Release day!

Published on December 21, 2010December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

HOW TO BAKE A PERFECT LIFE by Barbara O’Neal Available TODAY in trade paperback from your local retailer, or these on-line venues Also available as an ebook for Kindle, and Nook and other formats. READ MORE ABOUT IT

A lovely review

Published on November 7, 2010December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

from Publisher’s Weekly How to Bake a Perfect Life Barbara O’Neal, Bantam, $15 trade paper (416p) ISBN 978-0-553-38677-6 The Rita Award–winning author (as Barbara Samuel) of The Lost Recipe for Happiness returns with the absorbing story of Ramona Gallagher, a 40-year-old woman whose joy in running a bakery in Colorado Springs helps her transcend a […]

Book review: MAYBE THIS TIME, by Jennifer Crusie

Published on August 30, 2010December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

MAYBE THIS TIME Jennifer Crusie St Martin’s Press ISBN 978-0-312-30378-5 It has been six years since Jennifer Crusie has written a solo novel. Friends, it was worth the wait. Maybe This Time, published by St. Martin’s Press on August 30th, is her best book yet. It’s also another step in her long, interesting career, from […]

The Reward in Going Away

Published on August 12, 2010December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

When I was a child, I loved going to summer camp. Girl Scout camp in canvas tents with wooden floors, or much more often church camp (probably because it was very inexpensive and my parents had four kids) in cabins housing 20 girls. It was the highlight of the summer—getting ready, gathering shampoo and following […]

Finished!

Published on May 22, 2010December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

As I type this, a summery breeze is blowing through my office window. I can smell lilacs. The new book, HOW TO BAKE A PERFECT LIFE is finished at last…written, rewritten, given to agent and editor for thorough reads, then revised some more, and returned. It is on its way. I’ve seen a mock […]

Magic globe

Published on May 8, 2010December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

I visited a pair of book clubs in Woodland Park on Tuesday night, and they gave me a gorgeous lavender plant. I had it in the sink to water and noticed the reflection. It looks as if there is another world inside that reflection, doesn’t it? I have now packed the book off to my […]

A beautiful loaf

Published on January 22, 2010December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

Jack had to have a bit of surgery this week (he’s fine, he’s fine!) and when I got home from finding out, I didn’t even take off my sweater. I gravitated to the kitchen and started pulling out flour. This is the result, a wheaty loaf, using a small amount of buckwheat in a poolish starter.

Win a free ARC

Published on December 3, 2009December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING will be out in 27 26 days! Reader feedback so far has been extraordinary (check out the comments at GoodReads.com), and I’m very excited for everyone to read Tessa’s story.

To celebrate, I’ll offering a some little contests and giveaways over the next few weeks. This is the first one. I am giving away FOUR free ARCs of THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING. As soon as I draw names, I’ll run to the post office and mail them out, so you will have it by next Friday.

The Monday After

Published on November 30, 2009December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

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

Slow cooked, spicy, chunky apple butter

Published on November 13, 2009December 29, 2015 by Barbara Samuel

Technically, I suppose, apple butter is smooth. I originally made this recipe last winter and pureed it afterward. Since, however, my main use for this particular condiment is in my morning oatmeal, I have found I much prefer it to be left chunky. Recipe is adapted from one I found at The Art of Homemaking. […]