Maya Smart

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Comment Policy

I started this site because I love the web and the dialogue it sparks.

I invite you to join in the conversation here at MayaSmart.com but ask that you do so in a spirit of support, sharing and encouragement.

Disagreement and debate are welcome, but only in civil tones (or the Internet’s approximation) and with constructive aims.

I offer a few ground rules adapted from Michael Hyatt’s comment policy. By posting on MayaSmart.com, you agree to the following:

  • You may comment anonymously, if you choose. Just be sure to avoid snarky, commercial, off-topic, libelous, defamatory, abusive, harassing, threatening, profane, pornographic, false, misleading, spammy or otherwise offensive content. That’s the kind of stuff our moderators delight in deleting.
  • You may post follow-up questions. I welcome comments on blog posts and prefer them to emails. That way all readers can benefit from your thought process and my response.
  • You may disagree with me. When you think I’m wrong, please let me know. Just be sure to do so respectfully.
  • Your comments are your own. I do not own your comments and I expressly disclaim any and all liability that may result from them. By commenting on this site, you agree that you retain all ownership rights in what you post here and that you will relieve me from any and all liability that may result from those postings.
  • You grant me a license to post your comments. This license is worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free. You grant me the right to store, use, transmit, display, publish, reproduce, and distribute your comments in any format, including but not limited to a blog, in a book, a video, or presentation.

All right, let’s chat!

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Hey There, I’m Maya!

Maya Smart

I’m Maya Payne Smart, a journalist, book lover, and literacy advocate. I split my time between deep reading and slow writing, often about dynamic women who lift as they climb. My focus? Promoting a #litrich lifestyle for families and individuals. I aim to show parents what it takes to raise fluent readers and to connect people of all ages to great books and authors. I also share productivity tips, interviews, and more, when inspiration strikes.

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The Smart Take

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Popular Posts

  • A Farewell to Remember
  • Wonder Women: Sex, Power and the Quest for Perfection
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  • Hair Story: Untangling the Roots of Black Hair in America (Revised and Updated)
  • When Books Are the Best Medicine: Fostering Literacy in the ER

Austin Lit Events

  1. Carrying Hope Storytime!

    December 14 @ 10:30 am
  2. VOYAGE OUT BOOK CLUB – Conversations with Friends

    December 15 @ 5:00 pm
  3. MURDER IN THE AFTERNOON BOOK CLUB – The Button Man

    December 16 @ 1:00 pm
  4. LUDICROUS SPEED BOOK CLUB – Rosewater

    December 16 @ 7:00 pm
  5. Armstrong Community Music School Storytime!

    December 17 @ 10:30 am

View All Events

Instagram

  • Took care of some holiday shopping at @domainnorthside with a stop at Theory, Lush and Amazon. Great gifts for all the special people in my life and few treats for myself!
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#DomainNORTHSIDE #ShopNORTHSIDE #OurSideHasItAll #do512 #igaustin #litrich #austin360 #atxlife
  • No matter where I am on Thanksgiving, I always pause to reflect on the years of family feasts I enjoyed as a kid at my Grandma's house in Cleveland. Love and laughter were always on the menu along with turkey, dressing, greens and sweet potatoes. Here are a few great picture books I discovered at the @texasbookfest that help us celebrate grandmas and grandpas and nanas and paw-paws year-round. The special ways grandparents love, teach and relate to their children’s children is proven fodder for vivid, powerful storytelling. May they remind us of our elders’ wisdom, wit and care, as well as the role we parents can play in fostering space for those irreplaceable bonds to bloom.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#bibliophile #abmlifeissweet #kidsreadingforpleasure #literacymatters #readersgonnaread #childrensliteracy #morethanbooks #readersareleaders #readingisfundamental #litrich #familytime #thanksgiving
  • That nagging feeling, those recurring dreams, that idea that won't let go. Sit with them. Embody the lesson. Be free.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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#quoted #quotabelle #beautifullysaid #morethanbooks #litrich #quotesforyou #quotefortheday #quotesoflife #quoteslover #igquotes #pemachodron
  • Add camping—in a tent—to the things motherhood has made me do. I never thought of myself as the outdoorsy type but as a Girl Scout troop leader I’ve got to model the adventurous spirit we wish for our girls. So here we are at Pedernales Falls State Park for the Walnut Creek Service Unit Fall Campout. Yes, I am wearing a fanny pack. This is definitely one for the books!
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Photo by @instaeileen
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#riseandclimb #gsctx #flashesofdelight #thehappynow #weekendvibes #livemoremagic #lessworkmorelife #simpleandstill #theslowdowncollective #howyouglow
  • I was traveling last week and missed The Library Foundation's Stories Gala, an incredible celebration of my very favorite library. Looks like my mom did a great job keeping the party going in my absence.  Thanks to everyone who raised funds and awareness to keep @austinpubliclibrary resources and programming strong. Nothing says community like a vibrant public library!
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#aplambassador #bibliophile #flashesofdelight #abmlifeissweet #familyphoto #literacymatters #readersgonnaread #childrensliteracy #morethanbooks #readersareleaders #do512 #igaustin #litrich

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