I grew up in a tree-climbing, storytelling family in the hill country of eastern Tennessee. My sisters and I spent lots of time outdoors gardening or camping. If we were indoors, the entire family probably was eating or doing chores. Someone was always talking. The talking usually led to laughter (or arguments). I learned to love the power of words and the way that stories connect people.

Sometime around third grade, I began putting stories on paper in the form of short, silly messages for homemade birthday cards or Christmas gifts. As a teenager, I became fascinated by journalism and served as a high school correspondent for the Kingsport Times-News. That led to all sorts of new possibilities, and I eventually became director of news and editor of a magazine at Emory & Henry College. That job became dominant in my life, but I tried several other things along the way - at a camp in the Smoky Mountains, in the halls of the Virginia General Assembly, and at a bookstore and then a library. I even earned a degree in counseling and spent several years helping college students find their dream jobs. But mostly, I have been a writer.

Now (when I'm not laughing, talking, or eating with my husband and twin daughters), I spend most of my time writing books for young readers, doing book talks, and visiting schools. I have published Perfect Timing (a Junior Library Guild selection) and many magazine articles. I tend to focus on fiction and nonfiction for ages 7-12. You can take a sneak peek at excerpts from two of my current manuscripts. And, since you've learned so much about my family, you should know that the B in my name stands for Barnes. So if you meet someone named Barnes from Tennessee, don't be surprised if the person likes to talk, laugh, and eat (and maybe argue).