The infamous Bad Barb, even…
I would have had this posted earlier, but my server through me off for some reason. I’m really starting to dislike them…. gggrrrr….
Onto the interview~
For those not familiar with Bad Barb, she’s a reviewer who likes to lock authors in closets. I had the wonderful idea to turn the tables on her and lock HER up. OKAY… Okay… I didn’t really lock her up but if she threatens me with that closet, I dunno what I might do. ;o) On the Scamps and Vamps look, and other place… I’ve seen people ask Barb where she got her nickname from, how she gets all the ARCs she gets, who she has locked up and more. So today, we’re asking her!
FYI, if you have questions for Barb, related to things like reading or reviewing or authors, feel free to ask. To make it more fun, I’m giving away a prize to one reader that participates today. BTW, I define participation as joining into the discussion… asking questions, offering opinions…something like… Hey, How ya doing… isn’t going to quite make the drawing. So ask away. Ask as many questions as you like, however, names only go into the drawing one time.
First questions and Barbs answers are below!
V&S) What author that you have not met would you like to meet?
BB)There are two, Carole Mortimer who writes for Harlequin Presents, and Miranda Lee who lives in Australia and also writes for HP.
V&S) Where did you get tne name “Bad Barb” from?
BB) I actually got the nickname from Stella Cameron. I met her on the Writerspace email loop back when it started and there was a contest at Diana Palmer’s web site that I wanted to win, and someone else did too (Janey) and we kept going back and forth saying what we would do to get the prize and I can’t remember what I said but after that comment Stella said, your bad, your bad Barb and it stuck. 🙂
V&S) Do you really own a pair of handcuffs?
BB) I will never tell. hehe
V&S) How did you get started reading romances? How about reviewing them?
BB)Started reading Harlequins when I was 14, although there were a few books I picked up in the library that had some romance in it when I was ten. I would read the book while waiting to meet my mom for lunch and there was a book rack in front of lunch counter. 🙂
Lori Foster actually got me started, I had met her at the WS email loop and she asked me if I had read everything she had written so far and I said yes, ( I have been reading her since the very beginning) and she sent me In Too Deep and I reviewed it at Amazon and BN and a few other authors liked what I did and they started sending me stuff.
V&S)If you could get any author locked up in your closet, who and why?
BB) I couldn’t lock up just one author, I would lock up all my favorites and keep them in there so they can keep writing.
Got more questions? Ask away. Come on… you know you want to get back at her for how often she teased you about those ARCs….
Vamps and Scamps 
Hi Barb, when you pick a book to read just for fun, what kind of story do you look for? Or maybe a favorite author that you always reach for?
Hi!! i am just sitting here reading and watching All My children. 🙂
Hi Cathy!!
I tend to reach for a favorite read like Diana Palmer, or if I am in the mood for something hot, I grab Lauren Dane’s stuff.
man….did you notice, she didn’t list a single V&S author. i think she IS going in the closet
Hi Barb! Thanks for being in the hot seat. 😉
How many books a week do you read? Do you read all subgenres of romance?
Erin
LOL Shi, should be interesting to see you try.
Barb, what do you keep in your closet besides authors?
Hi Bad Barb
I love that nickname
How many books to you read in a week on average. And whats your favorite genre and subgenre?
Barb if you could buy as many books as you wanted who would be first on your list of authors to buy?
BB whats your favorite adult drink and favorite food?
What exactly do you look for in a great romance? And what can really put you off?
Hi Barb, loved the early diana palmer stories, and pretty much auto buy anything by Lauren. Do you have any auto buy authors?
I would like to know how you find the time to review so many books. I know you have a full time job and have time to do things with your niece, too. Do you have time to read books that you go pick out? And have you ever received a book for review that you felt like you couldn’t give it a good review? Please don’t give a name.
Hi Barb,
I’m wondering what’s your favorite type of plot? Do you read all types of romance?
Which first meeting with an author was the most memorable and what happened to make it so?
What makes a book a wall banger for you?
I am baacckkk. hehe
V&S authors go without saying of course. Speaking of which I just received Erin’s next vamp book. hehe
Erin, it varies on how many books I read a week. So far this week I have read 3. :)I read EVERYthing in romance, historical is my least favorite but I will read it if storyline is good.
Jenny,
Besides authors in the closets I put in a bucket for you know what, straw mat, and a computer without internent access. the modem has been taken out.
Liz, my favorite subgenre? I think romantic suspense, but I also like the really hot stuff too.
Liz,
The strongest thing I drink is pepsi, I really don’t drink alchohol, favorite food? spaghetti
Maria,
I love reunited stories, vampires, erotic. What really puts me off? I recently read something where the hero treated the heroine horribly, yet she kept going back. Also too stupid to live characters, don’t much care for secret baby storylines either.
Cathy,
Favorite autobuy authors? Let’s see of course the S&V authors, Lori Foster, Kate Douglas, Linda Howard, Stella Cameron, Jayne Ann Krentz (under all her names), Lucy Monroe, Susan Lyons, Kate Steele, Renee George, Rachel Carrington, The Secrets anthologies, just to name a few.
Lisa, I read on the bus, at work and whenever I can. There have been a couple that I didn’t like so I passed them on to someone else.
jenny,
The first author I ever met was Jayne Ann Krentz, it was at my first conference in Chicago, and I had gone cause I thought I would never get the chance to see so many authors close up. Cissy from Writerspace walked me over to meet her and she was so nice it made meeting other authors easier.
I also would never throw a book against a wall.
more favorite authors, forgot to mention Rachelle Chase and a new to me author Kiernan Kelly.
How can you be sure that you really aren’t in your own closet?
What is your ultimate vacation?
If you could sit down and talk with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
Hi Barb, great auto buy list, and historicals are my least favorite too. Do you read books in ebook format or only paper?
How can you be sure that you really aren’t in your own closet?
hehe Jodi, cause I am too sneaky to get trapped.
What is your ultimate vacation?
Australia
If you could sit down and talk with anyone, past or present, who would it be and why?
Hmmm good question, I think Nora Roberts, because she is such a prolific author.
nice cover up, barb. you still need some time in a closet
Do you enjoy all genres or is there a most favorite, such as mystery or paranormal.
Do you ever read on moving vehicles since most people, myself included can’t due to discomfort.
Where is your favorite place to read in your home, that is. In the world would be ok too.
On your world travels do you drag around a bag of books, or do you concentrate on the scenery instead.
Where would your ideal location be to live and continue to read book after book every single day.
How long have you been reviewing books? How did you get started in the job? If you could do another profession what would it be?
What world travels impressed you the most and gave you new insight into life.
Do you have another closet full of all the books you read? 🙂 Have you ever had to review a book that just didn’t click with you? and how did you handle it?
Waves to Barb.. we have a spare room for company. 🙂
Hi Barb, great auto buy list, and historicals are my least favorite too. Do you read books in ebook format or only paper?
Hi Cathy!
I love ebooks as well as paper. There are so many talented authors that work for epubs.
alissa said…
Do you ever read on moving vehicles since most people, myself included can’t due to discomfort.
5:27 PM
I take the bus to work, so I do a lot of reading there.
I still love how BB thinks she is invincible. She’s been caught by Mary before with the help of others. It will happen again with some more help.
pearl said…
Where is your favorite place to read in your home, that is. In the world would be ok too.
I love nothing better to curl up on the couch or on my bed and read.
5:28 PM
sharon said…
On your world travels do you drag around a bag of books, or do you concentrate on the scenery instead.
I always carry a few books with me.
5:29 PM
joelle said…
Where would your ideal location be to live and continue to read book after book every single day.
My ideal location? Hmmm I have always said if I could live in a different place it would either be Seattle, Northern Florida or southern Ohio since there are a lot of my fav authors there.
5:30 PM
Teresa said…
How long have you been reviewing books? How did you get started in the job? If you could do another profession what would it be?
I have been reviewing for about 5 years now, I got into it purely by accident. 🙂
Knowing what I know now, it would probably be an agent or editor. Although I have just started doing promo work for a few authors online. I also have been test reading for a couple people which is fun.
5:42 PM
I still love how BB thinks she is invincible. She’s been caught by Mary before with the help of others. It will happen again with some more help.
7:07 PM
Mary only THINKS she has caught me.
ooh All My Children, what’s your favorite storyline on the show?
Do you ever burn out from reading so much?
ooh All My Children, what’s your favorite storyline on the show?
Do you ever burn out from reading so much?
7:16 PM
I actually watch 3 soaps regularly thanks to Soapnet. 🙂 I like the Satin Slayer murders right now cause it is hard to figure out who is doing it.
I also watch Days of Our lives and One Live to Live.
Sometimes when I get burned out I just go and re-read an old favorite. Just recently re-read Mr Perfect. 🙂
Barb’s a popular lady today! Of course, she doesn’t lock readers in her closets, so that may be why!!
Just kidding, BB! You know we love ya! Looking forward to seeing you in June.
Janice
Barb’s a popular lady today! Of course, she doesn’t lock readers in her closets, so that may be why!!
shoot, I dunno Janice, I think you might have a point there.
hi barb, which you write romance? and glad to see u on chats
Barb, you are like an honorary member of the romance community with soooo many of them knowing who you are. I mean, what other reader gets such attention? It’s sickening, um, incredible *g*
What tips do you have for BadBarb wannabes and how did you create such a following, er, reputation? What’s your secret?
BadToTheBone Barb…… I want to hear more about those handcuffs 🙂
How can you keep all the questions and answers straight in the chats?
What is making your dungeon guards smile?
kim said…
hi barb, which you write romance? and glad to see u on chats
9:11 PM
I tried writing ALONG time ago and just couldn’t do it. I love the whole other side of it though, the promo, the reviews, chats.
Hey Barb just stopping in to say hi and then I’m back in the closet…promise!
Thanks for all you do for romance. You’re a joy to be around even when you’re being bad.
Stacy~ said…
Barb, you are like an honorary member of the romance community with soooo many of them knowing who you are. I mean, what other reader gets such attention? It’s sickening, um, incredible *g*
What tips do you have for BadBarb wannabes and how did you create such a following, er, reputation? What’s your secret?
9:11 PM
I don’t know of any secrets, but you have to genuinely love the industry (which I do) and be sincere, cause people can tell if your pulling their leg or not.
Believe it or not, before all this online stuff I used to be pretty quiet, but once I connected with everyone online and got to meet the authors I slowly got more outgoing. 🙂 Now if I am quiet people think I am sick.
kaisquared said…
BadToTheBone Barb…… I want to hear more about those handcuffs 🙂
How can you keep all the questions and answers straight in the chats?
What is making your dungeon guards smile?
9:18 PM
I have been doing chats for a long time, even before I moderated I always went to an author chat.
My guards smiling?? hehe It is cause I let them cop a feel on the authors I have incarcerated every now and then
HI Barb….
Would you give up closets and teasing to marry Clay Aiken?
I mean, what other reader gets such attention? It’s sickening, um, incredible *g*
What tips do you have for BadBarb wannabes and how did you create such a following, er, reputation? What’s your secret?
It’s the horns.
Would you give up closets and teasing to marry Clay Aiken?
9:43 PM
Why would I have to give up the closets and teasing? Marrying clay would be perfect teasing material.
Have you ever been embarrassed meeting an author for the first time?
What made you decide to wear those blinking red horns we’ve seen in pictures?
I got them from LadyB. 🙂 I just love the fashion statement.
Hi Barb–
If you were stranded on a desert island with only Pepsi and a few books. What books would you take? Ones you can re-read and never get tired of reading them.
Thanks for all you do for the romance industry. I know my TBR pile has expanded because of you.
Lynda
LOL Loved the horns. I got to meet barb at LF gettogether last year and man you have lots of energy. Question What is your fav genre?
Do you read scifi and if so who do you like to read?
BTW I like Diana Palmer too. I have almost all of her books. I had to box them up cause some of them I have had for many years.
Barb, I know you like to read menages… 🙂
What male heroes would you like to be part of your own personal menage?
(Shi, I hope it isn’t too risque of a question…)
Hello Barb, A couple of questions for you if you haven’t had too many already.
1) Do you usually write out a review right away after reading a book or do you need some time to word it correctly in your mind?
2) When reviewing, does it make it a better review when you rehash the story slightly or does it work better to focus mainly on your thoughts of the work?
3) On average, how many books will you have reviewed in a month?
Happy Valentines Day!
I’ve always wondered what could be behind a novel. Could it be a situation or a special person or even a sentence that might give the idea for a novel? Does it come this way or a writer should lock himself up in an office and start looking for inspiration?
Hi Barb–
If you were stranded on a desert island with only Pepsi and a few books. What books would you take? Ones you can re-read and never get tired of reading them.
Thanks for all you do for the romance industry. I know my TBR pile has expanded because of you.
Lynda
Hmmm good question, without a doubt I would take Fallen Angels by Lori Foster, True Colors by Diana Palmer, and Absolutely Positively by Jayne Ann Krentz, oh and French Quarter by Stella Cameron.
PattiF said…
Barb, I know you like to read menages… 🙂
What male heroes would you like to be part of your own personal menage?
(Shi, I hope it isn’t too risque of a question…)
12:15 AM
yes I do love menages. 🙂 Let’s see Alex from Wanton, Anton from Kate Douglas’ Chanku series, Father Cyrus from Stella Cameron’s Touissant books. 🙂
Question What is your fav genre?
Do you read scifi and if so who do you like to read?
BTW I like Diana Palmer too. I have almost all of her books. I had to box them up cause some of them I have had for many
I like paranormals, vamps, werewolves, menages, some bondage stuff, contemporary, romantic suspense. 🙂