Category Archives: Poetry

And The Seat Moved

Posted on January 22, 2013 by PB Rippey

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 2013, cats, dog, domestic bliss, fiction writing, labrador, personal goals, poetry, preschoolers, unicycle, writing | 4 Comments

Beach Break

Posted on January 14, 2013 by PB Rippey

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 2013, beach, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, ocean, poetry, preschoolers, Santa Barbara, writing | 4 Comments

This Just In

Posted on January 10, 2013 by PB Rippey

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 2013, Amy Gerstler, Good Luck Bar, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, martinis, personal goals, poetry, poetry readings, Rhapsodomancy, sidecars, T | 6 Comments

Reading List 2013 (So Far)

Posted on January 5, 2013 by PB Rippey

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 2013, Ann Patchett, Anne Lamott, Dave Eggers, Dragons Love Tacos, Edward P. Jones, fiction writing, Help Thanks Wow, Lisa O'Donnell, Maria Semple, poetry, The Death Of Bees, The Known World, Tina Fey, unicycles, Where'd You Go Bernadette, writing, YA Muses | 5 Comments

2013: Resolute

Posted on January 1, 2013 by PB Rippey

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 2013, beach, cats, chaos, children's literature, fiction writing, middle grade writing, ocean, personal goals, poetry, preK kids, writer, writer's angst, writing | 1 Comment

Quote For The Weekend: Christmas Poem Edition

Posted on December 23, 2012 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2012, fiction writing, poetry, writing | Leave a comment

Beads, Snowflakes, Hopeful Friends

Posted on December 17, 2012 by PB Rippey

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 2012, beads, CT, hope, Newtown, snowflakes, writing | 1 Comment

And There Is A Storm And Here Is A Cat

Posted on October 29, 2012 by PB Rippey

Locust After the midnight bell, the battered book closed, flame of the inherited candle snuffed, we recover from stifling night, erasing radical dream-dyes we will never share (though not because we are secretive) and we remember I’ve just returned from … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Poetry | Tagged 2012, cats, fiction, fiction writing, locust, poetry, storm, writing | 3 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (About Ends Edition)

Posted on October 14, 2012 by PB Rippey

I really don’t think life is about the I-could-have-beens. Life is only about the I-tried-to-do. I don’t mind the failure but I can’t imagine that I’d forgive myself if I didn’t try. —Nikki Giovanni Recently Write Naked posted this quote … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Quotes, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged 2012, Alison Lurie, John Steinbeck, Nikki Giovanni, poetry, quotes on writing, Slyvia Plath, The Truth About Lorin Jones, writing | 2 Comments

What Beauty Gets You

Posted on August 28, 2012 by PB Rippey

I returned from Big Sur with a line in my head that needed to be inserted into a poem I’m working on. I am lucky the line didn’t leave me, creative synapses firing long and repeatedly enough for me to … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, ocean related, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged 2012, Andrew Molera, beach, Big Sur, earthquakes, fiction, Hearst Castle, middle grade writing, Morro Bay, mule deer, ocean, Pfeiffer Beach, poetry, preschoolers, San Simeon, sea otters, tsunamis, writing | 4 Comments

Quote For The Weekend: Robinson Jeffers (Early Edition)

Posted on August 23, 2012 by PB Rippey

To feel greatly, and understand greatly, and express greatly, the natural Beauty, is the sole business of poetry. The rest’s diversion: those holy or noble sentiments, the intricate ideas, The love, lust, longing: reasons, but not the reason. —Robinson Jeffers … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, ocean related, Poetry, Writer quotes, Writing | Tagged 2012, beach, Beauty, Big Sur, Carmel, poetry, Robinson Jeffers, Tor House, writing | 6 Comments

Snow White Revisited (Part I)

Posted on August 13, 2012 by PB Rippey

And just like that, 2 hours of sitting in traffic was replaced by the type of couch that swallows you in a smooth, nerves-loosening manner, windows looking out on lush greenery, walls hung tastefully in my sister’s collection of California plein air, … Continue reading →

Posted in Faction, Fiction, Poetry, poetry reading, Santa Barbara, Writing | Tagged 2012, fiction writing, ocean, poetry, Santa Barbara, snow white, writing | 7 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (Yet Another “Revision” Edition)

Posted on July 29, 2012 by PB Rippey

I work hard, I work very hard. All the books at leat 30 revisions. —Ha Jin In working on a poem, I love to revise. Lots of younger poets don’t enjoy this, but in the process of revision I discover … Continue reading →

Posted in ocean related, Poetry, Santa Barbara, Writer quotes, Writing | Tagged 2012, beach, children's literature, Ernest Hemingway, fiction, Ha Jin, John Irving, middle grade writing, ocean, poetry, preschoolers, quotes on writing, Rita Dove, T.S. Eliot, Viggo, writing | Leave a comment

Deep Summer Checkpoint

Posted on July 25, 2012 by PB Rippey

Two summers ago I wrote: I create escape beneath my yard’s wind- bent gazebo, books on spread gingham, the shrunk house I dragged into our shade, ticking stove, stranger’s voice in the toy wall phone he refuses. Create with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Poetry, Writer quotes, Writing | Tagged 2012, children's literature, domestic bliss, E.B. White, fiction, fiction writing, Joyce Carol Oates, Ken Follet, palominos, poetry, preschoolers, quotes on writing, revision, toddlers, writing | 1 Comment

Not San Diego (Luckily)

Posted on July 5, 2012 by PB Rippey

Posted in Children's Books, Poetry, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2012, 4th of July, kettle corn, preschoolers, San Diego fireworks, Warner Center fireworks | 4 Comments

Askew In The Valley

Posted on June 26, 2012 by PB Rippey

My poem is out in Askew Poetry Journal’s Issue #12 Spring/Summer 2012 (here’s the link to Askew in case you’re interested in submitting or subscribing). They also have a Facebook page with samples of poetry from this issue. Dorothea Grossman’s poems are a delight … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Quotes, Writing, Writing Publications | Tagged 2012, Askew Poetry Journal, Dorothea Grossman, Holly Prado, poetry, sonnets, writing | 2 Comments

Trickle-Down Poem For May (Thank You, April)

Posted on May 1, 2012 by PB Rippey

Full Flower Moon May (mostly), the petticoat swirl of rising pink meadow, petite showers, buds. I say: rose, peony, phlox. And I say: petal- shorn, plucked, blown until only the head remains, one pale sticky oval crushed by u- niverse … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2012, Full moons, May, poetry, writer, writing | 4 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (Roadtrip Edition)

Posted on April 19, 2012 by PB Rippey

What is the feeling when you’re driving away from people, and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? -it’s the too huge world vaulting us, and it’s good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Poetry, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged 2012, Jack Kerouac, On The Road, poetry, USC, writing | 3 Comments

Tulip Red Umbrella

Posted on April 17, 2012 by PB Rippey

In case you missed it, Carol Muske Dukes has an appreciation of Adrienne Rich right here, in the Sunday, 4/16/12 edition of the LA Times. There you will find reference to a tulip red umbrella and its owner. Speaking of Carol, … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writer quotes, Writing | Tagged 2012, Adrienne Rich, Carol Muske Dukes, Kindle Fire, LA Times, Pink Tuxedos, poetry, preschoolers, Rita Dove, Rocklin, Spring Spirit 2012, YA Muses | Leave a comment

Switched Hats

Posted on April 5, 2012 by PB Rippey

All week I’ve taken a break from my children’s novels in order to scour my grownup novel—a few chapters a night. I have revised as I’ve read (of course), refusing to backtrack until I make it to The End. Or—something mostly kind … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Children's Books, Fiction, ocean related, Poetry, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2012, beach, children's literature, fiction writing, ocean, personal goals, Plot and structure, poetry, preschoolers, writer's block | 3 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (Rich Edition)

Posted on March 31, 2012 by PB Rippey

Sleeping, turning in turn like planets rotating in their midnight meadow: a touch is enough to let us know we’re not alone in the universe, even in sleep… —Adrienne Rich Diving Into The Wreck made such an impression on me … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Quotes, Writer quotes | Tagged 2012, Adrienne Rich, Diving Into The Wreck, poetry, writing | 2 Comments

Brief Blog Break

Posted on March 27, 2012 by PB Rippey

I am stamping the blog with a poem instead of PB’s impressions as I prepare to hoof it out of town. Hoping that this get-away reboots my brain and produces thousands of words as I work on a certain bit of sequel. T … Continue reading →

Posted in ocean related, Poetry, Santa Barbara, Writing | Tagged 2012, beach, fiction writing, poetry, preschoolers, Santa Barbara, writer's retreat | 1 Comment

Quote For The Weekend (Poem Edition That May Last Until Next Weekend Due To Secret Project, Beautifying The Ponderosa & After Effects Of Polishing Off Box Of Birthday See’s Candy & Snickers Bar Cake—Which Created The Most Hyper Preschooler On The Planet)

Posted on February 24, 2012 by PB Rippey

This poem won me a fellowship to the Abroad Writers’ Conferences. I debated thoroughly utilizing the generous benefits of my fellowship and hightailing it to Thailand, especially as my dear, cool, ever-fascinating friend Chris Abani was a workshop leader and how … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Poetry, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2012, Abroad Writers Conferences, Chiang Mai, Nightmares With Moons, poetry, preschoolers, Pudding House, Thailand, writer's retreat, writing | 1 Comment

And Fire

Posted on February 6, 2012 by PB Rippey

Heretic? Yes. However, one thing is certain: having a Kindle Fire will not stop me from buying books. Ever. Actual books, not the virtual kind that pale and irritate on the screen when compared to the hearty, my precious, real deals … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2012, children's literature, Kindle Fire, personal goals, revision, The New Yorker, writing goals | 2 Comments

Speaking Of Poetry

Posted on January 23, 2012 by PB Rippey

Askew , a poetry journal, accepted a poem of mine for their May issue. It’s nice to have an acceptance so early in the year, providing me with impetus to keep submitting my work even when the day starts at … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2012, Askew poetry, Marsha de la O, personal goals, poetry, Ventura, writing | 4 Comments