C. M. Barrett


Biography

On my mother's side of the family, I come from a line of storytellers. My grandmother's stories ranged from my grandfather's arrest for draft resistance in England during World War I, the uncertainty of life during the Troubles in Ireland, to the day she decided to leave her marriage (but didn't). My mother's stories described a rural childhood that to a child of a suburb of little boxes seemed idyllic.
Both of them encouraged me to read and provided me with books to feed a growing habit. When I was seven or eight, I discovered mythology, and the gods and goddesses in those tales were as real to me as the dragons and cats in my own stories are now. Thanks to my early training in fantasy, I like to hang out with dragons. Accepting the bizarre directions my imagination takes has allowed me to conjure up Zen cats, cougars, gossip-vending hawks, and other critters.

Currently I live in upstate New York on a wooded piece of land not unlike some of the terrain in Big Dragons Don't Cry.

Since 2000 I've belonged to the online writers' group, Artistic License, subtitled Shameless Blameless Hussies. They've read all my books, but don't blame them if you find errors, because they're shameless.

I also paint, and the art on my book cover is one of my watercolors.

Where to find C. M. Barrett online


Where to buy in print


Books

Cats in Charge: A Guide to the Training and Education of Humans    by C. M. Barrett
Price: $1.99 USD. 30360 words. Published on March 19, 2013. Fiction.

Written by Tara, a cat who has devoted her life to training humans, this book brings her expertise to answer cats' urgent questions about choosing the right humans, taking control of the household, getting the best food, toys, treats, and pouncing on a life where cats are truly in charge.
House of the Moon    by C. M. Barrett
Price: $2.99 USD. 98920 words. Published on August 10, 2012. Fiction.

In the deep desert of Etrenzia, a young scientist is kidnapped. Her sister, Serazina, Heroine of Oasis, braves giant snakes, sandstorms, and invisible enemies to try to rescue her. Phileas, Guardian of Oasis, who has fallen in love with her, shares her ordeals. Neither of them knows they are being lured to the desert for a purpose far more sinister than their worst fears.
Renew Your Life the Natural Way: Balance Your Chakras with Crystals and Essences    by C. M. Barrett
Price: $5.99 USD. 71150 words. Published on April 25, 2012. Nonfiction.

When we understand how the chakras connect to our emotions, health, and mental well-being, we have a new way to understand ourselves. When we learn how to rebalance the energy of the chakras, we can achieve a new level of empowerment. The approach of this book doesn't rely on in-depth understanding of any religious philosophies. It is based on learning to understand yourself.
Gone to Flowers    by C. M. Barrett
Price: $2.99 USD. 115220 words. Published on April 22, 2012. Fiction.

In Gone to Flowers, a band of young people leaves New York City in 1968 to live on a commune. Though none of them avoid the entanglement of romantic complications, they are determined to learn new ways of loving. A disturbed and seductive teenager who becomes the snake in their fragile Eden disrupts their attempts to create a family.
Dance with Clouds    by C. M. Barrett
Price: $2.99 USD. 99840 words. Published on September 10, 2011. Fiction.

For centuries, a priestess cult has ruled the land of Dolocairn. Now drug lords seek to take control. As part of their campaign to broaden their power, they use drugs that induce amnesia and death to attack the land of Oasis. Serazina, the Heroine of Oasis, must go to Dolocairn to stop them. Tara, a fearless kitten, and Druid, a melancholy dragon, accompany her. They may not get out alive.
Animals Have Feelings, Too: Bach Flower Remedies for Cats and Dogs    by C. M. Barrett
Price: $1.99 USD. 21270 words. Published on July 20, 2011. Nonfiction.

Are you looking for a drugless solution for your pet's behavioral issues? The Bach Flower Remedies, developed in the early 1900s by Edward Bach, M.D., have helped countless humans and animals. This book helps you to understand what your cat or dog's behavior means and recommends Bach Flower Remedies for many conditions. The book gives special attention to abandonment and abuse.
The Language of Stones and Other Stories    by C. M. Barrett
Price: Free! 9270 words. Published on March 24, 2011. Fiction.

(5.00 from 3 reviews)
In The Language of Stones, a young man tries to teach a stone to speak. Villains Victorious describes the attempt of fictional villains to rewrite the story. The Gargoyle Murder is the love story of a gargoyle and a cat. Also included is the first chapter of Big Dragons Don't Cry, which introduces a cat who's finding that a quest cuts into his relaxation time.
Big Dragons Don't Cry    by C. M. Barrett
Price: $1.99 USD. 98510 words. Published on February 2, 2011. Fiction.

0.5 star(3.50 from 2 reviews)
A cunning opportunist incites the people of Oasis to kill the local dragon so that he can convert Druid's swamp into suburban housing. The would-be dragonslayer also plans to have the current head of state assassinated and assume power. Unless the dragon joins a kitten with attitude and a human with unlawful psychic gifts, Oasis is finished.

C. M. Barrett’s tag cloud

adventure    adventure fantasy    advice    air dragons    alternate school    animal communication    animal rights    antiwar    bach flower remedies    balance    cats    cats and kittens    cats behavior    cats dogs    cats in charge    chakra balancing    chakras    chicago convention    communal living    communes    communication    crystals    desert    destiny    dragon    dragons    drugs    drugs and crime    ecology spirituality    emotions    fantasies    fantasy    fantasy fiction    feline    feline superiority    feminism    fiction    flower essences    food    gargoyles    gems    health    heart    humor    humour    interspecies    interspecies communication    kittens    kittens puppies emotions bach flower remedies flower essences homeopathy feelings behavior problems litter box obedience training animal communication holistic health    litter box    love    meditation    metaphysical    metaphysical fiction    metaphysical novels    mindbody    minerals    notre dame    paris    parody    power animals    psychic abilities    quest    quest fantasy    relationships    rock n roll    romance    satire    series book    series fantasy    sex    short stories    snakes    spies espionage    spirituality    stones    suspense    toys    training your cat    training your human    treats    vet    vietnam war    villains    visionary fiction    wellbeing    wellness   

Smashwords book reviews by C. M. Barrett

  • Cats: Instructions For Use on Jan. 29, 2012
    star star star star star
    The title gives a clear indication of its tone. Annarita Guarnieri has been owned by a great many cats and has not only survived but thrived. She brings her vast experience to this informative and entertaining book. The potential reader of any "how-to" book deserves to know who the target audience is. This book is indispensable for anyone first launching upon the great adventure of being owned by a cat. It provides a wealth of information, from the basic equipment needed to keep a cat in comfort to the meaning of verbal and body language signals. The author also outlines the many differences between adopting a kitten (further distinguishing kittens who come from homes or animal shelters and those found abandoned) and adopting an adult cat. I noted with pleasure that she emphasizes the special rewards of adopting adult cats. The experienced cat slave, however, can also learn from this book. I considered myself an expert dispenser of pills, but I learned some new approaches to this always-perilous task. Finally, this book is worth reading for the many cat tales within it. If you are devoted to cats, you will find your devotion renewed by the portraits of and anecdotes about the author's feline companions. I highly recommend this book.