When life is over, where do we go?
when life is over, where do we go?
In her new book After This (out tomorrow),author and grief therapist Claire Bidwell Smith explores this question. And what a question it is. As some of you may know, Claire is a dear friend of mine. We first connected in this online ether several years ago when were both blogging and writing books. Her first memoir The Rules of Inheritance, a raw and gorgeous account of the loss of her parents, captivated me and so many others and is currently being adapted for film. In the last couple of years, Claire and I have spent plenty of time IRL together, as have our collective five little girls. In May 2013, Claire took my Happier Hours Literary Salons to Los Angeles where she continues to curate and host these evenings with another wonderful author pal of ours, Jillian Lauren (pre-order her new memoir Everything You Ever Wanted.)
I had the distinct privilege of writing the following heartfelt blurb for After This:
"A transfixing ode to the enigmatic cycle of life and death, AFTER THIS will resonate with seekers and skeptics alike. Grief therapist Claire Bidwell Smith explores in lyrical prose tricky existential terrain with compelling philosophical persistence, humility, and poise. You will not forget this book."
And you won't, guys. Get your hands on this book and devour it. Whether or not you have faced loss in your own life, whether or not you have firm beliefs or no beliefs in the afterlife, I think you will love it. See below for lots of good links.
Brava, Claire!
Preorder After This (in print or on e-reader) at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Indiebound.
Connect with Claire on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more updates and to follow along on her crazy journey!
Plan to come out and see Claire on tour. She'll be in LA, SF, NY, Boston, Chicago and Seattle through May and June. (I'm thrilled that I will be hosting Claire & Jillian for a Happier Hour here in May!)
Do you have any firm thoughts on what happens after we die?