Category Archives: Writing

Longlist: Mslexia Short Story Competition

Posted on November 15, 2024 by PB Rippey

I was just informed that my short story, PLAYING DEAD made the longlist for the Mslexia 2024 short story prize. I luff Mslexia. This is a big deal for me. The best part is I can tell my teen about … Continue reading →

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Tumultuous Times Pre-Nov 5

Posted on October 29, 2024 by PB Rippey

So here are happy pictures. Happy scrolling. Happy voting.Cast: hummer, Bby Darwin, Arlo doggy, Shadow cat, Kaia (RIP), Valencia mtns., etc.

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Welsh Cakes (Delectables Edition)

Posted on September 30, 2024 by PB Rippey

Placing in the SCBWI Sue Alexander Grant Competition tossed me into a novel-revising fever since my last post, interrupted by actual fever/flu and the teen getting fever/flu during the same week the husband got Covid and was quarantined in our … Continue reading →

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3rd Place Honor

Posted on August 16, 2024 by PB Rippey

My middle grade novel TROUBLE BENEATH THE WAVES placed 3rd in this year’s SCBWI Sue Alexander Grant competition. Woo hoo! Per SCBWI’s Kite Tales: “A beachside setting and strong voice help set Trouble Beneath the Waves apart. The middle-grade excerpt by PB … Continue reading →

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Creating Update

Posted on August 2, 2024 by PB Rippey

Helloooo, August. I write 6-7 days/week, but it was extremely challenging to haul my butt into the office chair for most of July as I’ve been grieving for my girl Kaia. We adopted her at 10 weeks old, she developed … Continue reading →

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Follow Mary Averling

Posted on July 9, 2024 by PB Rippey

So much focus these days on first pages of mss and I maintain my opinion that it CAN take more than a first page to keep a reader reading and that there’s nothing wrong with that, however, the first page … Continue reading →

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Summer Loss

Posted on July 8, 2024 by PB Rippey

Kaia was 6 weeks old when she was snatched from her mom/siblings and thrust upon a single-dude who had never had a pet before by a friend convinced single-dude needed a puppy to make his single-dude life better. Yeah. Don’t … Continue reading →

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Fire: Post/Gorman, CA

Posted on June 18, 2024 by PB Rippey

I was hoping we were safe from fire activity until at least September due to our last rainy winter/spring. Nope! I’ve grown up with forest fires, have family members who have lost houses–yes, plural– to CA forest fires, am aware … Continue reading →

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I Heart Research

Posted on June 4, 2024 by PB Rippey

Research project happening as I revise the 1st 1/2 of my new middle grade novel. Sometimes I procrastinate waaaaaay too much about what it is I think I should research, only to get my butt in my office chair, begin … Continue reading →

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Challenges

Posted on May 29, 2024 by PB Rippey

Tiny violin on repeat this week and it’s only Wednesday, novel revisions continue, my teen takes his final school final tomorrow, camping at Lake Tahoe is scant weeks away (teen has never been camping), the dog’s blood test results are … Continue reading →

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Madness!

Posted on May 7, 2024 by PB Rippey

A devoted genre-jumper, today I’m focusing on one of my novels-for-adults. The following quotes are keeping me on track as I revise, sipping a Nespresso-espresso that may keep my eyes open at bedtime. “What is madness but nobility of soul … Continue reading →

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MAE RESPICIO’S: ISABEL IN BLOOM

Posted on April 17, 2024 by PB Rippey

Mae’s new book was recently released. I’m halfway through and highly recommend it. Beautiful, sincere writing offering direct connection/insight into the novel’s young heroine as she navigates a brand new life in San Francisco, CA. Mae was my workshop leader … Continue reading →

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‘Rough’ Words = Cat Bedding

Posted on April 11, 2024 by PB Rippey

Here is Shadow snoozing on draft #10000000000000000000… Yours in almost TGIF, PBInstagram: @pbrippey1

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Launchings

Posted on April 2, 2024 by PB Rippey

Been busy since this post, meeting self-imposed deadlines and requests for my writing. But now it’s spring break for my teen. Not going on a lengthy trip this year (last year: Route 66/Mitchell Caverns and other oddities). Instead we’re visiting … Continue reading →

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Prep: SCBWI Writers Day 2024

Posted on February 27, 2024 by PB Rippey

Writers Day 2024 is my favorite SCBWI annual event as it’s held at the Skirball (therefore sentimental–when my teen was a toddler I took him to the museum’s Noah’s Ark exhibit, often). Lunch is included with the price and is … Continue reading →

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Conference Wrap-Up

Posted on February 15, 2024 by PB Rippey

My only criticism of this conference: No critique groups should have been held in the lobby/lounge area of the hotel. The noise level there was distressing. Critique groups held in faculty suites should have been the norm (deeper critique shared … Continue reading →

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Conference Time

Posted on February 10, 2024 by PB Rippey

2nd day, Big Sur Children’s Writers Workshops held not in Big Sur–Hwy 1 such a mess this time of year–but in Monterey, 4.5 hrs from home. I arrived in Monterey with my husband the day before the conference started. Mini-break … Continue reading →

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Cannery Row & Pacific Grove

Posted on February 9, 2024 by PB Rippey

Pre-kidlit conference exploration of Cannery Row and dinner in Pacific Grove. Visiting Pacific Marine Laboratories never gets old as I can never not seem to romanticize Ed Ricketts. Never actually explored neighboring P. Grove before–its views are, to plop a … Continue reading →

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All The Lovely Prepping

Posted on February 7, 2024 by PB Rippey

This weekend is the Big Sur Children’s Writing Workshops/conference in Monterey. I’m going up a day early. But first is house-prep, setting up the guest room for my inlaws, baking stuff for the ravenous teen for the entire 3.5 days … Continue reading →

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SCBWI Retreat (San Simeon Edition)

Posted on January 20, 2024 by PB Rippey

I’ve been successful in tearing my eyes away from the ocean in order to revise my new novel, the same I’m taking to the Big Sur Children’s Writing Workshops and that placed (tooting my horn again) in the SCBWI Sue … Continue reading →

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Writing Retreat!

Posted on January 19, 2024 by PB Rippey

January is good.

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Happy New Year

Posted on January 2, 2024 by PB Rippey

Hummingbird on a branch, seen on my first powerwalk of 2024. The only bird that can fly backwards. Did you know they also catch insects with their whip-tongues? Yours in birds as symbols of hope in 2024 (except when crows … Continue reading →

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NYE 2024

Posted on December 31, 2023 by PB Rippey

Survived Trader Joe’s this morning (oh–you too?). Watched closely by the cats, occasionally removing them from boxes, we de-Christmased the house. “WHAT ALREADY???” my friend texted. But we’ve had Christmas since 11/23, when we decorated our faux tree. As much … Continue reading →

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Posted on December 28, 2023 by PB Rippey

Happy Everything Nice as we rocket towards 2024! Yours in beloveds, PB

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Noel

Posted on December 17, 2023 by PB Rippey

When I close my laptop and the house isn’t stirring, not even a cat (or a teen), tiredx10 from walking the crazy girl earlier in the day, bleary-eyed from revising topics I must believe in because I keep on writing … Continue reading →

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