Hidden in Dreams (30 page)

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

The research that went into the making of this book covers almost my entire adult life. Strands from many different segments of my past have become woven together in these pages.

My undergraduate studies took place at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, my home state. I earned a BA in two entirely different fields: economics and psychology. Following this, I traveled to London, where I studied for a Master of Science in international finance. There I continued to feed my fascination about the human mind, by doing further studies in industrial psychology.

Following a year when I lectured at a Swiss university, I was hired by a pharmaceutical company. They specialized in what are known as generics, or drugs that have lost their patent protection and thus can be made by anyone. It is a highly competitive field, and I loved the work. We were one of the largest suppliers of antibiotics to Africa and the Middle East, and I traveled more than I stayed at home. Eventually I was promoted to the position of marketing manager. I stayed with them for four years.

I then accepted a position as director of the European operations of a business advisory group. We were based in Düsseldorf, Germany, and operated in eleven countries. In my second year, I came to faith. Two weeks later, I began writing. I can still remember the almost ferocious intensity of that moment, when I genuinely heard the call of God. It is with such humble gratitude that I sit here now, twenty years later, and look back at the incredible path my life has taken since that day. It was far from easy or straightforward—I wrote for nine years and completed seven novels before my first was accepted for publication. But the sense of selfless joy I discovered in those early days has only intensified over the years.

If readers are interested in more details about how I came to be where I am, and what went into the formation of this book, they are invited to visit my website at
www.DavisBunn.com
.

Introduction

Just when the world’s foremost expert on dream analysis, Dr. Elena Burroughs, thinks she is getting her life back under control after losing her position at Oxford University and the man she hoped to fall in love with, she is approached by Rachel Lamprey, the product manager of an innovative new ADHD treatment about to hit the market. Rachel asks for Elena’s help with a clinical trial participant who has had a disturbing dream foretelling a cataclysmic global financial collapse. But even more alarming is the fact that fifteen people scattered across the globe—including Elena herself—begin to experience the same repetitive, devastating dreams of economic ruin just as one bank crisis follows another, suggesting that these aren’t merely dreams.

As Elena searches for answers in her professional networks, she is forced to form an unlikely alliance with one of her most vehement critics and is drawn back into the spotlight as the public face of the so-called dreamers. Elena and her collaborators must race against the clock to find the connection between
the dreams and the very real events threatening a financial meltdown. It’s no longer about just dreams: it’s about survival.

Topics & Questions for Discussion

1. Would you help a woman like Rachel when she first comes to Elena for help with her test subject? What questions would you ask her before proceeding? Do you trust her?

2. What kind of role did the Florida landscape play in the novel? How does the weather reflect the turmoil the characters are experiencing?

3. How would you react if you experienced one of these terrible dreams? How would you react when you found out that others had the exact same dream?

4. How does Reed serve as a spiritual guide for Elena? Do you think she needs his guidance?

5. Elena is drawn into the public eye in Davis Bunn’s novel,
Book of Dreams,
and is forced back into the spotlight in this sequel,
Hidden in Dreams
. Have you ever been forced or called to do something against your own intuition or choice? What did you do?

6. While Jacob’s faith journey is just beginning, his skepticism starts to fade as even he can no longer deny the existence of a guiding force in the world. What do you think changes him?

7. Writing is said to be the “cheapest form of therapy.” Is Elena right to agree to write a second book about her experiences?

8. How do the fears of a global financial crisis resonate with current headlines and your own personal experiences? Did any of the scenes or descriptions in
Hidden in Dreams
particularly resonate with you?

9. Have you ever had a dream that significantly affected you? Do you typically remember your dreams?

10. Which character did you connect with most? Which character do you share the most similar behaviors or traits with?

11. Elena and Stacy form a pseudo mother-daughter relationship. How does their relationship evolve? Do you think Elena is a good role model for Stacy? Is Stacy a role model herself for Elena?

12. Elena says,
“At its best, religion is a matter of creating an earthly structure in which to express the wonder of connecting with the divine. At its worst, religion seeks to fit God into a safe and comfortable little box.”
Do you agree with Elena’s statement? Why or why not? Do any other characters offer a different perspective on religion in the novel?

Enhance Your Book Club

1. Experiment with keeping a dream journal. Keep your journal next to your bed and record your dreams as soon as you wake up each morning. Dreams fade quickly, so it is important to write them down soon after you awaken! Look for interesting patterns or themes as you record more dreams and share them with your book club members. For help with decoding your dreams, visit
www.DreamMoods.com
or
www.TheCuriousDreamer.com
.

2. If you haven’t already, go back to the start of Elena Burroughs’s journey in the public eye by reading
Book of Dreams,
the prequel to
Hidden in Dreams.
Discuss the differences between the two books and how Elena has grown as a character.

3. Find out more about the author by visiting
www.DavisBunn.com
. Discover more about Davis’s upcoming projects and discuss with other readers in the web forums. If you submit a review of
Hidden in Dreams,
it might be chosen to be shared on Davis’s blog!