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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: writing
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
Welcoming the Warg
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
Posted in Writing
Tagged 2022, babies, children's literature, Dogs, fiction writing, furbabies, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, poetry, Puppies, writing
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Summer Goals (Part 2)
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
Posted in Writing
Tagged 2022, Cambria, children's literature, Elephant seals, fiction, fiction writing, first drafts, Hearst Castle, Highway One, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, San Simeon, writer, writing, Writing life
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O Summer! (Goals Edition)
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
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Saving Your Protagonist
I’m sure you’ve already read Save The Cat Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody–however, if you haven’t? This: As I continue revising my Nanowrimo2021 novel, thanks to Cat the chant in my head is: What does my protagonist want? Simple, … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
Tagged 2022, fiction writing, Jessica Brody, middle grade writing, Nanowrimo, protagonist, Save The Cat, Target, writer, writing, writing contemporary fantasy
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Buh-Bye November Nanowrimo
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
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NANOWRIMO UPDATE (Shingles Vax Edition)
10 days since the start of Nanowrimo. I have missed 2 days of showing up. Because I got my shingles vaccine and had no idea it would slay me. “Just a sore arm,” I was told. “Like the flu shot. … Continue reading
SCBWI Summer Conference
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
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Euphoria
Reading Lily King’s EUPHORIA and watching Ken Burn’s ‘Hemingway’ feels like my brain has been emptied into the large silver strainer I use for washing strawberries, jiggling organic matter beneath faucet spray, jiggling, jiggling some more. For me, the theme … Continue reading
This Is Covid
Yes, but I’m the one who wears a mask to walk the dogs, herding them across the street to avoid oncoming pedestrians (who are never masked); the one who won’t powerwalk with mom friends (who are never masked); who will … Continue reading
SCBWI Events
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
SCBWI Winter Conference
I’m “here”! Full day today. Especially looking forward to the agent panel. Also have made new Twitter friends. Will be phenomenal to attend in real life one day. Yours in info dumps,PB
Posted in Writing
Tagged #fictionwriting, #kidlit, #NY21SCBWI, #SCBWI, 2021, Childrens Literature, fiction writing, writing
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Revising Is Writing
That’s it. That’s the post. Revising. Is. Writing. Also: When I remember that revising IS writing? It’s like I’ve downed a small shot glass of caffeine. Or at least an Americano. Pen, fingers liven up. In conclusion: Here is a … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
Tagged 2021, Black cats, fiction writing, stay healthy, stay safe, stay strong 2021, wear a mask, writers block, writing, writing fiction, writing woes
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Aaaand: Christmas!
Countdown over! A certain teen is happy about this. The cats could care less.The dog just wants to be loved and wants us to pretend he is tiny enoughto fit in our laps. Not. May your days be merry and … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
Tagged #christmas2020, #christmascats, #stayhome #wearamask, #staysafe, 2020, California Christmas, Christmas Day 2020, Joyeaux Noel, Pets, writing
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Relief Is Palpable (BIDEN/HARRIS2020 WIN EDITION)
“Dogs and cats living together!”–Ghostbusters
Posted in Writing
Tagged #quarantinelife, #staysafe, 2020, Biden/Harris 2020, Black cats, faction, Golden Labs, Harmony2020, Pets, Stay home, StayStrong2020, writing, writing fiction
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Heat
I don’t know about your environs, but ours will be blessed with consecutive days of triple digit heat, again, later this week. It’s helpful for my psyche and staving off writer’s block to remember that last year at this time … Continue reading
Posted in Writing, Writing Progress
Tagged 2020, books, Calif heatwave, Earth, Facebook, Family, Health, Heather Cox RIchardson, humanity, hurricane, Instagram, Jill the squirrel, Julia CHild, life, Rachel Cargle, squirrels, The Joy of Cooking, Valencia, Vote2020, writing
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It Happens
Posted in Writing
Tagged 2020, books, faction, fiction writing, Jaws, life, Literature, Sharks, writer's block, writing, WTF
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Morning Essentials
6:28a.m. 2 minutes until I need to fill the dogs’ bowls with food, walk them, walk myself for 2.43 miles, feed the tween (I like doing this), review his academic schedule from Google Classroom (Just make a list! But Mom. … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
Tagged #quarantinelife, #staysafe, 2020, COVID-19, Quarantine, Stay home, stay safe, writing
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Spring Heralds
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” ― Anne Bradstreet
Posted in Poetry, Writing
Tagged 2020, Anne Bradstreet, art, books, covid19, hope, Inspiration, life, Literature, poetry, Poetry in a dark time, Poppies, Spring quotes, writing
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Poem for the Last Day of April
And just like that, poetry month is at an end, but Tracy K. Smith will still send us a poem each weekday via The Slowdown, or we can visit the site and listen to her read and perhaps we’ll springboard into: … Continue reading
Posted in Writing
Tagged 2020, April Poetry Month, books, Inspiration, Literature, poetry, spring, The Slowdown, Tracy K Smith, wild birds, writing
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April Poem
I post this poem every spring. From my chapbook Nightmares With Moons (Pudding House Press). Happy Stay-At-Home-Wednesday. Full Flower Moon May (mostly), the petticoat swirl of rising pink meadow, petite showers, buds. I say: rose, peony, phlox. And I say: petal- shorn, … Continue reading
Posted in Poetry, Writing
Tagged 2020, April poetry, books, covid19, full flower moon, full moon, full pink moon, life, poetry, poetry chapbooks, Poetry Month, Pudding Houe Press, spring poetry, writing
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Never Forget (Fav Coffee Mug Edition)
Yours in coping, PB
STARTING NOW
I mean, why wait? W.R.I.T.I.N.G.
Posted in Writing
Tagged 2019, 2020, art, books, happy new year, Inspiration, Let it snow, life, Literature, Middle Grade Fiction, middle grade writing, Resolutions, Thanks, Wow, writer, writing
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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
O JOKE! (Popsicle Stick Edition)
And here is a popsicle stick I recently uncovered. In all my many now-I’m-older-than-absolutely-everyone-even-Paul-Rudd years, I had no idea such joke sticks existed. Very nice! As long as it’s just a joke and not a fortune. 🙂
Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Children's Books, Writing
Tagged 2019, books, Fortune telling, good jokes, Literature, Paul Rudd, poetry, popsicles, Wow, writing
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PB Rippey Writes 
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