About ‘Beautifully Dead’
Immortal Affections Book I
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.
THE STORY
Our narrative unfolds across two timelines:
1861-1865: A Southern belle transformed by a mysterious “affliction” and a Union Army chaplain who finds his faith tested by impossible love. Their forbidden romance plays out through intimate letters exchanged across enemy lines—correspondence that defies both armies and death itself.
Present Day: A Northern academic discovers her ancestral connection to these star-crossed lovers. As she uncovers the truth about her family’s past, she finds herself drawn into a parallel journey that bridges centuries 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, Joe 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—other loves and lives touched by the mysterious “affliction” across different periods of American history.
PUBLICATION SCHEDULE
Our story has been unfolding in weekly installments since April 12, 2025—a date chosen deliberately to coincide with the official start of the American Civil War.
Free Content
Every week, we release a new episode featuring the core storyline—letters between our historical lovers, key historical documents, or scenes from the perspective of our living -and unliving- characters.
Free subscribers will always be able to enjoy the complete narrative arc without missing essential plot developments.
November Break
We’re taking a brief hiatus in November 2025 to:
Begin editing of the manuscript
Attend a writing conference
Prepare for the book’s wider release
During this break, subscribers can download the complete story so far—over 55,000 words—via BookFunnel HERE, and get on the Immortal Affection Newsletter.
This downloadable version will be updated monthly as new content releases, meaning you’ll eventually have access to the entire finished book for free.
When We Return
Weekly serialization resumes with exclusive perks for paid subscribers:
Paid Subscriber Benefits
Weekly bonus content: Unsent letters, private diary entries, extended modern storyline scenes, and additional historical documents that deepen character insights and historical context
Behind-the-scenes podcast: Our research process, creative decisions, and historical discoveries that shaped the story
Early access to updates: Get each monthly BookFunnel update before free subscribers
Exclusive research materials: Deep dives into the historical elements that inspired our story
WHAT TO EXPECT
Despite its supernatural elements and historical setting, Beautifully Dead delivers a satisfying happy ending. We believe in emotional payoff—even if the path there winds through darkness, war, and the veil between life and death.
“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.
