CHATTERBOX WANTS
Peace, quiet, hope, kindness, health, a place to call home and prosperity for all. And I want to know what I can do and say and write to help make all that happen now, right now.
What’s It All About?
I am no stranger to existential angst. Most writers aren’t. But lately, my angst is off the Richter scale. When I sit down to write, I struggle to find words that I believe rise to our current moment in time. Me, a chatterbox who always seems to have something to say, hesitates before my fingers tap, tap, tap on the keyboard. Some days, I can’t even lift the lid of my Mac. Against a backdrop of ever-deepening crises, fear and brutality, I wonder if anyone has a brain cell that isn’t stressed beyond its capacity to read my story about the sweater I got for Christmas 1972? To read this newsletter?
A poem and an image by my friend Colin Goedecke, from thepoetisphere@substack.com, lands in my inbox every morning about 8:00 a.m. It’s the first email I open, even before The New York Times and “Spelling Bee.” Colin’s daily poetic sparkings, as he calls his emails, are always a beautiful, illuminating, enlivening and hopeful start to my day. Saturday, October 18, his poem was “The Place You Come From.” I read it and then, ping, in came a Colin text and a link to “Provisions, Footholds, & Buttresses: Poems in a Time of Crisis, Part One of Several: We Think By Feeling” by Jane Hirshfield.
Jane writes, “Poetry confirms that whatever we now live through, someone before us has lived through. A poem makes this something we can draw on, keep by our side. Such company helps….A person in pain whose hand is held, studies show, can bear pain better, can find bearable more.” I wish not a single one of us had to suffer a moment’s pain and wish I had the power to wave a wand and make that happen. I don’t. But I can write. I can offer up my stories and poems, my friendly hand, and maybe words I share will make one person smile, and one minute in one day will be brighter for both of us. Perhaps my ability and willingness to chatterbox on paper and make people see into my life and thereby their own is my purpose. That’s a nice thought. So, I’m going to stick with this writing thing. Yeah, I am something of a Pollyanna, my friends, but what have I got to lose?
It Was a Busy September and October!
September 14, 2025—SPOTLIGHT presented by ARTS By The People
Great Sunday, September 14, 2025 reading at the SPOTLIGHT event in Madison, NJ. I shared the stage with three wonderful writers Stephen Vittoria, Mary Tautin Moloney and Laura Daniels. The readings, author Q&As and book signings got rave reviews and so did the cookies I baked. Thank you, Paul Rabinowitz and all the ARTS By The People Board Members who selected me for this reading and to everyone who came out for the event.
September 27, 2025 — Passaic County Book Festival
There was a great turnout for the Passaic County Book Festival on September 27—lots of authors, tons of readers, all thanks to Passaic County and the PALS Plus network of libraries. Thank you to the readers who stopped by my table and bought copies of all my books! The photo is of me and Miriam Simon author of Tattoos and Pearls: Combining Street Wisdom with Corporate Strategy answering questions from the audience and moderator Diana Filippi from the Totowa Library. Our panel was “Beyond the Page: The Emotional Journey of Writing Your Life.” Only downside of the whole day, I bought candies for visitors to my table and ate too many of them myself. Hmmm.
October 5, 2025 — Friends of CSI Literary Luncheon
Sixty people turned up for the Friends of CSI Literary Luncheon. This picture should give you a good idea of how much fun I had speaking at the event and meeting so many wonderful people there to donate scholarships for The College of Staten Island (CSI). Let me say, I was also a nervous wreck. In the crowd on the day were Dr. Timothy Lynch, President of the College of Staten Island; Dr. Christina Tortora, Chair of the English Department; Jacqueline Lamberti, Associate Director of Alumni Relations & Annual Giving; Cheryl Adolph, Interim Executive Director for Institutional Advancement and the CSI Foundation Inc.; Carol Beraradi, President, Friends of CSI and National Overseer of the Garibaldi Meucci Museum and six students from the English Department. An extra big shout-out goes to Carol. She invited me to read from Chatterbox at the Garibaldi Meucci Museum in April and to be the speaker on October 5. I can’t thank her enough. A bunch of my dearest friends, Paula, Dee, Mark and Maggie, and of course, my hubby, the man who gets me through all these events, Geoff, were also there to cheer me on, enter the raffles (and win) and enjoy some delicious Italian food. Thank you, Osteria Santina. And thank you to my friends who couldn’t be there on the day but donated to the scholarship fund. This event was near and dear to me. CSI changed my life. There would have been no Chatterbox or a writing career if I hadn’t attended and graduated from the college.
October 9, 2025, Bradley Beach Library — An Evening With An Author
College buddy Ralph Palladino, Ilene Winkler, Paula and Dee Meyer and, of course, Geoff, showed up for my reading at Bradley Beach Library. Thank you, Cynthia and Katie, the Bradley Beach Library team, for making this event happen. We started the day with a walk on the beach, went on to the library for stories and conversations about growing up and moving on, the state of the world, etc., etc.—and after that, we ate. Yummy Italian food, what else, at Pagano’s UVA Ristorante in Bradley Beach. Ralph and Ilene are regulars, and Anthony Pagano, the restaurant’s owner, joined us for dinner, drinks and dessert. Another great night.
Make A Date With Chatterbox. Here’s what’s coming up in November.
November 5, 2025 — Once I Wore… Hudson Valley Books for Humanity, Ossining, NY
I’m stepping out with Amy Alpert, Amy Hall, Betsy Kates, Joyce Markovics and Rochelle Udell for a fundraiser “Once I Wore…An Evening of Stories About the Memories We Wear.” The date is November 5, the time is 7:00-8:30 p.m., and the place is Hudson Valley Books for Humanity in Ossining, NY: https://www.hvbooksforhumanity.com/events/once-i-wore-an-evening-of-stories-about-the-memories-we-wear.
Amy, Amy, Betsy, Joyce, Rochelle and I will each tell a story about an item of clothing we wore and the special place it holds in our hearts. Why? Because clothes protect us from the world and make a statement about who we are. And from our daily sweats to our fabulously festive, they also carry memories of who we once were.
After our stories, if you’re in the room, it’s your turn! Have a “Once I Wore . . .” memory you’d like to share about a beloved article of clothing? At the event, you’ll be invited to write your idea on a piece of paper for us to pick from a hat. If we draw your name, you’ll have 4-5 minutes to wow us with your story—on stage, without notes, à la “The Moth.”
Tickets are a $10 donation to benefit IFCA (Interfaith Council for Action). As the holidays are coming, we’re also collecting clothing for the IFCA thrift shop in Ossining. Please bring one or two items of gently used, clean festive clothing, shoes, purses, hats or scarves. Wine, beer, and soft drinks will be available for purchase. Cookies and brownies will be available for free. Here’s where to go for more information and tickets:
November 8, 2025 — Pride Alliance of Passaic County Book Club, Little Falls Public Library
Laura Iacometta read Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life, bought copies for some friends, posted great reviews on Facebook. Then Jess H. Katz and Michael Stracco, President and Founder of the Pride Alliance of Passaic County, read Chatterbox. AND on November 8, I’m bringing the book to the Pride Alliance’s book club. Book talk and storytelling starts at 12 noon at the Little Falls Public Library https://littlefallslibrary.org at 8 Warren Street, Little Falls, NJ 07424. A number of Pride Alliance members have told me my pasta stories take them back to their grandmothers’ kitchens. Chances are good, we’ll all leave the event craving spaghetti and meatballs. Thank you, Michael, Laura, Jess and everyone at the Pride Alliance of Passaic County for inviting me.
November 12, 2025 — Pasta & Prose, Lunchbox Learning Series, Wayne Public Library
Lunchbox Learning is a series of programs that are supported by the Friends of the Wayne Public Library. The series originated to provide daytime programming and consists of musical programs, history lectures and occasional dramatic programs. November 12 at 12:30 p.m., I’ll be at the library for “Pasta & Prose,” sharing stories from Chatterbox, talking about how I wrote the book and taking questions. Registration is required. Doors open at noon. Please, feel free to bring a bag lunch. The programs starts at 12:30 PM, and there will be a raffle of some Italian goodies! Hope to see you at the Wayne Public Library, https://www.waynepubliclibrary.org 461 Valley Road, Wayne, NJ 07470. And thank you, Assistant Director, Janette Pardo for the opportunity.
Rita and me at the spring 2025 event.
November 20, 2025 — J JILL, Garden State Plaza, Paramus, NJ
J Jill launches their new winter collection in November, and Store Manager Rita Miller has invited me back to the Garden State Plaza, Paramus, NJ store to join the celebrations. I’m excited. Every event at J Jill is a chance for me to catch up with the extraordinary sales team and a lot of wonderful shoppers. I’ll be in the J Jill store from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. signing books—Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life, Too Tall Alice and Bedtime Stories: The short, long and tall tales of a sleepwriter. A percentage of every book sale is donated to the YORK STREET PROJECT. Please stop by, treat yourself to some new clothes and a book for yourself or a book-loving friend. Thank you, Rita and J Jill for having me back to the store—and giving me a chance to do some more shopping!
In My Mailbox
Italian Americana is a double-blind, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to exploring the Italian emigrant/immigrant experience through both scholarly and creative works. The latest edition of the journal arrived in my mail in late September. My story “What I Did Not See As A Child” appears in the journal, along with both scholarly and creative translations, book reviews, poems and short stories. You can find out more about Italian Americana, including subscription information, and the University of Illinois Press on their website.
I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends
All In The Family
I am so proud of my husband Geoff Worton. About two years ago, he started going to The Platform writing workshop and open mic with me in Madison, New Jersey. He got into the workshops, but wouldn’t share what he wrote to the prompts. He listened to the readers at the open mic. And little-by-little, he found his voice. More workshops followed. AND this month, his poem “I Learn to Listen” was published in Volume 3, Issue 1, October 2025 of The Fringe 999 Poetry Forum. Click and scroll down to the last poem in the issue. That’s Geoff’s piece, and enjoy. Congratulations, Geoff! This is so well-deserved. xoxoxo, etc.
A Book Launch on The Hudson
September 20 couldn’t have been a better day to be down in Battery Park City strolling around before heading over to Poets House for a book launch from 3 Mile Harbor Press. Pamela Hughes read from Femistry and Dorian Elizabeth Knapp from Causa Sui.
Jan Beatty, author of Dragstripping, University of Pittsburgh Press says about Hughes’ newest release: “How to speak against centuries of erasure of women? Femistry by Pamela Hughes unbolts that heavy door: the ‘story begins with the skin.’ She speaks with a bold voice: saying it, then saying it again, but louder. These poems embody relentless praise for women, something rarely seen, but desperately needed. These are love poems to ‘anyone brutalized ‘stabbed by / patriarchy’s nine arrows.’ In the storms of this life, Hughes knows the roadblocks, the devastation, ‘all the landlocked things.’ Still, she evokes compassion with an unyielding intensity: ‘Look toward the inventory of light…Yet, fragments of light compose the constellations.’”
Sandra Beasley, author of Made to Explode says about Knapp’s latest book: “With burnished lyricism and uncanny wisdom, the poems in Causa Sui ask what it means to make art at this post-pandemic, post-insurrection moment in history, calling upon pop culture as well as Western philosophy, Greek mythology, and the reality of active shooter drills. The humor in this book is both arch and necessary; we find ourselves in a dark time and place in which Americans devise “new & inventive ways of / killing each other,” then “hide / the evidence” before “set[ting] the forest on fire.” Causa Sui will give you the courage to reenter and reclaim this broken world. The songs we keep sustain us, Knapp says: they “open themselves & take flight.”
You can purchase copies of both books at www.3mileharborpress.com.
Tribute — Jennifer Martelli
I met Jennifer Martelli on a call in early 2023 and in person on August 10, 2023. We read together at “Italianissima” an event organized by my friend Linda Dini Jenkins at the Pickering House to aid the Salem, Massachusetts Food Pantry. Jennifer showed up at the reading straight off a flight from Scotland. Her energy was always amazing, as her talent, kindness, love of poetry and support for other writers were astounding. On September 25, 2025, Jennifer lost her battle against Pancreatic Cancer. In the short time I knew her, she made an enormous impact on my writing career. Others who knew and loved her have shared beautiful tributes, including Mom Egg Review, Julia Lisella and January Gill O’Neil. You can learn more about Jennifer and her writing on her website. She was an award-winning, wise writer very much worth knowing and will be greatly missed.
Paying It Forward
It’s Getting Cold Outside
Right now, the number of people in need is greater than ever before in America and around the world. U.S. government workers are furloughed or reporting to their jobs and getting no paychecks at the end of the week. Many people don’t earn a living wage.
October and November are closet-cleaning season for me and a lot of people. Have coats, scarves, boots, hats, pants, sweaters, shoes you don’t wear? Have books you’ve read and are just collecting dust? Have sheets and bedspreads you don’t like anymore? Toys your children have outgrown? A gift someone gave you that you’ve never used? Don’t throw those clothes or books or bed linens or toys or things you no longer use in the trash?
Donate to your favorite charities, thrift store or resale shop. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Vietnam Veterans Association will pick up your donations from your front door. Goodwill, Catholic Charities, Dress For Success, Big Brothers & Big Sisters, The Salvation Army and so many other local and national organizations have drop-off boxes and storefronts. Food pantries are accepting non-perishable items. Supermarkets and other retailers are offering opportunities for cash donations to food banks. If you can swing it, make that extra dollar donation for your neighborhood food pantry when you check out at the supermarket. Food is expensive, no doubt about it, but if you have that extra dollar, please help someone who has so much less.
And if you know of a way to get retailers and online sellers to donate returned clothing rather than tossing it into a landfill, spread the word. Fashion waste could save lives instead of killing our planet. Thank you
On November 4!
Vote your values! Vote.
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. Thank you!
Chatterbox: Stories from a Noisy Life–print and eBook—Is Just A Click Away:
It’s available in print and e-book formats—Kindle (Amazon) or online download (Bookshop.org).
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