Author · Educator · Voice Artist
About P. L. McBride
P. L. McBride, also known as Peter McBride, is a San Diego County author, lifelong surfer, and educator. He writes warm, funny, true stories that remind readers they are not alone in what they face.
At a glance
The short version.
The story
A life spent teaching, and listening.
Peter McBride has spent more than three decades helping people find their footing through education, storytelling, music, and service. He taught across Los Angeles and San Diego counties, developed music and play programs for young learners, trained educators, and spoke for the University of Phoenix.
He also served two years in the Navy. From 2012 to 2018, he presented Red Cross resources to Navy and Marine personnel and their families before deployment, helping service families get ready for what was ahead.
Surfing runs through all of it. The ocean taught him timing, humility, and courage, and those lessons became the Dropping In series: true stories for young adults and the adults beside them, connecting the everyday challenges of growing up with lessons learned in the surf.
Today he is a musician, a lifelong surfer, a husband, and a father. He plays guitar in a ukulele group, narrates his own audiobook, and lends his voice to exhibits at the California Surf Museum and Oceanside Museum of Art. He is also a coproducer with Stacie Hunt Experiential.
Timeline
Five decades, one thread.
The books
The Dropping In series.
Book one · 2021
Dropping In on the Waves of Life
Stories about friendship, first love, bullies, heartbreak, and family, and about finding the person you can trust before difficult moments arrive. Also available as an audiobook narrated by Peter.
The newest book · 2026
Something’s Brewin’!
More stories where surfing meets real life, from losing face and academic failure to compassion, acceptance, and a final paddle-out that keeps getting bigger. Jim Kempton of the California Surf Museum calls the series a surf version of Aesop’s Fables.
His voice
Heard in galleries and on audio.
Peter’s voice can be heard in exhibits at the California Surf Museum and the Oceanside Museum of Art, as well as in the audiobook editions of his own work.
Hear samples of his audiobook narration, museum work, and voiceover on the homepage.
Invite Peter
Bring a story to your group.
Peter speaks with libraries, schools, service clubs, bookstores, and community groups about growing up, resilience, and what surfing teaches us about handling the unexpected. Every talk is personal, interactive, and built around real stories. Signed copies of both books are available at events.
Find Peter