John R. York has been writing and publishing his stories since 2016, but he’s always been a storyteller, even as a kid in Central Ohio where he grew up. His life experiences provided him with a wealth of tales to share with others and resulted in his debut work, Wolf’s Tale. He has since published five more novels, including the award-winning Journey to Eden. A retired high-tech executive, he currently lives with his wife, Paula, in New Port Richey, Florida.
Website: www.johnryork.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/john.york.9277
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@johnryork and www.tiktok.com/@dreamwriter
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/John-York/author/B0771RCZJ2?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21571052.John_York
Thanks for stopping by! What attracted you to the science fiction genre?
I’m a fan of science fiction in general. I love sci fi books and movies. Writing stories in that genre comes to me easily. I enjoy reading and watching space operas and science horror and hard science, but I prefer to write about parallel worlds and time travel. My earliest memories of sci fi movies are The Forbidden Planet, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and The Time Machine (the original version). I watched the TV
series Star Trek and stood in line to watch the opening of Star Wars. So, I was hooked early on.
Do you write in any other genres?
Ah, yes, I do. Although I realize writing in different genres or mixed genre makes it difficult to zero in on a specific target reader, I enjoy working with different types of storytelling. I’ve written a fictional memoir, two science fiction novels, an award-winning historical fiction novel, a paranormal murder mystery, and a modern western/native-American fantasy. My loyal readers tell me they like the way I change things up. I’ll tell you, though, all my stories contain some element of sci fi and/or fantasy. I think it just makes the tale more interesting — at least for me. I hope it does for my readers as well.
What inspired you to write The Five Watches: An Accident of Time?
I knew my next novel was going to be a science fiction story but I didn’t zero in on the subject right away. I watch the national news every evening and grew concerned about what’s happening in our world these days. I found myself laying awake at night contemplating all the violence, unrest, over dependence on technology, and the concerns over climate. Even the pandemic, and how so many people dealt poorly with the crisis, caused me to wonder about our future. It felt as though humanity was on a self-destructive course that we don’t seem to be able to deal with effectively.
I thought about turning those thoughts into a future dystopian story, but the idea of doing a time travel tale felt like it could be a more appropriate way to deal with the ideas swirling around in my head. I began the story in the 19th century with a scientist searching for cures to diseases and took it to the 27th century, where humanity was all but extinct, But the real story begins in a 21st century neighborhood.
Can you give us your book blurb so others can find out what your book is about?
Time is running out for humanity, but an accident of time may provide an unexpected opportunity to save the future when neighbors from the 21st century are unexpectedly thrust into a deadly 27th century conflict.
How can readers discover more about you and your work?
The best place to learn more about me and my work is my website: www.johnryork.com
My website also hosts my monthly blog, creatively call “My Blog”, and a featured essay on the state of the world.
Readers can also find me at Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21571052.John_York
Our they can visit my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/john.york.9277
Where can readers buy your book?
The Five Watches: An Accident of Time will be released as an ebook and in print on August 15, and will be available wherever books are sold.
Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview. What’s next for you?
Thank you for inviting me to connect with your readers. I’ve already completed my next novel called Retribution. It’s a dark crime drama, featuring antihero antagonists, Jack and Lilith. The story includes a bit of the supernatural to make it more edgy. I anticipate it coming out early 2024.
