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: Lifted Edition

Posted on August 19, 2011 by PB Rippey

This quote, by Her Royal PD James, is lifted from writer Laurie Halse Anderson’s site where Laurie is, as always, writing inspiring-everythings, because she cares, then cares some more: “My most valuable trait is tenacity, but what got me where … Continue reading →

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Respite Rant

Posted on August 19, 2011 by PB Rippey

In the past 24 hours my youngest sister and family made it home to Iowa in what was supposed to be a 3 hour tour, I mean a 4 hour flight, but quickly morphed into one of those all-nighter/early-next-morning nightmares during … Continue reading →

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Notes From SW

Posted on August 14, 2011 by PB Rippey

Many research scribbles in my notebook, now a crinkled, battered thing from sitting in the soak zones at the marine mammal shows. When you see dolphins, pilot whales and orcas that close, when sharks glide right over your head, when … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend: Sea World Edition

Posted on August 13, 2011 by PB Rippey

“Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I’m halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh my God….I could be eating a slow learner.” —Lynda Montgomery

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Sea World Antidote

Posted on August 10, 2011 by PB Rippey

As our trip to Sea World with my son’s cousins nears, I am compelled to post a school of links that will hopefully offset the ocean of hypocrisy I am thrown into by paying steep ticket prices to view the … Continue reading →

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Reveries

Posted on August 9, 2011 by PB Rippey

I’ve been seeing so many people from my past lately—I mean the past past, hazy-rocketing back to elementary school and working up from there—and it’s affected my dreaming. I have hosted reunions in my dream homes, welcoming total strangers to parties … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Early Edition As Leaving Town For Environs W/No Internet)

Posted on August 5, 2011 by PB Rippey

If you believe, as the Greeks did, that man is at the mercy of the gods, then you write tragedy. The end is inevitable from the beginning. But if you believe that man can solve his own problems and is … Continue reading →

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Rocking Muses

Posted on August 4, 2011 by PB Rippey

YA Muses are having another contest/giveaway and all week have reposted tons of valuable writing advice. Their story is inspirational–seriously, check them out, especially today’s post. Really wish I was going to SCBWI-LA this year so I could meet them … Continue reading →

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Believe & Succeed

Posted on August 1, 2011 by PB Rippey

This month’s inspirational/motivational quote glaring at me on the calendar by my bed desk states the following (said in the throaty/heady voice Sir Ian McKellan uses when Gandalf): B E L I E V E  &  S U C C … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Sunday Post-Reveling W/Family Edition)

Posted on July 31, 2011 by PB Rippey

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life – to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. ~George Eliot

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Me and Us, Santa Barbara, To Explain | 1 Comment

Tra La La

Posted on July 28, 2011 by PB Rippey

And now there is no time to be afraid of anything as tomorrow my son and I once again head N.O.R.T.H. Our beach awaits. As do sisters and cousins and beachside cafes and grilled cheese sandwiches made by someone other … Continue reading →

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Avoidance: 10:30a.m.

Posted on July 27, 2011 by PB Rippey

Terrified to read my latest revisions, terrified to admit terror to self-terrorized Self, I have: Vacuumed, cleaned the parakeet’s cage, vacuumed, watered outside, worked out (oh the lengths my terror shoves me), and almost resorted to brushing the dog. Made … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Late Edition)

Posted on July 26, 2011 by PB Rippey

Because we visited friends over the weekend whose backyard is a mini-Disneyland, because of the heatwave, because of my son’s excitement over the rocket popsicles I made him, because I napped, read, slept in, let my revisions stew and did not … Continue reading →

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See World

Posted on July 18, 2011 by PB Rippey

Soon, this extremely amateur marine scientist, dolphin lover, anti-orcas-in-big-pools-putting-on-shows type, One Who Is Against Ray Petting Whether 2 Fingers Are Used Instead Of Your Whole Hand Or Not As You’re Still Diminishing The Ray’s Mucus Layer And Once That Happens They Get … Continue reading →

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Quote(s) For The Weekend (Carmageddon Edition)

Posted on July 16, 2011 by PB Rippey

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.  ~Peter De Vries The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.  ~Dudley Moore The longest journey begins with a … Continue reading →

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Watermelon People, For Instance

Posted on July 15, 2011 by PB Rippey

My head and my brain are still at the writing retreat, clicking away, processing vitals, etc. I hope they are enjoying themselves. I returned home with my son to a house packed with visitors both human and canine, dinner for 8 … Continue reading →

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The Baby Blessing (With Writers)

Posted on July 11, 2011 by PB Rippey

So the baby blessing took place in my mother’s faintly overgrown backyard, guests’ heads thunked by falling trumpet vine blossoms (they are as large and as heavy as some sandwiches), the mingling of shadows and vines and succulents forcing the … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend (Late Edition)

Posted on July 9, 2011 by PB Rippey

On Writing Retreats: “WTF!” —-Anonymous (but I happen to know she gets highlights in her hair)

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Retreat

Posted on July 6, 2011 by PB Rippey

Tomorrow I go off the grid and to my borrowed writing-house, get-away-pad, writing-retreat-with-fountain for a few days. Since there will be no wireless connection, I will revise sans the usual distractions (Facebook, The Pioneer Woman, Yahoo “News”, hulu) while my son eats … Continue reading →

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Quote For The Weekend: Holiday Edition

Posted on July 3, 2011 by PB Rippey

The American Flagfish (captured edition) The best way to enhance freedom in other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation. —Jimmy Carter

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When I Write

Posted on July 1, 2011 by PB Rippey

I might wake up many times during any night due to: Nightmares involving fedora-wearing aliens intent on making off with my son. The certainty that I have heard a loud noise, which means rising from bed and checking my son’s room and the rest … Continue reading →

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YA Muses Again

Posted on June 30, 2011 by PB Rippey

More good, interesting news at YA Muses. Now all four talented ladies will have books coming out in 2012. I love this! I love how they got together, kept communicating, started a blog. I love that they consistently share valuable … Continue reading →

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Going Home

Posted on June 26, 2011 by PB Rippey

The problem with zipping up to my hometown some weekends is not the going-home-traffic turning 75 miles into 750, not that I rarely get any writing done because of the endless activities, not the June gloom (kindly vanishing for the … Continue reading →

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Harsh Is Harsh

Posted on June 21, 2011 by PB Rippey

  Read the 30 Harshest Author-On-Author Insults In History, compiled by writer Emily Temple for Flavorwire: http://flavorwire.com/188138/the-30-harshest-author-on-author-insults-in-history Here are a few samples: 27. Harold Bloom on J.K. Rowling (2000) “How to read ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’? Why, very quickly, … Continue reading →

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How Do I Really Feel

Posted on June 20, 2011 by PB Rippey

When an agent lets me know why he/she is passing on my manuscript after a request to read more (but not all), do I honestly appreciate the feedback? Do I? As I morph into the spitting image of Munch’s scream subject (obviously a multiply … Continue reading →

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