Author Takeover: Torie James - I Know You, I Walked With You Once Upon a Dream… 9-15-14

I’ve never done this before… I’ve never allowed another to enter my domain and takeover. So naturally I had to pop that cherry! Who better to do so than the gorgeous Torie James! Without further ado, enjoy her offering:

I Know You, I Walked With You Once Upon a Dream…

Most people know by now that, in working theory, the idea for New Camelot sprang from an odd dream after a night of too much cheese, choco and few midnight shots of Dr. Pepper. Not to mention I'd watched Highlander and Merlin and fell asleep wondering…wondering…….

I met him first in my dreams. In a magical forest dreamed up by the colorful chaos of an unrestricted and highly imaginative mind. Tall, barrel chested and confident, he strode into the hazy clearing I was in, wearing tan pants and a dark green sweater. A pipe was stuck firmly between his lips and his ocean blue eyes sparkled with wisdom, joviality and a guarded sadness he tried to hide but it was pointless.

I know my own kind, you see. Like calls to like and this man's soul was a mesh of regret and redemption. He'd known pain and triumphed. He'd battled shadows and won. Was the price high? Yes, but at the time I didn’t know it.

He waggled those heavy, dark brows my way as he neared, removing the pipe before he greeted me and asked me if I thought I could do it?

Baffled, I gave him my best WTF look and asked him what he was talking about.

Sage and patient, he nodded towards the huge boulder to my left. Big ole, ageless hunk of gray stone, it had a rather shiny object sticking out from it.

Yep. A sword. In a stone.

Shush…its my dream! *winks*

I snorted when he repeated the question, stepped over, wrapped my hands around the hilt and pulled. Hard.

Then I woke up.

A dream, right? Nothing more. And that was that.

Or so I thought.

A few days later, I had another dream, brief and haunting. I dreamed of a rainy night, a muddy glen and a girl with hair like flame. I watched in helpless horror as she ran into the middle of this ..weird battle, I guess. A huge mountain of a man, dressed in all black armor stepped in her way and gutted her, ran her through, right before my eyes. Then he fled…and I woke up.

It bothered me. To the point of obsession. I dream vividly all the time and yet this dream …was different. It made me sad, gave me a sense of hopeless loneliness.

One week later, another dream. This time, I saw a beautiful island in the middle of a lake. A huge convent with countless turrets loomed from the bloom of lush, greenery. I heard girlish laughter echoed musically around me, the flash of bright lavender and blue wings; a pair of eyes that shone like fire…then I woke up.

Two more dreams followed in the next few days. I envisioned a glittery, surreal world where the people looked ….human but not. They were all different colors, think Skittles. Ethereal creatures that sang and danced and laughed with fluid grace. I saw a beautiful blonde woman scowling at a dark haired female who was hugging ….yes, the man I'd seen that first night! The other dream teased me with flashes of the moon, the glittering panorama of Los Angeles and another man whose entire frame vibrated with anguish and a broken heart. Didn't know him, but I wanted to help him. Another face swam into my unconsciousness, a woman with round, brown, laughing eyes and a curvy figure, she was a free spirit and she was….everything I wished I could be.

Each time, I woke up feeling like I knew more and yet learned less. Frustrating as hell.

*laughs*

Then a few days later, around twilight, I was doing my nightly walk around the neighborhood, earbuds in place and as I came around the corner street where my home is, I saw a car sitting out front. Sleek and white, it drew the eye. Even more so was the man leaning against it.

It was…him! The dream dude from the forest!

Wary now, I wasn't sure what to do or say. He seemed like he was …waiting for me?

I wasn't scared, per se. I was…fascinated.

And he, cocky bastard, knew it.

"Hello, my dear. Why don't we go for a ride so I can explain everything to you. Put it in order for you, tell you what you saw was real. I need your help…"

He proceeded to open the passenger side door gallantly and held out his hand towards me.

So, I did what any sane person wouldn't do….I got in.

And that was the night I met Merlyn Emrys.





Torie can be found:

Facebook
Oh! The Places I Go!
Twitter @Writergurl216
Goodreads
Tumblr
Pintrest

And you can pick up her books here:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Breathless Press



New Camelot is celebrating its first birthday! Torie is celebrating with a Birthday Party on Saturday, September 20th! There will be, “Music, fun, games, special guests....and a prize or two of course.” The event starts at 10am PDT on Facebook, and will be lasting all day. You want to go. This is the perfect time to get to know Torie James on a more personal level, as well as enjoy all the events she has planned.