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PB learns to ride the unicycle!
UPDATE: my unicycle hangs from a hook in our garage. Sometimes I tell it: I'll be back.January 1, 2025-
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Tag Archives: fiction
Author Interview #1: Bridget Hoida And SO LA
Introducing Bridget Hoida, whose first novel, So LA, is due out in bookstores June 20th. I happen to personally know that Bridget is brilliant, but I can also tell you without a hint of bias that she writes about Los Angeles with … Continue reading
Posted in books, Fiction, Writing
Tagged 2012, Bridget Hoida, California, fiction, fiction writing, Joan Didion, Los Angeles, Michael Ventura, Robert McKee, So LA, writing
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Wrinkly Time, Melamine
I recently discovered that anything made of melamine, i.e., my preschooler’s plates and bowls, should not be tossed into the dishwasher. Ever. And if you make a knife cut in melamine? Chances are toxins will seep into your child’s food. … Continue reading
Posted in Adult writing, books, Children's Books, Fiction, Madonna, Writing, Writing Progress
Tagged 2012, children's literature, fencing, fiction, fiction writing, life, London, Marcel Proust, melamine, Molly Ringwold, preschoolers, Swann's Way, yoga
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Short Story Writing Drama
Because I’ve been a Glimmer Train Finalist several times and, once, long ago, when GT published poetry, a Top 25 Finalist, and because, of course, GT is one of the best fiction journals in the country, I subscribe and receive … Continue reading
Quote For The Weekend (Super Late Richard Henry Dana, Jr. Edition)
“The Californians are an idle, thriftless people, and can make nothing for themselves. The country abounds in grapes, yet they buy, at a great price, bad wine made in Boston…” ―Richard Henry Dana, Jr. Well, Sir—we’ve come a long way. … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Quotes, Writer quotes, Writing
Tagged 2012, beach, Dana Point, fiction, ocean, preschoolers, quotes on writing, Richard Henry Dana, Two Years Before The Mast
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Critique Etiquette
The ever-interesting Beth Hull offers some valuable critiquing advice at her blog today. I highly recommend you check in–especially if, like me, you are gearing up for the Rocklin Spring Spirit conference, where critiquing will be in the air, … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Writing, Writing Tips
Tagged 2012, Beth Hull, CA, Critique Etiquette, fiction, How To Critique, Rocklin, Spring Spirit Conference, Susan Rich, writing, Writing Critique
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Quote For The Weekend (Christmas Edition)
The best sitting room at Manor Farm was a good, long, dark-panelled room with a high chimney-piece, and a capacious chimney, up which you could have driven one of the new patent cabs, wheels and all. At the upper end … Continue reading
Posted in books, Children's Books, Quotes, Writing
Tagged 2011, Charles Dickens, children's literature, fiction, writing
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Quote For The Weekend (Late Edition As was Ocean-Distracted–Luckily It’s Never Too Late For Quotes)
“One of my favourite places to read was my elder brother’s bedroom. It was a tiny room with a bed, a chest-of-drawers, bookcases full of books, and shelves where he kept his seashells, butterflies, pressed wild flowers and microscope, because … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, middle grade, Quotes, Writing
Tagged 2011, beach, children's literature, fiction, Joan Aiken, middle grade writing, ocean, The Cuckoo Tree
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DUMMY
I have a new special writing/revising trick. Starting with the first three chapters of my novel, I copy and paste them into a brand new fresh document, print, then edit/revise/correct/read-aloud/enhance/make-marvelous, etc. I throw the hardcopy edits into the brand new … Continue reading
Quote For The Weekend (Late Edition Due To—Due To—Hm? Wot? Is Someone Speaking? I CAN’T HEAR YOU!)
I made up my mind at the beginning of my writing life not to write about my family and friends, since I want them to remain my family and friends. Others, it seems, have come to a similar conclusion. The … Continue reading
Posted in Fiction, Writing
Tagged 2011, Carol Shields, fiction, fiction writing, The Stone Diaries, writer, writer's angst, writer's block, writing
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Book Rave
I’m only 1/3 of the way in, if that, and: I love it. I judged a book by its cover and my decision is utterly paying off. I’ve read W.G. Sebald. So instead of my brows flying up in consternation/skepticism upon … Continue reading
Posted in books, Fiction, Writing
Tagged 2011, fiction, fiction writing, Ransom Riggs, teen drama, W.G. Sebald, weird books, writing
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Quote For The Weekend: Lifted Edition
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
Posted in Adult writing, Fiction, Quotes, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing
Tagged 2011, fiction, fiction writing, personal goals, writer, writer's angst, writing
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Quote For The Weekend (Early Edition As Leaving Town For Environs W/No Internet)
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
Posted in Adult writing, books, Fiction, Quotes, Writing
Tagged 2011, fiction, Lillian Hellman, writer, writer's angst, writing
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Believe & Succeed
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
Posted in Fiction, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress
Tagged 2011, fiction, fiction writing, hobbits, movies, personal goals, quotes, writing
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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
Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Poetry, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF
Tagged 2011, cats, chaos, children's literature, dog, domestic bliss, domestics, fiction, fiction writing, labrador, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, toddlers, writer, writer's angst, writer's block, writing
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Harsh Is Harsh
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
Posted in Adult writing, Fiction, Writer's Angst, Writing, WTF
Tagged 2011, fiction, fiction writing, writer's angst, writing
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How Do I Really Feel
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
Quote For Saturday
Easy reading is damn hard writing. ~Nathaniel Hawthorne
Posted in books, Fiction, Writing, WTF
Tagged 2011, fiction, fiction writing, writer, writing
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Contest Winner
In a previous post I mentioned the YA Muses were holding a very generous contest. Winners would have the first 15 pages of their WIP or NIPR (novel in perpetual revision) read by one of the Muses. The grand prize … Continue reading
PB Rippey Writes 
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