J.M. NORTHUP

MEET MY CHARACTER

• Tell us about your story:
  • What is the name of your book?
  • • The Book is called Suspension, Book 1 of the Time Binder series
• • What genre is it?
  • • It’s Sci fi /Paranormal/Time Travel/ Romance/Murder-Mystery
• • When and where is your tale set?
  • • The story is set in the present day in Bristol, a city in the United Kingdom. As it is a time travel tale there are various forays into the past and future by nature of the plot.
• Who are you?
  • What is your name?
    • My Name is Carla Thompson.
    Are you a fictional or historical character?
    • I am fictional, but I interact with some real historical characters in the story
    What’s your role in the story – are you the protagonist or a supporting character?
    • I am the main protagonist and a reluctant heroine
    Are you a human, animal, alien, robot, or something completely different?
    • I am human in the first part of the story but after I become a Dream Walker, I exist in spirit form
  • Do you consider yourself to be good, bad, or indifferent? Would others agree with this assessment – why, or why not?
    • I would like to think that I am a good character, but I am initially shocked and unhappy with what destiny has in store for me. In life, I was a 31-year-old divorced English teacher, borderline depressed and thought of myself as unremarkable. A twist of fate i.e., my premature death, changes all that and I discover that I am a predestine Dream Walker and one of a long line of women in my bloodline who have undertaken this role through time. I can be stubborn and hardheaded at times, as being a Dream Walker can be a tough call. I don’t always see eye to eye with my co characters, but I battle my demons and try to do what is right. although it is not always easy.
• What do we need to know about you?
  • What is your personal goal?  I mean, what do you ultimately want?
    • As this role was unexpectedly thrust upon me, I think the first part of the answer to this question is trying to understand what is expected of me. Being a Dream Walker is far from easy and there is no instruction booklet, and I am just feeling my way along and learning from my mistakes. I am here to help people transition from this life to the next and find peace  and closure. I think it would be safe to say that I would ultimately like the same for myself.
    What is standing in your way?  What conflict(s) do you face?
    • Each scenario that I face brings its own challenges. The people who cross my path are each on their own journey and sometimes all I am able to do is be there and point them in the right direction. It can be rewarding but also frustrating and nonstop – with a new person arriving needing my help as soon as I have dispatched another off to their own version of heaven.When it comes to conflicts, I think my biggest struggle is with Isambard Brunel who is the gatekeeper of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, the portal that I use. He is a stickler for rules and regulations but I’m a bit of a rebel and we frequently clash, although deep down we respect one another. The situation was made all the more difficult because I fell in love with one of the people I was tasked with helping – which is absolutely forbidden. When his life became untenable, I helped him do the unthinkable. It was a terrible choice to have to make as a Dream Walker and came at a high price.
  • Why is this goal important to you?  What’s your motivation?
    • It may sound idealistic, but I am just trying to find truth and purpose in what I do. That goes hand in hand with finding peace and a sense fulfillment. I think true happiness comes through helping others. Although at first, I wasn’t happy about being a Dream Walker, in time the path revealed itself, but I also like to have a little time out occasionally
• How do I get a copy of your book?
  • Is it available now, or when can we expect to see it released?
    • Suspension was published by Lucid House Publishing in June 2022 and is available worldwide on all major platforms including Amazon, the Book Depository and Barnes and Noble. It is also available on Kindle.
• • • There is a sequel scheduled for release in October 2023.
  • Do you have a universal link available?
    • You can find out more on my webpage