Inside Calm Kitchenette –
About the Writer and Her Work

I’m Maria Bakera, the writer behind Calm Kitchenette. Calm Kitchenette grew out of the way I naturally think about life through the language of the kitchen. Ideas like simmering, mixing, seasoning, and letting things take time often feel like the most honest ways to describe the experiences people move through.

At one point in my life, I had hoped to become a chef. Health made it difficult to continue down that path, but my love for the kitchen never really disappeared. In many ways, writing became another way for me to stay connected to that world.

The idea for this style of writing appeared unexpectedly one day while I was talking with a friend about life. During the conversation, an image suddenly came to mind of a mixing bowl filled with ingredients. The picture stayed with me, and I decided to write a small reflection about it. What began as a simple piece of writing slowly grew into something larger, and before long it had become a book.

Since then, kitchen language has remained a natural way for me to explore the emotional seasons people experience—times of pressure, change, patience, and growth.

Alongside these reflections, storytelling has always been another important part of my writing life. I’ve long loved imaginative worlds like The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia—stories where characters go on epic journeys and discover things about themselves along the way. That love of storytelling eventually led me to begin writing fiction of my own, including stories connected to a larger work that is still unfolding.

Through both reflection and fiction, my writing often explores many of the same themes – change, patience, courage, imagination, and the ways people grow through the seasons of life.

While Calm Kitchenette is a calm and reflective space, it is only one part of my writing world. I also enjoy humor, imagination, and a bit of whimsy. At heart, I simply care about people and about creating stories and reflections that might help someone pause, think, or see their experiences in a new way. This is the heart of the writing you’ll find here at Calm Kitchenette.

– Maria Bakera (M. Bakera)
Writer, Calm Kitchenette