I requested Dreamology on a whim {hello, gorgeous cover} and I was so so so excited to read it. After devouring it and loving it, I flailed all over Lucy on Twitter. When she didn’t run away, I asked if she would be willing to do an interview. And she agreed! Before we get to her answers, let’s check out the book!
For as long as Alice can remember, she has dreamed of Max. Together they have traveled the world and fallen deliriously, hopelessly in love. Max is the boy of her dreams—and only her dreams. Because he doesn’t exist.
But when Alice walks into class on her first day at a new school, there he is. It turns out, though, that Real Max is nothing like Dream Max, and getting to know each other in reality isn’t as perfect as Alice always hoped.
When their dreams start to bleed dangerously into their waking hours, the pair realize that they might have to put an end to a lifetime of dreaming about each other. But when you fall in love in your dreams, can reality ever be enough?
Sounds good, right?
1. Please give the elevator pitch for Dreamology.
Dreamology is about a girl who has grown up having the most fantastical dreams, where she goes on adventures with a boy who she loves but has never actually met – until she walks into a new school and finds him there in the flesh.
2. Where did the idea come from?
I have always had interesting sleep habits – walking, talking, night terrors, dreams with really strong narratives. I began to wonder not what those dreams meant, but why they happened. I also would occasionally dream about various guys I had dated or loved, and they always seemed so real. I realized how weird that was. Someone I hadn’t seen in years could feel like I’d only seen them hours earlier. Because they were being kept somewhere in my brain. All those memories. So I began to play around with that idea. And how dreams and love are in many ways similar. In both we can experience a loss of control. In both, we often do things or behave in ways we wouldn’t normally. And on the (sad) occasion that the dream or relationship ends, we often look back and say – was that real?
3. Why do you love Alice and Max and why should we root for them?
I love Alice and Max because they are so different, and individually struggling, and slightly flawed. They each behave in ways that they don’t mean, because they can’t help themselves. But in the end they are both just trying to figure it out – what’s happening to them in their dreams, and also just life in general.
4. What was the weirdest thing you googled while doing research?
This is a hard one because this book is SO WEIRD! But I googled “Dream mapping” a lot. I won’t even try and explain it here, you guys can check it out.
5. Without spoilers, what was your favorite scene to write?
I have two answers for this. The first is a fun/silly answer, but it’s actually the scene where Alice sees Oliver in Game of Thrones Club with Jeremiah. That was just fun, and goofy, and still makes me laugh when I read it.
The more serious answer is the scene where Max and Alice eventually go to the Isabelle Stewart Gardner museum. I won’t give more away than that, but I just loved writing it. And the dream that comes after it.
Speed [ish] round:
1. You get the call/email/letter that says you’re being published for the first time. Describe the next 5 minutes.
In my case I think I was in utter shock, and then I looked around my tiny assistant office at a TV production company where I’d been getting coffee and answering the phone for what felt like a million years, and I just had this feeling like finally, something was about to change.
2. What three things would you take to a desert island?
journal & pen (can these be one?)
my dog
Michiel Huisman
If journal and pen have to be two separate things, then I would ditch Michiel in favor of my dog, obviously.
3. You can only read one book for the rest of your life. What is it?
Where’d You Go Bernadette
4. Who is your favorite book boyfriend and book BFF?
I know this is sort of boring, but it’s Mr. Darcy. He is such a pain in the butt, but it’s a classic tale of miscommunications. A guy that seems to with holding and out of reach but it’s just because he is misunderstood, and actually loves you with the fire of a thousand burning suns. What is more romantic than that? And that he loves Elizabeth for how smart she is, too.
My favorite book BFF…I really like Reagan in Fangirl. She is complicated, but she is so herself, so real. Things I aspire to and look for in friends.
5. What is the one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?
Publishing is slower than a box turtle. Everything takes forever, specifically the time between when you sell your book, and when it is finally published. I still do not really understand why…but it’s going to be a long time before that changes, so it’s a great exercise in patience.
6. You wake up and discover you are Bella in Twilight. You know how it plays out. What do you do differently? {Huge thanks to Bookish Broads for letting me use this question!}
What a fantastic question. I assume we are talking about the books. Jacob in the books is a lot more of a romantic foil to Edward than he is on the screen. I loved book Jacob. I may have chosen him! I would not have chosen Taylor Lautner (sorry!). But besides that, I think I might have said, “Hey Edward, you are probably my destiny, but since you are, and since you are clearly not going anywhere anytime soon, can we meet up in like 5 years after I’ve been able to experience a few more things in my life? Before giving absolutely all of it up, without even knowing WHAT I am giving up?”
But then in reality, because I am a hopeless romantic, I would’ve gotten through about one year of college and come running back to his arms :)
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Lucy lives in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, attended Williams College in the Berkshires, and still misses the East Coast very much.
When she’s not writing, Lucy can usually be found obsessing over the latest music, inventing new flavors of ice cream, or having what she feels are perfectly acceptable conversations with her dog, Ernie.
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Huge thanks to Lucy for not filing a restraining order taking the time. Make sure you’re checking out her website, following her on Twitter and Instagram, and adding her books to your Goodreads TBR.
Dreamology releases 4/12 and you can preorder it at: HarperCollins | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon
Now. I’m super in love with this book and I want you to have a copy. I’m seeing Lucy on Saturday at Festival of Books, so I might get a signed copy. If I don’t, the book will be coming from TBD. Either way, it’s international and additional rules are here.
**Good Luck!!**
My last dream was rather strange! My friend had accidentally painted a dog green and was frantically running around because he was worried it would get sick and die. V strange.
This interview has me convinced that I need to pick this book up!
I don’t remember the last thing I dreamed about. I used to have really vivid dreams that I remember even after months later, but recently (like in the past few years? ^_^ ) I forget the dream as soon as I realize I’m only dreaming and wake up.
Thanks for the giveaway and interview. Totally love you for it. Been very excited for Dreamology.
I remember that I dreamed about something a few days ago..It was very hot and sunny outside and… Well that’s the only thing I remember.. Hehe..
I dreamed that I did an obstacle course and won a humongous green stuffed animal octopus.
I remembered my dream until I saw the question and then my mind blanked. I was watching Stitchers last night so it probably had something to do with that.
I’ve been researching for my next book and because I did that as my last activitiy before I went to bed, my brain made up fake websites to research while I slept. Of course, none were useful for my real research!
I have been watching Arrow. So I dreamed I was in that world!!
In my last dream I was shopping in Germany, and I got lost and couldn’t find my way home.
I don’t remember my dreams so I could not tell you what I was dreaming about last night.
I never remember much about my dreams!
YAY :D Lovely post Stacee. <3 So glad that you loved this book. Yay! You are making me so curious about it :D Eee. Thank you so much for such a lovely giveaway. <3 Crossing my fingers. Your interview with the author is all kinds of awesome. Thank you for sharing sweetie :)
This book sounds so good! I haven’t heard much of it but it looks like I need to get my hands on it! Awesome post! :)
I have been hearing such wonderful things about this book, and I can’t wait to read it! I am one of those people who never remembers their dreams – seriously, NEVER. Unless I’m having a bad dream and my husband wakes me up, then in the moment I can usually remember what it was about, but otherwise… not so much. I’m sure it has to do with all the meds I have to take for my fibromyalgia and what they do to my brain ;-)
My last dream was something very unsavory. I would rather not speak about it. Thanks again for the giveaway and interview.
I’m so excited for this! I love premise and it makes me so happy hear it’s executed well because that is often the problem with twisty tales like this. Thanks for the giveaway! My last dream was a nightmare. I’ve blocked it out, so I can’t remember the details, but yep, no pleasant.
Oh, I also followed both your accounts on Instagram via @reading_wishes :)
I dreamed that I was so short that people had to lift me up so that I could open doors and stuff.
My last dream was about the one person that drives me bonkers at work actually quitting! It was glorious!
Update: Kinda freaked me out but when I went to work on Tuesday, the day of this dream, we actually had a person quit!! And, yes, it was the person I dreamt about!!!!!
I used to have premonition dreams when I was younger. It seems that they have returned.
Lovely interview! i would really love to win a copy of this. It sounds like such a good book. I don’t tend to remember my dreams all that often. I know one of my dreams the other day involved donuts. Yum.
-lauren
This book sounds so fantastic. I can’t wait to get my grubby paws on it!
My past few dreams have been nightmares and I’ve not enjoyed them at all.
The last dream I remember, I was helping some friends deliver some food to a catered event and we ended up at an older hotel and no matter where we went we couldn’t get to where we needed to be. Just ending up in places that made no sense.
I dreamed about running in a marathon
This book seems Amazing and it’s about literally a BOY DREAM!
I can’t wait to read it.
Thank you both for this fantastic interview.
I need to read this, it looks amazing!!
I don’t really dream, or if I do I don’t know I do, but there is the odd exception. The last time I dreamed was a while ago, when I dreamed I was stuck in the book ‘The Hunger Games’ and had to live through the entire book before I woke up. Needless to say I was slightly confused when I woke up the next morning :)
I Need this book. Sounds awesome!
I can’t clearly remember but I think I must have dreamt something related to Malala and her work as before going to sleep I was reading and watching videos of her journey till date
This book has a georgous cover. I hope I can get around to reading it someday. Great interview, too. :)