Category Archives: Rachel Barnard

All About the Donuts – Future Donuts – Seize the Donut

by in For the Love of Donuts, Rachel Barnard and tagged , ,

Friday June 2nd, 2017 I plan to publish For the Love of Donuts Book 2 – Seize the Donut! This book will feature the stories of both Nichole and Vanessa as they start their lives beyond high school! This book will be a New Adult Contemporary Fiction book with POV from both Nichole and Vanessa and so much drama!

Here’s a little tease into book 2!

Seize the Donut is a young adult/new adult novel about two best friends, life after high school, and dealing with adult responsibilities. The more that Vanessa and Nichole leave behind their friendship, the more that their lives seem to fall apart because friendships shouldn’t be taken for granted.

 

Pre-order will be available soon!

I’m very excited about this book and to share it with you!

Happy donuting! Stay tuned for National Donut Day Events near you!

20160514DonutSchoot (1)

Serenade by Heather McKenzie Blitz

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , , ,

Serenade
Heather McKenzie
(The Nightmusic Trilogy #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: April 17th 2017
Genres: Mystery, Romance, Suspense, Young Adult

Kidnapped and held hostage in the Rockies, a teenage heiress falls for her abductor while her corrupt father and devoted bodyguard fight to get her back. The discovery of true love and dark family secrets turns deadly in this epic coming of age adventure.

Kaya Lowen dreams of living like a normal eighteen-year old, but being heiress to a billion-dollar company has put her life in constant danger. Fiercely guarded by her powerful and corrupt father, she develops close bonds with those who protect her, especially Oliver – a bodyguard who has proven his devotion to her time and again. He wins her heart – until a chance encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning everything she believes in. Haunted by true love and reeling from a guilty conscience, Kaya’s world unravels when she’s kidnapped.

Held captive in a rugged wilderness fraught with raging storms, mystical caves and deadly predators, Kaya’s father scours the forest and her bodyguard fights to get her back. But, the discovery of a dark family secret makes Kaya wonder if staying in the arms of her blue-eyed abductor—a captivating stranger with dark secrets of his own – is a safer place to be. At least, that’s what her heart is telling her, her head is saying run…

An epic adventure centered on a smoldering love-triangle, Serenade sings a timeless tale of courage, self-discovery, and life-or-death love that will leave you breathless.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

This was it, now or never.

I gathered every single ounce of energy I had and steadied my mind to ignore the pain in my foot and the dizziness in my head. Then, with everything I had, I turned and bolted toward the dense forest. The darkness instantly enveloped me. I could see well enough not to run into tree trunks, but branches caught me at every turn. My head felt as if it was spinning like a top, but I forced my legs to keep going. I could hear the men’s voices yelling at each other in an organized manner.

I tripped and found myself on all fours. Get up, girl. There’s nothing wrong with you—get up…

I made it a few more steps before my head connected with a blue spruce, and then I collapsed in a pathetic heap. My arms were so wobbly I could barely wipe at the gash across my forehead. My body was completely failing me. I prayed to God that the dog would just snap my neck and get it over with quickly…

Human footsteps approached. I gulped in some air and tried to push myself up, but the world tipped on its side and I fell with it. Within moments, large hands had my wrists pinned to the ground. I struggled and fought with everything I had left, which wasn’t much.

“Stop fighting,” he said.

His voice created such confusion inside me. I kicked harder.

“Stop… please,” he begged.

His body pinned mine to the ground. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

“Please, Kaya, trust me. I won’t let anyone hurt you, I promise.” He leaned forward and pressed his sleeve to my bleeding forehead, dabbing and inspecting it closely while I had no choice but to gaze up him. How could this beautiful man be a kidnapper? It just didn’t fit.

“It’s just a scratch; no stitches required,” he said, voice trailing off as his eyes met mine.

We stayed like that for a while: me on the ground, him kneeling over me, and our line of sight only on each other—until an unmistakable sound broke through the tree tops.

“They’ll find me,” I said softly, wondering if Oliver was in the helicopter circling over our heads.

He positioned his arms under my body, and, in one graceful motion, he picked me up and into his arms. “Just don’t run. Promise me that, please. I’ll keep you safe. You have my word. Okay?”

He held me tightly—protectively—waiting eagerly for my reply with turmoil in his blue eyes. My whole body hurt, and admittedly, I couldn’t have walked another inch. The wolves or that beast would have got to me long before Oliver would have. I was at my kidnapper’s mercy, laying helplessly in his arms and falling harder for him by the second.

“I promise,” I said.

 

Author Bio:

Heather McKenzie is a Canadian author and Serenade is her first novel. A professional singer/songwriter with five albums to date, she has been telling stories through music for years and pulls from her extraordinary experiences as a musician to fuel her passion for creating Young Adult fiction. A rocker at heart, a mom of three, an aspiring painter, and a lover of animals, she is kept grounded by her husband at their home in Edmonton.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

XBTBanner1

All About the Donuts: Local Donut Shop Review – Dough Donuts in NYC

by in Foodie Fridays, For the Love of Donuts, Local Eats, Rachel Barnard and tagged ,

Dough Donuts

New York, New York

20170123_dough_nyc-2

230 Park Avenue (at 45th St) New York, NY 10169
646-747-0806

doughdonuts.com

20170123_dough_nyc-5

What I tried:

passionfruit and horchata blood orange (the daily special)

~$6.50.

20170123_dough_nyc-1

What to expect:

More than just fun looking and fun flavored donuts, this is a space you can chill (which apparently in NYC is difficult to find).

20170123_dough_nyc-6

My favorite:

The view. These donuts were not worth the calories, but the glazes were worth a lick.

20170123_dough_nyc-4

Superior Donuts Valley Center Stage, North Bend

by in Local Events, Miscellaneous Mondays, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

After a visit to Georgia’s Bakery – where I snacked on the delicious cronut – I went upstairs to the Village Theatre to see the Superior Donuts production!

My last experience with community theater wasn’t that great, so I didn’t have high expectations going in, however, just seeing the set I could tell that this show was going to be good. Care and detail had been put into the set. The walls of the donut ‘shop’ were made to look old and outdated. They even had a fake view to the outside with an open sign and everything!

 

If you get a chance, I would highly recommend this play!

Full of laughs and catch you by surprise contemporary phrasing (aka adult language), Superior Donuts was highly entertaining. The play itself contained great dialogue and character interaction and while some scenes were a bit unusual, the play as a whole was very well written. The Valley Center Stage was a delightful little theater. No seat was a bad seat and the actors’ voices carried all the way to the back. The actors themselves carried the play from delightful to amazing. Their delivery and timing were impeccable. They even ate donuts and drank coffee during the scenes! My favorite parts of the play were the fast quips making fun of everything from Starbucks to donuts to the way the main character, Arthur, dresses. Grab yourself a donut from the concession stand (courtesy of Georgia’s) and settle in for a night (or afternoon) of laughs and entertainment with this comedy drama.

Description from the website: Superior Donuts takes place in the historic Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, one of Chicago’s most racially diverse communities. Arthur Przybyszewski, a despondent, aging 1960s radical owns a run-down, dated donut shop that has been in his family for sixty years. New employee Franco Wicks, a young, enthusiastic black man, inspires to infuse new energy into the shop while Arthur remains detached from investing in his business and life. Arthur grapples with his past while Franco, trying to find footing in his own life, has his own serious challenges.  This provocative comedy drama explores the challenges of embracing the past while celebrating the redemptive power of friendship.

 

Happy April Fools! Rachel Accomplishes Her Life Goal of 50 Push Ups

by in For the Love of Donuts, Local Authors, Local Events, Rachel Barnard and tagged , , | 1 Comment

Happy April Fools!

I decided not to eat 50 donuts, but to film myself attempting to do 50 push-ups! More or less I’ve accomplished this goal! I will also be releasing Nichole’s Book of Practical Things later today as a print book and the latest accompaniment book in the For the Love of Donuts Series.

Here is Nichole’s Book! 

All About the Donuts: Local Donut Shop Review – Doughnuttery in NYC

by in Foodie Fridays, For the Love of Donuts, Local Eats, Rachel Barnard and tagged ,

Doughnuttery

New York, New York

20170123_doughnuttery-4

1000S Eighth Avenue, (Columbus Circle Subway Station), Suite #22, New York, NY 10019
212-633-4359

doughnuttery.com

20170123_doughnuttery-5

What I tried:

6 for $6 (plain and lemon)

~$6 and tax

20170123_doughnuttery-1

What to expect:

Grab and go donuts smothered in a multitude of sugars.

20170123_doughnuttery-2

My favorite:

This donut shop is located in the subway! Underground donuts!

20170123_doughnuttery-3

Book Review: Wilderness Rim (Echo Falls Book 1) by Casondra Brewster

by in Rachel Barnard and tagged , , , | 1 Comment

612mava9jpl

Wilderness Rim (Echo Falls Book 1) by Casondra Brewster

A YA Fiction Novel published by Creative Word Lab (02/06/17)

Summary:

“But you have to realize that you don’t live in a vacuum. Everything you do will affect someone, or sometimes some thing.” (Kindle Locations 2840-2841).
CJ’s mother has been spending so much time at her café, that CJ feels ignored. She can’t find the time for their annual camping trip, but she can always find something for him to do at the café. Underappreciated, CJ decides to go camping by himself. His mother has, after all, taught him how to be independent, like herself. The wilderness isn’t just a fun camping experience when CJ has to use some of his survival skills to get by and he isn’t the only one out there. After stumbling upon a real live Bigfoot and some sketchy looking out of towners. It’ll be up to CJ to figure out what’s going on.

Keywords:

Sasquatch, Wilderness Rim, North Bend, Small Town, Locals, Friendly, Friends, Bigfoot, Wilderness, Camping, Survival, Skills, Family, Relationships, Illegal Operation

My Review:

I didn’t get into this book until halfway through and the real action had started. The mystery of Bigfoot was enough to keep me going, but it wasn’t until CJ left his house and went camping in the woods that the real intrigue of this story pulled me in.

I was super excited to read about Sasquatch and what an encounter with a Bigfoot might practically entail. This book delivered quite a bit of the hairy ape-like man and I’m ready to read on in this series and find out more about Bigfoot and how that will affect CJ’s life in the future.

I liked how realistic CJ was as a teenager and as a kid brought up by a good parent. He was polite and thoughtful, but also selfish and blunt. His survival more than 10 miles into the wilderness was fun to read about. I would have given up long before CJ. He isn’t afraid to be independent and that is so cool!

The cliffhanger at the end was well done and I can’t wait to find out what happens next.

This novel was published by Creative Word Lab on 02/06/2017 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.75

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Twitter

Photos from the book launch party!

20170211_caszbooklaunch_nbend_sasquatch_wildernessrim 20170211_caszbooklaunch_nbend_sasquatch_wildernessrim2 20170211_caszbooklaunch_nbend_sasquatch_wildernessrim3 20170211_caszbooklaunch_nbend_sasquatch_wildernessrim4

All About the Donuts: Local Donut Shop Review – Doughnut Project in NYC

by in Foodie Fridays, For the Love of Donuts, Local Eats, Rachel Barnard and tagged , ,

Doughnut Project

New York, New York

20170122_doughnutproject_nyc-2 20170122_doughnutproject_nyc-5

10 Morton Street, NY, NY 10014

212.691.5000

thedoughnutproject.com

20170122_doughnutproject_nyc-1

What I tried:

lemon sea salt

~$3.75

20170122_doughnutproject_nyc-4

What to expect:

This lovely little local shop will run out so get there early! They are large and handcrafted donuts of usual and unusual flavors. They ran out at 3:30, but we were able to snag the second to last donut! It was quite large and easily fed us both. They are perfect for sharing. The flavor was delicious with a heavy yeast filling and a light lemon flavor that was true to lemon, but delicious and to top it off we could taste the hint of sea salt.

20170122_doughnutproject_nyc-3

My favorite:

This was an easy to find location that featured a Star Wars interior theme and best of all they offer donut classes!

50% Off! All About the Donuts – Donuts in an Empty Field on sale for a limited time!

by in For the Love of Donuts, Rachel Barnard

Good morning fellow donut lovers! Are you ready for more donuts? I’m working on getting the next book in the For the Love of Donuts series ready for National Donut Day 2017, but in the meantime, if you haven’t picked up the first book in the series, now is your chance to get it while it’s on sale! Down from $3.99, Donuts in an Empty Field is on sale for $1.99 for a limited time!

Buy link: myBook.to/Donuts1

20160514DonutSchoot (1)

Letting go of anger is life’s greatest challenge.

Vanessa Smith hasn’t been the same since her father’s death. A hero until the end, he died saving a restaurant owner’s wife and son from a burning building. Nessa has always blamed the boy, Ben, for her loss, and her thoughts are consumed with ways to make him as miserable as she is.

Nichole Adams knows Nessa can never heal until she learns to let go of her hatred, but bringing back her best friend is proving more difficult than she could’ve imagined. In a last ditch effort to break Nessa’s obsession, Nichole hopes signing up for the local food challenge is just the thing to bust her out of her shell.

A single choice defines the road ahead for Nessa. Doing the right thing isn’t easy, but living with the consequences of doing nothing might be worse.

“When memories invade the present, the only thing you can do is move forward.” Rachel Barnard

“This story is a bit like the fictionalized version of my high school years and the bond I had with my best friend from 10-12 grade. The setting is inspired by places I knew growing up in Sarasota, FL. I hope to show readers how alive teenagers feel and how emotional they can get, leading to actions they may regret.” – Rachel Barnard

 

From Chapter 3:

I set the paper back down with a shrug, my enthusiasm dying. Becky and Anja, Nichole’s other friends sit down with us. I turn away so Nichole won’t see my disgruntled look as I resettle on the bench to make room. Anja is more overweight than I am, but it only adds to her beauty. She has the most inviting heart shaped face I’ve ever seen and she carries her weight in womanly curves. It helps that she’s taller than I am so the weight is better distributed. Becky is the powerhouse tanned white girl that nobody wants to piss off. She is so athletic she almost joined the football team, but opted for jiujutsu instead when there was a scheduling conflict. Nichole turns to talk with Becky and I fidget.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Anja asks me.

I sit on my hands to stop them from moving and shake my head.

“I’m not really hungry,” I lie.

She nods like she understands, but she doesn’t. None of them do. If I start eating right now I might never stop. Another thank you to Dad. If I’m not angry, I’m hungry and I have to be careful with my self-control. Not that I never eat… I just don’t want to eat junk in front of Nichole’s judgmental friends.

Nichole offers me her other slice of pizza.

“No thanks, I’m good,” I say, trying not to lick my lips at the hint of fresh dough scent that lingers in the air.

Becky waves to someone walking up to the table. He steps forward, and suddenly all my attention is on him.

With burn scars bubbling up his neck and cheeks, everybody at the table pays attention to the new guy. He looks down at the table and scuffs a toe in the pavement, his tray of cafeteria food wobbling in his hands. I try to figure out what’s wrong with his left hand and it takes me a moment to realize that he’s missing two fingers. The remaining fingers are misshapen and swollen-looking.

Nichole gets up beside me. “Becky,” she says, her voice trailing off, as she just stands there. She glances beside Becky pointedly and wrinkles her nose slightly, before turning back to Becky.

“This is my younger brother, Ben,” Becky says.

My mind rushes through the memory of That Day and settles on the face of the child Dad held in his arms. It was Ben then and it’s Ben now. I know everything about him and nothing at all. Suddenly, I have no appetite.

 

Text Copyright © 2016 Rachel Barnard

All Rights Reserved