About

Hey and howdy! I’m so glad you stopped in to meet me. Nice to meet you, friend; I’m Kaci.
I’m from a huge family. My mom’s parents had thirteen children in twenty years. The older children were married and had babies when number 13, my mom, was born. Some of her nieces and nephews were more like siblings. My grandparents ended up with 55 grandchildren. Yep, I’m number 55. When my grandma passed away in 1982, she had over 300 descendants. Whew! Did she ever get tired of writing birthday cards! My parents had five children. I’m the baby and only girl. Spoiled? Nope! “Come on boys!” I came a-runnin’.

This is my silly, fun-loving husband, Kevin. A delight to all he meets. He’s a grammar geek and my spellcheck guy. Good thing I married him! I happen to be dyslexic, so he is quite handy. He’s a great cook, he helps around the house, and he even does laundry! I think I’ll keep him! I’ve been married to this wonderful gentleman for 38 years. I feel very blessed to have him in my life.

We have two beautiful and talented daughters. This photo was taken when they were still in school, but I love it. The girls loved to dress up for special occasions. Frankly, we all did. This was Easter, 2005. They are both married now and live in opposite directions from us (one in Southern California and one in Southern Oregon.) We are the proud and blessed grandparents of six beautiful, cuddly grandchildren. Both of our girls enjoy singing and drawing. Our oldest also crotchets, knits, sews, and homeschools. Our youngest is an artist who paints in several mediums, as well as a graphic artist. She’s a poet and a singer/songwriter. She plays piano and guitar, paints with several mediums, and is the manager of a beauty supply store.

Hobbies:  The photographs on my pages and posts are my own, except for the ones with me in them. My husband and I love to photograph gardens, waterfalls, rivers, cemeteries, mountains, and the list goes on. Photobooks paired with my poetry have been a nice addition to our coffee table. I love to draw and paint, though I haven’t had much time to do so lately. Sigh. I enjoy playing piano, recorder, guitar, and the Native American flute. Reading is a big hobby, some say too big as we have over 2,000 books on five bookcases in the house. YES!!

Speaking of books, I’ve been a busy little bee since the big shutdown in 2020.
I’m writing A Poetic Journey: Books 1-5. They’re fun, instructional books on how to write poetry. As I pen book six, I’m looking for an agent and Christian publisher for these short but packed books. They are a great addition to homeschooling curriculum and for anyone looking to learn different poetic forms. Each book explains and gives examples of thirty different types of poetry. 

Two novels are nearly completed. The first I began penning 30 years ago, the second, in November 2021.

With Raptured Kiss, a Historical Christian Romance based in 1557, England, during the reign of Bloody Mary. With heretics burning at the stake, Beth must hide her faith amidst Protestant persecution. Nefarious plans to sell her as wife to The Duke of Surrey, land her in his dungeon where she falls for her guard Nicholas. Can they escape the clutches of the evil Duke? Will her family survive the Queen’s edict? 

Your Sweet Melody is a contemporary romance. Rosalind and Antonio, vocalists from different points on the globe, sing their first duet on New Year’s Eve in Venice. Their instant captivation with one another and their vocal connection propels them to find their way back to each other over and over. Will murder, obsession, and secrets keep them apart? Will their love survive from shore to shore?

Psalm 139: A 10-day Devotional: NOW AVAILABLE! With a deep look into Psalm 139, we find how much God loves us.

The Like That poetry chapbooks (based on a poem by the same name) are a series of I’ve been compiling of my original pieces. Christmas and Easter Like That has been available since Christmas 2021. You may find it in my store.

The Love Trio: Chasing Love (My newest release – Now Available in my store), Finding Love, and Losing Love released on Valentine’s Day, 2023.

My mom’s family life contained lots of music. Her father and many of her siblings were poets, songwriters, singers, and played instruments. Our family reunions were alive with music – lots of singing, hugging, laughing, and of course, eating.

My dad and his two sisters, as well as several other family members, were artists (mostly painters.) Thank God I got both genes, and they were passed down to the girls! We have enjoyed a lifetime of art and music. My mom said that I was singing before I was talking. I haven’t stopped talking or singing since. Haha!

Choir, choir, choir! I started singing in the Tiny Tots choir at church when I was about two, having my first solo not long thereafter. I sang in children’s choir and youth choir at church as well as choirs and ensembles in middle school and high school. All I ever wanted to do was sing! So I did. I went off to California Baptist College (now University) for a music degree in 1982, where I crammed four years into five. There, besides the hours every day studying music and voice, I sang in ensembles and choir at school and choirs (paid or otherwise) at several churches. Choir was a part of my life until 2010. I have had the privilege of singing with some of the most amazing singers at church, with The Gary Bonner Singers (in Southern California), and with the Eugene Opera Chorus in Oregon. I laughed with a friend not long ago about how many choirs I had been in and how they overlapped. I tallied up all the choirs I was a part of and said, “I have been in choir longer than I have been alive!”

I got married while still in college, and we had our first daughter the year I graduated. After a few years of odd jobs, I began teaching voice and beginning piano lessons and continued doing so for 25 years. During the girls’ growing up years, I taught children’s music at church and played in the handbell choir. I also taught music for Agape Christian School in Riverside, CA. In 1997, I began a seven-year stint homeschooling our girls; this paired with giving private music lessons after school hours.

In 2000, while still in Riverside, I produced
“We Worship You/Bring Me to the Place,” a promotional CD of original worship songs.  This included songs for children, choirs, ensembles, and four solo tracks. Eight of these tracks may be found on itunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube, and other venues of music services. In 2004, my friend, Janis Walton and I recorded “Steppin’ Out,” a Broadway CD of some of our favorite show tunes. What a blast that was! (They are both available in my store.) From 1991 to 2007, I had the blessing of being a part of 17 additional CDs, including the 15th Air Force Band of the Golden West (1), Magnolia Baptist Church choir (4), America’s Tenor – Steve Amerson (2), and The Gary Bonner Singers (10).

We moved to Oregon in the summer of 2007 after a European tour with the Gary Bonner Singers to record with the City of Prague Symphony Orchestra. A lovely trip, even without our luggage. Lord, have mercy!
I joined the Eugene Opera Chorus that fall and enjoyed two and a half seasons with them. Glorious!
My husband’s father passed away in March 2010, and we moved back to southern California to take care of his widow. While there, Kevin and I were called to be the worship leaders for a church in Moreno Valley. Two years later, my dad called and asked us to come to Antioch to take care of him. He passed in October 2014.

After my dad’s passing, I spent four years as the lobby pianist for Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Antioch, where I enjoyed playing and singing for patients, visitors, and hospital staff. This is a photo of me at the baby grand piano on Halloween 2018. I injured my shoulder in October 2019 and had to take a leave of absence.

 

Other opportunities had me performing at rehabilitation hospitals, senior assisted living communities, and civic events. I’ve met some beautiful people and played with stellar artists in the area. Looking forward to sharing the gift God has granted me when we get the all-clear to perform again in these settings. Until then, I am pursuing writing. When the world gives you lemons, eat ’em with salt!

Kevin and I moved to California’s Central Valley in June of 2022. I’m singing in the choir once more and with an orchestra. Yay!

Publications:
My poem “You Sweet Melody” was published by Z Publishing in California’s Best Emerging Poets 2020.
Three poems, including my award-winning poem, “Cover Me,” published in The Dazed Starling Unbound, California Baptist University’s magazine, 2022,   https://issuu.com/dazedstarling/docs/dazed_starling_unbound-nested_2022
A month later, Agape Review published five of my poems. https://agapereview.com/tag/kaci-rigney/
Agape Review published five more poems in February 2023.
Kosmeo Magazine published “Be All Things” in their February/March 2023 addition. https://kosmeomag.com
God is so good!

Last, but by no means least, I am in love with Jesus. I’ve spent a lifetime failing, falling, and getting back up. But I know He loves me and forgives my unfaithfulness. We have all fallen short of His glory. I’m so glad He is faithful. His character–faithful, just, sovereign, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in mercy, and full of grace and truth gives me hope. He loves me. He loves you. He died taking my sins and your sins with Him on the cross. I’ve given Him my heart and my life. I pray you have done the same, so we may spend forever in His presence. God bless you.

If you would like encouraging, constructive criticism on a poem, the first page of your novel, or a song you’ve written, hit me up. I’d be happy to encourage your endeavors.

Kaci

Find me on:

MeWe:  Kaci Rigney

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