Julia Barrett's World

Yeah, some days it’s like that!

Rebecca at Dirty Sexy Books wrote a genius piece back on February 23 entitled -

The Ten Biggest Mistakes Authors Make On Their Websites.

You can check it out here:  (and I asked her permission to quote her, thanks Rebecca!)

http://www.dirtysexybooks.com/Dirty_Sexy_Books/Home/Entries/2010/2/23_The_Ten_Biggest_Mistakes_Authors_Make_on_Their_Websites.html

The first mistake she mentions is the lack of a website.  I have to agree.  In this internet age I’m shocked when I try to find information about an author and her books and google turns up bupkiss!

The second mistake?  No blog.  She’s right – every single day isn’t necessary but a once a week would be nice.  I do get frustrated when I hope to hear what other authors are up to and they have a site, but the last post was a year ago.  Where are you, my friend?

Uh-oh, the third mistake is to bury our stuff under a nest of links.  Guilty as charged?  I try to keep my links to the side but sometimes I wonder if I have too many – but I love those links!  Each one means something to me.  I’ll try to keep in mind, simplify and minimize!

Fourth – link bait for bloggers – Ladies, we need a hook so bloggers find us interesting, you know, like a freebie, a short story that ties into our upcoming release, a freebie for readers and fans.  Okay – workin’ on it!

Five – ignoring your website – that kind of ties in with Mistake Number Two.

Six?  A picture of myself?  Are you effin’ crazy?  I have deep and abiding personal reasons for NOT having a photo.  I do have an icon.  I know it’s not exactly me, but my icon is a smiling redhead, like me!  If you read Captured, you know what I look like and you know what kind of potty mouth I have.

Seven is very important, IMO.  Mistake Seven – They don’t promote anyone but themselves.    This one is of such significance that I think I’ll quote it in its entirety:

Your website is one of your best marketing tools, and so this statement might seem counterproductive, but don’t always talk about yourself.  That’s right, talk about other books, places, and people too.  It’s uncomfortable to visit a site that sells itself too hard, so to avoid that trap, spend some time promoting your favorite authors.  I love to visit Charlaine Harris’s website because she blogs about what she’s reading every few weeks.  Maybe you’re wondering, what if I read something that stinks like a road-kill skunk?  Then preserve your reputation and don’t mention it (let an asshole like me stomp on it), but be sure to give props to the books that you DO like.

Mistake number Eight – We forget to mention and/or link to the reviewers who review our books.  Rebecca suggests a separate review page that contains links to all our book reviews.  Again – workin’ on it!

Number Nine – Author’s don’t interact with their fans.  Well, I do and most authors I know do.  My fans are precious to me.  If they take the time to comment or email me, I will reply.  I’ve been on the non-receiving end.  I’ve written to authors to tell them how much I enjoyed their books and I never hear, so…their books come to mean less to me.  On the other hand, when an author responds, his/her books come to mean a great deal more.

Last but not least – Number Ten – We don’t offer a high-resolution image of the cover.  Sorry, my website won’t always support a high res cover image and I suck at sizing.  Some authors are really savvy.  They know exactly how to fix these things and they are on my most admired list.

I am terrible when it comes to taking advice – stubborn, headstrong, impulsive, but Rebecca has made some excellent points.  I’m trying to learn how to learn when it comes to this blogging stuff.  Thanks!

In other news – Beauty and the Feast - waiting for your recipes and go visit with the delightfully irreverent Chris and her kitties at Stumbling Over Chaos to see how to win a copy.  http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/

Brynn Paulin is hosting me over at Wednesday Wonder Writers:  http://brynnpaulin.blogspot.com/

Stop by!

Author Donna George Storey has a great little novella in The Cougar Book – Comfort Food.  I have a copy of the book to give away, signed by me cuz I have a story in there too – great minds think alike!  Speaking of websites, here’s hers -

http://www.donnageorgestorey.com/

Okay, done for the day!  Julia

P.S.  Just finished:  Game Change.  Just started:  The Lady in the Tower.

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Good God in heaven I’m tired!  I’ve spent the day finishing up Book Four of Daughters of Persephone - Tempus Fugit, Time Flees.  Bloody exhausting and exhilarating at the same time!  Of course, I only have the cover for Books One and Two, but it, the cover, that is, bears repeating.  Or perhaps bares repeating.  I do love that cover, so Dune-ish in a hot naked guy butt sort of way.

So…news…Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos is stumbling over Beauty and the Feast, my upcoming contemporary romance from Resplendence.

http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/

Stop over there and check things out – I’ll be giving away a free copy of this delicious, smoking hot romance.

I’m still running my recipe contest here – I’ve tried Lil’s bacon-inspired croissant sandwiches, Jen’s black pepper parmesan biscotti and Dana’s Lemon Cheesecake and so far, we’re on a big hitting streak!  Leave your recipe and you might win a copy of Beauty and the Feast.  My contest runs until April 1.

In other news, Tessie Bradford’s fabulous book, Possessing Eleanor, comes out today with Resplendence as does The Devil to Pay, by Pamela Labud – buy link:

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/

Okelie dokelie – ’nuff for tonight.

Oh gosh!  Over at Author Island in the Tiki Hut with my excerpt from Logical Lust’s The Cougar Book today.  I would love to have you drop in!  http://authorislandtikihut.blogspot.com/

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I got a great recipe for Lemon Cheesecake from Craftydana – check out her link on my interesting sites list.  Yummy cheesecake!  Remember, you can win a copy of my upcoming Contemporary, Beauty and the Feast, by submitting a sexy recipe – the contests will last until April 1.  Project Bacon, also on my links, suggested a great sandwich yesterday so we tried it with phacon instead of bacon, being the devoted lacto-ovo vegetarians that we are.  Honey, that sandwich was one of the high points of my culinary life.  It is hellaciously good!

Larissa gave me a wonderful review of Captured and she hasn’t read much science fiction – here’s the link:  lala’s book corner – http://www.larissaslife.com/

She says, “I loved the growth both characters go through and how much they teach each other and come to rely in one another. It’s a beautiful love story and both Ekkatt and Mari are great leading characters and sooooo hot together.”

I better gear up to write a sequel because that’s what everyone is asking for, including Larissa.  C’mon brain, dream!  Dream!

Ooh!  In other news, Captured received a Recommended Read from Dark Diva Reviews.  I am thrilled.  Thanks, Stacey!

Stacey’s Review: Julia Barrett created a unique, new world and plot with Captured. The characters were so well fleshed that I became a part of their lives and never wanted the book to end.

Mari is a strong female lead. Despite the tragedies of her past and being forcibly taken to a new planet as human meat, she remains upbeat and in control. I could relate to her: from her feelings after waking up naked in a cage, to wanting a seemingly impossible future with her alien lover. She’s a rough-around-the-edges woman that you have to root for!

Ekkatt is conservative and traditional with a heart of gold. His life progresses smoothly until he captures Mari. With her flaming red hair and large dragon tattoo, he is drawn to her. She questions everything happening to her on the voyage to his planet and forces him to acknowledge that humans are not mindless animals. He risks everything to help the little earthling and soon becomes enchanted by her feisty personality.

The sex is hot, and Ekkatt is certainly one alien to be desired! Nothing is rushed between the two, but progresses naturally and believably. I’m skeptical to even call this an erotic read because the book doesn’t use sex as a crutch at all. The plot is strong and stands alone. The dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny, at times, and always true to the characters.

Even after finishing the book, I had a smile on my face and kept imagining Mari and Ekkatt’s future together. Sigh. I was rooting for a HEA and was not disappointed. There is even the potential for a sequel.

My only complaint is the hours of lost sleep because I couldn’t stop reading! Bravo to Ms. Barrett. I will definitely be picking up her future novels and highly recommend, Captured.

Rated 5 Delightful Divas and a Recommended Read by Stacey!

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Project Bacon has some major sexy food-related stuff going on right now and this month is all about food – remember?  Beauty and the Feast!!!

http://projectbacon.wordpress.com/

Wait!  I take it back!  Project Bacon has an even more decadent post today!  I am a vegetarian, but I am so obsessed with this site!

Still waiting for those recipes.  I have three copies of Beauty and the Feast to give away.  Leave them in a comment or email them to me at Julia@JuliaRachelBarrett.net

I’m on the Examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/x-5288-Salt-Lake-City-Romance-Novels-Examiner~y2010m3d5-Help-me-welcome-Erotic-Romance-author-Julia-Barrett

Check out the interview, I love to read your comments!

Let’s see if Mia Watts, Fran Lee, Katalina Leon, Stacey Espino and C.J. Black are playing tag!  You can find their links on the right side of my website.

Many thanks to Sandy M. and the Duck Pond for the surprise book promo and fun interview earlier this week.

http://goodbadandunread.com/

Announcements!

Coming from Resplendence on March 9th, The Devil to Pay by Pamela Labud!

http://www.resplendencepublishing.com/

My Fair Lady meets The Devil and Daniel Webster – a regency paranormal romance – Could a book sound any more delicious?

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Beauty and the Feast

releases with Resplendence on March 16th.

The contemporary romance includes Eva’s recipes – you can find them at the end of the story.

To celebrate, I’m hosting a recipe contest.

Send me your sexiest, your most sensual recipe sometime over the next month, and I will choose three winners!  I’ll feature your recipes and your fake names (real names if you like) on my blog and send each of you a copy of Beauty and the Feast.

Feel free to leave your recipe as a comment here or email your recipe to me at Julia@JuliaRachelBarrett.net

I’ll announce the winner on April 1st, along with the winning recipes.

I’ll start!  Here’s one of Eva’s favorites!

Eva’s Wet Sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

1 small can tomato paste

½ cup dark balsamic vinegar

½ cup dark brown sugar

¼ cup molasses

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup soy sauce

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. Tabasco

Whisk together and store in fridge.  Use as a marinade or dipping sauce.

Enjoy!

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Sandy M. and I worked on interview questions.

It was crazy, last minute and lots of fun.  We talked about writing, my releases, covers, life in general.  I’d love to hear you comments – here and over there!!!  The interview will be posted at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

http://goodbadandunread.com/

Tomorrow – if I can get my act together today, begins a month-long, very delicious contest for a copy of Beauty and the Feast, my upcoming contemporary with Resplendence.  Stop by and check it out.  Thanks!  Julia

P.S.  It’s up!  Go check it out!

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Stay Tuned

I’ll post later and update you with everything.  OMG.  I have an interview to do today for The Good, The Bad, and the Unread – going up tomorrow!

A giveaway of Beauty and the Feast – my upcoming release with Resplendence – on Stumbling Over Chaos.

A contest on my own blog.

A newsletter to get out…

See the above picture?  That’s me!  Talk to you later!

Oh…in the meantime, check out Project Bacon – that recipe may make a convert out of me!

http://projectbacon.wordpress.com/

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You like me!  You really, really like me!

It is very nice to find this after the kinda day I had yesterday and today is shaping up to be a repeat!  Gotta go, but enjoy this review with me!

http://fallenangelreviews.com/2010/February/merrylee-captured.htm

Captured

Waking up naked in a cargo hold, caged with scores of women and guarded by two huge feline-looking men, convinced Mari Damon of one thing. She’d been kidnapped! By aliens!Ekkatt had harvested countless “Earther” females over the years. His people didn’t eat them, but that didn’t mean they weren’t above supplying them to other species who did. Since they are akin to animals, Ekkatt felt little guilt over his role in their imminent deaths. Until one uppity redhead mysteriously awoke from stasis, demanding to be heard.

Surprised by Mari’s cognitive abilities, he allowed her to remain awake, listening and watching as she set about proving herself sentient and therefore deserving of life. By the time they reached his home world, she’d begun to learn his language. But when his attempt to persuade his superior to spare Mari results in her being deemed a worthy subject for dissection and study, Ekkatt risks execution to whisk her away to his mountain cabin. There, as their love blooms amidst the wild untamed grandeur of Ekkatt’s world, they battle hardship, wild animals and the treachery of a friend. Ultimately, they realize that only one option remains open to them. Setting out across rugged restricted territory, they make for the safety of a secret compound, knowing that the grueling trek could easily cost them their lives. But at least they’d die fighting for happiness and the new life Mari carried within her womb.

This beautiful, compelling story came about through a dream. In putting it down in writing, author Julia Rachel Barrett has produced an absorbing, well-written story that had me so caught up I read every last word of it in one evening. A day later, I’m still marveling at her gift for world-building. I can still close my eyes and envision Ekkat’s majestic home world – the giant durra Mari encountered, the imposing snow-clad mountains and thickly forested valleys, the roaring rivers and emerald lakes, even the grossly disgusting sepatha that almost killed Ekkatt.

Both main characters are strong, appealing individuals who alternately tugged tears and then laughter from me. I loved Ekkatt’s yellow cat eyes and long blue-black hair, not to mention the hard muscles beneath his bronzed skin. I loved Mari’s ability to explain the human condition to Ekkatt, his fondness for potty-mouth English and her enjoyment in teaching him how to kiss. I loved the tender loving care he took of Mari, a woman so much smaller than himself that he thought of as delicate and breakable when she was far from it. Most of all, I loved Mari’s witty, wise-cracking personality, her fortitude and soft heart. Her rapport with Ekkatt is so amazingly beautiful it took my breath away.

Captured is one of the best books I’ve ever read. And with the ending leaving a couple of dangling threads, I’m hoping Ms. Barrett has sequels planned for the brothers I won’t drop any spoilers to name. Beyond that, what more can I say, other than keep dreaming, Julia! Keep dreaming…

Reviewed by: Merrylee

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I’m throwing my hat in the ring and trying my hand at menage.  My philosophy is this – there can be no slut factor and no positions that necessitate unrealistic contortions.  There will be a reason for one woman and her three men…a damn good one.  This is so scary and I wouldn’t do it if I hadn’t A.  dreamed a menage and B.  hubby hadn’t given me an out of this world idea for a second book – m/f/m.  Is that how you describe it?  I actually don’t know the difference between m/m/f and m/f/m.  Anybody?

Oh yeah – I’m off to work today, but Susi over at The Geeky Bookworm is hosting me today – guest blog – how Barry White influenced my romance-suspense, My Everything!

http://thegeekybookworm.blogspot.com/

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ANNOUNCEMENT:

I’m the guest blogger over at Book Lovers, INC.

The topic?   PASSION!

Head over and leave a comment and you could win a copy of My Everything.  *See their review below…

http://book-lovers-inc.blogspot.com/

Molly Daniels posted an interview with me today over at her blog.  I had so much fun with her questions and I didn’t even know she planned to put it up today!  Thanks, Molly!

http://mjdaniels.blogspot.com/

Hi-ho, hi-ho…it’s off to work I go…

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Susi is enthusiastic!

She really enjoyed My Everything.  Her review is so winning – and you know I appreciate her energy.  She’s posted it on two sites:

http://thegeekybookworm.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-my-everything-by-julia-rachel.html

and here:  http://book-lovers-inc.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-my-everything-by-julia-rachel.html

I’m having site trouble, i.e., the link upload so I’ll reprint her review here:

“I received this book as a review copy from the author and after reading the blurb I was like “Okay we will see.”. And I have to say this blurb doesn’t do the book any justice.

The book is fast paced and written in such a lovely way, I just couldn’t put it down. We switch from different POVs through the whole story but it made the story more 3 dimensional and not at all confusing. I loved how Ms. Barrett chose an unique voice for each of her characters. It made them so much more real in my eyes.

Our heroine Grace had a few grave moments in her life. She lost her husband to leukemia after only 2 years of marriage and she suffers from really hard migraine attacks from time to time.But she doesn’t give up and tries to handle this all on her own. She is a specialist for pain management and it would look really unprofessional to have problems on exactly the same topic. While she has one of her attacks she meets Ben, her big teenage crush. He helps her and is more understanding and helpful than many other people in her life.

Ben is broken inside. He lost his wife and his unborn child in a terror assasination he should have prevented. He works in the security sector and it was his purpose and task to prevent things like that but he failed and got punished for his mistake. Or that is what he thinks. We all know that there are certain things in life we just can’t stop from happening. We shouldn’t stop trying to but sometimes it’s just the way it is. And especially in this situation it’s not at all his fault. As you can see I really felt for him. Poor man. He’s a strongly caring person and although he vanished from the surface of his normal life for a year to hide and work through his grief, he still cares for his family and friends. When he hears that his best friend is in grave danger he doesn’t hestitate and immediately starts his journey home. The moment he meets Grace again after ten years his first thought is that she is a distraction. But why? He quickly finds out how unlogical this assumption is and discovers his own attraction and perhaps a bit more for her. Surely he feels guilty for that and even more he knows that this is possibly the worst moment ever to get close and personal to someone he really cares about.

The situation gets even more dramatic when Ben finds out that not only his bestfriend is in danger but his sister got kidnapped to draw him out of hiding. The plot is really suspenseful and I was sitting on the edge of my seat the whole time. The story is a great mix of relationship building and actual story plot. It always gave me what I wanted and it was a real satisfying read for such a short novel.

One thing at the end was a bit “Yeah, sure!” and I don’t mean the supernatural aspect. I won’t tell you more because that would be one gigantic spoiler but if I can forgive something like that other readers probably can,too.

All in all this book was a great read with scorching hot, emotional intense and thrilling action in a perfect mix. I can recommend this book to all the lovers of a nice steamy romance with the right amount of suspense!”

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Tied for first – Jennifer and Beth.

Coming in a close second – Mindy.

Answers:

The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz.

John Smith in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

Guy in Galaxy Quest.

Ripley in Aliens.

Imhotep in The Mummy.

White Goodman in Dodgeball.

Annie, or Joanna Stayton in Overboard.

J.C. Wiatt in Baby Boom.

Norman Maclean in A River Runs Through It.

Thanks for participating!

Back to work on the sci fi menage – wink…wink…wink…

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All I can say is…wow!

“One minute Mari is gathering eggs for her sister and the next minute she wakes up on a cold floor in a metal cage surrounded by other cages, all filled with unconscious women.  Mari manages to get to her feet; she is nude, cold and terrified.  But when she spies two humanoid type beings down the corridor and one approaches, she gathers her dignity like a cloak and tells him what she thinks of him.

It turns out that males from the planet Attun-Ru have been making trips to Earth for over 25 years to capture females.  The people of Attun-Ru are vegetarians, but beings on some of the other planets consider human flesh a delicacy.  Bad enough that the women are sold for sex or slavery but food?  Apparently other planets don’t consider the Earthers to be sentient, more like cattle, at best like pets.

Mari was a linguist back on Earth and slowly she’s learning some of the language of her Attun captors.  One in particular, Ekkat Vom Baerkah Elae has taken an interest in her and can’t believe that she is sentient enough to learn some of their words and their ways.

Over time, Ekkat grudgingly acknowledges, at least to himself, that Mari and therefore her people are sentient.  Can he with a clear conscience allow her to be herded with the other women to the sheds and then to auction?  For her to become a slave, a pet, or a meal once she is sold off?  For an Attun to have a relationship, especially sex with a human is a death sentence on his planet.  Whatever happens next will change everything for Ekkat and Mari.  Once the decision is made there is no going back.

Incredibly unique, Captured skillfully blends a sensuous romance with a dark sci-fi story. Captured is painfully brutal at times, but also mixes passion with heart pounding action.  Mari and Ekkat are fascinating main characters with pain and angst in their pasts, yet never willing to give up or give in.  Not only is the overall story compelling, there are little twists and turns throughout the plot which makes it really hard to put down.  Eroticism, drama, action, heart, and soul – Captured has it all!”

Thank you, Lisa!

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I love mindless movies.  Totally love them.  The more mindless, the better.

Here’s a little mindless movie trivia.  I’ll leave the questions up for a few days.  Whoever can come up with the most correct answers will win a very nice prize – a copy of my upcoming contemporary romance from Resplendence, Beauty and the Feast, and ten dollars in Strandbucks for use at Siren-Bookstrand!  Yay!

Leave a comment here and email me your answers at Julia@JuliaRachelBarrett.net

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say the following -

A heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others.

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say this -

That left of yours is a thing of beauty.

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say this -

Didn’t you guys ever watch the show?

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say it -

Let go of her, you bitch.

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say this -

Death…is but the beginning.

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say this -

Fuckin’ Chuck Norris.

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say this -

Caviar should be round and hard and of adequate size, and it should burst in your mouth at precisely the right moment…

Who says, and in what movie does he or she say this -

...and anyway, I  really think I’d miss my sixty-two acres in Vermont.  I mean, Elizabeth is so happy there…and…well, you see…there’s this veterinarian that I’m seeing…

Last, but not least, and this is not from a mindless movie, but from one of my very favorite movies adapted from one of my very favorite stories…who says, and in what movie…

Maybe all I really know about Paul is that he was a fine fisherman.  “You know more than that,” my father said.  “He was beautiful.”

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While I’m working my little heart out on the day job, Tina’s hosting me today, so head on over and leave a comment – maybe it’ll ping you back a copy of My Everything!

http://www.tinadonahue.com/blog/

Ya’ll be good while I’m gone – and Dana, if you’re reading, hope you enjoy your book!  love, julia

P.S.  Got a sweet review of Captured from Roni over at:  http://romancebookscene.blogspot.com/2010/02/romance-book-review-captured.html

Author Cindy Spencer Pape gave me a nice mention so right back at her:  http://cindyspencerpape.blogspot.com/

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