Interview with M. Ullrich author of Time Will Tell |

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a fab holiday season.

Bold Strokes Books author M. Ullrich is here to discuss life, writing, and her latest Time Will Tell.

Please welcome M. Ullrich.

Before we begin, thanks so much for stopping by today for a chat.

It’s my pleasure! I really must be thanking you for reaching out and finding me/my work interesting enough to want to feature on this superb site. I’m honored.

How did you take the step from wanting to be a writer to becoming a published author? Did anyone encourage you?

I was always very timid about admitting how much I loved to write and how badly I wanted to be a writer, so I very easily kept pushing the dream of being published further and further away. And then when I got older, I discovered two things that fanned my desire to write: fan fiction and Lesfic. After reading A LOT, my thoughts went from “I’d love to do this”, to “I think I can do this”, and then finally landed on “I’m going to try to do this!” Those thoughts and actually biting the bullet would’ve never happened without my wife however, she pushed me and cheered me on from day one.

You live by the beach with your felines. How do they like being so close to the ocean? You?

Our three cats are indoor cats so they’re completely clueless to the outside world save for the scenery they scope out through the windows. I take my proximity to the ocean for granted and I know I do. A very good friend of mine practically yells at me any time I complain about the traffic or complications caused by living on the shore because she’s landlocked, which is both alarming and a much needed reminder. It’s tranquil and a beautiful place to go if you’re in need of some soul searching, and I’ve also done a fair share of story planning while watching choppy waves come and go.

Your bio states your day job is in the optical field. What does that entail?

I’m the one you go to when its time to buy glasses or when you’re ready to make the switch to contact lenses. It’s an interesting field to be in because it combines sales, fashion, medical, and customer service.

How do you make time for writing? A set schedule or do you wait for the muse to strike?

I’m laughing as I answer this because I’d love to say I have a set schedule, but I’m not a liar. I’ve tried so hard to schedule myself, I’ve even gone as far as journaling how I’d like the hours of my day to pan out. That did not work. I’ve surrendered to the fact that I just have to pick up my computer during my free time and if words come they come, and if not…then I panic. I am much more strict as a deadline approaches, but I still cannot adhere to a schedule.

What’s your new release about?

“Time Will Tell” is ultimately a story about soulmates, Eva Caldwell and Casey McClellan. Eva’s life is dismantled and set on a painful course when she’s twelve and her parents are murdered. She’s sent to live with her uncle who’s an alcoholic and abusive, and she’s bullied through high school. As grim as that all sounds, Eva has a source of true happiness—her best friend Casey. Life throws them both too many curve balls to handle and they’re separated for six years. We get to see young love, heartbreak, and the opportunity for a second chance. But things get very complicated when Eva discovers her uncle built a time machine. Eva is afforded the opportunity to change everything, but that would include everything she’d had with Casey.

What inspired Time Will Tell?

“Time Will Tell” is actually the first full-length story I’ve ever written, and I completed that very first (very rough and terrible) draft about ten years ago and it all started because of music. One of my all time favorite artists, Darren Hayes, came out with an incredible and unique album called “This Delicate Thing We’ve Made”. I couldn’t listen to it without imagining so much more, a real story unfolded with every song. I always find music to be very inspirational, but this album was in a whole other league.

Do you have a crush on any of your characters? And, do you hate any of them?

I love this question so much. I have a small crush on at least one character from most of my books, but Imogene Harris from “Fortunate Sum” will more than likely always top my list, but Casey from “Time Will Tell” is giving her a run for her money right now.

As far as hating any of my characters, Eva’s uncle Luke is the lowest of low and I do hate him. But he’s the only villain I’ve ever written and hated. I have a hard time writing bad people, I want everyone to be liked if not loved.

When you aren’t working or writing, what’s your favorite activity to unwind?

There’s a few activities I turn to: being completely lazy and losing myself to a good ol’ Netflix binge, reading, or getting artsy. I love drawing mandalas. It’s a very soothing, almost meditative activity…until I mess up.

If you had one superpower, what would you want it to be and why?

Teleportation. There’s so many wonders I’d love to see in this world, but I hate traveling!

Thanks so much for chatting today.

Thank you so much for inviting me over!

TIME WILL TELL

E-book $9.99
Paperback: $16.95
Release date: December 12, 2017
Romance / Speculative Fiction

What would you do if you could go back in time and change your past?

For Eva Caldwell that question is a no-brainer. After her parents were murdered while she was away at summer camp, Eva was placed into the custody of her abusive uncle and bullied in school. She’d gladly go back and change it all.

When her uncle passes, Eva discovers he created a time machine, the problem with the once-hypothetical question becomes clear: changing the course of her past would mean giving up Casey McClellan, her best friend and the girl her heart has belonged to since she was twelve years old.

Will Casey choose to save her parents lives, or take a chance on the love of a lifetime?

Bold Strokes Books / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AUS

MEET THE AUTHOR

M. Ullrich resides at the Jersey shore with her wife and three ridiculously cute troublemakers some call cats, but she calls bad kids. She spends most of her free time writing, and tries her best to put her own spin on the classic story of two women falling in love.