Welcome to The Cozy Book Blog by Diane-Lyn. I am thrilled to be today’s stop on the book tour for A War in Too Many Worlds by Elizabeth Crowens. I hope you enjoy the author’s guest post below. Many thanks to Amy Bruno from HFVBT for the invite. Enjoy the tour! Best, Diane-Lyn
A WAR IN TOO MANY WORLDS BY ELIZABETH CROWENS
Guest Post by Elizabeth Crowens:
How do I define alternate history?
Other people’s definitions will vary but in my case, I choose actual places or events. Then I take
real people that actually existed back then, but put them in situations that were probable but
didn’t actually happen. Nearly every historical novel does this. To do this takes an enormous
amount of research.
There are a few tricks to bend the rules, but if I can pick up enough historical documents from
reputable sources stating that a notable figure did such-and-such on a particular date and in a
certain location, I should stick to those guidelines. But what if a fictional character is introduced
into his or her world, or a notable person who we know didn’t do what we intended? That’s
where an author can let their imagination go wild.
For example, in my first alternate history novel, Silent Meridian, I needed to find a plausible
time for my protagonist, John Patrick Scott, to meet with Arthur Conan Doyle in Edinburgh at
the end of the nineteenth century. I based Scott on a real person, although not well known. Born
and raised in Edinburgh, Doyle had already moved to an area outside of London by then.
However, he made an ill-fated attempt to run for political office in Edinburgh. Considering other
events to follow, choosing the date of 1898 to place Doyle back in “Auld Reekie” where the two
of them could meet in a pub made sense.
So far, that still doesn’t differentiate alternate history from a straight historical novel. In my
Time Traveler Professor series, I play upon Doyle’s genuine interest in ghosts and Spiritualism
but, then again, when I add time travel into the mix, then we jump into the realms of science
fiction and fantasy along with alternate history.
* * *
Most people only know of Arthur Conan Doyle as the author and creator of Sherlock Holmes.
Few realize that he wanted to kill off Sherlock Holmes when he wrestled with his archenemy
Professor Moriarty in his story The Final Problem, when the two of them supposedly plunged to
their deaths at Reichenbach Falls. Why? Doyle had grown weary of writing about the detective
and wanted to focus on writing historical novels and non-fiction works instead.
Although the four novels and fifty-six short stories about Sherlock Holmes made Doyle one of
the highest paid writers in the world, at the end of his forty-year career he wrote many non-
fiction articles and books on his passion focusing on Spiritualism, several autobiographies,
accounts of the Boer War and WWI, dozens of ghost stories, historical novels such as The
Exploits of Brigadier Gerard, Sir Nigel, Micah Clarke, The White Company, and science fiction
such as The Lost World and its two sequels.
In my Time Traveler Professor series, I play upon Doyle’s frustration of the pressure from his
publishers to continue writing the Holmes stories, when he would’ve rather been focusing on his
paranormal interests. What if he hired a ghostwriter, but what if that person wasn’t content on
obscurity? And what if that person happens to be the narrator, conveying his feelings and
opinions from his point of view? This poses a lot of possibilities.
* * *
Why did I pick Arthur Conan Doyle to be my protagonist’s mentor-turned-antagonist?
You’d think that anyone with the genius to create the character of Sherlock Holmes has to be the
good guy, right? After all, Holmes, in most cases, catches the criminals that evade the detectives
at Scotland Yard. Not necessarily. What if Doyle was hiding a deep, dark secret, and someone
thought he was getting the short end of the stick as a result? From the victim’s point of view,
he’d appear to be a traitor, or certainly as a former friend who could no longer be trusted.
Wouldn’t you agree?
That’s how my protagonist John Patrick Scott feels when Doyle, whom he’s idolized from the
very beginning, continuously lets him down. On the other hand, Doyle is a hero in his own story
against his own adversary—H.G. Wells! In my Time Traveler Professor series, who believes in
the existence of an actual time machine? Not Wells who wrote a famous book about one. No,
Wells is a man of science and logic, almost like Mr. Spock compared to Captain Kirk. The
notion that someone brought Wells’s imaginings to fruition is inconceivable. It’s not until Book
Three, A War in Too Many Worlds, where Wells, who stole Doyle’s time machine at the end of
Book Two, A Pocketful of Lodestones, gets to see for himself whether this contraption works or
not, and who’s the fool now?
* * *
Publication Date: August 16, 2021
Atomic Alchemist Productions, LLC
Series: Time Traveler Professor, #3
Genre: Historical Fiction
The secret diaries of John Patrick Scott pick up at the close of 1917. British intelligence sends Scott to work undercover in Berlin with his old partner-in-crime, Wendell Mackenzie, as his outside contact in Paris. Back on the Western Front, Scott discovered his ability to see the ghosts of the dead. Unsure if that’s a blessing or a curse, he takes this one-step further, employing spirits in the world of deception and intrigue. As the Russian monarchy crumbles and the Red Baron meets his final match, for Scott, true love is always beyond arm’s reach. His long-lost patrons and paramours, Sophia and Francois Poincaré, resurface but as potential enemies of the Crown.
Arthur Conan Doyle vows to retrieve his stolen time machine from H.G. Wells. Scott is still at odds with Doyle, who still refuses to publicly acknowledge his contributions for ghostwriting Sherlock Holmes, and Doyle encounters Harry Houdini in the most unlikely of places. Get ready for a wild ride. Time Traveler Professor, Book Three: A War in Too Many Worlds, pairs murder, mayhem and mysticism in a mashup where The Lost World meets The Island of Doctor Moreau. Stayed tuned for Book Four, The Story Beyond Time, the final book in this epic series.
AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | INDIEBOUND
Praise
“Meticulously researched and wholly evocative of its time period; rich detail, immersive atmosphere and clever use of documented Victorian interests in the paranormal give Crowens’s latest novel distinct authenticity. The difficult task of channeling such bold and beloved icons as Doyle, Wells and Houdini is confidently and capably handled. Brimming with specificity, historic flavor and intriguing supernatural fancy, A War in Too Many Worlds is an impressive feat of fact weaving into fiction; sure to please history buffs as well as the more fantastical at heart in equal measure.” -Leanna Renee Hieber, award-winning, bestselling author of the Strangely Beautiful and Spectral City series
“Pack your best time-traveling attire, your sense of humor, and your open mind. A War in Too Many Worlds by Elizabeth Crowens, the third book in the Time Traveler Professor series, is a vibrant, explosive treatise on the intersection of magic, science, and spirituality. The book is both a loving nod to an era when magic and science were separated by a hairsbreadth, and a Jungian exploration of time, memory, and mysticism. Though the topics are erudite, the author’s wit and humor combined with karmic twists, musical accompaniment, and a historical who’s who, keep the book moving to its thrilling and unexpected climax. The entire series is highly recommended, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.” -Kerry Adrienne, USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty books in a wide range of genres, including paranormal romance, historical romance, LGBT, horror, and fantasy.
“This genre-bending trip through time and space offers the same delightfully loopy charm as a Doctor Who episode—but with its own irresistible allure, as if Douglas Adams and Jules Verne collaborated with a little help from Kafka. Crowens jumps effortlessly from the mournful haunts of Berlin during the Great War to the unpredictable travels of H.G. Wells and Arthur Conan Doyle. Exotic—and yet strangely familiar—characters keep popping up to entertain us. However, even among the amusements are laments of lost loves and lost opportunities—along with ghosts (both real and imagined)—all of which elevate the story. Indeed, together with the many fantastic elements, we are moved by the strivings and desires of the all-too-human characters, who will stick with you long after you get to the last page.” -R.J. Koreto, author of the Lady Frances Ffolkes and Alice Roosevelt historical mysteries
“Take your favorite elements for a paranormal mystery adventure— from Victorian times into the 20th century, historical (and then some) characters like Conan Doyle, Jung, Houdini, and a few surprises. Add the MacGuffin of a mysterious red book, and you will understand the delights of Elizabeth Crowens’s series featuring the Time Traveling Professor. Things come to a head in the third book in this delightful series. If you need to escape this world for a bit, try the one she has so beautifully built for you.” -Jim Freund, host of radio program Hour of the Wolf, now for 50 years
About the Author
Over 20 years in the entertainment industry, a black belt in martial arts, and a Sherlock Holmes enthusiast. Credits include: Black Belt Magazine, interviews for Black Gate Magazine, short stories in the Hell’s Heart and the Bram Stoker Award nominated anthology, A New York State of Fright, and two award-winning alternate history novels, Silent Meridian and A Pocketful of Lodestones and A War in Too Many Worlds being released in August 2021. She also writes in the Hollywood mystery genre. Member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, the Horror Writers Association, and winner of the 2020 Leo B. Burstein/MWA-NY Scholarship. She also writes in the Hollywood mystery genre and can’t stay away from black humor.
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER |
Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, August 16
Feature at Books, Ramblings, and Tea
Tuesday, August 17
Guest Post at Novels Alive
Thursday, August 19
Excerpt at Reading is My Remedy
Sunday, August 22
Guest Post at The Cozy Book Blog
Tuesday, August 24
Review at Chicks, Rogues and Scandals
Monday, August 30
Review at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, August 31
Interview at Passages to the Past
Saturday, September 4
Review at Booking with Janelle
Friday, September 10
Feature Coffee and Ink
Review at The Enchanted Shelf
Giveaway
Enter to win a paperback copy of A War in Too Many Worlds by Elizabeth Crowens! We have 6 copies up for grabs!
The giveaway is open to residents in the US & Canada only and ends on September 10th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
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