My name is Barbara McDowell and I’m glad you’ve made your way to my corner of the world. I am a short story author, burgeoning novel writer, and poet. From an early age, I’ve asked the question, “but why”? It is at the heart of my writing, which blends my fascination with the supernatural, true crime, and the quirks of how pop culture weaves into the corners. My stories are birthed with dark, human themes in a world where sometimes bad things happen. And in my head, there is a music soundtrack thumping the entire time.
My days working in marketing communications and now in training and development are a rich trove for source material. When I’m not dreaming up ways to make readers squirm, you’ll find me sipping on lattes in cool coffee shops, crocheting blankets, or imitating dance moves seen on award shows.
I’m very involved in the writing community and a member of the Horror Writers Association, Sisters in Crime, and Romance Writers of America. I am also active in various writer groups online and a 10+ year member of a local writers’ critique group of talented fiction authors, essayists, and poets. I published reviews on “The Voice” and “The X Factor” while serving as a contributing writer for Reality News Online. Late into the night, you may spot me dancing in the Midwest moonlight.
You can catch up with me on Twitter, Pinterest and Goodreads. Want to chat offline or longer than 140 characters? Give me a shout at bjmcdow8@gmail.com. I like to make new friends.
Want more? Check out Life Can Be So Random – 10 Things About Me
Some serious ab work here…
Barbara McDowell 
The modern day Dear Diary… don’t you love the possibilities of a blog? Writing is such a tortured passion, but I adore it. Keep it going.
Thanks for stopping by Billie! Yes, in a short amount of time I’ve found that I’ve become a bit of a blog addict…both in thinking of ideas for my site and the joy of reading others.
Dear Barbara-
Thank you for the mention. I hope that today you find…hope. Thank you for keeping the spotlight burning. ~Mike
Congratulations on the Versatile Blogger Award, you deserve it. 🙂 Always nice to ‘meet’ another conspiracy theorist. Thank you for introducing me to ROW80. Not sure if I’m a little late to join now, but I’ll want to set that goal for the next round. Looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Thanks Serena! RoW80 is fantastic so far. Do look into joining in. Great fun and organization for getting the writing done.
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“Late into the night, she can be spotted dancing in the moonlight.”- one of the best descriptions I’ve ever read! I loved it!
You certainly have the gift of the gab, so keep writing and keep shining! 🙂
Subhan Zein
I appreciate your warm and kind words, Subhan! Great to meet you.