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A Tale of Physics, Lust and Greed
Taking Time follows Marshall as a new invention sets off a series of events with far reaching impacts and Marshall is caught between corporate greed and science. What was the inspiration for the idea behind this exciting story?
The concept for my Physics, Lust and Greed series has been percolating for many years. Jack Williamson—who along with Robert Heinlein are recognized as the deans of American science fiction—live in the small Eastern New Mexico town where I grew up, so I was exposed to his books early on. The concept of time travel is particularly fascinating to me. So much time travel fiction exists that it’s difficult to find any kind of original take on the genre. My effort in finding an original twist involved having only the consciousness of the future being travel to the past, where they share the minds of their past counterparts. This set up some fun internal conflicts which become more developed in the next two books in this series.
I enjoyed Marshall’s character throughout the story. What were some sources that informed the characters development?
I don’t embrace the “superman” concept of male protagonists. As much as I enjoy Lee Child’s Jack Reacher, being the toughest guy in the room makes things a little too easy. Supreme confidence is something most of us lack. Marshall is an awkward, terribly self-conscious and insecure person who has spent his life trying not to call attention to himself. Most of us weren’t the best athlete, the best musician or the most popular or smartest kid in school. Most of us had to use our wits to find our place and guard our dignity as we grew up. Marshall’s weaknesses give him his strength as a character as we watch him grow over the arc of three books.
What were some time travel tropes that you were trying to avoid in this story?
I’ve already alluded to this, but I didn’t want my past and future characters to have a physical confrontation. But I did want to create a conflict between the future and past versions of the same character. Having the intellect of the future being occupy the mind of the past being creates this conflict in what I think is a unique way. The greater disparity in the age of the past and future beings, the greater the conflict of values and understanding of the world around them. This was a fun plot element to develop.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The second book in the Physics, Lust and Greed Series—Wasting Time—was published Oct. 1. The third book—Killing Time—is schedule for release May 11. My first non-fiction book—We Never Knew Just What it Was … The Story of the Chad Mitchell Trio—will hopefully be out in August.
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Fraught with insecurities, Marshall Grissom has spent his whole life trying not to call attention to himself, so he can’t imagine he would be remotely suited for the role of time travel pioneer. He’s even less enthusiastic about this corporate time-travel adventure when he learns that nudity is a job requirement. The task would better match the talents of candidates like the smart and beautiful Sheila Schuler, or the bristle-tough and rattlesnake-mean Marta Hamilton.
As the project evolves into a clash between science and corporate greed, conflicts escalate. Those contributing the funding are mostly interested in manipulating time travel for profit, and will stop at nothing, including murder, to achieve their goals.
Taking Time
The last person you’d expect to take on the role of time travel pioneer is Marshall, who is not your typical hero. Rail thin, six foot three, and not the least bit athletic, he’s hardly inconspicuous. Nonetheless swayed by the perks that come with working on a top secret new project, Marshall is nervous and insecure in his new role. But he’s far more concerned about the necessity of travelling through time naked than he is with the situational ethics of doing so. Mike Murphey’s Taking Time: A Tale of Physics, Lust, and Greed is part science fiction, part thriller, and part light comedy. The work treads the line between something more scientific, with discussions surrounding the theories and laws related to time travel, and almost slapstick humor, mostly derived from the characters appearing in front of each other naked.
The characters are well developed; all thrown together into a strange environment early on in the book; tightly integrating their relationships and inner conflicts and allowing the reader to get to know them more. Sudden flashbacks dramatize the otherwise smooth narrative, while the explanations of the concept of time, of dark matter, and physics more broadly, eventually give way to the stark reality that the project Marshall has been hired to work on is being used by both governments and large corporations for their own ends.
Taking Time is a fun book that blends lite versions of the science fiction, thriller, and comedy genres without fully embracing one. You may find yourself chuckling in parts, and enjoying the entertaining twists and turns, if you’re able to suspend your disbelief for a few short hours. Taking Time kept me sufficiently entertained with its charm and humor.
Pages: 358 | ASIN: B087PP8DPL
A Talented and Funny Story
The Conman: A Baseball Odyssey is based on the life of professional baseball player Keith Comstock. What was the inspiration that made you want to write and publish this fascinating story?
I have known Keith for many years and have spent a lot of time with him talking about baseball. Keith is a talented and funny story-teller. He could have made a career as a stand-up comic. But I also realized that behind all those funny stories was a lot of struggle and heartbreak as well. I talked with Keith for several years about the possibility of a book, and he finally agreed.
What was the writing collaboration like between you and Keith Comstock?
Over the course of six months or so we met a couple of afternoons a week at an IHOP in north Phoenix. I’d ask questions and take notes. Other times, we’d meet in his office at the Texas Rangers Spring Training complex in Surprise, and we’d combine a pitching lesson with more discussion about the book. I’m an amateur pitcher playing in old-man baseball leagues, and Keith finds my lack of ability amusing.
What were some themes that were important for you to focus on in this book?
Most baseball books are a collection of funny stories or big-game moments. Both Keith and I wanted to present the reality of professional baseball’s grind. I wanted to show the human cost of single-minded purpose—the things that family and friends sacrifice to a player’s ambition. The Conman has plenty of funny moments. But they are balanced by the poverty of struggling through the minor leagues, and by the constant specter of failure.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The second book in my Physics, Lust and Greed Series—Taking Time—came out a couple of weeks ago. I am finishing the editing process and the third book in this humorous time-travel series. I am also working on my first non-fiction book about the Chad Mitchel Trio and the 60’s era of folk music. Both those books will be published next year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
We Shared a Destiny
Section Roads follows three friends who go back to their home town after forty years and are forced to confront a bloody secret. What was the inspiration for the setup to this thrilling novel?
Section Roads has many biographical elements that guided its evolution. A few weeks after graduating from high school, I left home to attend summer session at New Mexico State University, leaving my high school girlfriend behind. Despite our separation, I felt we shared a destiny so we would eventually be together. We didn’t, we weren’t and are both probably better off for it. We remain friends, and I had her blessing to tell this story. Anyway, during that lonely summer, I read a coming-of-age book by New Mexico author Richard Bradford called Red Sky at Morning. I decided then that if I could ever write a book, I’d write one like that.
I enjoyed the development of each character and their evolution into adulthood. What were some driving ideals behind their character development?
My protagonists aren’t tough guys. They are more likely to be the guys getting beaten up by tough guys. People who must cope with the world by overcoming fear and using their wits are far more interesting than people who get by on physical superiority. That’s where Cullen comes from. Buddy, of course, is a tough guy. But he’s also has a curios intellectuality that leads him to reject the tough guy culture. I grew up among strong women and share my life with a strong woman, so my female protagonists, like Shelby and Lori, are strong women.
The mystery at the heart of this story was riveting. Did you plan it before writing or did it develop organically while writing?
I don’t know how my books are going to end when I start writing. Of course, I had a vague idea of how the mystery would play out. But the specifics emerged as I got to know the characters.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
The second book in my Physics, Lust and Greed series about time travel—Wasting Time–came out October 1. The third book—Killing Time—is waiting in the wings. My first non-fiction book, We Never Knew Just What it Was… the Story of the Chad Mitchell Trio is also awaiting publication. It focuses on the 60’s era of folk music.
Author Links: GoodReads | Facebook | Website
In a small town on the high plains of Eastern New Mexico, life and culture are shaped by the farm roads defining the 640-acre sections of land homesteaders claimed at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Cullen and Shelby Blaine explore first love along these section roads during the 1960’s, forging a life-long emotional bond.
As junior high school band nerds, Cullen and Shelby fall under the protection of football player and loner, Buddy Boyd. During their sophomore year of high school, Buddy is charged with killing a classmate and is confined to a youth correctional facility. When he returns to town facing the prospect of imprisonment as an adult, Cullen becomes Buddy’s protector.
The unsolved case haunts the three friends into adulthood, and it isn’t until their fortieth reunion, that they’re forced to revisit that horrible night. When a new killing takes place, Cullen, Shelby and Buddy find themselves reliving the nightmare.
Murder is an easy thing to hide along old country section roads.
The Conman: A Baseball Odyssey
The Conman by Mike Murphey is based on a true story of the life of professional baseball player, Keith Comstock. The story follows Conor Nash a professional baseball player. His sole mission in life is to pitch in the major leagues. He has been released from his baseball contracts ten times within his 16 year career. After being forced to retire due to an injury he is not able to recognize the person he has become. He goes on a journey to discover who he is now that he can no longer pitch.
Mike Murphey has done a fantastic job portraying the life of a professional baseball player and the struggles they deal with. You begin to understand Conor and his tenacious attitude towards baseball. Conor has gone through so many challenges from being fired, dismissed, kicked off the team, traded multiple times but he still persevered. The portrayal of Conor’s wife Kate is admirable, she is a strong and loving woman and supported Conor throughout his baseball career. The author seamlessly switched between third person narration to first person. Murphey displays his sophisticated writing skills by smoothly transitioning between a memory and what was going on in the present.
You don’t have to be a fan of baseball to truly appreciate this story. The dialogue is funny and witty and keeps you entertained from beginning to end. Not only does the author discuss the obstacles that Conor went through he also brings forth Conor’s accomplishments. You are taken on an emotional roller coaster right alongside Conor. At times I did get frustrated with some of the decisions Conor made but I was still rooting for him.
The Conman is a witty, complicated and inspiring read that gives the reader hope that no matter what you are going through in life, if you never give up, you will reach your dream.
Pages: 379 | ASIN: B07ZJNDSHD
Section Roads
![Section Roads by [Mike Murphey]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51RXQafyQ2L.jpg)
Section Roads is a captivating mystery novel by Mike Murphey that follows a group of friends getting together at their small New Mexico hometown for their high school reunion after more than forty years. As freshmen band geeks, Cullen Molloy and Shelby Blaine meet in the small town of Arthur, New Mexico during the 1960’s. As they experience their first love, they also form a friendly relationship with Buddy, a misunderstood football player. Little do they know, this friendship will be forever bonded by a dark secret. When they reach sophomore year, Buddy is charged with the murder of a girl named Chrissy Hammond, though later absolved of the charge. The crime causes the three friends to leave Arthur in hopes of starting their lives over elsewhere, that is until forty years later they return to their hometown and are forced to face the past as a new killing takes place.
Mike Murphey has an extraordinary way of intertwining past and present events smoothly to form a single story. One that does not cease to surprise at every turn. The main character, Cullen Molloy, is a semi-retired attorney with a newfound confidence he never displayed during high school. He considers himself a protector of his friends, especially Buddy, who he feels has carried a terrible weight on his shoulders for too long. Shelby is the perfect example of the shy but pretty girl who peaks after high school and develops an outgoing, slightly flirtatious personality and lives by herself after divorcing twice. Her connection to Cullen is deep, yet they never seem to be at the same place at the same time. As for Buddy, he is a loner man as he was a loner teenager. Haunted by the events he lived through high school and plagued by the guilt of the death of his fellow classmate. He finds himself in trouble when he returns home forty years after high school. The way the author creates a story that spans over four decades, the relatable characters and setting, and the exciting course of events rich with drama, murder, romance, and suspense, makes for no less than a five-star review. It reminds of the same character and plot buildup effortlessly accomplished in Stephen King novels. I enjoyed Section Roads thoroughly and highly recommend it to any mystery fan out there.
Pages: 361 | ASIN: B07RSLSFKS
LITERARY TITAN 