Tag Archives: SCBWI

SCBWI WRITERS DAY 2020

Posted on February 4, 2020 by PB Rippey

UPDATE: EVENT CANCELED (but you probably already know this) Stay safe, self-quarantine as much as you can, take deep breaths, don’t watch too much news, CALM is a great meditation app, hydrate, catch up on reading the tower of books … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, books, Children's Books, Writing | Tagged 2020, books, COVID-19, kidlit, Literature, Noah's Ark Skirball, SCBWI, SCBWI Writers Day 2020, Skirball Cultural Center, tweens | 1 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

Retreat!

Posted on September 26, 2019 by PB Rippey

Heading to the SCBWI Working Writers Retreat tomorrow. This will be my second time attending this annual event. The workshops are small and focused. I learn tons about my work (my middle grade novels) and it’s a joy to read … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, books, Inspiration, Middle Grade Fiction, Pets, SCBWI, SCBWI Working Writers Retreat | Leave a comment

Festival Weekend (creativity-obsessed edition)

Posted on April 15, 2019 by PB Rippey

Saturday morning, my husband and my middle-grade son zoomed to the Los Angeles Convention Center for its uber-serving of Minefaire. Minecraft. All. Day. While up the street at USC I attended the Los Angeles Festival Of Books. Mostly I hung … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, books, children's literature, Inspiration, kidlit, LA Times Festival Of Books 2019, Los Angeles, Middle Grade Fiction, Minecraft, Minefaire, S Jones Rogan, SCBWI | 1 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

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

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

Article At ‘Through The Tollbooth’!!!

Posted on March 20, 2014 by PB Rippey

My writing mentor, Kathryn Fitzmaurice, was interviewed by Catherine Linka (I’ve heard Catherine speak at SCBWI events–she is positively famous in our SCBWI Los Angeles circles) over at Through The Tollbooth. The interview is about Kathryn’s mentoring experience–er, of me! … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2014, Catherine Linka, children's literature, fiction writing, Kathryn Fitzmaurice, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, personal goals, SCBWI, SCBWI CA/North Central, Through The Tollbooth, writing | 3 Comments

The Women’s National Book Association

Posted on March 1, 2014 by PB Rippey

I was made aware of the WNBA/LA thanks to my middle grade writing mentor, Kathryn Fitzmaurice (ask me if I am lucky to have her as my mentor and you will hear amplified hell yeah’s). She gave one of this … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, middle grade, Writing, Writing Progress, Writing Tips | Tagged 2014, children's literature, Destiny Rewritten, fiction, fiction writing, Kathryn Fitzmaurice, middle grade writing, ocean, poetry, SCBWI, SCBWI CA/North Central, Women's National Book Association/LA, writing | Leave a comment

Notes From The Retreat #2: Critiques

Posted on January 26, 2014 by PB Rippey

Yes, I am going to go here. Out of the 10 copies of the first 25 pages of my novel returned to me, scribbled on by the writers in my core group at the SCBWI retreat, I kept 4. Those 4 … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2014, children's literature, Critique, fiction writing, middle grade writing, personal goals, SCBWI, writer's retreat, writing | 4 Comments

Notes From The Retreat #1: Books

Posted on January 22, 2014 by PB Rippey

At last weekend’s SCBWI retreat, 4 editors imparted useful information–and shared book titles they love–Picture Books (PB), Middle Grade (MG), Non-Fiction (NF) and Young Adult (Y the effing heck A). I know what the abbreviations mean. YOU know what they mean. But, … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, middle grade, Santa Barbara, Writing, YA Novels | Tagged 2014, children's literature, David Carradine, fiction writing, grasshopper, middle grade writing, santa barbara mission, SCBWI, writing, writing retreat, YA Writing | 2 Comments

Spring Spirit Conference, 2012

Posted on April 25, 2012 by PB Rippey

What a delightfully smooth, well-run, 1 day conference. As I drove away, the GPS taking me on a spooky off-the-freeway-then-back-on mini-adventure, as I sped past miles of crops (previously mist-blanketed, cooling off from a day of baking in 93 degrees), … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, middle grade, Steps In Promotion, Writer quotes, Writing Progress, Writing Tips, YA Novels | Tagged 2012, Lin Oliver, preschoolers, quotes on writing, Rocklin CA, SCBWI, Spring Spirit Conference, writing, YA Muses | 5 Comments

Writer’s Day 2011

Posted on November 5, 2011 by PB Rippey

This photo is from the SCBWI Central-Coastal Writer’s Day 2010, at which I won a Special Mention for my middle grade novel and half off the price of this year’s Writer’s Day, which took place today, all day, and in which … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Fiction, middle grade, Writer's Angst, Writing | Tagged 2011, Lin Oliver, middle grade writing, SCBWI, Writer's Day 2011, writer's retreat | 2 Comments

Rocking Muses

Posted on August 4, 2011 by PB Rippey

YA Muses are having another contest/giveaway and all week have reposted tons of valuable writing advice. Their story is inspirational–seriously, check them out, especially today’s post. Really wish I was going to SCBWI-LA this year so I could meet them … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, To Explain, Writing | Tagged 2011, chaos, domestic bliss, life, SCBWI, toddlers, writing | Leave a comment

Books Interlude

Posted on December 13, 2010 by PB Rippey

Have you visited YA Muses? They are a lovely, helpful, inspiring quartet, all with backgrounds, current writing-situations and future-talk I appreciate. They inspire me. They give me hope, or remind me that there is hope when it comes to writing … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, middle grade, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, life, personal goals, SCBWI, writer, writing | 1 Comment

Hi Ho!

Posted on December 3, 2010 by PB Rippey

My little shining writing-prize moment of 2010 made the Kite Tales newsletter. I am the giant on the far right. (???) I will never forget hearing the name of my book called out and almost falling off the auditorium chair, … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Fiction, middle grade, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, personal goals, SCBWI, toddlers, Trader Joe's, writing | Leave a comment

Ready, Set, Write!

Posted on November 21, 2010 by PB Rippey

Preschool is a go! (See my other blog—or, not) I now have 3 hours 3 days a week to write. Am very confident that by next week (after the holiday excitement dies down around here) I will have my Number … Continue reading →

Posted in dog, Me and Us, middle grade, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged cats, children's literature, dog, domestic bliss, domestics, fiction, fiction writing, labrador, life, pecan cheesecake pie, personal goals, roughhead blenny, SCBWI, toddlers, writer, writing | 1 Comment

Poet Distracted By Whales

Posted on November 9, 2010 by PB Rippey

Had to take a break from editing Trouble. Did so by editing a new poem. It’s almost 9p.m. My spouse has once again passed out with the toddler when putting him to bed. There is nothing to distract me from editing … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Avoiding My Writing, Me and Us, Poetry, Steps In Promotion, To Explain, Writer's Angst, Writing, Writing Progress, WTF | Tagged chaos, children's literature, life, personal goals, poetry, SCBWI, toddlers, whales, writer, writer's block, writing | Leave a comment

When You’re Writing…

Posted on November 4, 2010 by PB Rippey

My official “Trouble” roughhead blenny mascot returns The good news is, I haven’t been posting because I am going over Trouble Beneath The Waves. I do this while my son eats his meals. I do this when my husband returns … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, To Explain, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged children's literature, dog, fiction, fiction writing, life, personal goals, roughhead blenny, SCBWI, toddlers, writer, writing | 1 Comment

SCBWI Writer’s Day

Posted on October 30, 2010 by PB Rippey

Trouble Beneath The Waves received a Special Mention at today’s SCBWI Writer’s Day. For some reason I thought winners of the contests (2 honorees in each category—Most Promising Manuscript and Special Mention) had already been announced and printed on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Steps In Promotion, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, life, SCBWI, writer, writer's retreat, writing | 2 Comments

Writer’s Day Approach(eth)

Posted on October 29, 2010 by PB Rippey

I am ready to attend tomorrow’s SCBWI Writer’s Day in Thousand Oaks. I just finished submitting my printing order(s) to whatever Kinko’s is now called, so that I may swing by in the morning and pick up stuff that may … Continue reading →

Posted in Me and Us, middle grade, Steps In Promotion, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, personal goals, SCBWI, writer, writer's retreat, writing | Leave a comment