Tag Archives: life

Christmas 2025

Posted on December 29, 2025 by PB Rippey

If your Fall/Winter was challenging, too, here are photos from mine that keep my chin up and my imagination flowing. e, PB

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More Good (Shh) News

Posted on July 9, 2025 by PB Rippey

August 1st I’ll be able to post good news about my historical fiction novel. In the meantime, I continue to revise my work and: sequester pets in the guestroom as workers repair water damage from a leak spanning 2 floors. … Continue reading →

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Puppy Summer

Posted on June 19, 2025 by PB Rippey

My house still has a hole in the dining room ceiling, the upstairs bathroom has no walls, puppy only mostly uses his potty pads, cats are freaked by puppy and WILL PEE on his leash if it’s left lying around, … Continue reading →

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M’s DAY 2025

Posted on May 14, 2025 by PB Rippey

My husband told a joke at the dinner table and I spit out my salad from laughing and looked up trying to swallow and there was an amber stripe on the ceiling from a leak in the teen’s bathroom upstairs … Continue reading →

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Rain=Writing Weather

Posted on March 19, 2025 by PB Rippey

March is: first consistent rains since January’s wildfire evacuation. Terrible for burn zones, desperately needed for upcoming dry seasons. March is: positive writing news I’m not allowed to share, yet. March is: writing schedule–9am to 1pm (also 4am or 7am, … Continue reading →

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December Decor

Posted on December 9, 2024 by PB Rippey

My stocking is hung with extra special care. Also, still reeling from the Mslexia longlist notification. Yours in hope and creativity and a reminder that if your unicycle, like mine, is still hanging from your garage rafters since 2019, maybe … Continue reading →

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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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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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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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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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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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INSERT HO-HO-HO HERE

Posted on December 14, 2023 by PB Rippey

Yours in staying active this holiday season, PB

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July 4th ’23

Posted on July 4, 2023 by PB Rippey

Recently we drove from Valencia (mountains) to Ventura (ocean!!!) on the 126 Hwy, which took us through good old Fillmore (fields, strip malls/classic train depot…). My husband and I were stunned by the number of popup fireworks booths Fillmore displayed … Continue reading →

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Fielding Distractions

Posted on February 28, 2023 by PB Rippey

SoCal rainstorms, SNOW!!!, and my (feels-like-95th) birthday have distracted me from completing important tasks since Valentine’s Day (also a distraction), such as wiping puppy noseprints from windows, or filling in gopher holes. However, I’m not distracted from my creativity–writing, submitting, … Continue reading →

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December Writing Challenge

Posted on December 2, 2022 by PB Rippey

Each December agent Nephele Tempest reminds writers about her month-long writing challenge. Write. Every. Day. Even Christmas Day. Carve/axe/cement-drill writing time for yourself, even if only 10 little minutes. I’m in. Adding reading to the challenge–the tower of books on … Continue reading →

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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

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Welcoming the Warg

Posted on October 5, 2022 by PB Rippey

So–recently we adopted my son when he was a baby, only in puppy form. My son is 14. It’s been a while since the cutest-of-babes escaped under tables and chairs with deadly pens/pencils (scooted to the floor by our cats) … Continue reading →

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Summer Goals (Part 2)

Posted on August 3, 2022 by PB Rippey

I’ve enjoyed summer despite living in fire country, which means our vital documents are packed in travel boxes until maybe November, pet carriers lined up in the garage, everything ready to be loaded, if necessary. My summer-normal. Yours, too? I … Continue reading →

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Update: Nanowrimo

Posted on April 29, 2022 by PB Rippey

My 2021 Nanowrimo (aka momomo) middle-grade novel from last November is in the revision stages, especially the first 10-20 pages. Revising what I mo-ed like geyser-gush from a broken sprinkler head last year is: good. I truly enjoy the challenge … Continue reading →

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Post Birthday Questionnaire

Posted on February 26, 2022 by PB Rippey

How old are you? Not old enough.What do you want? Greater physical/emotional strength. To write more than I am writing. To see more wild sea otters.What have you given your teenager that is worthwhile, or impressionable? Apologies when I’m wrong … Continue reading →

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Christmas Farewell

Posted on January 17, 2022 by PB Rippey

Christmas morning we put our beloved, 14yr old family dog to sleep. We arrived home from the vet’s in gutters-flooding rain, lit a fire and cocooned around it, sharing: how Tucker didn’t have a mean bone in his gorgeous golden … Continue reading →

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