Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Guest Blog with Open Book Society

A guest blog that followed the interview with the Open Book Society about The Hudson Diaries, the novella I published this summer! Enjoy!

http://openbooksociety.com/article/the-hudson-diaries-a-study-in-history-by-kara-l-barney-guest-blog/#


Interview with Open Book Society

Here is an exclusive interview that I had with the Open Book Society about The Hudson Diaries, the novella I published this summer! Enjoy!

http://openbooksociety.com/article/kara-l-barney-author-of-the-hudson-diaries-the-life-and-times-of-a-baker-street-resident-exclusive-interview/#

Friday, October 5, 2012

Dressing Up

Dressing up always has a good reason (Unless it includes ski masks, thievery and weapons, which I do not condone...). I mean, think about it. What do we dress up for?

-Job Interviews
-Masquerade Balls
-Dances
-Weddings
-Halloween....:)
-Hobbit Parties (Oh yes, you heard me!)
-Mystery Dinners
-Opera/concerts/the arts
-Dates
-Pajama Parties
...and many, many more!

And why do we do it? To impress? Maybe. But I think the reason we dress up (or dress down, depending on the event), is because we want to feel good. We want to look good with and for those who are with because we are human beings who need love, happiness, faith and trust (And maybe just a little pixie dust!). We do it when we want to make major changes in our lives, or we see major change on the horizon and have hope for the better future to come. We want to feel like we are on top of the world, even if that just means we can have fun with life again and again, or if that means starting from scratch. By now we know what the world is like, and sometimes we just need a little bit of something to make us smile. So we pull out an outfit, put it on, and feel absolutely stunning in it. Yes, STUNNING! Then we can meet the world and whatever it wants to throw at us with gusto. So tomorrow I'm going to put on a stunning outfit--and you better watch out, world, 'cause I'm ready to take you on!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Hudson Diaries is now LIVE!

Friends, Romans, Countrymen! Lend me your ears!
My newest novella, The Hudson Diaries, just came out today!!!
Please follow these steps to buy one:

Go to http://www.untreedreads.com and then go to the "Untreed Reads Store". Once there, you will find a search box on the left hand side, where you can put in the title (The Hudson Diaries) or my name (Kara L. Barney). Then add it to your cart, follow the order instructions and download it! It's $4.99 and you can download it in all formats! Also, please spread the word to all your friends and family who like to read! Thanks!

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Miss Havisham and Love

So I just saw the first part of the newest BBC version of Great Expectations (There have been several...This one comes through Masterpiece Theatre on PBS), with Gillian Anderson as Miss Havisham, an obsessive woman who was spurned at the marriage altar. It got me thinking...I hope I don't turn out like that.

The way Ms. Anderson interprets the character is that she is still obsessive, but one who, rather than wild, decays slowly with the passage of time mentally as well as physically. Like her wedding accoutrements, Miss Havisham is someone who can not let go of her past and so is left with a mirthless present and a dim and nearly dead future. She is gentler and more odd rather than completely diabolical. Although this interpretation is somewhat different from the dialogue of the original book--less angry and demeaning--this subtle change makes for a more thought-provoking introspection of the self afterwards.

I am nearly 25 years old, unmarried and a working professional at present. Though I certainly want to be married and have children someday, what is it that I can be doing in the meantime? I definitely do not wish to waste away merely waiting, for that would not be living at all. However, living only to work does not fit for me either, and I do wish to find love. I want it more deeply than I can say.

But like Miss Havisham, I wonder sometimes if I am too odd, too different to be truly acceptable in the place which I live. Unfortunately in this case, I am not a man nor a friend of mine, and so I cannot know what they think of me unless they tell me directly or give me some clue of their thoughts. Communication, of course, is integral in any relationship, and I do not hold these wonderings against anyone, but I must say that they do come to me from time to time.

What is my next step, since I can see my greatest goal met somewhere in the future, but without any specific knowledge of a timetable? Where shall I go to progress toward that, even if it does mean something new or an unexpected turn? These questions have been with me for some time, and I guess were finally culminated in revisiting Great Expectations. If you find yourself looking for a chance to reflect, watch it online at www.kued.org under Masterpiece.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

The Hudson Diaries

For anyone who is interested, I have been lucky enough to be published soon! It is my first short story collection, and it is called The Hudson Diaries--yes, you heard me--The Hudson Diaries. It is based on Mrs. Hudson, Sherlock Holmes's landlady, and provides a history for her. For those of you who love Sherlock Holmes and the Victorian England that he is a part of, I deeply respect you. Sherlockians, you know who you are, and I am one of you.

For those of you who know only a little about Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and all their lovely adventures, I would hope that this might shed some light on him for you. I would also suggest reading the Sherlock Holmes Canon--4 novels and 57 short stories--to get to know this timeless character created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Now, back to my book--it will be published by Untreed Reads, an e-book publishing company, sometime in the near future. When I know more about specific dates, I will let you know--but here is basically what you can expect:

Eight short stories told from the perspective of Mrs. Hudson from her first meeting with Sherlock Holmes to just after her marriage to her husband Rupert Hudson. That is all I will tell you for now, but please spread the word that this is happening, and I wish you all well!