Interview with Megan Mary, author of The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick (Witches of Maple Hollow Book 1)

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

About Megan Mary:

Metaphysical author Megan Mary, a dream analyst, intuitive, and mystic, intertwines her passion for personal transformation, magick, and cats with the ethereal realm of dreams.

In addition to a career spanning over twenty-five years creating, managing and marketing websites, she holds a BA and an MA in English Literature, certification in British Studies, and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.

After being diagnosed with three chronic illnesses, she experienced a spiritual awakening. She now empowers women all over the world to live more authentic, aligned, and abundant lives through dream empowerment and mystical guidance. Her podcast, Women’s Dream Enlightenment, has been voted as one of the Top 20 Spiritual Awakening Podcasts You Must Follow. When she’s not dreaming or weaving digital webs, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two magickal cats.

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The Dream Haunters: A Metaphysical Mystery of Magick by Megan Mary (Witches of Maple Hollow Book 1)

 

Release date: October 3rd, 2024

Sub-genres: Mystery, Fantasy, Supernatural, Speculative, Metaphysical, Women's Fiction, New Adult

About The Dream Haunters:

Hannah Skye, a young woman in search of meaning, receives a cryptic letter from her missing and eccentric Aunt Jewelia. Her experience of a recurring powerful pumpkin patch dream unfolds into a spiritual journey to a mysterious island of eternal autumn, Maple Hollow, where she discovers the mystical Skye Manor and her magickal family legacy.

Haunted by shapeshifters bent on trapping people in their nightmares, Hannah, with the help of wise villagers and feline companions (including a talking cat dream guide), must solve the riddle, unlock her powers, and dive into the dream dimension to save her aunt by Halloween night, when the veil between the worlds is thinnest.

Escape into this metaphysical mystery of magick, where spells, music, and dreams converge in a vortex of secret societies and spiritual inheritance. Travel beyond time and space into a world of unexpected portals, ancient traditions, and dreamscapes.

Excerpt:

A sudden clap of thunder broke the silence. Jewelia’s eyes snapped open. Jarred out of her placid place of meditation, she reached for a pad of paper. She wrote and then stopped, holding her pen just away from the paper as if in a channeled trance, then continued on, only to stop again a few words later. Once her words had fully inked the page, she folded the letter and placed it in a small white envelope. She firmly pressed a stamp into the red wax simmering nearby, sealed the envelope, and wrote 

Hannah 

in large letters in the middle.

She rose quickly from her seat, the cat springing off her lap. She ran out to the foyer, then down the long dark hallway toward the back door, grabbing a cloak hanging on a nearby hook and departing from the shelter of her home. 

Skye Manor sat in the middle of an enormous, circular pumpkin patch. There was one straight path that led from the manor through the center of the patch, ending at the sea. This path was lined on both sides with immensely tall cypress trees. They stood like guards, perfectly lined up, creating a dark corridor to the water. Jewelia ran down this corridor toward the shore, cutting through the patch.

The storm swirled around her, thunder cracking and breaking across the sky. She headed for the dock, heart pounding in her chest. The wind whipped the trees, making them swirl as if they would be lifted right out of their roots, their branches thrashing to and fro. The rain beat on Jewelia’s head and shoulders as she approached the dock.

On the dock, she knelt down and reached for the ropes that held the rowboat, her long black hair wet and matted against her face. She untangled them one by one until the small craft was freed from its attachments. It bobbed up and down on the rough water, ready to float away of its own accord. Steadying herself on a wooden dock post wrapped in weathered rope, Jewelia stepped into the boat, first her right foot, then her left. She sat on the wet wooden seat and fished around for the oars below her.

She began to row, pushing and straining the muscles in her arms, heaving back and bracing her legs. She was rowing as hard and fast as she could. She made it away from the dock and headed south, along the shore, further and further from the manor and around the bend of the tiny island. The rain fell harder and harder, as if it were trying to prevent her from proceeding any further. But she paddled on, exerting herself as much as she could. 

As she rowed, she began to chant—softly at first, the words a whisper under her heavy breath. They formed a rhythm of their own as they dropped from her lips into the foggy air that had begun to envelope both her and the boat. She started to chant louder, the words becoming an incantation, carrying her emotions on the wind, swirling around her and rising out of her body.

Suddenly, a colossal thunderclap boomed above her, followed by a magnificent strike of lightning. White light, as bright as if she stood next to the moon itself, surrounded her, and then there was total silent darkness. 

Jewelia had vanished.

Amazon.com | MeganMary.com | Books2Read

About Megan Mary:

Metaphysical author Megan Mary, a dream analyst, intuitive, and mystic, intertwines her passion for personal transformation, magick, and cats with the ethereal realm of dreams.

In addition to a career spanning over twenty-five years creating, managing and marketing websites, she holds a BA and an MA in English Literature, certification in British Studies, and is a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.

After being diagnosed with three chronic illnesses, she experienced a spiritual awakening. She now empowers women all over the world to live more authentic, aligned, and abundant lives through dream empowerment and mystical guidance. Her podcast, Women’s Dream Enlightenment, has been voted as one of the Top 20 Spiritual Awakening Podcasts You Must Follow. When she’s not dreaming or weaving digital webs, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two magickal cats.

Website|Twitter/X|Instagram|Threads|Pinterest|YouTube|

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Interview with E. Heroldbeck, author of Finch Henry’s Air Fish

 

Today it gives the Speculative Fiction Showcase great pleasure to interview E. Heroldbeck, author of Finch Henry’s Air Fish.

That’s a wonderful title. Who is Finch Henry, and what is the Air Fish?

Thank you! I hoped it would spark a certain level of intrigue. Finch – well, he is a striking, yet troubled, twenty-something cellist who experiments with make-up and suffers strange episodes that become increasingly suggestive of psychic phenomena. Finch is emotionally intelligent and has huge integrity and wit, but he’s also desolate on his native island – an island that has chosen to exist in a dreary anachronistic post-war era. It’s beyond bleak there, not to mention socially regressive.

The Air Fish – now they are harder to explain without dropping a spoiler. I wonder whether they will differ in significance for individual readers, but for me they are symbolic of the world Finch soon finds himself in, having left the archaic island. These impossible creatures are a wonder, and bring a surreal, dreamlike filter to Finch’s new world – an enigmatic delight that reflects the story as it flows. I couldn’t resist threading the fish motif throughout the narrative but I’m aware that it’s perhaps more understandable in retrospect when considering Finch’s emotional evolution. That doesn’t satisfy, does it? Sorry. You’ll have to read it!

You say “I personally gained permission to reference the work of Monty Python and neuroscientist Anil Seth, within the book...” Can you tell us how the work of Anil Seth and that of Monty Python come to occupy the same book?

That is one excellent question and the sheer polarisation of it made me laugh out loud because essentially, you are right to question it – these two worlds have absolutely no business fraternising within the same novel. Perversely though, this unlikely combination might go some way to presenting the perfect illustration of Finch Henry’s Air Fish – a study of how we perceive existence thrown in with a bit of colourful British humour and a touch of surrealism, then muddled together and poured out to produce the weirdest cocktail that, I hope, doesn’t taste too much of hat stand.

Anil Seth is a prominent neuroscientist and one of his main focuses has been to explore and explain how we perceive reality, a subject that sets sparks flying for me. In the novel, Finch is questioning how it is he appears to be capable of higher level perception while others aren’t, and his mentor’s reply is, in part, influenced by Anil Seth’s work – in essence, ‘that our brain hallucinates our conscious reality’. The Monty Python element is part plot device, part world and character building. On Finch’s miserable island the technology is pre-internet. The limited TV offerings are controlled to feature only brain-numbing sitcoms and game shows, with the exception of a couple of censored episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which Finch relates to and adores.

The book is listed on Amazon under the category of Metaphysical Fiction. What does that mean to you, and how does it differ from Speculative Fiction?

For me, metaphysical fiction includes philosophical concepts and the paranormal. My book sits at the metaphysical end of speculative fiction. It is almost a thought experiment contemplating how our world might look, should certain scientific discoveries be made in the near future; it imagines England around forty years from now, recovering from a philosophy-shaping breakthrough in science that shook the world back in the 2020s, and Finch’s generation is born into this new, adjusted reality. It’s worth mentioning that some feel this is a real possibility as there are several long-term studies out there focusing on the very subject explored in my book.

The novel has been compared to Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, which I think is Dystopian SF, satire and a whole lot more. What are the similarities and, in your eyes, the differences?

Interestingly, some readers have found my book ‘scary’, which is a description I have genuine trouble identifying with, probably because I feel the novel has a strong message of enlightenment and warmth. Perhaps a comparison could be made with regard to the exploration of futuristic technology, pushing ideas to their unnerving extremes, but aside from that I would say Black Mirror is far darker and more satirical than Finch Henry’s Air Fish, which is ultimately uplifting.

This is your first book. What prompted you to write it?

The concept of the mainland philosophy presented itself and I had no choice. I just had to write it down. I had never planned to write a book, although over the years I’d had many ideas that might have been novel-worthy and probably wanted to be written. I’ve spent twenty years working as a commercial fashion designer so all my creative energy was utilised by that demanding world, leaving me no creative verve for anything extracurricular. The timing of this idea coincided with a quiet period at work, so I was able to focus on it, foolishly thinking, ‘Hey, I’ll just knock the book out in a couple of months – no problem,’ with no real idea how enormous the project would be. Fortunately, I’ve been obsessed and fascinated by all things metaphysical since childhood so I’d already done plenty of inadvertent research in my own attempt to understand the unexplained and grasp the nature of existence (although, perhaps I’ll come back to you on that one).

You designed the cover art yourself. Please tell us a bit about that.

Finch was larger than life in my mind, as were all the characters – as real as living people and just as connected. During writing I even had dreams that the characters were all waiting impatiently in a greenroom for me to get on with the next chapter so they would have something to do! My experience as a designer meant I’d naturally developed an idea of how the cover should look, so I was able to design it myself, bringing my strong vision of Finch to life.

I’ve received mixed opinions on the fact that Finch has no eyes on the cover; some think it’s odd and others like the suggestion that he doesn’t need eyes to see what’s important, that his perception exists beyond the mundane. I couldn’t resist a flourish of air fish as I’m partial to the flair and extravagance of koi carp imagery (it must be all that fashion flamboyance I’ve soaked up). I hope I’ve managed to achieve an appropriate visual pitch for the book, but I’m sure a pro would do a better job! I understand that it stands out as far as contemporary book covers go, and this was intentional; I was leaning towards a retro sci-fi graphic style, possibly reminiscent of the Douglas Adams era.

How do you see your readers and what do you want them to take away from the book?

My book refuses to fit neatly into any category because it blends some unexpected elements, rendering it pretty difficult to define. The integral love story and background theme of parenthood will hopefully appeal to most. In keeping with futuristic ideals, my depiction of blurred gender boundaries and social development may interest forward thinking, open minded readers. However, I like to think the main theme is universal – after all, pondering the nature of existence and reality is surely crucial to all of conscious humanity and an ancient pursuit, central to well-being. I wrote the novel in a light, easy style in order to balance these weighty themes, so I’m also optimistic that it’s an entertaining page-turner, as well as thought-provoking.

What writers have influenced you, from inside and outside Speculative Fiction?

Kurt Vonnegut, Richard Bach, Douglas Adams, Bruce Robinson, Carl Sagan.

How did you find the process of starting out as an indie writer?

Like climbing a mountain, blindfolded. You think you’re at the top, you’ve finally published the book! But, no. You’re still at the beginning. Having just learnt writing, editing, swearing bitterly at Microsoft Word, formatting, cover design, reformatting, swearing bitterly at the cat who loves to dance on the keyboard, all the zillion technicalities and actually, finally publishing it, now your job is to become a marketing and social media expert or NO ONE WILL EVER READ IT! I’m still on the mountain but the view is better. Dreaming up Finch and his world was one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever done and I’ve loved writing his inner experience. The process of self-publishing has been exhilarating, painful, overwhelming, liberating and rewarding. Luckily, I love getting my teeth into a project and I’m incredibly grateful that we have the option to be independent.

What are you reading now?

Picnic Comma Lightning by Laurence Scott. Like all the best reads it encourages a contemplation of life and an appreciation of the here and now.

2020: is truth becoming stranger than fiction?

Attempting a definition of ‘truth’ in 2020 would be one brave move. Besides, hasn’t truth always been stranger: Giraffes. Bats. Quantum physics.

Are you planning a sequel?

Yes, and no. I have ideas for a sequel and other unrelated fiction, and I’m pretty sure Finch and co. are back in the greenroom waiting to be written again, but I’d like to see how this goes before I write anything else. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the creative element and felt, at times, that the book almost wrote itself – the process is fascinating – the way that ideas miraculously emerge and end up fitting together, but I would like to see Finch go mainstream before I embark on any new writing; that is the next project! Saying that, I’m constantly having new ideas, and honestly, they seem to be in charge.

Thanks so much for this opportunity to talk about my book, and for your brilliant questions.

Thank you!

Amazon

About E. Heroldbeck:

E. Heroldbeck is a sci-fi minded author with a record of aggravated fashion design and a multi-dimensional third eye that sees you reading this. In another life, E. Heroldbeck designed collections for many well-known brands. Finch Henry's Air Fish marks the author's debut novel and first entry into book cover design; while stories have always been running through the author's mind, the international design work came first. This time the story had to be told.

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Sky of Water (Equal Night Trilogy, Book 3) by Stacey L. Tucker

Release date: May 12, 2020

Subgenre: Contemporary Fantasy, Romantic Fantasy

About Sky of Water:

 

This final installment of the Equal Night trilogy will put Skylar to her biggest test to date. After Magus takes her through the alchemical door in the Quine library, she quickly remembers her strange surroundings and the reason she’s been brought back to the First Age. Here, she will have to rely on her own magic to navigate the overlapping timelines that will allow her to rewrite history. But if she’s not careful, she could destroy it completely.

Back home, it will take every one of Skylar’s loved ones to execute Ocean’s plan, and Argan has the biggest role among them: the impossible task of retrieving Skylar home from the past. Luckily, it’s something he’s been training for his entire life.

Meanwhile, a woman now sits in the Oval Office, the corrupt scaffolding of the US government collapsing around her. Mica Noxx has a vision for the US, one that returns it to the original intention of the Founding Fathers.

With Skylar held in the First Age and Mica planted in current day, they have one shot to banish the darkness that’s held control for centuries, and return the United States to a trajectory toward its true destiny: becoming the New Atlantis.

 

Excerpt:

 

Vivienne DeClaire’s apartment sat perched precariously over the lapping waves of the Mediterranean. An ancient, gnarled pine clung tenaciously to the exposed face. It hadn’t yet decided to succumb to the sea. Vivienne’s marble deck now hung completely over the side of the cliff. She had made Bari, Italy, her home after the First Age, when more land surfaced after the Great Flood. Good memories had soaked into the land there. She had only wanted to remember the good. But now she looked out at the stunted shore beneath her and saw the painful ones returning. Ghostly, black, crab-like creatures crawled out of the sea at a snail’s pace. Their slow speed made their return that much worse, prolonging the inevitable. They had been waiting, as all painful memories do, in the churning, deep, dark water of the ocean. They were messengers from the primordial deep, and Vivienne was now faced with a choice she thought only applied to humans: act or react. She already knew she had waited too long to act.

The earth was experiencing remarkably swift changes that no scientist could explain away with global warming. Beatrice, the Great Mother of Air, was to blame for some of them. She hadn’t limited her wrath to the US. Many of the shores of Europe had been coated in silt. Now a light gray color, the beaches couldn’t hide their sadness. The shadow of humanity had been drawn out of the protection of the ocean and washed up like a tidal wave of beached sea life. It was forcing mankind to look at its own darkness.

Ocean, Great Mother of Fire, had to take responsibility as well. Fire was volatile, and volatile energy was escaping the earth’s core through volcanic activity. Volcanoes were surprisingly more easily dealt with than the quiet migration of the rising tide. The sea was just like Vivienne, Great Mother of Water—reserved and commanding, yet lethal when necessary. Nothing could stop raging water.

But all of the earth changes couldn’t be blamed on the Mothers. The greatest Mother herself, Gaia, needed to stretch and change. If a house sat where fire or fresh water must flow, so be it. Humans were required to adapt; they could no longer believe the earth was for conquering. Gaia had allowed people to live on her body, and they had proven horrendous stewards.

Natural disasters were the Great Mothers’ way of healing, of purging their personal pain. Although selfish in motive, the disasters always helped collective humanity. It seemed people forgot their pettiness and self-absorbed lives when disaster struck and remembered what life was truly about.

“Beauty always emerges out of destruction,” Vivienne said. “Always.”

 

Amazon 

 

About the Equal Night Trilogy:

 

The Equal Night Trilogy is a romantic adventure that speaks to the longing in the hearts of women. Once the Greeks forced their male gods upon the world, the belief in the power of women was severed. For centuries it has been thought that the wisdom of the high priestesses perished at the hand of the patriarchs—but the ancient Book of Sophia, which contains the sacred knowledge needed for the coming age, is out there. And it is looking for Skylar Southmartin. This new adult fantasy series takes our protagonist, Skylar, on a journey through Fire, Air, and Water as she races to fulfill her task: find the Book of Sophia, return the heart of humanity to wholeness, and return the United States to a trajectory toward its true destiny—becoming the New Atlantis. Along the way, she discovers shocking truths about her family, recovers lost love, and, time and again, faces tests of her loyalties, her courage, and her strength of will. A new adult fantasy series that calls on readers to embrace their sexuality and their shadow self,  The Equal Night Trilogy is a tribute to the extraordinary power of mothers, daughters, wives, and women of the twenty-first century—and a reminder that the future depends on the choices we make now.

 

About Stacey L. Tucker:

Stacey L. Tucker uses the action/adventure genre to bridge science and spirituality in her Equal Night series. Tucker’s first book in the trilogy, Ocean’s Fire, took gold at the Living Now Book Awards and she’s looking to make magic again with Book 2, Alchemy’s Air. She has written for Women’s World, Working Mother, and PopSugar, and speaks to teen groups about self-empowerment and awareness in today’s social media–saturated climate.

 

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