All right, so I kinda spilled the beans on this one already. If you listen to my podcast on writing or follow me on Facebook or Twitter or read my writing how-to website Helping Writers Become Authors, then you probably already know my big news: there’s a Dreamlander sequel in the works!
I say this like it’s big news because it is–to me anyway. This is so for a couple of reasons:
1. I get to make all of you sequel-clamorers happy.
2. I get to write my first-ever sequel.
3. I figured out a way to make a Dreamlander sequel work–something I honestly never thought I’d be able to do.
I Don’t Do Sequels Have Sequels Coming Out of My Ears
Whenever readers in the past would ask me for sequels, I could only shake my head regretfully. No, sorry, I just don’t do sequels. As a reader, I have a special liking for standalone books. I like stories that are complete unto themselves–and that don’t have to explain every little detail of subtext away in the next three books. I like being able to finish a story in one sitting and then move on to the next thing.
I dearly love moving on to the next thing in my writing as well. As anyone who’s read more than one of my books already knows, I’m all over the place when it comes to genre and content. My first novel was a western, my second was a love story set in the Middle Ages, and my third was that little portal fantasy you may have heard of.
Next up is a mostly historical novel that I honestly have no idea how to pin down (dieselpunk? action-adventure? small-town drama?), and after that is a superhero story set in Regency England.
I’ve enjoyed every single one of those adventures, but in some ways I feel I’ve sowed my writerly wild oats and am ready to settle down, stay in one place for a while, and raise a family of sequels. I just didn’t think I’d end up with about a gazillion ideas for sequels all at once…
How the Dreamlander Sequel Came to Be
So there I am, in my magic space–which is the delicious opportunity to enjoy a moonlit summer night in front of a fire pit. The moon, a fire, and music–this is the best recipe I know for inspiration. Instead of deciding upon a particular story idea to dream about, I usually just let the music take me.
Photo Credit: Freeimages.com / Matthew Maaskant
Well, this time it took me straight back to Dreamlander. I had reread the book recently (along with all my other published books–something I always do right before a new novel comes out), and I loved it. It was a tough book for me to write for a lot of reasons, so it’s an amazing blessing to return to it now that the stress of finishing it is all gone.
I was totally hearing all those shouts for “sequel!” that you guys have been throwing at me in reviews for the last three years. But the problem? I tied off the loose ends so tight at the end of the book that I was literally stumped for how to get my protagonist Chris Redston back to Lael. (That’s the problem with thinking you’re writing a standalone book…)
Then the music started playing, the fire started crackling, the hay-scented breeze started blowing–and boom! I was back in my fantasy land of Lael.
What’s Up Next for Chris and Co.?
My sequel idea is still a baby one, and I’m notoriously stingy about sharing ideas too soon. But since it’ll be a few years yet before you can get your sweaty little hands on the shiny paperback copy, I’ll give you just a teensy-weensy sneak peek.
What’s the title?
Dreambreaker
Is Chris going back to Lael?
Totally.
How’s that going to work after all the events at the end of the first one?
Let’s just say the veil between the worlds isn’t going to be quite so permanent as it was before–and that’s a bad thing!
Are Chris and Allara going to reunite?
You know it!
Will he find/did he find Allara here in our world?
Not sure how that’s going to play in, but it’s definitely going to be a factor.
Anything else?
The Rievers will be back, there will be more grumpy Cherazii warriors to deal with, the worlds-wide stakes will be even higher than before, Allara is queen now, and Brooke and Mike just might visit Lael (how, you ask? that’s a secret!).
These are totally random thoughts right now, but I’m just thrilled to pieces with the opportunity to go back and take advantage of all the old aspects of Lael and its culture as well as this totally new angle. So hang in there with me–and we’ll all be back in our dreams before we know it!
But Wait, There’s More!
Did I say I had sequels coming out of my ears? Sure do. (It was a very productive fire night.)
No notion yet where Dreamlander/breaker will go after this, but I’d love to turn it into at least a trilogy. Beyond just that, I’ve also got ideas for turning my work-in-progress Wayfarer (about the historical superhero) into a series as well. Guess this is just a warm-up for all those epic fantasy trilogies I’ve been planning for the future!
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Shame on me, I haven’t read any of your fiction novels, only your non-fiction! I guess I’d better get my butt in action and start reading…
Yep, gotta get caught up before that sequel comes out. 😉
I read Dreamlander so recently that I haven’t posted my review yet — and loved it. What would I like to see in a sequel? You’ve already mentioned most of what I’d wish for. Really fond of the Rievers and Cherazii. I’m sure this is in the works, but I’d like to see how things go for Chris’ dad.
Woot! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 And just in time for your sequel requests to be fresh in your mind! There’s definitely going to be more of Chris’s dad. I have few interesting scenarios I’m mulling for him.
Looking forward to it!
This is so cool. Sadly, this book has been on my to-read shelf (physically) and I have been dying to read it. I have only ever thought of writing books that have more than one book in the series because I kinda like getting in deeper into who the characters are and their lives and situations. I think the most important thing about a sequal is going deeper into the characters. People love to go back to them because they love them but we also want to know more, to go deeper. Have fun.
Yes! I totally agree. That’s one of my favorite aspects of series as well. Character is always what makes me want to keep reading–much more than plot developments.
SQUEEEEE!!!! Can’t wait for Chris to go back to Lael! And I have no idea how you’re going to pull that off. Please let there be a nice romance with him an Allara. They really deserve it. And I highly approve of Brooke and Mike heading to Lael too. 😀 Also, I loved Pitch and Raz very much. Can they come back too?
This makes me want to read Dreamlander again!
Yes, yes, and yes. Just call me your fairy godmother. 😉
Woohoo, a sequel to Dreamlander will be awesome! I’d like to see more of Chris and Allara, of course, perhaps with “both” Allaras? If he’s close with Allara in this world as well as with the Allara in Lael that would be interesting. You could perhaps compare the present-world Allara with the Lael-Allara and show how despite the differences of culture and upbringing they’re still fundamentally the same person. That could come through with Paul, too, if you develop his present-world persona more. Maybe his present-world persona could rediscover the strength and character that his Lael-persona has already shown.
I loved the use of present-world objects in Dreamlander. More of the same would be fun in the sequel, and maybe the other way around too, with objects from Lael being taken into the present-world.
Can’t wait! 🙂
Already have an idea for some fun stuff Chris can bring across to Lael–and maybe vice versa. 🙂 Not sure what’s going to happen with real-world Allara yet, but something amazing. :p
I can’t wait! It sounds exciting.
As for what I’d like to see…nothing specific, other than Chris and Allara getting a happy ending.
Oh, there’ll be lots more angst before they get there. 😉
We love angst as long as they DO get there. 😉
Yes, I promise no dramatically bittersweet endings this time!
But it was such a perfect ending… it just felt so right, even though it was so terribly sad.
It was a perfect ending. I’m definitely a happy ending fan, and sad endings ruin the whole book for me, but this one was sad and yet it was okay-sad. Likely because of the hope on the earth side of the veil. I don’t want to risk spoilers for people who haven’t read it yet.
I don’t think I could get away with giving them a sorta-happy-sad ending a second time. 😉
No. Mrs. Weiland. You shall not get away with what you did to me… Thank you for the books, I’m a new fan but I’m so excited. Mind if I ask the release date?
Thanks for stopping by, Tifani! So glad you enjoyed the book. At the moment, release dates for the sequels are uncertain. I’m stilling hoping to publish them at some point, but let’s just say life took some sideroads these last few years. 😉
O. M. G. I am literally so excited after reading all this!!!! The only think Dreamlander needed to be more than perfect was Chris and Allara together again! Yay!
I´m glad you are deciding to settle for a while, lol. I agree with you though, I usually don´t end reading series because I haven´t found a lot of series to deserve it yet (except Legends of the guardian king by Karen Hancock). I finished The hunger games and now I regret it. I do prefer to start and finish in a book, as a writer and as a reader. Maybe one day I will do sequels too. Right now I have lots of stories planned in the same world than the first one, but still a stand alone.
But Dreambreaker will be totally work it. Hope Wayfairer will be here soon, Soon likie this year too 😛 I know I´m dreaming too much.
But I do hope you keep dreaming!
Yes, the dreams can only continue! Storming comes out this year; Wayfarer is currently scheduled for 2018.
“Let’s just say the veil between the words” Worlds?
That too. 😉
Dreambreaker is an EXCELLENT title. 🙂 It would be good on its own, but coming on the heels of Dreamlander, it seems just FULL of intriguing possibilities. 🙂 Really looking forward to seeing where this goes. 🙂
Thanks! And me too! 😀
I want Allara to get her happy ending! I loved Dreamlander, but that was the saddest part of the book. 🙁 So glad we will get to revisit the story and characters!
The older I get, the more I find myself appreciating happy endings.
Just one thing: if vol 2 has a happy ending, what will vol 3 have?
We’ll have to see, won’t we? 😉
I like series books that also work as a stand alone. This is the same as your “wrap up all the loose ends” ideal. Sure, there might be a huge overarching story problem (the ring is on it’s way to Mordor still), but the story problem is resolved.
I read Dreamlander when it first came out (and loved it dearly) but since then have read hundreds of other books (literally, check my Goodreads list and that’s only part of the bookshelf I’ve consumed). I like the idea of the two of them interacting in both worlds. However, I can see that causing some issues – especially if ONE of them remembers both worlds but the other only remembers one at a time. Know what I mean?
Also, I like the idea of the dreamland leaking into reality in a way that could destroy BOTH worlds. That’s a BIG problem – worthy of at least two more books.
Truthfully, I trust you to come up with another awesome story. And I’m super excited to hear these characters will reenter MY world again. Thank you.
Thank you, Sharon! I’m tickled pink you enjoyed the first one! One good thing about the way the first tone ended is there are certainly lots of potential ramifications and consequences to deal with. The pieces are still coming together, so we’ll see what happens!
You’ll come up with exactly the right twists, I’m sure. And I’ll be on the edge of my seat devouring them.
*fingers crossed* 😀
Now this is thrilling news! I’m a series person myself because once I find characters that I love, I want the story to keep going. But I also love a good standalone. Definitely looking forward to both Storming and Wayfarer.
Storming comes out in December. Right around the corner! I should finish final edits this week. *happy dance*
I think everyone else has aptly covered which favorite things from Dreamlander I’d like to see return in the sequel, so I shall offer a different idea/question: will we meet any new characters in the sequel?
Also, my wonderful sister gave me a *signed* copy of A Man Called Outlaw for my birthday today. Best gift ever!
Yay for awesome sisters! 😀
Definitely new characters: a new Cherazii for sure, as well some royals from “foreign” countries Lael is allied to.
Ooh, that sounds quite intriguing!
Yaaaay that is awesome news!!!! 😀 I really enjoyed Dreamlander. For me I’d love to see more of Chris’s family in Lael (particularly his mother and sister), because the way he had to leave them was pretty heartbreaking. Can’t wait to read the sequel!
I’m actually mulling something special for his younger sister. 😀
**shriek** A Dreamlander sequel!?! Yay! How completely fitting and exciting! I can’t wait!!!
Ahh… now I’ve gotten that somewhat out of the way (aka, chained and caged)… I have read Dreamlander (surprised?) and the questions I have are plentiful (no, I don’t expect you to answer them all ;D) :
How do the peoples react to Chris coming back? Hostile or friendly?
Where does he come back? Could he possibly come back in another place? Whose body is he in, or does he bring his own?
Does he meet Allara right away, or later in the book?
What dreadful catastrophe(s) happen(s)?
Does Chris’s family come in again?
What does Dreambreaker *mean*? Is the lake involved?
Do Brooke and Mike think that Chris is crazy? 😉 Do they think they’re crazy? Does Brooke’s car (or parts of it) ever show up?
(*breathing deeply*) Okay, I’m done. I think.
This is great, Katie! 🙂
Good questions! And I have to admit, I wasn’t even thinking of Brooke’s car. Definitely going to have to try to do something with that!
I want to read the sequel and I haven’t even read the first! Shame on you! 🙂
*evil plan is working* 😉
I just finished Dreamlander a quarter past midnight today. It took me a little longer than Storming, but yes, it gets two thumbs up! How is Chris going to go back to Lael? How are Mike and Brooke supposed to get there? Does Paul go too? Do Parry and Sirra fall in loooovvvve?
Yay! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂 And, yes, there’s going to be something in special for poor Parry’s pining heart!
aaaaaaaaaAAAAAA SEQUEL SEQUEL SEQUEL YESSS oh…mygoodness a TRILOGY??! *hugs laptop, further damaging the hinge in the process* Okay you want my long fangirl rant? I don’t care you’re getting it anyway.
1. YES.
2. Why isn’t it 2020 already, whyy-yyyy…
3. More Chris. More Allara. YAY. (I cried at the end of Dreamlander, twice I believe, and I love alll the characters and the everything my goodness.) I’m wondering how it’s gonna turn out between Chris and non-Lael Allara. I mean she’s the same person but not the same person, right? Like she hasn’t gone through the same things (last time I thought about this, I had a whole thought-spiral about to what extent our experiences make us who we are) and yet… I don’t know, I feel like that’ll be confusing for Chris. I mean which one is he in love with? Both of them? How similar are they? I want both Allaras to meet. Would that break spacetime? Hmm, you said there was going to be angst. That whole two-people thing would probably cause some, but then – how long will the sequel be after the first novel? What if Allara’s changed?!!! Also. *shakes fist* there better be a really, really good reunion scene. Dramatic too. They have to run through a field of gloamwheat into each other’s arms.
4. Wait wait wait whoa. Chris is dead. How’s that going to work? *starry-eyed* How will it be for Allara to feel him in her mind again after she thought he was gone forever?
5. No bittersweet endings you say. Thus it could go sweet, or it could go bitter. I’m hoping sweet, especially after a trilogy. (I pity all trilogy hero/ines, they’ve been through so much by the end.) Oh my goodness are you going to kill anyone? Don’t kill anyone. I forbid you to kill your own characters.
6. So… the nature of the worlds, the bridge(s) between them. Obviously it’s not our world because dreams aren’t actually continuous, but would you consider Lael and those bridges to be magic, or just advanced technology or the world simply working differently? (because i’m baptist and not supposed to be reading things with magic, and i wouldn’t want to bid farewell to this lovely series in the middle of a book, with unresolved plot threads and all.)
Heh. Your enthusiasm is infectious. 😉 I’m nearing the end of the outline for this one and having an incredible amount of fun with it. Not to worry: there are *tons* of twisty-turny, angsty, delicious answers to all your questions. 🙂
As for your final question: I don’t consider it magic. The story is based on the “what if” premise of God having created two parallel worlds in which we all live, so the “fantastic” aspects are more technically “natural science/physics” than “magic.”
The whys and hows of it will be explored a little more fully in the next book. 🙂
Thank you so much! I’m so relieved, I’ve had to stop reading quite a few good things because magic.
Now to wait for 2020 (or whenever it’ll come out).
*siiiiiiiiiigh* Hopefully I forget about it eventually so the wait will be less torturous haha.
At least I’ll have Wayfarer to tide me over! I like the premise already, so creative.
Sorry about the torture. I’ll write faster. 😉
Are these plans still in the works? I just finished Dreamlander and I cannot express my joy. It had me laughing and crying and my heart pounding throughout the whole story and I am longing for more.
Aw, I’m so glad you enjoyed the book. I’m not sure what’s happening with the sequels at this point. I got stuck on the third book.
Will you be publishing the second if the third isn’t finished or do you plan to release them together/once both are complete?
If I don’t finish the third book, I may publish the second one for free on my website. It ends on a major cliffhanger.
What kind of music?
Depends. Epic metal is always good!