Tag: family
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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…
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Summer’s End and “Sanctinomious: A Short Story”
I feel a little nostalgic at this time of year when I glimpse signs of summer ending. Soundscapes change with tree frogs and buzzing crickets. Early dustings of dry, fallen leaves show up along the sides of my hiking and biking trails. I may have begun summer with an upbeat kind of energy, excited about…
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On Memories and Acts of Care
“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…
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On Baking Bread and Not Knowing What I’m Doing
Sometimes I don’t really know what I’m doing. It’s not always a bad thing. For instance, I’ve had a hankering to bake rye bread lately – real rye bread that smells like yeast and rises on the kitchen counter. I knew nothing about any of it, but I decided a few months ago that a…
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Wishing for a Kinder Holiday Season
How do you feel when you think about the holidays? I have such conflicted reactions. As you can tell, I’m already looking ahead. On the one hand, the holidays are supposed to be – and often are – a very special time of year when we pay extra attention to the important people and efforts…
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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