Echoes
of Paradise
The
Afterlife Series
Book
1
Deanna
Kahler
Genre:
Paranormal Romance / Visionary Fiction
Publisher: Rose
Petal Publications
Date of
Publication: Originally Released 1/1/2014
Reprint / New
Cover 6/21/2014
Number of pages:
228
Word Count:
54,937
Book
Description:
Connor’s dead.
But she can still feel him. Is it just her imagination or something more?
Celeste wants to know. And she’ll stop at nothing to find out.
A once-aspiring
artist, Celeste is going through the motions of life. She’s stuck – in a job
she doesn’t love, with a man who isn’t right for her, in a web of painful
memories from the past. Adding to her despair is the sudden and unexpected
death of Connor, her true love. As she struggles to make sense of the world
around her, strange coincidences and mysterious events lead her to question her
sanity. When the happenings persist, she wonders if Connor’s spirit is trying
to tell her something. Her jealous husband Dave insists it’s all just her
imagination. But when Celeste’s young son has an experience of his own, she is
determined to uncover the truth.
Join Celeste as
she risks her marriage, her career, and her own safety to escape the demons
from her past and unravel the mysteries of life and death. With so much
uncertainty, there’s only one thing Celeste knows: her world will never be the
same.
Buy Links:
Excerpt from Echoes of Paradise
Celeste
began sobbing uncontrollably. She struggled to see the road ahead of her
through tear-filled eyes. The landscape became a fuzzy blur of moonlight and
shadowy trees. The world around her spun into an unrecognizable mix of darkness
streaked with occasional rays of dim light. As she drove blindly ahead, she
felt as if she were plunging into nothingness. And she didn’t even care.
She
would have continued in her oblivious state, but somehow, out of nowhere, she
heard a very clear and distinct male voice pop into her head. She thought that
surely she must have imagined it, because it sounded like Connor.
Pay attention.
Suddenly
a deer darted out in front of her, its startled eyes aglow from the blazing
gold headlights. Blood pulsed through her veins as she abruptly swerved her car
to the right, narrowly missing the animal. With her heart still pounding, she
took a deep breath and tried to regain her composure.
“That
was close,” she said aloud to herself. “Stay focused, Celeste. Keep it
together.”
Although
she was alone in her car, she noticed a distinct presence. It felt like Connor
was somehow with her. First the voice, and now this? Surely she must be losing
her mind! Even so, she had an irresistible urge to talk to him. Maybe it was
silly or useless, but she couldn’t fight this desire brimming inside of her.
She didn’t just want communication with her deceased former love; she needed it—even if it was one-sided. She
began to have a conversation as if he were right there with her.
“I’m
so sorry,” she sobbed. “I’m sorry I didn’t stay in touch with you and try to be
a part of your life in some way. I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you or able to
help you. I’m sorry for the night I left you. I’m sorry I didn’t let you get
closer to me or tell you that I love you. I’m just so sorry.”
Tears
streamed down Celeste’s face like the rain on a shiny glass window, and she
gasped for air. What she wanted most right now was to know that Connor still
existed somehow, somewhere. She wanted proof that his spirit lived on. She wanted
to know that he was alive and well in heaven. Although she had been raised
Christian, her faith had faded as she’d grown older. Life’s circumstances,
unanswered prayers, and the cynical, materialistic world around her had left
Celeste with doubts and questions. She now wondered if God and the afterlife
even existed at all. She wanted to believe. She just didn’t know how.
Right
after she spoke to Connor, a song came on the radio. The words caught her
attention, and she stopped crying long enough to listen. It was a tune by
Nickelback titled “Someday.”
For
a brief moment, Celeste noticed a tingling sensation run down her spine. She
felt like Connor was speaking directly to her through this song. It felt as if
he were trying to respond to her. Were the words to this song meant for her?
Did he somehow hear her cries? Was he trying to tell her he was going to help
her in some way?
“No,”
thought Celeste. “You’re being ridiculous. This is all just a coincidence.
Connor can’t hear you or help you—he’s dead.”
Somehow,
even though her rational, logical mind told her this, her heart told her
otherwise. Maybe Connor really was alive in the afterlife. Maybe he really
could hear her. She needed to know the truth. She wanted answers.
About the Author
Deanna Kahler is
an accomplished writer and proud mom. Her work has been published in numerous
corporate newsletters and magazines across the country. She began writing as a
young child and enjoys the opportunity to reach others and make a difference in
their lives.
Echoes of
Paradise is her second book. The story is close to her heart because it was
inspired by some of her own experiences. Deanna is now working on a follow-up
novel, Visions of Mortality, scheduled for release in 2015. The book will
feature some of the same characters and also have a paranormal/afterlife theme.
Deanna holds a
bachelor’s degree in communication arts from Oakland University in Rochester,
Michigan, where she graduated with departmental honors. She lives with her
husband and daughter in a Metro Detroit suburb and enjoys writing, dancing,
walking, and visiting parks in her spare time.
Author photo by Steven Jon Horner Photography.
Author Links:
***GIVEAWAY***
Paperback – 5 copies (US only).
5 ebook copies (Amazon egift).
5 ebook copies (Amazon egift).
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