Category Archives: books

SCBWI WRITERS DAY 2020

Posted on February 4, 2020 by PB Rippey

UPDATE: EVENT CANCELED (but you probably already know this) Stay safe, self-quarantine as much as you can, take deep breaths, don’t watch too much news, CALM is a great meditation app, hydrate, catch up on reading the tower of books … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Writing | Tagged 2020, books, COVID-19, kidlit, Literature, Noah's Ark Skirball, SCBWI, SCBWI Writers Day 2020, Skirball Cultural Center, tweens | 1 Comment

Winter Busy

Posted on December 29, 2019 by PB Rippey

As the countdown to 2020 begins, I wonder how it is I forgot how busy the holiday season is. VERY busy. We’ve: been to Santa Barbara and back, hosted relatives and their little dogs, hosted a Christmas party, followed a vital … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Me and Us, Writing | Tagged 2019, Christmas 2019, Elizabeth Lake, Hanukkah 2019, Inspiration, Joy, life, Los Angeles, New Year, Santa Barbara, Snow Day 2019, snowman, Valencia | 4 Comments

Poem

Posted on November 13, 2019 by PB Rippey

Flawbag There is the girl, woman this 3:02p.m., midway on twinkling crosswalk. Her voice thumps her hip, tucked in a dropped- bottom bag working on its 5th shoulder strap. Walk-lope: she doesn’t like you, though it is doubtful she could … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2019, books, humanity, Inspiration, life, poetry, whothefuckcares, WTF | Leave a comment

Birthday Alarms

Posted on February 25, 2019 by PB Rippey

I was wide awake before Monday’s morning alarm chimed, plotting what errands I would accomplish, in what order– when my brain was hit with edits to my novel-in-progress. I threw back the covers and staggered for the dining room table, … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2019, 4, Action dolls, birthdays, cats, Dogs, domestics, faction, fiction, kids, novel writing, RGB, writing fiction | 3 Comments

Octopus Garden

Posted on February 8, 2019 by PB Rippey

Because of my love for the ocean and its creatures, I aspire to hosting this kind of ocean-themed party (thus avoiding my fear of scuba diving, while still having a great time, and without attracting great white sharks–no matter their … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Faction, Fiction, fish, Writing | Tagged 2019, fears, Joy, kite festivals, kites, ocean, Octopuses, scuba diving | Leave a comment

Rain Or Shine: Strike On

Posted on January 17, 2019 by PB Rippey

A couple of weeks before the strike, I was John Snow: I knew nothing. There are always excuses I can credit a busy mother. But everyone is busy. I simply wish I had paid any attention to events leading up … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2019, art, Beutner, books, Caputo-Pearl, Family, humanity, Inspiration, life, Teachers strike, UTLA, UTLA Strike, writing | Leave a comment

Ho!

Posted on December 18, 2018 by PB Rippey

Busy keeping my butt in a seat this week before Christmas (see everything Anne Lamott has ever written about the writing process). My son is under-the-weather, and while his feeling sick is not great, we are taking advantage of the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Me and Us, ocean related, Writing | Tagged 2018, Anne Lamott, beach, books, Christmas 2018, Christmas crackers, Family, glee, Literature, Middle Grade Fiction, stupid slippers, tamales, writing | Leave a comment

Hunting

Posted on October 29, 2018 by PB Rippey

230am, the dog’s nose a wet Q-tip on my ear, his drunk-carny’s breath. I rise, stumble to the patio door, let him out. Waiting, I realize my right foot is wet. I panic: blood? Cat vomit. I stumble to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2018, bad guys, books, cats, chocolate chip pancakes, coffee, Dogs, domestics, faction, Family, fiction, insomnia, Inspiration, life, Literature, Mary Louise Parker, poetry, Tarantino, Tom Selleck, writing, WTF | Leave a comment

Dav Pilkey in Redondo Beach

Posted on October 23, 2018 by PB Rippey

Whenever it was tickets first went on sale for this event? Stayed up until 12:01a.m. so that I could be one of the first to nab them. Can I just say–I’m glad I was a night owl as the event … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged animals, books, Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey, Dog Man books, Family, Inspiration, kidlit, Literature, middle grade novels, movies, Redondo Beach, Thanks, writing | 3 Comments

Lost Time

Posted on July 3, 2018 by PB Rippey

Yesterday I was driving home from Trader Joe’s, my mind deep in my novel. I am SO close to finishing it I can see the end and I was excited about what I was seeing. Then a street sign yanked … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, Inspiration, life, Literature, middle grade writing, Trader Joe's, writing | 2 Comments

This Happened (Dolphin Edition)

Posted on April 12, 2018 by PB Rippey

The last day of my son’s Spring Break, I took him whale watching. The only thing missing from this cloudy + exceptional day was my husband, who had to work, but he was adamant that my son and I get … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Me and Us, ocean related, Writing | Tagged 2018, animals, art, Beaked common dolphin, books, California, Family, Inspiration, life, Pacific Ocean, quotes, Weather, Whale Watching, writing | 2 Comments

SCBWI Los Angeles Writers Day 2018

Posted on February 21, 2018 by PB Rippey

I’m going. Are you? Gary D. Schmidt is giving the keynote. That’s right, author of one of my favorite YA books: ‘The Wednesday Wars’. You’ve probably already read it, but here’s the SCBWI GDS Interview from 2/16/18. I especially … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2018, books, Gary D. Schmidt, Inspiration, LA Writers Day 2018, Literature, Middle Grade Fiction, SCBWI, Susan Orlean, The Wednesday Wars, Twitter, writing, YA Novels | 1 Comment

Home

Posted on December 29, 2017 by PB Rippey

Usually I’m the one taking our kid on a road trip and usually during the summer, but this week my husband took our kid on a road trip for 2 days to visit family up north and I was suddenly: … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2017, animals, books, California, cats, Christmas Decorations, Descanso Gardens, Dogs, dreams, Earth, Echo Park, Family, Griffith Observatory, Health, humanity, Joni Mitchell, kittens, life, Literature, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Madonna Inn, movies, Thanks, writing | 1 Comment

Fire Update

Posted on December 21, 2017 by PB Rippey

It’s always an emotional rush to post great news: All evacuations have been lifted in the Santa Barbara fire zones (see previous post pbwrites). Best news, best news. In my little bit of the valley it’s blowing like heck again. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2017, animals, box turtles, California, cats, Family, family life, Health, humanity, Inspiration, kittens, life, Literature, santa ana winds, santa barbara fires, Thanks, writing | 1 Comment

Disaster Adjacent (Eavesdropping Edition)

Posted on September 6, 2017 by PB Rippey

Time: 1:00p.m. Temperature: 109 & rising I was in Trader Joe’s for last minute holiday weekend supplies. I don’t usually notice conversations going on around me in Trader Joe’s as I squint at my list, trying to remember what I … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faction, Me and Us, Writing | Tagged 2017, Climate Change, climate science, Earthquake kits, Extreme weather, Flooding, heatwaves, Hurricane Harvey, La Tuna Cyn Fire, life, Malibu, Reseda, Trader Joe's | Leave a comment

Where I Discovered Poetry Last Weekend

Posted on May 25, 2017 by PB Rippey

Here: And here: How my family inspired me last weekend? Via this: And this: And this: What it feels like to finish a pre-mini-vacation writing goal and move to the next? This: Came down with the flu upon returning from family shenanigans. However, today … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, flu, graduation, Health, humanity, life, Literature, novels, Pets, Sacramento Delta, swimming pools, UC Davis Med School, writing | 1 Comment

Third Eye (April Edition w/Cat)

Posted on April 28, 2017 by PB Rippey

Woke up at 430am, pressed on with the last 40 pages of revision, my 3rd eye drowsy, but game. Now that I’m wide awake, overly caffeinated and the little boy is at school and the husband is off to heroic … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, Pets, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, cats, Critique, Family, Literature, middle grade writing, Muses, Pets, poetry, revision, The New Yorker, Third Eye, writing | 2 Comments

Heat Wave Revision

Posted on April 21, 2017 by PB Rippey

Today’s spring temperature high is predicted as: 86F. Which, in my sweltering valley, probably means: at least 90F. If not more. The MG novel I’m almost finished revising (this time around) has everything to do with global warming, pollution, the (mis)use … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2017, Climate Change, crab claws, fish, global warming, middle grade writing, Santa Barbara, sea life, spring | 2 Comments

SCBWI-LA Writers & Illustrators Day 2017 (Links Edition)

Posted on March 20, 2017 by PB Rippey

I was asked by SCBWI-LA to write about my experience at the recent WID. The piece is up on the Kite Tales blog. 1, 2, 3: LINK. Such a luxury for me to discard certain hats (taxi-mama, chef of sorts, … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2017, books, Kate Messner, life, Lisa Cron, Literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, Picture Books, SCBWI, SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day, Skirball Cultural Center, Wired for Story, Writers Conferences, writing | 2 Comments

Healing By Degrees (FB Edition)

Posted on February 18, 2017 by PB Rippey

“What wound did ever heal but by degrees?” —-WS, Othello I’m talking Snapchattish-brief degrees. My impatience won out. I weeded Facebook ‘friends’ after the election and the first peaceful march–in which I marched, peacefully, surrounded by like minds. After this weeding and … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, books, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged #45, 2017, books, California, Climate Change, Cute animal pix, Earth, Facebook, Family, history, humanity, JK Rowling, life, Michelle Obama, NRDC, NY Times, Othello, Planned Parenthood, Shakespeare, Tribbles, WaPo, weeding, writing | 1 Comment

Hearts

Posted on February 14, 2017 by PB Rippey

Just. So. Simply. Timely. And simply nice.

Posted in Adult writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, animals, California, dolphin heart, Earth, Family, hearts, humanity, life, Literature, Thanks, valentine's day, writing | Leave a comment

SCBWI

Posted on December 11, 2016 by PB Rippey

Have you registered for the (Los Angeles chapter) SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day 2017? It’s happening February 25th at the Skirball Cultural Center, a venue I once frequented in order to exercise my former toddler in the intriguingly lit Noah’s Ark … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2016, children's literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, Mulholland Dr, Noah's Ark, Picture Book writing, SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day, Skirball Cultural Center, Writer resources | Leave a comment

Island Infusion

Posted on October 24, 2016 by PB Rippey

Recently a boat deposited me on Santa Rosa Island for a few days, one of a handful of remote scapes comprising the Channel Islands National Park . I traveled with a geologist, an art dealer and two canvas artists who … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Santa Barbara, Writing | Tagged 2016, Bear Mountain, books, California, California orogeny, camping, Channel Islands National Park, Earth, Eowyn Ivey, history, humanity, John McPhee, John Muir, life, Literature, novels, Pacific Ocean, Plein Air, Sant Rosa Island, Teddy Roosevelt, Thanks, Whiskey, Wow, writing | 1 Comment

Boo On Drugs

Posted on October 6, 2016 by PB Rippey

I wrote in a frenzy from 10 a.m. to 1:00p.m., then lay down for a nap before zooming to fetch my 3rd grader from school, but my iPhone was on mute, so I didn’t hear the alarm, but I did hear, … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2016, art, books, Emily Dickinson, Family, Halloween, hope, humanity, life, Literature, Los Angeles, Muses, Sexy Mama, Ventura Blvd., Zen | Leave a comment

Louise Penny

Posted on October 3, 2016 by PB Rippey

Where has Louise Penny been all my life? I was completely not swept up, but vacuumed into A Great Reckoning and have since been binge reading the Chief Inspector Gamache novels–but I have to say, so far the other books … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, books, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2016, art, books, Canada, Chief Inspector Gamache, Dogs, Literature, Louise Penny, Murder mysteries, Muses, Three Pines, writing | 2 Comments