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Press Release

Award-Winning Author Tackles Survivor's Guilt in Stirring New Novel
 
“Another stunning novel from Katie Ganshert.”
-- Romantic Times Top Pick
 
“Ganshert uses masterful pacing, engaging characters, and believable dialogue to bring readers along. Certain faith elements are part of the plot itself, and the characters all deal realistically and in diverse ways with the sadness…the most important faith elements are subtle. She wrestles with age-old questions about suffering and God’s will that haunt major religions, and Ganshert captures the seriousness of such discussions without sacrificing readability, tackling big issues powerfully.”
-- Publishers Weekly Starred Review

Katie Ganshert, author of seven acclaimed and award-winning contemporary novels, returns with her most compelling and unforgettable novel to date. Life After (WaterBrook, April 18, 2017). A terrible tragedy throws together the lives of the victims and the sole survivor, causing all involved to deal with the question of why, the existence of evil and how to move forward with hope and purpose. 
 
As Life After opens, snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat. Moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city’s transit system. Twenty-two are lives are lost. Only one person is spared.
 
A year later, Autumn Manning, the sole survivor, is still stuck on the incident. She can’t move past the grief that torments her – and the guilt. Obsessed with those that passed away, she spends her nights restlessly tracking their stories and searching for answers: “Why not me?” Unexpectedly, her life collides with widower Paul Elliot and his curious 12-year old daughter. As their lives intersect, how do they find a way to make sense of the loss and move forward?
 
Chosen as one of Publishers Weekly’s Top Ten religion titles for spring 2017, this is Katie Ganshert’s most complex and stirring novel to date. With authenticity and thoughtful prose, Life After explores moving on after tragedy, the nature of goodness and finding purpose in the midst of grief.  
 
 
Praise for Life After
“Another emotionally gripping page-turner from Katie Ganshert, a novelist who consistently writes with honesty and insight. Life After plumbs the depths of all that gives our existence meaning. Well done.”
—Susan Meissner, award-winning author of Secrets of a Charmed Life

“Katie Ganshert is a skilled writer who wrestles earnestly with the clashing forces of faith and fear. Life After will hook you on the first page.”
—Lisa Wingate, national best-selling author of Before We Were Yours

“Katie Ganshert has made her mark by writing compelling stories about resiliency and faith. In her latest, she draws us through the aftermath of trauma, examining the soul’s miraculous ability to not just survive but to thrive—even in the wake of tremendous suffering. The result is an emotional journey that prompts us to question the greater purpose behind every moment we are given.”
—Julie Cantrell, New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of The Feathered Bone

 “Ganshert emerges as a proven, skilled storyteller in Life After. This high-concept, intriguing story will have you pondering the characters long after you finish the last page. From start to finish, you won’t want to put it down.”
—Rachel Hauck, New York Times best-selling author

“Katie Ganshert is one of my favorites! Her novels are rich in authentic characters, beautiful prose, and emotional plot lines. She’s a tremendously gifted storyteller.”
—Becky Wade, Carol Award–winning author of Undeniably Yours
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
KATIE GANSHERT is the author of several novels and works of short fiction, including the Christy Award-winning A Broken Kind of Beautiful and Carol Award-winner, The Art of Losing Yourself. Katie lives in eastern Iowa with her family. Ganshert, graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Madison with a degree in education, and worked as a fifth grade teacher for several years before staying home to write full-time.

Contact Publicist

Jessica Lamb