One of the first rules I made for my time travellers was that, while they could technically travel anywhen in time, they couldn't go back into their own personal pasts (or futures). It's not quite Doctor Who with their fixed points in time where trying to change it could destroy the universe, but a mental thing - since they use mental powers to travel, there's a psychological block. If you know a loved one has died, for example, how can you go back when you know they're gone? Although for my main heroine Quin, there's a good reason not to as she explains to her equally talented son...
“There’s so much I should have asked you over the past year, so much I could have learned.”
Despite her tears, Quin laughed. “Oh, Geth, hindsight is such a wonderful thing.”
“But you said we can travel in time as well as space. Didn’t you ever try to go back and…?”
“We can’t go back,” Quin snapped, a sudden harshness in her expression that softened at his responding scowl. “And even if we could, if we could put every little mistake right, what would that do to us? We wouldn’t be the people we are now. Would we care so much if we hadn’t already lost things precious to us? Would we have pity for others if we hadn’t suffered ourselves? Everything that we are, everything that we try to do, believing it to be for the best; all of it is born from the life we’ve had, the decisions we’ve had to make, good or bad. There are so many things I want to put right, but knowing that I can’t means I try all the harder to make the right choices and be the best person I can.”
“Is that really what you believe?”
“I believe most things happen for a reason. The rest…is luck, good or bad. I don’t believe in any god, but sometimes I believe in Fate.”
***
Which is why, I guess, that even if I had the power I wouldn't want to go back and change anything. Even the smallest thing could make a huge change to how my life turned out, and despite some of it I'm pretty happy where I am. Although sometimes I wonder if the past me might have felt a little better if I could pop back and give her a hint...
Abandoned. Hunted. Out of control.
Gethyon Rees had always felt at odds with the universe, and hoped for an escape among the stars. But discovering he has the ability to cross time and space with just a thought brings more problems than it solves: a deadly bounty hunter who can follow him anywhere, the unwelcome return of Tarquin Secker--the mother who abandoned him--and an ancient darkness that seeks him and all those with his talents.
When an unforgivable act sets him on the run, it'll take more than his unearthly powers to save his skin and the lives of those he cares about. It'll take a sacrifice he never expected to have to make.
A science fiction adventure novel previously published by BURST (Champagne Books), and part of the Travellers Universe. A 2014 SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Most Awesome Psychic Talent and a 2015 EPIC eBook Awards finalist in the Science Fiction category. Also now includes the SF short story The Bones of the Sea.
3 comments:
Pippa, you have a Very Wise character. Love the part close to the end "there are so many things I want to put right, but knowing that I can't means I try all the harder to make the right choices and be the best person I can." And your last sentence? Smiled and nodded my head in agreement.
Great post, Pippa! I'll have to buy Geth's story.
This was right up your alley, Pippa! Love your blurb - I need to read this, too!
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