Journalist Mike Chen's first novel, Here and Now and Then, is a thoughtful and twisty time-travel adventure combined with family drama.
Kin Stewart is a cop in the future world of 2142, going to various times and places to chase down criminals attempting to disrupt history. On his latest trip, to 1996 San Francisco, the beacon that would facilitate his return is destroyed, and he is trapped in the past. After laying low for a year, Kin accepts that no one is coming to get him, and he settles into life in the late 20th century. His memories of his future-world life fade as he takes a job in IT, falls in love and marries Heather and they eventually have a daughter named Miranda.
This happy life is shattered, though, when someone finally shows up to rescue him--18 years too late. Reluctantly, he disappears from his life and returns to 2142, where he's been gone only two weeks and his fiancé is waiting. Kin struggles to adjust to his life there while desiring to stay connected to Heather and Miranda. When he discovers that his daughter's life is in peril in the past, he must find a way to save her, no matter what the cost.
This gripping, fast-paced time-travel thriller is also a warm, moving story of a man pulled between two lives and families. With plenty of humor (for instance, Kin's daughter is a Dr. Who fan) and suspense, Chen has crafted an original and captivating story. --Suzan L. Jackson, freelance writer and author of Book By Book blog