Author quotes from recent time-travel novel

Hi, Mike here, author of such books as The Judas Syndrome, A.I. Insurrection, and the book I’ll be reading quotable quotes from today: Cleo McCarthy, Time Travel and Other Impossible Things.

This is a time-travel romance novel I launched in 2023 to some of the best reviews I’ve ever gotten. And lots of them, too. Hard science and strong characters build out a greater mystery, offering suspense and the thrill of travelling through time.

The book is described like this: The first time Cleo feared for her life was when she was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at 23.

The second time is when she discovered she could travel back in time at 24.
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In the novel, Cleo is lucky enough to meet her guide, Franklin, early on, who, when asked how many cities he’s visited to find those like her, answers truthfully: “I enjoy traditional travel as well as time travel.”  

Another favorable quote happens while Franklin explains time travel to Cleo, clarifying the impossibility of going back in time and playing the winning lotto numbers you witnessed in your most recent present. He says, “Time is like an hourglass. When sand fills the bottom, the bottom becomes the top and begins anew. No two grains of sand will fall in the same sequence as in past turnings. Like in chaos theory, each grain of sand’s timing cannot be predicted, nor can the minutiae of events in each future.”

So, the whole Back to the Future sports almanac event couldn’t have offered the correct results. Too many variables to take into account.

Another quote I think represents how most of us would feel in a similar situation has Cleo proclaiming to a friend: “I’m having a difficult time believing my own story.”

Because - I mean, time travel, right?

To add to this reaction, after being told - in no uncertain terms - by her doctorate friend that the universe wasn’t designed to support travel to the past, Cleo scoffs and says: “I guess that makes me the mole on the face of Ms. Universe.”

Cleo tends to deal with trauma through humour. It’s a defence mechanism that saves her from taking on the full weight of whatever is causing the distress. She uses this often throughout the book.

So, those are the quotes I wanted to share, to offer you some insight into the novel and its characters’ personalities. Remember, you can view all of the reviews and ratings for Cleo McCarthy, time travel, and other impossible things on Goodreads. The novel is available for purchase on all online stores in print or ebook format.

Thanks again for listening, and happy reading.

 Deep Dive into Sub-Genres like Reincarnation

 

Watch on the YouTube channel instead

As an author, you need to take a step back occasionally and assess your work. Who are you as a writer, and who are your intended readers?

I’ll admit I am something of a niche writer. I love to include reincarnation, also known in genre fiction as past-lives or past-life, into the meat of many of my stories. Reincarnation fascinates me and I’ve read and researched it to no end. I even sat for a three-hour hypnotic regression session into my past lives once. An incredible experience I’ll never forget. One that I want to encourage others to pursue after reading one of my novels.

Examples of past-life experiences in my works include my post-apocalyptic series The Judas Syndrome, in which the main character discovers he’s experienced other historical catastrophes and that his current nightmare is only one of many he’s endured through the ages. In the family drama–suspense novel Her Past’s Present, Tess is introduced to a man who has reincarnated several times alongside her. And even in my military Science Fiction trilogy, A.I. Insurrection, where advanced, sentient robots claim to be experiencing past lives lived as humans, seems somewhat out of place; the theme builds a near-future world that ignites the imagination and questions what it means to be sentient. Lastly, but not least, my Crime fiction novel, Killing Karma, showcases a serial killer who claims past lives as their reasoning for their murder spree.

So, if your interests lie with mine, and reincarnation fiction gives you all the feels, you’ll find a few reads across four genres in my back library to choose from. I hope you do, as I feel compelled to bring stories like this to life to influence others with the certainty that we aren’t just here for a few decades, and that in that short time, there’s no way we could learn all that we’re here to learn.

One lifetime simply isn’t enough.

My books are available everywhere ebooks are sold, and in print format at Amazon.

Thanks for listening, and, in this life and the next, happy reading

NEW Medium and Psychic Investigator Fiction

Medium and Psychic Investigator Fiction may be a niche genre, but it seamlessly blends into the ever-popular worlds of paranormal mystery—and, when the tone allows, even the charm of a paranormal cozy.

A standout example of cozy psychic investigator fiction is The Haunting of Grosvenor House, the latest novel from acclaimed author Michael Poeltl.

Described as: When a medium, a ghost, and two divorcees collide within a house alive with unfinished business, they must unravel the past before it consumes them all.

At the heart of the story is Sandy—a seasoned medium and psychic investigator in her seventies, standing on the uneasy threshold of retirement. But stepping away isn’t so simple when the dead refuse to let go. Spirits have a way of finding Sandy… whether she’s ready or not.

Her burden deepens as she spends time at a hospice, where her husband lives out his final days.

Yet even in the midst of personal grief, Sandy is pulled into one last case: her nephew’s tenant is terrified of a presence lurking in her attic room. What begins as a favour quickly spirals into something far more unsettling.

Sandy doesn’t realize it yet—but she’s about to face one of the most bizarre and dangerous investigations of her long and storied career.

Michael Poeltl is a multi-genre author whose writing experiences contribute to a many-layered mystery with a twist that will satisfy the most jaded reader.

Order your copy of The Haunting of Grosvenor House today.

An Authors Backlist is a Goldmine for Readers and the Author

This is a two-parter. One, the fact that a backlist of books by a single author offers a treasure trove of reading opportunities to the reader, and two, that if the author writes in multiple genres, the reader will discover they love more than one category of book, and that's a blessing on both the author and the reader.

1 One of the unexpected gifts of being an author is discovering that your older stories never really stop traveling. Even when I’m wrapped up in marketing or buried in a new manuscript, sales still appear—sometimes from books I wrote more than a decade ago.

When novels like The Judas Syndrome find new readers 17 years after publication, it reminds me that stories move at their own pace. A novel published in 2009 can still reach someone today, and that feels quietly profound. It means the message isn't dead. That it remains relevant across generations. Does that qualify it as a classic? I dare to hope. 

Regardless, on days when the creative work feels heavy or when my latest release struggles to find its footing, those moments matter. They’re gentle reminders that every book leaves a trail; every story finds its time.

I’m grateful for each sale, and for every reader who chooses to step into a world I created.

2 One of the quiet joys of having a backlist of books that spans multiple genres is watching readers wander through it. Someone might start with one of my sci-fi novels, then drift into my post-apocalyptic stories—or surprise me entirely by picking up my YA fantasy, crime fiction, or even a paranormal cozy mystery.

What stays with me is this: it’s not the genre that carries them forward—it’s the storytelling. Because they connected with one story, they’re willing to take a chance on another, even if it lives in a completely different world.

That feels meaningful to me. It’s a reminder that readers don’t always come for categories—they come for voice, emotion, and connection. And in many ways, it mirrors how I read, too. I’ve never liked being boxed in by genre. Good stories are good stories, wherever they’re found.

I’m grateful to those who continue to find my stories and keep coming back. I hope to continue building worlds and offering new genres to my backlist of books so my readers are never pigeon-holed by a single category when looking for stories from Michael Poeltl.