Katie O'Sullivan ~ Read, Write, Repeat: Chatting with Casi McLean about Time Travel and her new novel, BEYOND THE MIST

Hey there and welcome to AUTUMN! Yup, summer is over and fall is in the air. September is one of my favorite months for a whole slew of reasons... and today I'm "celebrating" by welcoming Casi McLean to my blog to talk about her latest release BEYOND THE MIST. It's a time travel romance, and a sequel to her earlier novel, BENEATH THE LAKE.

But my question for Casi is - - Why Time Travel? How did you choose this genre?

Why do I enjoy writing time-slips?

Ever since my childhood imagination discovered Madeleine L'Engles, A Wrinkle In Time, the idea of time travel intrigued me. H. G. Wells' Time Machine added to my fascination. Then adult books drew me in, like Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. Whenever a time travel movie released, I was mesmerized. From Back to the Future, Somewhere in Time, The Lake House, and Time Traveler's Wife to made-for-TV stories like Two Worlds of Jenny Logan and The Philadelphia Experiment. [If you love time slips, the last two are DVD's available on Amazon.]

The intrigue for me was the domino effect and the infinite possibilities of the "what if" concept. Some people can't wrap their head around the paradox...they get lost between worlds and shut down. Those are the people who say time travel bores them. In truth, it takes a creative mind to entertain the paradox. And writing time jumps isn't easy. If one tiny element...like stepping on a butterfly in the past...doesn't happen because someone travels to the past, the consequences could have devastating repercussions.

As an author, if you choose time travel as your genre, the options are endless, but if you don't generate a believable portal, or confuse any event's details, you'll lose your readers. They want to believe in the "what if" possibility, if only in the corners of their mind. And they look for mistakes, falsies, and the absurd. So, writing time travel is challenging...but extremely satisfying and a wonderful way to escape stress, because you're so drawn into your story and the lives of your characters.

Atlanta's Lake Lanier, a man-made lake with fascinating history, eerie lore, vanishings and odd occurrences, presented a very plausible theory. What if construction explosions required to excavate the lake induced a seismic shift and, given enough energy, could open a portal to a different dimension or a rip in time. I loved the possibilities. What a perfect setting for my romantic time-slip suspense series.

The birth of Lacey Montgomery, heroine of book one in the series––Beneath The Lake––evolved through my young adult love for Jude Deveraux's A Knight In Shining Armor, a time-slip novel of course, and her endearing Montgomery family. I hope my writing honored her inspiration. The character Lacey's persona, inspired by my high school friend, Hilary Johnson, slipped perfectly into position. A lawyer, discouraged with defending criminals, yearned to help honest people in trouble, and some of her finer qualities naturally became part of Lacey––but her dysfunctional relationships came from my own personal experiences. Once those elements entwined...Beneath The Lake blossomed with an energy and life of its own.

I'm really excited about the release of Beyond The Mist. Though a stand-alone novel, the novel carries the story further with two minor characters from book one. The portal beneath the lake spirals the hero and heroine into 2001 New York and the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. I hope your readers will be fascinated enough to read my stories.

Thanks for having my on your blog, Katie!

Oh, you are so welcome, Casi! Thanks for being my guest! And for the record I LOVE time travel stories, and have ever since reading A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT by Mark Twain, way back in 5th grade. Of course, my tastes today trend toward Outlander...

Here are the details about Casi's latest time travel, which takes us back to the near past, to an infamous date - September 11, 2001 in New York City. I'm pretty sure everyone reading this can remember exactly where they were the moment they heard about the terrorist attack. And where their loved ones were. Casi captures the anxiety of the day so perfectly... but here's the official blurb:

Piper Taylor concedes she’ll never fall in love, until a treacherous storm spirals her into the arms of the handsome Nick Cramer. Unrelenting remorse over a past relationship haunts Nick, but he can’t deny the mysterious connection and hot desire Piper evokes.

The allure of a secret portal hidden beneath Atlanta’s Lake Lanier tempts him into seizing the opportunity to change his mistakes. But his time slip triggers consequences beyond his wildest dreams.

Can Piper avoid the international espionage and terrorism of 2001 New York, find Nick, and bring him home before he alters the fabric of time, or will the lovers drift forever Beyond The Mist?

And if you're not familiar with Casi, here's a little more about her and her books:

Casi McLean

Romantic Suspense, Time Slips, And Mystery with a Sprinkle of Magic ….

Award Winning Author

2016 Best Romantic Suspense

Winner Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence

Winner 2016 Best Heroine Still Moments Magazine

2016 Aspen Gold Finalist for Best Romantic Suspense

2015 Top Pick by Night Owl Reviews

2015 Chicago Fire and Ice Finalist

2014 Winner 2014 AWC Short Story Award

Author Bio:

Award winning author, Casi McLean, pens novels to stir the soul with romance, suspense, and a sprinkle of magic. Her writing crosses genres from ethereal, captivating shorts with eerie twist endings to believable time slips, mystical plots, and sensual romantic suspense, like Beneath The Lake, WINNER: 2016 Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence for BEST Romantic Suspense.

Casi's powerful memoir, Wingless Butterfly: Healing The Broken Child Within, shares an inspirational message of courage, tenacity, and hope, and displays her unique ability to excel in nonfiction and self-help as well as fiction. Known for enchanting stories with magical description, McLean entices readers in nonfiction as well with fascinating hooks to hold them captive in storylines they can't put down.

Her romance entwines strong, believable heroines with delicious hot heroes to tempt the deepest desires then fans the flames, sweeping readers into their innermost romantic fantasies. Ms. McLean weaves exceptional romantic mystery with suspenseful settings and lovable characters you'll devour. You'll see, hear, and feel the magical eeriness of one fateful night. You'll swear her time travel could happen, be mystified by her other worldly images, and feel heat of romantic suspense, but most of all you'll want more.