Category Archives: Fiction

Poem

Posted on November 13, 2019 by PB Rippey

Flawbag There is the girl, woman this 3:02p.m., midway on twinkling crosswalk. Her voice thumps her hip, tucked in a dropped- bottom bag working on its 5th shoulder strap. Walk-lope: she doesn’t like you, though it is doubtful she could … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2019, books, humanity, Inspiration, life, poetry, whothefuckcares, WTF | Leave a comment

Now Reading

Posted on August 29, 2019 by PB Rippey

Her latest Gamache installment has come along at the perfect time. Because after a death in the family, what better reading than a crime thriller as I deal with a myriad of petty family crimes in the wake of tragedy? … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2019, Crime Thrillers, Death, Inspector Gamache, life, Louise Penny, love, Mysteries, O Canada | 3 Comments

Death & Reckonings

Posted on July 23, 2019 by PB Rippey

I’m told change can’t arrive without grief. ‘Change’ was my middle name when I was a child. I begged for change. It fueled my drive for: self-preservation, better school grades, to hunt for goals my parents lectured me were good … Continue reading →

Posted in Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2019, Childhood, Death, death of a parent, dreams, grief, memoir, mothers, reckonings, writing | Leave a comment

Birthday Alarms

Posted on February 25, 2019 by PB Rippey

I was wide awake before Monday’s morning alarm chimed, plotting what errands I would accomplish, in what order– when my brain was hit with edits to my novel-in-progress. I threw back the covers and staggered for the dining room table, … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2019, 4, Action dolls, birthdays, cats, Dogs, domestics, faction, fiction, kids, novel writing, RGB, writing fiction | 3 Comments

Retreat!

Posted on February 17, 2019 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, Writing | Tagged 2019, Becoming, black bears, children's literature, Inspiration, labradors, Lake Arrowhead, Michelle Obama, Middle Grade Fiction, mountains, novels, snow storms, writing retreat | 1 Comment

Octopus Garden

Posted on February 8, 2019 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Faction, Fiction, fish, Writing | Tagged 2019, fears, Joy, kite festivals, kites, ocean, Octopuses, scuba diving | Leave a comment

~2019~

Posted on January 1, 2019 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2019, beaches, books, creativity, dreams, happy new year, Inspiration, kidlit, life, Middle Grade Fiction, writing | 4 Comments

Hunting

Posted on October 29, 2018 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2018, bad guys, books, cats, chocolate chip pancakes, coffee, Dogs, domestics, faction, Family, fiction, insomnia, Inspiration, life, Literature, Mary Louise Parker, poetry, Tarantino, Tom Selleck, writing, WTF | Leave a comment

Dav Pilkey in Redondo Beach

Posted on October 23, 2018 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged animals, books, Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey, Dog Man books, Family, Inspiration, kidlit, Literature, middle grade novels, movies, Redondo Beach, Thanks, writing | 3 Comments

Crucial Weekends (Moaning Myrtle Edition)

Posted on May 14, 2018 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2018, books, Butterbeer, Dobby, English Breakfast, Gryffindor, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Hufflepuff, JK Rowling, Luck, middle grade writing, Moaning Myrtle, Mother's Day 2018, Three Broomsticks, Universal Studios Hollywood | Leave a comment

THIS HAPPENED

Posted on March 23, 2018 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, children's literature, clotted cream, Family, high tea, Inspiration, Joy, life, Literature, middle grade novels, SCBWI, Skirball Cultural Center, Thanks, writing, Writing Fun | 1 Comment

SCBWI Los Angeles Writers Day 2018

Posted on February 21, 2018 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2018, books, Gary D. Schmidt, Inspiration, LA Writers Day 2018, Literature, Middle Grade Fiction, SCBWI, Susan Orlean, The Wednesday Wars, Twitter, writing, YA Novels | 1 Comment

Home

Posted on December 29, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in books, Children's Books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2017, animals, books, California, cats, Christmas Decorations, Descanso Gardens, Dogs, dreams, Earth, Echo Park, Family, Griffith Observatory, Health, humanity, Joni Mitchell, kittens, life, Literature, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Madonna Inn, movies, Thanks, writing | 1 Comment

Fire Update

Posted on December 21, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Adult writing, books, dog, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2017, animals, box turtles, California, cats, Family, family life, Health, humanity, Inspiration, kittens, life, Literature, santa ana winds, santa barbara fires, Thanks, writing | 1 Comment

Fire

Posted on December 19, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Adult writing, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2017, California Fires, Carpinteria, San Fernando Valley, Santa Barbara, Summerland, Thomas Fire | 1 Comment

Living The Good Old Days

Posted on November 10, 2017 by PB Rippey

“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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2017, 4th Graders, Family, Lego, life, writing | Leave a comment

Writer’s Retreat: What Was It Like?

Posted on September 27, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, children's literature, Encino CA, Family, Holy Spirit Retreat Center, humanity, Karaoke, kittens, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, oak trees, SCBWI, SCBWI So Cal, Vegetarian, Working Writers' Retreat 2017, writing | Leave a comment

SCBWI WWR 9/2017

Posted on September 13, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Faction, Fiction, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2017, fiction writing, Karaoke, Meryl Streep, middle grade novels, SCBWI, Working Writer's Retreat, writing, Writing conferences | 1 Comment

Summer Diary

Posted on August 8, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Writing | Tagged 2017, aloha, animals, beach, body muscle, box turtles, California, Dragons, dreams, Earth, eclipse of the sun, Family, Game of Thrones, history, humanity, life, Los Angeles, middle grade novels, movies, Muses, ocean, Oregon, rashes, Teenage Rebellion, Thanks, writer, writing | Leave a comment

Where I Discovered Poetry Last Weekend

Posted on May 25, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, flu, graduation, Health, humanity, life, Literature, novels, Pets, Sacramento Delta, swimming pools, UC Davis Med School, writing | 1 Comment

MAY DAY (BLOOMING LATE EDITION)

Posted on May 4, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Parakeet, Pets, Writing | Tagged 2017, animals, books, California, deadlines, Family, life, Literature, May Day, middle grade writing, Muses, revision, Starbucks, writing | Leave a comment

Third Eye (April Edition w/Cat)

Posted on April 28, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, Pets, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, cats, Critique, Family, Literature, middle grade writing, Muses, Pets, poetry, revision, The New Yorker, Third Eye, writing | 2 Comments

Heat Wave Revision

Posted on April 21, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Adult writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2017, Climate Change, crab claws, fish, global warming, middle grade writing, Santa Barbara, sea life, spring | 2 Comments

Coffee Kick & Go (Tremble Edition)

Posted on April 12, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Pets, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, cats, coffee, Dogs, Family, fiction, life, Literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, muse, Pets, poetry, Poetry Month, revision, spring | 2 Comments

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

Posted on March 20, 2017 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2017, books, Kate Messner, life, Lisa Cron, Literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, Picture Books, SCBWI, SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day, Skirball Cultural Center, Wired for Story, Writers Conferences, writing | 2 Comments