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INTERVIEW: Worldbuilding and AMI Audio

INTERVIEW: Worldbuilding and AMI Audio

The Culture of Story: Author J.M. Frey on Worldbuilding That Lasts

Impressive worlds like Westeros or the USS Enterprise didn’t just spring from a map—they were shaped by values, power structures, and human history. Author and voice actor J.M. Frey explains why great worldbuilding goes far beyond geography. Frey dives into how she builds worlds readers instinctually believe, and all it takes sometimes is a subtle shift in reality. Plus, she previews her new audiobook Time and Tide, coming out May 2025.

WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE.

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JM FreyINTERVIEW: Worldbuilding and AMI Audio
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INTERVIEW: Book Shop Chats

INTERVIEW: Book Shop Chats

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From the Episode Description:

Friends this episode is full of wisdom! Grab an iced coffee and get your steps in.

J.M Frey shares the extraordinary journey of her latest novel “Time and Tide,” a sapphic Regency romance that made the New York Times Best Romance Books of the Year list after a 16-year path to publication.

• From idea to New York Times recognition: how a visit to the Jane Austen Center sparked a time-slip romance concept
• Why traditional publishing requires patience—Time and Tide went through 17+ drafts before publication
• Fan fiction as valuable training ground for developing voice, taking critique, and understanding story structure
• After 327 rejections on her newest manuscript, why Frey is embracing self-publishing
• The importance of finding joy in writing again when creativity becomes a commodity
• How returning to fan fiction helped reignite creative passion and productivity

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JM FreyINTERVIEW: Book Shop Chats
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REVIEW: The Seaboard Review covers “Time and Tide”

REVIEW: The Seaboard Review covers “Time and Tide”

TIME AND TIDE review by Selena Mercuri for The Seaboard Review

J.M. Frey’s Time and Tide is a playful and poignant exploration of time travel, historical fiction, and queer romance, anchored by sharp wit and an emotionally resonant core. In this novel, Sam Franklin—a bisexual woman from the twenty-first century—survives a plane crash only to find herself inexplicably transported to the deck of a British warship in 1805. What follows is a clash of centuries where Sam’s modern sensibilities must contend with the rigid social structures of the past.

“The comedic friction between modernity and history, particularly in the absurdity of etiquette and expectation, is one of the novel’s greatest strengths.”

The novel thrives on its comedic edge, balancing its historical gravitas with moments of genuine hilarity. Sam, a woman used to contemporary nightlife, struggles to navigate Regency England’s customs, as seen when she is asked to dance by the ship’s captain: “I had visions of strobe lights, of gyrating on an overpacked dance floor with a sweating vodka cooler clasped precariously, swinging over my head. Somehow I didn’t think that was what he meant.” Frey’s humour is self-aware and generous, making the reader as much a time traveller as Sam herself. The comedic friction between modernity and history, particularly in the absurdity of etiquette and expectation, is one of the novel’s greatest strengths.

Beyond its wit, Time and Tide is an earnest meditation on love and belonging. Sam’s relationship with Margaret Goodenough—a young woman with literary ambition—unfolds with a depth of emotion that feels timeless. In one of the novel’s most affecting moments, Margaret confesses: “How easily all the small, wounded parts of me were filled with the balm of your affection when I had never intended on allowing myself any form of attachment at all.” The romance is tender and fraught, and the novel does not shy away from the dangers of same-sex relationships in an era where discretion was a matter of survival. Frey handles this tension with care, crafting a love story that is heart-wrenching yet hopeful.

The novel’s language is another of its triumphs, rendering both the immediacy of emotion and the vastness of historical perspective in poetic, evocative prose. Frey captures the weight of a single moment with lyrical precision: “A choice is made in the time it takes to inhale, for a heart to pump once, for a blink to flicker shut and open again. It’s a flap of a hummingbird’s wings, a crack of lightning, the leap of light across a room to an eye. And yet it feels like all the space in the world exists between their start and stop. Universes, galaxies, eons pass in the time it takes to assess a situation, consider all the angles, and arrive at a conclusion.” Her prose is rich and draws readers into the experience of time itself as both fleeting and expansive.

Ultimately, Time and Tide is a novel about love: love across centuries, love constrained by circumstance, and love that dares to defy the limits of time itself. With its sharp humour, deeply felt romance, and philosophical reflections on history and identity, Frey delivers a story that lingers well beyond the final page. For those who enjoy speculative fiction with both intellect and heart, this novel is a rewarding journey through the waves of time.

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JM FreyREVIEW: The Seaboard Review covers “Time and Tide”
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TIME AND TIDE – Happy Release Day!

TIME AND TIDE – Happy Release Day!

Happy release day to TIME AND TIDE!

This little book has gone on quite the journey!

I began writing it in 2010-2011, under the title “First Impressions”. It was intended to be the sophomore follow-up to my debut novel, but it didn’t land with my first, nor my second agent. After two more title changes and nearly a decade of dabbling with edits, a fortuitous stint on Wattpad, and the utterly unforeseen but gratifying Watty Award win, I was stunned and delighted when W by Wattpad Books reached out to inquire about the rights on the book.

Working with this publishing team has been, without a doubt, one of the most enjoyable experiences of my writing career. I cannot thank them all deeply and earnestly enough for all the hard work they’ve put into my story.

Years ago, one of closest friends called this story my “airport book”, maintaining that this would be the one that was going to be mainstream and accessible enough for the wider reading public. And it turns out she was right!

As of today, TIME AND TIDE is now available anywhere books are sold, including the Hudson Booksellers in most major American airports.

It is quite literally a dream come true.

Happy reading.

JM FreyTIME AND TIDE – Happy Release Day!
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW: In Conversation with Kacey Sophia

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: In Conversation with Kacey Sophia

Kacey Sophia ((@authorkaceysophia) and I talk reviews, the inspiration behind “Time and Tide” and “Nine-Tenths”, trying to find an agent in the middle of the post-pandemic chaos that is publishing, figuring out your own marketing, and the benefits of publishing to Wattpad.

CAPTIONS ARE AUTO-GENERATED. MY PROGRAM CRASHED EVERY TIME I TRIED TO FIX A TYPO, SO I GAVE UP. SORRY FOR ANY ERRORS YOU FIND.

I didn’t realize how … CLOSE cropped the image would be. I swear I was perfectly framed in my own window.

Can you see the moments when I …
-Realize you can see my lamp reflected in my glasses?
-When I pour myself more coffee?
-When I notice that my still-drying hair is curling wonkily?

JM FreyAUTHOR INTERVIEW: In Conversation with Kacey Sophia
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