The Time Patriot: Episode One – Hail Mary Pass
by Kim Megahee
Synopsis:
A Hail Mary Pass – that’s what the President of the United States called it.
What are the chances Marc McKnight’s time travel team can convince George Washington to leave his home and travel with them to the year 2037?
Another bloody civil war is imminent in the United States. Political parties are hopelessly divided and fanning the embers of war. Can the war be prevented if George Washington tells modern America what the Founding Fathers were trying to achieve?
A Hail Mary Pass. A long shot. But it’s worth a try.
Author Interview
There are many books out there about time travel…. What makes yours different?
Most time travel stories have no limits on the capability of time travel. In my stories, you can only visit times that are a multiple of 25 years (give or take a week) from the current date. To me, this adds a bit of urgency to the stories—you have limited time to make things happen. I think having unlimited possibilities is less interesting.
What genre do you write and why?
Science Fiction Time Travel. I’ve always been interested in “what if” stories, alternative history, or stories that change history.
How long have you been writing?
I started writing around the year 2006, but I wasn’t serious about it. I’d write a few pages every month or so. There was no urgency and no strong commitment to getting it done. Somewhere around 2012, I decided to stop fooling around and get it done.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What helps you overcome it?
Not really. Whenever I feel a little blocked, I just sit down and start writing. In a few minutes, the muse picks me up and carries me off.
Which was the hardest character to write? The easiest?
The hardest was George Washington—How do you do justice to an American Icon, but show him as a man with faults like everyone else? The easiest was Marc McKnight, because he’s partly me and this is my fifth book with him in the lead role.
Where do you get inspiration for your stories?
Mostly from things around me. For example, we recently vacationed in San Antonio and visited the Alamo. I got an idea for a story about Davy Crockett.
Do you have another profession besides writing?
I retired from active participation in IT consulting in 2017. These days, I write or play bass in a classic rock band. I also serve on the board of the Northeast Georgia Literary Society.
If your book were made into a movie, who would star in the leading roles?
You might be sorry you asked. 😀 It helps me to visualize the characters if I have a face to associate with them. Some of these actors have passed away, but they were a great match for the characters. Here’s a partial list:
- Marc McKnight – actor Henry Cavill (at my daughter Megan’s insistence)
- Megan McKnight – actress Amy Adams
- Karen Hatcher – actress Gal Gadot
- Mitch Wheeler – actor Michael Pena
- General Drake – actor Robert Lansing
- Trevor George – actor Evan Peters
- Charles Murphy – actor Sean Bean
- Robert Astalos – actor Max von Sydow
- Heinrich Hitzinger – actor Donald Pleasance
- Eric Olson – actor Rufus Sewell (essentially the role he played in “The Man in the High Castle”)
- Arthur Smalls – actor Wesley Snipes
- Winnie Tyler – actor Liam Hemsworth
- Kathy Wu – actress Sandra Oh
- President Wade Harrison – actor Jim Caviezel
In one sentence, what was the road to publishing like?
It was an interesting, albeit frustrating, adventure.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an aspiring author?
Two things, actually: write at least a little every day; and don’t start editing and making a chapter perfect until you’ve created the first draft of the whole story.
Do you snack while writing? Favorite snack?
Absolutely. Coffee to start the day, and either grapes or mixed nuts. Later in the day, I switch to Diet Coke.
Is there a specific ritualistic thing you do during your writing time?
When I really want to concentrate, I put on the headphones and listen to music, but I’m very selective about the music. As a bass player, I can’t listen to rock music that I’m not intimately familiar with, because the musician in me takes over and I start analyzing the song. So I listen to soundtracks or rock music I’m very familiar with, like 1970’s Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Genesis, Deep Purple, etc. I know this material, so I’m not distracted by it.
Giveaway:
Author Bio:
Kim Megahee is a writer, a musician, and a retired IT consultant. His background includes playing in rock bands, teaching high school, and much experience in computer programming, security and consulting.
He lives in Gainesville, Georgia with his soulmate wife Martha, and Leo, an incredibly smart and stubborn red-headed toy poodle. In addition to writing, he enjoys reading, playing live music, and socializing with friends.
Website: https://www.authorkimmegahee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.kmega
Tour Hosts
Author Marketing Experts:
Twitter: @Bookgal
Instagram: @therealbookgal
This looks like a stellar novel. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity.