Author: katemckinney79

Getting Up Close

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When exactly did these
feathery green leaves
of summer
transform into rainbows?

I could get lost
in their colors
crouching low
breathing in
the mix of autumn’s
changes.

What else do we miss
when we simply walk past?

~ Kate McKinney

Birch leaves collect,
curled edges folding into
one another,
light and shadows turning
scattered shapes
into glorious sculptures.

~ Kate McKinney
Autumn Flame Maple



What would it be like
to climb right into
those branches
with all that red and green
so close?
Would it feel like sitting
in the middle of
an orchestra?
Those complementary
colors
sending out
visual vibrations?

~ Kate McKinney
Asters

A painter’s delight—
purple asters in afternoon
sunlight

Asters

When clouds float past,
they add hues
of dusty gray
and deep blue shadows
below.

Clouds over Blue Mounds

A tiny, tattered
oak seedling can withstand
wind
and takes its time
turning red.
Change can take its toll,
but each year,
this little one
grows.

~ Kate McKinney

My Book

WHEN TO HOLD ON is a girl-meets-girl YA verse novel and draws from its setting in the Driftless Area the way roots draw water from the ground.

YA novel-in-verse

Indie Bound // Barnes&Noble // Amazon

Brynn Bailey, a quiet teen, always preferred the sound of the creek over talking, and that becomes even more true as she struggles to accept the recent death of her mother. Then she meets Zoe who seems to have all the words in the world, and Brynn wishes she knew what to say. As long as it’s not about her grief. But unspoken words have a way of stacking up, like bills on a counter. Soon, she is at risk of losing both love and the only place she calls home. To save them, she’ll need to learn when to listen and when to speak up, when to let go and when to hold on.

A Sneak Peek into the Novel

THE PAINTER

“I like to paint,”
she offers

which is just enough
to transform my silence into a question:

“What do you like to paint?”

Thankfully, it gets her talking instead.

She tucks a frizzy curl behind one ear.
“For me…it’s more about the way
I see whatever I’m painting. I try to
get up close
or pick an unusual angle. Try to see
what others might miss.
I use lots of color because
even grass isn’t just green. It’s also
yellow and brown, blue and purple,
even pink.”

~ Kate McKinney, WHEN TO HOLD ON

I’ll leave you with one last image—a river birch with blue sky peeking between yellow leaves.

Happy Autumn!

River Birch

Walking at Twilight

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My eyes seek twilight

Movement in spite of stillness

Hushed breath, wind through grass

— Kate McKinney

Into darkness

I pour myself

Into shadows of blue and deep greens

As though someone

just out of reach

reaches for me

— Kate McKinney

I’ve been sick for almost two weeks, and I’m just beginning to feel better. Early in my illness I took a very slow walk in the twilight just outside my home. A small voice in my head chided me for bringing my camera, saying I wouldn’t get any “good” pictures at this time of day. But I’m glad my curious, creative soul won out because it was one of the most nurturing things I did for myself during this time. To look for the beauty has always been my way of survival. To listen to the quiet, to notice what can so often be missed. It gives back to me—this looking, this noticing. It feeds my being.

It reminds me of a moment that happens in my newly released girl-meets-girl YA verse novel, When to Hold On, when the main characters, Brynn and Zoe, take a walk to the edge of where a restored prairie begins.

It is at the edge of town. A moment on the edge of their relationship. In the darkness, there is light. In the quiet, there are sounds. Brynn shares this with Zoe, and they discover a closeness fragile and new. While the thought of kissing this girl she’s had a crush on does cross Brynn’s mind, it is far more important to make space for Zoe in her world. To invite her into the quiet and very private space she usually keeps. It is that connection in that moment that brings them closer.

I encourage you, dear reader, to stay curious and keep looking, keep listening. May you find something in the twilight that feeds your soul.

You can read more about When to Hold On at this page and can support indie bookstores by ordering a copy through Bookshop.org.

Reflections On the Water

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At water’s edge

far from home

a small lake surrounded by trees

morning air, still and cool,

orange-tinged leaves

tell me

in all their silence

to take it slow

Out on the lake,

there is nowhere to go

Nowhere to get to

It is enough

to glide

Enough

to watch water drip off the paddle

Enough

to drift under open sky

Enough

to reflect

~ Kate McKinney

Drink Up the Last of Summer

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Wild Bergamot may be fading soon,

but Bumble Bee insists

there is still nectar to drink.

A swift breeze reminds me

autumn is coming

but not quite yet.

Cicadas still sing in the trees.

Sunlight shines through green leaves

and yellow petals

like stained glass.

Nature’s rain collector,

the leaves of Cup Plant,

invite birds and insects to come

take a sip.

And shadows shift

through the long day

as we all keep changing.

So, let us take these moments

before summer’s end

and drink up!

Did you know you can eat these plants?

Learn how to harvest and eat Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa L.) and Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum), and read the inspiring story of how Alan Bergo, a chef from Minnesota, became a mushroom & wild plant hunter, otherwise known as…a forager. He shares his foraging knowledge and recipes through his books and website at ForagerChef.com.

Foraging has been a relatively new interest for me, and I’m still getting my feet wet. Over the last eight years, my family and I have been transitioning sections of our land from a vast mowed lawn (by the previous owners) to native plants and even sections of prairie. I’ve been excited to learn that many of these native plants (or weeds, as some people still call them) are not only great for the birds and butterflies, but also edible for humans!

You, too, can become a forager. Keep in mind, you shouldn’t go eating just any mushroom or berry you find; some can be poisonous. Do your research, and be sure it’s edible before tasting it. And it’s important to harvest sustainably, so no plant is wiped out. As our plants fill in, I’m enjoying a nibble here and there.

Every time I walk past Bergamot, the aroma begs me to try making a cup of Bergamot Tea! I think this will finally be the year.

As we transition into September, one of my all-time favorite months in Wisconsin, I wish you all the best. However you choose to treasure these last summer moments–look and listen closely, reach out to touch, breathe it all in, and taste the flavors.

Drink up, my friends!

Something New at Kismet Books!

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I’m thrilled to announce that my debut YA verse novel is now at Kismet Books in Verona, WI!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of going to one of my favorite local bookstores, Kismet Books in Verona, Wisconsin. They first opened their doors in November 2020, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2021 that I actually discovered them. Walking into their bookstore for the first time felt like fate. Indeed, Kismet, is the perfect name. My heart was craving this kind of bookstore.

I was blown away by the awesome selection of books and the warm and welcoming atmosphere. They offer books for every kind of reader, but I’m especially partial to their children’s, middle grade, and young adult room, which has an amazing collection.

The last time I wrote, I touched on the need for representation, so I’m extra happy in Kismet Books, where there are so many books by and about queer, POC, and Indigenous folks. This place is truly special.

Kismet Books is on the corner of Main Street and E. Verona Avenue.

So, my kiddo and I stepped out of the heat yesterday, not only to enjoy browsing the titles (which we did!), but also to bring in copies of my debut YA verse novel, When to Hold On, and I’m excited to announce that it is now on their bookshelves!

What’s the book about?

In the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, a quiet teen girl struggles to accept her mother’s death while also trying to date the new girl in town, but she’s about to lose both love and the only place she calls home. To save them, she must learn when to listen and when to speak up, when to let go and when to hold on.

You can find this girl-meets-girl story in two different spots in the store.

#1 The Young Adult Section, which is straight ahead from the front door, and on the shelf to the right.

It’s a special honor for When to Hold On to be among all these amazing books!

#2 The Local Authors section, which is just inside the front door and to the left.

It’s so exciting to see my book on the shelf with so many other books by Wisconsin authors.
When to Hold On is set in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, with its native and restored prairies and oak savannas, limestone rock outcroppings, and cold-water streams.

So, go check out Kismet Books!

I always find something new and interesting to read.

What will you find?

Being In Between

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There’s a lot to talk about in regards to gender identity, gender expression, sexual attraction, and romantic attraction. I’m so grateful to the many wonderful people that continue this multi-faceted conversation.

Here is a great site that uses a “Genderbread Person” graphic as “a teaching tool for breaking down the big concept of gender into bite-sized, digestible pieces.”

Spectrums are used as a metaphor to explain further, because people are not always this or that. Sometimes they’re somewhere in between. People can be anywhere on a spectrum and even change over time. And even this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as this discussion goes.

As for me, I’m somewhere in between. As a kid growing up during the 1980s and 1990s, I didn’t have the language to talk about what I was feeling. No one around me seemed to be having the same feelings as me, and they certainly didn’t seem interested in talking about them. It left me feeling confused, lonely, and invisible. I would’ve really appreciated having a resource like Queer Kid Stuff.

Queer Kid Stuff, founded by Lindsay “Lindz” Amer in 2015, is an edutainment company that brings LGBTQ+ and social justice media to kids and families. They make videos, podcasts, newsletters, and so much more!

One of their core values is to be “Joy-Full.” This is what they write:

“Enfolding our work in a blanket of joy. Celebrating and encouraging the beautiful uniqueness of LGBTQ+ people while recognizing that queer joy is born of queer suffering. Choosing joy in the face of hardship as a radical act against hate and systemic oppression. Shifting the notion that it is hard to be queer toward the universal truth of the collective joy of the LGBTQ+ community.”

Yes, let’s make that shift.

Another helpful resource on Queer Kid Stuff is their new Rainbow Parenting podcast. Their first episode talks about many things; one part discusses the importance of Inner Child Healing.

It reminded me of one of the reasons I wrote When to Hold On. When I was growing up, I remember finding only one book on the library bookshelf that involved two girls falling in love. Never mind the other categories within the LGBTQ+ umbrella. There was a huge lack of representation. Fortunately, in the last 20+ years, the number of books with LGBTQ+ characters and books written by LGBTQ+ authors has grown, but we need more. If you’re looking for your next young adult book to read, check out the YA list on LGBTQ Reads, a site dedicated to promoting curated LGBTQIAP+ literature for all ages, run by author and blogger Dahlia Adler.

It’s Official—My Book is Out!

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Yesterday was Release Day for my YA coming-of-age verse novel, When to Hold On, a story about two girls falling in love, struggling with grief, and learning when to listen and when to speak up. It’s set in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, a region I’ve called home for the last 30+ years, a place with many hidden geological and ecological treasures.

This book began as a small, quiet idea many years ago, and after much love and attention, and quite a long labor, it has finally come into the world. I feel like a mother of a newborn again. I am eternally grateful to all the people who helped me on my journey so far, and I look forward to the adventure ahead.

Here’s a peek at the cover. To find out more about the story and where to order a copy, click here.