by T. A. Barron | Sep 12, 2019 | Blog, Books, Heroes, Inspiration, Merlin, Personal Writing
Merlin’s Seven Magical Words: Courage Merlin has been a part of my life for more than 20 years. Though he may be but a mythical being to some, and a great character in an epic story for many more, after more than 12 books devoted to his life and the telling of...
by T. A. Barron | Aug 27, 2019 | Blog, Books, Inspiration, Merlin, Personal Writing
Merlin’s Seven Magical Words: Belief “Belief is a powerful elixir. It offers strength, renewal, and peace to those who drink it. And your cup can be forever refilled.” Belief, one of Merlin’s seven most magical words in the universe, can give us comfort in times of...
by T. A. Barron | Aug 22, 2019 | Book Excerpt, The Merlin Saga Excerpts
THE RAGING FIRES EXCERPT Prologue The mists of memory gather, the more with each passing year. Yet one day remains as clear in my mind as this morning’s sunrise, although it happened those many centuries ago. It was a day darkened by mists of its own, and by...
by T. A. Barron | Aug 22, 2019 | Articles, Books, Creativity, Featured, In the Media, Merlin, On Writing
Merlin and Me: Thirteen Books Later by T. A. Barron The Horn Book May 2015 Original Article | PDF On a cold Colorado night twenty-one years ago, I woke up suddenly. A vivid dream had possessed me—a dream of a boy, half drowned and only barely alive, who had washed up...
by T. A. Barron | Jul 31, 2019 | Blog, Books, For Young Heroes, Heroes, Inspiration, Merlin, Personal Writing
Merlin’s Seven Magical Words: Hope Hope requires courage. Darkness, despair, anger, destruction—the images of these things feature daily in our media. No matter where we look, we’re met with images that leave us questioning. We’re left feeling hopeless, without...
by T. A. Barron | Jul 31, 2019 | Book Excerpt, The Merlin Saga Excerpts
THE SEVEN SONGS EXCERPT Prologue How the centuries have flown … Faster, by far, than the brave hawk who once bore me on his back. Faster, indeed, than the arrow of pain that lodged in my heart on the day I lost my mother. Still I can see the Great Council of...
by T. A. Barron | Jul 24, 2019 | Book Excerpt, The Merlin Saga Excerpts
THE LOST YEARS EXCERPT Prologue If I close my eyes, and breathe to the rolling rhythm of the sea, I can still remember that long ago day. Harsh, cold, and lifeless it was, as empty of promise as my lungs were empty of air. Since that day, I have seen many others, more...
by T. A. Barron | Jun 20, 2019 | Blog, Books, Inspiration, Merlin, Personal Writing
Merlin’s Seven Magical Words: Knowledge “The important thing is not to stop questioning.” —Albert Einstein Knowledge, one of Merlin’s magical words, is so much more than just the things you learn by sitting in a classroom. The truth is, Knowledge is...
by T. A. Barron | May 21, 2019 | Blog, Books, For Educators, Inspiration, Merlin, Personal Writing
Merlin’s Seven Magical Words: Wonder Wonder, one of Merlin’s Seven Magical Words, is more than just something that we stumble upon from time to time. There is intentionality in Wonder, though it is not something you seek. It calls you to question, to...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 17, 2018 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes, News
Congratulations to the 2018 Barron Prize Winners Since 2001, The Barron Prize has been awarded to more than 100 young people whose projects make a positive difference in the world. This national award is meant to highlight the idea that every single one of us —...
by T. A. Barron | Jul 30, 2018 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Free Downloads, Heroes, Inspiration
Celebrating Summer Sparks! When you think “summer” you likely think of long lazy days… maybe it puts you in mind of holiday beaches, or fun family camping, or perhaps it simply signals it’s time to shed your winter layers and savor the warm...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 15, 2018 | Blog, Books, Creativity, For Educators, On Reading, Videos
Celebrating American Sign Language Day On April 15th, 1817 students gathered in Hartford, Connecticut for the opening of the very first school for the Deaf in the U.S. It was here, and at other subsequent Deaf schools across our nation, that students intermingled...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 11, 2018 | Blog, Creativity, For Nature Lovers, Nature, On Nature & the Environment, Personal Writing
Death, Soft on the Snow In 2017, I wrote this poem to celebrate winter in Colorado. In sharing it with you here, I hope to encourage you to look around and find inspiration from your surroundings. The smallest thing – even a footprint in the snow – can lead to...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 2, 2018 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes, Inspiration
Let’s Double Down on Goodness These are dark times. In our country and our world, we’re surrounded by divisiveness, greed, mean-spiritedness, hatred, cynicism, fear, and rage. So much so, the darkness sometimes threatens to cover us all in shadows. That’s why we...
by T. A. Barron | Oct 14, 2017 | Conservation, Featured, In the Media, Inspiration, Interviews, Nature, On Nature, On Writing
Supporter Profile: Redwoods Inspire Best-Selling Author by Glen Martin Save the Redwoods League Oct 2017 Original Article T. A. Barron, a member of the Save the Redwoods League Council, grew up in rural Colorado, where his connection to nature was immersive and...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 25, 2017 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes, News
Outstanding Young Leaders — Introducing the 2017 Barron Prize Winners Real heroes are those who overcome obstacles to make real, positive changes in the world. Their stories help to inspire us with evidence of the power of people just like ourselves who have worked to...
by T. A. Barron | Aug 30, 2017 | Articles, Conservation, Creativity, Featured, In the Media, Inspiration, Merlin, Nature, On Nature
Merlin on the Wind by T. A. Barron National Geographic Traveler Aug 2017 PDF I am thrilled to share this article I wrote for the Aug/Sept 2017 edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine. The article is featured in a section titled “British Accents”...
by T. A. Barron | Jun 22, 2017 | Blog, For Young Heroes, Heroes, Inspiration, Nature, On Nature & the Environment
Live Your Life as a Story These remarks were given as part of my address to the graduating class of the University of California Santa Barbara in June 2017. If you folks like a good story, as I do – then try this: Think of your life as a story. A Story You Create...
by T. A. Barron | May 18, 2017 | Blog, Books, Creativity, On Writing
My Favorite Villain Much of the focus of my stories is on the path of heroes, since, as Joseph Campbell so wisely taught, every great and enduring adventure involves the journey of a hero who works toward a worthy goal. But some of the most memorable stories have...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 27, 2017 | Blog, Nature, On Nature & the Environment
Nature: the Ultimate Source of Balance, Inspiration, and Magic I remember the very first time I saw the stars on a high mountain ridge in Colorado. It was a clear summer night; no artificial lights distracted from the vista. The evening was calm, but I could feel a...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 24, 2017 | Blog, Books, Contests, Creativity, On Writing
More Magical Origin Stories… By Fans Like You! In my last blog entry I shared a few of the entries from my recent Origin Story contest. The competition invited fans of my books to imagine the background of any character from one of my books, and write a short...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 21, 2017 | Blog, Books, Contests, On Writing
Magical Origin Stories Written by Readers Exploring stories of untold beginnings has always appealed to me as a writer. The Merlin Saga began after I wondered about the early life of the man who became the wise and powerful old wizard we know so well from the tales of...
by T. A. Barron | Jan 19, 2017 | Blog, Books, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, For Writers, On Writing
Giving Birth to a New Book The very first time I hold a new book that I’ve written, I gently give it a loving hug… just as if it were a newborn baby. And maybe, in a way, it is. For giving a new book to the world is the closest thing to delivering life that I...
by T. A. Barron | Dec 12, 2016 | Blog, Books, Inspiration, Merlin, Personal Writing
Gratitude: The Path to a Meaningful – and Magical – Life Long after Thanksgiving is over, two things endure – the feeling that I couldn’t possibly eat another piece of turkey… and, more importantly, a deep sense of gratitude. It will come as no...
by T. A. Barron | Dec 7, 2016 | Blog, Books, Events, News
Wrapping up my Atlantis Lost Book Tour As I wrote about in my last blog entry, I’ve been dashing around the country this autumn in celebration of the release of the third and final book ofThe Atlantis Saga. Last weekend, after an amazing Thanksgiving with family...
by T. A. Barron | Nov 14, 2016 | Blog, Books, Events, News, Videos
From the Atlantis Lost Book Tour I’m more than halfway through the book tour for Atlantis Lost – and what an adventure it has been! I’ve been to 6 cities in 5 states and have been thrilled to meet so many of you and sign your books. And I’ve...
by T. A. Barron | Oct 25, 2016 | Articles, For Educators, Heroes, In the Media, Young Heroes
A Future So Bright Interview by Katie O’Reilly Sierra – The Magazine of the Sierra Club October 25, 2016 Original Article | PDF Young adult author T. A. Barron is known for protagonists who slay dragons and unearth fantastical cities. Yet Barron is equally...
by T. A. Barron | Oct 24, 2016 | Blog, Books, Events, News
Atlantis Lost Book Tour! I’m very happy to share that the third book in The Atlantis Saga, Atlantis Lost, is coming to bookstores everywhere on November 8th. In honor of this final installment in the tale of the mysterious, magical island, I’ll be visiting...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 28, 2016 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes, Inspiration, News
Inspiring Change Makers Seasons are a revolving gift—continually different from what has gone before and what will come after. They are the ultimate change makers, with varied weather, foods, holidays, flora, fauna, and activities for us all. Plus a special seasonal...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 19, 2016 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes, News
Outstanding Young Leaders: Announcing the Winners of the 2016 Barron Prize We need heroes today more than ever — not celebrities, but real heroes. And while we tend to hear a lot about entertainers, athletes, and media moguls in the headlines, the world often seems to...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 7, 2016 | Blog, For Young Heroes, Heroes
Former Barron Prize Winners Helping the Next Generation One of the most exciting things about the Barron Prize is seeing young people whose projects have been honored continue to make a positive impact on our world. Some of our former winners have even chosen to help...
by T. A. Barron | Aug 11, 2016 | Blog, Inspiration, Personal Writing
The Journey Back – How a Bowl of Noodles Led to a Lifelong Friendship Photo credit: Chiiori Alliance & TrustAt some point in your life—whether as a student, after a graduation, between jobs, or beyond—I hope you will have an opportunity to travel. Whether you...
by T. A. Barron | Jun 22, 2016 | Blog, For Young Heroes, Heroes, Inspiration
Graduates: Follow Your Dreams, Make a Difference Practical Advice for Grads I’ve always loved a good story. As a kid, I dreamed up stories and poems, sometimes to avoid doing homework, sometimes just for the fun of messing around with words. My first real story,...
by T. A. Barron | Jun 21, 2016 | Blog, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, Events, For Educators, Merlin, News
Kids Find the Magic at Merlin Camp! A very special event for kids aged 9-12 was held in Boulder earlier this month… the inaugural week of Merlin Camp, brand new for 2016! Eleven young wizards joined the camp counselors from Boulder Bookstore and Boulder Public...
by T. A. Barron | May 23, 2016 | Blog, Books, Creativity, On Reading
Celebrate Reading! The magic of books is that they allow you to travel wherever you like in your imagination. You don’t even need a ticket… or a toothbrush! The very best stories spark the imagination, empower us, provide comfort, and help us understand...
by T. A. Barron | May 6, 2016 | Blog, Books, On Nature & the Environment
Thank You for Going #IntoNature With Me! I was so pleased at all the entries I received to my recent #IntoNature promotion in celebration of the re-release of The Ancient One! So many of you chose to share your videos, photographs, and thoughts with me, I loved...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 27, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
The Enchantment of Nature This entry was contributed by Zanne Tarlow as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. I’ve been fascinated by animals for as long as I can remember. For a few years, I desperately...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 25, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Forest Magic This image and caption was contributed by Michelle Richardson as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 22, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
A Blessing of Butterflies This image and caption was contributed by Lysia Gilmore as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. “I was driving from Rockport TX on the gulf coast to Abilene TX in West Texas in...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 20, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Lake Sunrise This image and caption was contributed by Therese Calegari as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 19, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Lift Your Gaze to the Skies This entry was contributed by Ren Breaux as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Lift your gaze to the skiesStarlight floods across vast unknownCradled within tranquil shadowsA...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 18, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
All Good Things are Wild and Free This video was contributed by Meg Stansfield as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 14, 2016 | Conservation, In the Media, Inspiration, Interviews, Nature, On Nature
EMA Interviews Author and ConservationistT. A. Barron EMA EarthMonth Newsletter April 14, 2016 Original Article | PDF EMA had the pleasure of talking to illustrious conservationist and author T. A. Barron about the 25th anniversary of “The Ancient One”,...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 12, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
The Healing Power of Nature This entry was contributed by Terra Mcbroom as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. PTSD is one of the hardest things I have ever had to manage. I am not a soldier of war, but I am...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 9, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
An Uplifted Spirit This image and caption was contributed by Pam Spicer as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 6, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Calm after the Storm This entry was contributed by Jasmine Hinton as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. The Ancient One, which I read in the fifth grade, was the first long chapter book I ever read. It was...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 4, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Seeing the Impossible This image and caption was contributed by Paula Hardeman as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 2, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
The Flexibility of Trees This blog entry was contributed by Joel Hoff as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. From a very early age I’ve held a fascination for nature. I was blessed with a family who...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 30, 2016 | Blog, For Nature Lovers, On Nature & the Environment
Beautiful River This image and caption was contributed by Laurie Rudolph-Francis as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 29, 2016 | Blog, For Nature Lovers, On Nature & the Environment
The Mountains Saved Me This blog post was contributed by Rene Crook as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. My name is Rene, and I am 25 years old. I’ve recently moved back to beautiful Colorado Springs,...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 25, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Simple Beauty This image and caption was contributed by Helena Reznikoff as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Nature inspires me with its vast complexities and artistry. Something as simple as tree bark is...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 23, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Whispers of the Earth This blog entry was contributed by Susan Hawthorne as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. The whisper of the surf caressing the shore calls to me in an ancient tongue, The grandeur of...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 22, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Bathed in Light This image was contributed by Ro Ostawari as part of my “Into Nature” guest series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of Kate (2) Adventures...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 18, 2016 | Adventures of Kate, Articles, Books, Creativity, Featured, For Educators, Heroes, In the Media, On Writing
Kate’s Enduring Gift and the Importance of Strong Female Characters Hypable March 2016 Original Article | PDF EDITOR’S NOTE: T. A. Barron joins us to talk about the special edition of The Ancient One and the lasting influence of the main character Kate. When...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 18, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Nature’s Plastic This blog post was contributed by Khephra Owl as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Stone stairways smothered in moss fall from his fingertips on drops of ice water,coagulating at his...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 16, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
A Dazzling Blossom This image was contributed by Jerika McKeon as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of Kate (2)...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 14, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
The Healing Power of Nature This blog post was contributed by Roshana Ostowari as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Nature helps me connect to my true self. And what is my true self? Who am I? You see, my...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 11, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Tranquility of Nature This blog post was contributed by April Steichen as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Nature allows me to think peaceful thoughts. Seeing something so gentle and delicate calms me,...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 9, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Beautiful Winter This photo & caption was contributed by Maryam Karim as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Looking for Something? Search for: CategoriesCategories Select Category Adventures of...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 7, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Conserving our Forests This photo & description was contributed by Kelly Cundiff as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Nature inspires me so much- that I work alongside Smokey Bear to keep our forests...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 5, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
A Breath of Fresh Air This blog entry was created by Bob Meadows as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. If I ever gave any thought to “nature” as a kid, it was only as far as the crabapple tree I loved to...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 4, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
Spring Renewal This photo & blog entry was created by blogger Joanne Fritz as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. After living in New York City for several years, surrounded by steel and glass and...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 3, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
A Space of My Own This blog entry was created by author David Wiley as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Sometimes when I am looking to be inspired for my writing I take no iPod or headphones and just run...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 1, 2016 | Blog, On Nature & the Environment
A Respite from the City This photo & blog entry were created by Chelsey Saatkamp as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. Living in New York City, it can occasionally get depressing being surrounded by...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 22, 2016 | Blog, For Nature Lovers, On Nature & the Environment
A Magical Nature Discovery This blog post was authored by Virginia Anagnos as part of my “Into Nature” guest blog series celebrating the reissue of my book, The Ancient One. I had just moved into a new neighborhood and was exploring it, when I noticed a...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 15, 2016 | Blog, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, For Writers, Inspiration, Nature, On Nature & the Environment, On Writing
How Are You Inspired by Nature? While hiking in California some years ago, I found the most magnificent tree I’d ever seen—a redwood of such grandeur that I nearly fell over backward trying to see its highest boughs. As I came closer, the smell of its resins enveloped...
by T. A. Barron | Jan 15, 2016 | Blog, Books, Creativity, For Nature Lovers, Inspiration, Nature, On Nature & the Environment, On Reading, On Writing
The Real Story of THE ANCIENT ONE I’m very excited that my book, The Ancient One, is being re-released by my publisher on March 8th of this year. Originally published in 1992, the book, part of the Adventures of Kate, tells the story of Kate, an inquisitive...
by T. A. Barron | Dec 17, 2015 | Blog, Books, Merlin
The Real Magic of Merlin Wizards are full of surprises. They change faces, personalities, and forms at will. They grow younger, older, or stay forever the same age. They appear when least expected, and often vanish when most needed. In the sheer ability to surprise,...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 30, 2015 | Blog, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, For Writers, Inspiration, On Writing, Personal Writing
The Crazy Story of How I Met Madeleine L’Engle If you walk in the direction of your dreams, you open yourself to serendipity, and good things will happen. Maybe the best example I can give you of this is how I met Madeleine L’Engle. I had just received the latest of...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 23, 2015 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes
What Does it Mean to be a Hero? Prior to this week’s announcement of the 2015 winners of the Barron Prize, I asked my Facebook fans to share with me their ideas around heroes and heroism. Many of today’s popular movies and television shows focus on...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 21, 2015 | Articles, Heroes, In the Media, Inspiration, Young Heroes
Barron Prize Encourages Youths who ‘Make the World Better’ by David Karas The Christian Science Monitor September 21, 2015 Original Article | PDF T. A. Barron is the author of more than 30 books for young readers. In 2001, Barron founded the Gloria Barron...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 8, 2015 | Blog, For Young Heroes, Heroes, Inspiration
The Power of the Barron Prize Being recognized by the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes comes with a number of perks – a cash award, of course, to support the winner’s service work or higher education, as well as the chance to have the winners’...
by T. A. Barron | Jul 23, 2015 | Blog, Inspiration, Nature, On Nature & the Environment, On Writing
Why Write About Nature? Have you ever seen the stars shine so bright you almost needed to squint your eyes? On peaceful nights when I look up at the dazzling stars shining above our family cabin on the slopes of the Colorado Rockies, I understand the power of nature...
by T. A. Barron | Jul 2, 2015 | Blog, Books, Inspiration, Merlin
Inspiring Those on a New Path with Merlin’s Wisdom My book, “The Wisdom Of Merlin: Seven Magical Words for a Meaningful Life” makes a marvelous gift for people beginning a new path in their life. With that in mind, for the recent graduation season I...
by T. A. Barron | Jun 4, 2015 | Blog, Contests, Events, Merlin, Sweepstakes
Celebrating the Wisdom Of Merlin on Instagram A few weeks ago I asked my fans on Instagram to submit their most magical and compelling photos encapsulating one of Merlin’s 7 magical words: Gratitude, Knowledge, Courage, Hope, Belief, Wonder, Generosity… or...
by T. A. Barron | May 26, 2015 | Blog, Events
Book Tour Wrap Up My May Book Tour has officially wrapped… another amazing journey! It seems like it was just yesterday I was planning and preparing for my visits to schools and bookstores around the country — and now it’s over. To be able to tour, meet friends...
by T. A. Barron | May 9, 2015 | Blog, Books, Events
Book Tour Update – East Coast Adventures I’m wrapping up the first half of my book tour, and so far, it has been fantastic! Between school visits and book stores, I’ve already met so many of you and I’m having a great time. I’m looking...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 30, 2015 | Blog, Books, Events, News
Join Me On My May Book Tour I’m excited to announce my upcoming tour celebrating the release of my two newest books — The Wisdom of Merlin which was released in March and the latest book in The Atlantis Saga, Atlantis in Peril, available on May 5th. I find...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 14, 2015 | Blog, Books, Merlin
Merlin Returns to Answer Even More Hello again, my friends. Thanks to the great hospitality of my friend, T. A. Barron, I am once again able to have a conversation with you here — a fact for which I am truly grateful. As for your questions… the truth is, I adore...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 9, 2015 | Creativity, Featured, Heroes, In the Media, Interviews, Young Heroes
What ELSE Do You Do? Five Questions for T. A. Barron with Roger Sutton The Horn Book Original Interview | PDF Author T. A. Barron instituted the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes in 2000. Named for the author’s mother, the Prize is given annually to fifteen...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 30, 2015 | Blog, Books, Merlin
Merlin Answers Your Questions My goodness! When my good friend T. A. Barron told me that he had recently gathered several questions for me from around the world, I never expected quite such an overwhelming number. I must tell you all that it has been truly delightful...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 23, 2015 | Blog, Books, Merlin
More Bloggers Inspired By The Wisdom of Merlin I’m delighted that more bloggers are sharing their thoughts on Merlin’s magical words in celebration of the March 24th publication of my book, The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life....
by T. A. Barron | Mar 9, 2015 | Blog, Books, Merlin
Wisdom of Merlin: Bloggers Get Inspired My upcoming book, The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life is being released on March 24th. In celebration, I reached out to a number of bloggers from all different backgrounds, and asked them to share their...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 25, 2015 | Blog, Books, Inspiration, News, On Reading, Personal Writing
A Letter to My Readers in China In advance of the publication of The Merlin Saga in China at the end of this month, I wrote the following letter for my Chinese readers. If you’re in China or you enjoy reading in Mandarin Chinese, I hope you’ll consider picking up...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 6, 2015 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes
How Do I Apply for the Barron Prize? Every day, kids all over the country participate and take the lead in extraordinary service activities to benefit other people or the planet we share. Are you someone between 8-18 who has spearheaded a service effort in your area?...
by T. A. Barron | Jan 21, 2015 | Blog, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, For Writers, On Writing
How I Got My Start As A Writer I have always loved the world of stories, ever since I was a kid. In fact, I loved stories so much that I even made up my own little magazine when I was in 5th or 6th grade. Unfortunately that little venture almost got me expelled when I...
by T. A. Barron | Nov 25, 2014 | Blog, Contests, Creativity, Events, News
Halloween Costume Contest Winners! I’ve been a fan of great Halloween costumes for a long time. My kids made some amazing homemade creations over the years, but this Bookshelf costume from several years ago by my daughter Denali (at age 7) is one of my most...
by T. A. Barron | Nov 6, 2014 | Blog, Creativity, Fantasy, For Writers, Inspiration, On Writing
Dragons I Have Known How do you describe a dragon? Dragons are a frequent subject in the marvelous messages I receive from readers, and many of them have put this question to me in one form or another. Describing characters well is a great challenge for any writer,...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 15, 2014 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes, News
Inspiring Youth To Make A Difference:Announcing The 2014 Barron Prize Winners Every person, no matter how young, can contribute to making the world a better place. The mass media gives our kids all sorts of negative, demeaning messages — telling them their...
by T. A. Barron | Sep 11, 2014 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes
Encouraging Kids to Become Heroes: Ideas for Parents and Teachers One of the things that you may already know about me is that I believe that all kids can be heroes; we can do a lot as adults to foster that ethic in young people. For my readers who are parents, I’d...
by T. A. Barron | Jun 24, 2014 | Blog, For Nature Lovers, Nature, On Nature & the Environment
Wild Magic I love summer, and especially summer in my home state of Colorado. I spend as much time as possible outdoors hiking, camping… and just being. There’s nothing that makes me feel more alive and more at peace than gazing across a mountain ridge laced...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 28, 2014 | Blog, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, For Writers, On Writing
Questions from Readers About How I Develop And Write My Stories One of the best things about being a writer with lots of loyal readers is the opportunity to answer your questions! From time-to-time I write on this blog to answer some of your questions. This post is...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 28, 2014 | Adventures of Kate, Articles, Books, Creativity, In the Media, Nature, On Nature
From the Giving Tree to the Whomping Willow:The 9 Best Trees in Literature HuffPost – Books Community Apr 28, 2014 Original Article | PDF Trees — what are they good for? In real life: food, shade, houses, paper. In literature: so, so much more. From...
by T. A. Barron | Apr 11, 2014 | Blog, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, For Writers, On Writing
Some Notes About My Writing Process New and aspiring writers often ask published writers, “What’s your process?” It feels a little funny to talk about the writing process, because it’s something I’m always learning about as well — even though I’ve been doing it...
by T. A. Barron | Mar 13, 2014 | Blog, Creativity, Encouraging Writers, For Writers, On Writing
Questions from Readers About Writing and What Influenced Me to be a Writer I’m often asked questions by other writers on how I got started writing, and for advice to them on their own writing. I try to answer as many of your emails and Facebook posts as I can, but...
by T. A. Barron | Feb 13, 2014 | Blog, Books, Inspiration, Merlin, On Reading
Questions from Readers About Merlin It seems natural that since I’ve written many books about Merlin (and I’m also working on Merlin: The Movie!), you all have many questions for me about Merlin and his magic. I love answering your questions, so here are some of the...
by T. A. Barron | Jan 27, 2014 | Blog, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes
We Need Heroes at Any Age We all need heroes. I truly believe this. That’s why I’ve always placed a young hero, a boy or a girl, at the heart of each of my books. Readers can relate to these characters because often, they’re solving similar mysteries in their...
by T. A. Barron | Jan 14, 2014 | Blog, Books, News
More Awards for Atlantis Rising! I’m excited and humbled to share with you the news that Atlantis Rising has been selected to receive two great awards! Atlantis Rising was awarded a silver medal from the 2013 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards (Celebrating Youthful...
by T. A. Barron | Dec 27, 2013 | Blog, Books, Creativity, On Reading
Questions from Readers About Books and Reading I get lots of questions from my fans every single day — via email, snail mail, or Facebook post. Or in person — like today, when two people spotted me at a coffee shop in California. The most unexpected...
by T. A. Barron | Dec 17, 2013 | Blog, Books, For Educators, For Young Heroes, Heroes, Inspiration, Merlin, Videos
More of Merlin’s Most Magical Words: Courage and Knowledge Last week I shared with you the video Merlin’s Guide to a Meaningful Life: The Seven Most Magical Words — and promised that I’d follow up with two of those words. Well, here are the next two videos in...
