Hereafter: Paranormal YA Trilogy Book Signing with author Tara Hudson October 1, 2011

Hereafter (HarperCollins, June 2011), the latest YA addition to the paranormal posse, debut author Tara Hudson combines a delicious mix of ghostly romance, thrills, and dark intrigue.

Hereafter follows 18-year-old Amelia, a ghost who only remembers one thing: drowning in a river. She saves a teenaged boy, Joshua, from meeting a similar fate--and, to Amelia's excitement, he can actually see her. An unlikely love blossoms as the pair works to unlock the secrets of Amelia's past, while avoiding a ghost enforcer determined to banish Amelia back to the spirit world.

Hudson, an attorney, initially wrote Hereafter just to entertain a couple of friends. She emailed the story to them in tidbits as she wrote it, chapter by chapter. At their urging, she decided to try getting it published. HarperCollins jumped at the opportunity, signing Hudson to a three-book contract.

"YA just has so many exciting things going on right now," Hudson says. "It's full of so many interesting subgenres--paranormal, dystopian, contemporary--that explore not only their unique worlds, but some themes common to young adulthood. After all, I can't remember a time so full of excitement, angst, joy and discovery as my teen years."

This summer, HarperCollins included Hereafter in its "Dark Days of Supernatural Tour," a national showcase of some of the top authors in the young adult genre. In addition, Publisher's Weekly, ALA Booklist, and New York Times best-selling authors have been singing its praises