Check out my free promotion-Free book on Amazon Kindle!

My book of humorous essays, "I'm Not Talking About You, Of Course," is free on Amazon through Monday 3/31 at midnight. Check it out! :-)

Check out the newest Indie sensation, Anastasia Markov!

Check out the newest Indie sensation, Anastasia Markov! She's an exciting new vocalist and lyricist with an edgy tone and catchy lyrics. Her music is available on iTunes.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUNBB0rN-Lo8-guvVjwFnK8Q&v=YjrEIGD1G8w&feature=player_embedded

My (award-winning) book, "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities," is free on Amazon Kindle from 3/18-3/22. :-)

My (award-winning) book, "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities," is free on Amazon Kindle from 3/18-3/22. Check it out! :-)

Indie Book of the Day!

Very excited to report that "Death By Didgeridoo," the first in my Jamie Quinn Series has been chosen as "Indie Book of the Day" for March 15, 2014.

http://indiebookoftheday.com/death-by-didgeridoo-by-barbara-venkataraman/

How Not to Be Rich or Famous

Chances are you're not rich or famous (not yet anyway) but you think that sounds like fun. So, why are you reading this? Hoping to avoid some common mistakes? I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place, because my advice won't help you one bit.

What It all comes down to is how you define success. If you don't define it, you won't know when you've arrived. Seriously, how will you know you've made it? Is it when you have so much money you trip over it on your way to the bathroom? Or when Madame Tussaud wants to put you in her wax museum? Or when you can't walk down the street without being mobbed by adoring fans? The truth is, whatever you think you want, it's never going to be enough. You will never be satisfied, or think you've made it, or stop wanting more.

So, what should you do? You're not going to like my answer. Stop trying. You don't need a street named after you, or a statue of you riding a horse. Do what makes you happy. Be with the people who matter to you. Help those who need help. Buy less stuff. Read more books. Spend time outdoors. Stare at the clouds. Study a bug. Tickle a baby.

Why do I think this is the answer? The last week of my mom's life, there was a constant crowd of visitors in her hospital room: friends, co-workers, and all the people she'd ever done a kind deed for. At one point, a nurse pulled me aside to ask me if my mother had been a movie star. I laughed and said no. She was just an ordinary woman with a big heart who liked to take care of people. And the most important thing she taught me was how not to be rich. Or famous.  

I have five audiobooks to give away!

Message me if you want one of the five audiobooks I am giving away of my just-released audiobook: "A Trip to the Hardware Store & Other Calamities."

This audiobook is a short work of humorous essays, read by the wonderful voice-over actress, Carrie Lee Martz. This book won the "Indie Book of the Day" in October.

This collection of humorous essays explores such quirky topics as: disastrous home repairs, ("A Trip to the Hardware Store"), an unfortunate dinner party ("Dinner is Served"), the truth about lazy people ("Lazy Bones"), the weird life of a debt collector ("Your Account is Past Due") and obsessions with gadgets ("Gadget Girl"). Other essays examine how surreal the aging process is ("Where Did the Time Go?"), why you shouldn't judge a person by their job ("Beyond Belief"), and how to complicate simple transactions ("High Finance"). Like the author's first work, "I'm Not Talking About You, Of Course...," these essays will give your spirit a lift and leave you smiling.

Message me on my blog:  barbaravenkataraman.blogspot.com

Hurry! :-)