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Barbara Watkins resides in Missouri with her husband of thirty-five years, and her faithful, loving, boxweiler, Hooch. She has three children, and ten grandchildren.
At an early age, she experienced what she referred to as – supernatural phenomenon, As a teenager she kept a diary in which she documented several of her disturbing nightmares, in which she would ultimately incorporate into several of her writings.
In her writings, she loves to evoke a false sense of security and expectations, as she leads her reader into a world of the unknown. Her articles on various subjects, short stories, and poetry, have appeared in the 2008 New York Skyline Review, and several on-line publications.
Cold Coffee Magazine accepted her article, A Testament To Poets, for their second issue released in print and is available online at Cold Coffee Magazine.
In 2010, Watkins collaborated with New Zealand screenwriters on a screenplay for a short movie entitled 'BlindSide' in which her name appears in the films end credits for voice-over monologue. BlindSide has been accepted into the Cannes short film corner, as part of the 65th Festival de Cannes, and the 7th Cyprus International Film Festival 2012.
Barbara Watkins is a prior member of The Thriller Writers Association, and The National Writers Association.
Publications: Thorns of an Innocent Soul – Behind the Red Door – Mortal Abomination – Awaken Spirit – Hollowing Screams – Six-Pack of Blood, and Six-pack of Fear (co-author, Betty Dravis
Reviewed by Lee Ashford for Readers' Favorite
"Hollowing Screams" is one of those rare books which are difficult to put down before finishing. The action takes place in a 'typical' small town, peopled with 'typical' small town residents. Having myself lived in small towns for almost 25 years, I felt I knew the characters personally, and I empathized with their concerns, their fears, and even their prejudices. The book is very well-balanced in its flashbacks to earlier times, clearly explaining why certain circumstances existed. Or, at least clearly enough to serve that point in the book. When the story demanded it, additional history was provided. The author did a very good job of inviting me to become a part of the story, watching over the shoulders of the so convincingly developed characters.
I found early on that I cared about specific characters, and felt 'creeped out' by others, which is quite typical of small town life. I experienced laughter, anxiety, concern, fear, satisfaction, and a host of other, often conflicting, emotions while reading this story. Many creepy-scary events occurred, both past and present, but I finished the book convinced that the scariest part of the story is not fiction at all - it is the way this book demonstrates how thin is the line between sanity and insanity. Imagine, if you will, the sanest person you know. Now imagine how you would react to learn that person had just murdered his/her entire family in a vile, atrocious manner. That depth of feeling is well-represented in "Hollowing Screams". There were times when I thought I hated what appeared to be imminent in the story, but at no time did I want to walk away from it. If you enjoy your fiction loaded with suspense, crime, moments of terror, a touch of the supernatural, and a totally unexpected ending, by all means I highly recommend that you beg, borrow, or buy a copy and read "Hollowing Screams". A word of warning: you should, if at all possible, not be alone at home while reading it.
