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.
DeLaun' Michel was raised in South Louisiana in a literary family that includes her uncle Andre Dubus, her mother Elizabeth Nell Dubus, and her cousin James Lee Burke.
Ms. Michel was named for Helene DeLaun', the first woman over from France on her mother's side of the family. Helene DeLaun' was in the court of Marie Antoinette and her husband, Jules Andre, fought in the French Revolution. Antoinette gave Helene DeLaun' jewels to help her and her husband escape to South Louisiana, a far cry from the court of France! Ms. Michel's father's family was the eleventh family in New Orleans.
Upon leaving high school, Ms. Michel moved to New York City. She did some modeling there and in Europe, then spent several years studying acting in NYC with teachers from the Neighborhood Playhouse, The Actor's Studio, Juilliard, and the Yale Drama School.
She then moved to Los Angeles, where she had guest starring roles on TV shows such as NYPD Blue, The Gilmore Girls, and Judging Amy, among others. She did a number of independent films that never saw the light of day (happily for some, sadly for others) and Equity-waiver theatre, including her own one-woman show.
In 1996, Ms. Michel created Spoken Interludes, a critically-acclaimed reading series where award winning, bestselling, and up-coming writers read their own work. This literary institution has been covered extensively by publications ranging from The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, GQ Magazine, LA Magazine LA Weekly, and has been heard on NPR.
The salon begins at 6:00 with an exquisite buffet dinner. The readings follow at 7:30 until 8:30, and feature writers such as: Kathryn Harrison, Arthur Phillips, Michael Connelly, Arianna Huffington, Ann Packer, Michael Korda, Alice Sebold, Mona Simpson, Bruce Wagner, and Amy Hempel. Since its debut in May of 1996, Spoken Interludes has provided a place where people come together, enjoy great food, and hear stories like their own reflected in the voices of others.
In 2001, Ms. Michel made Spoken Interludes a non-profit arts organization through which she developed, taught in, and continues to run out-reach writing programs for at-risk teenagers in LA public high schools and detention halls. The Spoken Interludes reading series has been heard on National Pubic Radio and continues to have readings in Los Angeles and New York. For more information, please visit www.spokeninterludes.com.
The first two short stories that Ms. Michel wrote won recognition in the Thomas Wolf Short Fiction Competition sponsored by Duke University. Later work won the Pacificus Foundation Literary Award. One of her short stories caught the eye of an agent, who then sent it to Joyce Carol Oates. Ms. Oates called Michel's writing "a wonderful, idiosyncratic voice and an extremely promising talent." But Ms. Oates felt that the story was actually a chapter of a novel. Ms. Michel agreed and her first novel, Aftermath of Dreaming, was born.
In Aftermath of Dreaming (William Morrow/HarperCollins, April 2006), Ms. Michel explores with humor and pathos the universal themes of abandonment, forgiveness, and letting go. The novel is loosely based on an intimate six-year relationship she shared with Warren Beatty.
Her new novel, The Safety of Secrets, (Avon A/HarperCollins 13.95) will be published by in May 2008. She lives in Westchester County, New York with her husband and two sons. She is currently working on her third novel.
Delaune Michel's novel had me laughing at the insanity that is Los Angeles, dizzy from the overwhelming energy that is New York at 18, and breathless with the obsession of love. With her heroine, Yvette, she takes us on the perilous journey of finding our way in life - beautifully capturing both the frailty and hidden strength of the human spirit. Hers is a voice of honesty and humor wonderfully infused with the honey sweet gentility of the south. The aftermath of reading this first novel was anticipation for her second.
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This deeply felt first novel is a wonderful read. Both funny and poignant, DeLaune Michel's unique and talented voice tells the story of Yvette, a Southern transplant living in Los Angeles. Yvette narrates her story of love, longing, and self-discovery with wit and humor. This novel will touch deeply anyone who has struggled on a personal journey to find what is really important to them in life. I found myself engrossed in Yvette's search-- and enlightened by the insights revealed by Michel along the way.
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I experienced every emotion reading "Aftermath...." The story is written so beautifully, skillfully and with such a real voice that while reading the book I felt like the author was in the same room with me telling me her story.
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