top of page

GET REAL ADVICE

Sending you Inspiration at Every Turn

GOT A BURNING QUESTION?

Got a burning question about life’s chaos? Perhaps a problem bubbling up from within? If you are wondering how to handle that impossible coworker, survive your mother-in-law’s “helpful suggestions,” or decide if it’s finally time to break up with your cluttered closet… or your ex?​ You’ve come to the right place.

​

This is Get Real Advice — your safe (and slightly sassy) space to spill the tea, share your dilemmas, and ask anything that’s keeping you up at night.

​

No question is too big, too small, or too delightfully weird. Whether you’re grappling with heartbreak, messy family drama, career crossroads, or the eternal mystery of why you can’t find matching socks — I’m here to help you figure it out.

​

How it works: 

  • Fill out the form below with your question, story, or rant

  • I’ll pick questions to answer on my social media platforms

  • Together, we’ll tackle life’s messiest moments — with honesty, humor, and zero judgment

  • ​

Because let’s get real: life is complicated, people are even more complicated, and sometimes you just need someone to tell it to you straight… and make you laugh while doing it.

​

So go ahead — hit me with your best shot. I’m ready for it. Questions will be randomly chosen and possibly shared here on this site, or on social media, so make it juicy! 

Liquid Bubbles

SEEKING ADVICE? 

Share your thoughts, seek advice, or confess your secrets. Your message may be featured on our site or social media. Pour your heart out!

Send

Name

Message

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram

We're Here to Listen

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Get Real Advice Q&A

Q: My mother-in-law is rude, but I don’t want it to affect my marriage. Also… I'm pretty sure my husband is cheating. Do I leave him? Or am I supposed to “stand by my man”? HELP!

​

A:

Whoa, friend. That’s a lot. Let’s take a deep breath together. In… and out. OK. Let’s get real.

​

First off, your mother-in-law being rude? Annoying, yes. But your husband cheating? That’s an entirely different ballgame—and it’s not one you have to keep playing if you don’t want to. Here’s the thing: your marriage is supposed to be your safe place. Your partner should be your teammate, not the person handing you betrayal on a silver platter while his mom critiques your potato salad.

​

So… do you have to “stand by your man”? Absolutely not—unless you’re Tammy Wynette and this is the Grand Ole Opry. Otherwise, you’re allowed to decide your own worth and your own boundaries. Now, before you pack his stuff into garbage bags and toss them on the lawn (tempting, I know), take a moment.

 

Check in with yourself:

  • Do you want to try counseling or is this unforgivable?

  • Are you safe—emotionally and financially—to leave if that’s what you choose?

  • Do you have young children? 

  • Do you have support lined up—a therapist, trusted friends, maybe a lawyer if needed?

​

As for your mother-in-law, here’s my two cents: if you stay with your husband, set clear boundaries with his mom. If you leave him? Well… congratulations, you might also be divorcing your mother-in-law. Two-for-one deal. I was there when my kids were little, so I know firsthand the desire to hold your family together and look the other way. 

​

Bottom line: You deserve honesty, respect, and peace—at home, and in your heart. Cheating is his choice. How you respond is yours. And whatever you decide, make sure it’s your decision, not anyone else’s guilt-trip or outdated idea of loyalty.

​

Sending you big love, courage, and the reminder that you’re stronger than you think—and way too fabulous to settle for less.

JENNIFER BARRETTE: A LIFE OF CREATIVITY, CURIOSTIY, AND GETTING DELIGHTFULLY REAL

​​​

I wear many hats—artist, children’s author, nonfiction author, Vice President of Transmedia Entertainment, award-winning screenwriter, bestselling author, mom of four, daughter, wife, and friend … and that’s just before breakfast. I’m a prolific creator who somehow manages to write about grief and grandmas, mental health and Leprechauns, divorce and dogs, burnout and bug-obsessed villains—often all in the same day.

​

Because here’s the truth: writing nonfiction can be deep, heavy, and beautifully emotional… so naturally, writing and creating my children’s books is very therapeutic for me. For five years, while crafting Get Real About Grief—the cornerstone of my self-help series—I was also secretly building entire children’s worlds to keep my own heart intact. (Grandmarama, the world’s first Grandma Superhero, may or may not have saved me more than once.)

​

I spent a decade writing wildly imaginative middle-grade adventures, picture books, and stories for children, including the globe-trotting, grandma-empowering Grandmarama universe and built an entire new Santa Claus mythology. But when I stepped out of my 40s, I realized I had things to say, and real wisdom to share. That spark became Get Real About Life, a growing library of self-help books, audiobooks, journals, and low-content companions built on honesty, humor, and real stories from real people.

​

My creative roots run deep. I grew up surrounded by books, sketchpads, and paintbrushes, which led me into a first career in Interior Design, where I designed custom furniture, remodeled homes, and painted murals large enough to be seen from space. When an injury grounded my ladder-climbing days, I didn’t stop creating; I simply scaled down (literally). I shifted to illustrating books, then editing, then writing my own stories…and the floodgates flew open.

​

Today, I live in Northern California with my Caribbean husband who doubles as my business partner and sometimes as my co-writer, and our fourth and final child left at home, plus a rotating cast of pets, including two very opinionated Bernese Mountain Dogs who were the inspiration for my children's book series, HOT DAWG.

​

As VP of Transmedia Entertainment, I’m not just writing stories, I’m building worlds. I create IP designed to leap from books to film, from games to merchandise, from imagination to screen. My creative mission under Get Real About Books is simple: to give people practical, heartfelt tools to tackle life’s chaos while inviting them to embrace a little magic along the way.

​

And through it all—every book, every screenplay, every children’s story—my first love remains art. I still paint “almost” every day, often with watercolor-stained fingers typing away at the next world I’m bringing to life. If you’re looking for heartfelt storytelling, real talk, a little mischief, and a lot of creativity… you’ve come to the right Jennifer.

bottom of page