Category Archives: Fiction

Octopus Garden

Posted on February 8, 2019 by

Because of my love for the ocean and its creatures, I aspire to hosting this kind of ocean-themed party (thus avoiding my fear of scuba diving, while still having a great time, and without attracting great white sharks–no matter their … Continue reading →

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~2019~

Posted on January 1, 2019 by

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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Hunting

Posted on October 29, 2018 by

230am, the dog’s nose a wet Q-tip on my ear, his drunk-carny’s breath. I rise, stumble to the patio door, let him out. Waiting, I realize my right foot is wet. I panic:  blood? Cat vomit. I stumble to the … Continue reading →

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Dav Pilkey in Redondo Beach

Posted on October 23, 2018 by

Whenever it was tickets first went on sale for this event? Stayed up until 12:01a.m. so that I could be one of the first to nab them. Can I just say–I’m glad I was a night owl as the event … Continue reading →

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Crucial Weekends (Moaning Myrtle Edition)

Posted on May 14, 2018 by

  There is still only finishing my middle-grade novel (see previous post).   However, life outside writing continues to happen– my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday AND Mother’s Day, during which I was presented with a Hufflepuff hoodie, a Mother’s Day card … Continue reading →

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THIS HAPPENED

Posted on March 23, 2018 by

I won runner-up (there were only two of us who won in the Middle Grade category). SCBWI-LA Writer’s Day, Skirball Cultural Center . I pitched an agent, connected with a dream agent, dashed around assisting the totally-on-it RA’s, made new … Continue reading →

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SCBWI Los Angeles Writers Day 2018

Posted on February 21, 2018 by

  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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Home

Posted on December 29, 2017 by

Usually I’m the one taking our kid on a road trip and usually during the summer, but this week my husband took our kid on a road trip for 2 days to visit family up north and I was suddenly: … Continue reading →

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Fire Update

Posted on December 21, 2017 by

It’s always an emotional rush to post great news: All evacuations have been lifted in the Santa Barbara fire zones (see previous post pbwrites). Best news, best news. In my little bit of the valley it’s blowing like heck again. … Continue reading →

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Fire

Posted on December 19, 2017 by

The Thomas Fire. 3rd largest in California, making its way to 1st largest. I watch the burning via my computer, 70-ish miles south of family who live in Santa Barbara, Summerland, Carpinteria. My family evacuate, return, evacuate again due to … Continue reading →

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Living The Good Old Days

Posted on November 10, 2017 by

“Hey, Mom?” my son said casually as he attached a Lego palm frond to a multi-colored Lego wall he was building on the coffee table as I ironed pertinent clothing near him and my husband raged in front of a … Continue reading →

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Writer’s Retreat: What Was It Like?

Posted on September 27, 2017 by

SCBWI Working Writer’s Retreat, September, 2017 The “working” aspect in Working Writer’s Retreat (for me)=the retreat provided printers, so there was no excuse (for me) for not sprinting to my sparse (sweetly existential) weekend bedroom after a workshop, whipping open … Continue reading →

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SCBWI WWR 9/2017

Posted on September 13, 2017 by

Me–prepping for the upcoming SCBWI Working Writer’s Retreat:     Fortunately I got in, thanks to iphone alerts, Alexa/Echo alerts, the wall calendar with a particular date circled so thickly in red it could never become invisible, no matter the … Continue reading →

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Summer Diary

Posted on August 8, 2017 by

  Not my rash! Finally. Fire breath. Thank you, GOT. I see you, arm muscle.  #workingout6weeksstraight Muscles missing. Hijacked in the night, IMO. So what? I have brie. Total eclipse of sun predicted. My prediction? Revision, revision, submissions, submissions….But only … Continue reading →

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Where I Discovered Poetry Last Weekend

Posted on May 25, 2017 by

Here: And here: How my family inspired me last weekend? Via this: And this: And this: What it feels like to finish a pre-mini-vacation writing goal and move to the next? This: Came down with the flu upon returning from family shenanigans. However, today … Continue reading →

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MAY DAY (BLOOMING LATE EDITION)

Posted on May 4, 2017 by

On May Day! May Day! May Day! (a few days late, but—-) 90+ degrees today, again. My Spring yard is shriveling. I thought this wouldn’t happen until next month. Silly me! When the Arctic is melting! Doh. The box turtle and the … Continue reading →

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Third Eye (April Edition w/Cat)

Posted on April 28, 2017 by

Woke up at 430am, pressed on with the last 40 pages of revision, my 3rd eye drowsy, but game. Now that I’m wide awake, overly caffeinated and the little boy is at school and the husband is off to heroic … Continue reading →

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Heat Wave Revision

Posted on April 21, 2017 by

Today’s spring temperature high is predicted as: 86F. Which, in my sweltering valley, probably means: at least 90F. If not more. The MG novel I’m almost finished revising (this time around) has everything to do with global warming, pollution, the (mis)use … Continue reading →

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Coffee Kick & Go (Tremble Edition)

Posted on April 12, 2017 by

It may be poetry month in the USA, but here at PB Writes the author was up late revising her MG novel, prepping it for the agent requesting a read. This sweet, cool and sunny spring morning–after creating pancakes-secreted-with-carrot-puree for the boy, feeding … Continue reading →

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SCBWI-LA Writers & Illustrators Day 2017 (Links Edition)

Posted on March 20, 2017 by

I was asked by SCBWI-LA to write about my experience at the recent WID. The piece is up on the Kite Tales blog. 1, 2, 3: LINK. Such a luxury for me to discard certain hats (taxi-mama, chef of sorts, … Continue reading →

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Kids Poetry Night

Posted on March 2, 2017 by

Tuesday, February 28th, a freaky political event occurred on TV, but also Poetry Night at my son’s school. Children and parents gathered to read/share poems from books they brought to the event and books supplied by the school’s librarian. Loved hearing … Continue reading →

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SCBWI Event Coming Up!

Posted on February 20, 2017 by

I am looking forward to next Saturday, 2/25/17. The Skirball is a choice location, indeed. Are you going? If so, see you there! https://losangeles.scbwi.org/events/writers-illustrators-day/

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Healing By Degrees (FB Edition)

Posted on February 18, 2017 by

“What wound did ever heal but by degrees?” —-WS, Othello  I’m talking Snapchattish-brief degrees. My impatience won out. I weeded Facebook ‘friends’ after the election and the first peaceful march–in which I marched, peacefully, surrounded by like minds. After this weeding and … Continue reading →

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Hearts

Posted on February 14, 2017 by

Just. So. Simply. Timely. And simply nice.

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On Rejection

Posted on December 9, 2016 by

Recently I was lucky enough to have a conversation with someone I deeply respect and I was moaning a little about rejections I’ve received lately. The person suggested I stop calling them ‘rejections’ and refer to them instead as ‘No … Continue reading →

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