Title: Dream Me
Author: Kathryn Berla
Genre: Romance, Time-Travel, Young Adult
Release Date: July 11, 2017
Publisher: Amberjack Publishing
Zat is a dreamer from the distant future—a time when humans no longer dream and Earth is a desolate wasteland. He dreams of the beautiful Earth of the past, and a fiery-haired beauty named Babe. Against the wisdom of his peers, Zat decides to risk everything to travel back in time and live in Babe’s dreams…
Babe is the perpetual new girl in town. Her father’s job frequently moves the family around the country, and Babe just longs for a place to call home. As she settles into the sleepy town of Sugar Dunes, Florida, Babe begins to have strange dreams of a green-eyed boy named Zat. Night after night, Babe shows Zat her world. But the dreams come at the cost of nearly crippling migraines every morning. Babe’s life outside of her dreams pales in comparison to her growing love for Zat and their time spent together.
But the more time Babe and Zat spend together in her dreams, the more Babe’s pain increases, and Zat begins to question the reality of his existence. How can he live a life with Babe, when all they have is her dreams?
Can a dream become a reality?
The reason I love young adult in general is because of the intense feelings and changes that occur during our high school years. It seems that no one forgets about their high school experiences—good or bad. It’s a time of self-discovery and moving beyond our comfort zones in an independent way for the first time. It can also be a time for forming friendships and in some cases even relationships that can last a lifetime.
When writing a book, what is your favorite part of the creative process (outline, plot, character names, editing, etc)?
Creating the concept and the story in my mind before I ever write a word is my favorite part of the process. I do enjoy naming my characters. Usually, there’s a good reason for each name that I select and I often consult with someone before using a name, particularly if it’s outside of my culture.
When reading a book, what genre do you find most interesting/intriguing?
I am a fan of historical fiction although I would never attempt to write it. I think it would be the most difficult genre to write in because you not only have to research what day to day life would have been like but you must imagine how your characters would think and act within that setting. Every detail, no matter its importance, must be historically accurate.
If you could co-author with any author, past or present, who would you choose?
Well, I guess I’d have to say William Shakespeare because hopefully some of his skill would rub off on me in the process 😉
Have you always wanted to write or did it come to you "later in life"?
I’ve always wanted to write. I started writing family newsletters and short stories as a young child and continued through college where I took a number of creative writing classes. It wasn’t until my kids were older that I actually had the time to write.
Kathryn Berla graduated from the University of California at Berkeley as an English major. She has lived in many different countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.
