BadBarbsreviews

I have been bad

2011-01-09T15:00:00.000-08:00

In not posting here. Christmas was very hectic at the store and to be honest I don't remember it much. I just recently started school at Strayer University where I am going for an Associates in Marketing online. Want to start a business doing what I have been doing for years anyway. :) Promoting authors and their books. ;)
Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas?? What was the most fun gift and the most disappointing??
My favorite had to be the Amazon gift certificate cause I made real good use of it. :)

Happy Thanksgiving and Black Friday

2010-11-24T17:20:00.000-08:00

Hope every one has a great Thanksgiving and an even more fun Black Friday. Hope you have an enjoyable
holiday eating, watching parades and spending time with your family.

If you are venturing out into the stores this weekend, please be kind to the people who work in the stores. For some reason I can never fathom it is ok to yell and hurl abuse at people who work in retail or in customer service in general. Sure there are people who have no business working in Customer Service but more often then not they are trying to help you get what you want. Yelling and being generally disrespectful will make us not want to help.
Ask yourself would you want to wait on you if you were working in the store? Always remember Manners matter.

Carbonite

2010-11-20T07:46:00.000-08:00

I belong to this really cool thing called Bzzagent where you can test products and give your opinion on them. I have gotten some great stuff, my favorite were the green cleaners from Dow. But last week they gave me
a trial of Carbonite which is supposed to back up your computer in case something happens to it. I had seen
the ads and been wanting to try it, so when bzzagent gave me a free 2 week trial I thought cool.
I installed it and then went to back up the computer, I was shocked to find out it could take a few days. Now I always turn off the computer when I go to bed so the idea of letting it be on was not a good one. I also thought you could choose the files you wanted backed up. I would want of course my e-books, music and pictures but really can't think of anything else I would want.
What I discovered was that it really slows down the computer when backing up and makes it hard to use other programs. I uninstalled it and was given the option of trying it again but am hesitant.
Anyone else use Carbonite? If so do you recommend it or is it a waste?

RWA and other conferences

2010-11-19T07:54:00.000-08:00

I just heard how much the registration fee will be to attend RWA in NY next year. OMG pretty soon the only people who will be able to attend will be the ones who are already established in the business. I think that is why so many alternative conferences are popping up to offset what they used to get from the RWA conferences.
At Lori Foster and Dianne Castell's Reader/Writer get together the price is 1 percent of the registration fee (or 50 dollars) and they feed you. Plus they offer editor/agent appointments as well as a comfortable relaxed atmosphere.
The Marriott where the event is held is a FABULOUS hotel, the rooms are comfortable and they go out of their way to make sure you are taken care of. The price is also way cheaper then the hotel for RWA.
They say it is cause it is in NY and everything is expensive sure it is but do we really need a 4-star hotel? And when I first started going to these events they at least provided some food now you are lucky if you get a boxed lunch.
The RT (Romantic Times) convention is 490 and even though it is just a little less expensive they make no distinction on whether you are a subscriber of the magazine or not. In fact all are welcome. :) They also have workshops for people who want to learn the craft. :) Also they have events for readers and booksellers.
Although I didn't get as many books as I was lead to believe it was more fun and more cost effective to go there.
This year I am going to attend RomCon in Denver. It is half the price of both the RT and RWA and sounds like it was a lot of fun for the people who attended this year. Like Lori and Dianne's event it will be held in the same place and around same time. Which I think is better cause you can plan for it.

Which conferences do you recommend and what are you planning on attending this year?

RT

Bullying

2010-11-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

A lot has been said in the media about the bullying kids endure while in school. While
I agree that the bullying is awful, it will never end until everyone gets the message
that it is not ok to bully anyone for any reason.

Working in first in fast food and then retail, I have had to put up with rude people and
everyone says it is just part of working in the Customer Service industry and that may be true, but that should not be tolerated as well.

In my opinion this is right up there with bullying. Does it really make one feel better
to be nasty to the person who is on the other side of the counter? I love talking to other people and that is why I think I am good at what I do. But sometimes I doubt why I do this job when I get people who are so awful that they cause people to not only be upset but bring on stuff like panic attacks?

On Tuesday I waited on such a person. She did not have a receipt, but we can look up the receipt. Every time I asked her a question she got ruder, and meaner. Sometimes looking for a receiptis like playing
detective. You have to dig through a lot of stuff to find the answers. In this case it was like pulling teeth with one sided pliers.
I have never, ever let a person affect me the way this person did. I ended up having a panic attack (which I never had before) all because a person had to be so awful to another person. The kicker is that she claimed I said she was rude, when all I asked was for her to stop yelling at me. I even had other customers who supported my side of the story and she got mad cause they were sticking up for me. She told the manager who ended up ringing her up, that I should be reprimanded cause I asked her to stop yelling at me and the other customers heard.
Her attitude is one reason I am glad that I am going back to school in January and to go into the industry I love which is romance publishing. Hopefully I can get away from people like her.
Just remember that the person who works on the other side of the counter could be you.

RWA, RT and RomCon which one?

2010-07-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

It is the middle of July and I am not getting ready to go to RWA. I have missed maybe 3 in the last ten years, but with going to RT felt I should miss it this year.
I love going there because it was my first experience in meeting what I consider my idols. It still never ceases to amaze me that I know them and have become friends with a lot of them.
The only thing that disappointed me in RT was that I didn't get as many free books as I thought I was going to get. I did get a lot of other swag though and got to hang with authors who don't attend RWA for whatever reasons. Including one of my favorite people Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley and Renee George.
I think I had gotten in a rut on where I was going. Next year I am thinking of attending RomCon in Denver. I like the idea it will be in same place every year and it is half the price of RWA and RT if you include the food option.
The one event I absolutely will go to no matter what is The Reader/Writer get together in West Chester, Ohio hosted by Lori Foster, Dianne Castell it is the best event and so much fun. It is also the least expensive event
that I know of. It is a great weekend to hang with your favorite authors, eat, chat with old friends and those you meet for the first time.
Which event is your favorite?

Blog topics

2010-07-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

Before I started this blog I was not a regular blog visitor. I would visit if a favorite author or a friend was posting on a certain topic, but I never really paid much attention to them.
I am curious on those of you who have blogs what got you started blogging and did you have any inspiration for getting your blog to where it is today?
How did you get people to come to your blog?

Texas Tangle trailers

2010-07-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Here are trailers for the awesome book Texas Tangle by Leah Braemel.

Happy Fourth

2010-07-04T05:27:00.001-07:00

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July and have plenty of time to sneak in some reading when you can. What is on your book list this week?

Kiss Me If You Can by Carly Phillips

2010-07-02T17:54:00.000-07:00

KISS ME IF YOU CAN by Carly Phillips is the perfect book to read whether you are at the beach, by the pool or just in your backyard. Funny and sexy, KISS ME IF YOU CAN will make you want to do nothing else but read until the end.
Sam Cooper's life takes an unexpected twist when he stops an attempted robbery at a local jewelery store. Given a ring as a reward, he is New York City's newest hero and named their most eligible bachelor. He soon has women mailing him underwear, but then he meets Lexie Davis.
Lexie, wants the ring but for another reason, her beloved grandmother Charlotte has a necklace that matches the ring and Lexie wants to purchase it to give to her as a birthday present. Lexie and Sam soon learn there is a very interesting story behind the history of the jewelery.
Sam works as a crime reporter as well as a newly published author, he was married to a woman who couldn't stay in one place and used her job as a flight attendant to be with other guys.
Lexie likes to live a carefree life style who likes to travel whenever the mood strikes her.
KISS ME IF YOU CAN was a blast to read and definitely will be something I am going to want to read more then once. Not only did I love Sam and Lexie, the secondary characters were fun as well, especially
Lexie's grandmother Charlotte and her BFF Shirley. I would have loved to read their story. :) I also cannot wait to read Sam and Rafe's story either.

The Gates

2010-06-21T18:42:00.000-07:00

After all the hype I was really expecting more of The Gates. Looked like it was gonna be fun, but it
found it boring. Hoping that the next show will be better otherwise I will be taking it off my DVR.
In the first episode we met the new town sheriff and his family. They move to this gated community but it isnt a normal community, it has werewolves, vamps, witches and other paranormal figures.

Nick (the sheriff) is investigating a missing persons case but the person was really the lunch of Clair his next door neighbor who happens to be a vampire. Her husband is not to happy to find a new body in the wine cellar.

Vampire Diaries is much better in my opinion.

Glee rerun season

2010-06-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

I am so glad they are rerunning Glee right now. I had missed a couple episodes that I had a hard time finding online. Last night's show was Acafellas and it was cool seeing Victor Garber play Matthew Morrison's dad.
I hope that they show Preggers next week, it is the one show that I could not find online without paying money.

Her Heart's Divide Review

2010-06-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

Lily is taken by surprise when her boss Jack comes over and claims that she is his wife. Which is strange since she has been married to her husband for several years and her husband Ryan is Jack's best friend.

Jack is confused he finds out he is married but not to Lily, the woman he is married to Anastasia is into the metaphysical world and out of town on retreat. He cannot figure out why everything he knows is the same except for his wife.
HER HEART'S DIVIDE by Kathleen Dienne had me confused it took awhile to figure it out. Readers will have more questions, then answers when they get to the end. Let's hope there is another book that will answer them.
HER HEART'S DIVIDE is told in first person and has menage elements.

Body Rush

2010-06-16T06:05:00.000-07:00

Gonna finish this today. I really like this anthology a lot. Can't wait to read Jeannette's story, think hers will be the hottest of the three.

2010-06-15T20:25:00.001-07:00

Can't wait to read Private Property. Probably going to buy Personal Protection as well.

Carina Press authors

2010-06-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

Authors from Carina Press are dropping in to chat about the inspiration for their titles so if you want ask them any questions you have. :)

Texas Tangle by Leah Braemel

2010-06-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

Nikki Kimball has always tried to do the right thing. When she got pregnant at 18 she married the father of
her baby, who turned out to be a low life cheating creep. She took in her lazy, ex-con brother in the hopes
her parents would accept her. But now she has not one but two guys interested in her, but how will she
choose when she has feelings for the both of them?
Dillon Barnett comes from a large and loving family and has always had a thing for Nikki, and he has always sensed Nikki felt the same way. He stood by while her ex fooled around and now that she is finally free he is
going to make a move for her. The problem is that his foster brother and best friend Brett Anderson has feelings
for her too.
Brett has always been in love with Nikki but tries to do the right thing in letting Dillon have a chance with Nikki. He is grateful for his family taking him away from his abusive father. But it is getting harder and harder to watch Nikki with Dillon.
TEXAS TANGLE by Leah Braemel is labeled a menage but it is so much more. It is about three people who are destined to be together no matter what they Carina Press think is socially acceptable. Nikki, Brett and Dillon each
must work through their self doubts to make their relationship work.
I cannot recommend TEXAS TANGLE enough it is definitely in my keeper pile and going to be re-read more
then once.

Pleasure Planner review

2010-06-11T19:09:00.001-07:00

Pleasure Planner Review
Larkin Rose
Bold Strokes Books

Professional matchmaker Bree Hendricks knows how to put other couples together, but
when it comes to her own love life not so successful. Although involved with a
successful lawyer, it was more a comfortable relationship then a love one. When
Bree attends an charity auction, she is knocked for a loop by artist Logan Delaney.
Even though she resists she finds herself locked in her arms.
Body artist Logan Delaney is known as a body artist with a growing reputation among
clients, but is it for her art or for her bedroom skills that have women coming
back for more?
Bree and Larkin cannot get each other out of their minds or hearts, but a series
of misunderstandings has the reader wanting to either smack them upside the head or
lock them in a room to get them to talk to each other or whatever else comes
along.
Larkin Rose does a great job in creating characters that you can picture in your head,
and Bree and Logan stay with well after you reach the end.
This is the first time I have read a female/female romance and I have to say I cannot wait
to read more.

Readers/Writers get together

2010-05-19T10:11:00.000-07:00

There are only a couple days left to register for the most fun you will ever have. It is the Lori Foster/Dianne Castell reader/writer get together. It is 3 days of fun when readers and authors can chat books, get great raffle prizes and eat great food.
Click on the link below to register. It is 50 dollars for registration which includes food and 110 per night for hotel.
http://www.lorifoster.com/community/readergettogether.php

Casual atmosphere with plenty of time to visit with your online friends, talk to authors and industry professionals, get photos and more! REGISTER NOW!

Raffle Baskets Galore!
(Everyone is welcome to donate a basket if they want to)
NOTE: Our raffle proceeds always go to a very worthy cause. This year they will go to the "One Way Farm," - a home for abused and abandoned children.

There will be a giant book fair, as well as a used book trade.
Plus there's always time to get your already-purchased books signed by attending authors!

First must read authors?

2010-05-18T13:33:00.000-07:00

Who was your first must read authors? I had two whom I discovered at the same time, Diana Palmer and Jayne Ann Krentz.
My mom worked at Woolworth and I had gone to meet her for lunch and in the bin were those
Encore romances, they had three complete stories in an anthology, and one had Jayne Castle's
Queen of Hearts where I found for the first time a strong willed heroine. The heroine was nothing like I had ever read before and began my love of anything by Jayne Ann Krentz and all the other names she has written under since. It has been one of my missions to get her Jayne Bentley's.
I have yet to get them, but there is always hope.

The other author I discovered in that bin was Diana Palmer. Ms Palmer had the first characters where she ripped your heart out and enjoyed watching the hero grovel his way back into her good graces. Diana Palmer for me is like a comfort read. I have read everything she has written under all her names as well. I still have hope to have a book starring Mr Smith from True Colors
with me as heroine. :)

So who where your first must read authors?

Line of Fire Review

2010-05-11T18:48:00.001-07:00

Tommy Skyler was the star quarterback of his football team with dreams of going to the NFL but a family tragedy put his career in another direction. Tommy may be the youngest of Station Five, but he knows what he wants and he wants Shea Ford. BADLY.
Shea is very attracted to Tommy but thinks he may be too young for forever. Thinking she may be better off with Prescott the city manager of their town and a seemingly ok, if not boring guy. Seemingly is the operative word.
Things change when Tommy gets hurt and Shea realizes the depths of her feelings for him.
But things change even more with the growing trend of buildings being destroyed for unknown reasons that leads to at least one murder.
LINE OF FIRE by Jo Davis is the latest in her popular Station Five series and in my opinion the next one cannot
get here fast enough. Tommy, Shea and the secondary characters are the type of people that you can imagine hanging with on a weekend and have you care about them almost as much as the main characters. The action is fast paced and will have you holding your breath and hoping that the unthinkable didn't really happen. The love scenes will
have you getting something cold to drink inside of a freezer.
Even though LINE OF FIRE is part of a series it can be read as a standalone, but will have you running back to store to get the rest in the series.

Barb Hicks