The Before and the After

By: Catherine Sequeira

Narrated by: James Woodrich

When looking back on the Before and the events leading up to the After, it was impossible to say precisely when everything went to shit. There were just two points in time, with a hazy space in between, leaving the carcass of the Before to be picked over by those in the After.

Having lost everything to Weeps, Trader fled the fire-ravaged California foothills to settle in the flooded capitol. To find purpose and escape the oppressive loneliness of the After, Trader now connects the surviving settlements by running the Nor Cal circuit. Though the season starts as planned, things quickly go south when Trader finds one of the last-standing cities in a pile of ash. As he trails in the destructive wake of an emerging cult leader, he learns how far he is willing to go to find meaning in a world filled with uncertainty.

The Before and the After is a tale of loss, acceptance, and finding one's truth in a world stripped bare.

©2023 Catherine Lamm (P)2023 Barcelos Publishing, LLC

It was an exciting story that kept me engaged throughout

I liked the portrayal of people coming together after an apocalyptic event, vs the typical anarchy that is portrayed. I was confused at certain parts because of the use of different pronouns and I spent a lot of time trying to figure out what I missed when it wasn’t necessary. But the story was really good and I very much enjoyed the narrator.