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Q&A  •  26 June 2024

 

Bill Edgar shares how his life has changed since his first book

Plus, two of the most outrageous requests he’s had from clients.

The Afterlife Confessional touches on the things you experienced as the Coffin Confessor. What thoughts and emotions were you experiencing while you crashed your first funeral?

On the way to the funeral I’d try and rehearse something as an opening line given I hadn’t come up with the name Coffin Confessor at that point in time, but when I sat with mourners my attention focused on the time as I was engaged to interrupt the funeral two minutes in after the best mate's eulogy had begun. By then I was sweating but once I stood up and started to speak, I was empowered by the deceased. 

What is the most outrageous request you’ve had from a client?

There are two I can say off the top of my head. The first one was where I was engaged to pinprick the deceased body at a viewing as my client was petrified of being cremated alive. The other was to remove a sex dungeon from an 88-year-old man’s house as he was mortified his sons may find it and think the worst of him. 

What have you learnt about life and death since becoming the Coffin Confessor?

To prepare for my death and the death of a loved one, and I don’t mean a funeral payment plan. I mean to discuss with those I love. What I want and what they may want when the time comes. And secondly to live and love life like there’s no tomorrow. 

How has your life changed since your first book?

Whilst my life hasn’t changed dramatically, I’m delighted to read that it’s responsible for changing the lives of so many. 

What is your biggest piece of life advice in light of your experiences?

Don’t live dying, die living. 

Feature Title

The Afterlife Confessional
Heartbreaking and hilarious, outrageous and wise, The Afterlife Confessional is Bill Edgar’s fascinating account of the things he’s witnessed and learned as the Coffin Confessor – the bizarre and beautiful ways we live and love, the finality of death and the power of legacy, and how letting go can sometimes be the first step to living on.
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