Author Archives: PB Rippey

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About PB Rippey

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

Quote For The Weekend (Sunday Late Edition–Oops)

Posted on January 8, 2012 by PB Rippey

Lifted directly from Spiritual Now Dot Com. The Dalai Lama’s 20 ways to get good karma (believe it or not). Compare to Gandhi’s top 10 fundamentals for changing the world. Live well, long and, of course, prosper as you wash dishes, mow the … Continue reading →

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Under The Never Sky

Posted on January 3, 2012 by PB Rippey

Finally, my Amazon pre-ordered copy of Veronica Rossi’s debut novel arrived. This afternoon I heard a thump on the front porch, opened the door and found the package (it was sealed at the time, of course). The UPS man placed … Continue reading →

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A Little Nap Reading

Posted on January 3, 2012 by PB Rippey

I’m terrible when it comes to reading (cue echoing god-voice): books on craft. I used to ride horses that shied when the wind picked up, theirs withers trembling, nostrils flaring noisily. Hold Donald Maass’ book up before me and I’ve … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, Fiction, Steps In Promotion, Writer's Angst | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

When I Despair, I Remember

Posted on January 1, 2012 by PB Rippey

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals For Changing The World Change Yourself You are in control Forgive and let go Without action you aren’t going anywhere Take care of this moment Everyone is human Persist See the good in people … Continue reading →

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Quote For The New Year

Posted on December 31, 2011 by PB Rippey

We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched.  Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our … Continue reading →

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Writing During The Holidays

Posted on December 30, 2011 by PB Rippey

My laptop sits on the kitchen counter as I cook. Right hand stirring the dumpling mixture, my left hand’s floury fingers type (not skillfully), Have you a mind to sink, the woman weeps to those gathered in the room, to … Continue reading →

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No Sickness (O My Stars)

Posted on December 26, 2011 by PB Rippey

I remember using the mini food processor chopper thing to within an inch of its life, opening cans of Christmas delicacies like organic kidney beans, tomato paste (yes, organic tomato paste—who knew) and what is Christmas without ye olde Christmas mandarin … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, dog, Faction, Pets, Poetry, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quote For The Weekend (Christmas Edition)

Posted on December 24, 2011 by PB Rippey

The best sitting room at Manor Farm was a good, long, dark-panelled room with a high chimney-piece, and a capacious chimney, up which you could have driven one of the new patent cabs, wheels and all. At the upper end … Continue reading →

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Miss MOL Break

Posted on December 23, 2011 by PB Rippey

Sometimes I live vicariously through Miss MOL, an art curator by-the-sea. I love her recent sojourn. She hits all the cool places and makes me laugh. Check out her latest post on the Springs. THREE DAY TOUR.

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Bit Of Info

Posted on December 20, 2011 by PB Rippey

From Writer’s Digest. Because I, anyway, always learn something (except how to make the perfect cup of coffee, I can never seem to learn that…): The 18 Most Popular Articles on Writing of 2011 We posted more than 1,300 articles … Continue reading →

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Writer, Activist, Leader (And The List Goes On)

Posted on December 18, 2011 by PB Rippey

RIP “I would be glad if it was felt that I have done something generally useful. I don’t care much about personal fame or popularity. I would be satisfied with the feeling that I had a chance to help with … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Pre-Holiday Edition)

Posted on December 17, 2011 by PB Rippey

“One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don’t clean it up too quickly.” – Andy Rooney I am going to remember this quote on Christmas morning, refuse … Continue reading →

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Waiting For Clause

Posted on December 11, 2011 by PB Rippey

Impatience, mostly, from everyone in the mall except those of us in line to see Santa, because we all have children and are too focused on distracting their impatience (pointing out Christmas lights, analyzing the 6 potbellied, dancing-on-hind-legs, oversized reindeer heralding … Continue reading →

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YA Muses Giveaway

Posted on December 7, 2011 by PB Rippey

Another tantalizing giveaway at YA Muses, a site I check in with every day (even if I’m on a tight schedule). The Mon-Thurs Muses all have books coming out in 2012. One, Katherine Longshore, is giving away an ARC of her novel, … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend: Just Barely December (Clumsy) Edition

Posted on December 4, 2011 by PB Rippey

“I do like Christmas on the whole…. In its clumsy way, it does approach Peace and Goodwill. But it is clumsier every year.” – E.M. Forster Especially if you have a preschooler fascinated by the endless de-hanging possibilities of tree ornaments, … Continue reading →

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Library Peeking

Posted on December 2, 2011 by PB Rippey

A Peek Inside the Libraries of Famous Writers Colm Tóibín’s library and workspace. Photo via. I think Colm’s library is my favorite because of the floor-to-ceiling shelves–but Kipling’s cuts a close second because of all the wood paneling and beams … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Late Edition As Was Holiday, No? Blrrrrgh)

Posted on November 27, 2011 by PB Rippey

A work of art is not a matter of thinking beautiful thoughts or experiencing tender emotions (though those are its raw materials) but of intelligence, skill, taste, proportion, knowledge, discipline and industry; especially discipline. —Evelyn Waugh Farewell post-turkey-day sandwiches of … Continue reading →

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Supernova (Boom, Crash)

Posted on November 21, 2011 by PB Rippey

When I’m tired, it shows. I don’t have bags under my eyes resembling Hugh Hefner’s ball sack (thank you, Crazy Stupid Love for that line, crud from a movie so crazy sexist it was: Stupid), but I miss things, like windows … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Pre Holiday-Feasting-Blowout Edition)

Posted on November 19, 2011 by PB Rippey

It’s so beautifully arranged on the plate — you know someone’s fingers have been all over it. ~Julia Child  

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Book Impatience (Stop It!)

Posted on November 15, 2011 by PB Rippey

Part of me is content with our preschooler’s current home library (I’m referring not to a digital library, but the kind housing the real things–colors, textures, scents, sounds of pages turning, imagine it) and I can be heard gleefully spouting … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Exhausted Edition)

Posted on November 10, 2011 by PB Rippey

Never tire yourself more than necessary, even if you have to found a culture on the fatigue of your bones. —Antonin Artaud When I was in my early twenties, I kept a postcard with his image on it fastened to … Continue reading →

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Dive, PB, Dive!

Posted on November 9, 2011 by PB Rippey

Funny—I looked in the mirror and there she was—deep-sea darling—my mind instantly obsessing on the Mariana Trench and how even though it’s the deepest spot on Earth I’m barely acquainted with it and how silly is that for an author revising a novel filled with … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, fish, middle grade, ocean related, Writer's Angst, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Writer’s Day 2011

Posted on November 5, 2011 by PB Rippey

This photo is from the SCBWI Central-Coastal Writer’s Day 2010, at which I won a Special Mention for my middle grade novel and half off the price of this year’s Writer’s Day, which took place today, all day, and in which … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, middle grade, Writer's Angst, writing | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (TGIF Edition)

Posted on October 28, 2011 by PB Rippey

Gore Vidal on E. Nesbit (1858-1924):  “I do not think it is putting the case too strongly to say that much of the poverty of our society’s intellectual life is directly due to the sort of books children are encouraged … Continue reading →

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Wet Beach

Posted on October 25, 2011 by PB Rippey

Pashmina fog. You can’t really write that, but–“smoky” is cliché, the cat feet brilliance is spoken for and I have a gray pashmina I never wear that is the hue and untouchable texture of  last Saturday morning’s fog. You cannot write … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, ocean related, Writer's Angst, writing, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments