Mommy's Pen

A writer's notes on family

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Book Birthday and New Podcast Episode

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The book is FINALLY here!

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.)

Get it at Amazon
Buy it somewhere else

AND, this week on the podcast, we’re reading Chapter 4 to you. We find out what Martha’s parents think about her stashing a pregnant cat and we see what Sanjay has stashed in that secret envelope of his.

Listen now: 

<iframe src="https://castbox.fm/app/castbox/player/id1363671/id155138824?v=4.1.190510&autoplay=0" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="500"></iframe>

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!). 

The Mommy’s Pen Podcast – Season 5, Episode 2: Chapter 2 of my novel

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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.

The story has three main kid characters, Martha, Sanjay and Anand. Nora will be reading all the scenes that are in Martha’s point of view, and I’ll be reading the scenes for the other two characters. (Man, I wish Alma could read already because it would be so cool if she could read Anand’s parts.)

Preorder for the book will be available soon!

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 2 is called “Sticky Situations” and we get to see Martha squirm in a pancake restaurant while she has a mystery cat locked up in her closet at home. And somebody ends up covered in maple syrup.
  • 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 1: The Cat, the Cash, the Leap, and the List

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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.

The story has three main kid characters, Martha, Sanjay and Anand. Nora will be reading all the scenes that are in Martha’s point of view, and I’ll be reading the scenes for the other two characters. (Man, I wish Alma could read already because it would be so cool if she could read Anand’s parts.)

Preorder for the book will be available soon!

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

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

  • Chapter 1 is called “Arrivals” and it features Martha secretly adopting a pregnant cat just before her cousins show up for a six week visit.
  • 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!). 

Michelle Obama told me her whole life story

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I listened to the audio book version of Becoming in stolen moments. Usually after my youngest had fallen asleep or early in the morning when I was making lunches before the kids woke up.

This is a wonderful book for many reasons. I loved learning about her lower-middle class background, that her father suffered from multiple sclerosis, how she was a driven student who knew education was her path to a better life, and the adorable story of her meeting and falling in love with Barack. And — of course — I hung on her every word as she described their political lives, the racism they encountered, and the difference they tried to make. 

But the parts where I found myself nodding the most, where I felt closest to her, were when she described her life as a working mom: the love she had for her children, the need she had for meaningful work, and what it took to help her (sometimes) feel she was successful at both.

If you’ve been meaning to read this book, I urge you to make time for it. It’s well written and has great narrative drive, despite the fact that we know how it all turns out. 😉

The Mommy’s Pen Podcast: S4, E8: Harry Potter Series – Overarching Story Structure Breakdown

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This season we’re tackling one of the most beloved series of all time: Harry Potter.

We’ve completed the analysis of all seven books in the Harry Potter series so now we’re taking a look at the overarching structure of the entire series.

Finally, we talk about the term “allusion” and look forward to next season.

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 4, Episode 8: Harry Potter Series – Overarching Story Structure Breakdown

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

  • Our mailing list! Sign up today and you’ll get cool subscriber only perks like bonus material and artwork, including an advance copy of my forthcoming novel, The Cat, the Cash, the Leap and the List.
  • Story Fix for more details on the four act structure.
  • Story Grid for all things related to the Five Commandments.
  • Pottermore for all the glorious official content for Harry Potter.

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