Story Behind the Story

Dream or Destiny by Lillie Ammann. Published by GASLight Publishing, LLC

Thanks for joining us today, Lillie. Give us a short synopsis of your story.

Marilee Anderson dreams about a murder and wakes to find it really happened. She and David Nichols, the victim’s brother, become the prime suspects. Though they have their secrets and aren’t sure they can trust each other, Marilee and David team up to find the killer.

Very interesting! I love anything that has to do with dreams, in fiction or real life. What sparked the idea for this story?

I saw a TV documentary about a woman who used psychic dreams to help law enforcement solve crimes. On the show, she led the police to a body buried in a shallow grave on a mountain. She provided enough information about the crime to solve the cold case and lead to the conviction of the killer. Psychic dreams intrigued me, and I decided to write about a woman who dreamed of a murder. The real psychic dreamed about crimes after they happened, but I wondered what would happen if someone dreamed of a murder before it happened.

I’m curious: did the story end up how you initially envisioned it?

I didn’t know how the story was going to turn out. In fact, I was far into the book before I learned who the killer was.

Mysteries for readers are often mysteries for writers, aren’t they? Tell us how you sold this story to the publisher.

I had an agent for a couple of years and ended up with a nothing but a few rejections. I put this book aside and gave up on it for a while, then submitted it and sold it to a small publisher. However, before the book even went into the production cycle, the publisher changed its business model to focus on erotica. My book wouldn’t be a good fit with the rest of the inventory, so I asked to be released from the contract. Though I put the manuscript away in a virtual drawer in my computer, the characters continued to call me. I pulled it out of the drawer to revise and edit periodically for ten years. Not only did I edit to make the writing better, but also I revised because of changes in society and technology. Finally, I submitted it GASLight Publishing, who accepted it.

Ten years. Wow! What a model in perseverance. Good for you in hanging in there. Writing is never a simple, easy business. Anything you’d change in the process of getting this story published?

Probably not. My first reaction is that I would have been more aggressive in submitting through the years, which might have led to publication sooner. However, I have improved as a writer during that time, and the story is far better after the latest revisions. So, no, I don’t think I would change anything.

Aside from the dream/psychic element, what makes this story special?

The characters. I think of myself as a character-driven writer, and these characters really drove me. I didn’t know there would be anything about domestic violence when I started writing, but David told me about the abuse he and his sister suffered. One of my favorite reactions to Dream or Destiny was a question from a reviewer who is also a domestic violence advocate. She asked if I had personal experience with abuse because David’s reactions were so true-to-life, not the stereotyped behavior she’s accustomed to seeing in fiction. Marilee, savvy and strong in business but shy and vulnerable in private life, gets involved in the case even though she’s always tried to avoid ridicule by hiding her psychic gift. Two of the secondary characters will have their stories told in sequels. I’m working on Bonita’s story now, and the book after that will feature Tess, the “crazy lady.”

Any final advice on writing can you share with writers?

Persevere. We hear that advice so often because it is so important. Most writers spend years developing their writing skills and learning the market before they are published. You will certainly fail if you quit; you will probably succeed if you persist.

Thanks so much for sharing with us today, Lillie. Best of luck with the book and your writing.

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Bio:

Lillie Ammann is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in helping authors self-publish their books. She blogs at A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye http://lillieammann.com/blog.

Tagged as: creativity, Lillie Ammann, Story Behind the Story