A Different Time, a novel by Michael Hill, is a story about love, having faith in oneself and destiny. Keith is a comic-book collector. While browsing at a flea market, he comes across a tape with an intricate pattern on it. On watching the tape, he makes the discovery that Lindsey, the girl who recorded it in 1989, can hear him! There is nothing like stretching out the time spent in a novel by talking to the author about it. I have the opportunity to talk to Michael about the book, writing, comics, and more.
It has been wonderful to connect with him! Enjoy the interview! 🙂
- What was the moment when the idea of the book first came to be? What made you pursue it?
My daughter had completed a year-long art project where she took a different photo every day. And as I was looking at the images all collected together, this idea popped in my head about someone finding something like this in the future and having a profound connection with it. I first wrote the idea as a short story in 2016, but the notion of these characters stuck with me, and about a year later I expanded it into a novel.
- Why did you choose 1989 to be the year that Lindsey is in? Does it hold special significance in your life?
I graduated in the mid-80s, so it’s fair to say that period of time holds a special significance. But when the first draft of the book was written, the year was actually 1987, because I was writing in 2017, and thought a thirty-year gap between the characters seemed perfect for the story. But by the time I finished my revisions, and then sent them to my editor, a whole other year had passed. So I decided to change the dates to match current time for Keith—that meant 2019 for Keith and 1989 for Lindsey.
- Keith is a comic-book fan. Do you collect comic books as well or are your interests different from Keith’s?
Twenty years ago I was a very active collector of comics. But once I got married and had kids, it slipped way off the radar. But I still love them and when I was creating Keith, I thought this was an interesting hobby to give him. My passions now are films, music and books. But comics will always hold a special place in my heart.
- Your prose is vivid and conjures images in the readers’ mind. What are some works or writing exercises that helped you develop such imagery using words?
Thank you very much! I have tried to be a student of all the many different storytelling methods that exist. From the earliest age I remember being captivated by the stories inside of pop songs on the radio (Brandy by Looking Glass, Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles) then comic books (Watchmen by Alan Moore, Sandman by Neil Gaiman), novels (Dracula by Bram Stoker, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee), and films (by Orson Welles, Ingmar Bergman, Stanley Kubrick).
I’m fascinated by all types of storytelling. The greatest writing exercise for any writer is to write every day. Push yourself, explore the unknown. Go to the places that scare you. And read everything you can.
The writers who’ve influenced me span many genres: Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Stephen King, Shirley Jackson, E.A. Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, J.R.R. Tolkien, George R.R. Martin, Maya Angelou, Hunter S. Thompson, Elmore Leonard, David Foster Wallace, Neil Gaiman, Cormac McCarthy. I love them all, and each has colored my writing.
- Lindsey mentions attending Julia Cameron’s The Artist Way. Is there anything else that led her to believe in her imagination so strongly? How much of this applies to your writing process?
I think Lindsey is incredibly strong. She leads with her heart which is I guess how many artists move through life. But she has a confidence in herself and her ability that I admire. I think if I was in her shoes, the pressure from her mom to be realistic and not reach for the stars, would be very difficult to rise above. But she does. It’s one of the things I really like about her.
Julia Cameron’s teachings were hugely influential in helping me advance beyond being a non-fiction writer and entering and embracing the world of fiction. I had Lindsey say she attended a class as a way of thanking Ms. Cameron for what she had done for me.
- What happens to Keith, after the story ends? Does he ever pursue writing as a career?
This is a great question! When I finished writing the final revision, I felt like Keith now had all the resources he needed, thanks to Lindsey, to see his dream to fruition. But following the publication of the book, a lot of people had asked if there might be more to the story. My editor, David Taylor and I, started to talk about it. And much to my surprise, it seems there may be more to this story than we knew. The discussions of a possible sequel have been considered, and the resulting conclusion is that we may revisit these characters again.
- If there was one thing that you would like your readers to take away from A Different Time, what would it be?
I guess the one take away would be to stay tenacious and not give up. Life can be so difficult. But both of these characters fight through it all against impossible odds, in the pursuit of something they believe. That’s a good way to live.
- Are there any books that you would say influenced and shaped you as a writer?
Yes, for sure. There were so many books that blew my mind as a young reader and made me think, I wish I could write like that someday! Stephen King’s The Stand, Peter Straub’s Ghost Story, Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods—I strive to write stories that move people the way those books moved me. I know that isn’t likely to happen, but that’s the goal, at least.
- What would you tell your younger self when it comes to writing?
I would suggest getting serious about writing sooner. Writing was always something I enjoyed, but I also thought there were other things I might be better at. In hindsight, if I had focused on writing exclusively, I would, no doubt, be much better now. But we can’t change the past…or can we?
** A Different Time is available in stores so get a copy and let me know what you think! Let’s continue the book-discussion in the comments! **
Amazon Print
Amazon Kindle
Let me and Michael know what you think! We can be found on Twitter as @MKHill0221 and @_armedwithabook.
This post is part of The Write Reads‘ Blog Tour for A Different Time. Be sure to check out other blogs about the book and my thoughts on it here. Before I leave, I want to share a quote I recalled the other day, which aptly describes A Different Time.
Feature image: Photo by Arnaud Mesureur on Unsplash
Image of comics: Image by InspiredImages from Pixabay
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