Showing A Time and a Place by Joe Mahoney

Hi. It’s me, Joe. The guy who wrote this book. I’m supposed to write a description of A Time and a Place here. One so compelling it’ll convince you to buy it. That’s the way this is supposed to work. Problem is, I’m not sure how to do that.

I’m going to be honest with you. A Time and a Place is a strange book. It just is. It’s different. That’s how it came out. Some people love it, some people hate it. Others don’t understand it. One guy I know had to draw a diagram to see if I’d got the time travel right.

It’s a difficult book to sum up. I’ll try, though. It’s about an ordinary guy, a bit cranky, who travels through a weird portal to rescue his nephew who’s been kidnapped by an alien. The portal takes him to other worlds, and through time. He turns into a cat, a seagull, and more (no wonder he’s cranky). He confronts a lonely alien who’s thinking of invading the Earth (maybe, who knows, depends how it’s feeling). And to top it all off the guy’s nephew doesn’t even want to be rescued. Sometimes the book is funny, sometimes its sad, kind of like life. It’s a tad tongue-in-cheek, and I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to guess where it’s going.

Will you like A Time and a Place? It’s hard to say. I wouldn’t want you to buy it and then be disappointed. But if you can handle talking cats and repulsive but engaging aliens and aren’t put off by something way off the beaten track (like, say, one or two nebulae over), then yes, you might be exactly the sort of person I wrote it for.

Praise for A Time and a Place:

"Mahoney skillfully... uses Barnabus's multilayered adventures to yank readers into moments of comedy, tragedy, horror, and philosophical contemplation of time, free will, and personal responsibility. ...Mahoney's work is great for those who like their speculative fiction thoughtful, eloquent, and messy." Publishers Weekly

"A Sci-Fi Fantasy with literary notes, there is so much to love about this book. The magic of A Time and a Place resides in its rich description of places we'll never see-not even in dreams-and the people who must manipulate impossible situations to save their kith and kin." A.B. Funkhauser, author of Shell Game: A Black Cat Novel

"A Time and a Place provides an entertaining frolic through the imaginary blue and yellow purple hills of someone desperately in need of therapy. And I loved it! Written in a Neil Gaimanesque style of witty prose and existential, thought-provoking dilemmas, it will captivate you, entertain you, and keep you out of mischief until it's time for tea. Excellent stuff . . . and highly recommended." Andrew Weston, author of the internationally bestselling IX Series

"An intricate plot laced with Mahoney humour and excellent writing makes this a must read for all lovers of good books." Brian Wyvill, Author of The Second Gate

"It's a great book." Matt Watts, Comedian, Actor, Writer (Michael: Tuesdays and Thursdays, CBC Television)