Three Times A Charm with Brian Barnett

Welcome to Three Times A Charm. I love meeting new authors, illustrators, bloggers, agents, editors or promoters from the children’s publishing industry and sharing their careers with my readers.

Today’s guest is children’s author, Brian Barnett. Welcome to Strands of Thought! Can you tell us a little about you, please?

My name is Brian Barnett.  I live in Frankfort, Kentucky with my wife, Stephanie, and my two (soon to be three) children.

Congratulations on your growing family! Brian, I understand you have over 100 published works. Can you tell us about your novel?

My book is titled Graveyard Scavenger Hunt.  It is the first in what I hope will be a long running series of books titled “NightScares”. 

This particular story centers around a twelve-year-old boy named Pete.  He has to stay with his grandparents for a week.  Come to find out, they live next to an abandoned graveyard.  One night certain circumstances take Pete to the graveyard after dark and a living skeleton named Benny climbs from his grave and challenges Pete to a game.

The game, as it turns out, is a scavenger hunt, which takes Pete on an adventure filled of nightmarish characters to determine the fate of the world.

I recommend my book to readers who like Goosebumps, Spooksville or Deadtime Stories.

Readers, it’s your turn! Brian would like you to share your top 3 responses to:

What is it you look for when determining whether or not to buy a book?

I personally judge a book by its cover. I’m also attracted to it if there has been a lot of buzz (so readers…buzz your favorite books, it helps!) and I read the blurb to see if the storyline appeals to me. YOUR TURN!

Now, for the Threes. Share with us your top 3’s to help us know you a little better.

  • Top 3 books you recommend reading and why you recommend them.
    • Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury.  Ray Bradbury was a rare talent with a very poetic style of writing.  Something Wicked This Way Comes is a great scratcher of that intangible itch one gets during the Autumn Season.  If you like Halloween, if you like creepy carnivals, if you like great, rich characters- you have GOT to read this book.
    • The Thief of Always by Clive Barker.  Baker is typically not for the squeamish, let alone younger audiences, but this book is an exception.  It’s about a boy who thinks he is going to a marvelous, magical house where he can celebrate Halloween, Christmas and Thanksgiving every single day. As time passes, he realizes these wonders come only with a hefty price.
    • Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn.  Mary Downing Hahn has fast become one of my favorite authors.  This was the first book of hers that I read.  I’d recommend it to anyone.  It’s a very creepy ghost story, but it’s more than that.  It’s also a very deep and touching story revolving around the family dynamic of step-sisters trying to co-exist.


  • Top 3 snacks to munch on while working.

    • Coffee. Coffee’s not really a snack, but it is a necessity, ha.
    • Sunflower seeds
    • I don’t snack much, but I do like gum on occasion. It certainly spares my fingernails.


  • Top 3 authors OR Top 3 illustrators.

    • (Author) I have to say R. L. Stine.  I was a reluctant reader growing up.  He certainly changed that.
    • (Artist/Illustrator) Charles Addams is a good dose of macabre humor for anyone who needs it.
    • (Author) I suppose, though I have many more authors I could list, I’ll go with Edgar Allan Poe.  For me, Poe bridged the gap between children’s and adult authors. 

Brian, where can our tech savvy readers find you online?

·        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Brian-Barnett/72875484418?ref=stream#!/pages/Brian-Barnett/72875484418

·        Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3335769.Brian_Barnett

·        Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrianMBarnett

·        Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Barnett/e/B002V07GHM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1377781588&sr=8-1

·        Blog: http://merrilyhauntingfrankfort.blogspot.com/

Thanks for charming us on this week’s Three Times A Charm, Brian. Best of luck to you and Graveyard Scavenger Hunt.

THANKS!


GUESTS WELCOME!  I am always looking for guests for Three Times A Charm. If you are an author, illustrator or book reviewer, an agent or an editor. If you have something related to children’s publishing that you’d like people to know about, feel free to contact me about a future appearance.

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