Cover art or “Ruth’s and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel”

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My science fiction short story “The Joker and the Thief” was just accepted for publication into the anthology “Ruth’s and Ann’s Guide to Time Travel, Volume 2.” As I understand it Gemini Wordsmiths is the parent company for Celestial Echo Press.

I’ve worked with Ann and Ruth before and am gratified that they like my small time travel tale. They received so many quality stories that they had to create a second volume to contain them all.

I’ve wanted to have some version of my story published for a while now. Here’s a small sample:

“No good, Abyssian. It’s a fake. If you’re trying to cheat me, I’ll call the Ferryman so fast you won’t have time to ask how long he’ll roast your ass in the Watchtower.”

“Not me, Sol. I followed the instructions. You’re the one who screwed up. I saw the painting and took it. It’s sitting in front of you.”

“The card, please.”

Ken took it out of his pocket and offered it.

“Yeah, here it is.” He adjusted his glasses. “The time’s off by ten minutes. Something caused a shift when you traveled.”

“Really? I told you the Titanic was a Mecca for travelers. One or half a dozen could have been coming or going, knocking each other and me off target.

“I’ve got to know, Aby. Did Athkinson have a forgery all along or did someone take the genuine article before you got there?”

“Another thief?”

“One way to find out. Start by going back a day, then…”

“Start? This was supposed to be a five-minute job. Now you want me to go back to the Titanic the day before?”

“I’ll double the fee. If you still find he had a fake, you’ll have to trace him back further. Otherwise, the whole deal is bust.”

“Double.”

“For this one trip. Afterward, we’ll see.”

“Terrific.” Ken paused but it was either that or walk away. Sol might never trust him again. “Okay. See you in a bit.”

Ken turned a corner again.

He expected to hear some scratchy old Victrola playing a tune from his childhood but he was too early for that. He was outside at the top of a stairwell at midday. The hatch leading to the right corridor was within reach. It took just a few minutes to retrace his steps, except it was over twenty-four hours before he’d seen Hall’s cabin for the first time.

Trying the handle, he found it unlocked. Too late. Hall would have noticed the movement. Ken rushed inside but the figure holding the painting wasn’t Hall.

The woman quipped, “Well, this is awkward.”

She was beautiful, but in a macabre manner, it was also like looking into a mirror. Like Ken, she was attired for the time and place, but unlike the thief, she wore a whimsical expression, as if being caught in the act of committing a temporal crime was amusing.

He closed the door behind him. “I got here first,” he said.

“Not really. You won’t get here until tomorrow.”

He noticed the painting he had originally taken was still in the corner. She had what looked like it’s twin.

“You left a forgery behind. Why? Who’s Athkinson going to report it to, and once the Titanic sinks, it won’t matter.”

“Finders keepers. Catch me if you can.”

Ken finally saw what traveling looked like when the laughing woman disappeared. An instant later, Sol called him and she was there with the Pawnbroker.

“Sol, you’ve got to…” he started to explain. And then, “What are you dressed up for?”

The very cool thing about this story is that so much actual fact goes into it (I know, strange for a time travel tale that has more than a little fantasy involved).

From the Celestial Echo Press Facebook page.

The famous painting Mona Lisa was really stolen from the Louvre in 1911 and was missing for several years. One possible plot was that a number of imitations were going to be created and sold to wealthy private collectors worldwide in place of the original. Also, the Titanic sunk on April 14, 1912, so the timing is perfect.

The story contains more twists than a bag of pretzels and I’m glad Ruth and Ann found it satisfying.

I don’t have any other details yet, but I’ll keep you posted.

Yes, this was part of the inspiration:

“There must be some way out of here,” said the joker to the thief.
-Bob Dylan, “All Along the Watchtower,” 1967