Interview with Kimberly Dean, Author of Dream Lover
25 Oct 2023
What’s the story behind the story? What inspired you to write Dream Lover?
I started this series early in my career, and Dream Man (Book 1) is special to me because it was my first full-length romance novel with a big publishing house. To tell you how long ago that was, the concept of the Dream Weavers came to me as I was watching an episode of Charmed involving a Sandman. The idea felt fresh and unique, so I began researching sleep and dreams. Once I discovered the Oneiroi, dream gods from Greek mythology, the idea became fully formed. I wrote two books at that time, but then moved on to other things. The concept never left me, though. I really loved the Dream Weavers world, especially the Sunday morning meetings of the Oneiroi at IHOP. I’d think of the other brothers and what their stories might be.
This year, the ideas came faster, and they were more vivid. I knew it was time to return to that nighttime world. Dream Rider was released in May, and Tony and Hunter were big supporting characters in that book. They had a spark that I really wanted to explore, that enemies-to-lovers friction. I jumped into this book immediately afterward, and the dynamic between Tony (a Dream Weaver) and Hunter (a moon goddess) made Dream Lover a super-fast write. I enjoy the two of them together, and I think readers will, too.
If you had to pick theme songs for the main characters of Dream Lover, what would they be?
Tony is too complicated for one song, but Hunter’s would totally be Girls Just Want to Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper.
What’s your favorite genre to read? Is it the same as your favorite genre to write?
My favorite genres to read and write are the same: contemporary romance and paranormal/fantasy romance.
What books are on your TBR pile right now?
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros and Darius by J.R. Ward are on the TBR paranormal/fantasy pile. Dear Stranger by Winter Renshaw is on the contemporary one.
What scene in your book was your favorite to write?
Tony and Hunter start out hot and heavy, with their attraction to each other pushing them past their animosity. My favorite scene, though, is when the two of them go out stargazing one night and start moving past the physical. They are interrupted by uninvited guests in a way I found humorous and endearing.
Do you have any quirky writing habits? (lucky mugs, cats on laps, etc.)
I’m at my most productive when I go old-school with technology. If I use my laptop, email and the internet are always there tempting me, so I use a word processor called an AlphaSmart Neo that I bought off eBay. All I can use it for is writing, and it only shows the last four lines, so it keeps me moving forward. When I have a draft of a chapter, I download it to my laptop and begin the editing process.
Do you have a motto, quote, or philosophy you live by?
Eye of the tiger, which to me means focus on what you want and go for it.
If you could choose one thing for readers to remember after reading your book, what would it be?
Your biggest enemies might not be that different from you.
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