The Distant Shore

Linda Hale Bucklin made a pact with her husband, Bill, to communicate after death. Here she shares her personal experience and other stories of love and faith in the afterlife.


We all deal with grief in different ways. Bill, my beloved husband of forty years, died unexpectedly after a short illness. As shocked and devastated as I was, I came to accept that his not lingering was his final earthly gift to me. Moreover, he honored our agreement, coming to me in dreams and through music, showing me that death may end a life, but a relationship with one we love endures.


Bill's guiding spirit shows me I am stronger than I think. As he encourages me to appreciate the beauty and wholeness of this life, I find unexpected riches in my family, friends, and nature. I am comforted, knowing Bill and I will be together again one day. I hope this book will bring solace, peace, and hope to others.


"If you have ever wondered if there is an afterlife, The Distant Shore will give you faith. This book will profoundly touch your heart, fill you with hope and joy, and encourage you to be more mindful in your daily life." ~SUSAN SMITH JONES, PHD


As Linda Bucklin's friend and co-author of Come Rain or Come Shine: Friendships about Women, I've been one of her life witnesses for 25 years. The Distant Shore carries us into her lifelong quest for a deeper understanding and experience of love. We celebrate Linda's successes, weep with compassion over her losses, and see our own lives differently as a result. Most of all, this book inspires us to reflect on our own connection to that distant shore. ~MARY KEIL, AUTHOR


About Linda Hale Bucklin
A fourth-generation San Franciscan, Linda Bucklin has worked in public relations and as a freelance writer. Her articles have appeared in House & Garden, Journal of Commerce, and Nob Hill Gazette. She now lives in Mill Valley and feels blessed to be surrounded by her three sons, two daughters-in-law, and four grandchildren.


With Mary Keil, she wrote Come Rain or Come Shine (Adams Press, 1999), a book about women's friendships. More recently, she received accolades for Beyond His Control (ePublishing Works, 2008), her memoir about growing up in a privileged family that was shattered with the suicide of her beloved mother. The book went on to become a New York Times Bestseller in paperback and ebook editions.


The Love of Angels (ePublishing Works, 2016), her third book, a collection of stories, including the author's own, chronicles encounters with angels, spiritual beings, and living people who show up to remind us of love's power. In The Distant Shore, her fourth book, a combination of her thoughts and memories together with others' stories, written after her husband died in 2016, she explores the possibility of life after death.


¿Linda served for many years as a trustee of Grace Cathedral. A nationally ranked tennis player, in 2006 she became #1 in the U.S. in 60's mixed doubles with her long-time partner Charlie Hoeveler. Linda now holds six national titles. In addition to her family and friends, her other passions include duplicate bridge (she recently became a Life Master), fly-fishing, and camping under the star-studded Montana sky.