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The Lumieres Podcast

Chimera Release Special

Season 3, Ep. 5
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Welcome back once again to the Lumieres Podcast! – Yes, somehow I’m still here and this is really happening, you are not dreaming… or maybe you are. Either way, today I have a very special episode of the Lumieres Podcast to share with you, because today is the day that my first book, Chimera, is released!

Chimera: Living Through Leukaemia, A Memoir – to give it it’s full title – is the alchemical story of my teenage near-death initiation. Here's the blurb:

Jody White’s eighteenth year of life filled his heart with young love – only to break him apart. Diagnosed with a rare form of Acute Leukaemia, he was given just two weeks to live

After a whirlwind of intensive treatment, and close to death, he dreamed his way into the care of a wizened cowboy, his own personal SWAT team, and a mysterious old crone who wanders the desert collecting wolf bones.

Chimera is an alchemical dive into teenage illness, a near-death initiation framed by the innate, mythic stories that touch all our lives.

I’m really proud and excited about this book. And I still can’t quite believe it’s actually out there starting it’s journey in the world.

I decided to launch it with a crowdfunder. Over 100 backers raised around £5K to support the production of the first copies of the book, with 20% of that going to charity. This was a very special moment for me and I’m so thankful to all those who supported the project. If any of you are listening, once again, thankyou so very much.

Because not only was there the pandemic to contend with, the latter half of 2021 also brought with it perhaps the most stressful six months in my personal life I think I’ve ever I’ve been through. Without going into too much detail, with all the challenge and emotional turmoil that was stirred up, there were days I wasn’t sure quite how I was going to move forward. Yet quite bizarrely, there was still an underlying sense that it was all part of the flow of my life, something to be ridden out, rather than raged against. Dedicating myself to finishing the book got me through.

But this is a podcast Jody, I hear you ask? Yes, it is. And…. I have also been recording an audiobook version of Chimera for all of you who prefer to listen to your literature these days. Seems to be an ever-growing number of folks actually, myself included.

Whilst that is a couple of months away from being done, as a very special book launch day treat, I thought I’d present the first two chapters exclusively here now for you lovely listeners. If you’re still with me after all this time off, then you are hardcore and I salute you to the absolute max.

Stay safe out there,

Jody


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