Barbara Samuel O'Neal is the author of more than thirty award-winning novels, including THE LOST RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS and

The Secret of Everything
The Secret of Everything

A native of Colorado, Barbara loves teaching, travel, reading, writing, yoga, walking, food, cooking, photography and...okay, reality television.

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Showing up

Pretty sure I’ve posted a blog that says more or less this same thing at least 63 times, but it’s worth saying again. I get more work done, more good pages, more excellent rewriting done when I actually put myself in the chair during my most productive hours (8 am to 12 pm) [...]

How the wind do howl....

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you know I’ve been engaged in an adventure with my mother.  We traveled to Washington DC so that my mother could browse the Smithsonians until she dropped and then we would have dinner every night with my son. 

Last Friday, of course, it started snowing.  I nearly cancelled [...]

Playlist for THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING

I’ve had a good number of requests to post the playlist for THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING, and here it is.  I had no idea there was so much music in this book, honestly, but music is always playing in my head (and Tessa’s!), so I suppose it is no big surprise.

I had a soundtrack that [...]

The Monday After

After the busy holiday, it is a powerful luxury to come back to my office. [...]

Right brain book building

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 [...]

The struggle for balance

In my exuberant embrace of all things Nia, I have been neglecting my yoga practice.  This morning, I woke up with the hunger in every joint and thought I might go to a class at the Y, but the roads are too icy.   I unrolled my mat in the living room, and just ran through [...]

Cooking and books, books and cooking: my Julie/Julia story

One Christmas season, I was at loose ends.  I was finally, officially divorced after a fairly long marriage.  My sons were working and traveling, or out with their friends. There was a man I’d been seeing, but he was traveling, too, and anyway, he was never going to be My Guy and I knew it. 

I was [...]

Gifts of summer: Peaches, green beans and a ghost

Around here, we’ve been mellow.  Haven’t gone back yet to my usual schedule–the girls and my brain needed a rest.  I’ve been haunting the farmer’s markets, gardening, going to Nia, and working with the bounty from summer gardens.  Don’t you love summer food? 

One day this week, I ambled around the markets, picking up plums and [...]

10 little stories about Michigan

10 little stories about Michigan over 4th of July, including fireworks, foodie visit to Zingerman’s, [...]

Shrinking Violets

I’ve been on vacation in Michigan and will be headed out to the annual RWA conference in five days, so posts have been sparse.  I do have stories for you, and pics, and love (as ever), but tonight’s simple post is a link to a great website I think you’ll love, Shrinking Violets:

http://shrinkingvioletpromotions.blogspot.com/

Run by two [...]