Dreamlovers
| Title: | Dreamlovers |
| Creator: | Pete Fisher |
| Date(s): | 1980 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | |
| Language: | English |
| External Links: | |
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Dreamlovers is a "semi-autobiographical" 222-page novel by Pete Fisher.
In his book (among other things), the author fantasizes about having a sexual relationship with William Shatner, thereby self-inserting himself and making elements of the novel RPF.
A similar book may be Starf*cker.
Descriptions
Have you ever fantasized a romance with a favorite film or TV star? With the young marine on leave who helps out at the local newspaper stand? Pete did - and more - he made sure the star and the marine knew about it. ... Not exactly a novel, not entirely autobiography, Dreamlovers is a fusion of the two ...
Charting one man's search to turn fantasy into reality -- despite a lover, a career, and uncomprehending friends. Dreamlovers is Pete Fisher's wildest, sexiest, and most involving book.
The Fannish Element
As Related to "Black Star"
Three years after the publication of "Dreamlovers," Pamela Rose published Fisher's zine Black Star.
"Black Star" was written before, or alongside, "Dreamlovers" -- the papers of Peter Fisher lists: "Manuscript “Black Star” Science fiction (Star Trek) novel January 1977 459 pages." [1]
That zine's editorial:
I first came into contact with Pete Fisher in January of 1983 shortly after reading his pro novel, DREAMLOVERS. The book had shocked, delighted, and intrigued me enough to write him a letter expressing my admiration for his honesty and talent. I was also panting to read the Star Trek novel he had mentioned writing. He responded with a happy openness that made us close friends in an amazingly short time.
Until he met me, Pete had never read a fanzine or or been involved in active fandom other than attending a Star Trek convention held in New York in 1976. When I suggested printing BLACK STAR as a fanzine, he was delighted at the idea of other fans reading his work. Excerpt for some updating on his part and the usual editing involved in any zine, BLACK STAR remains very much as it was originally written over six years ago.
This year Pete has continued the story in a novel entitled WORMHOLE. Unrepressed Press has plans to print this along with a third part which he has given me permission to write. (I just love to do sequels!) Anyone interested should please send a SASE for price and availability.
Media Fan Comments
It has not been our habit to recommend or suggest much of anything in OUT OF BOUNDS. We're too lazy for one thing, and for another we tend to ignore reality as much as possible. However, I recently discovered a pro book that would be of definite interest to most readers of our zine.
DREAMLOVERS, by Pete Fisher, is a semi-autobiographical account of a young gay man's obsession with fantasy lovers. It is a fascinating and delightful story related in journal style of his dreams and frustrations. It is funny, touching, painfully honest—and one of the most erotic books I have ever read. What first caught your lustful editor's eye was the fact that one of the fantasy figures was a character I have dreamed and drooled over nearly as long as my memories stretch—James T. Kirk. As most of us know quite well. Kirk makes a very succulent 'dreamlover'. Seeing this from Pete's eyes is quite an experience. After attending the 1976 Star Trek Convention in NYC, his obsession takes a turn for the worse, and he finds himself hooked on Shatner as well as the Captain (still another transition many of us have experienced). As the story (and Pete's life) progresses, he takes his fantasies to the gay bars of both New York and San Francisco. He writes a Star Trek novel to help himself extricate Kirk/Shatner from his system, and succeeds (perhaps....) only to fall for another dreamlover much more within his reach but in some ways even more untouchable and painful.
This book was a sheer joy to read for many reasons. It illuminated so many of my own fantasies and frustrations, both as a writer struggling to communicate some difficult and intangible concepts, and as someone who also tends to fall heart and headfirst into my dreamlovers.
Highly recommended! [2]
Has anyone else read "Dreamlovers" by Pete Fisher.? I found it to be the pits, the worst, Gag City. I thought the parts where he described how his characters evolved were quite interesting as they dealt with the creative process and writing, but I simply did not understand his fixation on WS, nor did I understand the relationship between him and his lover(s). Though the journal style the novel was written in (I think he termed it "semi-autobiographical") you get in in-depth, close-up picture of the personality of this guy, and I found that I didn't like him at all. I was actually rather disgusted by him. [3]
I, too, have read Dreamlovers by Pete Fisher, and I thought it was the pits. It was a great disappointment. From some comments I'd read about it, I expected it to be better. Gag City, is right! I hope his fan novel. Black Star is better. It couldn't be much worse, that's for sure. [4]
I liked DREAMLOVERS. I think what I appreciated most was Pete Fisher's candor. What did you find "disgusting" about him? I know ST fans who've gone off the deep end at least as badly as he, but lacked his perspective on what they are doing. ST fans have been known to let their marriages/relationships collapse because they were lost in a fantasy world with the show or the stars. At least, Pete and his lover Marc were able to talk about it openly. And Pete at least survived his fantasy obsession, which is more than you can say for some fans. [5]
More on Pete Fisher
References
- ^ Peter Fisher Papers
- ^ review by Pamela Rose in Out of Bounds, Again (1983)
- ^ K/S & K.S. (Kindred Spirits) #6 (1983)
- ^ from K/S & K.S. (Kindred Spirits) #6 (1983)
- ^ from K/S & K.S. (Kindred Spirits) #7 (1984)