Author Archives: PB Rippey

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About PB Rippey

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

Update: NaMeSiDifStaDaiWri(expletive)Po

I forgot to go on Monday. Ummm…And here is a cat.

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

NaMeSiDifStarDaiWri%#*Po Week (Partial Week Edition)

Next week (because my son resumes PreK after a 2 week spring break) is National PB Sit in a Different Starbucks Daily and Write a (insert expletive) Poem Week. Well, at least monday through thursday. Actually not tuesday because that’s when I … Continue reading

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Fiction, Poetry, Writer's Angst, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Adventures in Equality (Facebook Edition)

My friend, who changed her FB profile picture earlier in the week like so many of us, posted: same-sex marriage doesn’t hurt YOU. And an FB Friend of hers went wild, responding: “They” should settle for civil unions! I have no choice but to say … Continue reading

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Fiction | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (Unchaste Edition)

True poets should be chaste, I know, but wherefore should their lines be so? —Catullus (Gaius Valerius, of course…) Of course he loved Lesbia! Sheesh. Get over it. Hopefully he ultimately got over it, IF he wasn’t 30 when he … Continue reading

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, Fiction, Poetry, poetry reading, Writer quotes, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Courage! (Neigh Edition)

I was late to retrieve the boy from school because I Face Sucked like a fiend AND watched the latest episode of “Once” on hulu AND in another open hulu tab caught up on the latest episode of “Revenge” WHILE checking … Continue reading

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Pets, Steps In Promotion, Writer's Angst, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

To All Rejections

To all rejections: I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am building a cathedral. I am … Continue reading

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, Quotes, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, Writing Publications, Writing Tips, WTF, YA Novels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Old Town Poetry

I invited a friend to a poetry reading. 6 years ago this would have been a normal request of any of my friends. But now I’m a mom. Now most of my friends are mothers and working mothers and mothers with working-OT-husbands–thus … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry, poetry reading, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Clues

So it’s time to leave the Little House and tear him away from several days of precious Pottery Barn living and Angry Birds on the Kindle at odd hours and foods we don’t normally eat at home, like grated-cheese-and-nitrate-free-bacon-quesadillas-for-breakfast-with-1-maraschino-cherry-on-top, and … Continue reading

Posted in Children's Books, dog, Fiction, Me and Us, ocean related, Poetry, Santa Barbara, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Flu 2

When I’m sick like this (somewhere near the darker side of the middle line between healthy and barely-not-dead), my limbs melted into the mattress, not asleep, though not alert, vaguely hearing my son and husband pretend-Kung-Fu in the living room, my brain distresses … Continue reading

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Birthday Edition

On the eve of my hubbadobubbaboblah birthday: tucked my son into Pre-K, FB’d (i.e. avoided yoga), did yoga, even Superman, even V-ups, edited poems, sighed at the unicycle, edited poems, zoomed the boy to karate testing for his green stripe … Continue reading

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

February Mini-Break

This visit, Dana Point-by-the-tru-la-la-ocean was hotter than Reseda by 1, February-heatwaving degree. 79 vs. 78. So of course we escorted my father into the minivan and drove to The Pilgrim and admired its masts and restoration for the gazzilionth time … Continue reading

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Quote For The Weekend: Early Edition (Due To Colds, Flu, Pediatric Dental ER’s, Close-Family Close Calls, Going Away For The Weekend & A Unicycle That Still Needs Mastering…)

Try, fail. Try again, fail better. —Samuel Beckett In Sunday’s typically heat-knit twilight, I glance up from pinching pie crust into old-fashioned, part curtains patterned in fat cherries. A palomino trots down my street, its rider guiding with the blithe … Continue reading

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And The Seat Moved

My sliced finger salved and bandaged, wiping cat gak off my bare foot, it was about then I remembered my promise to learn to ride the unicycle before my next birthday, so I went outside, snatched up my son’s helmet … Continue reading

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, dog, Fiction, Pets, Poetry, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Quote For The Weekend

In order to write the book you want to write, in the end you have to become the person you need to become to write that book. ― Junot Díaz Today I am a 56 year old academic who wrote only … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Beach Break

This was last weekend, all Winter beachness, crisp, clear light, air cold enough for us to wear sweaters we haven’t seen in over a year, sweaters with jeans and sweats and bare feet as we ran on glassy beach, Anacapa, … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction, Me and Us, Poetry, Santa Barbara, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

This Just In

Rhapsodomancy has officially announced the reading I’m participating in on Sunday, February 3rd, 2013, 7:30p.m. Be there! And have a sidecar with me afterwards.  Or, you know, a martini. The Good Luck has just the right amount of dim and … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry, poetry reading, Steps In Promotion, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Reading List 2013 (So Far)

This morning my husband burst through the front door, yanked the tiny earphones out of his ears and, flushed from his post-run endorphin rush, declared: The Death Of Bees, we must own it! The Death Of Bees, by Lisa O’Donnell (check out … Continue reading

Posted in Adult writing, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, poetry reading, Writing, YA Novels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

2013: Resolute

1. Stand taller. 2. Be wiser. 3. Mother better. 4. Honor date nights. 4a. find a babysitter after 5 years of not        4b. either more or less caffeine @8pm any Friday night—search for successful eye-propping balance! Ha ha! Fun! 5. … Continue reading

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, ocean related, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Holidaze

Seabiscuit. I’m working backwards—Seabiscuit with a cheesecake glopped in cognac whipped cream. Also called Vital Precedence due to a greed it’s important (vitally so) to indulge this time of year. A dozen kids galloping around our yard, dogs weaving between (or dodging) Ninja … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Quote For The Weekend: Christmas Poem Edition

Full Howling Moon Southern California’s brittle December 24th: swells, surfboards, fire-skin, a holiday bbq by a slide-dunked swimming pool blooming algae, all palms standing by–city logo, city tattoos. The Hollywood Hills Gelson’s Market evacuates delicacies when a parking lot palm … Continue reading

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Mother Nature Wins

Around here, the skies are flannel and pursed. We can wear sweaters and scarves, for once, as we bring in our trash barrels from alleys. Pulling in the second recycling barrel, enjoying the feel of my silly polka-dot rain boots I … Continue reading

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Fiction, Me and Us, Writing, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Beads, Snowflakes, Hopeful Friends

But you can only stay fused to your child’s side for so long. And there are a million poems to read in dark times—and then there are simply no poems, no words. None. A friend realized this and went to Newtown, … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Quote For The Weekend: Seriously, WTF

I was going to publish a post 2 days ago, but after returning home with my preschooler from his Christmas/holiday/everything party, I heard about Newtown, CT. And then I made the mistake of logging onto Facebook and reading posts from “friends” … Continue reading

Posted in Writing | 1 Comment

Quote For The Weekend: Squirrel Edition Via Eliot

If we had a keen vision of all that is ordinary in human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow or the squirrel’s heartbeat, and we should die of that roar, which is the other side of silence. … Continue reading

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Fiction, Me and Us, Writer quotes, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (Super Late Edition)

This time of year is also, always, about how against all humanly odds, there was enough oil to keep the Menorah lit after the temple in Jerusalem was sacked. And how–well, you know the pitch: let there be light, and … Continue reading

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Quotes, Writer quotes, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, Writing Publications, Writing Tips | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment