Page 23 - Reader's House Magazine Issue 53

schools, blending supernatural intrigue with historical truth.
In this exclusive interview, David Gordon discusses the inspirations behind his work,
the intricate role of time travel in shaping
his narratives, and the dedication required
to balance creative freedom with historical fidelity. A champion of perseverance, he also shares invaluable advice for aspiring authors eager to make their mark in science fiction and historical fiction.
Reader’s House is proud to present this con- versation with David Gordon, a writer whose stories do more than entertain—they challenge, educate, and invite us to reconsider the past through the lens of the extraordinary.
What inspired you to blend science fiction, fantasy, and historical fiction in your Jigsaw series?
Excellent question. I am a semi-retired educator who started out as a History Teacher. When you combine that background with my passion for science fiction, historical fiction, and mystery horror, the list of story possibil- ities is endless. I was heavily influenced by stories like Bradbury’s The Sound of Thunder, Christies Ten Little Indians, and Michener’s The Source as well as the best Star Trek, Doctor Who, Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, and Universal Horror.
Could you elaborate on the role of time
David Gordon is a literary visionary whose compelling storytelling fuses history, science fiction, and mystery into unforgettable, thought- provoking adventures.
travel in your novels and how it influences the characters’ development?
In my Jigsaw series, time travel is pivotal to the plot of the novels, and it also lends insights into the protagonists and antagonists character development because our main heroes and villains make their decisions based on how they want to maintain or alter reality to their own ends.
How do you balance historical accuracy
with creative storytelling in your works?
For the reader, I have two goals when I am writing. One is to be entertaining by writing an exciting plot and character driven story. The second goal in the time traveling series
is to be educational. It is very important that the historical setting and characters are as accurate as possible because I want my readers to learn about actual historical events like how there was an effective Italian Resistance in World War Two or American Women in Space Program in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s or how the movie The Man Who Laughs influ-
enced the creation of the Joker in the Batman comics or even in my latest mystery-horror book, The Trail of the Zombies where I de- scribe the plight of Native American children in government run schools at the turn of the twentieth century.
What challenges did you face when writing “The Mummy’s Vengeance,” and how did you overcome them?
After writing six time travel centered stories, The Mummy’s Vengeance, my first mystery-horror was actually fairly easy to
do. It actually took me less than six weeks
to write the first draft whereas it takes me a little over two months to write a time travel novella. What I wanted to do there was write a 1920’s-30’s noir piece that was a tribute to both the Universal Horror Classics and works of Christie and Hammett.
In “Jigsaw: History’s Forgotten,” you explore various historical events. Which event did you find most intriguing to write about?
I liked the historical cause and effect premise of the second History’s Forgotten Part Two where our antagonists, having failed to stop the creation of Batman and the Universal Horror franchise in Part One, attempted to change history by, in part eliminating I Love Lucy’s cinematographer Karl Freund on the Eastern Front in World War One. While the antagonists in this work also tried to change history by staging a peace summit between
the Tsar and the Kaiser on the Eastern Front, and an attempt to eliminate Star Trek Producer Gene Coon (not Roddenberry) when he was a child, the pebble hitting the stream theory with Freund was fascinating. If you get rid of Fre- und, there is perhaps no 1931 Dracula or 1932 The Mummy. I Love Lucy may not become
a success because his cinematography skills were not there. Finally, if there is no I Love Lucy, there is probably no Desilu Studios that helped oversee the creation of Twilight Zone, Star Trek, and Mission Impossible. Imagine the possible changes to history, especially science and technological, if those movies or shows did not exist.
How has your background as a social studies teacher and principal influenced your writing?
A great deal. Without my background as an educator, there is no Jigsaw Universe. Many of the books are based in historical settings
I learned about. The origin of the characters from Renaissance Academy are inspired by the twenty years I had my own charter school in the East Valley in Arizona.
I also want to take a moment and thank
my wife, Dr. Gwyneth Gordon. While my background as an educator and sci-fi horror fan helped inspire the creation of the books, it is the support and encouragement of my wife that keeps me going in the creative process.
What advice would you offer to
David Alyn Gordon’s Jigsaw: Shadow Ball blends time travel, history, and social justice as Temporal Guardians Francesca and Noah battle Global Harmony’s attempt to erase baseball’s racial integration. With history at stake, they must protect legends Rube Foster and Larry Doby before the past—and the fight for justice—is lost forever.
aspiring authors looking to write in the genres of science fiction and historical fiction?
Never Give Up! If you want it enough, there is nothing more satisfying, outside family
and friends, than creating a book that gets published.
Always research and outline before you write. That does not mean the story may not change but you need to be organized before writing the first sentence.
Get a good cover artist that will hook the reader into looking at your book.
Get good beta readers and a line editor. You may think what you have is perfect or near
to it but I cannot tell you how many times I have written something and I say ‘This is it’ and then a beta reader or line editor points out something that I never thought of.
It is a probably going to be a long road to make money. Persevere. Put yourself out there at book events. Do digital ads on a budget
you can afford. Network with fellow writers. Develop a marketing plan. These are all parts of being a successful writer too.
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