Is it a standalone, part of a series, an anthology, or short story?
A standalone.
Would you tantalize readers with a synopsis?
Julie is an experienced time traveller. Her work for the government is crucial. When she goes back to war time Poland, something has gone wrong. No longer an ethereal being, she is visible and vulnerable. For the first time, she is fearful for her life. She then finds a woman like herself, who is another traveller. Together they try to figure things out and find their way back to the future.
What inspired this tale?
Time travel is something I’d never written about. As a child, I would watch Time Tunnel with my dad. I took inspiration from that. Time travel was less sophisticated in those days without the knowledge we have today.
Did you have to do any research, and if so, what, and why?
I wanted to get the dynamics for quantum leap correct, so enlisted the help of my editor.
Did you learn anything new or surprising while you wrote this book that you’d like to tell us about?
This originally started as a short story, and I didn’t initial see that I had based it on the simpler form of travel. Once I did, as I did the rewrite, I remembered the programmes I watched as a child in the sixties and seventies. I wanted to represent the technology of the past.
Who is the main protagonist of the story? Julie.
Do you feel your character is relatable to readers of all ages?
I would say so. Time travel technology can be complicated, but because I’ve simplified it, all readers should be able to relate and understand.
What made you write this character? Were they based on a real person or something that inspired you?
The short answer is no. Julie literally came from my imagination.
What should readers know about your protagonist?
She is an experienced time traveller who enjoys her job and finds it challenging at times. On this leap to the past, Julie finds things out about people that had never occurred to her before. For the first time, she questions her own life and expectations.
Why are they important to you?
Julie is a new person and in a new genre for me. That made it important to make both her and the storyline as believable as possible.
Do you consider the main character to be good or bad, and why?
She is a good person and an expert at what she does. To be immune to the things she observes takes a lot of skill.
What’s the objective of your character?
Her logged testimony would provide essential proof to world.
Is there anything specific you’d like readers to know about this piece of work? This story was created by magic. When I originally sat down, I had no idea what to write, except that it was to be time travel. With everything just right, no pressures, plenty of time, and a quiet environment, I took a pen and paper and simply wrote. The magic happened when the pen took on a life of its own. Two hours later, I had a complete story.
Is there a moral or idea you’re trying to convey, and if yes, what?
The original short story was written with the theme of something you are grateful for. Julie was grateful to live in her time. So, the moral is for us all to remember that we should look for something in own own lives that makes us grateful.
What was your writing process like? For example, do you use an outline, or do you let the story flow as you write (“pantser”)?
I am neither a pantser nor a plotter, but if I had to admit to leaning one way or the either, I’d have to jump on the “pantser” bandwagon. I always know the beginning of my story and the end of it too. I even have an idea as to what the “2nd” and “3rd” acts are going to be (I write in four acts) but what comes between the acts is completely character driven. I usually know a few of the main points between acts, so I jot those down and aim for them, but mostly, I listen to the characters. I am just a transcriber. It’s their story, not mine.
Do you have a writing routine? Like, do you get your cup of coffee to write in your office in silence, or do you prefer to sit on the deck with the radio playing in the background? What atmosphere is conducive to your creativity?
I like to write in my office in the mornings with a background of BBC Radio 2 to accompany me.
Did any of your preference change while writing this title, and if so, what, and why?
The story bears little resemblance to what it once was. Adding the details became more satisfying than just writing a short piece. It meant both the reader and I can invest in the character and fully understand what Julie is facing as she jumps back in time.
Where can readers connect with you and purchase your book? If you have a universal link, please provide it here.
You can purchase my book in paperback, hardcover, or ebook from all vendors. This universal link will give you the option to select the vendor you prefer:
