  We’ve had the mechanics check things out and it looks like you’ll be getting a new plane.  As soon as we tow this plane away from the gate and tow your new plane over from maintenance, we’ll get the crew on board to look ‘er over and hopefully you’ll be boarding soon.

Wait?  Trading one plane already in maintenance for another going into maintenance?  Why was the first plane in maintenance?  Did they have time to get it fixed before it was recalled to active duty?

An hour later, we board.  Hubby and I are sitting in the front row and I hear the pilots talking.  They’re discussing the above-mentioned eensy-weensy mechanical issue.  First one says:  I hope we don’t have to deal with something like that again.  The other:  The day is still young…and the flight attendant closes the door to the cockpit.

Can I have my beer now?

Well, as you can see, knock wood, we made it, although the flight attendants had to remain seated for most of the flight due to extreme turbulence and thunderstorms.  They got up long enough to hand us our beer with the words, drink it fast, before diving back to their seats.

I chugged mine and then chugged my husband’s.

The pilots didn’t so much land the plane as dive onto the runway at the very last minute in between gusts of gale force winds.  Seat belts or no seat belts, when they hit the brakes I flew forward into the bulkhead, along with all the carry-on luggage stowed beneath the seats.

But, nice Jewish girl genuflecting, we made it to the ranch, rounded up and doctored a sick cow – nasty bugger nearly killed my husband – and now I’m taking a nap!

Ooh, saw two young movies stars and their entourage as we waited for our plane to be fixed…you will never guess who.

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This is what happens when I don’t have an upcoming release…

you get to listen to me ramble…

When we were down in L.A., driving on a four-lane roadway, not a freeway, this guy in a lamborghini pulled up next to us and revved his engine.  When the light turned green, he took off with a deafening roar for all of fifty yards before he had to slam on the brakes at another red light.  My husband’s words – “Geez!  Grow a penis, dude!“   I agree.  We were driving our new Honda Civic Hybrid and I know from personal experience what kind of junk is under the hood…um…nice…big…environmentally friendly…junk.  I’m not impressed by a guy and his muscle car.  Kids, if you’re reading this…I’ll pay for your therapy, scout’s honor.

So the weekend was fun – my husband and his two brothers and his nephew and his five cousins – all guys because I gave birth to the only girls in the family – talked about the implications of hand size, foot size, and sports.  We played Oh Shit,  a great card game, while debating whether or not to play Spoons – which we decided to forgo because of the way the game inevitably deteriorates into a violent free-for-all and I’m always the one to get mauled.

One of my husband’s cousins recommended a couple books – got the first one - The Elementary Particles, by Michel Houellebeco.  The cousin described it as a perverse book about a man born covered with clitoral tissue.  Sound interesting?  He told me not to hold it against him if I hate it.  I don’t hate it…I like it!

“This is the story of two half-brothers abandoned by a mother who gave herself fully to the drugged-out free-love world of the sixties.  Bruno, overweight and a failure at everything, is himself a raucously promiscuous hedonist, while Michel, his younger brother, is an emotionally dead molecular biologist wholly immersed in the solitude of his work.  Each is ultimately offered a final chance at genuine love, and what unfolds is an endlessly unpredictable and provocative tale that speaks to the possible redemption of the human condition.”

My husband’s cousin also recommended Herland, a utopian novel written in 1915 by a woman, Charlotte Perkins Gilman.  Ordered!  Can’t wait!

***Note to those of you who have signed up for my newsletter – Thanks!  Make sure you confirm when you get that email!

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Hubby is sick of hearing about it, but as I explained to him, choreography is critical!  To quote the Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz…These things must be done delicately…Every body part must be in the right place at the right time and it must belong to the right person.  I have to admit, living in so many heads at once has been a fascinating experience!  Anyway – sent it off to my publisher last night – fingers crossed!  We shall see!  To celebrate, I’m getting waxed and a facial.  Nazi esthetician will beat the crap out of me but it will hurt sooooo good!

For a hilarious read, head over to Katiebabs at Babbling About Books – all about the Black Dagger Brotherhood – animation at it’s finest!!!  http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/ She had me spitting out my coffee this morning!

Happy Earth Day for all us hippies, old and young!  I’m heading out for a hike and I swear to pick up any trash I encounter – always do anyway!

The young entrepeneurs over at Project Bacon put up a sweet tribute to mom for Mother’s Day:  http://projectbacon.wordpress.com/ Plus the muffins look yummy with or without the bacon.

So, I’m taking a break from writing for a few days to get my Review page up and I’m going to post a linkity-link to my new nonfiction book which releases TODAY!!!  Then it’s on to futuristic sci fi and the sequel to Captured.

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There is no place as iconic as Disneyland.  I swear.  It’s more American than apple pie.  For a kid, it’s the ultimate in ultimate.  I love Disneyland and I got to ride my fill of Indiana Jones, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, The Haunted House, Pirates of the Caribbean and Peter Pan – which may be the most beautiful ride in the park.

But I have to wonder if Walt is rolling over in his grave.  Tomorrow Land needs, uh, futuristic-type updating?  Maybe a major makeover?  The only thing there worth riding or even visiting is Space Mountain.  The rest of T.L. is flat out depressing.  Critter Country should be bulldozed – it’s where all those extra homeless animatronic characters – the Small World rejects – go to die.  It’s just scary.  Frontier Land has Thunder Mountain – a great ride, but that’s all.  New Orleans Square still has it going on and Fantasy Land continues to be every child’s favorite place in the park.

The weird thing was that we arrived at 8:30 a.m. and we’d achieved all our goals and were heading back to the new Rhode Island-sized parking structure by 3 p.m.  That’s another thing – the parking garage they put in to make room for California Adventures.  You no longer have the opportunity to experience that heart-pounding anticipation and excitement as you approach Disneyland – even the Matterhorn is mostly obscured by the parking structure – a megalithic monstrosity that winds you around and around and around via a nonsensical, circuitous, maze-like route that I can only assume is designed to thwart potential evil-doers.  The tram from the parking garage to the front gate drops you off at the new Disney Downtown where you are greeted by…surprise…gift shops.

But hey…there were no lines.  We walked right on all the rides.  And the churros are still good.  It’s funny – the prices in the park seem reasonable, especially compared to what you pay for food at a baseball game, you know, where we pay at least $5.50 for a bottle of water, $8 for a hot dog, $10 for nachos.

Since the occasion was also a reunion for my husband’s family, as you can imagine, we were very busy and didn’t sleep a whole lot.  Got home last night pretty beat and found the poor birdie, who seemed to be doing better when we left, on the bottom of the cage.  As of this morning, little Alstie is no longer with us.  We’re very sad.  I ran out and bought a new companion for our parrot since she’s been quite upset about her poor friend.  She immediately took the baby parakeet under her wing and began grooming her.  Tibby is remarkably gentle for a parrot – at least with other birds.

Tomorrow – why us authors struggle with our websites – a nice answer to Rebecca’s question over at Dirty Sexy Books.

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We all have birthdays that give us pause.

I won’t tell you what number mine is, but it’s a milestone and I realize, at last, maybe, that there’s no going back…there is only forward.  No do-overs.  I sure wouldn’t mind the option of a do-over.

I once sat for a life reading done by a psychic who told me that I’d been born many times, had lived many lives, which I do know is true because…well, because I just do.  Apparently, in my very favorite life I was a nun.  She said I wasn’t forced into a convent.  I was a well-educated woman for the time and I wanted to be a nun.  Makes complete and total sense.  It explains why my mother’s nickname for me became ‘Sister Theresa’ after she found me inexplicably genuflecting at the age of three, on my knees in some old Catholic church we’d visited in Boston.

The psychic reader explained to me that I don’t have to return to this world over and over again.  I have the option of staying in the next, but she said I love the roller coaster ride of this life so much that I keep coming back.  If you knew me, you’d understand.  My life has been filled with drama and passion and love and hate and death-defying acts.  I’ve thrown caution to the wind and packed in a mother fucking ton of living.  Someday I’ll be old and frail and nobody will know the tornado that used to be me.  Nobody will be left who will remember how many times I screwed up, how crazy-insane-wild I could be, how brave and valiant and loving and neurotic and funny and how if somebody hurt one of my kids or tried to steal my man I unsheathed my claws and bared my teeth like a tigress.  No joke.

In Judaism, some rabbis teach that immortality lies in the hearts of those who cherish our memory.  Well, if you ask me, that’s a raw deal and a crock of shit.  You get what…maybe a generation or two before your memory fades from their consciousness?  Judaism emphasizes this life and moral behavior for its own sake, without the cudgel of hell or the idea of a reward in heaven as a pay-off.  I happen to agree – you should be good for goodness sake.  But I personally believe there is a heaven and it’s damn decent place.  I also believe each of us is granted many opportunities.  We should make the most of them.  Above all, we should cherish the time we are given and the people we love.  Yeah, we’re going to mess things up – that’s part of the deal so don’t be too hard on yourself.  How else are you going to learn life’s lessons?  And make sure to watch Glee and The Big Bang Theory.

So yeah, my birthday today is a mixed bag – happy/sad.  Sweet/sour.  Lots of changes in store for my family and for me over the next few years.  I’m going to Disneyland tomorrow and when I come home, getting the wrist tattoo I’ve wanted for years but couldn’t get because of work.  Then it’s on to the mainstream novel – as God is my witness I will get that sucker published!  (Yes, I know…Captured sequel first!)

P.S.  I was born on a Friday the Thirteenth at five minutes before midnight and the doctor told my mom that if she was superstitious, he could record the time as five minutes after midnight.  She replied, “Nah.”  I’m glad she did.  I love being a Friday the Thirteenth baby.

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Yeah, that’s California for you!

Gorgeous!

So before I’m off to 72 hours of the crazy insane day job, here’s a pic to enjoy.  April is a big month for me – my birthday, my anniversary, my gramma’s birthday, my cousin’s birthday, Thomas Jefferson’s birthday, Catherine de Medici’s birthday…just past spring’s birthday…love it!

Take a look at yesterday’s post for contest details – I’d love to read your blurbs and give you prizes!  Have a wonderful weekend!  Julia

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C’mon guys, this is an easy one!  What movie and who said it?  Hint…hint….

Here’s another hint for “Try not to puke.  You might have to lie in it for a while.” Think food and charity work.  Huge hint!

I’m working this weekend, yeah, for real, and I was awfully impaired today.  Super tired.  Hubby came home late last night and ooh-la-la!  After you know, it was all over, I said, that was a rousing fuck!  “That sounds like a salute,” he said and to illustrate, he jumped up yelling – “Sir.  Yessir!  A rousing fuck, Sir!” Sometimes he’s just that kind of guy!  But then I couldn’t sleep so I went to work on the WIP for a while and finally fell asleep around three a.m.  At four, hubby jerked like he was in the midst of his own private earthquake and the three cats, who sleep piled on top of me every dang night, leapt straight up in the air like cartoon cats and landed back on me, un-sheathed claws and all, then hightailed it under the bed.

At five a.m., they all wanted to go outside.  I shut them in at night to avoid getting myself into the dreaded you-never-know-when-a-newt-is-going-to-drop-on-your-face situation.  So I dragged myself out of bed to open their cat door.  After that, I gave up, made some coffee and left for work at seven-thirty.  Gar matey!

In news of the world according to me, Stacey Espino, author extraordinaire, has an upcoming release with Siren -

Nice cover, huh!

Buy link:  http://www.bookstrand.com/fearless-desires

Delius never asked for his fate, but in a world that placed all its faith in prophecy, he would be a fool to challenge it. He felt like a parasite, forced to live off the fear of humans.

From the first time Delius became trapped in Selina’s mind and seduced by her provocative thoughts, he was drawn to her. She was a mystery that turned into an obsession. Yet, for them to have a life together, Delius would have to go against his own race that demanded he fulfill his destiny. One that did not include Selina.

It’s available for pre-order.  The official release date is March 17th – St. Patty’s Day!

Okay, gotta go take care of more extremely sick people.  See ya!  julia

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*Enjoy Seven Days of Valentines with Siren-Bookstrand Authors*

Get all your romance over at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SirenBookstrand/

You can win ebooks and Strandbucks by reading the following post and answering one simple question…send your answer to: sandys36@yahoo.com

I’m offering a copy of Captured, my sci fi romance with Siren.

So…follow along here…Have your read or seen The Princess Bride?  The heroine and hero, Buttercup and Wesley are star-crossed lovers.  They dislike each other, fight a growing attraction,  and when they finally admit their true feelings, Wesley goes off to earn his fortune so he’ll be worthy of his true love.  Unfortunately, he vanishes and Buttercup believes him to be dead, killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts.  Apathetic, knowing she will never again experience true love, she agrees to marry the evil Prince Humerdinck.  And then Wesley returns and the passion between Wesley and Buttercup reignite.

My husband and I lived through a similar story.  We fell in love at a young age, were separated by time and distance, and had no contact whatsoever for six years.  In the meantime, I married the evil Prince Humperdinck.  The man who is my husband, the new Dread Pirate Roberts, returned and saved me.  Our true story is every bit as romantic and harrowing as The Princess Bride.  I’ll post it sometime!

For a chance to win a copy of Captured and Strandbucks, answer this question correctly – In what romance does a character say the following: “You fell victim to one of the classic blunders! The first is never get involved in a land war in Asia. The second, only slightly less well known, is this: never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line! Ha ha ha ha ha ha –” Email your answer to Sandy, sandys36@yahoo.com

Captured:  Blurb

Mari never expects to find herself caged in a cargo hold on a spaceship. She quickly learns from her captors she’s headed to the meat market. When they try to return her to hypersleep, she resists. After allowing her to stay awake, Mari realizes her survival depends on connecting with the male in charge, Ekkatt. She must make him see her as a sentient being or she will end up as dinner.

Ekkatt has never spoken to any human. They are valued for one thing, the money they bring at auction. The Attun race are vegetarians, but other species prize human flesh and bring in good money. Then the female with red hair speaks to him and forces him to admit she has a name. Mari throws Ekkatt’s entire life into question, the biggest question…can he watch her sold to the highest bidder?

Happy Valentine’s Week!

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if I could travel back in time

to the Court of Henry the VIII, I think I ‘d take one item…actually, one related cluster of items – my LCD TV and surround sound system and parts one, two and three  of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings.

I’d play the movie for the King’s Court and I bet they’d just love it.  Of course my husband says I could play them Gilligan’s Island and they’d love it…but no, it would have to be The Lord of the Rings because they’d understand it.  Even if some of the words were foreign, the symbolism and the action would make sense and I know Good King Harry would cry.  I just know it.  Men were much more sentimental back then.

Of course I’d go back to the Court of the young King Henry, the golden boy of Christendom, to the time when he felt chivalrous and knightly and still possessed a sense of humor, before he became old and irascible and autocratic.

Ah well, French champagne and baked cheese and The Lord of the Rings on New Years Eve.

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My dad always says,

“There is nothing so over as Christmas.”

He’s right.  It’s a bittersweet feeling, especially this year.  All three of our children have been here, and on the one hand, I feel as if I’ve done nothing but dishes since Thanksgiving…on the other hand, I don’t want them to leave!

My husband and I were talking about it in bed this morning.  We find ourselves at a point in life where our children are stretching their wings and flying off toward the next stage in their lives – independence – I mean, it’s kind of hit or miss, but they are most definitely on their way.  At the same time, our marriage and our commitment to each other has never been stronger.

I knew two things about me from the time I was a kid – one, I wanted children – a husband was incidental, and two, I would raise those children to be good people.  I somehow managed to achieve both those goals.  And meet the love of my life in the bargain.

Last night, we watched old videos of when they were just little things and we laughed and cried and reaffirmed our love for each other.  Unfortunately all good things must end.  Now it’s over and everyone hops a plane or drives off to his and her new home.

My husband and I have decided to embark upon a joint venture for the new year, or perhaps I should say, adventure – stay tuned – more on that after I get my house cleaned up!

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Romance Novel Sales are Booming

in this tough economy.  While other genres are down somewhere between 14% and 17%, Romance has seen an increase in sales – some studies sight an increase of 2.5%  over last year, while other information indicates an increase in sales upwards of 34%!

What do we want for Christmas around here?  I guess we want a happy ending, by gum, by golly!  This economy – while perhaps stabilizing and even improving in some sectors, it sure sucks around here…where I live.  My very intelligent, very capable son has been out of work for a year and a half, and despite his endless applications, he’s had nary a nibble.

FYI, the nurses I work with have been forced to accept 1-2 days a week of unpaid furlough, thus my on-call hours have been cut because my co-workers who need the income to support their families vie for the extra shifts I would normally get.  It’s the trickle-down effect.

What do I want to read in these economic times?  Oh, honey, save the depressing angst for pundits!  Every day I spot my neighbor’s pickup in his driveway, I know he still doesn’t have construction work.  Every morning I see the guy across the street head out for a run instead of a job, it means he’s still looking for an accounting position.  Every time I glance at the empty shell of a house that was home to our best friends until a year ago, tears fill my eyes.  Enough already!  Bathe me in love, romance, passion, mind-altering sex!

Romance is affordable and you know you can count on an HEA.  Sentimental sap that I am, I’ll take an HEA any day.

Speaking of romance writers, author Ericka Scott is over at Literary Escapism, talking about her new release, Crisscross – head over there and you might pick up a new recipe, not to mention a new book!

http://www.literaryescapism.com/

Plus a big thank you to all who wished me a Merry Christmas and  those who signed up for my newsletter!  Your books will eventually be in the email!

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May be setting myself up for some disappointment here, because I know you’re all busy making holiday merriment…

but…check the website over the next couple days, comment or sign up for my newsletter and win yourself a copy of something -

Beauty and the Feast, a contemporary romance with Resplendence coming in March.

Captured, a romantic science fiction story with Siren coming in April.

Daughters of Persephone, books one and two, a futuristic romance with Resplendence coming in July.

Daughters of Persephone, books three and four, see above, coming in August.

My Everything, romance/suspense with Cobblestone coming 2010.

First five people – go for it!

Merry Christmukah, everyone!

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Hmmm…

Today’s post will be short and sweet – lots of cooking and baking to do and my baby is arriving home!  Yay!  Besides, hubby came down with the stomach flu yesterday and chances are, I’ll be indisposed pretty soon.  Yeah, maybe I’ll get me the flu for Christmas!  Thanks, hon!

Just finished Corvus, A Life with Birds, by Esther Woolfson, this totally cool Scottish lady who rescues crows, ravens, magpies – the story of Spike is so touching without being maudlin or Old Yeller-ish.

I just started a book I’ve wanted to read for years, The Jew in the Lotus, by Rodger Kamenetz.  Three chapters in and I’m completely hooked, of course I’m sort of…kind of a BuJu/JuBu anyway.  The book chronicles the meeting of the minds between the Dalai Lama and various representatives of the Jewish community, including Jewish renewal guru Reb Zalman Schacter, at least so far.  The sharing of information took place back in 1990 in Dharamsala, India.  It’s a pretty dang cool book.

What’s in the queue?  What the Dog Saw: and Other Adventures, by Malcolm Gladwell.  I’ve enjoyed everything else he’s written, so why not?  By the time I finish, it will be back to work on the fourth installment of the Daughters of Persephone.

In the meantime, even obsessive-compulsive me needs a break on occasion.  I’ve been writing nonstop for eighteen months.  Whew!  Course, I’m working on edits as we speak!

Merry Chrismukah!  Oh, and by the way, congrats to Mia Watts – her book, She’s Got Balls, is a number one best seller on All Romance Ebooks!  Go Mia!

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or, Disney does a morality play.

Ya’ll remember Bambi, right?  That sweet Disney movie that traumatized me as a five year old.  Darling Bambi, running ahead of his mother, trying to escape Man, the Hunter.  He made it home free, and then turned to look for his mother.  She was gone.  Oh.  My.  God.  I had to be carried from the theater, wailing.

Coming onto Christmas every year, I think about Bambi.  Maybe it’s because I remember Bambi’s first winter and his wonder and utter delight at the sight of snow.

You know, some historians have speculated that the author, Felix Salten, an Austrian Jew, wrote Bambi as a secret political treatise criticizing the political oppression of his day.  I disagree.  Bambi was first published in 1923, a full ten years before Hitler came to power, during a time when the Jews of Austria had full citizenship.

Other historians have called the book the first environmental novel.  Again, I disagree.  There’s no science in the book.  The story is told from the point of view of the forest’s inhabitants like a fable, like an Aesop’s Fable.   It’s pretty dark, even darker than the movie which I think is damn dark, especially for a kid’s movie.

No, I suspect Salten wrote the book because he loved animals and nature, and frankly, the man probably opposed  hunting.  The book made quite a stir when it was released, becoming immensely popular all over Europe and the United States…until 1936 when the Nazis banned it because Hitler believed the first reason to be true – that Salten had written Bambi as a political allegory about the Nazi treatment of Jews.   They burned all the copies they could find.  Damn those Nazis!

Anywho, Salten managed to escape to Switzerland, where he stayed out of Nazi hands and wrote a sequel to Bambi.  He died April 8, 1945.

Aren’t you glad you tuned in for this uplifting post?  Well, I think about a lot of random stuff at Christmas time, being Jewish and all – with a Christmas tree sitting in my living room – now that’s an interesting German tradition related to the old Norse gods, but I’ll save it for another post!

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