T's Stuff: Time Is Relative book 1 by Brett Matthew Williams

Sunday, December 2, 2018

Time Is Relative book 1 by Brett Matthew Williams

Author: Brett Matthew Williams

Narrator: Brett Matthew Williams

Length: 14 hours and 37 minutes

Series: Time Is Relative, Book 1

Publisher: Paradise City Publications

Released: Jan. 28, 2016

Genre: Fantasy; Historical Travel

Meet Rolland Wright - a 17-year-old orphan living out of his car in rural Woodland Hills, California. Aside from grappling with being abandoned by his drunken father two years previous following his mother's mysterious murder, his life mostly revolves around finding a warm place to sleep at night. When one day he is attacked by men claiming to have killed his father, Rolland discovers a strange ability to slow the flow of time around him, beginning a journey that takes him to places outside of time, space, and eventually to the early 19th century to fight the sinister General Andrew Jackson. With the help of a rag-tag group of historical and mythical figures with various supernatural abilities of their own (Joan of Arc, Jesse James, etc.) known as the Knights of Time, Rolland solves the mystery behind his mother's murder, falls in love, battles the evil Edward Vilthe, reaper of souls, and finds a home of his own in the paradise known as Eden.

Amazon⎮Audible

Brett grew up with a passion for both film and history. He began his career fresh out of high school as a Production Assistant & football player on NBC Universal’s television series Friday Night Lights (of which he can be seen in the first two seasons as a member of the championship team – Go Panthers!). He quickly moved on to serve as an Original Series intern with the USA Network in Studio City, California. Following work on shows like Monk, Psych, and Burn Notice, Brett returned home to Texas to continue his education, graduating with his degree in History from Texas State University. A proud Master Freemason, Brett thoroughly enjoys fantasy fiction, Star Trek TNG, running, baseball, Shakespeare, and spending time with his wife, two kids & their furry friends.

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Q&A with Author Brett Matthew Williams

Tell us about the process of turning your book into an audiobook.
- I enrolled in a writing class at University once during my undergraduate years. The professor told us on the first day that our time would be better spent reading the classics, over and over again rather than listen to anything he could tell us. I took that to heart, dropping the class, and doing as he suggested. With the audiobook, I took the same approach. Listening to my favorite narrators, their cadence, their diction, and choice of voice variance.. I love my work.
Do you believe certain types of writing translate better into audiobook format?
- Absolutely not. Sure, some may come across as more appealing than others; but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. As a fan of early American history, I adore auditobooks by such historians as Bernard Bailyn and Gordon S Wood. To some those may sound dry, or unappealing. For me they’re an excellent backdrop for a chill Sunday afternoon while mowing the lawn.
If you had the power to time travel, would you use it? If yes, when and where would you go?
- I would be super irresponsible with that ability. One of my favorite books is A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain. The basic premise is a ‘modern’ 19th century man somehow managing to time travel to the fictional kingdom of King Arthur, upstaging Merlin with his ‘magic’ aka technology, and generally wrecking shop on those medieval fools. That would be me. I would be wildly irresponsible with said power.

If this title were being made into a TV series or movie, who would you cast to play the primary roles?
- In my mind, there are only a few that really stand out. Eddie Izzard was the inspiration behind Marcus L Turledove, so it would be a travesty is that didn’t work out. Likewise, and my friends and family will attest to this, I’m merely doing a James Marsters as Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer impression with Dr. Judah Jacob Raines. In my defense, J.J. IS my favorite character to write for, and probably the one I’m living vicariously through the most. Those are pretty much the only two roles I hold strong opinions on.

How did you celebrate after finishing this novel?
- By starting to write the next novel, Time is Relative Concerning the Lost Colony. There is SO much story stuck in my head, and one of my greatest fears is dying in some freak before I am able to get it all out. That’s the kind of stuff that ghost stories are made of.. And I do NOT want to be a ghost. Ghosts are scary, and have no understanding of modern technology. I am not a fan of ghosts, or anyone who dresses like a ghost, for any reason.

Were there any real life inspirations behind your writing?
- Oh, tons. Look, everyone has a purpose. I’ve felt from a young age that mine if to meet some of the most interesting people walking the Earth, and document their characteristics into fiction. Let’s say it’s for posterity's sake. Fun fact, the entire Council of Light is populated by eight of my favorite college professors from Texas State University, and one of the absolute WORST that I ever had.
  * One of these things is not like the other… *
  See if you can guess which one!

Are you an audiobook listener? What about the audiobook format appeals to you?
- I LOVE audio books. They’re just so convenient. I’m an avid runner, and I know of no better way to multi-task than to listen to a good book while exercising. Has it led to some odd situations? Totally.

Is there a particular part of this story that you feel is more resonating in the audiobook performance than in the book format?
- I have aliterate friends; e.i. - they have the ability to read, but chose NOT to read, due to busy working schedules, kids, civic responsibilities, etc. The Time is Relative audiobooks have assisted in exposing this group to the world of Eden, Tartarus, and the Knights of Time.

Have any of your characters ever appeared in your dreams?
- Wait, are you telling me that isn’t how everyone writes? Yeah… I often dream about my characters, their lives, actions, and aspirations. In my mind, they’re fully rounded people. Would Judah Raines clean his dishes immediately after using them? Would his wife, Joan [of Arc] care? How would that fight begin, escalate, and be resolved?

What’s next for you?
- I’m about 2/3rds of the way (110,000 words) into Time is Relative Concerning the Lost Colony, which picks up roughly six months after the events of Wavering Loyalties. The lost colony in question, as most have speculated correctly, refers to the mysterious 16th century English settlement in Roanoke… where the events in the epilogue of Wavering Loyalties left the reader. Expect a more fast-pace approach with Lost Colony, as the Knights of Time travel back to 1586 to stop Vilthe from detonating a nuclear warhead.