Tag Archives: kidlit

Hearts on the Horizon

Posted on January 26, 2023 by PB Rippey

Hurtling towards February, my birthday month, I’m still writing every day thanks to Nephele Tempest’s December Writing Challenge AND I almost have my synopsis ready (though–are synopses ever really ready?) for my women’s fiction novel AND the synopses for my … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2023, cats and pets, December Writing Challenge, faction, kidlit, loglines, Middle Grade Fiction, Nephele Tempest, night owls, synopsis writing, women's fiction | Leave a comment

December Writing Challenge Results

Posted on January 16, 2023 by PB Rippey

December ’22 was a zephyr on steroids, for me. For you, too? And yet–Christmas Day passed in slow motion: walks, long phonecalls with out of town family, cooking-while-socializing (sans panic), everyone snoozing by 10pm (except for the gaming teenager). So–Nephele … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2023, adultlit, fiction writing, kidlit, Literary Agents, middle grade writing, Nephele Tempest, personal goals, Santa Barbara, womens fiction, writer, writing, Writing challenges, writing goals, Writing life | Leave a comment

O Loglines!

Posted on January 6, 2023 by PB Rippey

To be 100% honest, I hate writing them. I tell myself: fantastic writing exercise! Or: you’ve just written 5 potential maybe-winners! Or: it’s midnight WTH. And: time to pay somebody. Query letter, synopsis, logline are sometimes the ONLY bits in … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2023, fiction writer, kidlit, New Year Resolutions 2023, poetry 2023, proofreaders, query letter writing, synopsis writing, womens fiction, writing, writing loglines, writing resolutions, writing submissions | Leave a comment

Night Writing Paradise

Posted on January 3, 2023 by PB Rippey

If I was to write solely by night, every night I would want to do it here: Which is also here: Here: And especially here: Sadly, this installation is temporary. I did let them know I’d be happy to take … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2023, Christmas 2022, Descanso Gardens, Enchanted Lights 2022, fiction, fiction writing, kidlit, La Canada Flintridge, Middle Grade Fiction, New Year's 2023, Pasadena, personal goals, poetry, writer, writing | Leave a comment

JANUARY 1, 2023

Posted on January 1, 2023 by PB Rippey

HAPPY WRITING NEW YEAR! PB

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2023, cats, Childrens Literature, fiction writing, good books, Happy New Year 2023, kidlit, Middle Grade Fiction, Pets, womens fiction, writer, writing, writing for adults | 2 Comments

The Flexible Writing Schedule

Posted on December 29, 2022 by PB Rippey

I love when authors I admire share writing schedules/non-schedules. Most seem to have a set routine–which I marvel at as I tend to ricochet around the hours–or the hours ricochet around me when I’m at my computer. I’m most focused … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, cats, children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, how to write, kidlit, Literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, minivan moms, Pets, Puppies, teens, when to write, writing habits, writing kidlit, writing schedules | 2 Comments

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 26, 2022 by PB Rippey

Hope that on the 25th you were warm, dry (even if in an airport), or getting sunburned, but most of all SAFE. Yours in love, PB

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, Childrens Literature, Christmas 2022, Descanso Gardens, Enchanted Lights, fiction writing, Joy to the world 2022, kidlit, Los Angeles, Middle Grade Fiction, Puppies, Santa Barbara, womens fiction, writer | Leave a comment

Solstice Check-in

Posted on December 21, 2022 by PB Rippey

December 21st and I’ve written or revised novels every day this month except for 1, when I was in the throes of that chest cold going around. Still feeling the chest cold. Writing anyway, keeping to agent Nephele Tempest’s December … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, Christmas 2022, Christmas Miracles, fiction, fiction writing, Hamnet, kidlit, Lets' Write challenge, Los Angeles, Maggie O'Farrell, middle grade writing, Nephele Tempest, Puppies, Winter solstice 2022, writer | 2 Comments

O Holy Decor!

Posted on December 20, 2022 by PB Rippey

World’s tiniest Santa Claus tries to break into our house! Every night! Through January!

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2023, Christmas 2023, Christmas Decorations, fiction writing, kidlit, middle grade writing, Santa Claus 2023, writing | 4 Comments

SCBWI-LA and CenCal Writers Day ’22

Posted on October 20, 2022 by PB Rippey

So happy to finally attend in person again. Looking forward to seeing one of my favorite kidlit authors, librarian and conference host, Sally Rogan. Full day of mass-info-absorption in an inspiring environment. See you there. #WritersDay2022

Posted in Writing | Tagged #WritersDay2022, 2022, children's literature, fiction writing, kidlit, life, Los Angeles, Middle Grade Fiction, middle grade writing, personal goals, SCBWI, SCBWI-Central California Regions, SCBWI-Los Angeles, writing | Leave a comment

O Summer! (Goals Edition)

Posted on June 4, 2022 by PB Rippey

School’s out for summer! My giant goal–apart from making every Tuesday an outings-day for the teen, i.e. museums, Olvera St., 3rd Street Promenade, Zuma, downtown library, Vasquez Rocks, that room where you can go and break crockery for an hour, … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged #summer, 2022, Catios, fiction writing, kidlit, Los Angeles, MG fiction, summer vacation 2022, writing | 2 Comments

Buh-Bye November Nanowrimo

Posted on December 5, 2021 by PB Rippey

And how was your Nanowrimo? Mine was interspersed with vaccinations (see previous post for shingles vax info if you’re thinking about going for it). And, right before Thanksgiving, a family reunion in redwood forests near Santa Cruz, CA. I might … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, children's literature, fiction writing, kidlit, middle grade writing, Nanowrimo, redwood forests, Santa Cruz, Shingles Vaccine, writer, writing | Leave a comment

SCBWI Big Five-OH! Summer Conference

Posted on July 31, 2021 by PB Rippey

I’ve “been here” since Thursday morning. Et tu? A main event for me yesterday was class with one of my revered middle grade authors, Gary D. Schmidt, reminding/pointing out to writers the perhaps subtle, yet concrete importance of your novel’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged #kidlit, #SCBWIbigfiveoh, 2021, cats, Childrens Literature, David and Goliath, Dickens, Gary D. Schmidt, kidlit, novel writing, SCBWI Big Five-OH!, SCBWI Summer Conference 2021 | 2 Comments

SCBWI Summer Conference

Posted on May 24, 2021 by PB Rippey

My Covid-Recovery-Brain has suggested that my leaning back against bed-pillows and Zoom-ing into conference keynotes and panels and workshops might be especially beneficial for igniting synapses previously Covid-numbed. Especially since Gary D. Schmidt is participating this year. July 29 – … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged #childrensliterature, #kidlit, 2021, fiction writing, I miss Kauai, kidlit, SCBWI Big Five Oh, SCBWI Summer Conference 2021, writing | Leave a comment

SCBWI Events

Posted on March 15, 2021 by PB Rippey

A bright light in #stayhomestaysafe is being made aware (thanks to my SCBWI regional newsletter) of SCBWI regional events around the USA. Here are a couple I’m registered for: Austin, TX Webinar: To Plot or Not? , Tuesday 3/16 with … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, fiction writing, Jennifer Swanson, kidlit, middle grade writing, Newbery Awards, non-fiction writing, SCBWI, SCBWI-Los Angeles, Solve It!, STEMTeamBooks, The Night Diaries, Veera Hiranandani, writing | Leave a comment

SCBWI Winter 2021

Posted on January 12, 2021 by PB Rippey

I’m going. Are you?

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, Children's book publishing, Children's Books, children's literature, kidlit, Middle Grade Fiction, SCBWI, Writing life | Leave a comment

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

O First Pages (Retreat Edition)

Posted on November 8, 2019 by PB Rippey

The last event of the SCBWI Working Writer’s retreat consisted of 3 minutes allotted to each attendee to read aloud their first page of a manuscript. Professional critique was squeezed into that 3 minutes from a panel comprised of 4 … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, books, Cornelia Funke, E. Nesbit, First pages, Gary Schmidt, kidlit, life, Literature, Middle Grade Fiction, Philip Pullman, Rebecca Stead, Roal Dahl, SCBWI, SCBWI Working Writers Retreat, writing, Writing retreats | 3 Comments

Festival Weekend (creativity-obsessed edition)

Posted on April 15, 2019 by PB Rippey

Saturday morning, my husband and my middle-grade son zoomed to the Los Angeles Convention Center for its uber-serving of Minefaire. Minecraft. All. Day. While up the street at USC I attended the Los Angeles Festival Of Books. Mostly I hung … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, books, children's literature, Inspiration, kidlit, LA Times Festival Of Books 2019, Los Angeles, Middle Grade Fiction, Minecraft, Minefaire, S Jones Rogan, SCBWI | 1 Comment

~2019~

Posted on January 1, 2019 by PB Rippey

May the year be merry and bright and productive. And may I acquire a new laptop. And definitely completion of the current novel and definitely long before the end of this shiny new year. And may I continue to exercise … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2019, beaches, books, creativity, dreams, happy new year, Inspiration, kidlit, life, Middle Grade Fiction, writing | 4 Comments

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

O Europa!

Posted on October 10, 2018 by PB Rippey

Volunteering at my son’s school library means I get to help kids discover books they didn’t even know they wanted to read–and also means I can check out books without exceeding my son’s 5th grade (3 books per student) limit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2018, 5th rade, books, Earth, Europa, Family, history, Jupiter, kidlit, life, Literature, moons, movies, planets, school library, Solar system, Space, writing | 1 Comment