Authors and The Dreamers!

Can you spot The Dreamers?

 

One of my favorite things about being an author is meeting other authors. When you meet, you know that both of you have gone through the same challenges, struggles, and are both trying to do their best on future work. It's like knowing immediately that you share a special connection. It's somewhat magical.

Over the past year, I have been blessed to have experienced completely unexpected success. I can't wait for The Nightmarers to be out, and to hopefully double that success. :) Some of my favorite "successes" have been meeting with other authors. I think that you'll recognize (or have heard of) many of these authors! I met all of them personally in book signings that they held here in Boise, Idaho. All of them were super nice. I feel like most authors are like the nicest people you will ever meet.

 

I first gave a copy of The Dreamers to Richard Paul Evans. 17-time-consecutive NYT Bestseller, with 20 Total NYT bestsellers on his hands. He is becoming more and more known for his YA series, Michael Vey. These books have shot up to the top of my list of favorite books. I HIGHLY recommend them! I told him that my "electricity" is also writing, and handed him a copy of The Dreamers. He took it graciously, and I am very thankful for his kindness towards me. Mr. Evans is an awesome guy, and meeting him was a pleasure.

Just a few weeks or months later, one of my all time favorite authors, Brandon Mull, came into town. I had gone to his signings in Boise every time he was here. It is a tradition for our family to go every time he comes. I'm proud (and boastful!) to admit that I have the entire NYT Bestselling Fablehaven Series, Candy Shop War, and Beyonders series (as of late) autographed by Brandon! He is also a really nice guy. I recommend ALL of his books, as well! They are all masterfully written with beautiful imagery and stunning creativity & originality to them all. (With humor mixed in all throughout).

And, just today (1/26/13) I was able to give a copy of my book to successful author Obert Skye! (Famous for his awesome Leven Thumps Series). The first book in this series is still up in my top favorite books. I highly recommend this book, as well! It's magical and undeniably unique! I came to the signing just before he left, thanks to a heads up by Jacob Nordby. (The Indie author of The Divine Arsonist. He also has a copy of The Dreamers!) Thanks again, Jacob! When I got there, he was just about to pack up. I introduced myself as "Oliver" and he signed me a cool poster. I then told him that I, too, was an author, and was about to hand him a copy of my book when he said, "Wait... Oliver Dahl?!"

Me with author Brandon Mull

I nodded yes. Little did I know that the day before, he had visited my middle school and they had all recommended my book and myself to him. He took the copy of my book and told me he'd read it and get back to me. I'm excited to hear what he thinks! I can't thank my middle school enough for recommending my book to him. I'll brag about how I was recognized by a famous author forever. Thanks, Galileo!! You're the greatest! :D I can't wait to come back to you guys with a box (or 2!) of The Nightmarers! Be looking for me! :)

 

The Nightmarers Preview 3

Well, it's that time of the month again! Today, I present not only Chapter 3 of The Nightmarers, but also exciting news as to its release!

The Nightmarers will be live and published on... [drumroll!] February 12th! The news is out, the word is final! Look for it on that day on Amazon, or request it from your local bookstore!

Now that we have our exciting news behind (or rather, ahead) of us, I present to you... Chapter 3 of The Nightmarers!

If you missed the previous excerpts, they can be found at the links below:

The Nightmarers Preview 1

The Nightmarers Preview 2

Enjoy, and happy reading!

* * *

In the blazing cold where the Ice Caves used to be, I had but one thought. Where were they? I had no idea, but they were beginners and I decided that was a good enough excuse.

Then again, checking my watch, I saw it was still quarter 'til. These kids still had a few minutes.

With a start, I realized I didn't even know their names—or... anything about them! I made a mental note to find out.

I shivered. I showed up nearly half an hour early, so... where were they? I tapped my feet on the ice, trying to keep them from freezing.

Finally, there was a blur in the air, and two figures appeared. One was wearing a large T-shirt and sweatpants, while the other, slightly shorter, was wearing pink fleece pants, and a large T-shirt as well.

By the time they finally came up, it was nearly ten after the hour! I couldn't help but give a slight complaint.

“What took you so long?” I chided.

The boy answered, “What? I didn't think this would work!” The girl was pale-faced.

“Kris... where are we?” she murmured. She had shoulder-length blonde hair and worried eyes. I guessed she was about thirteen.

“I don't have a clue, Andromeda” The boy, Kris, replied. He also was around thirteen and had brown hair spiked up above his forehead.

“Why were you late?” I asked again.

The two (siblings? twins? friends?) just now seemed to notice me.

“What?” they asked in unison.

“Why were you late?” I repeated, much slower than necessary.

Andromeda glanced side-length at Kris. Kris nodded slightly.

“Sorry... we have... sleep issues.”

“Sleep issues?” I asked, incredulously

They looked at me like I was some martian.

I guess I was to them. I realized I was being kind of rude.

“Look, sorry.” I apologized. “I just wanted to know why you were late meeting me here.”

“That's okay,” Kris said, shrugging it off. “We told you—we have sleep disorders. We're twins, and we were born with narcolepsy. Both of us took longer naps than usual in the day, and so we couldn't fall asleep sooner.”

I was shocked. I couldn't think. Well, I could, but the only thing that echoed in my brain was, How ironic! The first Dreamers I get have sleeping issues! This was perfect. Just perfect.

“How bad is it?” I asked, numb.

“Not bad,” Andromeda assured. “We just have to take naps in the day, and then we're fine.” Kris nodded.

“Okay.... Never mind that. I've got a lot to tell you.”

* * *

Catch your interest? Buy The Nightmarers now on Amazon.com!

What do you think of this twist in events? Let me know in the comments below, and tell me what you're looking forward to most in The Nightmarers!

Dream on!

Sam Kullen & Oliver Dahl

Let's Turn it Up!

I'm a fan of good music. Aren't we all? Some may argue over the definition of what exactly that means, but to me, lots of genres come across as "good music." I've been kind of a stiff blogger, and I think it'd be fun to let you guys get to know me a little better; and I you through our musical interests.

And then I'll tell you some exciting news concerning music, and give you an artist recommendation. Sound good?

All right then, let's get started, shall we?

I'll start off. I like music with gentle energy, that gets you moving, and tapping your feet along. The catchier, the better. (In most cases, definitely not all. *ahem, Gangnam Style, ahem*) my favorite genres span Alternative Rock, gentle electric, and, if I were to be honest, Dubstep is beginning to grow on me. Some of my favorite artists include Maroon 5 and Owl City, (who I'm going to see in concert this March in Seattle with Neon Trees!) along with Mat Kearney, Train, The Fray, OneRepublic, Imagine Dragons, All Time Low, Switchfoot, Keane, Two Steps From Hell, The Piano Guys, and countless others that I couldn't fit in this already lengthy list.

Tell me about the music YOU like! What gets you in a writing mood? Or an exercising mood? What do you like to listen to? Tell me in the comments below! I'd love to compare interests with you guys. (Just please keep it civil). ;)

A site recommendation for ALL music listeners - www.NoiseTrade.com. There, you can (legally!) download free albums as promoted by the artist. There are a lot of fabulous Indie albums that match the quality (and even succeed that of) many chart-topping albums, in my opinion. Check this place out no matter what your preferences are--there's something and more for everybody.

Now for my "exciting news!" I recently contacted some musical artists that call themselves "White Wall." I asked them if I could use one of their (AMAZING) songs in a future book trailer. (For my upcoming Salem Witch Trials novella, Lies) They agreed to let me use it, and I am very grateful for their willingness and support. I have included some information about them further down, and I really hope you guys will check them out, give them support, and enjoy them as much as I do.

White Wall writes really beautiful music, and the best I could compare them to is Two Steps From Hell. They write instrumental epic pieces as movie/video game (trailer) music. To those who enjoy The Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, or other fabulous movie soundtracks, you are sure to love White Wall. I enjoy listening to their type of music when I write, as it helps me see what I want to write as a movie, and helps put me in the mood of the story. Below is the piece of music that White Wall has so kindly allowed me to use.



More about White Wall:Their album can be downloaded as a pay-what-you-want on Band Camp here. (It's pretty awesome!)

Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter, and to visit their website here.

Look for The Nightmarers Preview 3 Next week! But meanwhile... Enjoy, and happy listening!

Dream on!
Sam Kullen & Oliver Dahl

The Nightmarers Preview 2

Hard to believe it's been a week already since the last preview! Where has the time gone? Perhaps it's a good thing that time is going by so quickly, because... *drumroll* ... That means The Nightmarers is getting closer to its release! Unfortunately, due to some "technical" issues, I am unable to print it until about the end of the week. After that, however, I can send it to my Copy Editor, (Amberly Beck, whom I am extremely grateful for) and should get it back soon. Everything else is coming together!
Including... *another drumroll* ... The Nightmarers' book cover! Yay! Check it out, tell me what you think!

Meanwhile, I'm getting a few "behind the scenes" final stuff done, so that when the manuscript is complete, I can get it out to you guys ASAP.
Practically ever since The Dreamers' release, I've gotten people asking me when the sequel is out. "When is the next book coming out?" "I can't wait to read the next one!"
I just want to thank all of you who have asked--and even thought that question. You guys really inspire me. You're the greatest.
I hope the wait is worth it for you. I feel like The Nightmarers is a different kind of feel from The Dreamers, but awesome in other ways, along with the same ways that made The Dreamers awesome for you. A lot more of it takes place in reality, and the consequences are just as heavy. I can't wait to hear what you guys think.


In the meantime, the main point of this post.. Here's CHAPTER 2 of The Nightmarers! For those of who you who missed the last one, here's a link for you. Or, if you missed out on The Dreamers entirely, here's a link for YOU. Without further ado, I present to you the exclusive, unpublished second chapter of The Nightmarers. Enjoy, and happy reading!

* * *

I was bored. Well, I’m bored most of the time, so it wasn't a first. Being a Saturday, with my homework done, and nothing else to do, I took a nap.

Immediately, I was rushing to the Dream Realm, as I often do, to check if any new members had miraculously showed up. I do it, and savor it, like on a really long day, with nothing to do. You wish more than anything that you had something, and you're just so bored you look forward to checking the mail for ads. You know what I mean. I savor these visits, though it had been months, and no one had showed up. No one, that is, until today.

As soon as I arrived, (I could now control where I popped up in the Dream Realm, and was in the Dreamers HQ) I knew something was different. I didn't know what, I just knew that something was.

I could feel myself probing outward, listening, sensing. I knew where to go almost immediately.

I had mastered Thep's transporting abilities. (I sure miss him, but it might be a good thing that he's gone, because I think I do a better job!) Thep was with me and Flitch (another Dreamer) on my first mission. He is an older guy, who says he's from Egypt. After my grandfather, (the previous Dreamer leader) passed away, and I took his place, Thep was my right-hand guy.

I am in the Forest of Arac Mad. Supposedly, this jungle was named after some Middle Eastern guy who came to the Dream Realm even before the Dreamers “cult” had been formed.

I looked around curiously, hoping to see a face underneath the twisty roots of the self- suspended trees.

I quieted my own breathing, listening for someone else's. But... something was very strange about it. I frowned, tilting my head and leaned closer. It wasn't one breath... it was two!

I saw a quick, shadowy movement to one side under the roots.

“Hey,” I called softly. “It's okay. I can help you.” I had rehearsed to myself what I would say when I found somebody, but what I said wasn't it. I decided it was better, and more to the point, and made a mental note to change it.

“Prove it.” came a loud, strong voice, though it cracked. I could tell the boy muttered something not very nice because of it.

I wasn't sure what to do, so I just told him everything.

“My name is Sam. I’m the current leader of the Dreamers. The Dreamers are a—” I stuttered. “Well, I guess I should say, the Dreamer is the survivor of the Dreamers' cult. They are a group of —” I caught myself again.

“What's a Dreamer?” came a softer voice from behind the tree roots. The voice seemed to prompt me. I latched on to the question.

“Right... Um... The Dreamers are a secret cult made of artists, authors, writers, architects, musicians, engineers, and other people with active imaginations.

“We use our strengths to create and develop —then use—things to save the earth from harm. We stop fires, prevent murders, and influence inventions and ideas.” I paused to let that sink in.

“Dreamers have inspired many of the great things we take for granted today like... cell phones, iPods, TV's, and airplanes. When you think about it, many of the basic ideas behind these inventions are kind of crazy. We, —I,” I correct myself, “have helped these things become... them. In a way, the Dreamers are the true inventor of the airplane, not those Wright Brothers.”

I decided I was going into too much detail, and was failing miserably.

“What I mean to say is—you are the newest Dreamers. This isn't a dream—not really, but a second life. You've got great potential. You could be the creator of the... the... iDesk, or the man behind the creation of a new political system. You could do anything!

“Our mission, or part of it, is to fight to keep the Dream Realm and Earth separate. We fight to allow the human race to continue to thrive and dream!

“Yes, it is only the three of us, but more will join soon.” I hoped so, at least.

“But... What? ...Why? ...When?” Both of the kids under the tree must have been bewildered— like me, when I was first told I was a Dreamer, I realized.

“There's a lot to learn, and even more to do, but for now, you've got to wake up. Come back to the Dream Realm... Ten o' Clock, tomorrow—sharp.

I smiled inwardly. That was the same time that Thep had told me to meet him. I would have to be sure to be early—and to bring a pair of gloves.

* * *

Catch your interest? Buy The Nightmarers now on Amazon.com!

Dream on!
Sam Kullen & Oliver Dahl