I recently had an essay published by Motherwell Magazine about grief, love, and dreaming about what it would look like if my two husbands (and ultimately my two families) could meet. My first husband has been dead for many years, so it's an impossible but sweet reverie. You can read the essay on Motherwell here.

My March/April Newsletter recently out, and you can find it here. It has some publication updates, reading recommendations, grief writing workshop news, and Robin Clifford Wood and her new book, The Field House: A Writer's Life Lost and Found on an Island in Maine, are featured. Zoe's science/nature fact is about baby pandas as well!

I really enjoy volunteering with the Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area, so I'm partnering with them to offer another virtual workshop on writing through grief. The workshop is free, designed to be really low key, no writing experience at all is necessary, and, because it's virtual, folks don't have to be in the Waterville area (or even in Maine) to participate. The information covered in the workshop is helpful for any stage of grief, too, whether it's anticipatory grief, a recent loss, or helping to process grief a long time after a loved one has died.

My local hospice volunteer organization, Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area, recently asked me to put together a little something about surviving Valentine's Day when you are grieving. Sometimes "special" days like Valentine's Day and other holidays are the hardest, sometimes it's the regular old days that get you. Regardless, please be gentle with yourselves as best you can.

I am so thrilled to have an essay in the latest issue of Taproot, Issue 43 :: Roots. Taproot's editorial team was a dream to work with, and the artist took great care with the illustration accompanying my piece. I've been a subscriber for years, as every issue is filled with great writing, recipes, knitting patterns, and other artistic or adventurous projects. You can order or subscribe to Taproot here, or you can find a list of local stores that carry Taproot by state/country here.

A couple months ago, a friend posted about Complete Sentence, a new literary magazine where everything they publish is composed of a single sentence. I was intrigued and thought it was a cool concept. Not long after, I had a rough night with the kids and wrote this piece, Summer Heat, in a flurry.

Writing Through Grief
 
Please join Sarah Kilch Gaffney for “Writing through Grief,” a virtual workshop and discussion through the Hospice Volunteers of Waterville Area, on September 28, 2020, at 6 pm. We will talk about different ways of writing as a way to help us navigate grief, as well as the benefits of keeping a journal. In addition, you’ll have the opportunity to take home some writing prompts, discuss books on grief and loss, and connect with others who are experiencing grief. Any level of participation is welcome, even if you just want to sit and listen, and no writing experience is necessary. To register, email jroy@hvwa.org or call 873-3615 ext.19.

I wrote the essay, "A Geography of Grief," many years ago, a few months after my first husband died from a brain tumor, and it is still one of my favorites of all the essays I have written. It was originally published in Hippocampus Magazine, was recently included in the Grief Becomes You anthology, and now is featured on the gratefulness.org site. You can find the essay here.

In early 2019, I saw a call for submissions for an anthology about grief. That, I thought, was right up my alley. I reached out to the editor, Maya Stein, and eventually submitted a couple pieces for consideration. After much hard work on Maya's part, Grief Becomes You is now a beautiful testament to grief and loss in book form. Through compiled poems, essays, and photographs, our many narratives and experiences of grief are explored. You can learn more about the Grief Becomes You project here and you can purchase a copy (both digital and print copies are available) here.