Tag Archives: fiction writing

SCBWI-LA and CenCal Writers Day ’22

Posted on October 20, 2022 by PB Rippey

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

Posted in Writing | Tagged #WritersDay2022, 2022, children's literature, fiction writing, kidlit, life, Los Angeles, Middle Grade Fiction, middle grade writing, personal goals, SCBWI, SCBWI-Central California Regions, SCBWI-Los Angeles, writing | Leave a comment

Welcoming the Warg

Posted on October 5, 2022 by PB Rippey

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 | Leave a comment

Summer Goals (Part 2)

Posted on August 3, 2022 by PB Rippey

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 | 1 Comment

JULY (Miranda Edition)

Posted on July 7, 2022 by PB Rippey

Whenever I hear complaints about July, most of which have to do with hot weather, I immediately think of Miranda July, her quirky stories, films, and mostly the bagged goldfish on top of the moving car…especially that image, which for … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, children's literature, fiction writing, Independence Day, Mass shootings 4th of July, middle grade writing, Miranda July, New Yorker, personal goals, Summer 2022 | Leave a comment

O Summer! (Goals Edition)

Posted on June 4, 2022 by PB Rippey

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 | 2 Comments

Update: Nanowrimo

Posted on April 29, 2022 by PB Rippey

My 2021 Nanowrimo (aka momomo) middle-grade novel from last November is in the revision stages, especially the first 10-20 pages. Revising what I mo-ed like geyser-gush from a broken sprinkler head last year is: good. I truly enjoy the challenge … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, children's literature, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, Nanowrimo, personal goals, poetry, SPRING2022, Teenagers, writer | 2 Comments

Post Birthday Questionnaire

Posted on February 26, 2022 by PB Rippey

How old are you? Not old enough.What do you want? Greater physical/emotional strength. To write more than I am writing. To see more wild sea otters.What have you given your teenager that is worthwhile, or impressionable? Apologies when I’m wrong … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, hope, life, middle grade writing, Morro Bay, nature, personal goals, Pets, poetry, sea otters | 1 Comment

Saving Your Protagonist

Posted on February 1, 2022 by PB Rippey

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 | Leave a comment

Buh-Bye November Nanowrimo

Posted on December 5, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 | Leave a comment

NANOWRIMO UPDATE (Shingles Vax Edition)

Posted on November 10, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, Big girl pants, Blue Apron, CDC advice, children's literature, Cinzano, fiction writing, Googling health, middle grade writing, NanoWriMo 2021, personal goals, Romanescu shrimp, Shingles Vaccine side effects, writer, writing, WTF | 1 Comment

O Revision!

Posted on September 9, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, children's literature, fiction writing, Middle Grade Fiction, personal goals, poetry, revision, SCBWI, SCBWI Big Five Oh, writer | Leave a comment

Member: Mini-Get-Away Club

Posted on July 17, 2021 by PB Rippey

How odd to be out in the world. We aren’t venturing drastically far, but enough for a first substantial get-away since—-at least 3 years. The teen has been across the GG bridge, but he was just a boy then, shorter … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, Academy of Sciences SF, Alcatraz Island, children's literature, fiction writing, Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco, middle grade writing, San Francisco, travel2021 | Leave a comment

June Reading List

Posted on July 1, 2021 by PB Rippey

Revisiting favorite way-to-tell-a-story inspirations. Encouraged that my Novelist-Dames (like my Joni Mitchell and Ani DiFranco Songstress-Dames) stand the test of my personal decades. IMO, the tell vs. show offered by these novelists (contrary to contemporary insistence on show vs. tell) … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged ani difranco, Dido Twite, Elizabeth Peters novels, fiction, fiction writing, Joan Aiken, Joni Mitchell, Mary Stewart novels, middle grade writing, Peabody and Emerson | Leave a comment

SCBWI Summer Conference

Posted on May 24, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 | Leave a comment

Euphoria

Posted on April 21, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, Dogs, Euphoria, fiction writing, Hemingway, Ken Burns, Lily King, Pandemic, PBS, Pets, writing | Leave a comment

21 Days Later

Posted on April 15, 2021 by PB Rippey

I notice myself doing little things I haven’t in 3 weeks. Moving my hips to my Echo Show playlist, “PB’s Groove”, as I transfer dishes from the dishwasher to their homes. Throwing cat toys for the 3 beasts, up and … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged #covid19recovery, 2021, children's literature, covid infection, covid19, Euphoria, fiction writing, Healing, Lily King, slow cooker salmon | Leave a comment

SCBWI Events

Posted on March 15, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, fiction writing, Jennifer Swanson, kidlit, middle grade writing, Newbery Awards, non-fiction writing, SCBWI, SCBWI-Los Angeles, Solve It!, STEMTeamBooks, The Night Diaries, Veera Hiranandani, writing | Leave a comment

SCBWI Winter Conference

Posted on February 21, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 | Leave a comment

Revising Is Writing

Posted on February 10, 2021 by PB Rippey

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 | Leave a comment

Happy Inauguration Day

Posted on January 20, 2021 by PB Rippey

The future is bright! Finally. Also: #catsforbidenharris

Posted in Writing | Tagged #catsforbidenharris, #stayhome, #staysafe, #wearamask, 2021, Biden Harris, books, Breathe, COVID-19, fiction writing, hope | Leave a comment

Writing & Covid

Posted on December 7, 2020 by PB Rippey

Pulling a Trumbo.

Posted in Writing | Tagged #bathtime, #savethewhales, #stayhome, #staysafe, 2020, COVID-19, creativity, fiction writing, Pandemic 2020, Trumbo, WTF | Leave a comment

Note-to-Self (Pandemic Edition)

Posted on December 1, 2020 by PB Rippey

Posted in Writing | Tagged #stayhome, #staysafe, #wearadamnmask, #writing, 2020, faction writing, fiction writing, memoir writing, middle grade writing, novels, writing in the time of covid | Leave a comment

TG Countdown

Posted on November 25, 2020 by PB Rippey

Posted in Writing | Tagged #stayhome, #staysafe, #wearamask, 2020, Black cats, Christmas @Thanksgiving, Covid Thanksgiving, fiction reading, fiction writing, Santa hats, Thanksgiving2020, Valencia CA | Leave a comment

Doubt (Pub Cheese Edition)

Posted on August 20, 2020 by PB Rippey

I ferried my laptop to the kitchen table and brought up my novel-in-progress. A poppy-orange dawn filtered through window blinds and the coffeemaker hiccupped sighs and I relished being the only human in our house awake, tapping the pg dn … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Writing | Tagged 2020, 2020 mores, Akmak, animals, books, chardonnay, creative nonfiction, doubt, faction, Family, fiction writing, Fritos, iheartyetis?, Inspiration, Literature, National Geographic, NHL2020, positive advice, pub cheese, Tibet, TV, writer's block, Yeti | 4 Comments

It Happens

Posted on July 25, 2020 by PB Rippey

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2020, books, faction, fiction writing, Jaws, life, Literature, Sharks, writer's block, writing, WTF | 1 Comment

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