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A Chance to Use My Knowledge
The Right Time is a time-slip romance where a woman escaping an abusive marriage wakes up in the 1980s, finding a second chance at freedom, love, and self-discovery amid the ache of what she’s lost. What inspired you to blend time-slip elements with a story of domestic survival and healing?
I was continuing my Time Slip series that started in The Wish: A Time Slip Novel, the first of a series of stand-alone women’s fiction stories that will take place in various times. The therapist from The Wish, Dr. Maeve Fossey, is the only recurring character, as she hears the wishes and mysteriously causes them to come true.
A couple of years ago, Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s Malibu Rising won a Reader’s Choice award for best Historical Fiction. It was set in the 80s, and this blew my mind! I grew up in the 80s. I love reading historical fiction, but I hadn’t written any. If the 80s are historical fiction, I can finally write a “historical” story set in a time I remember and provide details that feel authentic without a ton of research. I loved 80s music, movies, and TV, so this was my chance to use some of that knowledge.
How did you approach writing the 1980s setting in a way that felt nostalgic but not overly romanticized?
In 1985, I was thirteen years old, so I was old enough to remember a lot about the time. I think because I was there, I didn’t over romanticize it. There are advantages and disadvantages to every time.
Andie’s journey feels deeply personal. Was any part of her story drawn from real experiences or people you’ve known?
There are several pieces of this story that are based on real events, and writing about them was a type of therapy. The late-night fights between my mom and her boyfriend from when I was ten were real. On at least two memorable occasions, I heard them fighting, mostly his loud voice. Once, he tried to hit her and missed, punching a hole through the drywall of their bedroom wall. The second time, he broke a sturdy homemade stool in the kitchen, smashing it to pieces for emphasis as he berated her. For the next several months, until we moved, I had trouble sleeping. The cat and dog were also real. My cat would climb up to my loft bedroom to sleep, and the boyfriend’s dog would guard the base of the ladder.
My mom’s excuse about hitting a doorknob when trying to explain a black eye is something I also remember. The black eye was a turning point because she was unable to hide the abuse at work after that. Usually, he hit her where it didn’t show. Her co-workers all drove trucks and helped us move that Friday.
Also, real was being stood up by my co-workers for a Starbucks gathering in 2018 or 2019 that many said they would attend. In the story, nobody shows up. In real life, after waiting 75 minutes alone, I left and was walking home when someone else texted to ask if we were still there. I didn’t tell her I’d given up. I went back and met her for twenty minutes before heading home again. On the way, I ran into 5 others from work who’d gone out for drinks instead. I was hurt because they’d been no-shows for me and had gone out in the neighborhood anyway. They hadn’t bothered to tell me they’d changed their mind or invited me to go to Browns instead. I’ve never tried to have an after-school get-together again. If invited to a book launch, my co-workers don’t even RSVP, so I stopped including them. Like Andie, I struggle with personal connection daily.
And, who hasn’t been stuck in a Customer Service loop somewhere, trying to use authenticator apps and personal verification questions? Most of the time, all I want is to get through to a person who can help, not AI Customer service or endless menu loops that don’t answer your question or let you choose a team member to speak to. The frustration is real.
The other piece that was more fun to use was my experience working at video stores. I worked in one from April 1989 to July 1990 in high school. I worked at another through my third to fifth years of university from 1992 onward, keeping one shift a week through my substitute teaching years, only giving it up when I was hired for a full-time teaching position in September 1996.
What can readers expect in book three in your A Time Slip series?
I am toying with a few different ideas, but the one calling to me the most is related to The Right Time. One of the tertiary characters may suffer a heartbreak and find herself somewhere new. She is in her early thirties in 1985, and I think she will wish herself into the future, but I’m not sure where yet, but I hear Canada is lovely.
With two more Racing books planned, a dystopian heist clamouring for attention, and romantic suspense in progress, my next time slip story is still swirling through my thoughts without feeling concrete. Not yet.
The Right Time: Back to the 80s
The Right Time is a time-slip romance that follows Andie, a woman trying to escape an abusive marriage by starting over in an unexpected way, nearly fifty years earlier, in the 1980s. She finds herself grappling with heartbreak, survival, and the strange blessing of a second chance. The book weaves together themes of self-discovery, nostalgia, and the longing for safety and love, all wrapped in a blend of magical realism and women’s fiction.
The writing pulled me in right away. Gibson writes with a straightforward style that’s easy to sink into, yet she layers in emotion without ever making it feel heavy-handed. I found myself rooting for Andie almost instantly. Her struggles felt raw, sometimes painfully so, but that’s what made the story stick. There were moments that made me angry at the unfairness of her situation, then others that made me smile with relief when she carved out a sliver of peace for herself. The details of the 80s setting added charm, but they never overshadowed the deeper story, which is what really mattered.
I felt the pacing meandered, lingering on small domestic details, but oddly enough, I didn’t mind. Those slower scenes gave the book a lived-in feel, almost like watching someone rebuild their life one messy, ordinary moment at a time. The romance element had a soft touch. It wasn’t all swoon and sparks, but more about the ache of possibility, of whether Andie could trust herself again. That restraint worked for me. It felt authentic, not like a fairy tale.
By the end, I closed the book with a sense of satisfaction. It’s not flashy or grand, but it’s heartfelt. I’d recommend The Right Time to readers who enjoy character-driven stories, especially fans of women’s fiction with a hint of magic. If you’ve ever wondered about do-overs or if you simply love a slow-burn story rooted in courage and hope, this book will speak to you.
Pages: 348 | ASIN: B0FQWHNG2S
The Intersection of Myth and Science
The Ark of the First Gods follows a brilliant young man with alien origins and superhuman abilities, who uncovers a cosmic conspiracy that could change humanity’s fate. Adam’s journey has echoes of classic sci-fi protagonists. Did you draw influence from other stories?
Adam’s arc was consciously shaped with echoes of classic science fiction heroes like Paul Atreides (Dune), David Bowman (2001: A Space Odyssey), and even Neo from The Matrix. Like them, Adam is a reluctant protagonist drawn into a larger, often metaphysical conflict that challenges the nature of identity, destiny, and power. I wanted to explore the transformation of a scientist—someone grounded in reason and logic—into a being forced to confront truths that transcend science and logic entirely.
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Thematically, The Ark of the First Gods is a story about identity, control, and awakening. It deals with the tension between free will and predestination, the manipulation of truth by powerful entities (alien or otherwise), and humanity’s place in a cosmic ecosystem it barely understands. I was particularly interested in what it means to be “engineered” for a purpose—how much of who we are is self-determined versus designed, either biologically or by ideology.
At its core, the book is about a hybrid protagonist standing at the intersection of ancient myth and future science, forced to choose between becoming a weapon of control or a vessel of liberation—not just for himself, but for all of Earth.
When and where will the book be available?
The Ark of the First Gods has not been published yet. It is currently with my literary agent so it is difficult to say when it will become available.
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The Ark Of The First Gods
Howard K. Pollack’s The Ark of the First Gods is a coming-of-age science fiction story that follows Adam, a gifted young man with mysterious origins and superhuman mental abilities. Adopted under strange circumstances, Adam grows from a curious boy into a genius-level MIT student and NASA recruit. Along the way, he discovers not only his unique powers, such as telekinesis and telepathy, but also a much deeper truth about his extraterrestrial origins. The novel weaves together government conspiracies, space exploration, cyber espionage, and alien intervention, culminating in Adam’s role as a key figure in a covert mission known as Project Eclipse.
The writing feels grounded and sincere, even when it’s exploring wild, cosmic ideas. The scenes at the Kennedy Space Center had a real sense of awe and wonder, which made me feel like a kid again. Pollack has a knack for blending technical detail with accessible storytelling, and it shows in how smoothly he explains things like propulsion systems and satellite arrays. The characters, especially Adam and Suzie, are likable and have believable chemistry. Their interactions felt natural, not forced. Suzie’s warmth balances out Adam’s intensity, and that dynamic gives the story a much-needed human touch.
While I enjoyed the buildup, a few of the later twists, like the lunar signals and Project Eclipse, could have used more emotional payoff. Still, there was something earnest about the whole thing that kept me rooting for Adam, even when things got a bit over-the-top. It has the heart of a good sci-fi movie from the ’90s, ambitious, a little campy at times, but packed with heart and imagination.
The Ark of the First Gods is a fast and heartfelt read that’s ideal for fans of character-driven sci-fi. If you enjoy stories like Stranger Things or Ender’s Game, where gifted young people uncover hidden truths about themselves and the universe, you’ll probably have a good time here. It’s full of wonder and just enough mystery to keep you flipping pages.
Final Eclipse
After reading Final Eclipse by Matthew Huddleston, I can say it’s one of the most unpredictable and strange sci-fi thrillers I’ve come across this year. The story begins with a sudden and total blackout of critical solar satellites at Lagrange Point One, launching an escalating mystery involving scientists, governments, and eventually, an unexplained anomaly near the sun. Kevin, a teenage protagonist, gets drawn into the crisis alongside his brilliant but emotionally distant father, Dr. Mycroft. What starts as a quiet domestic drama evolves into a sprawling, globe-spanning narrative that combines real space science, speculative threats, and teenage adventure. Think Contact meets WarGames, but with more snow gear and solar flares.
There’s something endearing about the way Huddleston writes characters, especially Kevin. He’s sharp but awkward, competent but unsure of himself, and his internal monologue feels genuine. The writing itself is clean and fast-paced, and despite the science-heavy content, the story never bogs down. I liked how the science was treated seriously without turning into a lecture. But I also felt some of the adult characters, especially the government and military ones, could’ve used more texture.
What really caught me was the balance of tone. It goes from geeky high school hijinks to doomsday speculation without losing its footing. Some of the emotional beats, like Kevin’s strained relationship with his father and the quiet absence of his mother, hit harder than I expected. The mystery of the solar anomaly builds nicely, and while the ending leaves things open I never felt cheated. I was actually glad not everything was wrapped up neatly because it gave it a sense of realism and weight.
Final Eclipse is a great ride for anyone who likes smart sci-fi with a human core. I’d recommend it for teenagers who love science, adults who grew up reading Michael Crichton, or anyone curious about space weather and likes the idea of kids being thrown into global crises.
Pages: 294 | ASIN: B0DGL8JV33
Winter Comes in June
Winter Comes in June is a gripping and emotionally charged sci-fi survival novel that blends hard science with raw humanity. Set in a post-apocalyptic world scarred by the devastating Amira Event, a massive asteroid strike, the book unfolds through the voices of Sunday Rain and her parents, Oksana and Michael. The story moves between the sterile safety of the Moon’s Armstrong base, the grounded resilience of life on Earth, and the reflections of survivors trying to rebuild amidst ruin. It’s a chronicle of love, legacy, and loss as told by a young woman trying to understand the past by reading the diaries of those who lived through the unthinkable.
What struck me first was the immediacy of the voice. The writing is blunt, sometimes even crude, but in a way that feels honest and necessary. The characters speak the way real people might in a world gone sideways, candidly, with humor and despair all tangled up together. The author doesn’t waste time dressing things up. Instead, the rawness of the narration pulls you in. I felt like I was sitting beside Sunday or watching Oksana float down a Moon corridor. There’s something deeply personal in how the characters observe beauty, process trauma, and navigate love and fear. It’s not tidy, and that’s what makes it believable.
What also stood out to me was the heart behind the science. The book is packed with believable technical detail, from lunar base life to asteroid composition, but it never lets the science drown out the human stories. Michael and Jenny’s romance is sweet, grounded, and tender. Oksana’s guilt and pride as she watches disaster unfold from afar is gutting. The scenes between characters, whether they’re sitting at a breakfast table or staring up at the sky, hit harder than any explosion or battle could. The asteroid might be the monster in the sky, but it’s the people who give this book its weight.
Winter Comes in June is a story about surviving not just a planetary catastrophe, but the emotional aftershocks that follow. It’s not polished or flowery, but it’s deeply moving and hard to forget. I’d recommend this book to readers who like post-apocalyptic fiction with brains and heart, fans of Andy Weir or Emily St. John Mandel. If you want a sci-fi novel that feels less like a blockbuster and more like a diary, this one’s for you.
Pages: 294 | ASIN: B0F9VW85SH
A Magical and Vast Universe
Beast of Phe’lak follows a woman trapped on an alien planet, under the control of a powerful beast who spots a delegation on the beach that triggers century-old memories, and a chance to regain her freedom. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The inspiration began in Queen of Highwings, the first book in my Chronicles of Phe’lak Trilogy—of which Beast is the third book. Phe’laki General George muses about the beast with regard to the palace’s understructure, which once served as another dragon’s lair. He thinks that the underpass was sealed to prevent attracting the Beast of Phe’lak to such a luxurious dwelling because, unlike the original resident, the Dragon of Yand, the beast is not benevolent. I received many questions, including: ‘What happened to the beast?’ and ‘Is it related to the beloved Yandar dragon?’ The character Hele’ne lived in my head for a long time. I always knew who she was and how she ended up on the alien planet. I naturally wove her in.
Hele’ne is a fascinating character. What scene was the most interesting to write for that character?
I must say, I love all her scenes. My top favorites include her introduction scene, her interaction with the beast and then with Wolfpack at the beginning of the story. I also love her exchanges with Rel and Drace, as well as her final scene in the last chapter. This last scene is very powerful.
For readers who have not yet read the rest of the Worldmaker® series, what do you want them to know about the world you have created?
It is a magical and vast universe, spanning galaxies and constellations. Each new world—whether a star system, planet, or moon—comes to life in vivid detail. The people who populate these worlds, whether they are queens and kings, scientists, military archers, or regular people, are just as authentic and lifelike. There are four humanoid species introduced so far: the empathic, winged Yandar; their slightly smaller telepathic cousins, the non-winged Yendai; the benevolent, non-meta giants known as the Phe’laki; and the malevolent K’tul. The main characters are complex and richly developed, and their extensive dialogues throughout the stories enhances the immersive quality. The illustrations are glorious. If you purchase the PDF, please read in full-screen, two-page format to get the full benefit of the artwork.
The primary genre is Sci-Fi/Fantasy, but with elements of the paranormal, a touch of horror, and unconventional romance, always with a hint of humor. LGBTQ+ and polyamorous marriages are part of the norm alongside exclusive and binary ones.
The storylines follow the saga of Worldmaker Yanara’s family, whose children have evocative names: Snowfox, Hawklord, Asimia, Dragonlord, Wolfpack, Sunstorm. Can you guess the kings among them? The Worldmaker and Dragoon? The Pathfinder?
Where does the story go in the next book, and where do you see it going in the future?
I received requests to write more about the Dragon of Yand and his wife, Yira, and also of Drace and his husband, Rel. I can’t stop writing about these two. I could serialize their adventures. However, I meant to write the third trilogy in my series, the one that brings the war to the K’tul homeworld. We’ll see. For the next couple of months, I’ll be taking a breather and focusing on earning a few accolades for Beast to adorn its cover, just like my other books. It has already received a few awards, the most prominent among them being the No. 1 Book/Manuscript on Coverfly’s Red List this month (out of 57,000 scripts).
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LITERARY TITAN 