Author Archives: jrizzotto0808

About jrizzotto0808

My day job as an elementary school teacher in Southern California supports my writing and Harley riding habits. My YA fantasy novel The College of the Crones, recently won an Honorable Mention Award at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Southern California 2017 Spring Retreat. My Harley stories have been published in Cold Noon Travel Diaries, Courtship of Winds, Blacktop Passages, Fresh Ink, and The Handlebar Star. When I'm not hitting the keys on my computer, you can find me camping at the beach with my husband, Frank, or holding onto him as we roar down the road on our Harley touring motorcycle.

The Space In-Between

Posted on September 20, 2019

  September in Southern California is the space in-between. It’s past summer, not yet fall. We still endure triple digit heat while the rest of the country cools down. No special holidays except Labor Day, and that’s just another excuse … Continue reading →

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Today She Needs to Write

Posted on September 11, 2019

  A short story about a short story. When I announced to my third grade class that one of my Harley stories was going to be included in an anthology coming out next month, a serious-looking girl in the second … Continue reading →

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Back to School in the Fiery Furnace

Posted on September 2, 2019

  A million years ago, when I was in elementary school, we didn’t start school until after Labor Day. My hot, muggy Iowa summer days were spent at the community pool, riding bikes, watching “Dark Shadows” and staying out until … Continue reading →

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In Pursuit of Trolls

Posted on July 24, 2019

  The past is a sidewalk chalk painting destroyed by a thundershower. Our lives storm with responsibilities, and urgent demands wash away our pleasant memories. To find ourselves again, we need to remember. One of my joys as a kid … Continue reading →

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Why Rejection Makes You a Better Writer

Posted on July 7, 2019

After a few weeks querying agents for my YA book, I needed to take a break and consider my progress. One agent, who I met and worked with in a critique group, sent me a personal rejection the same day … Continue reading →

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Before the Thunder

Posted on June 27, 2019

West Coast Thunder is a motorcycle event sponsored by Riverside Harley-Davidson held each Memorial Day to assist The Riverside National Cemetery. Around 6,000 motorcycles parade through Riverside, CA, past the National Cemetery, and end up at a venue for a … Continue reading →

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When it’s the end of the school year, and you’re tired

Posted on June 11, 2019

End of the school year deadlines binged on my phone, and I felt like it would be impossible to walk out in two weeks on May 30. I still had piles everywhere in my third grade classroom. This year had … Continue reading →

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