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| E. J. Mellow, Author THE DREAMER |
Mellow
is close to finishing the second book in the series, which she plans to release
this fall. A doodler, who reads and plays video games, she is a member of Romance Writers of America and
their Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter. She currently lives in
Brooklyn, New York.
E. J. Mellow: Before we jump
into the Q&A, I just wanted to give a big hug of thanks to Joyce and Strands
Simply Tips for having me here today. Really excited to dive into these
questions!
Q: You describe
the first book THE DREAMER of your Dreamland Series books as new adult
contemporary fantasy. What are the characteristics of this genre? How is it different
from other types of fantasy books? Who are the targeted readers?
E. J. Mellow: I mainly
specified new adult to let people know that the Dreamland Series has some
mature language and sexual content. It’s not explicit, but it does have the “nookie,”
as I’m sure no one calls it.
The
characteristics of NA contemporary fantasy, I think, are that it takes place in
present day, has elements of magic or sci-fi, and is targeted for a slightly
older audience than teens. Though my book’s age range is anywhere between 19
and 104. If you’re 105, sorry, it’s just not for you.
Q: How did you
imagine THE DREAMER? What sparked (no pun intended, as I believe there was
lightning involved) the plot?
E. J. Mellow: I’ve always been fascinated by dreams. The fact
that we—on average—spend twenty-five years of our lives asleep is crazy. So the
notion that we might, unknowingly, be living a completely other life during
that time doesn’t seem that farfetched or out of the realm of possibility. For
me, at least. ;)
But what
really jump-started me writing THE DREAMER was actually a dream I had. One that
lasted a whole week. Yes, a week! Each night it was like starting a movie right
where I left off the night before, with the same characters and plot
continuing. It was so insane! There also just so happened to be a guy…and yes,
he was very good looking *hides
behind hands*. Eventually these dreams stopped, but the idea of them stayed
with me for a while. I ended up telling a friend about them, and from that
conversation is where my idea for the series came about.
Q: One of your
reviewers appreciates how “well developed and plausible” the book is. How
important is “plausibility” to engaging your readers and telling your story?
E. J. Mellow: I think it’s
important only to the effect that the readers shouldn’t be distracted from your
story because they are wondering if the plot’s possible. That’s not why they
are reading a fiction book. They are there to be entertained, swept away, and
taken on a journey.
I
also believe anything can be plausible if well written and told right. Warrior
penguins that battle robotic mutant seals can be a conceivable story so long as
the author can paint the world as such. Actually, Neil Gaiman gave great advice
that relates to this. He said something to the effect of, treat the unreal
things the same way you’d treat the real things. I think this is an awesome
litmus test to writing a story with fantastical elements
Q: “I loved
the characters, especially Molly and Dev—their relationship flew right off the
page.” How did you create characters that involved your readers? How helpful
was humor in developing your characters?
E. J. Mellow: It helps that my characters tend to feel no
different to me than my friends in real life. I can easily imagine what they
would be like accompanying me to certain social events. How Dev would charm the
room and Molly would spill red wine on the sofa, covering it up with a pillow
before anyone saw. Little quirks about them seem to always be swimming in my
mind. But I believe the most helpful tip in building rich characters is to
create profiles for them. List out their favorite foods, movies, books, pet
peeves, and embarrassing moments. What they desire the most in their worlds and
what they fear. I find this helps with staying true to who they are as a
character. Also, give them a secret that no one but you and they will ever
know.
As far as humor in
developing characters, I think it’s definitely helpful, even if it’s subtle or
small.
Q: How relevant was the concept of heroes vs
villains to telling your story?
E. J. Mellow: Very, but not specifically heroes vs. villains, but
rather positive thoughts versus negative and the outward effects they can have
on a person.
Q: Many of your reviewers tout the page-turning
momentum of the suspense you create. Can you tell us how you pulled your
readers into the story?
E. J. Mellow: First, that’s super flattering to hear. So thank
you to those reviewers! It’s something I set out hoping to achieve, and it’s
nice to know some feel that I did.
I’m not 100
hundred percent certain there’s an exact method or by-the-book way to achieve
good pacing, but something I learned in writing classes and reading other books
is it helps when chapters end on a…kind of moment. You never want to sum up the
chapter by solving all of its problems.
Q: Did you write THE DREAMER only to entertain
readers, or did you want to deliver a message, create awareness, and/or
educate?
E. J. Mellow: I never set out with the intentions of delivering
one specific message with THE DREAMER, but I think the idea of dreaming big and
not letting yourself fall into the cogs of life is a theme I wanted to get
across. I think we all have greatness in us—we just need to wake it from sleep.
Q: How difficult was it to write a book from two
different viewpoints? What did you do to minimize confusion?
E. J. Mellow: THE DREAMER is
actually told only from Molly’s POV, but it does have aspects of two different
viewpoints in the sense that her mind and attitude awake is very different then
when she’s asleep. My writing style also switches slightly when Molly is in her
dreams.
Q: What’s next?
E. J. Mellow: Currently, I’m
finishing up the first draft of book two. And by finishing up, I mean there’s
only a chapter left to write! I’m really excited about this one, for it’s a lot
more action packed, and Molly and her powers get
tested in ways no one is prepared for. There also were a lot of scenes that
were tough for me to write, emotionally, which was an interesting challenge.
The second book is scheduled to come
out late September/early October of this year, 2015. Hoping to have an official
release date soon!
Q: Tell us about E. J. Mellow. What do you like to
do when you’re not writing or dreaming?
E. J. Mellow: Playing video games, reading (lots of reading), and
doodling in my sketchbook. I also live near a park and love to go for runs and
hang with friends there.
About E. J. Mellow
E.J. Mellow is the author behind the
NA Contemporary Fantasy trilogy The Dreamland Series. When she's not busy
moonlighting in the realm of make-believe, she can be found doodling, buried in
a book (usually this one), or playing video games.
Residing in Brooklyn, NY she is a
member of Romance Writers of America and their Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Chapter.
About THE DREAMER
Molly hasn’t slept well since the night of her twenty-fourth birthday. Being struck by lightning might have something to do with it, but then again, her chicken did look a little undercooked at dinner. Whatever the culprit, her life quickly catapults from mundane to insane as, night after night, Molly is transported through her once dreamless sleep to a mysterious land illuminated by shooting stars.
There she meets the captivating but frustrating Dev, and together they discover Molly possesses a power coveted by his people—the ability to conjure almost anything she desires into existence. Seduced by the possibilities of this gift, Molly shifts her attention from waking life toward the man, the magic, and the world found in her dreams.
But Molly must ask herself—does something truly exist if you only see it when you close your eyes?
Faced with the threat of losing everything—her job, best friend, boyfriend, and most importantly, that little thing called her sanity—Molly will learn just how far she’ll go to uncover what is real and what is merely a figment of her imagination.
The first in a spellbinding contemporary fantasy trilogy, The Dreamer opens doors into the subconscious and follows the journey of a young woman torn between two worlds as she questions the power of the mind and battles between fate and freewill.
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