Blog Archives
Posted on: December 10th, 2010 by Barbara O'Neal
This made me very happy indeed!
Library Journal
(Starred review) O’Neal, Barbara. How To Bake a Perfect Life. Bantam. Dec. 2010. 398p. ISBN 9780553386776. pap. $15.
“Forty-year-old bread maker Ramona Gallagher owns a boulangerie in Colorado Springs, though independence from her restaurateur family members has put a crimp in her financial well-being and in their relationships. Pregnant with her first child, Ramona’s 24-year-old daughter, Sofia, flies to Germany when her soldier husband, Oscar, is burned in an explosion in Afghanistan. Katie, Oscar’s 13-year-old daughter from a previous marriage, comes to live with Ramona after her mother is arrested and forced into rehab for drug use. A surly teen with a dog, Katie adds to the unresolved family issues lying heavily on Ramona’s shoulders. She thinks back on that …
Posted on: April 27th, 2010 by Barbara O'Neal
Almost finished with the new book. In the meantime, I thought you might like this picture. The Book Babes book club read The Lost Recipe for Happiness and sent me some pictures of their feast. Thanks, Diane! (I love the attention to detail, don’t you?)
I’d love to post more. Send me yours!
Posted on: December 29th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
THE SECRET OF EVERYTHING is out today! To celebrate, a love song to breakfast.
PANCAKE KISSES, BACON HUGS
Why breakfast is the secret of everything
I suppose I should confess upfront that I am a morning person. I wake up cheery, chatty and at the very first fingers of sunlight creeping over the horizon. I know you find this annoying. I know you wish I’d stop humming under my breath as I crack eggs and start the coffee, but I can’t help it. I was born a singing lark. This does, however, offer benefits to all you blinking owls and sleepy headed in-betweens.
Once upon a time, I had …
Posted on: December 3rd, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
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.
Posted on: July 23rd, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
The Lost Recipe for Happiness made the list of Foodie Beach Reads by the Philly Inquirer. Check it out.
Posted on: May 21st, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
It’s a cold winter afternoon, the kind when winter blisters past the windows, turning everything blue. Inside, I am kneading bread. Not in a bread machine but with my own palms and wrists. The dough is whole wheat, heavy and thick, and it takes muscle to punch it down, to knead and fold and press, then turn it, fold it, press it again. Over and over. For such a glutinous dough, it will take ten minutes to break it down, then a couple of hours to rise and lighten, another round of kneading before I nestle it into glass bread pans to rise one more time.
Posted on: April 22nd, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
Two news tidbits this morning:
Monthly blog post up at Writer Unboxed: The Last Month of a Book (or “I am pregnant beyond all ability to describe it” ). Which I wrote Monday.
Tuesday morning, the Pikes Peak Writers Conference called with an emergency. One of their keynote speakers is unable to fly and they asked if I could possibly fill in. I said yes so fast I think the organizer was startled, but I think I’m starved for the company of my tribe, and it will be good to drink it all in, and for some reason, teaching and speaking energizes me. So it will be fun.
But you can laugh at me if you want. I understand. The universe is chuckling, too. …
Posted on: April 18th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
My new book will be out in January, and I’d love to include some reader recipes. Post one to the comments or email me with one to have a chance.
Posted on: March 20th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
Come chat with me about Top Chef and food television at http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2009/03/20/bloodless-franchise/
Posted on: March 18th, 2009 by Barbara O'Neal
A great review from a kitchen professional on THE LOST RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS by Barbara O’Neal.
