A machine capable of recording our dreams has been created…
Benjamin Walker’s lifelong career of testing experimental drugs and medicines, as well as participating in fascinating sleep-related studies, has come to an end. A new and lucrative job opportunity is offered to Ben, working on a project named Lucy, a machine capable of reading and recording a person’s dreams in intimate detail. Headed by the genius Dr. Peter Wulfric and privately funded by the elusive millionaire, Mr. Timothy Kalispell—a man with a fascination of the arts that borders on the obsessive—takes Ben all over the world, from the Louvre in Paris to the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
Along his travels, Ben meets a beautiful girl named Sophia, who might just help him overcome his crushing depression over the death of his lost love, his Emily. All is finally going well for Ben . . . until strange dreams of a town named Drapery Falls begin to plague him, and memories once hidden begin to reveal themselves. The doctors and staff onboard team Lucy are not who Ben thinks they are, and Mr. Kalispell will stop at nothing to keep Ben’s emerging memories buried for good. Ben is put on a collision course that will bring him to the brink of total insanity, and perhaps even death. At the heart of it all, Ben’s worst enemy is his own mind, and he must confront his past in order to save his future.
Targeted Age Group:: 17-100
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
Believe it or not—a dream. The title is fitting. I had a dream that was just a skeleton of what the story actually became, but I got a good sense of the character, and a feeling for the overall tone of the book. The rest really wrote itself, even surprising me at times.
How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
The main character was in my dream mentioned above, as was the lead doctor in the experiment. A few of the others were a product of necessity, and came to me instantly, while several others evolved throughout the story.
Book Sample
“Just a moment,” Dr. Wulfric said, using a swivel-knob on the keyboard to fast-forward the scene. He stopped as the images cleared to what looked like mountains; only they were very blurry. Then the image again snapped into unimaginable clarity, the brightness of which startled and entranced Ben. His brain let loose a sense of euphoria that swept through his body. The camera was high in the air—in an airplane or helicopter—flying above a colorful mountain range with a deep valley gorge.
“It’s beautiful,” Ben said. “Is that the Grand Canyon?”
Dr. Wulfric Shrugged. “I’m not sure.”
Patches of brush in the far distance appeared in such detail that Ben doubted that he’d be able to see it any clearer if he were there himself.
Suddenly the camera dropped, going straight into a massive gorge headfirst. The plane barreled down, and then quickly leveled itself, going faster and faster—like a jet. Ben felt his stomach lurch as the camera swung straight up, hugging the wall of the canyon. It was so close to the rocky edge that whatever aircraft was taking these pictures was in serious danger of crashing into the wall. Flashes of dark brown, yellow, and orange whizzed past the screen at amazing speed, yet the image was never blurred; only his eyes couldn’t process the speed in which they were passing. When Ben blinked and held his eyes shut, the exact image of whatever was flashing by on the screen stayed in his mind like a photograph—no streaking or blurring whatsoever. It was so fast—too fast. The scene swooped down and back up through the valleys and gorges, in unbelievable detail.
Ben’s mind whirled. Dr. Wulfric hit a button and the screen went black. Ben shuttered his eyes, letting his brain rest.
“So, what did you think of my video?” Dr. Wulfric asked.
“I don’t know. Those colors . . . I’ve never seen colors that vivid on a TV screen. What is this, some new high-def system you’re testing out?”
“Not exactly,” he chuckled. “That little girl was my daughter, although she’s no longer a child. The roller skating rink is just like the one we went to on her third birthday, maybe a little different. The mountains, though—I have no idea where they came from.”
“Okay . . .”
“That, Ben . . . was from a dream I had a few days ago. I don’t remember dreaming it, but that was indeed recorded from my dream.”
About the Author:
Brandon Zenner was born and raised in Red Bank New Jersey, only a short distance from the shore. He was born in 1981, to parents Hal and Natalie Zenner, who still to this day work in an antique center, repairing jewelry and furniture. Ideas for novels and short stories began popping up in his mind when Brandon was still a teenager. After honing his craft, his first completed work, The Experiment of Dreams, went live on Amazon in 2014. Outside of writing, Brandon made a career of working at a busy Irish bar, serving drink to locals and passer-bys, for the past 11 years. His newborn daughter and two dogs, rescued from a local shelter, keep him constantly entertained. Not that he’s complaining.
Links to Purchase Print Books
Link to Buy The Experiment of Dreams Print Edition at Amazon
Links to Purchase eBooks
Link To Buy The Experiment of Dreams On Amazon
