New Release, Dreamwalkers (Part One), by author D.M. Andrews

Today I have the pleasure of announcing the newest release from the talented and prolific author, D.M. Andrews. Dreamwalkers is an installment novel. Part One was released on January 30, 2013 and can be purchased for .99 cents. Part Two is scheduled for release later this year.

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"Callum Chase would rather read a good novel than play sports, or study a bit of Greek myth than mix with those at his school. Bullied and friendless, Cal retreats every night into a world of his own making — a world of his imagination, a world where he is master, a world of dreams.

But then one day something happens that really shouldn't have happened: the girl from his dreams turns up at his school and turns his world — both the waking and the dream one — upside down...

Dreamwalkers (Part One) is the first instalment (13,000 words) in the Dreamwalkers series. The story continues in Dreamwalkers (Part Two) due for release in early 2013."

Interview with D.M. Andrews

Jennifer:  This novel is being published in installments, a new format for you as an author. What led to this innovative decision?

D.M. Andrews: Well, firstly it wasn't really innovative as I've shamelessly copied other authors who've done the same, most notably the hugely successful indie author Hugh Howey whose first instalment of Wool was a comparable size to my Part One of Dreamwalkers.

However, I had thought of this method of release before reading the first part of Wool. As an author of mainly ebooks you cannot charge a price commensurate with the word count once you start writing anything above a short novel, so from that point of view it makes sense to keep them shorter. I also think that people generally enjoy shorter works in electronic form. And, lastly, a short introductory episode can provide an inexpensive teaser to see if readers wish to read more about that world and those characters.

Jennifer: How many installments will there be in total?

D.M. Andrews: I have three planned, but those don't tell the whole story, so it may well extend to twice that number. It really depends, because I may end up writing larger parts of novel size later on.

Jennifer: Once again, your cover art is original and compelling. Who creates your covers?

D.M. Andrews: Before I became a full-time author I used to spend quite a bit of time modding. For those who don't know what that is, it's sort of unpaid video game creation. Through this I met various artists, including the German guy who now does most of my cover artwork, Alex Hausch. He's thorough, talented, a perfectionist, and doesn't suffer from the "artistic temperament" I've unfortunately encountered in some others!

Jennifer: You have several books published now. Please describe your writing process?

D.M. Andrews: I don't find it easy to write. I enjoy creating the worlds, the theme, the characters, but when it comes to plotting and writing I struggle. I tend to write best when it's quiet and I'm winding down. This would be late at night, except I have to be up very early most mornings so my prime writing time is not my own right now.

My writing process is quite erratic and not at all regular. I tend to have bursts of creative flow, followed by a dearth in which I turn to novels, music, movies, other reading, or even games for inspiration. I also enjoy new things, so need to employ quite some discipline to finish a series!

I also get tugged in different directions very easily. I like to try out different genres. I'm seriously thinking of writing a romance one day, though probably one with a unique spin.

Jennifer: What do you enjoy most about publishing? What do you enjoy least?

D.M. Andrews: Setting up Word documents to meet the requirements for paperbacks is a bit of a pain when it comes to the technical side of things. As for being a self-published author, well the freedom of course is great. I can write what I want, when I want. I think the roller coaster nature of the sales is a bit disconcerting, but I think this will be less of a concern as I get more books out. I hope!

Jennifer: Can you tell us what inspired you to write Dreamwalkers?

D.M. Andrews: I believe it was back in 2009 that I started thinking how a story with the same theme as The Matrix movies might play out if it was set not in a world of technology, but a world of magic. The idea went through a number of incarnations, but then settled not on a magic system but on dreams - specifically lucid dreaming. What if a certain lucid dream world was shared, what if it had been constructed by other minds? You get the idea.

I should explain that I don't even remember my dreams, let alone lucid dream, so I did quite a bit of research in the area. Fascinating stuff.

That left me with the decision as to the nature of that dream world. At first I'd had it pegged down as a somewhat typical fantasy world with real-world Dark Ages/Medieval elements. Then I watched a free movie put out by the makers of the Assassin's Creed video games. It's set in Italy during the Renaissance and centered around an assassin. It's shot in green screen, and the production has a bit of a dream-like appearance to it. I knew this had to be the same setting for my world.

Jennifer: Have you heard of lucid dreaming and have you ever experienced it yourself?

D.M. Andrews: Ah, there I go - answering the question before it's asked. I'm one of those people who goes to sleep, doesn't wake up until I need to (though I don't need alarm clocks), and hasn't a clue what's gone on in my imagination in the mean time. I do rarely remember the odd snippet of a dream - and odd is the right word!

Jennifer: Where can readers find you online? Please list all your links.

D.M. Andrews: Too many links to list, but http://www.writers-and-publishers.com is my main site (blog) or on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/dmandrewsauthor or on twitter at http://twitter.com/AuthorDMAndrews

Jennifer: What are you working on next?

D.M. Andrews: Dreamwalkers Part Two and Three are my current projects. I'm also going to create a paperback version of Pied and Prodigious (a parody of Pride and Prejudice currently only in digital form). I will see how I feel after that, but I do intend to buckle down and take on a sequel to The Serpent in the Glass at some point soon (before fans of the book decide to do something nasty to me!).

Jennifer: If you could have dinner with three fictional characters from any book, who would they be and what would you serve for dinner?

D.M. Andrews: Galadriel and Tom Bombadil (from The Lord of the Rings), and Lizzy Bennet (from Pride and Prejudice). I'd be serving them beans on toast because I'm a useless cook ;)

D.M. Andrews lives in Hertfordshire, England, and enjoys a wide range of interests, including history, genealogy, mythology, modding, and political philosophy. His greatest love, however, is reading and writing novels. Fantasy, myth and history are the main components of his work, with a focus on meaningful originality. D.M. Andrews writes for children as young as 9, and adults as old as 99. His books are suitable for most ages and for families. He has been writing since his childhood, and hopes to keep writing until he is as old as the trees!       

Other Books by D.M. Andrews (Click images for details or to purchase)