Today it gives the Speculative Fiction Showcase great pleasure to interview Megan Mary, whose novel The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick was our featured new release on October 3rd 2024.
What was the inspiration for your novel The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick, which was our featured new release on October 3rd?
Ten years ago, I had an incredibly vivid dream about a time traveling, talking cat named Wixby and a young girl named Hannah, that felt so real I had to capture it in writing. What began as a 10,000-word short story was set aside for years. It wasn't until I went through a series of profound spiritual awakenings that I felt compelled to revisit and complete it. The story evolved, taking on an entirely new life and meaning into what became The Dream Haunters.
The Dream Haunters is your first book in a new series, The Witches of Maple Hollow. What can you tell us about the series?
The series blends fantasy and mystery, weaving in compelling female characters from women’s fiction and incorporating a rich array of metaphysical elements. This creates a unique blend of paranormal, supernatural, and spiritual themes. It features beloved tropes such as Found Family, Good vs. Evil, Time Travel, Discovered Powers, Spiritual Awakening, Secret Societies, Fated Destiny, Talking Cats, and, naturally, Dream Interpretation.
Your protagonist, Hannah Skye, is a young woman in search of meaning. How is she drawn into a hidden and magical world?
Hannah receives a cryptic letter from her long-lost aunt that she cannot read. It is illegible, or so it seems, but does include a plane ticket to Maple Hollow. Hannah is a seeker, drawn to mysteries, so she cannot let this go without investigating further.
What can you tell us about Hannah’s Aunt Jewelia, who is missing at the start of the book?
Aunt Jewelia lives at Skye Manor with a kindly older gentleman known by some as “Old Man Adams.” She is a bit like Morticia from the Addams Family in that she is demure and elegant, but also magickal and mysterious. At the beginning, we see her doing magic whilst a tumultuous storm brews outside, setting the scene for the mystery to unfold.
Dreams and their significance play a key role in The Dream Haunters. How does a dream influence Hannah’s life-changing decision?
Hannah has a recurring dream about a pumpkin patch, but she never can quite figure out what it means. Feeling lost at a crossroads in her life, and just having lost her job, she decides it is time to take some chances and make a change. She follows a series of synchronicities that lead her not only to discover her long-lost family, but also a legacy that changes her life forever.
You yourself are a dream analyst. What can you tell us about that role and the experience that led to it?
I have always been fascinated by dreams, but I didn’t always listen to them. After suffering from multiple chronic illnesses, I underwent a long period of healing, during which I returned to the wisdom of my dreams and meditation. What I discovered there was a calling to share with others the mysteries and importance of dreams through my stories and the dreamwork I do in real life with other women.
Why are dreams important, and how did you come to make them the basis of a novel?
I feel that dreams are the doorway to our subconscious. They speak to us in a language unique to each dreamer, which once understood, allows us to unlock our inner wisdom, tap into our intuition and access our higher self and purpose.
Who are The Dream Haunters of the title and how much can you tell us about them?
The Dream Haunters are nefarious spirits that take advantage of celestial influences to trap unsuspecting dreamers in their nightmares. Those that ignore their dreams and disregard them as meaningless are the most at risk.
What can you tell us about Maple Hollow and Skye Manor and how Hannah travels there?
Maple Hollow is a fictional, magical island of eternal autumn located somewhere in New England. Skye Manor is a mysterious ancestral manor located on Maple Hollow. Hannah flies to New England from the mountain town she lives in when she receives a cryptic letter and a one-way plane ticket from her long-lost aunt.
To what extent does The Dream Haunters mingle personal experience and imagination?
As a debut author, my fiction is exceptionally based in personal experience. There are parts of me in every character, in fact, even some of the cats are my actual cats! There are 13 dream scenes in the novel, and since reality is stranger than fiction, a number of them are actually inspired from my own dreams.
The Dream Haunters has been well-received: The BookLife Prize, sponsored by Publisher's Weekly, gave it a 9.25 out of 10 critic's rating. What does that mean to you?
I was beyond thrilled to receive the critic’s rating from The BookLife Prize. It actually brought tears to me eyes. To have a reviewer, that has probably read thousands of books, call my debut a “highly inventive work” that was “relentlessly imaginative” was truly a dream. I also really appreciated that the review covered the plot, prose and character execution, all which received excellent marks calling the setting, “brilliantly realized, with every nook and cranny overflowing with vibrant energy and atmosphere,” and the series, “a fascinating metaphysical journey into a fantastical world full of magic spells, dreams, and spirituality.”
What themes or tropes appear in the story and how important are the cats?
The story delves into themes such as Found Family, Good vs. Evil, Time Travel, Discovered Powers, Spiritual Awakening, Secret Societies, Fated Destiny, Dream Interpretation, and, of course, a talking cat. Cats hold a special significance in the narrative, as one of them originally inspired the book. Not only are there multiple feline characters, but two are based on my real-life cats, Merlin and Milu, including one who has since passed on into the spirit realm, Mystera.
How do you see your readers?
Much like my podcast, my creative work centers on supporting women. I envision my readers as those who enjoy mystery, fantasy, and women’s fiction, as well as anyone drawn to metaphysical themes—perfect for those who love exploring metaphysical shops. My books cater to readers seeking a unique blend of entertainment and inspiration, offering stories that are both reflective and educational. They’re for seekers—those embarking on a fictional journey that ultimately brings them back to themselves, feeling empowered and touched by a sense of magic.
Are you working on the next book in the series and what can you tell us about it?
Book 2 is called The Dream Mirrors and will be released in May 2025. It combines the metaphysical themes of duality, portals, mirrors, reflection and illusion. This celestial fall-themed mirror fantasy weaves dreams and mystery into an enchanting tale of magick and self-discovery. Book 3 is currently underway as well and slated to be released October 2025.
Amazon.com | MeganMary.com | Books2Read
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