Dreams Entangled
by Sophia Kell Hagin
Released: Sep 01, 2025
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Why this book and why now?
The first version of this story grew out of my involvement (decades ago) as technical editor of a DARPA-sponsored study (the first, as it happens) of neural networks. I never quite finished the draft, since I worked on it only when vacationing in Provincetown.
Years later, after teaching myself how to actually write a novel and at the urging of my wife, I returned to the draft and completely rewrote it. This rewrite included renamed characters, a finished dreamstory, and a totally revamped current plot and timeline. Also, for this second round I focused on themes that have become central to my novel-writing (and always of “why now” importance), chiefly found family, overcoming the trauma of patriarchy and finding ways to live “beyond” it.
Other “why now” themes show up in this story, too: How an ancient past portends our future and can give women real hope, how to break the rules of an unfair society and get away with it, finding the courage (and anger) to DEFY and survive that defiance.
What is a significant way your book has changed since either the first draft or the way you thought it would turn out when you first had the inspiration?
Dreams Entangled interweaves two stories, both of which changed a lot since I wrote the first draft. How many hours do you have to hear the details?
Would you and your main character(s) get along?
Oh yeah, I’d get along with all the main (four of them) and most of the significant secondary characters in Dreams Entangled.
Do your character names have special significance or meaning?
Yes, always. I’m a sucker for the meanings and origins of words.
Did any real-life events or personal experiences influence the story?
Yes, several, some dating back decades, others more recent. I wrote the first version of this stories way back in the 20th century and then moved on. But my spouse liked it so much that she asked me to revisit and rewrite it. So I did.
How does it feel to finally share this book with readers?
Fun. Though nobody talks with me about it. Dreams Entangled has, in my view, some interesting takes on things and I’d love feedback on them…
Is there anything you wish readers knew before diving into this book?
That women, even lesbians, have been egregiously brainwashed by the pervasive patriarchy around them — BECAUSE IT HASN’T ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS! And it doesn’t have to be like this. (This wish isn’t actually particular to this or any book, but I can’t stop thinking about the fact that if more women stopped swallowing the blue pill the world would be a better, safer, far healthier place.)
What’s one fun fact about your book that most people wouldn’t know?
The language (other than English) that shows up in the pages of Dreams Entangled is not (entirely) made up by me; it’s one of the oldest languages still spoken today.
What TV show would your main character(s) most likely binge watch and why?
Pirin liked Revenge and liked Killing Eve until the final episode (which the author of Killing Eve also despises); she can’t abide lopsided rules that privilege the rich. — and Gracie agrees.
What’s your main character(s)’s favorite book and why?
For Pirin, it’s not a book; more like Github. For Gracie it’s Sister Gin (June Arnold) and The Dawn of Everything (Graeber and Wengrow).
What 3 things would your main character want with them if they got stranded away from civilization, and why?
Three people: Analergin, Kaldi, and Sineusi (characters from Dreams Entangled’s dreamstory).
One of your main characters is planning a romantic night. Tell us about it.
They shut off phones and computers, pretend they’re not home so no one will “stop by,” and spend the next three days naked in bed doing cunnilingus 😉
Which character do you relate to the most, and why?
As I was writing, I related most to Pirin. Now I see the novel as, chiefly, Gracie’s story.
Were there any scenes or characters that surprised you as you wrote?
The character Eletun, who very nearly took over the whole enterprise. I’m still wondering if she’s the (closet) narrator.
Which character was the most fun to write, and which was the hardest?
There were two -“funnest” — Pirin and Eletun. Hardest was Analergin.
If you could spend a day with one character from the book, who would it be and why?
Eletun. She sees waaaay further than anyone I’ve ever met.
Publishing a book is a huge accomplishment and it’s time to party! Choose a celebratory beverage for one of your main characters to toast the release of your new book.
Gracie likes amaretto (straight up, rocks on the side); Pirin will light a joint.
What song does your character put on to start your book launch party?
So many choice, but Gracie has chosen ‘Dancing Queen’ and Pirin approves.
If your book had a scent, what would it smell like?
The sexbed
If your book had a signature dessert, what would it be?
Anything dark chocolate
Your characters are throwing a party—what’s the theme?
“Fuck the Whitings”
If your book had an official mascot, what (or who) would it be?
A raven
Do you outline your books in detail, or do you prefer to discover the story as you write?
I write brief synopses of key plot points and then immediately lose control to the characters
Were there any books, movies, or personal experiences that influenced this story?
The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow
Do you have any writing rituals or habits?
Sitting down every day at a PC with a game-level keyboard, a big-ass screen, headphones playing Vivaldi, Handel, Chopin, etc. During breaks I snoop around word origins, paleo-archeology sites, and Google Earth — and do my damnedest to stay away from the news.
Who are your biggest literary influences?
Harper Lee, Margaret Atwood, Alice Walker, Ursula K. Le Guin, Mark Twain, Erich Maria Remarque, Joseph Heller, Emily Dickinson, Fyodor Dostoevsky… and many more
What are you currently reading?
Several dictionaries — especially etymological ones — and thesauri
If you could have dinner with any author, living or dead, who would it be?
Margaret Atwood …wouldn’t mind Mark Twain either if I could trust him not to be a misogynist.
