Tag Archives: life

Good Morning

Posted on August 18, 2026 by PB Rippey

An enabled convicted criminal is destroying my country, and potentially the world. But you already know this, and that Democrats should have contested the 2024 ‘win’. Because, hello? Look at us now. Not sure how to forgive my Democratic heroes … Continue reading →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2026, @agirlhasnopresident, @mainandvine, Aaron Parnas, blog, books, California heatwave 2026, children's literature, election cheating, fiction writing, great dane rescues, Heather Cox RIchardson, Jennifer Welch, Jess Craven, Katie Phang, life, love, Marc Elias, Meidas Touch, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, rescued dogs, Swimming laps, that Politics girl, Threads, writing | Leave a comment

Bath Literary Festival Bullying+Queen’s Christmas Present

Posted on August 1, 2026 by PB Rippey

“When authors attempted genuine dialogue with Bath Children’s Literature Festival about the lack of inclusive representation in their line-up, the festival founder responded with bullying tactics.” The Guardian, July 23, 2026 A lack of diversity in the Bath Children’s Literary … Continue reading →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2026, @alexsheppard19, Alendra Sheppard, Bath LIterary Festival Bullying, Bloomsbury, Books for Keeps, Bullying, children's writing, Disney, evolution, life, Queen's Chirstmas Present, The Guardian, writing kidlit, YA authors | Leave a comment

Bath Lit Fest

Posted on July 30, 2026 by PB Rippey

It’s not just in the USA. You probably already knew that. 😦 Open Letter to the UK KidLit Industry We write with deep concern regarding the rollback in inclusive representation within the UK children’s publishing industry. When authors attempted genuine … Continue reading →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2026, Bath Children's Literature Festival, books, children's literature, DEI, Diversity in Kidlit, education, fiction, gatekeepers, life, middle grade writing, UK Kidlit, writer, writing | Leave a comment

June: Forward Motion

Posted on June 12, 2026 by PB Rippey

As summer begins, I’m at 17k+ words with ‘Monster’ (aka work-in-progress, aka WIP). I’m about to meet with my BSU tutor to go over my WIP. Also, this happened: In addition to being a grad student and driving the now … Continue reading →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2026, Bath Spa University, Beth Brower, California, children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, High School graduation, life, MAWYP Bath, middle grade writing, Milestones, Nespresso, personal goals, poetry, writing | Leave a comment

April Showers Bring May Fires

Posted on May 26, 2026 by PB Rippey

May had showers, too–lovely surprises. But then the Santa Ana winds swooped in, creating many fires everywhere, including on my family’s cherished Santa Rosa Island. The island’s Torrey Pines were burnt, but the majority survived? Torrey pines are critically endangered. … Continue reading →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2026, Abi Elphinstone, Adam Gidwitz, bald eagles, Bath Spa Univeristy, Channel Islands, children's literature, Ember Spark, Emma Darwin, fiction, fiction writing, Grad school MA in writing, Island camping, kidlit, kit foxes, L.D. Lapinski, life, middle grade writing, poetry, Santa Rosa fire 2026, Santa Rosa Island, Strangeworlds Travel Agency, This Itch of Writing, Torrey Pines | Leave a comment

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.

Posted in writing | Tagged 2025, Black cats, books, Bookworms, children's literature, Cuckoo Song, Ellen Hopkins, fiction writing, Ghosts in the Walls, imagination, JFK, life, personal goals, poetry, Synch, writer | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2025, adopted pets, children's literature, Dinosaurs, Heritage Valley, historical fictrion, kidlit, kidlit fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, Puppies, SoCal, Ventura beaches, writer, writing | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2025, children's literature, fiction writing, life, Middle Grade Fiction, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, Puppies, puppies and cats, Puppy training, summer 2025, Teenagers, writer, writing | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, #aussies, #mothersday, 2025, Bathroom leaks, Bears, children's literature, dog, Dogs, faction, fictikon, life, middle grade writing, Mothers Day 2025, Pets, poetry, Puppies, puppy, Puppy chewing, puppy crate training, Puppy training, Queensland Heelers, Water damage, writer, writing | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged #staysafe, 2025, bird houses, birding, children's literature, Covid, fiction writing, Fire evacuation, life, Long Covid, Los Angeles fires, middle grade writing, Mom of teens, not cancer, personal goals, poetry, SoCal backyard birds, SoCal fire season, teens, vacations, Wildfires, writing | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2024, children's literature, Christmas 2024, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, Rebellion, Resistance, unicycles, Whatever, writing | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2024, fiction, fiction writing, life, poetry, writer, writing | 4 Comments

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.

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2024, children's literature, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, writer, writing | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2024, children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, SCBWI, SCBWI Sue Alexander Grant 2024, SCBWI-LA | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2024, dog rescue, Dogs, Kaia, life, Malinois, Pets | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2024, cats, children's literature, Firefighters, life, poetry, Post Gorman Fire, SoCal fire season, teens, writer | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2024, art, books, camping, children's literature, fiction writing, food, Gollum, June Gloom, Lake Tahoe, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, Summer 2024, Swimming laps, teens, travel, writing | 5 Comments

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2024, children's literature, fiction writing, Isaac Newton, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, rescue dogs, Theodore Roethke | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2024, bird wars, children's literature, crows, fiction, fiction writing, Happy New Year 2024, hawks, hummingbirds, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, powerwalks | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged 2023, cats, children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, NYE 2023, personal goals, poetry, writer, writing | Leave a comment

INSERT HO-HO-HO HERE

Posted on December 14, 2023 by PB Rippey

Yours in staying active this holiday season, PB

Posted in writing | Tagged 2023, children's literature, Christmas in California, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, poetry, writing | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, #staysafe, 2023, bad decisions, beach, children's literature, fiction writing, Fireworks, July 4th 2023, life, Los Angeles County, personal goals, ridiculous people, Socal fireworks, Valencia, Ventura, Ventura County, writing | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in writing | Tagged #amwriting, 2023, children's literature, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, SoCal snow, Valencia, women's fiction, writing | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Adult writing, Children's Books | Tagged 2022, children's literature, Christmas 2022, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, Pets, poetry, puppy mom, writing | 1 Comment

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