Louise Pachella (long bio)

Veteran funeral director, embalmer, and lifelong bookworm, Louise is fairly new to the writing and blogging scene. She had a passion for writing in her youth, which lay dormant during her busy career. She could no longer resist the urge to write during her hiatus as a stay at home mother. Louise finally found her purpose, educating and entertaining strangers on the internet about dead bodies and funerals.

Her blog, Read In Peace, combines her passion to educate with fun and humor. Full of tips and useful information about death and funerals, Louise balances the solemn subject with lighthearted “dissections” of related books and movies.

Louise is the author of Last Words: A Glossary for Death and Funerals and is currently working on her first book, a nonfiction guide called Embalming For Amateurs. Written with the layperson in mind, she details the embalming and funeral process in a clear and fascinating way. She reveals the mysterious things that happen behind closed doors, with equal parts humor and respect for the dead.

Aside from reading and writing, Louise enjoys napping, welding, racing demolition derby cars, and decorating her 8 foot tall pet T.rex for holidays. She lives in Southern California with her husband and three fierce daughters.