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GRASPING AT STARS

YOU DON'T NEED TO HOLD A STAR TO SHINE LIKE ONE

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Prestigious publisher secures first-look deal on entire

Get Real About™ series. Northern California - March 6, 2026

 

Blackstone Publishing, one of the world’s leading independent publishing houses, has acquired world rights to GET REAL ABOUT GRIEF, the flagship title in the growing Get Real About™ series created by bestselling author, award-winning screenwriter, and transmedia storyteller Jennifer Barrette. The highly anticipated nonfiction release is slated for January 2027 and marks the beginning of a major long-term partnership.

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Developed over five years and built on hundreds of intimate interviews, GET REAL ABOUT GRIEF delivers a raw, heartfelt, and unexpectedly humorous exploration of how we navigate loss and how we slowly, bravely, find our way back to light. Barrette’s signature blend of honesty, wit, and emotional clarity has already positioned her as a standout voice in modern self-help, and this book is poised to become one of Blackstone’s defining releases of the year.

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Barrette now joins a powerhouse Blackstone roster that includes Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael Crichton, Ayn Rand, Robert Downey Jr., and the much loved, R. L. Stine.

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“Grief is the one thing that connects us all, yet it’s often the thing we talk about least,” Barrette said. “This book is about changing that conversation—one real story at a time. I couldn’t be more honored to partner with Blackstone and editor, Daniel Ehrenhaft, to bring this message of hope and healing to the world.”

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As part of the agreement, Blackstone has also secured a first-look option on all forthcoming titles in the Get Real About™ series, including upcoming volumes on Divorce and Aging Parents. The series blends storytelling and truth-telling, offering accessible, deeply human guides through life’s hardest—and most universal—experiences.

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With Blackstone’s global reach and Barrette’s growing catalog of empowering, emotionally resonant work, GET REAL ABOUT GRIEF is positioned to be one of the most impactful nonfiction releases of 2027—inviting readers everywhere to get real, get honest, and get healing.

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About Blackstone Publishing
Founded in 1987, Blackstone Publishing is one of America’s fastest-growing independent publishers, home to an award-winning catalog of books and audiobooks by world-renowned authors and emerging voices alike.


BREAKING NEWS: BLACKSTONE PUBLISHING ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO

"GET REAL
ABOUT GRIEF"

BY BESTSELLING AUTHOR & TRANSMEDIA CREATOR
JENNIFER BARRETTE

WITH A FIRST LOOK
DEAL FOR THE SERIES OF BOOKS

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

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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.

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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 which will be published by Blackstone Publishing in January of 2027—I was also secretly building entire children’s worlds to keep my own heart intact. 

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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 all while building a non-fiction brand. Once I stepped out of my 40s, I realized I had things to say, and real wisdom to share, besides my children's stories. 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.

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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.

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Today, I live in a small college town 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.

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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.

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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.

Breaking news: Bestselling author Jennifer Barrette has officially signed with literary agency 3iBooks, securing representation for her children’s books, middle grade fiction, and select works of commercial fiction in a move that signals major momentum for her rapidly expanding storytelling universe. Known for her dynamic voice and cross-platform creativity, Barrette’s partnership with 3iBooks marks an exciting new chapter, positioning her projects—rich with heart, adventure, and franchise potential—for wider publication and global reach. Industry insiders are already buzzing, as this collaboration brings together a bold, imaginative author and a team poised to help elevate her stories to the next level.

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