The Dream Collector, Excerpt by R.W. Meek

The Dream Collector immerses the reader into the exciting milieu of late 19^th Century Paris when art and medicine were in the throes of revolution, art turning to Impressionism, medicine turning to psychology. In 1885, Julie Forette, a self-educated woman from Marseilles, finds employment at the infamous Salpêtrière, hospital and asylum to over five thousand disabled, demented and abandoned women, a walled city ruled by the famed neurologist and arrogant director, Dr. Jean-Martin Charcot.

Julie Forette forms a friendship with the young, visiting intern Sigmund Freud who introduces her to the altering-conscious power of cocaine. Together they pursue the hidden potential of hypnotism and dream interpretation. After Freud receives the baffling case of the star hysteric, Sabrine Weiss, he is encouraged by Julie to experiment with different modes of treatment, including “talking sessions.” Their urgent quest is to find a cure for Sabrine, Princess of the Hysterics, before Dr. Charcot resorts to the radical removal of her ovaries.

In Paris, Julie finds a passion for the new art emerging, Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, and forms friendships with the major artists of the period, including Pissarro, Monet, and Degas. Julie becomes intimately involved with the reclusive Cezanne only to be seduced by the “Peruvian Savage” Paul Gauguin. Julie is the eponymous ‘Dream Collector’ collecting the one unforgettable, soul-defining dream of the major historical figures of the period.

Excerpt: Meeting Sabrine

The warming, pleasant effects of the cognac had Sigmund sorting through the photographs with greater leisure; he started to savor them as if paintings—until one particular pose troubled him. She was photographed curled into a corner of the bed, her back pressed against the wall, and her head thrust forward with a swollen and distended neck, barring teeth like a vicious animal. It was frightening to behold someone less than human. He gulped what remained of the drink.

“She threatens,” Dr. Charcot explained. “I call this attitude, Le Menace.”

Before Sigmund could respond with a reasonable question, whispering sounds outside the door of the library caused him to turn. He heard quick retreating footsteps, watched the door latch click open and instinctively recoiled at her sudden appearance. She wore a white smock identical to the photograph in his trembling hands and he braced himself for whatever menace she might express.

The princess of the hysterics walked forward, wearing a most natural smile, presenting such uncommon composure and confidence that he could not believe that this woman had spent the past five years of her life confined in an institution for the diseased and insane.

When she offered her hand, specifically to him, he tried to assure himself that she must be in the state Charcot labeled, l’Ėtat Normal.

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Meet R.W. Meek

R.w. Meek has a Master’s degree in Art History from the American University in Washington, D.C., his areas of expertise are Impressionism and Post-Impressionism, with a particular interest in Vincent van Gogh. He has interned and conducted tours at the National Museum of American and the National Gallery of Art. In 2022 and 2023 five of his chapter excerpts from his soon to be published novel “The Dream Collector” were either finalists or published in various literary journals. The author has also won the Palm Beach Book Festival Competition for “Best Writer in Palm Beach’ his manuscript judged by a panel of NYT Best Selling authors. “The Dream Collector” also received gold and silver medals in the Historical Fiction Company literary contest and earned runner-up for the “Best Historical Fiction Novel’ of 2022.

The author was born in Baltimore, adventured in Europe for many years, and recently moved from Delray Beach, Florida to Santa Clarita, California. His wife is a psychologist, sculptress, playwright and stand-up story teller. His daughter Nora is a story board artist in the animation world and resides in Hollywood, California. His favorite writers are Dostoevsky, John Fowles, and Antoine de Saint-Exupery.