BEYOND THE VEIL

Is death the end? Most people in the world think not.

In Book I of this collection, Ted Myers imagines seventeen possible post-death experiences, all first-person narratives by people who have died. Each narrator―whether they be male, female, straight, gay, black, white, or something else―has a completely unique experience. And, each narrator's environment varies with their experience in life. In "Bardo Train to Canarsie," a Buddhist monk traverses the bardo on a New York City subway train, with only a homeless Black poet as his companion. In "Shop Till You Drop," two middle-aged matrons meet in their afterlife―the lingerie department at Bergdorf Goodman's, where they can shop to their hearts' content with no limit on their credit cards. In "Ghost Academy," a Black high school teacher learns to be a vengeful ghost, and its cost.

Book II, "I Dream in Black and White," is an homage to the chiaroscuro noir films of the '40s and '50s.

A retired copywriter in his late sixties dreams a film noir story in black and white. Every night, his dreamlife reveals a continuation of the story. In the dream, he is young, strong, and handsome. But every morning the dream fades. Try as he may, the dreamer can only recall tantalizing slivers. He knows it's no ordinary dream; he knows it's exciting and romantic―everything his boring and repetitive life is not. He becomes obsessed with remembering it, so he seeks help from a hypnotherapist. What he learns leads him into uncharted territory, a place where life, death, and dreams intersect.

"Various vignettes of life after death experiences. Making you think of what you truly believe and what you think you believe. Thought provoking." (5 Stars) - Rose Bailey, Booksprouts

"Very fascinating! I am very glad I read it!! The author has such a dazzling way of keeping you engrossed with words." (5 Stars) - Cheryl M. Rivera

"The book will really make you stop and think about what happens in 'the hereafter.' The storyline is extremely creative and original, and it was very entertaining to read the post-death stories of all the different characters." (4 Stars) - Kelsey Cashman, Reedsy Discovery

"...delightful. Outstanding. Impressive, well written, and made for pleasurable reading I recommend to everyone." - Joseph Carrabis, author of The Rabbit Hole, That Think You Do, The Inheritors, and many more.

"Libraries and readers seeking a powerful compendium of thoughts about what an afterlife could ultimately bring and mean, especially those involved in book club or spiritual discussion groups interested in literary works that excel in their disparate visions of these possibilities, will find Tales From the Hereafter a hard-hitting series of vignettes that grasp with creative surprises and unpredictable scenarios and outcomes." - D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review