Taryn Delanie Smith Releases Illustrated Grief Book
The former Miss New York authored a new book titled Welcome to the Afterlife to help those mourning lost loved ones.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Human Interest
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Former Miss New York Taryn Delanie Smith has released her first illustrated book, Welcome to the Afterlife. The work is narrated by a character named Denise and aims to offer support to individuals coping with grief.
Why it matters
The book was created to address the emotional needs of readers struggling with loss, helping them feel less isolated in their experiences. It draws directly from personal letters sent to the author by followers sharing stories about their loved ones.
The author resides in a 230-year-old home located in the Hudson Valley. Smith reports receiving hundreds of emails each week from people seeking to share personal stories of loss.
The players
Taryn Delanie Smith
She is a former Miss New York and the author of the new illustrated book Welcome to the Afterlife.
The details
Designed as an adult children's book, the project utilizes the character Denise to provide a unique narrative voice for navigating the complexities of mourning. The content originated from correspondence with followers who write letters to the book's central narrator.
Timeline
October 20, 2026: Taryn Delanie Smith released her first illustrated book.
Culture Shift
This project reflects the broader societal shift toward using accessible, illustrated formats to discuss topics previously relegated to traditional therapeutic settings. By framing grief as a shared narrative experience, this work contributes to the growing movement of destigmatizing emotional processing through storytelling.
Residents seeking resources for processing grief may find this book a useful addition to their personal wellness libraries. The work serves as a practical tool for those looking for narrative-based methods to navigate feelings of isolation after loss.
The takeaway
Using literature to bridge the gap between individual grief and communal support can significantly reduce the sense of loneliness often associated with loss. Readers can implement these storytelling exercises in their own lives to articulate and process complex emotions.
Further reading
For more on personal narratives, read the Human Interest section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by ABC7 New York.
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