Category Archives: Me and Us

The Baby Blessing (With Writers)

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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Retreat

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

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

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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Going Home

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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Quote For The Weekend

PS. They’re real “I need an hour alone before dinner, with a drink, to go over what I’ve done that day. I can’t do it late in the afternoon because I’m too close to it. Also, the drink helps. It … Continue reading

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Piddlings

I printed out a “finished” poem and left it on the chair next to my bed desk. I left the room. When I returned, I discovered that fearless, scratches-inflicting, wild, out of control, great white shark-mouthed and terminally cute Diggory-The-Kitten had … Continue reading

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Monday Tussle

Welllllllll…Soooooooooooo…It’s one of those mornings when you use that refrain as you do a Trader Joe’s run, a shoestore run for the little guy, a Target run and a Lowe’s run because you can’t live without knowing if they have … Continue reading

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Notes From Here

Beach as mental equalizer (despite persistent wind). Impossible to crack open a book or uncap a pen here (though not because of wind). The way the sand is riled, looks as though whole, transportable cities (twirling towers of particles) are whisking … Continue reading

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New Muse

A kitten after my own heart. We have a new muse around here since Mother’s Day. He was this writer’s huge, completely unexpected, big-deal surprise. I’d forgotten how much joy kittens bring, endless chuckles for both adults and a little boy excited to … Continue reading

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No Whining

No whining when it’s hard to write/revise because: 1. because a dog charged your cats at 6:00a.m. and in her haste to control her animal, the owner, lunging across your front yard and bashing into the wall below your kitchen … Continue reading

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There’s No Place Like Hush

It’s April. I’m quiet. I’m revising. Being a vigilant mother. Cooking for house guests (i.e. Costco-ing for house guests). Hulu-ing Parenthood (help me, Obi Wan—it’s my only vice). Typing in my quips on Facebook (help me, O.W.—it’s my only other … Continue reading

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Welcome Vibrations

A striking thing happened this morning after dropping my son off at his preschool. I returned home, did not check email, vacuum up dog hair, make a Trader Joe’s list, stare intently at Yahoo news while groaning at the spelling … Continue reading

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Tides

Amazing minus tide Friday in Santa Barbara (coinciding with—or because of?—the Super Moon). I forgot my camera, but my sister had her phone and all its very cool, very smart apps. The wind was up, so we couldn’t stay long—my … Continue reading

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Fever!

I need the sort of writing fever that allows multi-tasking. I need to be able to be ill AND revise a novel and engage the 3 year old and toss the tennis ball for the dog, fold laundry, garden (i.e. yank … Continue reading

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Moon Night

Shawls of cool sea fog wafted along Anapamu Street just in time for the event, chilling the artists set up on the gallery’s front patio and across the way—in front of the hushed, monolithic library—attempting to capture the full moon … Continue reading

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Happy Resolutions!

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Writing Fever

It’s going to take longer for me to reach my number one goal. I can’t rush this revision, even if I wanted to. Yes, domestics ALWAYS come into play when it comes to writing, such as: My son’s flu, this … Continue reading

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Ready, Set, Write!

Preschool is a go! (See my other blog—or, not) I now have 3 hours 3 days a week to write. Am very confident that by next week (after the holiday excitement dies down around here) I will have my Number … Continue reading

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New Schedules

Suddenly it’s November 16th and my son and I have been attending preschool as his Mama transitions him into a new adventure three mornings a week. If all goes well and he enjoys preschool, my writing life will receive a … Continue reading

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Poet Distracted By Whales

Had to take a break from editing Trouble. Did so by editing a new poem. It’s almost 9p.m. My spouse has once again passed out with the toddler when putting him to bed. There is nothing to distract me from editing … Continue reading

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When You’re Writing…

My official “Trouble” roughhead blenny mascot returns The good news is, I haven’t been posting because I am going over Trouble Beneath The Waves. I do this while my son eats his meals. I do this when my husband returns … Continue reading

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SCBWI Writer’s Day

Trouble Beneath The Waves received a Special Mention at today’s SCBWI Writer’s Day. For some reason I thought winners of the contests (2 honorees in each category—Most Promising Manuscript and Special Mention) had already been announced and printed on the … Continue reading

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Writer’s Day Approach(eth)

I am ready to attend tomorrow’s SCBWI Writer’s Day in Thousand Oaks. I just finished submitting my printing order(s) to whatever Kinko’s is now called, so that I may swing by in the morning and pick up stuff that may … Continue reading

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Pack Leader

I have not posted of late. See picture on left. We brought him into our pack and I have been adjusting to the dog element as it relates to freaked out housecats and a toddler with beaucoup d’energy. Le French … Continue reading

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