As the summer winds down, one of the most hilarious, heartfelt, and high-octane science fiction debuts of the year is ready to bend time and expectations. Releasing August 12, Time Travel 101: Intro To Eternity by Daniel Goy launches an exhilarating new series that collides physics, grief, and razor-sharp wit in a time-travel thriller like no other. Set across centuries and timelines, and packed with mind-controlled zombies, rogue scientists, and the aching question of “what if?”, this is a story that doesn’t just play with paradoxes, it plays with your heart.

Jack Phoenix is just like any other university student. He studies, drinks with his best friend Sam, and casually builds a time machine in the hopes of preventing his parents’ deaths. But when his mentor’s mysterious past resurfaces in the form of a power-hungry villain with a mechanical army and a reality-warping agenda, Jack finds himself hurtling through the timeline as a fugitive. With yesterday’s ghosts on his heels and tomorrow’s collapse on the horizon, Jack must protect the machine long enough to undo the tragedy that set everything in motion. Because in the war against time, some destinies are meant to collide.

In this exclusive interview, Daniel Goy opens up about the surreal journey from writing under trees to releasing his debut novel, the emotional weight behind Jack’s story, and how themes of fear, friendship, and mental health shaped the narrative. Drawing inspiration from Stephen King, childhood comics, and his own experience with neurodivergence, Goy brings humor, heart, and a fresh perspective to the time-travel genre, where emotional realism is just as important as scientific theory.

Witty, wildly imaginative, and deeply personal, Time Travel 101: Intro To Eternity is more than a sci-fi romp. It is a story of grief, growth, and the desperate, beautiful hope that maybe we can change the past.

Join us as we explore the inspirations, chaos, and creative genius behind Daniel Goy’s unforgettable debut and get a glimpse into the mind rewriting the rules of time, one paradox at a time.

1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your journey as a writer?

This is a hard question as I think it’s truly insane that I even get to call myself a writer now. Ever since I was 6 years old I’ve always told people that’s what I wanted to be (at 5 years old I wanted to be a train, not a train driver, simply a train), so I still can’t believe that this is now something I get to tell people I do, and believe me, I tell everyone. Writing has always been my favourite thing to do as there’s nothing like spending the day getting lost in your imagination, and I feel as though writing helps me to understand what’s going on in my own head a little better too.

2. What inspired you to start writing, and how did you discover your passion for storytelling?

I think it stemmed from me reading the book Captain Underpants when I was 6 years old. It was the first time I ever became obsessed with a book series. I realized that books weren’t simply boring things you had to read in English lessons at school, they could be exciting and funny and brilliant. So I started reading more and more and soon I began writing my own comics and short stories, and I guess I never really stopped.

3. Could you share some insights into your creative process? Do you have any rituals or habits that help you write?

I love writing outside on a sunny day, under a tree, with a red bull and some music. I mostly like writing outside because it's the one place where the wifi and the infinite distractions can’t reach me. Anything that keeps me off the internet really.

4. What themes or messages do you often explore in your writing, and why are they important to you?

I mostly explore the themes of fear, friendship and how our minds can work against us. I think writing truly is the perfect medium if you want to explore what’s going on in a character’s head. My favourite thing to write is when I’m explaining the rapid-fire thoughts blasting through someone’s mind when they’re panicking and losing control of themself.

5. Are there any particular authors or books that have influenced your writing style or storytelling approach?

Stephen King. I absolutely fell in love with his writing after reading ‘11.22.63’. It’s about a man going back in time to stop the Kennedy assassination and ends up falling in love with a woman from the 60s. I loved how the story was high concept but still focused on the characters’ emotional journeys above all else. It made me realize that whilst sci-fi stories are good for creating settings, the plot needs to be driven by realistic characters and their internal struggles.

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers who are just starting their journey?

Stop procrastinating by reading this interview and start typing. The biggest hurdle for me when I started writing was worrying that everything had to be perfect straight away, but it doesn’t. The first few things you write will be terrible (or in my case the first few thousand things), but each day you’ll get a little bit better and that voice in the back of your mind telling you how bad your writing is will get a little bit quieter.

7. How do you balance writing with other aspects of your life, such as work, family, and personal interests?

That’s something I’m still yet to figure out. I’m the worst at balancing, if I’m really buckling down writing then it’ll consume my focus and the rest of the world can fall away for weeks at a time. In the words of Ron Swanson: ‘Never half-ass two things, whole ass one thing.’

8. How do you stay motivated and overcome writer's block when faced with challenges in your writing process?

I rarely write in chronological order which does help to avoid writers block. I start by writing the part of a story that I can best imagine and as I’m writing that I often find a certain theme that I want to explore more and use it to help guide me. If I’m stuck on a chapter and don’t know where the story goes next, I’ll jump ahead and write the next part that I do know and come back to it later. That way I’m always able to get something written. I’m only writing this bit now because question 7 was too hard.

9. How do you manage your time and set goals to ensure consistent progress in your writing projects?

I’ll try to write around 1500 words a day when I’m in writing mode, and even on days when the creativity is barely dribbling out, I’ll still push myself to reach 1000 words before I can let myself stop.

10. How do you handle moments of doubt or uncertainty in your writing process, and what strategies do you use to persevere through challenges?

I’ve realized I doubt myself because I’m always comparing my work to the best thing I’ve ever read, and not even the actual thing, but how good I imagine it to be. So, now, when I feel that way, I pick up a book written by someone I admire and as I’m reading I’ll see that what I’m reading isn’t actually perfect, and that’s ok, and what I write won’t be perfect either, and that’s also ok.

11. What role do emotions and empathy play in your writing, and how do you strive to evoke emotional responses from your readers?

I try to make my characters flawed, yet empathetic, even the villains. Each story starts with some emotional core that I want to explore and then expand it with some sci-fi jiggery pokery. I think the plot can be as wild as you can imagine as long as the characters behave realistically and you feel an emotional attachment to them. I hope my readers see themselves or someone they know in the characters I write, flaws and all.

12. Can you share any insights into the importance of a strong opening hook or first chapter in capturing readers' attention and setting the tone for the rest of the book?

It's incredibly important. No matter how good your last page is, nobody’s ever going to see it if they can’t get past the first. On those first few pages, you need to somehow prove to the reader that continuing to read your book will be more enjoyable than simply putting the book down and scrolling TikTok for the rest of the day (and honestly, very few things are). In my openings, I try to set up the themes and the characters, as well as adding a joke and a death. It’s a lot to cram in without it feeling overstuffed.

13. Can you discuss any experiences of writer's block or creative burnout, and how do you rejuvenate your creativity during those times?

I think the only thing you can do in that situation is take a break. If you’re burnt out and not enjoying the process, then you’re not going to write anything good. I once read that the writer Aaron Sorkin takes 8 showers a day to get over writer's block. I can’t afford that kind of water bill, so I usually just go on a walk instead.

14. Are there any upcoming projects or future plans that you're excited to share with your readers?

My debut novel Time Travel 101 - Intro To Eternity releases on August 12th, 2025, and I can’t wait for people to finally get their hands on it. Beyond that, I’ve recently finished the first draft of Time Travel 102, and I’m about to start work on Time Travel 103, so I’m excited for readers to see where the story goes next.