Sensuous Promotions: Sensuous Promos Book Spotlights: Box of Dreams and Dream Reunion with J.J. DiBenedetto

Blurb for A Box of Dreams (Kindle Collection of books 1-5)

What if you could see everyone else’s dreams?

Sara Barnes has just discovered that she can. And this gift – or curse – will lead her on an extraordinary journey.

Follow Sara as her newfound ability leads her into adventures she never imagined. She will hunt down a serial killer, investigate a plot to murder one of her teachers, unravel a conspiracy between a mobster and a corrupt politician and face off against her nemesis: a woman who shares her talent, but uses it to destroy lives rather than save them. And Sara will have to manage all that while finishing college, becoming a doctor and falling in love, too.

Here are the first five books of the Dream Series, along with bonus material created especially for this collection. Included in this set are DREAM STUDENT, DREAM DOCTOR, DREAM CHILD, DREAM FAMILY and WAKING DREAM. In addition, you’ll find the short story BETTY & HOWARD’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE starring Sara’s parents. But most of all, when you open this box of dreams, you’ll find romance, suspense, humor and plenty of heart…

Buy link: http://getBook.at/BoxOfDreams

Other buy links:

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble (Nook or Paperback)

Apple iBookstore

AllRomanceEbooks.com

Excerpt from DREAM REUNION

(note: the book is set in October of 2001 – that will explain a couple of things…)

I open my eyes to find myself holding Brian tightly, my lips just an inch from his right ear. I hear myself whispering to him, “Brian, I’m safe. We’re all safe. It was only a dream.” I wonder how long I’ve been doing that?

I remember his whole dream, and I have to hold back my own tears. I don’t even care about what happened to me – all I’m worried about is how much it upset my husband. This is the first time I’ve seen him dream since it happened, but I’d bet he’s been dreaming about something like that every night.

I’ve been seeing very similar dreams from far too many people – sometimes just one in a night, sometimes several one after the other. I don’t do anything; I’m sure the reason I’m seeing them is that my subconscious thinks that all those people deserve a witness to their pain. Someone should be there with them, even if it’s only to silently acknowledge their fears. Or, much worse, the open wounds in their hearts and the empty holes in their lives.

That’s what I told both Lizzie and my mother. I didn’t know what else to say – I still don’t. I’m grateful that at least Steffy – as far as I know – hasn’t been having these particular dreams, too. Thank Heaven for small favors, I guess.

Brian begins to stir awake, and he immediately pulls away from me. I can feel the tension in his every muscle as he jerks himself out of my grasp and then turns around. He looks at me but for a moment he doesn’t see me – I know he’s still seeing the dream. “Sara? How did you get away? I saw…”

Now he sees me properly, and realization dawns. He reaches out, pulls me to him, clutches me in a strangling hug. I can’t breathe, but he needs to feel me this close and I let him do it. It takes him a while to satisfy himself that I’m here and safe, and not in the burning wreckage of the hospital. He finally lets me go, but he’s clearly still shaken by the dream.

It’s nearly six o’clock, so there’s no point trying get any more sleep. Instead, I lead him into the bathroom, and run the cold water. “Here,” I say, handing him a washcloth. He takes it, wets it and wipes his face. “That’s better, isn’t it?” He doesn’t respond, and while I can feel him loosening up a little, he’s still very tense. “The Eagles are playing today, aren’t they? I’ll sit and watch with you, how about that?” That earns me a questioning look – me, volunteering to watch football? It also produces another, very slight, relaxation of his back muscles. But not enough.

Maybe breakfast will help, so I lead him out of the bathroom, back through the bedroom, and, after a quick look to make sure Matty is still asleep, out into the hallway. As we pass by Grace’s room, I catch a glimpse of her newest poster, and that gives me an idea. We walk down the stairs and I ask him, “You want me to tell you a secret?”

Now he looks at me more curiously; I’ve really got his attention. “I thought you didn’t keep secrets from me.” There’s almost a playful hint in his voice; he’s trying.

The kids are already downstairs, and I’ve got their attention, too, especially Lizzie and Grace. “This goes way back, when I was Grace’s age – maybe a year older. I guess I was thirteen.” They’re all staring at me intently now, and I realize I’ve built this up too much already. “It’s nothing earthshaking. Just a little embarrassing. Grace’s poster made me think of it.”

“Tell us, Mommy!” Lizzie is quite insistent and Brian’s very nearly smiling now

“Well, when I was thirteen, I – I kind of had a crush.”

Grace rolls her eyes. Her thoughts might as well be written on her face: I don’t have a silly crush on Orlando Bloom! I just think he’s handsome and a good actor, that’s all. It’s perfectly normal. That’s what I told myself, too.

Brian asks, “On whom?” He’s definitely smiling now, and fighting to keep laughter out of his voice. It’s worth a little embarrassment to lift his mood.

I say it quickly, as though I’m tearing a band-aid off. “Rick Springfield.” Before Brian can respond, I say, “And don’t judge! I was thirteen!”

“’Jessie’s Girl?’ That Rick Springfield? Seriously?”

“I said, don’t judge! And anyway, he wasn’t just a singer! He was Dr. Noah Drake on ‘General Hospital.’ I was only interested because of that.” And that’s what I told myself as I stared up at his poster on my wall every night for six months, too.

Brian buries his face in his hands and mutters something that might be “I bet. That and the leather pants.”