Author: Callie J. Smith
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What We Are To Each Other Sticks: On Kohelette and the Power of Memories
What we are to each other doesn’t go away. Our people don’t go away. And that changes everything.
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On Truth in Fiction and “Wicherek Way: A Short Story”
“For better or for worse, she’d never given any hint of discomfort when her dreams had to face reality.” – from “Wicherek Way,” a short story from the world of the forthcoming novel Kohelette I wouldn’t say my fiction is autobiographical, but I do find myself drawing on bits of real-life experience to ground my…
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When the New Becomes Hard: On Kohelette and Piecing Together A Life After Loss
“She wants to do something new with her life, but she may need the dead to help her do it.” – Kohelette: A Novel How do you feel about doing new things? Energized and excited? Uneasy? Overwhelmed? I’ve been paying extra attention to how I answer that question as we’ve entered the new year. To be…
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Holiday Baking: A Gingerbread Legacy
I know there’s more to the holidays than baking, but baking is simply one of those things my family does this time of year. It’s a ritual, a practice, an experience playing out over time that builds layers of memory and meaning. Even if I weren’t baking for holiday gatherings or for gifts, I’d still…
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Yarns and Yams: On Enjoying What My Loved Ones Enjoy
“I’m trusting that these shared meals are accomplishing, or may yet accomplish, something with good in it. Perhaps, at the very least, they’re a start.” – from “Yarns and Yams” Now that we’ve reached the month when many families in the US gather for Thanksgiving meals, I’m sharing this reflection I wrote earlier in the…
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Spending Time with Creative Block: Reflections on The Joy of a Field
I dread “the block.” It comes in all shapes and sizes for all kinds of creative projects. It frustrates the heck out of people whose well-meaning efforts it stalls. Ever been there? It’s not fun. Unfortunately, my most recent novel, The Joy of a Field, left me spending more time with creative block than either of…
About the author
Callie J. Smith writes about women who, like her, are finding themselves. Her essays and cozy fiction (contemporary and fantasy) explore everyday things like hope, creativity, and grief.
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Callie J. Smith 