Dreams and Illusions, a Gabrielle Dorian Mystery by Rebecca Olmstead
Author Interview +Book & Author Info + Author Pet Corner!
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Dreams and Illusions
It’s 1999, but Gabrielle Dorian is not partying.
Gabrielle is a dreamer. Some call her a psychic, others clairvoyant. Her parents told her she had a gift from God, but why would God give her a gift that can’t save the people she loves most?
When a menacing masked figure begins to haunt her dreams, Gabrielle fears the worst is yet to come, and an urgent call from her estranged sister, Tina, confirms her fears. Determined to prevent God from taking the only family she has left, Gabrielle shelves her grief, leaving the comfort of her small hometown of Whitman, Washington for Seattle, where she finds Tina accused of first-degree murder.
Gabrielle hasn’t seen Tina in over ten years, and her sister’s animosity toward her hasn’t faded. The evidence is stacked against her, but Tina pleads her innocence. Unfortunately, Gabrielle has heard the same pleas before. But has Tina become capable of cold-blooded murder?
Taken aback when she finds Matthew Pierce heading the investigation, Gabrielle learns the wounds from their complicated history are still as fresh as they were ten years ago. Matt seems determined to drive Gabrielle back to Whitman and away from the case, but that only makes Gabrielle more determined to stay.
Tensions rise as Gabrielle digs deeper, uncovering secrets and lies. With no clue whom she can trust, Gabrielle must decipher her dreams and face old demons to uncover the truth, no matter how difficult that truth may be.
Dreams and Illusions is the riveting first book in the Gabrielle Dorian Mystery Series. If you like headstrong but wounded heroines, fast-paced drama, and dark twists, you’ll love Rebecca Olmstead’s tale of doubt and redemption.
Buy Dreams and Illusions to unmask a villain today!
To purchase Dreams and Illusions, click on the following link: Amazon
Interview with Rebecca Olmstead
Dreams and Illusions features Gabrielle Dorian. What should readers know about Gabrielle?
Gabrielle is a warm, caring woman. Her gift of sight has made her somewhat of an outcast all her life, but that has made her especially empathetic to others.
It also makes her crave belonging. As a result, she is very protective of the few who are close to her. She was raised in the church but is having a crisis of faith.
This journey will take her up close and personal with God.
Dreams and Illusions takes place in Washington State, primarily Seattle. What drew you to that region for your novel?
I wanted to take Gabrielle far out of her comfort zone for this journey. Not just emotionally, but physically.
She was raised in a small Washington town and only traveled with family. I needed to separate her from that to give her more room for growth and self-discovery.
Dreams and Illusions explores a complicated relationship between sisters. Tell us about the dynamic between Gabrielle and Tina:
Gabrielle had been praying for a sister for some time when her parents adopted Tina. She had no knowledge of drug addicted babies, which is what Tina was. Tina was never capable of close personal attachments because of her mental disabilities. The more Gabrielle pursued a relationship with Tina, the more Tina pushed her away. Tina sees Gabrielle as the “perfect child, which causes resentment, while Gabrielle feels responsible for Tina and her “less-than-perfect” (read: criminal) behavior, because she prayed for a sister.
Gabrielle desperately wants a loving relationship with her sister but may have to learn to accept what Tina is able to give.
You write in multiple genres, does that process change from genre to genre? Or project to project? What’s a typical writing day like?
I’m able to move from genre to genre by focusing on my characters.
Ideally, a writing day will begin after prayer, breakfast, and a walk or workout, which is when I’ll start thinking about the story I’m working on at the time. I’ll go to my studio, put on some smooth jazz, or whatever music fits the work, turn on my scent dispenser and start writing.
Working with my daughter makes this easier because we keep each other accountable. She also reminds me to eat when I’m on a roll. When I write first person POV stories, I get into the minds of my characters and just listen as they tell their stories.
In third person POV, I see the story play out like a movie from scene to scene, putting myself in the heads of each character. When I want to create a certain mood, I put myself into the story and describe a setting that makes me feel what I want the reader to feel.
Most days I’ll work until about five. If it’s going really well, I lose track of time until I hear my husband call, “I’m home!” Then I panic because I haven’t started dinner. 🙄
Tell us about some of your favorite hiking trails:
We love to find waterfalls, so some of our favorite hiking trails are on the Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway. But we will explore any trail to see where it leads.
What are you working on now?
At the moment, I’m working on a non-fiction book for teens and young adults. It’s called The Demon Slayers Handbook: How to Stop Being Satan’s B!#@h.
It was inspired by a dream that convinced me to empower kids to overcome the spirit of suicide. When that first draft is complete, I’ll be revising the second installment of the Gabrielle Dorian Mystery Series, Dreams and Deceptions.
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Writers:
Don’t worry about the market. Write the story you want to read and take every opportunity to learn to paint beautiful pictures and endearing characters. Then find the best editors you can.
Great advice!
Author Pet Corner!
Our menagerie includes a crazy black lab, named Sophie, two black cats, Agatha and Ambrose, and 35 Jersey wooly show bunnies.
Luckily, our hundred-year-old Craftsman farmhouse was fathered in as farm property.
Rebecca Olmstead, Author of Dreams and Illusions
Rebecca Olmstead is an award-winning author of both fiction and non-fiction, speaker, and teacher. Her book, Loved So Much, It Hurts: Purpose in the Pain, is a Book Excellence Award and Global Book Award finalist.
Her short story, “The Uninvited Guest” is a fun read and her first award-winning story. She will be releasing Dreams and Illusions, the first in her Gabrielle Dorian Mystery Series in October, 2023, and her story, “Love and Snakes” will be in the Malice, Matrimony & Murder anthology in November.
Rebecca’s stories have been published in a number of periodicals, including Live, The Upper Room, Now What?, Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse, Jr., and Houseboat magazine.
When she’s not writing, Rebecca enjoys time with her family, camping, hiking, gardening, baking, and crochet. She also enjoys showing Jersey Woolies with her daughter.
To learn more about Rebecca, check out any of the following links: Website, Facebook, Instagram, Goodreads.
Elena Taylor/Elena Hartwell
