Welcome friend! Welcome to a book excerpt+interview about the first book in a time-travel scifi series! I have K. Pimpinella with me to talk about Nexus Point
Get to know the author: K. Pimpinella
Hi Krista! Great to have you back. Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!
I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, where I spent most of my childhood involved in sport, including ice hockey and kayaking. After 2 years with the Canadian Military, I attended York University where I studied English and History, which in second year changed to Space Sciences. Afterward, I attended Humber College where I received my diploma in Paramedicine and have worked as a paramedic for the past 23 years. Past volunteer work with Global Medics in Cambodia, and time training at the Adult Space Academy in Huntsville Alabama, has given me invaluable experience to draw from. I currently live in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada with my husband and two dogs.
What inspired you to write this book?
Initially, Nexus Point (and subsequent books in the series) was to be a straight forward sci-fi military novel. It was during the initial world building stages- wherein I had pages upon pages of complicated world building, that I dropped my head to my keyboard and said … This would be so much easier if the characters could just time travel! Eureka! I sat up immediately, erased everything I had written so far and ten hours later I had several new chapters written. Once I had discovered that it was a time travel series that I wanted to write, the rest of the novel and the world building that I was struggling with, all came together. It was kind of weird that it took me so long to realize it should be a time travel series since time travel is one of my all time faourite sub-genres of science fiction!
How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?
This is going back a bit, but I believe it took me approximately just under a year to write the first draft. Then it was about 2 years of working with a professional developmental editor to get up to publishing quality. Then it took about another 6 months working with copy editors. It makes me laugh how bad that first draft was! Nexus Point changed considerably working with a developmental editor.
Who would enjoy reading your book?
It’s very much written for science fiction fans. But I wrote the book to provide pure escapism; leave your world and go play around in something completely different. Go have an adventure you’d never get to experience in real life. The tag line on my site is; where you can’t go in life, you can go on the page. If ya learn something along the way that’s bonus.
Nexus Point is the first book in the Time Ranger series. Tell me about the series. Do you already know how many books it will have?
Commander Sawyer and his team of elite Time Rangers travel through time and space in order to stop Time Runners from changing history. Failure to do so, will lead to the complete destruction of Utopia and an end to humanity as we know it.
A SCIFI MILITARY series that spans centuries. The series captures space ships, space stations, Earth’s future and history in an action/adventure series filled with genetic enhancements, conspiracies and an agonizing protagonist in Commander Sawyer who is also on a journey of self-discovery. Join him, and his team of elite soldiers working for Space Fleet’s Time Ranger Unit- including a self-learning AI, as they try to keep Utopia’s past, present and future, safe.
Time Rangers, is a three part series. Book #1, Nexus Point, and book #2, Burning Man are currently published. Book #3 is currently undergoing its editing phases and will be available early 2024. This third book will be the finale of the Time Ranger Series.
What is something you have learned on your author journey so far?
That you can always learn more and better your craft. Your next book should always strive to be better than your last. And for me, ‘good enough’ is not actually good enough for the publishing world, be it indie, self or trad. You are selling a product to an unsuspecting consumer (most readers don’t know the difference between indie/self or trad when they purchase books), so, to me, it’s imperitive to put forth the best writing I can, and that includes taking advice from editors, authors and beta readers.
What’s the best piece of advice you have received related to writing?
Use and editor. Not a friend. Not a book fan. Not just your writing pals. Use a professional developmental or content editor, and then have it expertly copy and line edited. Unfortunately, there are a lot of books on the market that don’t do this, and it is evident when you read them. More unfortunately, these books add to the bad stigma associated with indie and self-published books.
If you could give a shout out to someone(s) who has helped in your writer journey, please feel free to mention them below!
Randy Surles (www.randysurles.com)! My developmental editor has taught me more about writing, and how to properly craft a story that works, than anyone, or anything, else. Christopher Hopper deserves a shout out as well. Not only are his books worthy of praise and used as my ‘master work’ to study, he has given me invaluable advice and even helps promote my books. He is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.
Where can readers find you on the Internet?
Twitter (X); @k_pimpinella
Instagram: k.pimpinella
Facebook: @TimeRangersBookSeries
BlueSky Social: @kpimpinella.bsky.social
Website: www.kpimpinella.com
Nexus Point
Genre: Science Fiction. Soft-military, time travel.
Publication Year: 2023 (2nd Edition with new cover. 1st Edition was 2021)
Late in the twenty-second century, teams of Time Rangers travel back in history to capture Time Runners, renegade time travellers who endanger the future by chaning the past. Kai Sawyer, son of a rear admiral who was a founding member of the Time Ranger unit, is a Spawn, a genetically enhanced human with powerful strength and abilities. But despite his advantages, he carries the burden of his father’s cold and calculated plans for Kai’s future.
As Kai rises through the ranks to become the Time Rangers’ youngest commander ever, he must constantly prove himself to fend off perceptions, even from his own team, that nepotism is behind his meteoric rise. But when Kai and his team are sent to seventeenth-century France to capture a sadistic Time Runner altering the arc of medical advances, Kai finds his considerable strengths used against him. And he fears that he might be a pawn in a dark scheme concocted by mysterious forces even he can’t defeat.
Book Excerpt from
Nexus Point
… When Sawyer arrived at the station lift, he entered and fell against the back wall. He felt the need for release before he did something stupid. I’ll re-enrol in the Academy under the specialist track. That’ll show my father I can be my own man!
But he knew there was no point. People saw the Sawyer name and couldn’t see past the history, the statue of his grandfather outside study hall at the Academy, the shiny rank on his father’s shoulders. The people wanted another Sawyer, chest full of medals and brimming with heroism. But they didn’t care what it took to be that man. People didn’t care what he went through to be that man. Most importantly, they’d never listen to him, only to his father. And his father would never let him give up being a commander.
When the doors opened, his anger carried him down the corridor until he reached the firing range.
“I’m off duty in five minutes,” said the master warrant officer when Sawyer entered. “We’re closed … oh, sorry, sir. I didn’t know it was you.”
The room was large, utilitarian, with ten ranges stretching away from where Sawyer stood. A locked box hung on a wall protecting Space Fleet regulation weapons and ammunition, and a small desk behind a plexiglass screen took up the space to Sawyer’s left. But it was the lock box to his right that he wanted. He walked over to it as he waved to the master warrant. “Take off early. I’ll close up after myself.”
“Thank you, sir, but … uh … sir, those weapons in there aren’t available unless your designated to a mission. I’m sure you knew that, but it’s just there’s no team registered on my manifest right now.” He waited a moment before continuing. “Maybe I’ll just stay awhile longer until you’re done, sir. You know, safety regulations and all that.”
Sawyer shrugged as he swiped a hand over the panel beside the box and a control pad opened. He keyed in his father’s code, knowing his father wouldn’t much care that he was using it for weapons training, and the locker opened.
The master warrant stepped back to his desk. “I’ll open range five for you, sir.”
Sawyer scanned the antique pistols, searching for one that would give him the most satisfaction. He chose the Smith and Wesson Model 3 Revolver and grabbed a canister of .44 calibre ammunition—an American “Old West” classic. Set up at one of the centre ranges, he turned back to the master warrant. “Open all the ranges.”
“I can’t do that. Regulations …”
Sawyer walked over to the desk, entered his father’s code again, and opened all the ranges. “You can still leave if you want, Master Warrant. No use in us both getting in trouble.”
The master warrant shook his head as he took his seat behind his desk. “As long as you sign for my overtime, sir, I’ll stay as long as you want.”
“Done,” Sawyer said with a nod, then he returned to his station where he loaded the six-shot pistol. He fired four shots downrange. The discharge of each round thumped in every hollow cavity of his body, and combined with the stench of sulphur it invigorated him to keep shooting. This is what he needed, to feel the anger of a bullet leaving its chamber. To smell it, taste bitter sulphur on his lips, to hear the crack and feel violence explode in every bone of his body. It was this or he’d beat the shit out of somebody.
“Born to be your legacy! Fuck you!” Sawyer fired the last two rounds then dumped the contents of the ammo canister across the ledge in front of him and reloaded. He felt strong, powerful, as he decimated each humanoid target screen. “Why’d you even create me when you can do everything yourself! Better than me! I’m just a fucking tool!”
After he fired the last shot, the room reeked of acrid smoke and the master warrant was covering his ears. “Jesus Christ, sir! Those screens weren’t set for fix-mass! Do you have any idea how much those things cost! It’s not coming out of my overtime pay, sir! And I’ve reported this, so you know. I’ll take some heat, but not this much, sir.”
Sawyer leaned forward, hands braced on the ledge, and he took deep breaths to control his still unsatiated anger. He hadn’t meant for the master warrant to get in trouble, but sometimes he couldn’t control his own anger.
“Lieutenant!”
Sawyer stood and turned when he realized it wasn’t the master warrant’s voice. “Commander Beaumont.”
“Thank you, Master Warrant, I’ll take it from here.” The master warrant left the room.
Commander Beaumont gave him the same look he did after their London mission. Sawyer glanced over his shoulder at the smashed targets, now realizing what he’d done. “Sir, I can explain.”
“I don’t need an explanation. It’s evident what happened here.”
Sawyer’s head fell forward, his hands rested on his hips. Could he talk to Beaumont? Would he understand? “My father called me into his office and told me I had to get ready to command.”
“Is that what you want?”
Want? Sawyer had rendered decisions before, but being asked what he wanted, this was new. Unexpected. He thought about it a moment then replied, “Yes. Yes, sir.”
Beaumont moved closer to Sawyer. “I’ve known the rear admiral long enough to recognize his disposition. That first day on the Earth-Lander I purposely mentioned his name to gauge your reaction, and the look on your face told me everything I needed to know. But you’ve come a long way since that day, Sawyer. I don’t want you backsliding.”
Sawyer looked into his commander’s eyes and suddenly felt the need to tell this man the truth. “I hear his name and every childhood nightmare screams through my mind. Did you know I’ve only ever had one friend before you and Soko? He left after the Academy; the Rangers sent him off on another ship. Probably my father’s doing. Before that, my whole life was spent on Ranger bases around the system. I started training when I was three! I was running kilometres every morning since I was four! I knew the Ranger Creed and handbook inside and out since I was five! I graduated the Academy younger than any other cadet! I’ve never been part of a team before. I’ve always had to look out for myself. And if I ever complain, slow down … there’s penalties.”
“Stop thinking about your damn father! He’s not here, only you and I are. Besides, your father only wants you to be the best.”
“He doesn’t want me to be the best! He needs me to be the best! He has some convoluted agenda that I have to follow in his footsteps, be more, better, than everyone else! Why do you think I’m a Spawn? To give me that extra advantage! To make me look better so he can look better! Every time I achieve something, it’s a medal on his chest, not mine.”
Beaumont put a hand on his shoulder, but Sawyer pushed it off, afraid what human contact might cause him to do when he was this angry.
“Your father trained you to be the best. Now take that and move on with your life. Stop living like he’s always over your shoulder. His training is here, it’s inside you, but everything else beneath that skin and bone is you. And that’s who I let stay on my team, not your father’s toy soldier.”
Beaumont reached for him again, but when Sawyer pulled back Beaumont grabbed him by both shoulders. “Listen to me, Kai. I get it. Your life sucks. Now suck it up and be a soldier. I’ve never seen a crack in that armour of yours until now. Keep it that way. Because I don’t want to be anywhere near you if that happens out in the field. Do you hear me? You’re a loaded gun waiting to fire. You have to find a way to deal with your personal issues …,” he looked over his shoulder at the target screens, “in a less destructive way. Save the real anger for when it’s needed.”
“Got it. Ten-year Ranger, not an FNG.”
“Sawyer, answer me this one question. What do you really want?”
Again, he was pressed for an answer to this strange question. “I want … I want to be the best commander out here so I can protect the timeline and save lives from being destroyed by Time Runners’ selfish reasons.”
“You prioritized saving lives.”
“Actually, I think I prioritized command first.”
“Yeah, but your first instinct is to say what your father wants to hear. Your real motivation is the second thing you said: protect the future, save lives. That’s who you really are. What the soldier on my team represents. Remember that the next time you feel like firing yourself off. Now go. I’ll take care of this.”
Interested?
Find Nexus Point on Goodreads, IndieStoryGeek, Amazon. Thanks for taking the time to join us for this interview!
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