Advisors On My Shoulders

by Pam Ripling

Do you ever hear it? Better yet, do you hear multiple voices, one taunting, teasing, pushing, the other admonishing, warning, and scaring you back under the covers?

In visual fiction they are oft depicted as the little angel, the little devil that sits on each shoulder, whispering into your ear when you're undecided. "Do it!" "Don't!" "Aw, c'mon, wimp." "You'll be sorrrryyyy..." We've all warred with our conscience at one time or another. And, clearly, only saints could truthfully say that the devil in us has never won. But it isn't all black and white, is it?

Sometimes, the warring factions might be connected to our own fears, rather than good and evil. I recently blogged a recollection of crashing a snowmobile into a tree at Steamboat Springs. I'd had those conversations with my shoulder buddies that very morning. Should I go? Hop on board a death-defying, raging vehicle that sped through the snow at an alarming speed – a vehicle I'd never paid any attention to before? Or...should I stay? Inside a warm condo, with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book, a blaze in the fireplace, quiet, solitude...?

While it certainly wasn't evil to opt for the excitement of the snow eating monster, it was that little Lucifer type that made me do it. The angelic bookworm sniffed and turned her back, and I dropped her into my novel like a bookmark for later. I returned with a butterfly bandage on my eyebrow, rosy cheeks and a new experience I wouldn't have traded, in retrospect, for all the cocoa and Heathcliffs in the world.

So sometimes, not always, the little guy in red is only trying to show you a good time!

PS - That's not me on the snowmobile above, but it certainly felt like it!

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Being Brave

by Pam Ripling

I used to sew Halloween costumes. I’ve made a space suit, a Middle-Eastern get up, a harem girl, a Care Bear, Super Mario, a green crayon. A purple wizard. A gypsy, a hippie, and a pair of pink striped clowns. So I know all about stitches, buddy.

Wait. You’re talking about the other kind? The ones they sew right into your very flesh? Eww! Ouch! Nope, never had them. Guess I’ve been lucky, eh? No stitches, no broken bones. No dismemberments or gaping wounds.

Does that say something about me? Am I too cautious, hiding behind my sewing machine, behind my apron strings, behind my ebook reader?

NO. I’ve done a few courageous things in my life. Courageous to me, anyway. I went up in a hot air balloon (that fairly crash-landed.) I tried water skiing (okay, so I have weak ankles. Took a little water.) Once got up (and down, see: water skiing) on snow skis. On one particular fun and notorious vacation, I wedged a snowmobile into a barely visible pine tree. Only a few of those pine needles still remain imbedded in my forehead, but the way I comb my hair, you can hardly see them through the green hair dye.

What else. Scary. Hmm. Does being a parent count? WAY scary!!!

How about getting a book written and published? How about 7 books? Try being brave enough to tell people about those stories, and asking them to take a chance and actually buy one!?

(Ah, marketing. Don’t you just love it?)

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Made Me Cold Just Reading It!

by Pam Ripling

Books have always been a big part of my life. As a young child, my favorites were always Little Golden Books, about Poky Little Puppy, Saggy Baggy Elephant, Shy Little Kitten, Tawny Scrawny Lion, etc. I had quite a collection. But when I really began to read, I lost myself in Hardy Boys and Louisa May Alcott. My favorite Alcott novels were EIGHT COUSINS and LITTLE WOMEN.

Whenever I think back to the book that most sticks in memory, I think of MRS. MIKE: THE STORY OF KATHERINE MARY FLANNIGAN, by Benedict and Nancy Freeman. First published in 1947, this is the story of a Canadian Mountie’s wife and the trials and tribulations of living in the frosty, harsh northern territories. A quick search on-line will reveal that I am far from alone in my love of this book.

The book takes place in the early 1900’s. The protagonist, 16 year old Katherine Mary O’Fallon, travels from the “warm” and comfortable Boston to Alberta, Canada, and marries Royal Mounted Police sergeant Michael Flannigan. The hardship and troubles they experience make for a poignant, entertaining story of life without transportation, medicine, electricity or telephones. The thing I remember the most about this story is that Katherine, who suffers devastating losses over the years, learns from other Canadian women to define segments of her life as separate lifetimes, or “families,” even though she remains married to the same man. Can’t say more without spoiling.

I read this book when I was around 13 years old, but I would recommend it for anyone from around 12 and up!

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Boys to Men?

by Pam Ripling

What is a leading lad? Is that like a leading man, only younger? I guess all leading men were young, at one time... think Brad Pitt in “Legends of the Fall” (I once thought “the fall” might refer to the hair Brad wore, but it was actually his.)

Today’s leading lads include the ever-youthful Daniel Radcliffe, Shia LaBeouf, Emile Hirsch and Zac Efron. Shia (pictured below) gets my vote for leading man potential, esp after seeing him in “Eagle Eye.”

What does it take to be “leading” quality? Acting talent, sex appeal, lovable image? When I think of classic Hollywood leading men of the past, I think of Clark Gable, Gregory Peck, James Stewart. Later, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Denzel Washington. George Clooney, Hugh Jackman, Matt Damon.

My personal favorites? Johnny Depp. Oh, do I need more? Hmm. Okay, Gerard Butler... and Johnny Depp.

Does Shia have what it takes to be the next Jack Sparrow? The next Phantom? Stay tuned...

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Fat, Broke & Failing?

by Pam Ripling

Resolutions are about resolving things, right? Do you know what the top resolutions are, every year? I’ll bet you could guess. Number one: LOSE WEIGHT! Yep, there’s a reason why all the health clubs, gyms and weight loss centers advertise so heavily in January. Turning that December calendar page is magic, doncha know? Now, now that it’s finally January (the month you’ve been waiting for all year while you stuffed your face), you can finally STOP EATING! Magic. I tell you.

Number two: MONEY PROBLEMS. Make more, spend less, get out of debt! This, just as those December holiday credit card bills are starting to land in everyone’s mail boxes! Or when you realize you’ve just spent your entire year’s allowance and next year’s too! Yeah, that makes sense.

Number three: Get a better job ~ or ~ do better at school! It’s January. Why not. December is over, when you get all the bonuses from bosses and treats from teachers. January offers nothing to distract you, so it’s nose to the grindstone, matey!

You get the picture. Me? My last resolution was a few years ago, and I’m managed to stick to it just fine: Do not make resolutions! How easy was that? FURGEDDABOUTIT!

But if you must, if you simply cannot let a New Years go by without resolving to fix something, let it be the kindness you show others. It doesn’t cost anything, you won’t starve or break the bank!


Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Are We Being Amused?

Let’s get this out of the way first. The term “amusement park.” Kind of an anachronism, don’t you think? I get “theme” park—that works in many cases. But I hardly call being dropped thirteen stories straight down a pitch black elevator shaft simply amusing. No, this is something that SCARES THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUTTA ME! (And that was the tamest, most acceptable way I could put it, without the actual desired expletives.)

I’m talking about Disney’s California Adventure’s “Tower of Terror,” of course. “Terror” doesn’t begin to cut it, for me. Got talked into this amusing torture a few years ago, and I’m still quivering at the core. Stephen King once commented that he simply wrote about the various things that scare people; our basic, instinctual fears. Well, Mr. King and several thrill ride designers have something in common. Disney’s “Hollywood Tower Hotel” elevator moves both vertically and horizontally, and is controlled by a randomized computer program. That, in itself, is enough to scare many people.

What scares you? Obviously, for me, it’s the drop. The fear of freefalling. Disney calls it a "delirious drop." I'll say! I also can’t take Splash Mountain at Disneyland (take the WDS virtual ride at You Tube.) That moment of unrestrained weightlessness, terrifying to me, simply enraptures others. For some, audio-animatronics are the stuff of nightmares. Think the massive, bellowing King Kong* at the Universal Studios Tour or the mechanical, computerized “JAWS” that leaps at the tram on the same ride. (I’ll admit to once jumping onto my boyfriend’s lap at the sight of the great white snapping his bloody, deadly jaws.)

Roller coasters are another breed. Twisting, turning, climbing, racing downhill, hell-bent on bucking off its intrepid riders. I’m not a conventional coaster fan, but I do love thematic coasters-in-disguise such as Space Mountain, Big Thunder and the Matterhorn.

So come on, what’s your bugaboo? What ride leaves you quaking, shaking and leaving the lights on at night? Or do you simply just enjoy being amused…

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

ps - You "amusement park" fanatics will be happy to note that the aforementioned King Kong attraction, which was badly damaged during a studio fire last year, is being rebuilt. Story about plans for the upgraded 3D ape here.

Just Don't Mess With My Radio!

by Pam Ripling

Coming clean. I did it. I ripped Barbie's head off. And it was my sister's Barbie. BUT... this was after she broke my phenomenal, brand-new clock radio!

Normally, you could put Barbie's head back on, but I think, no, I know, I did irreparable damage that day, and the little bubble-headed bleach blonde couldn't keep her head in place ever again. My sister never forgave me. (Well, maybe a little.)

Why do we do it? Is it attention we need? It must be a common problem, because TV sitcoms have been pitting sibling against sibling for decades. From Beaver and Wally Cleaver to Drake (and Josh) and Megan. Lizzie McGuire had Matt, Hannah Montana has Jackson.

It all actually started a long time ago, before television families even existed. One of the first stories in the Bible (generally considered the oldest book in Western civilization) is about the rivalry between two famous brothers, Cain and Abel. Cain, the older, complained about having to take care of Abel, demanding to know, "Am I my brother's keeper?" This story doesn't end well, by the way.

My story does. The radio still worked, although I had to bang on it a bit. And a bit of tape helped Barbie stay sane. My sister and I are the best of friends, despite years of competition for attention. Most people will tell you that time heals all sibling-inflected wounds. Too bad Cain couldn't wait around to find that out.

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

The Embarrassment Was Mutual!

by Pam Ripling

My brother told my friends that I lived in a closet. No lie. He was, at 17, already a great cartoonist, and he drew a picture of me with the heading, “MOLE HOLE” and taped it onto my bedroom door. Later, he thought better of it, and moved it to the hall closet door. Oh, my friends thought it was a riot!

He once tried to trade me a silver dollar for a plush bunny I’d received for Easter. No dice! I wouldn’t have given it to him for all the tea in Chinatown. I wanted that dollar, but no way was I negotiating with my arch-nemesis.

I got back at him, though. He had a little record player in his room, and although I wasn’t technically allowed to play in his room, I would. Sneak that I was. I turned on that record player and gave Barbie the ride of her life. Grew bored, left it going. Brother came home from high school with friends, had to explain Thrill Ride Barbie. Snort.

He was a pen-and-ink artist. I was fascinated by those little black bottles of India ink. So fascinated that I once dumped one on his bed. Oops. But he delighted in telling everyone that I was in love with Bobby Sherman or David Cassidy or whomever was my current heartthrob. So I wrote on his car. With paste.

Today, we are the best of friends and hardly ever embarrass each other. I think the teasing, razzing and pranks actually brought us closer somehow. Still, I do bring along a jar of paste when I visit him, just in case. You never know.

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Mrs. Robinson

by Pam Ripling

Sorry to be tardy. I was messing with my locker. Sometimes it sticks. Anyway, yeah, I had a really embarrassing thing happen once in school. I was in tenth grade, I think. It was so awful, to me, that I kinda blocked it out.

I was a good kid. I never swore, didn't cheat (much), didn't cut class. I didn't smoke, got average grades, teachers pretty much thought I was okay. I was always respectful. I wasn't that popular, but I had friends.

Mrs. Robinson was my gym teacher. She was sorta new to the school, and younger than all the other P.E. instructors. So I think she tried harder. Tried harder to be tough, and maybe even a little mean. I didn't like teachers who yelled, and this particular teacher was quickly getting a bad reputation among my small group of peers. I joined their ranks in trash talking, although I didn't really feel that great about it.

There was a popular song around then, made even more popular by a movie about a character with the same name. Mrs. Robinson. There is a refrain in the song that goes, "and here's to you, Mrs. Robinson..." One day I thought I'd be cool and while my friends' eyes were on me, I belted out that refrain in the locker room, lifting my middle finger high into the airspace above my head. I didn't have to turn around to know that Mrs. R was standing right behind me. My friends' horrified expressions said it all.

Like I said, I was a good kid.

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

What Would You Do?

by Pam Ripling

You are a middle school student. Your worst problem this week is writing a persuasive essay (like what’s that?) about why kids should be allowed to wear sandals, open-toed shoes or flip-flops to school. You’re deep into the facts—like how sweaty the football guy who sits next to you in math gets and his feet really stink because he doesn’t wear socks. Now, if he could wear flips on a hot day, maybe he wouldn’t smell so bad?

But then you overhear something you don’t want to know. A kid standing at the locker two doors away from yours is sorta talking low to his friend. Both of them are looking at the ground, and nobody else seems to notice them. You do, though, because of the words you can just barely hear. Words like “gun” and “tomorrow” and “blow them away.”

Suddenly, football guy’s smelly feet seem like no big deal, nor does the essay. Your face feels cold and damp at the same time, and you really want to look at the two guys but you are afraid to look because you think you might have recognized the voice. That voice sounded like one of your best friends.

Last month, nearly 900 middle and high school students in San Francisco, California, admitted to bringing a gun to school last year. Of the 21,000 students surveyed, more than half said they felt teachers and staff didn’t keep them safe from bullying, harassment and physical violence.

In the novel LOCKER SHOCK!, the main character discovers a gun at his middle school, and he fears one of his best friends brought it there. He is torn between turning in the gun, which would mean exposing his suspicions, or hiding the weapon and hoping the whole mess just goes away.

What would you do?

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

What's In Your Locker?

by Pam Ripling


Do you have lockers at your school? Not talking gym lockers. These are hallway lockers, with steel hinged doors and combination locks acting as temporary storage units for your books, snacks, quick face fixes and whatever else you bring to school but don’t want to lug around.

When I wrote LOCKER SHOCK!, a story about a middle school kid who finds something really terrible in his school locker, our local schools still had hundreds of these storage units on campus. But not long after the book came out, the lockers were removed. Yeah, just ripped out and thrown away! Students were issued a set of “home” textbooks, matching the ones that stayed in the classroom, so that they wouldn’t have to load up their back-breaking backpacks every day.

If you still have them at your school, you might be wondering why our district took them away. Well, it seems that it was costing a lot of money, because a lot of the lockers were damaged every year. Beaten, kicked, scratched, gummed up and soiled. They were infested with cockroaches, too, when kids left behind apple cores, Twinkies and near-empty soda cans.

Also, the school was spending money on “drug-sniffing dogs”—can you imagine? And worst of all… some districts actually found that lockers had become depositories for weapons. The cost of dealing with all these problems far outweighed the cost of the second set of textbooks for each student.

I loved having a locker. My dad built me a little shelf for mine, so I’d have two levels of storage. I had my mirror, and some stickers that actually made me smile when I stopped in between classes. I could stash notebooks, workbooks and my lunch there. Today, kids must drag all that stuff around with them.

What do you think about the locker issue? Should schools keep them, and find other ways to keep lockers safer and cleaner?

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.