Mommy's Pen

A writer's notes on family

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Season 9, Episode 1: Ivy & Bean Break the Fossil Record

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We’re back from our longer than expected hiatus! Five-year-old Alma Bea has taken over the co-host seat as Nora is almost thirteen and she’s just not having it anymore. Sigh. All things must pass. We’ll always have 60 episodes.

New co-host: Alma Bea

But Alma’s enthusiasm for Ivy & Bean should raise all of our spirits.

You can also listen using any number of podcast platforms and apps including Apple, Spotify, Castbox, Breaker, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Things we mention (or forget to mention) that you should check out:

  • Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record by Annie Barrows.
  • Tent poles for this book:
    • 1st plot point: Bean wants to break a world record (page 22 – 19% percent of the way through the story).
    • Midpoint shift: Ivy and Bean dig up what they think are dinosaur bones in Bean’s backyard (page 66 – 57% of the way through the story).
    • 2nd plotpoint: Bean’s older sister tells them they’re not dinosaur bones, they’re steak bones (page 98 – 85% of the way through the story).
  • Our mailing list! Sign up today and you’ll get cool subscriber only perks like bonus material.

Disclosure: By the way, all of these links are affiliate links, so if you buy something, you pay the same, but Nora gets a few pennies for her big 8th grade trip fund. Or maybe Alma should get the money now? She’d probably just spend it on stuffed narwhals.

S6, E8: The School for Good and Evil

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Nora had to pilot the podcast ship this week due to severe little sister interference. And burning beeswax. And she did a fine job analyzing the first book in the popular series The School for Good and Evil using the four-act structure.

You can also listen using any number of podcast platforms and apps including Spotify, Breaker, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Season 6, Episode 8: The School for Good & Evil (Book 1) – Story Structure Analysis

Things we mention (or forget to mention) that you should check out:

And, don’t forget, you can now, buy, read and enjoy my book: The Cat, the Cash, the Leap & the List. (And leave a review when you’re done, pretty please.)

Disclosure: By the way, all of these links are affiliate links, so if you buy something, you pay the same, but Nora gets a few pennies for her big 8th grade trip fund.

The Mommy’s Pen Podcast—Season 5, Episode 5: Sense and Sensibility

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This week we dissect Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, looking at the five commandments of storytelling for both Eleanor and Marianne’s story arcs.
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You can also listen using any number of podcast platforms and apps including Spotify, Breaker, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Season 6, Episode 5: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen – Review and Story Structure Analysis

Things we mention (or forget to mention) that you should check out:

And, don’t forget, you can now, buy, read and enjoy my book: The Cat, the Cash, the Leap & the List. (And leave a review when you’re done, pretty please.)

Disclosure: By the way, all of these links are affiliate links, so if you buy something, you pay the same, but Nora gets a few pennies for her big 8th grade trip fund.

Season 6 begins! We review and deconstruct Carry On by Rainbow Rowell

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This season is all book reviews all the time and we’re starting with one of our new favorite books: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell.

Nora and I are currently completely obsessed with this book. Which is lucky, because there’s a sequel, Wayward Son, ready to drop in September.

You can also listen using any number of podcast platforms and apps including Spotify, Breaker, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Season 6, Episode 1: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell – Review and Story Structure Analysis

The first part of the episode will tell you WHY you should read this book, then the second part is a bunch of spoilers as we deconstruct the book to find out what makes it SO good.

Things we mention (or forget to mention) that you should check out:

  • Story Fix for more details on the four act structure.
  • Story Grid for all things related to genre.
  • Our mailing list! Sign up today and you’ll get cool subscriber only perks like bonus material.

And, don’t forget, you can now, buy, read and enjoy my book: The Cat, the Cash, the Leap & the List. (And leave a review when you’re done, pretty please.)

Buy now

This post was lovingly sponsored by our Patreon supporters (you can become one too!). 

Note: All of these links are affiliate links, so if you buy a book from our links, you pay the same, but Nora gets a few pennies for her big 8th grade trip fund.

Season 5, Episode 5: The Fort

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Since my book, The Cat, the Cash, the Leap and the List was published on May 17, we decided to give you a preview by reading from it up to the first plot point.

You can now, buy, read and enjoy The Cat, the Cash, the Leap & the List. (And leave a review when you’re done, pretty please.)

Buy now

Here’s what a few reviews have to say:

The scenes of Portland life are vivid and funny. Martha and her cousins have real adventures in the real world as they each take on a personal mission. And all the while the clock is ticking for them to find Mama Cat and her kittens before it’s too late.

The Cat, The Cash, The Leap, and The List is well-written and engaging, equal parts funny, exciting, and moving, with a solid plot, and the nice quick pacing that middle grade readers love. Highly recommended.

I bought this for my 12 yo daughter and she just loved it. We read it together and couldn’t wait to get back to the story the next evening when we read. A wonderfully sweet story that younger kids would love as well. A rare treat in children’s literature these days. Well done!

You can also listen using any number of podcast platforms and apps including Spotify, Breaker, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Season 5, Episode 5: Chapter 5 of The Cat, the Cash, the Leap, and the List

Things we mention (or forget to mention) that you should check out:

  • Chapter 5 is called “The Fort.” Unfortunately, an afternoon of fort building takes a turn for the worse.
  • Our mailing list! Sign up today and you’ll get cool subscriber only perks like bonus material.

This post was lovingly sponsored by our Patreon supporters (you can become one too!). 

The Mommy’s Pen Podcast—Season 5, Episode 3: The Closet Door Opens

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New season, new format! Since my book, The Cat, the Cash, the Leap and the List will be published on May 17, we decided to give you a preview by reading from it up to the first plot point.

Preorder for the ebook is available now! Click the image below:

The Cat, the Cash, the Leap, and the List

You can also listen using any number of podcast platforms and apps including Spotify, Breaker, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.

Show Notes:

Season 5, Episode 1: Chapter 2 of The Cat, the Cash, the Leap, and the List

Things we mention (or forget to mention) that you should check out:

  • Chapter 3 is called “The Closet Door Opens,” and we get to see what happens when the boys find out about Martha’s stashed cat.
  • Our mailing list! Sign up today and you’ll get cool subscriber only perks like bonus material.

This post was lovingly sponsored by our Patreon supporters (you can become one too!).