Aftermath of Dreaming

To get you even more prepared for tomorrow's interview with DeLauné Michel (my first on this blog), I've decided to tell you a little about her wonderful debut, Aftermath of Dreaming.

It's been two years since the release of Aftermath of Dreaming, two years waiting for DeLauné Michel's second novel, The Safety of Secrets. When I first received Aftermath, I was still working at BN and I had a friend who was sending me packages of upcoming titles. I would read them, let her know what I thought, and then turn around and recommend the books to our customers. It was the best part of being a bookseller.

According to my book journal (yep, I am that nerdy) I read Aftermath in December of 2005. The book was released in April 2006. I remember I was so excited about reading a book by a fellow Louisiana native. Her family bio impressed me although I hadn't read anything by anyone else in the family (bad Becky! Shame on me, it's like heresy not to have read James Lee Burke and be from Louisiana!).

I remember that really connected with Yvette as a character and had absolutely no inkling that any portion of the book had anything to do with the author's life. I wasn't yet writing reviews, so I have nothing other than a date and "I liked this book" written in my book journal (it was more to keep track of what I was reading, not in-depth critical analysis). So instead, here's the publisher's description:

Hypnotic and beautifully written, Aftermath of Dreaming is an incandescent first novel of odern life and love.

Other than the little problem that she is waking up screaming in the middle of the night, life is wonderful for Yvette Broussard. Her jewelry-design career is taking off, she's back with her sort-of boyfriend, and, best of all, she no longer thinks about her once-in-a-lifetime love, international movie star Andrew Madden. Until a chance encounter with him changes everything.

Swept up by memories of their complex relationship, Yvette is plunged into an obsession with Andrew that ultimately forces her to confront the past she thought she had left behind. At the same time, she is juggling the demands of her bride-to-be sister and her male best friend, who is jealous of other men, and thoughts of her estranged father.

Set against the glittering worlds of Los Angeles and New York, and told with both humor and pathos, Aftermath of Dreaming explores the universal themes of abandonment, forgiveness, and letting go.

So, join me tomorrow. I'll be giving away a copy of The Safety of Secrets. To sign up to win, simply leave a comment on tomorrow's post. I'll leave the giveaway open through Wednesday, July 23, and will choose a winner on Thursday.