Tag Archives: life

Black Lives Matter

Posted on June 5, 2020 by PB Rippey

6/5/2020 Last Wednesday rumors circulated via my Next Door app and local FB community pages that Valencia was going to be overrun by thugs from nearby Palmdale intent on looting our stores, destroying our mall, and terrorizing neighborhoods. No one … Continue reading →

Posted in Me and Us, Writing | Tagged #blacklivesmatter, 2020, Black Lives Matter, George Floyd, life, peaceful protests, Santa Clarita, Valencia | Leave a comment

Spring Heralds

Posted on May 5, 2020 by PB Rippey

“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 | Leave a comment

April Poem

Posted on April 15, 2020 by PB Rippey

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 | Leave a comment

Easter Sunday

Posted on April 12, 2020 by PB Rippey

Wishing you a poetic day.

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2020, bunnies, Easter, Easter eggs, Inspiration, life | 2 Comments

Never Forget (Fav Coffee Mug Edition)

Posted on April 9, 2020 by PB Rippey

Yours in coping, PB

Posted in Writing | Tagged #stayhome, #staysafe, 2020, books, coffee, coping, covid19, faction, fiction, Inspiration, life, Self-quarantine, survival, writing | Leave a comment

Winter Busy

Posted on December 29, 2019 by PB Rippey

As the countdown to 2020 begins, I wonder how it is I forgot how busy the holiday season is. VERY busy. We’ve: been to Santa Barbara and back, hosted relatives and their little dogs, hosted a Christmas party, followed a vital … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Me and Us, Writing | Tagged 2019, Christmas 2019, Elizabeth Lake, Hanukkah 2019, Inspiration, Joy, life, Los Angeles, New Year, Santa Barbara, Snow Day 2019, snowman, Valencia | 4 Comments

STARTING NOW

Posted on December 13, 2019 by PB Rippey

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 | 1 Comment

Happy Rainsgiving

Posted on November 29, 2019 by PB Rippey

‘Tis the season to remember how to get cozy and not because the A/C is running. At least–I hope ’tis… Happy Thanksgiving Holiday

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, Inspiration, kids, life, Pets, rain, Thanksgiving | Leave a comment

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

O First Pages (Retreat Edition)

Posted on November 8, 2019 by PB Rippey

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 →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, books, Cornelia Funke, E. Nesbit, First pages, Gary Schmidt, kidlit, life, Literature, Middle Grade Fiction, Philip Pullman, Rebecca Stead, Roal Dahl, SCBWI, SCBWI Working Writers Retreat, writing, Writing retreats | 3 Comments

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 Poem

Posted on August 22, 2019 by PB Rippey

Orphan We are the children. Cream to curse. In- structed: here ya go, go, here ya, here ya go, go, go fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck Did you say that? Well. I did. Finally: where were you … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2019, bullshit, chaos, Death, death of parents, fun, innocents, life, poetry | Leave a comment

Washing My Inheritance

Posted on August 15, 2019 by PB Rippey

My then soon-to-be-husband stated (3rd date, my Echo Park, Los Angeles apartment with the spectacular view I couldn’t afford without working 2 jobs, the last apartment I ever lived in alone): You have a lot of rocks. My Echo Park … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, Big Sur, Decorative rocks, Domestic Zoo, Echo Park, faction, fiction writing, Laguna Beach, life, Lockheed, Mesas, moving, nature, Pets, quail, rocks of all sizes, Valencia, wild birds, writing inspiration | Leave a comment

Peace To You

Posted on June 30, 2019 by PB Rippey

When I was seven to ten years old, I begged her to let me stay home from school so I could hang out with her, picnic in the park behind our house (she made cheese and tomato sandwiches), just be … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, Buddha, Childhood, England, Family, humanity, Inspiration, life, Mindfulness, Minster Lovell, Mom, Oxford, RIP, Thanks | Leave a comment

BACK TO SCHOOL

Posted on January 27, 2019 by PB Rippey

I sing-songed like Snow White as I whisked open his curtains. I raved about the smell of cinnamon pancakes filling the house as I jumped on his bed. I hit him with a pillow as I encouraged him to seize … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Writing | Tagged 2019, beach, chess, elementary school, hot chocolate, Inspiration, LAUSD, Legos, life, piranha tag, prebuscent boys, Teachers Strike Los Angeles, UTLA | 2 Comments

Rain Or Shine: Strike On

Posted on January 17, 2019 by PB Rippey

A couple of weeks before the strike, I was John Snow: I knew nothing. There are always excuses I can credit a busy mother. But everyone is busy. I simply wish I had paid any attention to events leading up … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2019, art, Beutner, books, Caputo-Pearl, Family, humanity, Inspiration, life, Teachers strike, UTLA, UTLA Strike, writing | 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

O Europa!

Posted on October 10, 2018 by PB Rippey

Volunteering at my son’s school library means I get to help kids discover books they didn’t even know they wanted to read–and also means I can check out books without exceeding my son’s 5th grade (3 books per student) limit. … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2018, 5th rade, books, Earth, Europa, Family, history, Jupiter, kidlit, life, Literature, moons, movies, planets, school library, Solar system, Space, writing | 1 Comment

REVISION

Posted on July 28, 2018 by PB Rippey

I finished my novel. All the writing, beach walks, and kitten-breaks seem to have paid off. I’m finished. Let the revising begin. Actually I’ve been revising all along. I adopted a habit of backing up a few chapters, reading/revising them … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, cats, children's literature, fiction, Inspiration, life, Literature, middle grade writing, revision, Thanks, unicorns, universe, Wow, writing | 3 Comments

Lost Time

Posted on July 3, 2018 by PB Rippey

Yesterday I was driving home from Trader Joe’s, my mind deep in my novel. I am SO close to finishing it I can see the end and I was excited about what I was seeing. Then a street sign yanked … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, Inspiration, life, Literature, middle grade writing, Trader Joe's, writing | 2 Comments

How It Is

Posted on May 2, 2018 by PB Rippey

There is only finishing my middle-grade novel. Getting my son to school, helping him finish his science project and get it to school; hurtling towards summer–school, science projects, math tests, helping at the school book fair, end-of-school-year requirements and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Children's Books, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, domestics, Family, Inspiration, life, Literature, middle grade writing, writing | 2 Comments

This Happened (Dolphin Edition)

Posted on April 12, 2018 by PB Rippey

The last day of my son’s Spring Break, I took him whale watching. The only thing missing from this cloudy + exceptional day was my husband, who had to work, but he was adamant that my son and I get … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Me and Us, ocean related, Writing | Tagged 2018, animals, art, Beaked common dolphin, books, California, Family, Inspiration, life, Pacific Ocean, quotes, Weather, Whale Watching, writing | 2 Comments

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

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