Meet Linda Marie Barrett and Diane Barrett Tien of Barrett-Sisters.com

Today we’d like to introduce you to Linda Marie Barrett and Diane Barrett Tien.

Diane​ ​says​ ​it​ ​was​ ​fate. ​​We’re​ ​second​ ​generation​ ​Irish-American​ ​sisters​ ​from Boston​ ​who​ ​share​ ​a​ ​love​ ​of​ ​storytelling. ​ ​We​ ​write​ ​every​ ​day, ​ ​Diane​ ​on​ ​a suspense​ ​novel​ ​set​ ​in​ ​China, ​​Linda-Marie​ ​on​ ​a​ ​young​ ​adult​ ​fantasy​ ​series​ ​set​ ​in Ireland. ​We​ ​also​ ​write​ ​and​ ​publish​ creative​ ​non-fiction​ ​which​ ​draws​ ​upon​ ​our​ ​life experiences. ​

​Through​ ​conversations​ ​that​ ​grew​ ​out​ ​of​ ​an​ ​awareness​ ​that​ ​we’re both​ ​turning​ ​the​ ​corner​ ​professionally, ​ personally, ​ and​ ​physically, ​we​ ​decided​ ​to collaborate​ ​on​ ​a​ ​site​ ​to​ ​reach​ ​readers​ ​experiencing​ ​similar​ ​creative​ ​paths, struggles, ​​and​ ​adventures.

We​ ​launched​ ​Barrett-Sisters.com​ ​as​ ​a​ ​virtual​ ​story​ ​parlor​ ​where​ ​visitors​ ​can​ ​stop in​ ​and​ ​read​ ​(or​ ​listen​ ​to) ​an​ ​unfolding​ ​series​ ​of​ ​essays​ ​on​ ​topics​ ​ranging​ ​from dressing​ ​room​ ​confessionals​ ​to​ ​insomnia​ ​to​ ​grieving​ ​the​ ​death​ ​of​ ​a​ ​parent. ​ ​

We have​ ​a​ ​small, ​ ​but​ ​poignant​ ​goal: ​To​ ​make​ ​a​ ​visitor’s​ ​day​ ​better​ ​for​ ​having​ ​stopped by​ ​and​ ​read​ ​or​ ​listened​ ​to​ ​our​ ​stories. ​We​ ​believe​ ​exchanging​ ​stories​ ​builds community​ ​and​ ​deepens​ ​connections. ​ ​

As​ ​sisters, ​​we​ ​have​ ​spent​ ​our​ ​adult​ ​lives apart, ​living​ ​on​ ​different​ ​coasts. ​Yet, ​​as​ ​sisters​ ​can​ ​be, ​we​ ​have​ ​always​ ​held each​ ​other​ ​close​ ​in​ ​our​ ​thoughts. ​Through​ ​our​ ​site, ​we​ ​reach​ ​out​ ​to​ ​anyone​ ​who wants​ ​to​ ​connect​ ​with​ ​sisters, ​and​ ​sisterhood.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Hah!​ ​​ ​The​ ​road​ ​would​ ​be​ ​boring​ ​if​ ​smooth!​ ​​ ​Making​ ​the​ ​decision​ ​to​ ​create Barrett Sisters.com​ ​was​ ​easy.​​​ ​Implementing​ ​a​ ​workable​ ​website​ ​with​ ​the functionality​ ​and​ ​style​ ​our​ ​readers​ ​want​ ​is​ ​hard.​ ​​ ​

The​ ​platform​ ​we​ ​use​ ​has limitations​ ​and​ ​we​ ​considered​ ​whether​ ​to​ ​migrate​ ​to​ ​a​ ​different​ ​host.​​​ ​Diane​ ​even set​ ​about​ ​learning​ ​code​ ​to​ ​provide​ ​some​ ​custom​ ​elements.​

We​ ​now​ ​live​ ​in different​ ​time​ ​zones, ​​so​ ​we​ ​collaborate​ ​by​ ​phone, ​​google​ ​docs​ ​and​ ​zoom meetings. ​​We​ ​launched​ ​the​ ​site​ ​in​ ​April​ ​and​ ​have​ ​experienced​ ​a​ ​few​ ​stumbling blocks​ ​but​ ​overall​ ​we’re​ ​very​ ​happy​ ​with​ ​the​ ​results. ​Our​ ​fans​ ​are​ ​worldwide​ ​and quite​ ​encouraging.

Please tell us about Barrett-Sisters.com
Barrett- sisters​ ​is​ ​unique​ ​in​ ​its​ ​form​ ​as​ ​a​ ​web-based​ ​story​ ​parlor. ​ ​​​We​ ​choose​ ​a theme​ ​each​ ​month​ ​to​ ​write​ ​about​ ​and​ ​don’t​ ​share​ ​our​ ​work​ ​until​ ​it’s​ ​time​ ​to publish. ​We’ve​ ​surprised​ ​each​ ​other​ ​and​ ​our​ ​readers​ ​with​ ​our​ ​different perspectives, ​but​ ​that​ ​is​ ​where​ ​the​ ​fun​ ​and​ ​discovery​ ​lies. ​ ​

Beyond​ ​the​ ​story parlor, ​we​ ​offer​ ​other​ ​rooms​ ​to​ ​visit​ ​for​ ​musings​ ​on​ ​cocktails, ​books​ ​we’re reading, ​​and​ ​what’s​ ​on​ ​our​ ​desks. ​We​ ​even​ ​include​ ​a​ ​photo​ ​album. ​We​ ​wondered about​ ​whether​ ​to​ ​include​ ​the​ ​photo​ ​album, ​but​ ​it’s​ ​been​ ​immensely​ ​popular, perhaps​ ​because​ ​of​ ​our​ ​retro​ ​hair​ ​and​ ​clothing​ ​in​ ​photos​ ​from​ ​the​ ​60s, ​70s​ ​and 80s.​ ​We​ ​never​ ​imagined​ ​we’d​ ​become​​ “vintage.” ​

This​ ​coming​ ​month, ​we’re adding​ ​an​ ​audio​ ​option​ ​to​ ​hear​ ​us​ ​read​ ​our​ ​stories​ ​aloud. ​ ​​​We​ ​are​ ​proud​ ​of​ ​our commitment​ ​to​ ​supporting​ ​each​ ​other​ ​and​ ​our​ ​readers​ ​with​ ​fine storytelling​ ​that will​ ​uplift​ ​and, ​we​ ​hope, ​create​ ​meaningful​ ​connections.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
It is hard to say. We feel great about our launch. We’re new, determined and feel great about Barrett-Sisters.com. We were thoughtful in our approach. We allowed ourselves the time to incubate ideas and get feedback pre-launch.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.Barrett-Sisters.com
• Email: contact@Barrett-Sisters.com

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