Rachelle Rogers Writer/Poet/Author of A Love Apart

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NEW: Confession (poem), and Why Stephan had to rent a sander and refinish the floors in Brenda's bedroom (flash fiction reprinted) in Shaking Like A Mountain

The following pieces also appear online: Restoration (short story) in Cezanne's Carrot, Turning Time (poem) in The Pedestal Magazine , Rethinking Max (short story) in Chick Flicks , Slipping Through (poem) on the
NC Arts Council Poet of the Week feature, and
Why Stephan had to rent a sander and refinish the floors in Brenda's bedroom (flash fiction) in flashquake.

Interview on Global Talk Radio
hour long in-depth discussion of A Love Apart and more
available on demand 24/7 Listen (at website click on Sep 11th 2006)

"A Love Apart" a novel by Rachelle Rogers

"Informed by the classic and tragic love affair of Heloise and Abelard, A Love Apart presents in lyric language and intelligent characterization, the idea that a profound spiritual love is a force that will not be denied. Using reincarnation, magic realism, and a medium's prescience, the novel explores that most perplexing of ideas: what makes you fall in love with someone? The story of the past love as it pertains to the present is like a literary pentimento—time fades to reveal beneath the surface story the beautiful and tragic one written 800 years before. And in this modern time something fine and carefully crafted is salvaged from love's sorrow. Rachelle Rogers writes an assured prose and presents real-life dilemmas that enrich our ideas of what friendship can mean and what might constitute love."
—Gail Galloway Adams, author of The Purchase of Order

"A Love Apart is an evocative and lush exploration of the internal and external landscapes of love and desire, in which the historical and contemporary intersect and intertwine in ways both surprising and intriguing."
—Janice Eidus, author of The Celibacy Club

What would happen if Heloise and Abelard, the tragic 12th century French lovers, found their way back to each other today? Who might they be? What might they remember? What might be unresolved within them and between them? How might they choose to "do it differently?" A Love Apart is the story of Lily, a poet, and Julian, a painter, who find themselves in "no ordinary love affair."

For weeks, Lily's been dreaming a young nun whose longing for a beautiful monk has filled her with inconsolable grief. Meanwhile, Julian, who moved to Asheville, NC after the death of his partner, Sam, feels compelled to paint crucifixes, cathedral spires, and a monk with the look of terror in his eyes.

Lily and Julian are inevitably drawn to one another. Their ensuing relationship weaves a timeless tapestry that both unravels the mystery of their deepest selves and challenges them to understand a present passion filled with impossibility. They have help along the way. From intimate friends, from their art, from the wisdom of Lovina—an eccentric, endearing psychic who uses M&M's to talk to spirits, and from an extraordinary vision that changes everything.

"...Rachelle Rogers is a writer whose story telling ability and writing style shine in this novel. Her writing draws the reader into the lives of the characters and does not let go, even after the last page has been read. Julian's character reflects the author's in-depth knowledge of the art world, as well as the literary world of heroine, Lily… Intense, emotional and captivating… A most entertaining, enlightening and enjoyable read. Bravo...this is a winner. Highly recommended..." —Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews

read more reviews on Amazon.com

read excerpts from Chapters 1 and 2

Rachelle Rogers is a writer and poet. Born and raised in NYC, she received a BA in English Literature from Hunter College. In South Florida, she was a freelance editor, and dance writer for several publications including The Fort Lauderdale News/Sun Sentinel. Nonfiction author of Creative Crafts Desk Handbook and fiction author of A Love Apart, she has received competitive recognition in memoir, fiction and poetry, has been a reader with UNCA's Writers at Home program, and was granted a 2002 Wildacres Artist Residency. In addition, she has facilitated Crafting Fiction workshops for beginning writers. Her work has appeared in several literary journals including Passager, Sow's Ear Poetry Review, Calyx: A Journal of Art and Literature by Women, The Pedestal, Pinesong, flashquake, Cezanne's Carrot and in WNC Woman. She lives in Asheville, NC.

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