Dear friends and acquaintances,

Warm greetings from the Kempen. In the past, people saw Halloween as the end of an old and the beginning of a new year circle. The dark days invite us to turn inward and become more aware of our connections and relationships with others - people, trees, rocks, places. In more northern cultures you see that people read more books. It's too cold to be out for long, but stories can make us feel connected. That's why I thought Halloween (just before midnight) was a good time to launch my new book 'The white dream'.

After many years of hard work behind my pc, the necessary writer's blocks and some 'genius hunches', it is finally finished and I am very proud of it! I have published my book through Brave New Books and there it is also - from this weekend - for sale.

A summary

Suzanne searches for her missing daughter, who is associated with an eco-terrorist attack in Japan. During the search for her daughter, she is confronted with her own past. In this way she gets closer and closer to the mysterious truth of a great family secret.

“The White Dream” is a book full of fantasy and adventure that takes you to different cultures and makes you face some of the hard truths of life with a dreamy look. This mystical eco-thriller takes you from mysterious Japan through the raw Scottish nature to ancient forests in Cameroon and hidden places in Pakistan.

More background information

Readers of my first book, Als Meubels Konden Speak, noted that I have a good pen and can write. I worked on my first book for six months. 'The white dream' is a fruit of years of imagination and research and writing. To me this book feels like my first child. I also worked with the same editor: Galia van de Wouwer from 'in Eigen Woord' . I learned a lot from this talented lady - with a great attention to detail.

This book is especially for people who like a bit of fantasy, mythology and (eco) spiritual ideas. For me it is a retelling of the myth of Demeter-seeks-Persephone-and-her-own-growth: it is also about family and how trauma is passed on from mother to daughter.

The book has several layers. During our collaboration, Galia remarked that it is almost scary that I wrote years ago about a disease that is the symptom of broken natural connections. To me, the white dream symbolizes a mysterious illness, a symptom that indicates broken relationships with the rest of nature, with your own nature.

Do you know people who like to read such books?

Book cover

The book cover was designed by Laura Brusselaers. She is a Belgian wood engraving artist. Since some chapters take place in Japan and woodcut is also a motif, Laura looks on the same themes as I think about and she looks at nature connections as dreamily as I do, I asked her to make the book cover. We had a great collaboration (corona proof). For me it was important that the book cover tells you that you see the forest, but that the forest also sees you.

Laura's instagram is really cool: https://www.instagram.com/forest.edge.atelier/

Special promotion for early winter birds

Until December 10, 2020, everyone can only buy the book through the printer: http://www.bravenewbooks.nl/books/178910

The book has 454 pages. Yes, slightly thicker than Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban.

Until December 10, I can also offer the book cheaper: € 18.99.

From the weekend of December 12, everyone can also buy the paperback via bol.com and other bookstores. The fixed sale price will be € 25.99. Since 1/3 of the fixed sales price goes to bookstores, my royalties will also be lower. Anyone who buys my book for the lower price in the following weeks actually gives me extra financial support.

E-book

The book also comes as an e-book, for € 5.49. You can order the e-book via bol.com for your Kobo e-reader, but also via the printer . It is not available through Amazon.

A little update about me

I am a forest bathing guide, environmental scientist and writer. In the past four years I divided my time between Belgium, Japan, Thailand and Scandinavia.

I am also a 'serial rooter': I root in more places, receive love and wisdom from that temporary deep rooting and learn from different cultures. I also try to give something back. Readers will also notice this in the blogs I have been writing for Mo * magazine since 2016 or in previous work.

This summer I was admitted to the Writers Academy and I am working on a third book there. Since the end of September, my doctoral research and fellowship from the Japanese government have ended and I am finishing this major three-year project. Then I will (hopefully) start a new chapter in my academic career in 2021. At the same time, this interim period offers me an opportunity to be creative on a larger mission: inspiring people with stories and forest baths to become more aware of their connections with the rest of nature. Every now and then I volunteer for Robur at Den Eik or blog on my Instagram account @wereldwoud .

Again briefly

The book is for sale at http://www.bravenewbooks.nl/books/178910

Until December 10, the price is € 18.99.

I'm looking for readers who like to read stories by a cozy winter fire :)

Do you know such people?