Compilations that include Barri's Stories
My first short story was an angsty piece in my school publication at 13, co-authored with my best friend. The Lake Drive Dream, already alive and festering, got a boost when school publications awarded me second place for a story the next year, and then first place my freshman year. I haven't stopped since... In the words of one of my writing heroes, Stephen King, we don't write short stories because they're easier (they're not), but they're often a slice of madness (or life) that just cannot go untold. If not, the madness of it lingering alone in our brains consumes us.
The Legacy of Literary Excellence
Anthology 2026
The Missouri Writers' Guild Members' Anthology 2026 brings together the award-winning and emerging voices of the Missouri Writers' Guild in a collection of fiction, poetry, essays, and creative nonfiction. Celebrating more than a century of literary excellence, this anthology reflects the creativity, imagination, and enduring spirit of Missouri writers.
This compilation, due out on Kindle on Sept. 12, 2026
Paperback to be released later this fall!
This publication includes my short story "Spirit of a Tree"
Ellen: A Collection of Stories & Essays, 2018
All of the contributors to this book were friends and family of Ellen Gray Massey, and all of them considered her a model of a strong woman. There was a consensus among contributors that proceeds from the sale of this book be donated to charities that helped women. The charities chosen are: New Life Project, Lebanon, Missouri, and Tostan, Dignity for All.
For me, Ellen Massey was a teacher, a mentor, and a role model. When I published my first novel, I had a book release party in Lebanon, and Ellen attended. She and another inspirational teacher, Helen Breedlove, are a HUGE reason I am a published author. My YA novel Dregs was nominated for a prestigious Missouri award with MWG; I received runner-up for best novel of the year to Ellen (still Mrs. Massey to me!), and it was a moment of serendipity. I pray every writer has the inspirations I have had.
This publication includes my short story "Why Not Me," a tribute to another strong woman, Karen Zager Graham. She continues to inspire me!
Mysteries of the Ozarks Vol. V, 2017
A collection of fast-paced stories that highlight the spooks and crooks, the dark and brooding, the exciting and mysterious Ozarks. Written by nineteen authors from the Ozarks, this is the fifth edition with all new stories.
American Book Fest Award Winner for Fiction Anthologies in 2018.
This publication includes my short story "Pleading the Fifth"
Mysteries of the Ozarks, Vol. III, 2012
A collection of short fiction with a mysteries or supernatural theme set in the Ozarks and written by Ozarks authors. There are 25 writers involved in this volume and each story is more interesting than the last.
I love anthologies because you can pick them up and put them down and not lose the plot or flow of a longer work. With this book, however, I found myself reading it straight through because the stories were so good. It's writing at its very best. --L. J. Turner
This publication includes my short story "The Dark Side"
Mysteries of the Ozarks Vol. II, 2006
Stories of mystery, intrigue, and suspense by our honor roll of Ozark writers: Jory Sherman, Dusty Richards, Ellen Gray Massey, Velda Brotherton, Radine Trees Nehring, Larry Woods, Barri Bumgarner, Kay Hively, Vicki Cox, Jane Hale, and many others.
This publication includes my short story "Retribution."
My First Year in the Classroom: 50 Stories That Celebrate the Good, the Bad, and the Most Unforgettable Moments, 2009
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” —Lao Tzu
But is the teacher ready? That’s the question that haunts every teacher that fateful first day in the classroom. Making it through that day and the 179 school days that follow is how every career in education—and lifelong learning—truly begins. In this collection, fifty teachers share the trials, tribulations, and triumphs they’ve experienced during their first year on the job. Organized along the lines of the school calendar, these touching tales illustrate the learning curve experienced by new teachers:
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Facing Day One
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Meeting the Students
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Surprising the Students
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Bonding with Faculty and Staff
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Being Surprised by the Students
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Watching the Students Bloom
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Saying Farewell
From the hilariously obsessive-compulsive preparation of a rookie English professor to the poignant lesson a bold third grader imparts upon his novice teacher about love and acceptance, this moving collection is sure to motivate new and veteran teachers alike.
This publication includes my short story "Preconceptions."