Artist and Writer
Savanna Redman
The Dream Journal of Amanda J. Wilde
They come in in threes…
When I was a child I dreamed of my funeral, three nights in a row, each dream more vivid and real than the last. I was there, a spirit hiding behind the honeysuckle, watching the mourners. Too young they said. Only thirty-two.
I turned thirty-two on Christmas.
I have tried to brush it off, label it as a childish fear… but I know better. There is a difference between a nightmare and a premonition. This was no nightmare. And so far, I’ve never had a premonition dream not come true, they don’t always come true in expected ways, but they always do.
It’s been a long time since I’ve sleepwalked or been woken up by the ghost, years in fact. But in August, in the predawn hours under the old oak tree in the back yard, I was awakened by my childhood ghost pulling me from the sticky webs of another premonition. I don’t dream pretty: but this one was exactly that: butterflies and paint, rainforest and moss... a different life: a different time: a different me. It’s confusing because premonition dreams never lie.
Against the odds, I managed to create a normal life for myself. I’m married. We have a charming home. Life is good. But then, nothing is ever as solid as denial or as threatening as change.
Now, with the clock on premonition dream ticking loudly in my head and the nightmares returning, I worry the end is near. I started this dream journal to help untwist the dangerous symbolism buried deep in my dreams. Read it if you wish, these might be the last words I ever write.
My biggest fear now is simple; will I make it to thirty-three? Or will the new premonition dreams manifest and alter the life I have?
* This is a collection of dreams by the character Amanda J. Wilde (from the novel BUTTERFLY BONES). This is Amanda’s journal, her thoughts and fears, because as adults, there are very few people we can discuss ‘premonition dreams’ with (and expect to keep our job) and even fewer still that will help untwist their meaning. She keeps this journal to herself (mostly) even as the life she’s created starts to crumble around her.
REVIEWS
I read "Butterfly Bones" first and absolutely adored it. A wonderful book. So reading Amanda's Dream Journal was a great plus because I was already familiar with Amanda - her past, her present; her dreams, complexes and hopes. Reading her journal was lots of fun for me. Not only the tales of dreams but of when she actually meets her childhood ghost from dreams past. Here Savanna merges the wall between reality and fantasy or imagination into another state entirely. Amanda's journal helps her on a path of self discovery that is totally engrossing for the reader. We are confronted with her thoughts and fears and how she manages to sort them into what she thought was a very normal life. I won't spoil the ending but I just want to say how much I enjoyed this. I also got some really great ideas about journaling. Ms. Redman is a superb writer who certainly knows how to twist and turn into the adventures that we call life.
A Must Read ~~~~ I truly enjoyed it.
Cannot wait for more!
The Dream Journal was my first read by this author.
I was captured and intrigued from page one.
Catapulting through present day reality into each dream sequence was a seamless transition.
Each dream was so vivid I had clear, colored images in my head as though I was looking at a painting or watching a film.
Some of the dreams terrified me but I could not put the book down. I continued through to the end and then prayed my dreams were sweet!
The ending definitely left me wanting more.
Many questions need to be answered and I look forward to the full story
Wow!
I received this book as an ARC. An engrossing, mesmerizing read! Savannah Redman's vivid and captivating writing style transported me into Amanda Wilde's dreamworld. Impossible to put down. Each chapter had me wondering what was next. Hoping there will be more........please!
Intriguing!
I take the bus into work every weekday. With the ARC loaded on my e-reader my daily commute has never flown by this quickly the last few days. I love the atmosphere and can almost sense, smell, taste and feel the different settings in her reveries. Loved both books. Cannot wait for the follow ups.
