Kathleen Barber is an American writer and non-practicing lawyer.[1][2] Television rights to her 2017 debut novel Are You Sleeping were sold to Hello Sunshine, and a series called "Truth Be Told", based on the book, was produced for Apple TV+ and debuted in December 2019.[3][4][5][6]
Kathleen Barber | |
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| Born | Galesburg, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation |
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law (JD) |
| Notable works | Are You Sleeping (2017) Follow Me (2020) |
| Website | |
| kathleenbarber | |
Barber was raised in Galesburg, Illinois.[1][7][8] She earned a Bachelor's degree at University of Illinois, where she was initiated into Alpha Gamma Delta,[9] and her J.D. at the Northwestern University School of Law.[3] She worked for a number of years as an attorney in firms in Chicago and New York, where she focused her practice on bankruptcy law.[1]
Barber describes how she had been writing, as a hobby, for years, but the decision she and her husband made to quit their jobs, and travel around the world, triggered her completion of Are You Sleeping.[3] Barber said that she was inspired by the Serial podcast. Her novel focuses around a podcast host, whose investigations turns up evidence of a wrongful conviction.[10]
The Galesburg Register-Mail reported Barber's upcoming followup novel, Follow Me, will also be a mystery, revolving around social media.[8] It is scheduled to be published on February 25, 2020.[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Kathleen Barber, December 28". River City Reader. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
Author Barber was raised in Galesburg and graduated from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law. While she previously practiced bankruptcy law at large firms in Chicago and New York, Barber is also a registered yoga teacher and self-described "incurable wanderer" who, when she isn't writing, enjoys traveling the world with her husband.
- ^ Lauren Ober (September 14, 2017). "Abbi Jacobson Is A Piece Of Work" (podcast). The Big Listen. Archived from the original on February 12, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
- ^ a b c Charlotte Walsh (January 24, 2018). "NU alumna's novel 'Are You Sleeping' to be made into TV series starring Octavia Spencer". Daily Northwestern. Archived from the original on July 22, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
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Ashley Steves (November 30, 2018). "L.A. What's Filming: Apple Series 'Are You Sleeping' Starring Octavia Spencer + Aaron Paul". Backstage magazine. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
The series stars Octavia Spencer, Michael Beach, Lizzy Caplan, Ron Cephas Jones, Aaron Paul, Elizabeth Perkins, and other major names.
- ^ Nellie Andreeva (October 8, 2018). "'Are You Sleeping': Katherine LaNasa Joins Apple Series In Recasting". Deadline. Archived from the original on May 26, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
- ^ Denise Petski (August 21, 2018). "'Bosch' Casts Chris Ashworth; Lyndon Smith Joins 'Are You Sleeping'". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2019.
Are You Sleeping, created and written by Nichelle Tramble Spellman based on the true-crime novel by Kathleen Barber, provides a unique glimpse into America's obsession with true-crime podcasts and challenges its viewers to consider the consequences when the pursuit of justice is placed on a public stage.
- ^ Robert Connelly (August 3, 2017). "Galesburg native publishes crime thriller". Galesburg Register-Mail. Galesburg, Illinois. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
Amazon describes the book as an 'inventive and twisty psychological thriller about a mega-hit podcast that reopens a murder case and threatens to unravel the carefully constructed life of the victim's daughter.'
- ^ a b Robert Connelly (July 22, 2019). "Galesburg native returns with second thriller novel". Galesburg Register-Mail. Galesburg, Illinois. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
It 'is about a woman who spends a lot of time on social media. She moves to a new city and when she moves to this city, she has, unbeknownst to her, moved closer to somebody who has been obsessively following her on social media for years,' Barber said.
- ^ "Quarterly Spring 2018". Issuu. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
- ^ Bethanne Patrick (August 6, 2017). "A Podcast Reopens Old Wounds In 'Are You Sleeping'". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on July 23, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2019.
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Leslie Renken (February 29, 2020). "Author Kathleen Barber, a Galesburg native, is promoting her second book". Peoria Journal Star. Peoria. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
Barber's second novel, "Follow Me," is also a psychological thriller which continues an exploration Barber began with her first book — how the internet is affecting interpersonal relations.