Callie J. Smith

author

Category: grief and memory

What We Are To Each Other Sticks: On Kohelette and the Power of Memories

Mar 1, 2026

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by

Callie J. Smith

in grief and memory, spirituality and creativity

What we are to each other doesn’t go away. Our people don’t go away. And that changes everything.
When the New Becomes Hard: On Kohelette and Piecing Together A Life After Loss

Jan 3, 2026

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by

Callie J. Smith

in grief and memory, hope and imagination

“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…
Holiday Baking: A Gingerbread Legacy

Dec 3, 2025

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by

Callie J. Smith

in grief and memory

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…
Yarns and Yams: On Enjoying What My Loved Ones Enjoy

Nov 6, 2025

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by

Callie J. Smith

in grief and memory, spirituality and creativity

“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…
Autumn Memories and “The Fodder Shock Maze: A Short Story”

Sep 10, 2025

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by

Callie J. Smith

in grief and memory, short fiction

“This was the fun part. I reminded myself of that. At least, it used to be the fun part. Mazes gave me all the chances I needed to get where I was going.” – from “The Fodder Shock Maze” Do you have a favorite part of autumn? I have trouble narrowing it down to one thing, myself. I’m a…
On Memories and Acts of Care

Jul 2, 2025

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by

Callie J. Smith

in grief and memory, hope and imagination

“It’s the memories of care that strike me in a different, deeper place.” – from “On Memories and Acts of Care” I’m pleased to share “On Memories and Acts of Care,” which was awarded the 2025 Award of Merit (Best in Book) prize in The Polk Street Review 2025. Watch the Youtube reading below or keep…

About the author

Callie J. Smith writes about women who, like her, are finding themselves. Her stories and essays explore everyday things like hope, creativity, and grief.