Hi, I’m Barbara (AKA Chatterbox)

Happy Tuesday! Thank you for opening this email and welcome to the first issue of my newsletter, “Barbara Is Chatterbox.” Issue two will drop into your inbox in about a week. Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life publishes on March 18, and there’s a lot I’m busting to tell you about my book—what it’s about, why I wrote it, where I’ll be doing readings—and why I’m on a mission to get people sharing personal stories. I won’t spam you. Promise. Once Chatterbox launches, this newsletter will be a monthly.

You Talk Too Much

Know that song “You Talk Too Much” by Joe Jones from the 1960s? When I was a kid, my uncles sang it at me every time they drove out from Brooklyn to visit my family in Massapequa Park. They had good cause. I’d be on them once they were five feet in our front door, talking about something I thought was so important they had to hear about it that instant. They’d call me a chatterbox. I was. I am. Hence my title, Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life.

Everyone Has A Story To Tell

I am a devout believer in the power of personal stories to bring people together. I am also ever willing to share my own stories to inspire a kumbaya moment, ignite a debate, make people comfortable, and knock down barriers to understanding. These are some of the reasons I wrote Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life and will try my best to inspire others to tell their stories.

“Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken” —Oscar Wilde

Putting Myself Out There

Back in 1991, my career in advertising was not making me happy. So I walked away. Went freelance. Had no clients. Worried I’d starve. Stopped panicking. Worked my network. Made cold calls and mailed postcards to marketing people I’d never met at companies that made products I liked in order to sell my writing and marketing services. Some of the postcards were designed by my friend Elena Pavlov and fabulous. Some were designed by me and ridiculous.

One day, I was browsing the racks in Barnes & Noble and saw The Secret Language of Birthdays, Gary Goldschneider and Joost Elffers, published 1994 by Viking Penguin. I flipped to my birthday, July 12 and read:

“July Twelfth: The Day Of The Persuasive Presence. Those born on July 12 are masters at persuasion. Not only are their arguments cogent and logical, but they have an innate sense of timing….More often, they use humor to win others over to their point of views….[and] are not only good at convincing others but also initiating action. Through their efforts, many projects get off the ground which might never have materialized. Sometimes July 12, people can be so clever as to subtly plant an idea in someone’s mind so that this person may act on it as if the idea originated with them.”

I printed the good stuff about me on the front of a folded card and my picture and contact information on the inside. The cards went out, and…

Want to know what happened? Go to https://adventuresofthebakersdaughter.com/as-of-now/put-yourself-out-there.

Sauce or Gravy?

Italian Americans have been waging kitchen table wars over whether that tomato *stuff* that is ladled over pasta is sauce or gravy for ages. Some people say what you call it depends on where your family came from in Italy. Who knows. I come from a sauce family—four generations of women who make a rich, delicious, chock-full of meats and vegetables pasta sauce and men and children who gobble it up happily.
Follow me on Instagram @barbaraischatterbox and email me at **barbara@barbaraworton.com**, and I’ll get back to you with a **PDF of my Sunday Sauce recipe.**

It Would Be Great To See You!

Watch out reading public, here I come. Here are events I’ve booked for March and April.

March 15:
I AM BOOKS, Boston, MA | 6:00–8:00 p.m.
With the Italian American Writers Association, including an open mic.
March 19:
Morphmom, Instagram Live | 10:00 a.m.
March 25:
Cyrus Webb, Amazon Live | 3:00 p.m.
March 29:
Hudson Valley Books for Humanity, Ossining, NY | 7:00 p.m.
"In Conversation with Rochelle Udell."
April 5:
Garibaldi Meucci Museum, Staten Island, NY | 2:00–4:00 p.m.
Reading and book signing featuring live music by Geoff Worton and Dee Meyer.
April 8:
North Haledon Free Public Library, North Haledon, NJ | 1:30 p.m.
Author Talk.
April 25:
The Toadstool Bookstore, Keene, NH | 6:00 p.m.
Reading and book signing with Linda Dini Jenkins, author of Becoming Italian: Chapter & Verse from an Italian American Girl.
April 26:
The Bookery, Manchester, NH | 2:00–4:00 p.m.
Reading and book signing with Linda Dini Jenkins, author of Becoming Italian: Chapter & Verse from an Italian American Girl.

Want To Bring Chatterbox To A Bookstore, Library, Italian Restaurant, Coffee Shop, School, Book Club, Etc., Near You? Please get in touch. Email me at barbara@barbaraworton.com. And let’s talk date, time, and place. Thanks!

Get Your Copy With 1 Click!

*Chatterbox: Stories From a Noisy Life*

*Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life* by Barbara Worton is a heartwarming, laugh-out-loud collection of mini-memoirs celebrating life's joyful chaos. From a lively Italian American childhood to the adventures of adulthood, Worton shares vivid stories filled with humor, nostalgia, and relatable moments. Perfect for anyone who loves heartfelt storytelling and finds magic in everyday life. Releasing soon, in just under a month, on **March 18th, 2025**.
**Preorder your copy today!**
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
IndiePubs
Powell’s
Ask for *Chatterbox* at your local independent bookstore.

I’m Not The Only Person Who Loves Chatterbox.

“Barbara Worton’s delightful collection is an outpouring of humor, keen observation, and cultural insight. From supermarket lines to John Travolta, Chatterbox is storytelling at its finest.” —Paul Genega, author of Outtakes: New and Selected Poems 1975-2023

Thank You For Reading!

Thank you for reading. If you enjoyed Barbara Is Chatterbox, please consider sharing it. If you know someone who would like to subscribe, send them to www.barbaraworton.com to fill out the form. Thanks!

BARBARA IS CHATTERBOX