About ‘Beautifully Dead’
- Immortal Affections Book I
The Serial
Immortal Affections™ is our paranormal romance universe, with "Beautifully Dead" as its first installment. This Civil War epistolary novel tells a tale of forbidden love that transcends both battle lines and the boundary between life and death.
Our story unfolds across two timelines:
A historical romance between a Southern belle transformed by a mysterious "affliction" and a Union Army chaplain questioning everything he believes
A parallel romance and mystery that complements and reflects the historical timeline, following a Northern academic who discovers her ancestral connection to these star-crossed lovers.
As our modern protagonist uncovers the truth about her ancestors, she finds herself drawn into a similar journey that bridges the past and present in unexpected ways.
How This All Started
This project was born from what might be the most productive bar bet in literary history. At a writing conference, over drinks and shop talk, I deadpan declared: "Of course I can make zombies sexy!" Without missing a beat, my co-author pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and looked up with a grin. "Well, we've got to do it now. I just bought the domain."
What began as a lighthearted challenge quickly evolved into something far more immersive. We found ourselves falling down research rabbit holes—diving into Civil War medical records, Methodist theological debates, Victorian mourning rituals, and 19th-century letter-writing conventions. Before we knew it, our casual bet had transformed into this richly detailed universe with characters who demanded their stories be told.
The world of "Immortal Affections" has become so expansive that we're already mapping out additional narratives set within this universe—other loves and lives touched by the mysterious "affliction" across different periods of American history.
Publication Schedule
Our story unfolds in eight-week cycles, with each cycle forming a complete chapter in our narrative:
Free Content: Each week we will release a new episode featuring the core storyline through letters between our historical lovers, key historical documents, or scenes from our modern timeline. All free subscribers will be able to follow the complete narrative arc without missing essential plot developments. All free content will eventually include audio narration for accessibility and immersion.
Subscriber Content: Paid subscribers gain access to additional weekly content that enriches the reading experience— unsent letters, private diary entries, extended modern storyline scenes, and bonus historical documents. These extras provide deeper character insights and historical context that enhance the story and allow the reader to really immerse in the world we created.
Premium Tier: Our dedicated supporters receive exclusive content including our behind-the-scenes podcast where we discuss our research process, creative decisions, and historical discoveries that shaped the story.
Releasing in an 8-Week Cycle: Weeks 1-6 feature regular content releases, while weeks 7-8 focus on our behind-the-scenes podcast production. During these final two weeks of each cycle, free subscribers will still receive some content, though at a more relaxed pace as we prepare the next full chapter.
First Chapter Free: The entire first chapter (full 8-week cycle) will be available to all readers regardless of subscription status, allowing everyone to experience the beginning of our story in its complete form.
What to Expect
Despite its supernatural elements and historical setting, we promise "Beautifully Dead" delivers a satisfying happy ending. We believe in emotional payoff—even if the path there winds through darkness.
"Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike?" - John Wesley
Join us as we explore love that defies death itself through the intimate, haunting correspondence of those who lived—and unlived—through one of America's most turbulent periods.
