Author: Bridgette

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Book Release: Let’s Celebrate!

I’ve taken another leap forward in my creative journey and self-published my first book. I’ve spent the last few months rewriting every story, working with a book cover artist, figuring out how to format a book, and taking on each challenge as it presented itself—and there were many! I had no idea what this journey would look like, and although I’m still in the weeds of doing new things, I’m ready to share it with you.

I’m thrilled and grateful to present my debut book, Watering Words: 52 Short Stories.

Isn’t it beautiful! The official release date is April 27, but you can pre-order it now! What you get if you pre-order:

  • Autographed copy of the book
  • Bookmark with links to a photo collage and Spotify playlist for all 52 stories
  • A printed and autographed copy of an additional story not in the book titled Through the Glass Windshield

A portion of my book sales will go to support my favorite nonprofit, G.I.R.L.S. Rock Sacramento. My daughter attended their camps for eight years, and it changed her life. Please, check them out and consider a donation. Right now, more than ever, we need organizations helping girls find their voice.

If you ARE local, you can also attend my book release party at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 27 at A Seat of the Table Books in Elk Grove, California. Not only is this my favorite independent bookstore, but they strive to create a “place that is safe and affirming for all identities.” Seriously, I’ve never felt so comfortable in any store. They’re tremendous supporters of local authors and will carry my book on their shelves.

Did you catch that? My book will be IN A BOOKSTORE. {Pinch me}

Now, what’s this book all about? Readers of my blog will recognize most of these stories from the writing challenge I did two years ago, but they’ve all undergone extensive rewriting and editing. Here’s the blurb from the back cover of the book:

The Blinking Day arrives for a mother after she drops her kids off at school. A starving child follows a rabbit to a house of candy. Orange trees kill a father. An alien must learn one true thing. A girl wants to be a fish tank. An old couple paints with blood. Apple stars unlock memories. Goldilocks gets what’s coming to her.

Written over one year, Bridgette Kay’s debut collection crosses genres and time as it explores the complexities of being human. With a unique ability to capture deep emotion, she tells fictional stories through the lens of lived truth. Read one story a week or devour them all at once. Your next favorite adventure starts now.

  • For a sneak peak at the stories, check out my Instagram

Real talk. This post feels big and scary. While I’m excited to have this book in the world, it also comes with all the insecurities and fear of being a creative. Will people buy it? If they do, will they read it? If they do, will they like it? I’ve had many moments over the last few months where I’ve said, “I’m not ready for this.” I’m not. I’ll never be.

There’s a creative on Instagram I love named Amie McNee. She just published a book titled We Need Your Art: Stop Messing Around and Make Something. I’ve got a copy beside me as I type this, and I keep flipping through and reading her words. “Imposter Syndrome is a clear sign from the universe that you’ve leveled up, baby.” “Other people will have made art similar to your art. It’s not a cause for panic. It isn’t a threat. It’s proof of market. There’s room for you.” “Nothing truly wonderful is made without first being a little bit cringe.” Her words are exactly what I need to read right now. Thank you, Amie.

It feels cringe to ask you to buy my book. It feels scary to say I’m proud of myself. But, I’m saying both. I finally finished a creative project and I’m going to let myself celebrate.

If you are considering self-publishing, starting a blog, or any act of creativity—go for it! I’ve got people coming up to me excited about my book. A friend posted on FB, “You are bringing light into the world, light that will help me on my way. Congratulations!” and another said “Just the best thing ever!!! And it’s about time!” How cool is that?

We need art right now. Make your art. Use your voice. We need you.

And buy my book. It will look pretty on your bookshelf 🙂

Cover design: Vivian González Zúñiga

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Photography: St. Patrick’s Day Parade

On Saturday, I attended the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Old Sacramento. Although I have mixed feelings about how the holiday portrays Irish people and the history around St. Patrick, it felt nice to forget politics and wave at dogs for a while.

I ran into a co-worker from my old Sacramento Bee days and met her adorable daughter. She remembered I always wore Docs and Converse. While many things have changed about me in the last 20 years, I still wear the same shoes.

Let me know if you have a favorite photo. Have a wonderful Monday!

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  • These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.

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Photography: Dillon Beach

In 44 days, my book will be out into the world. A book with my words inside and my name on the cover. It’s a strange feeling still buried beneath all the details of self-publishing, but I wanted to acknowledge it here. With you.

This week, I got the Library of Congress number and started Instagram promotions. Next week, I’ll receive my proof copy, meet the bookstore manager to plan the book signing event, reveal the cover, and begin pre-orders.

It’s all happening.

It feels like it did when I published my first blog post—terrifying. Will anyone but my mom buy it? I recently came across an interview with David Bowie where he said, “If you feel safe in the area that you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth, and when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.”

I’m going out of my depth, and it’s scary.

So for today, I’m going to share with you photos from a recent trip I took to Dillion Beach. Photos of water, birds, and starfish. These photos make me feel safe and I hope you like them. Let me know if you have a favorite, and I’ll see you next week with my heart in my hands.

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  • These photos were taken with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.

Over on my Instagram, I’m showcasing the vibe of each of the short stories in my collection. I hope you’ll consider checking it out.

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Photography: Updates from my Backyard

Just popping in from the land of editing to share with you a few quick shots taken with my iPhone in the backyard yesterday. I also want to share exciting things happening:

  • My short story collection book has a name and an ISBN number.
  • I’ve hired an artist to create a book cover and it should be done in February.
  • Yesterday, a kindergartner told me I was pretty.
  • I’ve decided on a new photo project—portraits of strong women. I’ve got the first three models/friends booked and I’m excited to see how this grows.
  • Tonight, I’m going to an art event celebrating Rebels, which is the exact energy I want to bring into this year.
  • Bubbles and sunshine filled my yard again.
  • I recently got Lightroom. My photos might look a bit different as I figure out how to use this new software, but I’m excited for a new challenge.
  • My camellias and daffodils are blooming.
  • My 5-year-old nephew is obsessed with gnomes and it’s the best thing over.
  • Tomorrow I’m taking my daughter to see Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and I get to wear my old cowboy boots.

The world feels like such a mess, so I hope you forgive my need to celebrate all the things. Tell me something good happening in your backyard today and I hope you have a fantastic week.

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  • These photos were taken with my iPhone and edited using Lightrooom.

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Photography: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

“And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.”—Rainer Maria Rilke

It’s been a season of reading books, doing puzzles, snuggling under blankets, and savoring the warmth of my home. Big goals and plans are on the horizon, but right now I’m moving slowly and feeling fully into where I am at this moment.

Thank you to everyone who has read my blog this year despite my sporadic and inconsistent pattern. It’s been a year of tremendous highs and lows. I am mourning loss and also feeling incredibly blessed for new people who have come into my life.

May your New Year’s Eve and all next year swirl with beauty, love, peace, and hope.

I’m glad you are here.

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  • As always, photos were taken by me with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.

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Photography: Cold Moon

Although it was our last session together, the full moon hid from me. It danced among the snow but wouldn’t sit still long enough to capture it. I looked for light and cold instead. Winter held within a single frame. Tell me, can you feel it?

Moon rises fair and fleece.
Dark crow upon the fence outside.
Night thought, like snow concealed.
—Neil Reid

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I had high hopes and big plans for this final photo shoot, but the weather did not cooperate. I went out three different times but clouds and rain made it quite difficult. All the same, I hope you enjoyed this last installment and all 12 months of full moon photos. I learned a lot this year! Stay tuned for some big announcements in the coming weeks. I’ve got ideas for a new project and I’m still working on publishing my short story collection.

As always, all photos were taken by me with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a wonderful week.

One final note. For those who knew Neil Reid, I’m sad to say he passed away earlier this month. I wrote a tribute to him on his blog today, but I wanted to honor him here too. I will miss his comments, letters, and beautiful poetry. He taught me a poem is a poem if you say it is and to love B I G. I will miss him.

Neil’s kitties.
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Photography: Mountain Retreat

Last week I spent time recharging and writing in a beautiful house on Cobb Mountain. My creative, giving, and loving friends helped me figure out the title of the short story book I’ll be self-publishing in April. I wrote the introduction and edited several stories. They were invaluable in listening to me rattle on about my dreams and fears.

In this tumultuous time in America, it felt good to surround myself with strong women. We need each other more now than ever.

“They will want you seated, conformed, and quiet but don’t you dare fit in. Scream the house down if it’s what it will take to make your noise heard. The divine feminine has been shamed and shunned for self-expression for far too long, we aren’t here to silence ourselves anymore.”—Nikki Rowe

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As always, all photos were taken by me with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a wonderful week.

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Photography: Beaver Moon

For a moment I lost hope. Fear stuck in my belly and made me sick. I didn’t recognize my country anymore so I chased the moon with my camera. I couldn’t go over the pain. I couldn’t go under it. Oh no! I would have to go through it.

I’m not through it, not even close, but I found a few things to help. Rice fields at sunrise. Cranes taking flight. Gold-tinged farmland. You. We’ve got a long way to go and we need each other. So this is me holding my hand out to you. We are in this together.

“We all—adults and children, writers and readers—have an obligation to daydream. We have an obligation to imagine. It is easy to pretend that nobody can change anything, that we are in a world in which society is huge and the individual is less than nothing: an atom in a wall, a grain of rice in a rice field. But the truth is, individuals change their world over and over, individuals make the future, and they do it by imagining that things can be different.”—Neil Gaiman

*In case you didn’t recognize the reference above, it’s from the delightful children’s book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt.

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As always, all photos were taken by me with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a wonderful week. Only ONE full moon left! What?!!

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Rainy Day in America


wetwalking she crept
into darkened oldwoods
bumblebush wept
missing sweetgoods

teardropleaves watch
fairies hiddenbreath wish
forgivenot bitter scotch
weave hopeful freshstitch

sisterthorns together cry
tornfists stitched anew
silkhands won’t comply
our earthbodies stay true

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  • As always, all photos were taken by me with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.

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Photography: Road Trip and Update

After years of regularly posting and commenting here, I think I’ve reached a place of burnout. I haven’t been fully present like I used to be. It’s not fun.

To get myself out of this slump, and at the advice of my wonderful writer’s group, I’ve decided to self-publish my 52 short stories into a collection available by Christmas. Having a physical book, my book, in my hands will be a dream come true. I need this to move forward.

In the meantime, thank you to those who continue to show up and cheer me on. Your comments are what keeps me going. I hope you’ll consider ordering a copy when it’s available. I can’t even tell you what that would mean. I’m giddy thinking of it.

While I do the hard work of making it happen, here are some photos from my recent road trip. Let me know if you have a favorite and have a fantastic week.

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#14, my friend’s dog Paris. Isn’t she the cutest!

#15, self-portrait

  • As always, all photos were taken by me with an Olympus OM-D and edited with ON1 Photo RAW.