The Dreamers Series

The Dreamers by Oliver Dahl

About The Dreamers: Sam Kullen is a Dreamer. Every night he dreams, and he lives in each one. Together, the Dreamers must stop Malfix from taking over the Dream Realm, and earth itself. The Dreamers also have the ability to control events on earth through their dreams. Sam and the Dreamers must prevent Malfix from controlling things... for the worse.

Praise for The Dreamers: 

"...an adventure with colourful landscapes and fantastic feats of manipulation of dream-stuff that rivals the magic in tales of wizardry that are the manna of the Fantasy reader...."

"...You won't be disappointed!"

"Holds...well against many books written by much older authors... Never a dull moment...amusing and undeniably creative..."

The Dreamers has won the author several awards, including Top 50 ID Author 2011 (as chosen by Friesens) and Idaho Student of the Year (selected by Idaho PTA). At times, it has remained in the top 3-5% of all books and Kindle books on Amazon.com, and even outsold other popular, traditionally published authors at these times. Several famous authors own autographed copies of The Dreamers, including Brandon Mull, Richard Paul Evans, and Obert Skye, to name a few.

Need something else? You can read the introduction to The Dreamers for free!

The Dreamers can be purchased in most online bookstores, as well as a few brick-and-mortar (physical) stores. It can be requested to be added to inventory at any Barnes & Noble in America. As for online stores, The Dreamers is available in the following places:

• Amazon Paperback
• Amazon Kindle
• Barnes & Noble Nook
• Sony Reader
• Apple iBooks
• Kobo Reader

About The Nightmarers: After losing all of its members in the war with Malfix, Sam Kullen has to rebuild his team of Dreamers in time to face the ultimate nightmare. After being wrongly accused, Sam and The Dreamers must come together to prove their innocence, rescue those imprisoned after the war, and unveil the true culprit. Once again they must save the day, all the while trying to maintain their underground status; not only in our world, but in other realms as well.

* * *

What people are saying about The Nightmarers: 

"It felt new and fresh but in a familiar context - a rarity for a second book in a series. Plenty of action and good versus evil"

You can read through chapter 4 of The Nightmarers without even leaving my blog!


The Nightmarers:

• Chapter 1
• Chapter 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4

You can also read through Chapter 8 in the Kindle preview on Amazon.com.

The Nightmarers is also available in many places online. Below are just a few of the most popular places/formats to get it!

• Amazon Paperback
• Amazon Kindle
• Barnes & Noble Nook (coming soon)
• Sony Reader (coming soon)
• Apple iBooks (coming soon)

If you have read and/or purchased The Nightmarers or The Dreamers, I'd like to thank you right now for doing so. It's because of people like you that independently and self-published authors can be successful. Your help and support means a lot. Thank you.

Follow @OliverWDahl on Twitter.

Like The Dreamers on Facebook!  

And forget about Google+, because screw them.
But, if you really want to...


Dream on!
Oliver Dahl
&
Sam Kullen

The Nightmarers Preview 4

"I'm Sam. I can help you."

5 days and counting. The 4th exclusive chapter of The Nightmarers. 3 short steps away from publication. The 2nd book in The Dreamers. 1 epic addition to the award-winning series. The next time I post, it will be for The Nightmarers' release. Who's excited?! (Other than yours truly, of course). 5...4...3...2...1...

Let's get this started! I'll present to you Chapter 4 of The Nightmarers, and then we'll party on. Look for the entire book in both print and eBook format on Amazon.com. You can look for its smoky blue cover to appear on my author page on February 12th. It will be $2.99 on kindle, and $9.99 paperback. I hope that if you enjoyed The Dreamers, you'll pick up its sequel, too. (And hey--even if you didn't like it!) Of the people I've heard back from about what they thought, I've heard only that The Nigtmarers is even better than its precursor. I think you'll feel the same way. So... Give it a whirl! For less than a coffee, you can get it on your eReader. Or less than Chicken McNuggets, if you don't spend money on coffee. Or, less than... something that's 3 dollars, if you don't buy either of those. If you haven't read The Dreamers yet, you can do so by clicking here.

Well, I'm getting distracted just like Sam does. You came for the excerpt, so let's have at it! Without further ado... Chapter 4 of The Nightmarers.

* * *

Still in shock from my new narcoleptic recruits, I was not yet ready for Sandi. I was in the middle of a lesson with Kris and Andromeda. I was explaining to them how other people dreamed, how they simply came to the Dream Realm in their subconscious form, and how injuries that happen here don't affect their physical bodies on earth. I was reading out of my newly published copy of The Dreamer's Handbook.

I was referencing this handbook, trying to answer all of their questions. (They reminded me of myself in that aspect), when I suddenly just felt... strange.

“Hang on,” I murmured. The twins glanced at each other, side-long, in that style that kind of irritates me, leaving me to wonder what they were thinking. I pursed my lips and vanished from the room, a copy of me, made in smoke, swirling into nothingness in my place.

I didn't know where I needed to go; but when I arrived, I knew I had come to the right place. There was just... this feeling in my gut, telling me that I was in the right spot.

I had rarely ventured here, so I knew very little about it, other than Thep's bad experience with the sand crabs.

I was in Paradisa, one of the seven different territories of the Dream Realm. Malfix, the villain of the Dream Realm, had owned it, previously, so I tended to stay away from it. Malfix had been bent on owning and controlling all of the Dream Realm. By having complete control, he thought that he would be able to take the Dreamers' powers and make himself master of the Dream Realm and Earth. You can see why I was reluctant to go there.

To my left was a jungle, thick with undergrowth and palm trees. To my right was another of the territories that made up the Dream Realm, the Ceruvian Sea, stretching with the sand and jungle for miles and miles.
I was standing on a perfect beach, the waves lazily tickling the soft, pale sand. On this particular stretch of pristine beach, there were dozens, maybe even hundreds of people soaking up the sun and surf. The breeze, billowing whiteclouds, barbecues, and sand castles added to the paradisaical feel of the place.

Everyone looked at peace, happy to be there. Everyone except a girl, not 15 feet away from me. Sandi. She sat numbly, looking out to sea, watching the sun set while wiping tears from her eyes. I approached her and introduced myself.

“I'm Sam. I can help you.”

She looked up at me. “You don't even know me.” She replied softly

“I may not know you, but I... I know what you're going through. Grab my arm, I want to show you something.”

Fortunately, she didn't need a lot of convincing. We vanished just as the sun slipped completely under the surface of the sea.

* * *

What do you guys think? Let me now in the comments! I always love reading each and every one of your responses. I usually get back to you, too. This is one of my favorite chapters in the book. I loved being able to describe such an idealistic scene, that was fake all along. It felt like a scene from Inception. :) I also love the way Sam extended his help to Sandi. We see that he's a nice guy, with others' interests at heart. He's just the kind of all-around-great guy that I aspire to be like. A fun fact for you: the name "Sandi" means "defender of others" or "defender of man". I thought this was interesting, because as Dreamers, that is their ultimate goal. No matter what the other trials are, it all comes down to helping mankind. Sandi is kind of the model Dreamer for their group as a whole.

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

Comment prompt: I did this in an earlier post, but it never really took off. Paradisa, the paradise land Sam meets Sandi in, varies from person to person. Some see it as the tropical beach, others see it as a lake in the mountains, or a large mansion on rolling hills. What would your paradise be?

Again, I hope you liked it! Please feel free to ask any questions, tell me what you thought, and what your Paradisa would be! I hope you guys are looking forward to The Nightmarers!

Dream on!

Sam Kullen

&

Oliver Dahl

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