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The Novelist: When Time Means Everything

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The Novelist: When Time Means Everything

Meet Sylvia Blair – a driven, overworked executive and editorial assistant at Reeves Publishers, juggling the demands of a relentless career, a complex love life, and the haunting weight of past traumas. Her world in 2014 is suffocating, trapped between a domineering boss and an emotionally needy boyfriend, Matt. But when a mystical twist pulls Sylvia back to 1978 Manhattan, she finds herself in an unfamiliar world that offers both escape and enlightenment.

As she navigates the gritty streets of New York’s past, Sylvia must confront her deepest regrets: the loss of her mother, her crumbling relationship, and the fear of losing her closest friend. Will she find the balance she’s been searching for, or will the ghosts of both timelines keep her from truly living?

How far would you go to rewrite the story of your life?

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The Novelist: When Time Means Everything

Fiction really does come to life in Susan B. Iris’s second novel, The Novelist. From going on a shopping spree with your powerful female protagonist to being invincible against even the toughest of your characters, Susan has created a world in which every writer could only dream of, until now. Readers will appreciate Sylvia’s journey through a time period of iPhones, chaos, and Google to one of rotary dial phones, excitement, and the Yellow Pages. Ms. Iris is spectacular at taking something as complicated as time travel and fine-tuning the details to make the story come to life in a way that feels effortless and natural. The Novelist forces readers to ask themselves questions like “Where would you go if you could travel back in time? Which long lost loved ones would you like to meet?” And most importantly, “Would you change the trajectory of your life if you could?” With underlying themes of Feminism, science fiction, and history The Novelist is a page turner you won’t want to miss!
Sarah Broomer, Reader from Toronto, Canada
I really enjoyed reading this book. It’s amazing how Susan B. Iris has been able to weave all of this together from her main character going from the year 2014 and then to Manhattan 1978. Susan B. Iris has a vivid imagination that will keep the reader on their toes, wondering what will happen next. And what happens next, will not disappoint.
Joseph Mifsud, Reader from Toronto, Canada
This time travel book is exciting and thought-provoking. The characters are relatable, and the story moves smoothly through different time periods. Each twist keeps you interested, exploring what happens when we are from the modern era and go back in time. A great read that makes you think about fate and choices. Highly recommended!
Susan Cottenham, Reader from Michigan, USA
Readers will love joining Sylvia on her journey through time, where every choice sends ripples through history, and the greatest adventure is the one within.
C.C. Legault, Reader from Sturgeon Falls, Ontario

About The Author

Toronto-based author Susan B. Iris brings diverse landscapes to life in her stories, drawing inspiration from her love of history and summers spent in Northern Ontario. Her rich, adventure-filled narratives seamlessly blend culture and place.

In her debut novel, The Maredian, Susan captivated readers with her immersive storytelling and complex characters. Now, with her latest work, The Novelist, she invites readers on another extraordinary journey – where imagination stretches beyond the limits of reality and new worlds beckon to be explored.

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The Novelist: When Time Means Everything is available globally at these book stores!

FAQ

1. What Inspired You to Write This Book?

The Novelist was written in 2013, as a second screenplay. My inspiration came from a few workplace conversations that I overheard over the cubicles with female co-workers, who talked about recent challenges they were experiencing at work, issues with their current relationships and the dating scene. I resonated with some of the topics discussed and the question that one of them asked, became the catalyst that my protagonist, Sylvia Blair herself asks, have we really come a long way? This question led to the plot for The Novelist to form. That evening, the plot was written out and 3 months later, the screenplay for The Novelist was completed. I sent it out for a few critiques and revised it in some places and then put it in a drawer. A few years later, #The Me Too movement exploded out of Hollywood, and I decided to novelize the screenplay so I can bring it to a much wider audience when the time is right – like now.

2. What will your readers gain from your book?

I want readers to be fully immersed in The Novelist, learn something about themselves or about a situation that they’ve never realized before. The Novelist is a story about hope, that it’s never too late to change for the better, it’s also about resilience and a reminder to not take for granted those true friendships/relationships of those who are truly there for you and whom you love.

3. What was your unique quotient for this project?

If you like:

  • Time Travel and moving between dimensions
  • Second chances
  • Workplace dynamics 1978 vs 2014
  • Feel good fiction
  • Quirky characters
  • Then, The Novelist should be your next read!
4. How did becoming an author help in your brand/business?

To continue writing entertaining, exciting, and yet touching, well-written stories for audiences.

5. What are your future plans as an author?

Revising The Novelist from a screenplay into a novel format was more challenging, as a novel requires a lot more details, so more research was done regarding the era of the 1970s and what New York City would have been like, some of the issues that were happening in that city, another wave of Feminism, focusing on the workplace issues. I also didn’t want to overwhelm the story with too many details and kept the pace of the book fast, and on Sylvia’s journey.