IN THE DARK OF A DREAM originated because of my daughter. And my love of Sci-Fi TV.

My daughter, unfortunately, has been plagued with night terrors since two weeks before her 2nd birthday. From about 10:30pm to 3:30am on an almost nightly basis, she would scream me awake at 20 minute intervals, with a five minute calm-down, and then they’d start again. It was absolute hell as a full-time working mom with another kid (especially when he was nursing). As hellish as it was for me, my daughter experienced it tenfold, trapped in her own mind, surrounded by nightmares every night. There were no trigger foods, no chemical additives or caffeine to blame, no nighttime ritual that could redirect it, or sleeping pill that could wash it all away. It was heartbreaking. Thankfully, they decreased in frequency as she grew older, but she still gets them occasionally.

In her younger days, I’d sometimes take her to the couch with me so I didn’t disturb my partner and also so I didn’t have to keep running from room to room. I’d turn on an old favorite TV show and half-doze with it as background noise between screaming bouts. One show I watched frequently was Stargate SG-1, which you will find referenced in my book. They had several episodes that dealt with nanites that could invade your brain and trap you in a virtual reality. I began to let an idea germinate about a girl with night terrors who comes in contact with nanotech that makes her dreams into constant, horrific nightmares – and thus, IN THE DARK OF A DREAM was born.

So thank you, Bella, for being an inspiration on so many levels. And thank you Jack, Sam, Daniel, T’ealc, General Hammond, Elizabeth, John, Rodney, Teyla, and Ronin for keeping me company through the darkest nights.