Bridey Heidel celebrates release of her memoir, Bright Eyes

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Bridey Thelen-Heidel's memoir Bright Eyes was released this week, and it has been so popular among readers that publisher She Writes Press and distributor Simon & Schuster have already ordered a second printing after the first 2,000 copies were quickly purchased.

Not bad for a first book, and in its first week!

Bridey had a few events over the last six days to celebrate Bright Eyes, starting with a 7 a.m. release party at Cuppa Tahoe on Tuesday. Friends, other teachers, former students, and other community members came out to both Cuppa Tahoe and later that day at Divided Sky.

Teaching English at her alma mater, South Tahoe High School (STHS), Bridey has shared her story of survival during a turbulent childhood through her blog, a TEDx Talk, on the stage, and on podcasts. Her book's subtitle sums it up - Surviving Our Monsters and Learning to Live without Them.

I've been on Bridey's journey with her for a long time, and have always been amazed at her positive attitude and love for others. She has been there for so many students, especially those of the LGBTQ+ community, and in helping establish the ALLY Club at STHS - her passion is shown through her multiple Best of Tahoe wins as an educator.

Many in the South Lake Tahoe community have also been on Bridey's journey with her, especially as part of the campaign to get on stage both during a taping at the Ellen DeGeneres Show and then with Duran Duran during their Lake Tahoe Summer Concert Series. As Bridey left each home as she was growing up (she went to 22 schools), her belongings were stuffed into garbage bags. The one constant was a record player and Duran Duran albums. I won't go into that much further, as it's a great read in Bright Eyes!

There is another release event coming up, this time it is back at Cuppa Tahoe on October 15 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Bridey will be sharing from her book, and signing copies as well. Tickets can be purchased at the cafe/bookstore in The Crossing at Tahoe Valley in South Lake Tahoe.

Bridey will be leaving this Fall on a book tour to the Pacific Northwest, visiting her college, Lewis & Clark in Portland, and heading to Juneau, Alaska which was her home turf during some of her young life. She'll also be in Folsom, Santa Monica, as well as other spots.

From Simon & Schuster:

Fans of Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died will root for Bridey Thelen-Heidel as she struggles to unshackle herself from her mother’s chaos in this triumphant debut memoir.

Bridey is tethered to her mom’s addiction to dangerous men who park their Harley-Davidsons in the house and kick holes in all their doors. Raised to be her mother’s keeper, rescuer, and punching bag, Bridey gets used to stuffing her life into black trash bags, hauling them between Alaska and California, and changing schools every time her mom moves in a new monster—or runs away from one. Desperately seeking the normal life she’s observed in sitcoms and her friends’ families, Bridey earns her way into a fancy, private college, where she tries to forget who she is—until her mom calls with a threat that drops Bridey to her knees. Watching doctors and police interrogate her mother at the hospital, Bridey realizes her mom has become a monster herself . . . and she doesn’t want to be saved. But Bridey does.

Bright Eyes is about the indomitable spirit of a young girl forced to be brave, required to be resilient, and conditioned to be optimistic, and how she ultimately uses the same traits that helped her to survive her mother’s chaos to create her own happily ever after.