Category Archives: Me and Us

Roar While You Can

Posted on May 21, 2012 by

I picked up the preschooler from his place of happy learning and song and drove him up the coast to a museum party celebrating a new installation of animatronic dinosaurs. My husband phoned as I stood in a vast, beamed hall … Continue reading →

Posted in Me and Us, Santa Barbara, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Quote For The Weekend (Rain Edition)

Posted on March 17, 2012 by

There’s always a period of curious fear between the first sweet-smelling breeze and the time when the rain comes cracking down. —Don DeLillo Yes. And a curious fear in the short time it takes to crack open the cover of … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, Me and Us, Quotes, Writer quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Deadline Mayhem

Posted on March 13, 2012 by

With a house full of in-laws, 1 out-of-his-brain-with-excitement preschooler, visiting dogs, horrified puking and peeing everywhere cats, a small crew installing the new dishwasher and ceiling fans and outdoor sensor lighting, much celebrating involving caramel cakes, Seuss stuffs and misbehaving golfclubs, 1 courtesy-of-kind-in-laws date night … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Me and Us, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Blog Break: Yes, Kony 2012

Posted on March 7, 2012 by

Click here for the movie. Scroll 1/2 way down their page. Watch. If you haven’t seen the film yet, it’s 27 minutes short and after the first 5 minutes you don’t care how long it is. If, like me, you … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, dog, Fiction, Me and Us, Writer's Angst, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What I Can Do To Promote World Peace

Posted on March 6, 2012 by

548a.m. Pretty dark through the curtains. No birdsong. The bed is mine, S walking the dog, the boy snoozing anywhere from the next 15 minutes to the next hour. Barely awake, I feel the effects from gazing at my work … Continue reading →

Posted in books, dog, Me and Us, Quotes, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Spring Spirit 2012

Posted on January 11, 2012 by

Recently writer Beth Hull turned me on to the Spring Spirit conference, an annual SCBWI California North/Central event held in Rocklin, CA. This year, I’m excited to say I will be attending. The lineup is top notch, including the YA Muses … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Me and Us, middle grade, Writing, YA Novels | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

See? Not So Proud

Posted on October 11, 2011 by

Tripping on stage at the very end of a performance, during the denoument, the final vital monologue. Tripping. So hard, so clumsily, there was no hiding it. Tripping. So that everyone in that theatre was yanked out of their suspension of … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Fiction, Me and Us, Poetry, To Explain, Writing, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Pass The Cognac, Baby

Posted on October 3, 2011 by

My husband and I are parents not used to going out in the evening together—just us— no preschooler in tow. I may hit a book club or Target by myself around 8p.m. My husband may work late one or two … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Me and Us, Poetry, poetry reading, Santa Barbara, To Explain, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Notes From The Armchair

Posted on September 26, 2011 by

And how is it going, PB, in your newly rediscovered armchair? Are you working under favorable conditions? Or does the scent of cat pee distract you, just as you’ve made yourself comfortable, laptop on lap, glass of wine on the bookshelf next … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Fiction, Me and Us, Pets, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Armchair Magic (With Tall Reading Lamp)

Posted on September 14, 2011 by

Last night I accomplished so much in my new special writing place that all day I anticipated my return. Now that I’m here, typing eagerly, feet crossed and slightly off an ottoman, my spine cushioned far more comfortably than when I’m up against … Continue reading →

Posted in dog, Me and Us, middle grade, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Gypsy Sunset

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

Now that summer preschool camp has come to an end, life is extremely busy as I organize excursions that will benefit the small mind and help it to expand in positive, utterly enriching ways (I’m talking about the enrichment that … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Respite Rant

Posted on August 19, 2011 by

In the past 24 hours my youngest sister and family made it home to Iowa in what was supposed to be a 3 hour tour, I mean a 4 hour flight, but quickly morphed into one of those all-nighter/early-next-morning nightmares during … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Me and Us, ocean related, Santa Barbara, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Notes From SW

Posted on August 14, 2011 by

Many research scribbles in my notebook, now a crinkled, battered thing from sitting in the soak zones at the marine mammal shows. When you see dolphins, pilot whales and orcas that close, when sharks glide right over your head, when … Continue reading →

Posted in fish, Me and Us, middle grade, ocean related, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quote For The Weekend: Sea World Edition

Posted on August 13, 2011 by

“Why does Sea World have a seafood restaurant?? I’m halfway through my fish burger and I realize, Oh my God….I could be eating a slow learner.” —Lynda Montgomery

Posted in Fiction, fish, Me and Us, ocean related | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Reveries

Posted on August 9, 2011 by

I’ve been seeing so many people from my past lately—I mean the past past, hazy-rocketing back to elementary school and working up from there—and it’s affected my dreaming. I have hosted reunions in my dream homes, welcoming total strangers to parties … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, ocean related, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quote For The Weekend (Sunday Post-Reveling W/Family Edition)

Posted on July 31, 2011 by

What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life – to be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. ~George Eliot

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Me and Us, Santa Barbara, To Explain | 1 Comment

Tra La La

Posted on July 28, 2011 by

And now there is no time to be afraid of anything as tomorrow my son and I once again head N.O.R.T.H. Our beach awaits. As do sisters and cousins and beachside cafes and grilled cheese sandwiches made by someone other … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, ocean related, Santa Barbara, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

See World

Posted on July 18, 2011 by

Soon, this extremely amateur marine scientist, dolphin lover, anti-orcas-in-big-pools-putting-on-shows type, One Who Is Against Ray Petting Whether 2 Fingers Are Used Instead Of Your Whole Hand Or Not As You’re Still Diminishing The Ray’s Mucus Layer And Once That Happens They Get … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, fish, Me and Us, ocean related, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quote(s) For The Weekend (Carmageddon Edition)

Posted on July 16, 2011 by

A suburban mother’s role is to deliver children obstetrically once, and by car forever after.  ~Peter De Vries The best car safety device is a rear-view mirror with a cop in it.  ~Dudley Moore The longest journey begins with a … Continue reading →

Posted in Me and Us, WTF | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Baby Blessing (With Writers)

Posted on July 11, 2011 by

So the baby blessing took place in my mother’s faintly overgrown backyard, guests’ heads thunked by falling trumpet vine blossoms (they are as large and as heavy as some sandwiches), the mingling of shadows and vines and succulents forcing the … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, ocean related, Santa Barbara, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Retreat

Posted on July 6, 2011 by

Tomorrow I go off the grid and to my borrowed writing-house, get-away-pad, writing-retreat-with-fountain for a few days. Since there will be no wireless connection, I will revise sans the usual distractions (Facebook, The Pioneer Woman, Yahoo “News”, hulu) while my son eats … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Me and Us, ocean related, Santa Barbara, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quote For The Weekend: Holiday Edition

Posted on July 3, 2011 by

The American Flagfish (captured edition) The best way to enhance freedom in other lands is to demonstrate here that our democratic system is worthy of emulation. —Jimmy Carter

Posted in fish, Me and Us, ocean related, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

When I Write

Posted on July 1, 2011 by

I might wake up many times during any night due to: Nightmares involving fedora-wearing aliens intent on making off with my son. The certainty that I have heard a loud noise, which means rising from bed and checking my son’s room and the rest … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Poetry, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Going Home

Posted on June 26, 2011 by

The problem with zipping up to my hometown some weekends is not the going-home-traffic turning 75 miles into 750, not that I rarely get any writing done because of the endless activities, not the June gloom (kindly vanishing for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Me and Us, Santa Barbara, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Quote For The Weekend

Posted on June 18, 2011 by

PS. They’re real “I need an hour alone before dinner, with a drink, to go over what I’ve done that day. I can’t do it late in the afternoon because I’m too close to it. Also, the drink helps. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, books, Fiction, fish, Me and Us, ocean related, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing | Leave a comment