Tag Archives: Middle Grade Fiction

Except He Doesn’t Proofread My Blog Posts

Now that the Feb (me) and March (spouse) event-packed birthdays are over, it’s back to work. I purposefully let my MG synopsis and the first 10 pages of the ms. marinate for a few days. Still feeling positive after reading … Continue reading

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Hearts on the Horizon

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

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Night Writing Paradise

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

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JANUARY 1, 2023

HAPPY WRITING NEW YEAR! PB

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Merry Christmas!

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

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SCBWI-LA and CenCal Writers Day ’22

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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O Revision!

Ever since the SCBWI Big Five-Oh summer conference, I have been the Madwoman of Revision. Lots of adhering to red ink exclamation points. Filtering critique. On not just my manuscripts, but synopses, loglines…You, too? Whenever I’m convinced my writing is … Continue reading

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SCBWI Winter 2021

I’m going. Are you?

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STARTING NOW

I mean, why wait? W.R.I.T.I.N.G.

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O First Pages (Retreat Edition)

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

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Retreat!

Heading to the SCBWI Working Writers Retreat tomorrow. This will be my second time attending this annual event. The workshops are small and focused. I learn tons about my work (my middle grade novels) and it’s a joy to read … Continue reading

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Festival Weekend (creativity-obsessed edition)

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

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Retreat!

Faced with views custom-made to inspire writers, I didn’t. Write. Or edit the 50 pages I’d brought with me. Instead, I continued reading Michelle Obama’s Becoming. Occasionally I glanced up from the book and gaped at the storm–then I’d consciously … Continue reading

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~2019~

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

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Ho!

Busy keeping my butt in a seat this week before Christmas (see everything Anne Lamott has ever written about the writing process). My son is under-the-weather, and while his feeling sick is not great, we are taking advantage of the … Continue reading

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SCBWI Los Angeles Writers Day 2018

  I’m going. Are you? Gary D. Schmidt is giving the keynote. That’s right, author of one of my favorite YA books: ‘The Wednesday Wars’. You’ve probably already read it, but here’s the SCBWI GDS Interview from 2/16/18. I especially … Continue reading

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