In addition to writing, Barbara enjoys cooking (her chocolate chip cookies are always in high demand), crochet, and video games. She’s been an avid table-top role-playing-gamer since she was ten. Like most of her family, Barbara began music training when she was very young, and has played in the Columbia Civic Orchestra, the Missouri Symphony, and the band Hurtsickle Fade.

Barbara teaches the Novel Architect Residential Workshops and Online Masterclasses alongside Kij Johnson.