Author Archives: PB Rippey

About PB Rippey

Writer, mother, wife, 7th gen Californian, and keeper of the mini-zoo.

Farewell February

Posted on February 28, 2014 by PB Rippey

Because it’s my birthday month, because it’s not only a pink month, or red for hearts, or purple for amethyst (birthstone), because I had a milestone birthday and went all crazy in the head and panicky in the days (who … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2014, birthdays, blessings, chardonnay, fiction writing, life, Los Angeles, personal goals, poetry, Valentine, writing | 2 Comments

Speaking of Passivity

Posted on February 25, 2014 by PB Rippey

It went like this: Google. Amazon. Facebook. Facebook IM. Back to Amazon. Weather (from Bing–weather.com is too hideous). Figuring out how to make Bing stop showing up whenever I clicked on a new tab. The Holy Checking of Email. And then … Continue reading →

Posted in Faction, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2014, Ben & Jerry's core ice cream, fiction writing, Grammar, Grammar Girl, passive voice, poetry, present participle, writing | Leave a comment

Staying The Course

Posted on February 17, 2014 by PB Rippey

Saturday morning I rose when our son (impossible to wake on a school day) woke at 5:30a.m. to begin a weekend of attending birthday parties, completing school projects, and constant verbalized hankering for Minecraft (it was Survivalcraft, until we realized the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2014, children's literature, Dragons Love Tacos, faction, fiction writing, Iggy Peck Architect, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, Quackenstein Hatches a Family, writer's angst, writing | 6 Comments

Poems By Lantern Light

Posted on February 11, 2014 by PB Rippey

Well, the Good Luck Bar never disappoints, does it? The red and tasseled lanterns are BIG, which is an extremely smart decorating move as they make an instant impression when you trip over the threshold into the semi-seamy (but not really) sparkle-darkness … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Poetry, poetry reading, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2014, Los Angeles, poetry, poetry readings, Rhapsodomancy, The Good Luck Bar, writing | 1 Comment

Rhapsodomancy Reading Tonight

Posted on February 9, 2014 by PB Rippey

Well, it’s finally here–I’ve had it on my events bar for about a year and tonight I get to be a part of the coolest Los Angeles reading series in all of the county and beyond. Hooray for poetry, fiction, … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Poetry, poetry reading, Writing Progress | Tagged 2014, CA, fiction writing, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, poetry, Rhapsodomancy, The Good Luck Bar, writing | 8 Comments

Double Rainbow (Rainy Day Edition)

Posted on February 7, 2014 by PB Rippey

Not long ago a man left a nasty little comment in my comments section calling my blog piece sophomoric and trite and something else I can’t remember and why this person was so unevolved as to blog-roam and drop his … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, dog, Fiction, Poetry, poetry reading, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged 2014, cats, children's literature, dog, double rainbow, fiction writing, Goodreads, life, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, poetry, Rhapsodomancy, writing | 2 Comments

Notes From The Retreat #2: Critiques

Posted on January 26, 2014 by PB Rippey

Yes, I am going to go here. Out of the 10 copies of the first 25 pages of my novel returned to me, scribbled on by the writers in my core group at the SCBWI retreat, I kept 4. Those 4 … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2014, children's literature, Critique, fiction writing, middle grade writing, personal goals, SCBWI, writer's retreat, writing | 4 Comments

Notes From The Retreat #1: Books

Posted on January 22, 2014 by PB Rippey

At last weekend’s SCBWI retreat, 4 editors imparted useful information–and shared book titles they love–Picture Books (PB), Middle Grade (MG), Non-Fiction (NF) and Young Adult (Y the effing heck A). I know what the abbreviations mean. YOU know what they mean. But, … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, middle grade, Santa Barbara, Writing, YA Novels | Tagged 2014, children's literature, David Carradine, fiction writing, grasshopper, middle grade writing, santa barbara mission, SCBWI, writing, writing retreat, YA Writing | 2 Comments

2014 Rhapsodomancy Reading

Posted on January 14, 2014 by PB Rippey

Sunday, February 9th, 7:30pm, The Good Luck Bar, 1514 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles 90027 Ah. I am so happy to be a part of this Los Angeles reading series. So many writers I admire have participated–Chris Abani, Louise Mathias, Amy … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, Poetry, poetry reading, Writing | Tagged 2014, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Marty and Elayne, poetry, poetry reading, Rhapsodomancy, sidecars, Silver Lake, The Dresden, The Good Luck Bar, writing | 2 Comments

2013 Middle Grade

Posted on January 10, 2014 by PB Rippey

Oh, productive, on-the-button-always (not the panic button), well-informed you—you’re already aware of this list. I’m just getting to it. I think I’m most excited about Holly Black’s book. Quite creepy! The Goodreads Best Middle Grade & Children’s Any flagrant omissions from … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2014, children's literature, Destiny, Doll Bones, fiction writing, Goodreads, Holly Black, Kathryn Fitzmaurice, middle grade writing, Rewritten, writing | Leave a comment

Walking to Floats (SoCal Edition)

Posted on January 3, 2014 by PB Rippey

Rose Parade Floats Viewing, January 2nd: I walked my son several blocks down a typically—for Pasadena—vast and nicely swept boulevard to another major boulevard (wider than the Rio Grande and as sungleamy in our December heatwave) mobbed by people like us … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing, WTF | Tagged 2014, fiction, Los Angeles, Pasadena, poetry, Rose Parade floats, shaved ice, space aliens, writing | Leave a comment

As 2014 Looms (Looming Edition)

Posted on December 28, 2013 by PB Rippey

The minivan’s A/C died just in time for the Christmas heatwave of 85+ degrees. As I ferried us home from a visit to the ocean’s cool and calming vastness (all windows dooooown), I remembered my one and only Christmas poem, which includes … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2013, beach, California, Christmas, fiction writing, fresh batik, Los Angeles, palm trees, poetry, scotch, Venice Beach, writing | 2 Comments

December Whinny

Posted on December 18, 2013 by PB Rippey

Sitting on the patio at Peddler’s Fork, alone out here as it’s a SoCal pre-Christmas bit of chilly, i.e., 60 degrees, way too cold for the cycling clan packing the tables indoors, brrr, but perfect for me as I’m the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2013, children's literature, fiction, middle grade writing, Old Town Calabasas, Peddler's Fork, personal goals, writing | Leave a comment

Kickstarted (Coffee Blend Edition)

Posted on December 13, 2013 by PB Rippey

Back again—homing pigeon style—at Peddler’s Fork, I ordered a cup of the restaurant’s Kickstand Blend and a macadamia nut infused scone that tastes more like somebody’s gourmet birthday cake than scone, which is why I ordered it, and carted my … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged 2013, fiction writing, Kickstand Blend, Los Angeles, Mallard Ducks, Muses, Old Town Calabasas, Peddler's Fork, pigeons, poetry, writing | Leave a comment

Bathroom Reading (Scouring Edition)

Posted on December 4, 2013 by PB Rippey

While holiday cleansing the bathroom, on my knees scrubbing corners usually in my blind spot, I glance up and notice books also, apparently, usually in my blind spot. I have no idea when Dylan Thomas arrived. Definitely wasn’t me who … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, dog, middle grade, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged 2013, children's literature, domestic bliss, Dylan Thomas, fiction writing, Freshly Pressed, Henry James, Kindergarten, life, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, Nicole Kidman, personal goals, poetry, Portrait of a Lady, Reader, Sherman Oaks, The Turn of the Screw, writing | 2 Comments

Flashback: Yesterday (Turkey Edition)

Posted on November 29, 2013 by PB Rippey

In the thick of it, I remember thinking: It would be nice if this was catered, but then the caterers would be working on Thanksgiving. I prepped a millennium of food the night before–even so, that didn’t mean there was … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | 1 Comment

Handy Resources

Posted on November 20, 2013 by PB Rippey

Brainpickings has compiled a nice list of 9 writing resources. Some are oh so familiar, perhaps all are to you. But I’m glad to be reminded of them. And quotes such as this one by Kurt Vonnegut, which you’ve probably … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Quotes, Writer quotes, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged 2013, books, fiction writing, Francine Prose, Kurt Vonnegut, Mary Pickford, poetry, quotes on writing, Ray Bradbury, St. Jerome, Stephen King, writer's angst, writing | 5 Comments

Food Glorious Food

Posted on November 13, 2013 by PB Rippey

Speaking of bon bons, I think I’ll switch to madeleines. But stick with coffee, not tea. For now. Coffee served in a teacup? Even better. The Telegraph is featuring 10 Great Meals in Literature. A fun little slideshow. Especially the Dickens … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Children's Books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2013, fiction writing, life, Los Angeles, madeleines, Marcel Proust, poetry, The Telegraph, writing | 4 Comments

Gobbling Towards Vegetarianism

Posted on November 6, 2013 by PB Rippey

It became November. Day Two, I said: OMG THE TURKEY! Because this year, we’re hosting the beloved horde. I navigated to the Whole Foods website. During the Diestel ordering process I was asked to choose: Hen or Tom. My bedroom … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing, WTF | Tagged 2013, chaos, domestics, fiction writing, green bean casserole, poetry, San Fernando Valley, Thanksgiving, Tom Turkeys, writing | 1 Comment

The Truth Is…(Maintenance Edition)

Posted on October 29, 2013 by PB Rippey

The truth is, I’m way too busy to blog—sprawling on the couch eating bonbons takes up a lot of time. And let me make this extremely clear: NOT milk chocolate bonbons with cherries tucked inside them. If I was even … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Pets, Poetry, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2013, cats, children's literature, chocolate, chocolate bon bons, dog, domestic bliss, fiction writing, life, Los Angeles, memories, middle grade writing, Reader, writer's angst, writing | 8 Comments

Appreciation (pre-Dinner Edition)

Posted on October 10, 2013 by PB Rippey

Recently my husband and I listened politely to a woman with green fingernails and an iphone with a ringtone that sounds like something Michael Flatley would raise his knees to—listened as this lady (dressed in a tunic the distracting green of fairy-forest canopy) told us … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Me and Us, Writing | Tagged 2013, fiction writing, leprechauns, Sunsets, writing | 3 Comments

3 Cubs & Dodgers

Posted on September 30, 2013 by PB Rippey

Father/Son Dodgers Game!, the elementary school flyer stated, producing an amendment a week later: Due to unprecedented interest in attendance by moms, grandmothers, grandfathers and 3rd cousins twice removed, Father/Son is expanded to Family Dodgers Game! So we all went to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Me and Us, Writing, WTF | Tagged 2013, baseball, Chavez Ravine, Dodger Stadium, Dodgers, fiction writing, Kindergarten, Yasiel Puig | 4 Comments

On Roald Dahl’s Birthday

Posted on September 15, 2013 by PB Rippey

Sometimes I let the agent I’m querying know who my literary heroes are. Only ‘sometimes’ as my query letters tend to change. Evolve? Products of endless, restless experimentation…On Roald Dahl’s birthday I was thinking: I always forget to put Roald … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing, WTF | Tagged 2013, children's literature, fiction writing, James and the Giant Peach, Kindergarten, middle grade writing, Reader, Roald Dahl, writing | 5 Comments

Quote For The Week: Diana Nyad (Butterscotch Cookies Edition)

Posted on September 11, 2013 by PB Rippey

Find a way. —Diana Nyad I briefly interrupt evening reading time to announce I’m zooming to Albertson’s for eggs for tomorrow’s scrambled egg jamboree and ask my spouse if he needs anything from the store. In the Daffy Duck brogue he utilizes when … Continue reading →

Posted in Faction, Writer's Angst, Writing, WTF | Tagged #FindAWay, 2013, box turtle, chardonnay, Diana Nyad, domestic bliss, fiction writing, Kindergarten, labrador, Quckenstien Hatches A Family, Spock, Star Trek Into Darkness, writing, Zachary Quinto | 4 Comments

Bad A** Naid’s Nyad (Git Yer Goggles On Edition)

Posted on September 4, 2013 by PB Rippey

I didn’t know Diana Nyad was attempting the Cuba/Key West, FL swim again. So when I returned from Labor Day shenanigans, I went a little happy-ballistic upon reading about her success. I tweeted, I FB’d, I emailed friends. I worried … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged Diana Nyad | 1 Comment