My extended absence

I’m not sure how many of my readers have wondered just where I’ve been the last year or so. It’s a long story, so I will just start from the beginning. (as most stories do start)

I was diagnosed with cancer in October of 2020. Unfortunately it was stage 3 by the time they found it, mostly due to Covid delaying testing, but that is water under the bridge now. It’s been a rough road going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments. I’m feeling much better, and am not in nearly as much pain, but it may be a couple of months yet before I will know whether or not my cancer is in remission.

Unfortunately I have found being creative difficult, while I have been undergoing treatment. I am hoping to be back to completing my unfinished novels, and getting them out there soon. Prayers and good wishes are always appreciated from those who would like to send them.

I still have a rough road ahead, trying to recover not only physically, and emotionally; but financially. Many of the delays I am experiencing are unfortunately budget related. Editors do not work for free, nor should they. Healthcare in this country is not free, especially for those of us who live in rural America, when we are forced to commute three hours, both ways each day for treatment. Having to stay in a hotel on chemo day adds up quickly, when all the charity-based housing is shuttered because of the pandemic.

I wish that I had better news for you all, or happier excuses for the delay.

I’m hoping to be back in the swing of writing again in time for NaNoWriMo in November. I missed out on participating last year entirely. I’m hoping to be around writing new novels every November for years to come. Here’s hoping and praying….

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Hereafter is released (throw the confetti)

 

My debut novel Hereafter has finally been released and is available for purchase in hardcover and e-book formats from most major retailers. There will be a softcover edition available very shortly once a technical glitch with the distributor has been resolved. If you are a blogger, I am still accepting review offers, but can presently only provide review copies in digital format. Please e-mail me at aurorawildey@yahoo.com if you are interested in either reviewing my novel, or requesting an author interview.

Here are links to some places that the novel is available for purchase. Please keep in mind that these retailers are far from your only option.

Amazon (Paperback & Kindle)

Barnes & Noble (Paperback & Nook)

Kobo (e-book)

iBooks (e-book)

Hereafter Character Previews

Here are some brief descriptions of five of the central characters that you will meet in Hereafter. The blurb does give an overview of only one character, in a much bigger and more complex story, so I wanted to give some more detail about some of the other characters as well. I will be making more posts over time, closer to and after the release date about the world of Hereafter and thoughts about the story and the people that reside there.

Life here or there is rarely a black or white thing. I”ve tried to do my research and keep the characters as true to the time and culture that they are a part of as I can. I believe that to do otherwise would be doing them an incredible disservice. There seems to be especially nowadays a big push to remove and whitewash less than exemplary parts of human history. I believe it is important not to erase the bad, and only leave the good. History that is not taught cannot be learned from, and has a horrible way of repeating itself.  To quote one of my favorite lines spoken by Luke in the story: “It seems that some of us really have learned nothing.”

 

– Serena –

Introverted and lonely, Serena has always dreamt of finding love and a place to belong. Her abrupt arrival in the hereafter appeared to have laid waste to those hopes and dreams. Will she be able to move on, or will the pain of her past hold her back from the happiness she seeks?

– Lucy –

With knowledge well beyond her years, Lucy’s childish appearance does not belie her true age or her wisdom. Appearances can be deceiving in a world where life is lived in reverse, and childhood is the end, and no longer a beginning.

– Rune –

Can a man from the distant past adapt and live in a world far removed from any he has ever known? Will he be able to let go of the sadness and rage that drove him to his grave in his last life, and win the heart of the woman he loves?

– Jane –

Stern and guarded with her emotions, Jane’s life has never been an easy one. As a leader, she projects the desire to bring a sense of order, in what she sees as an otherwise chaotic world. Her actions speak far louder than her words.

– Luke –

Kind of heart and idealistic, Luke is as unafraid to stand up for what he believes in the hereafter, as he was in his life before as an army medic. He knows that doing what is right does not always mean doing what comes easiest. Some things are worth standing your ground for.

Mark your calendars for August 24th!

Hereafter finally has an official release date of August 24th, 2017. It will be published through KCEditions, and available for purchase worldwide, in hardcover, softcover and e-book formats. We will be doing the official cover reveal very soon. The new banner of this site is a small preview of what’s to come with that. Deranged Doctor Design did a beautiful job on the cover, and I wanted to give them some well-deserved credit for their work.

I still have lots of bookmarks available, and will be posting a mailing address soon, where you can request an autographed one free of charge, by sending me a self-addressed stamped envelope. Who would have thought there would be a waiting list for a PO Box? I am still in the middle of proofreading and last minute tweaks, trying to make sure the finished novel is the best I can possibly make it. Seeing it in print does help when spotting those tiny flaws that are easily overlooked when reading it on a computer screen. I am crossing my fingers that all the hard work will be more than worth it.

Hereafter News

It is looking as if Hereafter is slated for release in late August of 2017 through Infinite Ink Press. It will be available in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats through most major online and brick and mortar bookstores. I do have promotional bookmarks available for free. If you would like one, I will be posting an address soon, where you can mail a self-addressed stamped envelope, and I will send one to you autographed free of charge. 🙂

Sorry in advance for my not-so-great photography job, they do not photograph so well in the dim light indoors, and it was raining far too heavily to try and take a photo outside. Things are presently going well, and I am participating in Camp NaNoWriMo this month. My project is a prequel novella, that follows Lucy during the years preceding the events of Hereafter. Wish me luck. I hope that all of you that are participating have a fun and awesome experience.