I’m delighted to be welcoming A I Winters who is chatting to us about Summoner of Sleep.
Find out about her inspiration, characters and more.
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- ASIN : B092TQSXS7
- Publisher : Literary Wanderlust (1 July 2021)
- Language : English
- File size : 888 KB
A dark family secret—A town that doesn’t exist on any map—and a drug that will unleash an apocalyptic, transformational horror on the world.
Ryder Ashling’s world is turning upside down. He’s lost his job, wife, home, and now he’s doubting his sanity. Behind his descent are horrific nightmares so vivid that they follow him into the waking world. When he discovers his neighbor has been documenting his nightmares with scientific precision and leaving him vials of a drug called Summoner of Sleep, things get weirder.
His neighbor disappears and Ryder follows his trail to Marble Woods, a town erased from all maps after a historical atrocity. Now it’s whispered to be the home of marble-skinned demons, as well as the source of the plants used to manufacture Summoner of Sleep.
It’s here in Marble Woods that Ryder will come face to face with the darkest of family secrets and be forced to make a decision that will change the fate of the world.
Rich in magic and occultism, fractured characters, and a taste of mystery, Summoner of Sleep is a fast paced, thrill-ride bursting with psychological terror.
Author Interview
Hi Amie, welcome to Jera’s Jamboree.
What was the idea/inspiration for your novel?
Some nights I would wake up after having a good dream and think to myself “why can’t I have those kinds of dreams all the time?” It would certainly be so much better to have dreams of flying through the galaxy, hanging out with your favorite musicians, and eating all the donuts you want! I had the same thought when I woke up after a bad or mundane dream. Who wants to dream about grocery shopping, seeing someone die, or being scared? This sparked the idea for Summoner of Sleep.
One character in particular, Botanē, is hell-bent on perfecting not only the best kinds of dreams, but a very specific dream. Dreams are prevalent themes in all my stories. There’s something so mysterious about dreams and where they come from and why we have them. Summoner of Sleep allowed me to explore my own dreams and how they impact me on a day-to-day basis. I hope my story will do the same for you.
Please tell us about the characters in your book.
Summoner of Sleep is told from the perspective of three characters. The main protagonist is Ryder Ashling, a handsome, stubborn, insomniac. Everything about his life is picturesque—except for his recurrent nightmares of clocks attacking him. He escapes his personal horror through a high-profile lawyer job, spending time with his Barbie doll wife, and retreating to his mansion. When he loses everything, he sets out to discover the meaning behind his dreams in a small mysterious town called Marble Woods.
Claude Wick, a former war hero, he is now an agoraphobic, overweight widower who escapes his loneliness by spying on his neighbor, spending his time documenting Ryder’s nightmares with scientific precision.
Then there’s Mary Moon, a naive country girl unaware of her beauty. She is forced to stay in her small hometown of Marble Woods due to her ailing mother, but she’ll do anything to escape.
Who would you cast in the role of your characters if your book were optioned for a movie?
I’m actually in the process of working on a screenplay for Summoner of Sleep right now, so this is an excellent question! I can definitely see someone like Adrian Brody or Vincent Gallo as Ryder Ashling. They are both lanky, thin, pale, and know how to convey desperation in a role. Amanda Seyfried or Elle Fanning would be an excellent Mary Moon. They are both blonde, beautiful, and insanely talented. John Goodman for Claude Wick. I could totally see him spying on Ryder from next door through his telescope.
What scene did you enjoy writing the most?
The premise of the book is that the characters become addicted to a strange tonic called Summoner of Sleep. Each person reacts differently…but it’s always at a cost. I loved coming up with the horrific transformations. Here’s a small taste of one of my favorite scenes:
There was a familiarity in the creature though. It was once human or had been.
The creature’s eyes shifted and bulged. Its body appeared to be torn apart and sewn wrongly together again with some parts missing. The vertebrae was stripped of all muscle and replaced with wet sacks of yellow fat, and a few remnants of charred bone hung there. Such a thing must not live, but it did. The creature’s lidless eyes, despite the blood that pooled in them, were rooted and alert, scanning its surroundings.
Did you do any research for your book Amie? What resources did you use?
Yes. There’s a lot of occult symbolism in the book, etymology, as well as botany. I spent countless hours scouring through random books and searching online for specific answers to my questions. For example, without giving away any spoilers, the etymology of the name Ryder Ashling is extremely significant and connects to several important clues in the book.
If your book tackles a social barrier, how have you incorporated it into the story?
It does explore a lot of parallels with today’s societal problems. A recent reviewer had this specifically to say, “The book questions some deeply held human notions like family over friends, the necessity of forgiving family for wrongdoings, our trust in science and Big Pharma to know what’s best for us, and even our obsession with always wanting more—never satisfied with what we have and what is. The story does not address any of these topics head-on; rather, through relatable storytelling and a fascinating and eerie tale, readers are invited to reflect on how we feel about all these elements of 21st century American society.” For me, it’s also a commentary on our obsession with youth and how we will do anything to reach it no matter the cost.
Do you have a theme for your book covers? Who designs them?
As you can tell by the cover, it’s a very creepy and mysterious looking image of an eye looking through a crumbled wall. I worked closely with my publisher on capturing the right image. It was my idea to add the occult symbols in the eye itself. I think it perfectly relates the uneasiness of the story.
Finally Amie, which authors have influenced your writing?
H.P. Lovecraft! I’ve also been influenced by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Gustave Flaubert, Stephen King, and Clive Barker.
Thank you for being a guest. Wishing you success with all your writing projects.
A.I. Winters is an award-winning author known for her works of horror and fantasy. She is the author of the young adult fantasy novels Strange Luck, The Nightmare Birds, and A Darling Secret. She currently lives in Los Angeles. When not writing books, she enjoys breaking a sweat in Jiu-Jitsu class, baking, and traveling.
Twitter @AmieIWinters | Website https://www.aiwinters.com/ | Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aiwinters | Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13851542.A_I_Winters | Instagram https://www.instagram.com/aiwinters_author/
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