Julie A Barker

I began writing  Hitchin' Post as most of Texas was coming out of a horrible drought.  While surrounded by ranches, and married to a rancher myself, I was well aware of the hardships that this way of life was enduring.  Needless to say when the rain started coming we would literally watch the radar with great anticipation, crossing our ears-oh, I mean fingers!- that the clouds wouldn't decide to part and pass right over Quanah without a drop to wet our sad, thirsty ground.  It was a worrisome time.  Growing up I have such fond memories of living on the farm watching my dad, grandfathers and uncles work.  It was a time that was so precious to my sister and I, but one that was cut short due to my dad taking another job resulting in a move into town.  I didn't want this at the time, though now I understand why.  Farming and ranching are tough, and there is much uncertainty to say the least.  However, even with the ups and downs, these are lifestyles that I don't want to s

We had a wonderful time at the 2016 North Texas Rehab Texas Ranch Roundup and Trade Show!  Thank you to all who visited the booth and bought Hitchin' Post !  Next it is on to the Quanah Fall Festival coming up September 10, around the square in Quanah, Texas.  I will have a booth there among many other vendors for fun shopping!  Come out to downtown Quanah for great events for the kids, the 33rd Annual Century Car Show, museum tours, a 5K run and much more!   Hitchin' Post is now available at the Quanah Museum at 105 Green Street, as well as Rustics N Rhinestones Boutique on Hwy 287 in Quanah.  Go by either location to pick up your copy, or order online at the following: www.julieabarker.com Amazon.com liferichpublishing.com barnesandnoble.com Thank you all for the support of Hitchin' Post !

I wanted to share another excerpt from Hitchin' Post , this one actually being one of my favorite.  The main theme of this book, and one that I try to instill in my children daily, is that though life brings you so many ups and downs, you must always look for the good and ALWAYS be thankful.  Hitch spends much time in thought about this very subject after seeing his beloved ranch go through a drought, but he continues to find more to be thankful for.  "Hitch's favorite place so calm and serene with a little creek flowing near, is the small country church, where by the window he'll perch each Sunday morning so he can hear. He can see it from the air, that little white church, and oh, what an amazing view! The horses are running, the windmills are turning, and Hitch thinks, God must be a cowboy too! " Thank you all for your interest in Hitchin' Post .  I look forward to sharing more! Julie Barker

Getting my first book published has been an absolute dream come true.  It was a long road for a short story, but one that my mom and I are very proud of.  I knew that I liked the story, because I wrote it of course.  I knew my mom liked the story, because she illustrated it of course.  The true test though would be the little ones that Hitchin' Post would be read to or that would be reading it.  They are the ones that would have to be interested.  They are the ones that I wanted to grab the attention from and want them to fall in love with my character.  Since this is only the beginning, I'm still not sure how this group of important little fans are going to like old Hitch, but I do know of one that does.  One day my 6 year-old, Peighton, was walking around the house singing a song over and over.  After a while, I started really listening to what she was singing, which was not a song at all, but a sentence in Hitchin' Post , that she was happily be-bopping around the house