Book Spotlight: The Dreamer

Today, I have a spotlight on the horror novel, The Dreamer by Travis McBee. Enjoy.

The Dreamer by Travis McBee

Oak Grove, Georgia.
It’s a tiny mountain town where nothing ever seemed to happen. Until dreams began to come true. Dreams that could more aptly be called nightmares. Monsters, wild animals, nefarious traps, anything is possible. No one is safe. The only thing they have in common is a teenage girl, Natalie Mullin, who dreams about each new horror as they happen. But why does she dream of them? And can she stop them before she dreams of everyone she loves? For when she lays her head to rest, it’s your life that’s put to the test.


The Dreamer is available on Amazon

Book Trailer

Author Bio: 

Travis McBee was born and raised just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. He is the younger of two children and enjoys backpacking, playing rugby, and watching football. Apart from his many short stories, he is the author of several novels including, Bridgeworld; Bridgeworld: Encounter at Atlantis; The Dreamer; and Triton: Rise of Empire. He is also the author of a children's series: The Chronicles of a Second Grade Genius. He currently resides with an assortment of very fluffy animals in Georgia.

For more on the author check out these sites:

YouTube

Twitter

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Goodreads

Drabble Wednesday: Dreams

Today on Drabble Wednesday, drift away into endless slumber, perchance to dream…

Paradise

I close my eyes to dream, to slip into the peaceful oblivion of sleep. To draw calm breath, in and out, in and out, as my mind wanders through a plethora of unreality.

I welcome it.

I welcome the illusion.

I walk along a beach, the warm sand against my bare feet, like the ones I walked when I was young. The summer sun shines, a sultry breeze blows off the ocean, and I can smell the scent of wild roses and sea.

I want to stay forever.

But I wake up, to face the last day of the world.

~*~

Sleeping Beauty

No one asked me.

No one ever asked me.

I’ve been cursed, lied to, deceived, punished, imprisoned and freed, but no one ever thought about me. No one ever asked me what I thought, what I wanted.

The only time I was allowed to decide anything was in my dreams.

There I was happy. I was free.

Now they tell me I have to marry this prince. This stranger. All because he broke the curse.

Why? It makes no sense.

Asleep, I had contentment. In my prison I was safe.

Now… I’ve woken up into a nightmare.

Somebody help me.

~*~

Lost

How do you know?

When do reality and dreams become blurred?

How do you tell the difference?

I once thought the answer simple. I bet you do too.

It isn’t.

There is something in-between. A world half-in, half-out. A universe of stars and dread, of wishes and weakness. Where shadows hide monsters and mirth, demons and delight.

It’s a dark place of temptation.

A devil’s playground.

A place where nightmares are born.

But a place I love. I go there often.

But now I cannot get back.

And I’m not alone. I hear it breathing.

I fear I’m being hunted.

© A. F. Stewart 2016 All Rights Reserved

How Nightmares Can Come True

Today, this last day of CoffinHop, I bring you a guest post by A.M. Harte, author of the zombie love anthology, Hungry For You, and her latest dark fantasy, Above Ground.

How Nightmares Can Come True

I had a dream three years ago.

A nightmare, actually.

Alone in a darkened theatre, I watched a group of people come on stage. They looked human. Lean bodies, white teeth, the spotlights lengthening their shadows to grotesque proportions.

When the lights went out, the screaming started.

First one voice, then two, needle-sharp cries melding together. Then came the sickly snapping of breaking bones. I covered my ears but could not escape from the sound. The darkness on the stage was thick, impenetrable, coating my nose and eyes and mouth. But even though I couldn't see what was happening, deep inside of me I knew: their bodies were mutating.

Fast forward three years, and I have just published Above Ground, the very novel that nightmare inspired. My nightmare has come true--for my main character, that is.

I have a love-hate relationship with horror. I loathe nightmares, avoid horror films, and disdain scary books. My first release, Hungry For You, gave me nightmares about zombies for weeks. After writing a chapter of an in-progress novel about demons, I couldn't (and still can't!) look at a mirror in a dark room.

Yet despite my being an utter wuss, I continue to use elements of fear to fuel my writing. So what is it about horror that appeals to me?

Simply put, I think that the dark sides of human nature are the most fascinating. Fear changes people; it can make them do things they'd never have thought possible. It's a test of your character, of your survival instincts.

A writer should write what they know, and fear is one of the emotions that resonates the most with me. I scare easily, so when I'm putting a piece of myself into a story, fear is one of the easiest emotions to access.

Besides, it's kind of fun to see my nightmares come true. Especially when they're not happening to me!


Author Bio:

A.M. Harte writes twisted speculative fiction, such as the dark fantasy series Above Ground and the zombie love anthology Hungry For You. She is excellent at missing deadlines, has long forgotten what ‘free time’ means, and is utterly addicted to chocolate. You are welcome to gently pester her at http://amharte.com or on twitter at @am_harte.


And please return on Nov. 2nd, when A.M. Harte makes a return appearance for her Above Ground blog tour, bringing an excerpt from her book.
 
Plus, be sure to pop by tomorrow for the announcement of the winner of the copy of The Cult of Me by Michael Brookes and to get the free coupon codes for Killers and Demons and  Ruined City.