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After the Storm
Angry and frustrated with his chronic illness, Vincent Poulsen moves into an old lighthouse to live out the few days he has left. After a dangerous collapse, he meets the ghostly Captain Cason, who shares stories of his distant past. In the process, Vincent stumbles over the tragedy that binds the captain to the lighthouse and his haunted memories. Then fate offers them in death a chance to make right what they couldn't in life....
56 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 31, 2007
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Chrissy Munder
48 books47 followersChrissy Munder writes light and sometimes erotic contemporary LGBTQ+ romance filled with everyday people and extraordinary passion to transport readers into their personal world of love, laughter, and desire
She is an avid reader, a wanderer of Michigan’s wilderness, and, while not in any particular order, a lover of lists, legally blind, and a certified crazy cat lady. There are those who might tell you she started writing as a way to justify her office supply addiction, but shhhhh! don’t listen to them.
After too many jobs in too many states she’s eagerly awaiting her chance to become a full-time Lake Michigan beachcomber. Until then, she’s excited to share her love of romance, laughter, and happy-ever-afters.
She is an avid reader, a wanderer of Michigan’s wilderness, and, while not in any particular order, a lover of lists, legally blind, and a certified crazy cat lady. There are those who might tell you she started writing as a way to justify her office supply addiction, but shhhhh! don’t listen to them.
After too many jobs in too many states she’s eagerly awaiting her chance to become a full-time Lake Michigan beachcomber. Until then, she’s excited to share her love of romance, laughter, and happy-ever-afters.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 2, 2016
He didn’t know if he could call what he felt fear anymore. On the bad days, the very bad days, he just wished it were all over. On the better days, he longed for time to extend, to stretch out before him in the same unceasing road he’d glimpsed in his youth but hadn’t known how to appreciate.
A dying man, an artist, spends his final days in an old lighthouse on one of the Great Lakes. The lighthouse is haunted by a sea captain whose makes an uneasy peace with his unwanted house guest. This brief story hit a very emotional chord within me. The writing is sparse, yet lyrical. A poignant story.
A dying man, an artist, spends his final days in an old lighthouse on one of the Great Lakes. The lighthouse is haunted by a sea captain whose makes an uneasy peace with his unwanted house guest. This brief story hit a very emotional chord within me. The writing is sparse, yet lyrical. A poignant story.
May 12, 2010
4.5
After the Storm is totally unexpected and equally delightful. For those that didn’t read this offering first in the anthology, you’ll definitely want to get it now. The great characters, descriptive writing, clever ending, and above all really wonderful ambiance create an unforgettable story with a great twist. This story just solidifies Munder on my must-read book list.
The prologue begins with a creepy story told around the campfire. The storyteller is telling a scary tale about the lighthouse and the ghost that lives there to a group of eagerly terrified young boys. The caretaker was a ship’s captain that lost his one true love to the sea. Unable to let go of his loved one’s body, the captain drown as well and haunts the lighthouse as a ghost now. From there the story picks up with ailing artist Vincent, who has rented the lighthouse for his last few weeks before succumbing to illness. Vincent unexpectedly befriends the captain’s ghost and slowly comes to learn the captain’s story. When a sudden storm rolls in, life and death hang in the balance when history attempts to repeat itself.
This story sucked me in from the very beginning. I could imagine a campfire with young boys listening eagerly to a haunted house story about ghosts, great storms, true love, and tragic endings. The descriptive writing right away sets a high bar as the dark, yet inviting ambiance cloaks the characters incredibly well. Here is one of the early descriptions that immediately gives you the feel of the story to come.
The speaker held the last syllable, letting the words hang heavily in the chilly night air. For a moment, the only sound was the crackle of the fire and the sound of the water hitting the shore. The small group of boys shivered with morbid delight as they sat in the damp sand and huddled closer to the flames before breaking the silence with their excited demands.
When Vincent makes his appearance, I couldn’t help but sympathize and immediately like the man. He knows he’s dying from his unnamed illness but wants to do so without the suffocating presence of his family. He loves them but needs to be able to do things for himself without needing to be strong or caring for others. Vincent struggles with this need against feeling guilty but his character is so subtle and well portrayed, he feels incredibly alive and real. His character has a lot of nuance and depth, which is shown from the small moments of agonizing pain to his easy acceptance of a ghost as his only friend. Although a dying man alone in a haunted lighthouse may seem like a dark or depressing concept, the light touch and deft hand to prose keeps this story moving anything but morose.
The atmosphere is so rich from the wind and salt of the sea to the encroaching pain of Vincent’s illness. You are immediately thrust into the sounds, taste, and smell of the shore. I don’t want to give too much away in this short novella but the story keeps you guessing. It’s really a love story about the captain and his lost true love, how they met. It’s also about the unlikely friendship between Vincent and the ghost. The ending is a surprise, so cleverly done, and I kept wondering throughout what would happen. Would Vincent be magically cured and find true love? Would the ghost be set free? Would his true love manifest? I had no idea what direction the story would go but the great storytelling had me willing to go wherever the author took me.
There is a happy ending, although not the one necessarily expected, and the novella is actually very romantic tale wrapped up in a classic ghost story. If you haven’t read this offering, be sure to do so. Curl up and let yourself sink into great storytelling and an inviting, unforgettable tale.
After the Storm is totally unexpected and equally delightful. For those that didn’t read this offering first in the anthology, you’ll definitely want to get it now. The great characters, descriptive writing, clever ending, and above all really wonderful ambiance create an unforgettable story with a great twist. This story just solidifies Munder on my must-read book list.
The prologue begins with a creepy story told around the campfire. The storyteller is telling a scary tale about the lighthouse and the ghost that lives there to a group of eagerly terrified young boys. The caretaker was a ship’s captain that lost his one true love to the sea. Unable to let go of his loved one’s body, the captain drown as well and haunts the lighthouse as a ghost now. From there the story picks up with ailing artist Vincent, who has rented the lighthouse for his last few weeks before succumbing to illness. Vincent unexpectedly befriends the captain’s ghost and slowly comes to learn the captain’s story. When a sudden storm rolls in, life and death hang in the balance when history attempts to repeat itself.
This story sucked me in from the very beginning. I could imagine a campfire with young boys listening eagerly to a haunted house story about ghosts, great storms, true love, and tragic endings. The descriptive writing right away sets a high bar as the dark, yet inviting ambiance cloaks the characters incredibly well. Here is one of the early descriptions that immediately gives you the feel of the story to come.
The speaker held the last syllable, letting the words hang heavily in the chilly night air. For a moment, the only sound was the crackle of the fire and the sound of the water hitting the shore. The small group of boys shivered with morbid delight as they sat in the damp sand and huddled closer to the flames before breaking the silence with their excited demands.
When Vincent makes his appearance, I couldn’t help but sympathize and immediately like the man. He knows he’s dying from his unnamed illness but wants to do so without the suffocating presence of his family. He loves them but needs to be able to do things for himself without needing to be strong or caring for others. Vincent struggles with this need against feeling guilty but his character is so subtle and well portrayed, he feels incredibly alive and real. His character has a lot of nuance and depth, which is shown from the small moments of agonizing pain to his easy acceptance of a ghost as his only friend. Although a dying man alone in a haunted lighthouse may seem like a dark or depressing concept, the light touch and deft hand to prose keeps this story moving anything but morose.
The atmosphere is so rich from the wind and salt of the sea to the encroaching pain of Vincent’s illness. You are immediately thrust into the sounds, taste, and smell of the shore. I don’t want to give too much away in this short novella but the story keeps you guessing. It’s really a love story about the captain and his lost true love, how they met. It’s also about the unlikely friendship between Vincent and the ghost. The ending is a surprise, so cleverly done, and I kept wondering throughout what would happen. Would Vincent be magically cured and find true love? Would the ghost be set free? Would his true love manifest? I had no idea what direction the story would go but the great storytelling had me willing to go wherever the author took me.
There is a happy ending, although not the one necessarily expected, and the novella is actually very romantic tale wrapped up in a classic ghost story. If you haven’t read this offering, be sure to do so. Curl up and let yourself sink into great storytelling and an inviting, unforgettable tale.
March 11, 2011
Not quite a ghostly tale (or is it?), After the Storm haunts you. Beautifully written, the friendship and understanding between Vince and the Captain captivates. Vincent's illness is real and his struggles with it gripping, but not so much that the reader is completely focused on that part of the story. It's in his efforts to die his way, if not with dignity, then with freedom. The Captain's tale is no less riveting; its resolution emotive.
I will be thinking of this story for days to come, if not months or years.
I will be thinking of this story for days to come, if not months or years.
June 4, 2011
Deeply touching story.
February 16, 2012
Not my usual sort of story to read, but it wasn't bad at all. I actually got into it after a while and ended up really enjoying it. I do like the supernatural little twists in my stories :)
May 5, 2012
A terminally ill man, a lighthouse, and a ghost. Nicely written short story/novella, with an evocative setting and an interesting main character.
September 30, 2018
4-1/2 Stars
What better way to start out my Halloween-spooky-creepified reading list than with a ghost story? After the Storm is an interesting short story with even more interesting characters that is in a way reminiscent of the film classic The Ghost and Mrs. Muir but is a tale all on its own. When Vincent Poulsen decides to rent out the lighthouse to live out his remaining days, my heart breaks for him. I completely get needing the alone time, not wanting to put his family through watching him deteriorate but at the same time being alone in that situation is so sad. But he isn't really alone because the lighthouse already has a resident, Captain Cason, a man with his own heartache.
After the Storm is a lovely read that on the surface is sad and heartbreaking but underneath is quite the opposite. Vincent is getting to live out his life as he wants given the circumstances and the Captain is getting to tell his story. I won't say anything more about the plot as its a short story and I really don't want to give anything away. However, if you are wondering if this has a HEA, well in a way it does, I was pleased with the turnout. As I said, I was starting my "creepified" list but there really isn't anything creepy about After the Storm, perhaps spooky and sad but its also heartwarming and I personally found it kind of uplifting. This is a little gem that somehow completely skipped my reading radar until now, better late than never as the saying goes. Could it have been better with more detailed account of Captain Cason's past or Vincent's life and family? Perhaps. Sometimes stories don't need to be more and After the Storm is a perfect example of such a tale. I've featured Chrissy Munder's work on my blog before but never actually read them but I look forward to checking out her backlist in the future.
What better way to start out my Halloween-spooky-creepified reading list than with a ghost story? After the Storm is an interesting short story with even more interesting characters that is in a way reminiscent of the film classic The Ghost and Mrs. Muir but is a tale all on its own. When Vincent Poulsen decides to rent out the lighthouse to live out his remaining days, my heart breaks for him. I completely get needing the alone time, not wanting to put his family through watching him deteriorate but at the same time being alone in that situation is so sad. But he isn't really alone because the lighthouse already has a resident, Captain Cason, a man with his own heartache.
After the Storm is a lovely read that on the surface is sad and heartbreaking but underneath is quite the opposite. Vincent is getting to live out his life as he wants given the circumstances and the Captain is getting to tell his story. I won't say anything more about the plot as its a short story and I really don't want to give anything away. However, if you are wondering if this has a HEA, well in a way it does, I was pleased with the turnout. As I said, I was starting my "creepified" list but there really isn't anything creepy about After the Storm, perhaps spooky and sad but its also heartwarming and I personally found it kind of uplifting. This is a little gem that somehow completely skipped my reading radar until now, better late than never as the saying goes. Could it have been better with more detailed account of Captain Cason's past or Vincent's life and family? Perhaps. Sometimes stories don't need to be more and After the Storm is a perfect example of such a tale. I've featured Chrissy Munder's work on my blog before but never actually read them but I look forward to checking out her backlist in the future.
December 28, 2018
Read as part of Desire Beyond Death: Tales of Eternal Love Anthology
February 18, 2021
Welcome to sad bitch times, where against my better judgement I read sad books and cry because I at a drop of a hat
February 13, 2021
This is not a romance story but more a gloomy yet interesting drama. And there's no happy end. But I like the story.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews