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Time is of the Essence Book Tour

Cover Blurb

Time marches on. Use it wisely... These stories all have ‘time’ as their theme. Some deal with a specific point in time while others explore time in other ways.

For example, A Moment In Time is a mystery with overtones of ages past, A Modern Fairy Tale tells a light-hearted story of how two people might meet, and Bonnie and Claude explores how relationships might develop over time.

I have included stories resulting from interviews I had with three ex World War 1 soldiers, two of whom were imprisoned during the war, one in Europe and the other in the South Pacific. My favourite of these results from a 2002 interview with Eric Abraham, who at the time was 102 years old. I wrote a short piece about some of his experiences, intending to write more. He died a few years later and I regret not taking the time to speak with him again. I hope you enjoy this collection!

Other Titles By the Author

Phoebe Wilby

Author Bio

I was born in Australia and, although Australia still has a huge piece of my heart, I regard myself as a citizen of the world. I'm currently living in Ireland with my husband. My youngest daughter is also here on an extended holiday. My four older children have now flown the nest and it's a new stage in my life. Aside from writing and working full-time, we are also renovating a quaint farmhouse in Ireland which is now almost habitable. When I say 'we', I really mean my husband is renovating! I have been writing since childhood, including horror stories, humour, and poetry, usually about life as I saw it then. My life is still the inspiration for my writing. I have a background in journalism, but only studied for the degree to 'legitimise' my writing, and while studying for my Bachelor of Journalism, I was blessed to win the Literary Achievement Award for Excellence in Fiction from the Golden Key International Honour Society, of which I'm a lifetime member for my fictionalised treatment of the September 11, 2001 tragedy in New York. A bit of very creative journalism, there. You can read this here. I'm beginning to make time for my writing now, and it is refreshing to be able to do this. My life gets a bit chaotic at times. yet I wouldn't have it any other way. Still, this semi-chaotic lifestyle is perfect for short-story writing - not so good for novels, though. I am trying to persevere with a few longer works I have in the pipeline, as well as a couple of anthologies to keep company with Point of View, Time Is Of The Essence, and my memoir, Always One Step Ahead Of The Storm. Sometimes I really don't think I have the attention span to write a novel. However, I have so many projects on the go that the characters are beginning to take over my life completely.

The Book Tour

Day 1 - Favourite Quotes

'You lie in your bed the way you made it.' (Andrew Bell)

'Now our princess lives in a small house in a small market town in a small county of a small country which was once part of a huge and powerful empire but which now governed only a very small part of a much larger world.' (Andrew Oyston)

'Tallulah picked herself up off the ground where Prince Roderick had inadvertently swiped her and, snapping her fingers, reappeared inside his car.' (Deb Barwick)

'…her time on the Moors always left her with a feeling of peace and the strength to keep going.' (Eleanor Dixon)

"Oh, no!" Lucas laughed. "It is the most worthy. And that is Tallulah." He looked at his bride with such love, Annabel's heart ached a little more. (Yvonne Marrs)

'I was sick afterwards. Physically sick. Everything I had eaten or drank up to that point left me like a fountain.' (Tim Marshall)

'You're welcome, now trot off to ASDA, and find yourself a ball gown.' (Kirsty McKay)

Day 2 - Character Summaries

Reviewing short stories, finding a consistent favourite character, is impossible although I enjoyed the protagonist of “A time to heal.” It encapsulated me as it is about the aftermath of a tragedy which happened some time ago, one which I can remember. It is one of those JFK moments, when you know where you were and what you were doing when it happened. I remember hearing about this on the radio as I lay in a hospital bed following a brain haemorrhage. I particularly enjoyed it when the character mentioned: Every moment I have with her is precious. My girl survived.” It says a thousand words. (Andrew Bell)

Bonnie from the short story Bonnie and Claude. The way she cares for her husband even though she did not have the easiest life with him. The way she finds her own comforts whilst maintaining that level of care, and the love she still feels for him. It is a touching arc and one that, having seen a very similar behaviour in my grandparents, very much reminds me of them. It also highlights the sense of loneliness that occurs as people get older, of having acquaintances rather than friends, of coping and dealing with every problem that arises on your own, and, conversely, how important having family is as you age. (Andrew Oyston)

Annabel: is an ordinary lady with everyday problems – an ex she is having difficulty dealing with, and the ensuing confidence issues, yet she is still a relatable and empathetic character who I was rooting for from the first. I admired her moral compass and ability to judge others as found, and also the fact that, although she was drawn to Roderick, she was also self-sufficient and able to work her way through problems. Her ‘special place’ and her need to have that space to gather her thoughts was also something that I felt an immediate connection with. (Deb Barwick)

It’s quite a feat to develop characters in short stories but Phoebe Wilby did that. I connected with the protagonists in each tale and cared enough to know more about what was going to happen. I instantly wanted to meet the fairy-like Tallulah, felt that Liv, the perfectionist could be me, and totally disliked (as was intended) Mr Stevens, the overconfident con man, to name but a few. Changing points of view can sometimes be confusing, but Phoebe pulled it off admirably and it lent depth to the stories that were written in the first person. (Eleanor Dixon)

From all of the variety of short stories, I loved the science fiction /fantasy element of A Modern Fairytale. It should be made into a full length novel. The author has developed her characters well, but the fairy Tallulah is such a brilliantly written character! The extra special added details of the world of the fairies brought the reader into another dimension. Her challenge is one that will shape her future, but she is more concerned over her charges and getting them together, which is the challenge. Her pleas are heartfelt and you really want her to succeed, despite knowing the odds are very highly against her. (Yvonne Weston)

My favourite character from the book was Brad, who appears in the second short story ‘A Moment in Time.’ The use of changing viewpoints in the first-person narrative gives insight into the thought processes of the other side in the date. Brad is certainly a flawed character, and exploring his motivations through the first person after witnessing his actions through the lens of his counterpart Maggie is entertaining. (Tim Marshall)

It is hard to choose a character from so many wonderful short stories. But the one who stood out that little bit more for me was Jen's mother in the story 'A Time to Heal.' It is always hard for a mother to let go of the apron strings and give their child the space, trust and independence that they need and crave. Some mothers are even ridiculed for their inability to let go. But imagine just how difficult it is to continue doing so when it almost costs the life of your child? This story resonates deeply for me, from a personal experience, that reminds me of how close I came to losing my child, the absolute overwhelming fear and pain so indescribable. And whilst the mother, at the end of the story, helps her daughter to heal from the terrifying experience she had, time believed to heal all wounds. I know that, for the mother, she never truly will. (Kirsty McKay)

Day 3 - Favourite Excerpts

The story Time to Heal really made me believe Phoebe Wilby was a great writer. I especially enjoyed the closing paragraph. “She’s still my baby, but I’ve come to see in her the strong mature woman she has become. She’ll eventually leave home and then I’ll have different worries. Until then, every moment I have with her is precious. My girl survived.” (Andrew Bell)

“There was a bombing at the concert.” - from A Time to Heal - you already know there is something coming from the first line, but when the line is spoken, you get a feeling of time and place, something confirmed a paragraph or two later - a very effective way of building that feeling up. (Andrew Oyston)

‘He spun her around, trapping her arm behind her back, claiming her lips. Harsh. Angry. Painful. She bit him. He yelped, tightening his grip on the arm he held behind her back and raised his other arm to slap her. She winced, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the pain. “The lady asked you to leave her alone!”’ (Deb Barwick)

She loved the carefree nature of children and felt a little twinge that they had never had any of their own. It was not really something they had planned, this childless state, but as the years went by, it was less likely that it would ever happen and neither James nor Amanda felt any need to pursue this. (Eleanor Dixon)

Above them, hiding behind the glow of the street lamp, Tallulah watched. As the door swung closed, she flitted inside, heart pounding. Faerie folk didn't usually enter the places frequented by their giant earth-bound cousins, but she was anxious to see how this evening would pan out. A quick scan of the room revealed the perfect hiding place. Red and silver tinsel streamers adorned the room, lowering the hall's ceiling by a good four or five feet. The room doubled as a sports hall and the basketball hoops had been given the same treatment and a huge red and silver heart balloon hung from each of them. Tallulah perched on a hoop, hiding behind the fronds of tinsel. (Yvonne Weston)

He released her and watched as she leapt out of the boat. No one would have put her at pushing a half-century and he was grateful that time had been so kind to her. He would have loved her even if she looked every minute of her years, though. She was his anchor in the storm. (Tim Marshall)

Suddenly all hell broke loose. The tourists had changed their minds about sightseeing and decided to try target practice instead. Machine gun bullets struck the boards at his feet. His reaction was automatic, immediately diving off the boards into the quagmire - and staying there, very still. The target shooters decided to move their shooting gallery onward, believing him dead. "You think I'm dead, ya bastard," he shouted to the long gone plane. "I'm just a lucky digger covered in mud!" He lay there a moment longer, heaved a sigh and shuddered. "Shit, that was close." Eric picked himself up, and resumed his walk. (Kirsty McKay)

Day 4 - Video Interview

Day 5 - Reviews

Overall Star Rating 4 Stars. Delightful collection of short stories, some poignant, and all reminding us of the human condition, its fragility and man’s futility and limited control in a chaotic existence. (Andrew Bell)

Overall Star Rating 4 Stars. Time is of the Essence is a lovely little anthology of stories centred around the concept of time. From the funny and whimsical “A Modern Fairy Tale” to the emotional rollercoaster of “Bonnie and Claude”, the author packs in 11 short stories that, at the very least, will leave you in a contemplative mood, and for some possibly a teary-eyed wreck. You’ll also laugh along the way, and the pacing of the different stories is aided perfectly by the order in which they are presented. The dialogue and scene setting are first class and the author has a wonderful ability to find the right voices for her characters. Each is believable and real, even when the situation they find themselves in might not be so straight forward. However, that is not all within this book, as you also get three interviews with veterans, one from the First World War, two from the Second, and here again the concept of time is demonstrated by those whose time was taken by the horrors of war. Finally, there is a short essay that delivers a thought provoking response to the question of how best to use one's time and how different expectations can affect personal decisions. Having read, and re-read this wonderful anthology, I have no reservations in recommending. It is that good! (Andrew Oyston)

Overall Star Rating 4 Stars. A book of short stories, all with a time theme linking them and all very different. Something for everyone. I have based my review on the first story – the one I enjoyed the most – but all were well written and easy to read. I did find that a couple of the stories had endings that, I felt, didn’t quite finish the tale adequately, and one tale confused me completely. There were also a couple of occasions that the author ‘head-hopped’ between characters, making it confusing for the reader. All in all, though, a nice read, and perfect to take on a journey because of the bite-sized nature of the stories. (Deb Barwick)

Overall Star Rating 4 Stars. Time is of the Essence is a collection of short stories, some articles and a couple of essays. I was drawn into the first story from the initial paragraph and that feeling continued with each story throughout the book. Phoebe takes you to the heart of the matter instantly and creates characters you want to know more about. Be prepared to experience a range of emotions from happiness to sorrow and even anger. The variety in the stories, with some being fantasy based, some family orientated and some almost factual, keeps the reader guessing as to what the next one will hold. Twists and turns in the plots make this book a true page turner. The writing is accomplished and polished with a chatty, accessible tone that makes it easy to read. The articles that Phoebe has included at the end are immensely interesting and again, written in an engaging, story-like style. I would have no hesitation recommending this collection to any lover of short stories, or to anyone who finds themselves out of the reading habit due to busy lifestyles taking over. This is a great way to reboot the habit. (Eleanor Dixon)

Overall Star Rating 4 Stars. Overall, there were some of the short stories that were better than others. I'm not sure the last three stories worked with the rest of the book but that is just my personal opinion. Well written with great character development. (Yvonne Weston)

Overall Star Rating 4 Stars. Time is of the Essence’ is an eclectic anthology of short stories and other writings, and as such, it has diverse themes and genres, with elements of fantasy, realism, comedy, drama, and romance, bound somewhat loosely by the shared theme of ‘time.’ However, each story is individually consistent with its theme, and I found myself enjoying the windows offered into the lives of the characters both in the short stories and in the biographical accounts. In some instances, I was entertained, and in others I was really moved. What I found that the author does best is the way that she makes characters relatable, especially when writing in the first person. With the range on offer, much like a buffet prepared by a skilled cook, I would venture that, while not every part will be for everyone, there is a lot to enjoy here. (Tim Marshall)

Overall Star Rating 4 Stars. I am not always a fan of short stories by their very nature, and as a reader I am often frustrated that the story has finished before its truly begun. However having read the collection of short stories in Time is of the Essence written by Phoebe, I genuinely enjoyed many of them and I loved the variety of tales in this book and the connection to the theme of time that ran throughout. All were well written, the dialogue credible and the characters relatable and easy for a reader to connect to. I must admit one or two of the short stories I felt could have been lengthened in their telling, but this didn't detract from my overall enjoyment of them. (Kirsty McKay)