I've long been fascinated with dreams. Here are some interesting facts you may not know:̊
- Nearly six years of your lifetime will be spent dreaming.̊
- Your brain waves are just as active when you're dreaming as they are when you're awake.̊
- Dreaming takes place in the R.E.M.—Rapid Eye Movement—stage of sleep.̊
- Scientific studies have proven that animals dream.̊
- Elephants, in fact, sleep standing up when they're in non-REM sleep. When they're in REM sleep, they lie down.̊
- Mrs. Maureen Weston participated in a rocking chair marathon in 1977 and still holds the longest recorded period for going without sleep--449 hours (18 days, 17 hours). She suffered hallucinations, paranoia, blurred vision, slurred speech and memory and concentration lapses.
A lot of people think dreams are just a way for our brain to purge the day's happenings. The images we see as we sleep are nothing more than nonsensical remnants of the things we came into contact with.Other people believe our dreams are detailed truths and if we take the time to study them, interpret them, we'll discover hidden meanings in our mind's late night movies. Freud, the pioneer of dream interpretation, believed our dreams were symbolic of our deepest wishes.
Another common belief is that our subconscious is merely working through issues and trying to alleviate stress.
However, throughout history dreams have been given much more weight as they were often viewed as prophecies.
Still others believe that power can be found in our dreams. During our sleeping hours our mind is not restricted, our thoughts are boundless, and our brain can expand beyond its physical shell. Unimaginable things can be attained when we're not shackled by logic.
And some believe we can control our dreams, manipulate them and even use them as a tool for bettering ourselves and our lives. 
As for me, I tend to believe dreams can be all the above, but the one thing that most fascinated me was that old wives tale, "If you die in your sleep, you'll die for real."Is that possible?
SLEEPLESS is about Trinity Michael's, an eighteen-year-old dreamwalker who's being stalked in her sleep by a killer. If she dies in her dreams, she'll die for real. In order to survive, she must stay awake and find her would be murderer before he can find her and the only person able to help her is the last person she thought she'd ever align herself with.
I guess the answer, for me, was yes....
So, what do you dream about?
65 comments:
Pick up that tree branch, GR!!!
Hi, Terri, welcome to the Lair! Wow, your book sounds fascinating. I must be sure to get a copy. Totally unusual premise.
Joan, yay! Now the rooster can help you find your way around in the dark, hehehehe. I know, I know, you've got your power back, but you two could have fun pretending.
Welcome to the lair, Terri! Sleepless sounds great!
I dream every single night. I don't always remember details of them but I do recall having had them.
I often dream in color. I have felt emotions within my dreams. I have been aware that I was dreaming within the dream.
There are some dreams which are obvious reflectionsof things I'd seen or heard during the day. Case in point of why I avoid scary shows and often the news.
Others are memories or desires such as talking to my Mom one more time, meeting Mr. Right or just bizarre things like teaching my brother's cat sign language.
Really.
I've not had a lot of luck purposefully trying to manipulate my dreams but I'm up for trying it.
Off to bed now focused on my one dream...."The editor will call. The agent will call."
Can you tell us more about SLEEPLESS, Terri?
What's a "dreamwalker" in your world? Is Trinity a normal sleepwalker or are there other factors involved? Does she have to find her killer during her waking hours and in her "sleep" elude him?
Well done Joan enjoy your day with him
Great post the book sounds very good Terri.
I know that I dream but very rarely do I remember what my dream is about the only ones I can remember are about work when things get really stressful.
I can remember when I was a teenager and everyone talked about dreams and everyone said that if you dream you are falling from a cliff or something like that if you hit bottom then you die but most people wake up before you hit the ground just something that I have always remembered about dreams.
Have Fun
Helen
Hi Terri -welcome to the playground! What a fascinating premise. I'm all for dreams. Like Joan, I dream in color and am often aware that I'm dreaming and will manipulate my dreams to a certain extent.
I have had some totally bizarre dreams that have nothing to do with me or anyone in my life before- they are often like watching some really dark movie of the week drama. I try to wake myself from these as soon as possible. I'm not a dark movie of the week fan *g*.
Congrats on your release -it sounds fascinating. And Joanie T - GO you on the GR nabbing. Put that naughty bird to work :-)
Hi Terri, thanks for visiting with us today!
Hm... my most recent memorable dream... I was in the house I grew up in - well, the backyard, and there was this giant mylar balloon tied to the ground - all in silver - and this was a good thing b/c there was a raptor stalking me. And those are just the highlights. It was so odd but fun.
Hi, Terri! What a neat premise! At the moment I haven't been dreaming very much because I haven't been sleeping very much... I suppose I might say that I've been dreaming about sleep ;) *sigh*
Anyway, I'm not terribly good about remembering my dreams, but do think mine at least, are influenced by hormones--I find that my dreams are more vivid during pregnancy and occasionally at certain times of the month. (Hope that isn't TMI!)
Anyway, welcome to the Lair!
Congrats on the GR, Joan! Keep that bird in line!
Hi, Terri, what an interesting post. Dreams are a very fascinating phenomenon, aren't they? But I have to tell you, if it's true that dreams are the subconscious mind's way of sorting through the day, then some people have some pretty strange lives because I've been told - and I've also had - some pretty weird dreams over the years!
Good morning Terri. Hope you have a fantastic day with the Bandita's. I had a great time yesterday.
You book sounds so good! I'll definitely be looking for a copy.
I definitely dream and some of them are wild. I've had repeats of some dreams since I was a child. The details are almost identical in each one. I work with numbers all day and at times I dream I am adding numbers all night long. Sometimes they even chase me or I'm chasing them down so I can add them too. Can you tell I need a break from all those numbers!
Have a great day!
Deb
Hi Terri! Your book sounds fascinating and I'll be putting it on my TBB list.
Dreams have always fascinated me. I love to dream and I've had some memorable ones in my life; one's that stay with me for years. When I have good dreams, the kind that put a smile on my face as I lazily awaken from sleep I'm happy all day long. But occasionally, when I have the 'bad' dream, I make myself go back to sleep and rework the ending. I love to edit - even my dreams- so it all comes out alright in the end. After all I love a Happy Ending.
News Flash:
The GR can use a chainsaw!
Ackkkkk
A chainsaw? Car keys? EEEEEEEEEEEEEK! We HAVE created a monster! Now I'll be dreaming about a giant golden rooster driving down the road in a hummer holding a chainsaw out the window!
Hello, Terri ! Neat facts about dreams and dreaming. I have found that if I am absolutely exhausted when I hit the bed I don't dream. Happens a lot lately! But, if I have had a fairly normal day I usually dream that night.
Nothing so bad as numbers chasing me. Shudder, Debbie! I have dreamed about winning a Golden Heart so at least I have the fantasy version!
I have dreamed I am talking with my late DH. Usually we are folding laundry and talking about inconsequential things.
I have dreamed about my childhood years that I lived in England sometimes.
The funny thing is I watch a lot of scary movies and read some scary novels, but I hardly ever have nightmares. Then again, I work at Wal-Mart! How much scarier can my life get???
My Mom was a twin, but her sister died when they were six months old. She still dreams of her sister and when she sees her in dreams she is always about 20 years old. The strange thing is Mom always dreams of her sister the night before something bad happens. She dreamed of her sister the night before my DH was killed. She dreamed of her the night before my father died. She dreamed of her the night before September 11th.
Of course I always have those I have to take the final exam and I haven't attended a single day of class dreams!!!
Of course I always have those I have to take the final exam and I haven't attended a single day of class dreams!!
When I have stress work dreams it is either that I've worked all day taking care of gobs of patients and realize at the end of my shift there is one I FORGOT!
Or I'm going through my closet trying to find clothes. Usually it is filled with clothes from my youth..outfits I remember...or I'm going to work barefoot. NOT a good thing in a hospital.
Good morning Terri and welcome to the zoo we lovingly call the Bandit Lair! Glad to have you with us, today.
Psst, Joanie...did you feed the GR breakfast before you put him to work?
Okay, back to our guest. Terri your book sounds really intriguing! I'll have to click on the picture and go to Amazon to buy it! (Alas, another book to add to my teetering TBR piles!)
Dreams are an interesting thing. Do you know I rarely, and I do mean extremely rarely remember any of my dreams? Sad, but true! One of my CP's however actually uses her dreams in her writing. When she's working on a scene, she thinks about the scene before she takes a nap or sleeps for the night. When she wakes up her whole scene was played out like a movie in her dream and... poof... all she has to do is write down what she dreamed.
Boy, I wish I could do that!!
Joan said:
When I have stress work dreams it is either that I've worked all day taking care of gobs of patients and realize at the end of my shift there is one I FORGOT!
Uh, Joan, this actually happened at my work one evening!!! Luckily for us we caught it about 3 hours into the shift!
Good morning! Welcome to the lair, Terri!
I dream about many weird and wonderful things *g* The weirdest part to me is that when I dream and I'm in the dream, the dream me knows I'm dreaming :-) Does that make sense?
Okay, I'm off to see what everyone else dreams about *g*
Congrats on the GR, Joan!
LOL on your dream about teaching your brother's cat sign language *g*
I try to manipulate my dreams but haven't been able to so far. For the last few weeks I've gone to bed thinking about a specific question pertaining to my wip such as, "What should my hero's motivation be?", but when I wake up, I never know any more than when I fell asleep :-)
But I'll keep trying!
Hey, Jo, great questions! I picked up Sleepless (for myself and my older daughter) and we can't wait to dive into it *g*
everyone said that if you dream you are falling from a cliff or something like that if you hit bottom then you die but most people wake up before you hit the ground
Hi, Helen! I've never heard this before - and I'm glad! I probably would've been scared to death to go to sleep. I can't wait to read how Trinity in Sleepless handles this situation.
I dream in color and am often aware that I'm dreaming and will manipulate my dreams to a certain extent
LOL, Tawny, I do believe we were separated at birth. (And we look soooo much alike *g*)
This is what I was trying to say but of course, you said it so much better :-)
I can manipulate my dreams to a point but still want to manipulate WHAT I dream or solve a problem in my sleep. It's good to have goals, right? ;-)
limecello, did this dream happen after you watched Jurasic Park? *g*
Did you stay asleep until the end of the dream? I hate waking up in the middle of a really interesting dream. I spend way too much time wondering how it ended and then just making up the end myself :-)
fedora, isn't it funny how many things can influence our dreams? I find if I'm too warm, I have really weird dreams, the kind that leave you restless and still tired when you wake up.
Hope you get more sleep soon! I adore sleeping :-)
LOL, on people living strange lives, Margay. My mom has the weirdest dreams of anyone I've ever known - not sure what that says about her *g*
I dream I am adding numbers all night long. Sometimes they even chase me or I'm chasing them down so I can add them too
ROFL, Leah! I can just imagine this dream! Too funny :-)
When I used to do counted cross-stitch, I'd dream of little colored Xs. Drove me nuts *g*
Marisa, I'm the same way about trying to 'edit' my dreams that don't end how I wanted them to. But usually, once I'm awake, I can't get the dream back no matter how I hard try *g*
The GR can use a chainsaw!
LOL! After some of the training
p226 has put the GR through, I'm not surprised about the chainsaw. But you'd better keep any eye on him in case he feels the need to use explosives to clear away piles of debris :-)
Louisa, the story about your mom dreaming of her sister the night before all those events gave me a chill!
I'm not a scary movie/book fan, about as scary as I go is the TV show Supernatural. I'm watching the first season but I won't watch it at night since I'm so afraid of having nightmares *g*
One of my CP's however actually uses her dreams in her writing. When she's working on a scene, she thinks about the scene before she takes a nap or sleeps for the night. When she wakes up her whole scene was played out like a movie in her dream and... poof... all she has to do is write down what she dreamed
Suz, I try this every night but when I wake up - nothing :-P I so wish it would work especially when I'm stuck *g*
I have a writer friend who has written books based on her dreams which I think is very cool.
Happy Saturday everyone! Terri, thanks for visiting! :-) The book sounds great, and I always love meeting other YA writers. (I have a YA coming out next winter with Hyperion and I cannot wait!)
I have a dream book of my own to write (though it's about two books down in the TBW stack) and I started to do some research for it a few months ago and was fascinated by all the things I learned from our culture and other cultures.
Louisa, one of the authors I read believes that when someone you loves visits in your dreams they are REALLY visiting you -- astral projection. Even those who have passed away can still visit. I absolutely love this idea and cherish the "visits" I've had from my Grandfather (who passed away when I was in college) and my sister (who is happily living on the other side of the country from me). I like to think about the people I've visited at night, without realizing. ;-)
Joanie and others with the scary dreams, I read somewhere to think of the scary things in your dreams as YOU. Then when you interpret your dreams, try to figure out what scary thing you need to confront in your life (um, Deb, I agree -- those numbers ARE scary!). It takes some of the terror out of the nightmare when you imagine all those scary creatures are actually you, in another form.
Suz, if you want to remember your dreams, you have to write them down IMMEDIATELY after you wake up. You lose something like 90% of the dream within half an hour, another 5% within an hour. (Okay, I'm making up the exact numbers, but it's something like that.) Some people who do dream journals have pens that light up so they can journal in the middle of the night without waking up their partners.
Beth, when you are aware of yourself dreaming they call it a lucid dream, and not very many people do it, but it's very cool. I've only had one or two lucid dreams. You should explore those dreams and see where they take you -- they should tell you a lot about what you're struggling with or working out in your life.
Beth, when you are aware of yourself dreaming they call it a lucid dream, and not very many people do it, but it's very cool. I've only had one or two lucid dreams. You should explore those dreams and see where they take you -- they should tell you a lot about what you're struggling with or working out in your life.
Thanks, Kirsten! I have lucid dreams quite often so I never really thought they were different than any other dreams *g* I will definitely try and let my subconscious take me through the dream but it's not easy when my dream self is telling me, "Uh, this isn't real. This could never happen."
Hi Terri! Welcome to the Lair!
Joanie, watch out for that bird, he's a wily one. No telling what he'll USE that chainsaw for...grins. Louisa, I had to laugh about the image of the GR in a Hummer. Talk about a nightmare!
I love to hear about dreams and talk abobut them too. I think sometimes it's "just a cigar" kind of dream, like Joan said, where it's the details of the day. Sometimes it's a whole story premise, for me.
I have wild fantastic, fun dreams. I'll say to my DH, "Wow, honey, I had the strangest dream..." He'll roll his eyes, laugh and say, "This is new in WHAT way?" heehee.
I've solved plot problems and worked out "issues" in my dreams, so I have a lot of fun with them. Have to say, though, that when I do genealogy research and I'm immersed in all the names and times and dates, my dreams get a bit chaotic with images of all the people and how they lived and dressed and...you get the piciture.
I'm looking forward to picking up your book, Terri! Thanks for being with us today.
It takes some of the terror out of the nightmare when you imagine all those scary creatures are actually you, in another form.
Um, Kirsten? My other form is a charge nurse....can't get much scarier than that :-)
Good Lord!
I also recently had a dream about demented dwarves!!!
Those were NOT me, uh uh, no way....
Although I am only 5'2.
Hmmmmm
Demented dwarves, scarwy charge nurses...red hair...oh, I could work with it. Stephen King and I, we could work with this...
SNORK!
The demeted dwarves probably beats the one I had about engaging in a little human sacrifice - bob the builder and his pals were singing again, over and over and somewhere in the dreams I introduced them all to a very large machine gun. Between them and the Wiggles, my brain occasionally goes on kidTV overload, can you tell?
It could be worse though. I know this. I could be Barney.
Oh, and don't EVEN get me started on what my overworked brain sometimes does with Capt. Feathersword....bwah-ha-ha
Tsk, tsk, tsk Duchesse. You know the red hair is not current.
The rest? I plead the 5th.
What about SpongeBob? Watching that toon is like watching some freaky dream.
But it cracks me up!
I dream pretty random stuff. Though, all my life I've had sporadic recurring dreams of tornadoes. Weird, huh?
Sometimes, I'm in their path, sometimes I'm not. But in the dreams I'm always having to evaluate a couple of different places for relative safety. Usually, the dream ends or completely changes venues/subjects after watching the tornado pass, or after it rumbles over whatever place I've selected to hide.
I've never bothered to try and interpret it. It doesn't seem to matter.
p226
I too have recurring dreams about tornados. In fact, just "talking" about them right now could inspire one tonight.
I usually am watching them approach from a distance. Usually, not feeling a need to find a refuge. I do feel the fear of them often (in the dream).
Might be replaced now with recurring dreams of hurricanes after Ike did a number on us here last week!
Okay people *g*, we're not talking PHYSICALLY you in the dream -- it's the manifestation of something in you that's in conflict with other parts of you. LOL.
So try this tonight, Joanie and p226. If you dream of a tornado, ask yourself (either in the dream or when you wake up) -- where in my life am I the tornado? That could mean a lot of things, depending on your life. It could mean you're bowling over people, it could mean you're spinning in place, or maybe that you're in chaos and needing resolution on something. Then look at that part of yourself and see if there's some thing you need to do to bring that chaos to resolution.
I don't know...it's New Agey stuff, right? And I'm hardly a qualified dream interpreter. But sometimes it's interesting to follow it and see where it take you. :-)
Sometimes it's a whole story premise, for me.
Jeanne, that is so cool. Have you written stories based on your dreams?
I often think it'd be cool to analyze my dreams but then I always figure out the dream probably happened because of an event that occurred earlier in the day *g* But I still like to imagine those hidden meanings :-)
Wow! Thank you all so much for the warm welcome here at Romance Bandits. Sorry to be tuning in so late. I was at work all day and then had a dinner date with my hubby. :) I'll comment on individual questions separately.
Oh, and don't EVEN get me started on what my overworked brain sometimes does with Capt. Feathersword....bwah-ha-ha
ROFL! Poor Capt Feathersword. I can only imagine the torture you put him through ;-)
Joan, I think I usually dream in color too. One of the coolest dreams I ever had was in b&w except for the color red. It was awesome, although bloody. LOL
Joan, that is so funny you brought up Spongebob because my kids and I were just discussing him. I love the early Spongebob cartoons but the newer ones have moved into disgusting territory. Eyes popping out. Skin (if a sponge had sking *g*) being ripped off.
Yuck.
I prefer my cartoons to be gross-free :-)
p226, my husband also dreams of tornadoes. He's witnessed 3 firsthand so I'm not sure if that plays into it or not.
He's never analyzed it either :-)
Jo - In my book Trinity is visited in her dreams by other people. They often barge in, change her dreamscape and announce some deek dark secret which she really doesn't want to know. She always has lucid awareness in her dreams and once she gets some practice is able to manipulate her dreams. She and her love interest try to find the killer during the daylight hours and after learning she's not safe in her sleep she stays awake, which creates its own problems. :)
Here's something you all might find fun. It's a cool online dream dictionary that I discovered. I've found it really fascinating. http://www.brilliantdreams.com/dream-dictionary/dream-dictionary-a.htm
Wow, limecello. That's quite the dream! I'd look up balloon, silver and um, maybe dinosaur or lizard in the dream dictionary and see if it adds up to something. grin
flchen - I think it's very common to have vivid dreams when you're pregnant. I remember having a Sigourney Weaver Alienesque nighmare where my baby burst through my stomach. LOL
Margay, I agree our dreams can be very bizarre. And I tend to think dreams are a great number of things not just our brain's way of sorting through the day. :)
Deb -- When it comes to math I SUCK and I find when I'm really stressed that I have nightmares about numbers so I found your post particularly amusing. ;)
Marisa -- I'm impressed you can "edit" your dreams. That's a real rare talent!
Very cool post, Louisa. So interesting that your mom's twin seems to preface tragedy. I totally believe in prophetic dreams though. My mom has had a number of big ones. As for me, I've met people in my dreams before I meet them in real life.
Joan -- the entry on clothes in the dream dictionary is pretty interesting. Check it out! http://www.brilliantdreams.com/dream-dictionary/dream-dictionary-c.htm
I'm impressed so many of you remember dreams, a lot of people struggle to do so.
Suzanne -- many people believe you can utilize your dreams the way your CP does. There's a lot of books on the subject. You could always start out small. Ask yourself a question you're struggling with before you sleep and see if you wake with any more clarity on the subject.
Beth -- Knowing you're dreaming while your dreaming is referred to as being "lucid." And the fact that you have that awareness means you should, with practice, be able to manipulate your dreams.
Great post, Kirsten. I'll look for your Hyperion release. :) I believe that when we dream of someone who has passed on that it's most often a visitation.
Jeanne -- I think your post is a PERFECT example that dreams are a little bit of everything. It just depends on your day, er, night. :)
ROTFL! Jeanne, I think you're watching entirely too much childrens television and you have a great desire to wipe out the actors. And I'm pretty sure I remember dreams like that about Barney. You know it had to be a parent that wrote that Dead Barney song.
p226 - the dream dictionary says a tornado means you're experiencing some extreme emotional outbursts or that you feel out of control and overwhelmed. Sound right?
p226 - the dream dictionary says a tornado means you're experiencing some extreme emotional outbursts or that you feel out of control and overwhelmed. Sound right?
Nope, not at all. Sorry. :)
Yes to waaaaay too many kiddie shows. Grins. As to the Capt. it wasn't mayhem I was delivering him unto... *evil wink*
Beth, I've written two children's books as a straight download from dreams. Several of the paranormals my agent is shopping the premise came from dreams.
One of the classes I took at National w/ Eric Maisel, he said if you need plot help you should focus on "I wonder what will happen with...(characters) when I write tomorrow?" before you sleep. Haven't tried it yet since I'm not stuck, but I will if I do get stuck! :>
Wahoo on the dinner date, Terri!
p226 -- I often find the dream dictionary is imperfect, but it does getting me think. ;)
Jeanne! Have the captain sheath his feathersword there are rigid rapiers far more worthy.
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