About
A life measured in pages
Biography
Janice Smith
Janice Smith was born in Detroit, Michigan and raised by a single father — a childhood that nurtured independence and a storyteller's curiosity.
She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan and a Master's degree in Management from the University of Phoenix. In 2004 she founded CASOE, Inc. — Creative Arts Spirit of Excellence — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization and training center.
She has written several plays for live stage productions, including A Dream That Never Sleeps, Meeting Jesus at 3pm, and Ain't Nobody Stoppin' This Train. Away from the desk, she is most often found decorating her home, inside a book, or engaged in robust conversations about spirituality with her friends.
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Stage plays
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Published novel
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Years leading CASOE
The writing journey
From margins to shelves
Detroit
Born and raised
Born in Detroit, Michigan and raised by a single father — the city and that household shaped the voice in every page since.
Undergrad
University of Michigan
A degree in Psychology, and a lasting curiosity about why people do what they do.
Graduate
University of Phoenix
A Master's degree in Management, pairing the study of people with the discipline of leading them.
2004
CASOE, Inc. is founded
Founder of Creative Arts Spirit of Excellence, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization and training center.
Stage
Plays for live production
A Dream That Never Sleeps, Meeting Jesus at 3pm, and Ain't Nobody Stoppin' This Train are written for live stage audiences.
Now
Getting Sober on Sibley and Third
A novel that carries the same honesty as the stage work, written for readers walking their own long road.
Off the page
What the work is made of
- Decorating her home — creating warmth, texture, and a sense of place
- Reading widely, and re-reading the books that hold up
- Spirituality — the robust conversations that shape her view of grace
- Detroit: the people, the church bells, the corner stores
Writing philosophy
“Write the sentence you can defend at four in the morning. Delete the two beside it that were only keeping it company.”
— Janice Smith, on revision
Recognition
Awards & honours
Correspondence
Write to the study
For festival invitations, rights enquiries, book club visits, or simply to say which passage stayed with you. Letters are read every Friday afternoon.
- orders@thecasoegroup.org
- Telephone
- +44 (0)20 7946 0812
- Location
- CASOE, Inc. — Detroit, Michigan