Dear Working Stiffs

(Note from Annette--Please welcome my dear friend and debut author, Donnell Ann Bell, to Working Stiffs today. I've had the honor of being one of her critique buddies for several years and can vouch that her first novel, THE PAST CAME HUNTING is riveting and a true page-turner. I can also attest that Drake Maxwell is one creepy SOB.) 

Dear Working Stiffs: 

Sorry to bother you, but this is it.  I’ve finally snapped, and when I get this obsessed I contact my friend Annette.  I explained the situation to her, and she suggested I come to you.  She said and I quote:  Working Stiffs has a couch you can use.  (All right, maybe it wasn’t a direct quote… but close to it.)  So… if you wouldn’t mind, put on those funny reading glasses, get out your notepads and please diagnose my condition. 

I recently released my first published novel, THE PAST CAME HUNTING from Bell Bridge Books.  Now, it’s no secret I’m close to this book. I’ve spent a few years with it, after all.  I love my protagonist, a woman by the name of Melanie Norris who, because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong guy, she spent nine months in prison.  I also love my male protagonist, Lieutenant Joe Crandall.  He’s not the nicest guy in the beginning, but he grew on me, and I think maybe Annette even liked him in the end.  But this is my therapy session so we’ll ask her afterward and not before ;)

But here’s my problem and where you come in.  I despise my antagonist Drake Maxwell.  He’s one sociopathic, scary dude, and if Melanie was real and she could talk, she’d tell you there’s no reasoning with him. 

So imagine when he takes over my dreams, and I end up in the car with him and not Melanie.  Seriously, it’s me (the author) in the car with Drake Maxwell (my made up bad guy) and he and I are off to rob a convenience store.  Now by the time we get there, I’m deeply concerned.  I mean, shouldn’t I be able to delete him or something, the way I might erase a scene from my computer?

But nope, I’m not waking up.  I’m trapped, and for the record, I’ve read the book and I know what happens.  Melanie goes to prison.  No way, no how am I repeating… er… fiction.

I also have to complain about the lack of smooth transitions in this dream because the next thing I know, Drake and I are speeding away from the convenience store, and after that I’m playing bridge with my longtime friends.  I’m also not playing all that well.  I mean, could you play bridge very well if you’d just robbed a convenience store with A FICTIONAL CHARACTER?  But I digress.  The doorbell rings, I answer and it’s two uniformed police officers with a warrant for my arrest. 

Knowing the jig is up, I sigh, go to my typewriter (Yes, a TYPEWRITER--talk about a nightmare) and type out my confession. As the police lead me away, I wave goodbye to my husband who mumbles something about dinner, and then I wake up. 

So Working Stiffs, analyze that one.  Do you agree that I’ve snapped?  Have your characters ever taken over your dreams?  Even if you’re not board certified, I won’t hold that against you. After that dream, I’m certifiable enough for all of us.  Please tell me I’m not alone. Characters included or not, what was the weirdest dream you’ve ever had?  I’ll give away a copy of THE PAST CAME HUNTING to one commenter who at least makes an effort to restore my sanity. 

Donnell Ann Bell is a two-time Golden Heart finalist.  Her debut novel THE PAST CAME HUNTING was released by Bell Bridge Books on September 19^th.  To learn more about Bell Bridge, check out http://www.bellebooks.com/ or you can find her at www.donnellannbell.com