January was another extremely light dream month for me, which is probably why it took me this long to gather them up from where they were originally shared over on Twitter. I wish I could figure out why I only remembered 15 dreams in January, because in the past, recalling five or six times as many per month was standard.

If I ever solve the mystery of my missing dreams, believe me, you’ll get to hear all about it.

But meanwhile …

January 2017

I dreamt I was on a plane making an emergency landing, listening to the captain instruct us we had to evacuate without taking our luggage. Jan 31

I dreamt a workman using a blowtorch in front of my house accidentally lit pine trees on fire, and when I pointed it out, was unconcerned. Jan 31

I dreamt I attempted to escape an island, and raced to the end of many piers, only to find that every available boat had been destroyed. Jan 31

I dreamt a giant millstone, many times taller than me, rolled down a hill at me. I ran and hid behind a tree, which — whew! — stopped it. Jan 30

I dreamt I was trapped in a room with Mr. Burns from The Simpsons, only — he was real flesh, not a cartoon, which made him even creepier. Jan 30

I dreamt I was walking down the street and saw a guy with amazing full sleeve tattoos of the original X-Men in their blue and gold costumes. Jan 23

I dreamt I was in a con suite, spotted Mike Walsh in the distance, and wandered over to commiserate about the death of Larry Smith. Jan 23

I dreamt I planted a bomb by a terrorist bunker, and was unrolling a fuse and running with it as fast and far as I could before lighting it. Jan 23

I dreamt I was playing Scrabble with Mags Bennett from Justified … which as you might expect, made for an extremely nerve-wracking game! Jan 21

I dreamt this morning I led a workshop on how to come up with story ideas … and surprise — when I woke, I’d brought a story idea with me! Jan 16

I dreamt I was Detective Logan from Law & Order, and a perp stabbed my partner and got away, because I had to keep my friend from dying. Jan 10

I dreamt I returned to NYC to pick up 38 years of diaries I’d left at a Starbucks for safekeeping, suddenly realizing it was a BAD IDEA. Jan 8

I dreamt I spotted a bat and a rabbit in my backyard sharing a spent dandelion, so rushed off to get my camera, but alas, could not find it. Jan 6

I dreamt I spotted a couple of Navy guys in a brawl, and called my Dad to tell him what I’d seen. It was comforting to hear his voice again. Jan 4

I dreamt I spotted seven baby foxes, and spent most of the time in their presence slapping my pockets in search of a camera as they ran off. Jan 4

As my Twitter stream shows, I dreamed even fewer dreams last month than the month before, the number of them continuing to dwindle for no discernible reason. Or rather, I continue not to remember them, because I do have them, but often when I wake, I can sense them vanishing beyond memory. I imagine that someday I will stop compiling them here each month.

But that time is not yet now. So—

Last month I dreamt of Robert Silverberg, Kelly Link, George R. R. Martin … and Donald Trump.

December 2016

I dreamt that for Xmas, I enrolled my son in the Moby Dick Chapter of the Month Club, which would send him that, annotated and footnoted. 25 Dec

I dreamt I’d been rehired by @Syfy and was working with @CraigEngler (also back there again) on a TV special aout the history of @Marvel. 24 Dec

I dreamt I was in a hotel moving from one elevator to another but none had a button which would take me to my floor! I was in elevator hell! 24 Dec

I dreamt I was in Nazi Germany at a restaurant where Michael Jackson was a singing waiter. Or maybe I was just in a PLAY about Nazi Germany. 24 Dec

I dreamt I was aboard a tiny bathysphere, feeling quite claustrophobic — especially when it began to sink before it was ready to descend. 23 Dec

I dreamt I bumped into an old banking boss, humming a song he said was written by Joseph McCarthy. Not sure why either man was in my head. 21 Dec

I dreamt I bought a huge sack of diamonds for a jeweler (more than the $10,000 he gave me would have bought IRL), then helped sell them all. 18 Dec

I dreamt I spotted George R. R. Martin in a restaurant being hounded by fans. I tried to rescue him, but alas, there were too many of them. 17 Dec

I dreamt repulsive tenants tried to pin a murder on a homeless person, but luckily, he was smarter than they were, and they got theirs. 17 Dec

I dreamt I was surrounded by Stranger Things-type kids with glowing rocks that gave them odd powers, so I checked out every pebble I saw. 17 Dec

I dreamt a friend of @jaspkelly interviewed me about short stories I’d written in the Gamblingpunk genre — but I had no idea what that was! 16 Dec

Surprised it took so long, but I finally had my first dream about Donald Trump. He was tucking an adult friend into bed. It was very creepy. 12 Dec

I dreamt I was at a con with a group that included @haszombiesinit, trying to track down that shawarma place everybody was raving about. 6 Dec

I dream my current consciousness was back inside my past little kid self, where I was with Isaac Asimov telling him all about the future. 3 Dec

I dreamt I had a stern conversation with Robert Silverberg in which I warned him to stop spending so much time on social media. As if. 2 Dec

I’ve been bemoaning the fact my nights have contained fewer dreams than they used to, and November seemed to have had the fewest ever since I began to sharing them with you. I still haven’t figured out the why of it, which frustrates me. But I guess I should be glad that even though my dreams are dwindling, I still had visits last month from Katee Sackhoff, Stan Lee, Robert Silverberg, and others.

Check out the dreams I originally shared in November over on Twitter.

November 2016

I dreamt I chased another car at high speed, only to have it escape when it shrunk to mouse-size and vanished through a crack in a wall. Nov 30

I dreamt I wandered a hotel heading for George R. R. Martin’s party, patting my pockets for my ticket, sure I’d get in if I found it or not. Nov 30

I dreamt three gangsters collapsed on a golf course, and when I investigated, I collapsed, too! The fertilizer was sending up poison gas! Nov 30

I dreamt I worked in a jewelry store, and the moment my boss took a break and left me in charge, the store was overrun by shoplifters. Nov 26

I dreamt I interviewed Dwayne Johnson on a movie junket — but when it was all over, realized I hadn’t asked any questions about the movie! Nov 26

I dreamt I wandered Brooklyn in search of breakfast and ended up at a 100-year-old knishery. Which I don’t think Brooklyn has in real life. Nov 24

I dreamt my HS pal @marcfrons got cast as a criminal on Law & Order, and I was hired to be his dim-witted sidekick. I used my Lenny voice. Nov 18

I dreamt I was Loki, trapped in the Roosevelt Island tram above the East River. Don’t know why, if I was Loki, I couldn’t escape. Oh, well. Nov 16

I dream I visited @PaulKupperberg in Copenhagen, where he was now in charge of tourism. I kept offering him Starbursts. He kept refusing. Nov 14

I dreamt @BELUTHAHATCHIE asked what I was working on, and I told him a story that existed only in dream. Now to decide whether to write it. Nov 13

I dreamt I was at Bob Silverberg’s house. He was decluttering, and offered me a box of his correspondence with Tom Disch. I took it eagerly. Nov 12

I dreamt I visited a cemetery and got into a conversation with a guy who’d gotten married there only 5 minutes before. Never found out why. Nov 6

I dreamt my mother-in-law built an Eiffel Tower out of cheese as a centerpiece, then grew sad when she realized she could have bought one. Nov 5

I dreamt Katee Sackhoff and I went for tattoos together. She got a skeletal rib cage over her rib cage, while I got zombie flesh on my arms. Nov 5

I dreamt I left a Moscow restaurant and saw @ResaNelson zoom by on a steamroller. I tried to follow on roller skates, but couldn’t catch up. Nov 4

I dreamt I swam to the bottom of a swimming pool and stayed there for hours, safe and happy. There seemed nothing odd about breathing water. Nov 2

I dreamt I found myself wearing wedding rings on the ring fingers of BOTH hands. Which confused me at first, but then I became OK with it. Nov 2

I dreamt I was working in the Bullpen with Stan Lee — ’70s Stan Lee — when a letter came from Larry Lieber suing Marvel for royalties. Nov 1

As I told you the last time I gathered my dreams, I seem to be remembering fewer of them these days. It isn’t that I’m not having them—I continue to stir in the night aware I’m rising out of dreams—but between the time I reach consciousness and reach for a pen, the dreams mostly dissipate. My hold on them has for some reason weakened.

I’m not sure what that means. I only know that instead of up to seven dreams harvested a night, I’m down to one, if that. Which is why it’s been three months since I’ve bothered pulling them together like this to see whether there’s any sort of theme running through them.

In any case, this time around, my dreams featured guest stars Marilyn Monroe, Miley Cyrus, Jon-Erik Hexum, Lee Remick, George R. R. Martin, and more …

October 2016

I dreamt I tried to convince Ted Chiang to teach a workshop, and stuffing my face with cake at the same time, so he couldn’t understand me. Oct 31

I dreamt I wandered NYC looking for pie. Cherry pie. But it was eternally elusive, and I — sniff! — woke before I could find any. Oct 29

I dreamt I was kidnapped in some unspecified foreign country, and brought to meet a drug warlord, who turned out to be … Miley Cyrus. Oct 24

I dreamt Somtow Sucharitkul interviewed me about Japan, and all my answers were required to be in Japanese. (The interview did not go well.) Oct 23

I dreamt I was out at a restaurant eating a big bowl of Spider Soup, and complaining it contained too many noodles and not enough spiders. Oct 22

I dreamt I’d volunteered for a one-way trip to Neptune, but in the final days before launch, I was starting to have second thoughts. Oct 22

I dreamt an episode I’d written of The Untouchables was about to air, and I was wandering around a con looking for a TV so I could watch. Oct 21

I dreamt I caught a baby’s car seat as it was falling down the stairs, but the baby slipped out and continued plummeting. Not a nice dream. Oct 12

I dreamt Gordon Van Gelder and I were lobbying Congress to pass laws helping out independent bookstores. Don’t know whether we succeeded. Oct 2
(more…)

I don’t know what’s up with my subconscious, but it’s been delivering fewer dreams to me lately, which means I don’t get to share as many of them as I used to on Twitter each morning. The days of 5-7 dreams per night seem to be gone—and I want them back!

Until they dwindle down to nothing, though, I plan to continue collecting each month’s dreams here to see whether they gain additional meaning when rubbing up against each other.

And so … last month, I dreamt of Willie Nelson, Stephen King, David Letterman, Boyd Crowder, and more.

July 2016

I dreamt that to get home, I needed to pass along the Coney Island boardwalk. I felt happy, enjoying the food smells and the sun on my face.
 Jul 31

I dreamt I was in a Worldcon crowd when our phones all went off at once, the screens filled with glowing green infinity symbols. But — why?
 Jul 31

I dreamt @BrianKeene and I collaborated on a political TV ad — but now that I’m awake, I no longer rememeber the candidate or issue!
 Jul 29

I dreamt Willie Nelson came into my hotel room, spotted my ukulele, and suggested we head downstairs for a duet. We sang “I’ll Fly Away.”
 Jul 28

I dreamt I judged a TV show on which @StephenKing had to recreate a famous chef’s fried chicken recipe. Alas, I woke before I got a taste!
 Jul 28

I dreamt I was buying seven pounds of jelly beans for my father (deceased in real life) and trying to decide which flavors I should buy him.
 Jul 24

I dreamt that — for a reason I can no longer remember — I was burning all of my possessions, feeding them slowly one by one into the fire.
 Jul 23

I dreamt I was at the funeral of someone I met when I first got into comics fandom, and let someone else who knew him better do the eulogy.
 Jul 22

I dreamt I’d volunteered for a one-way mission to Mars, but as soon as I was on board, kept trying to figure out: How do I get out of this?
 Jul 22

I dreamt I showed around the cover proof for my new novel from Tor, which is odd, because I have no upcoming novel, nor plans to write one.
 Jul 19

I dream one of my oldest friends and I were bumbling police detectives, the kind who only keep their jobs on sitcoms. We had misadventures.
 Jul 19

I dreamt I was having a long conversation with David Letterman — about bagels. And my memories of eating them Sunday mornings in Brooklyn.
 Jul 19 


I dreamt I asked: “They call me the Anthony @Bourdain of science fiction. Did anyone ever call you the Scott Edelman of foodies?” Then woke.
 Jul 17

I dreamt friends came over to help clean up, but instead made a mess, knocking over every bookcase like something out of Laurel and Hardy.
 Jul 17

I dreamt I was part of a group fighting a horde of zombies, when suddenly, one of the undead turned to us and began to SPEAK. A new species?
 Jul 12

I dreamt Boyd Crowder was my brother, and as we parted he slipped me a note which said we’d never see each other again — he would soon die.
 July 2

I dreamt I showed up at San Diego Comic-Con only to realize I’d left my badge back at the hotel miles away, and so had to trudge back there.
 Jul 1

I dreamt I was the son of Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi. He was angry with me, and chased me round the kitchen. But I woke before he caught me!
 Jul 1

My dreams have been diminishing lately—I’m still trying to figure out why—but that’s not going to stop me from collecting the tweets I’ve been sharing about them. Whenever I don’t, I get asked about it, which means some of you care, so … here you go!

Last month, I dreamt about Stan Lee, Don Draper, Frank Sinatra, Marie Severin, President Obama, and more.

June 2016


I dreamt I came upon one stuffed animal giving CPR to another, but it didn’t weird me out — because CANDY popped out with each compression! Jun 30


I dreamt I tried to phone people to let them know my father had died, but because tech never works for me in dreams, no calls got through. Jun 29

I dreamt I was setting up a new office with Don Draper, who was growing frustrated because I couldn’t decide where the furniture should go. Jun 29

I dreamt @IreneVartanoff and I managed to escape a cult compound, but when we returned and tried to steal back our possessions, were caught. Jun 28


I dreamt I took part in @LeVirtuPhila‘s La Panarda, and became so stuffed I dozed off, and so slept through the desert courses. Noooooo! Jun 26


I dreamt Stan Lee visited, and as we headed up to record a video, I thought, wow, he sure can take those stairs quick for a 93-year-old guy! Jun 25


I dreamt a snake racing away from me transformed into a large alligator and then a HUGE dragon, like something animated by Ray Harryhausen. Jun 24


I dreamt I was bitten by a zombie and begging my friends to take me out with a knife to the head before I turned. “Do it. Do it! DO IT!” Jun 21


I dreamt @BrianKeene showed up at a con with a long list of writers he demanded stop writing horror because they weren’t horrifying enough. Jun 21


I dreamt I was on a panel at a con, and at the far end of the table sat — Frank Sinatra. He was argumentative, contradicting EVERYTHING. Jun 16 (more…)

Last month, I seemed to have fewer dreams than usual. Was it because of all the con travel, which included StokerCon and Balticon? Or because I spent more time writing and less time sleeping? Whatever the reason, in May I recorded fewer dreams than during any month since I began sharing them with you on Twitter back in 2009.

Which may also explain why it’s taken me this deep in June to harvest them for you.

In any case, last month I dreamt of Gary Gilmore, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Helen Mirren, Bill Gaines, and more.

May 2016




I dreamt I was at @Readercon, and saw Paul Di Filippo and Barry Malzberg in the distance … but I spent most of my time with Helen Mirren.
 May 28

I dreamt the U.S. Army recruited me to train a large, colorful South American parrot as a weapon of war … but we bonded … and rebelled.
 May 27

I dreamt I was with @Nalo_Hopkinson, in her library, surrounded by her books and awards, collaborating on a menu for a huge feast.
 May 25

I dreamt I was John Candy involved in a car chase through the streets of Los Angeles … but I woke before I caught whoever I was chasing.
 May 24

I dreamt I returned to my room after a long day at a convention, popped open a bottle of champagne, and sang Sondheim’s “Ladies Who Lunch.”
 May 24

I dreamt I was running from coast to coast across the U.S. without a break, constantly in motion with no rest or sleep. I was doing it, too!
 May 20

I dreamt @Lin_Manuel was thinking of adapting a story of mine about space gorillas into a musical and I was anxiously awaiting his decision.
 May 20

I dreamt I worked for NASA and missed something big in my mother’s life because I was in space. We were interviewed on TV when I returned.
 May 20

I dream it was NOW and I was writing a comics script in which Archie Andrews teamed up with Lenny Bruce to go on a wild road trip.
 May 19

I dreamt it was the ’70s, and I was in the Marvel Bullpen writing word balloons for an issue of the X-Men over art drawn by Barry Smith.
 May 19

I dreamt I showed up at @NextRestaurant with a huge wedding party, and they were able to seat us spontaneously. THAT’S an impossible dream!
 May 18

I dreamt I was walking with Al Feldstein when we spotted Bill Gaines. I asked Al if I could get a photo of them together — but he refused!
 May 18

I dreamt I helped @TimPratt clear out his house because of an approaching fire, and as flames neared, I suddenly paused to make egg salad.
 May 17

I dreamt I was visiting friends who lived next to a chemical plant when a poison cloud leaked, so we hid in the basement. Where I wrote.
 May 10

I had a complex dream in which Gary Gilmore was campaigning for Donald Trump … but remember little more than that. (And I should be glad.)
 May 3

I dreamt @John_Clute showed me a beautiful new book by @Liz_Hand which included woodcut frontispiece art and a blurb by Galway Kinnell.
 May 3

Whenever I get to feeling maybe I shouldn’t bother continuing to share my dreams over on Twitter, that no one could possible care about them, someone surprises me by … well … caring. I’m always amazed when someone asks, “Is anything wrong? You haven’t posted many dreams lately!”

So for them, if not for you, I’ve gathered my dreams tweets from April below, which feature guest appearances by Nichelle Nichols, Vincent D’Onofrio, Rick Moranis, David Letterman and more.

And so … I dream on.

April 2016


I dreamt I tried to show @mojaveb a jacket I’d bought—it was Michael Jackson’s from Thriller—but it kept turning into the wrong one! Apr 30


I dreamt I was at David Letterman’s house, ignoring all of his no-so-subtle hints I should leave. Instead, I kept trying to make him laugh. Apr 30

I dreamt I worked with Don Draper, who wanted me to head out to a party. But I insisted I’d rather be home with my wife. (He was not happy.) Apr 30


I dreamt I wandered a romance convention trying to find my wife … and instead found Nichelle Nichols! Never found my wife, though. Apr 29


I dreamt I was President Obama, in a theater introducing a special performance of Hamilton to an appreciative kids-only audience. Apr 28


I dreamt I visited Marie Severin’s mausoleum with my parents—which is doubly strange, because IRL she’s still around while they’re not! Apr 28


Lost a dream because all I can read of my night note is “ME & [TWO ILLEGIBLE WORDS] ALIEN INVASION.” So my memory catalyst has failed me! Apr 24


I dreamt I wandered with a toddler through an obstacle-filled city, and as I went over and around them, he went under and through. A lesson? Apr 24


There is no dream so sad as the one in which you buy a pie, begin to eat that pie, and from which you wake to discover—THERE IS NO PIE. Apr 21


I dreamt I was on a flight home from Moscow, but for some reason we were being forbidden to enter U.S. airspace, and so had to turn back. Apr 19 (more…)

March was another month which brought fewer dreams than usual. What it all means, why the drop-off, I don’t know. I’ve been gathering the dreams I’ve tweeted and sharing them here since December 2009, attempting to keep them a little less ephemeral. But now that I think about it, perhaps all this dream tweeting has made them more ephemeral.

After all, the first dream I shared, back on November 30, 2007, took up nearly 300 words, not a mere 140 characters. So perhaps by tweeting, I’ve lost more than I’ve gained. Something for me to think about. But while I do …

In December, I dreamt of Jon Stewart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Fred Astaire, Daryl Dixon, David Hartwell, and many other surprise guest stars. And here they are …

March 2016

I dreamt I flew to North Korea on a secret mission for the government. Now that I’m awake, though — I don’t remember what the mission was! Mar 31

I dream I was collaborating with Harlan Ellison on a short story … about which I remember nothing other than Ponce de León was involved. Mar 30

I dreamt I explained to a friend the reason I was fearless as a teen was not arrogance, but naïveté. It seemed important she understood. Mar 30

I dreamt I was packing up statues Jack Kirby had made of all the characters he’d created (to send to a museum) and was afraid I’d chip them. Mar 30

I dreamt I got into a conversation with Jon Stewart about kids, ending up reciting the whole of “This Be the Verse.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rjRYSfCJvM Mar 29

Last night, I dreamt I explained a story idea at a convention. It was an intriguing idea. But awake, it’s not one I’d ever choose to write. Mar 26

I dreamt @Nalo_Hopkinson and I were hosting a fundraising marathon and had to talk and entertain for DAYS while urging people to donate. Mar 26

I dreamt I was in a Shakespeare play with Eddie Izzard and Maggie Smith, which was put on hold when he got into fight with the set designer. Mar 25

I dreamt Harlan Ellison was about to climb into the ring for a boxing match, then decided he’d rather live, so we went for deli instead. Mar 24

I dreamt I watched on set as Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh filmed an episode of NYPD Blue with Dennis Franz. Got to chat with them, too. Mar 23 (more…)

My dreams have been sparse the past few months—not the having of them, but the remembering of them—which meant that January and February were light compared to what I usually can save from my subconscious. But I still like gathering together what I’d previously shared on Twitter to see whether any theme arises.

So far this year, I’ve dreamt of Josh Holloway, David Letterman, David Hyde Pierce, Ian McKellen and more …

February 2016

I dreamt that while I was on a panel at @Readercon, in came my wife with a Colt .45, which she said she’d just used to kill a mouse. Feb 29

I dreamt I visited @dreamoforgonon, and when we laughed until we cried, he pulled out a box of tiny kittens with which we dabbed our tears. Feb 29

I dreamt I leapt up with two friends (don’t remember who) and spontaneously danced that famous Bande à part scene. https://youtu.be/u1MKUJN7vUk Feb 28

I dreamt I was in the Old West, chatting with a bad guy, and realized I forgotten to wear my pistol. And wondered how I’d get out of this. vFeb 26

I dreamt I drove to @StokerCon2016, and once I got there, I found I’d forgotten my luggage, and had only the clothes on my back. Oh, well! Feb 21

I dreamt I looked outside to see ducks nesting with their baby ducks. In a lake. Which we don’t have IRL. A fact which didn’t disturb me. Feb 8

I dreamt I was teaching a fiction writing course, leading an exercise which involved imagining the lives of characters in classic paintings. Feb 7

I dreamt that I visited DC Comics and found Bill Gaines (long dead IRL) holding court. I tried to take a pic, but my tech failed, of course. Feb 4

I dreamt I was at David Hartwell’s house editing a manuscript while he worked outside in his garden. But he eventually came in and chatted. Feb 2

I have no idea what dream was supposed to be brought to mind by this middle-of-the-night note: NAT KING COLE SHOWS UP. All memories — gone! Feb 1 (more…)