Michelle Bailat-Jones
@mbailatj.bsky.social
novelist/translator/reader, here for the sharpened pencils, books & writing talk, for all things language and foliage, for all the shiny things & shadows. (Eng, Fr, 日本語, Ital) Rep'd by Simon Trewin.
www.michellebailatjones.com
www.michellebailatjones.com
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
I've had a great time selecting some pieces to mark the solstice and year's end at @necessaryfiction.com, and am grateful to the writers who shared their work. Here is the first gathering of lights, with three more to follow in the days ahead.
Points of light, day 1 – Necessary Fiction
necessaryfiction.com
December 21, 2025 at 2:10 PM
I've had a great time selecting some pieces to mark the solstice and year's end at @necessaryfiction.com, and am grateful to the writers who shared their work. Here is the first gathering of lights, with three more to follow in the days ahead.
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
Linda Gregg, The Light Continues
“Every evening, an hour before
the sun goes down, I walk toward
its light, wanting to be altered.”
“Every evening, an hour before
the sun goes down, I walk toward
its light, wanting to be altered.”
December 21, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Linda Gregg, The Light Continues
“Every evening, an hour before
the sun goes down, I walk toward
its light, wanting to be altered.”
“Every evening, an hour before
the sun goes down, I walk toward
its light, wanting to be altered.”
Annie Dillard, "Waking Up", The Abundance
"Like any child, I slid into myself perfectly fitted, as the diver meets her reflection in a pool. Her fingertips on the water, her wrists slide up her arms. The diver wraps herself in her reflection wholly, sealing it at the toes, and wears it as she climbs rising from the pool, and ever after."
December 21, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Annie Dillard, "Waking Up", The Abundance
"Like any child, I slid into myself perfectly fitted, as the diver meets her reflection in a pool. Her fingertips on the water, her wrists slide up her arms. The diver wraps herself in her reflection wholly, sealing it at the toes, and wears it as she climbs rising from the pool, and ever after."
December 21, 2025 at 1:36 PM
"Like any child, I slid into myself perfectly fitted, as the diver meets her reflection in a pool. Her fingertips on the water, her wrists slide up her arms. The diver wraps herself in her reflection wholly, sealing it at the toes, and wears it as she climbs rising from the pool, and ever after."
Midwinter morning, books out and sharpened pencils morning, music-on morning, quiet projects and quiet thinking morning. Four degrees outside and gray for the shortest day of the year.
December 21, 2025 at 9:05 AM
Midwinter morning, books out and sharpened pencils morning, music-on morning, quiet projects and quiet thinking morning. Four degrees outside and gray for the shortest day of the year.
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
early morning dark, with coffee
December 21, 2025 at 7:27 AM
early morning dark, with coffee
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
"A lighthouse keeper's ethics: you tend for all or none
for this you might set your furniture on fire
A 'this' we have blundered over
As if the lamp could be shut off at will
rescue denied for some
and still a lighthouse be"
Adrienne Rich, "For this"
for this you might set your furniture on fire
A 'this' we have blundered over
As if the lamp could be shut off at will
rescue denied for some
and still a lighthouse be"
Adrienne Rich, "For this"
March 6, 2025 at 6:39 AM
"A lighthouse keeper's ethics: you tend for all or none
for this you might set your furniture on fire
A 'this' we have blundered over
As if the lamp could be shut off at will
rescue denied for some
and still a lighthouse be"
Adrienne Rich, "For this"
for this you might set your furniture on fire
A 'this' we have blundered over
As if the lamp could be shut off at will
rescue denied for some
and still a lighthouse be"
Adrienne Rich, "For this"
Garden morning. A half-hour of cold, winter sun. The pumpkin leaves, like curled paper now, hang from the homemade summer trellis that will collapse as soon as we get snow.
December 20, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Garden morning. A half-hour of cold, winter sun. The pumpkin leaves, like curled paper now, hang from the homemade summer trellis that will collapse as soon as we get snow.
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
Back home in Vermont after months in London. The river is melting. A friend asked me why I’m afraid to take pictures of the river. Haunted, obviously. Every river is.
December 20, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Back home in Vermont after months in London. The river is melting. A friend asked me why I’m afraid to take pictures of the river. Haunted, obviously. Every river is.
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the
moors—
Keats
Of snow upon the mountains and the
moors—
Keats
December 20, 2025 at 7:10 AM
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the
moors—
Keats
Of snow upon the mountains and the
moors—
Keats
Train station in the village. A mouse or a shrew is moving slowly from one shrub to another, under a tunnel of leaves. Peeking out between each rustle.
December 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Train station in the village. A mouse or a shrew is moving slowly from one shrub to another, under a tunnel of leaves. Peeking out between each rustle.
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
Snow is covering us. Close your eyes and sleep. Close your eyes and dream.
This is one story. There will be another.
Jeanette Winterson, The Stone Gods
This is one story. There will be another.
Jeanette Winterson, The Stone Gods
December 18, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Snow is covering us. Close your eyes and sleep. Close your eyes and dream.
This is one story. There will be another.
Jeanette Winterson, The Stone Gods
This is one story. There will be another.
Jeanette Winterson, The Stone Gods
Train. Carrying an overblooming top-hravy amaryllis and seven novels. The amaryllis keeps threatening to fall onto train seat neighbor because I care mostly about not dropping the novels. Amaryllis blooms hit stranger. I feign innocence.
December 18, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Train. Carrying an overblooming top-hravy amaryllis and seven novels. The amaryllis keeps threatening to fall onto train seat neighbor because I care mostly about not dropping the novels. Amaryllis blooms hit stranger. I feign innocence.
Walk down from the station this morning. Passed the man who goes out from his hotel in a bathrobe to get his newspaper.
December 16, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Walk down from the station this morning. Passed the man who goes out from his hotel in a bathrobe to get his newspaper.
Nightwalk. A house on the hill above the village has arranged two old teapots into its rock garden. A neighbor a few doors down left all the apples on their tree and dozens hang frozen, half-dead, from the bare branches. Quietly shiny in the lamplight.
December 15, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Nightwalk. A house on the hill above the village has arranged two old teapots into its rock garden. A neighbor a few doors down left all the apples on their tree and dozens hang frozen, half-dead, from the bare branches. Quietly shiny in the lamplight.
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
Would you like to know how to make a zine? Here's easy step-by-step instructions on how to make your own without the use of a computer by @thorazos.bsky.social
December 14, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Would you like to know how to make a zine? Here's easy step-by-step instructions on how to make your own without the use of a computer by @thorazos.bsky.social
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
cc @mbailatj.bsky.social any leads?
Long shot, but does anyone in Switzerland have an emergency Theremin to loan tomorrow night ( Friday 12 December )?
#ViaMardot is playing a show in St Gallen, and the airline lost her equipment!!!
We can help pay for a courier if needed, please share to get this message out!!
#theremin #switzerland
#ViaMardot is playing a show in St Gallen, and the airline lost her equipment!!!
We can help pay for a courier if needed, please share to get this message out!!
#theremin #switzerland
December 11, 2025 at 9:49 PM
cc @mbailatj.bsky.social any leads?
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
Our editors share some of the books that captured our attention this year. necessaryfiction.com/reviews/reco...
December 8, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Our editors share some of the books that captured our attention this year. necessaryfiction.com/reviews/reco...
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
I wrote down a whole bunch of reasons why you want to read it!
Akari: Kohinata Marco
First things first: this book is gorgeous. Like you feel compelled to linger lovingly on nearly every single panel on every single page levels of gorgeous. Maybe it’s just that Kohinata’s wor…
brainvsbook.wordpress.com
December 11, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I wrote down a whole bunch of reasons why you want to read it!
My fellow editors and I @necessaryfiction.com have shared a few of the books we really enjoyed this year for our latest Recommended Reading. I love hearing about what my colleagues are reading, and you might, too necessaryfiction.com/reviews/reco...
Recommended Reading 2025 – Necessary Fiction
necessaryfiction.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:25 PM
My fellow editors and I @necessaryfiction.com have shared a few of the books we really enjoyed this year for our latest Recommended Reading. I love hearing about what my colleagues are reading, and you might, too necessaryfiction.com/reviews/reco...
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
things Copilot has tried desperately to help me with this morning: a thread
1) suggesting '10 compelling titles' for a spreadsheet I use to log student attendance
1) suggesting '10 compelling titles' for a spreadsheet I use to log student attendance
December 9, 2025 at 9:22 AM
things Copilot has tried desperately to help me with this morning: a thread
1) suggesting '10 compelling titles' for a spreadsheet I use to log student attendance
1) suggesting '10 compelling titles' for a spreadsheet I use to log student attendance
At the florist this morning two men in wellingtons discussed peonies. One loved them because a good shower would scatter them and color up the lawn. The other loved them because they were bold, bright.
December 9, 2025 at 8:36 AM
At the florist this morning two men in wellingtons discussed peonies. One loved them because a good shower would scatter them and color up the lawn. The other loved them because they were bold, bright.
Reposted by Michelle Bailat-Jones
Wonderful short thread. And hilarious.
RIP Martin Parr.
I have a story, from the one time I met him. At the Port Eliot Festival. It gave, eventually, the secret to his genius.
We were standing under a tree, chatting, and I was asking him about how he worked? How he got people enough at their ease that they'd forget he was there?
I have a story, from the one time I met him. At the Port Eliot Festival. It gave, eventually, the secret to his genius.
We were standing under a tree, chatting, and I was asking him about how he worked? How he got people enough at their ease that they'd forget he was there?
December 8, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Wonderful short thread. And hilarious.
Evening run along the lake in the dark. Small clusters of sleeping ducks float just offshore, barely visible. Kids on an invisible playground laugh, then cry, then laugh.
December 8, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Evening run along the lake in the dark. Small clusters of sleeping ducks float just offshore, barely visible. Kids on an invisible playground laugh, then cry, then laugh.