Why a Historical Science Fiction Author Created a Tarot Deck

Readers sometimes ask why, as an author of historical science fiction, I would create a tarot deck. On the surface, the two might seem like strange companions. One is rooted in research, timelines, and the mechanics of time travel. The other is a symbolic tool often associated with intuition, archetypes, and the inner landscape. But for me, they don’t just coexist — they strengthen each other.

In the Jamie Poole series, Jamie begins her journey estranged from her father and unsure of her place in the world. She resurrects a Druidess who turns out to be her ancestor. She’s called to travel back in time to save the lives of those who died unjustly. She faces danger, mystery, and the weight of history. Yet woven between the dramatic moments are quiet, deeply human questions: Who is my dad? Who am I? What does any of this mean for the person I’m becoming?

These aren’t world‑ending questions, but they matter profoundly to Jamie. They matter to all of us. Science fiction, like art, mirrors real life. And real life is rarely tidy. It’s full of questions — some small, some seismic — that shape how we understand ourselves and the world around us. Some questions help us make sense of the present moment. Others bring us to our knees.

In the series, Jamie and the people around her face both kinds.

So why introduce tarot?

Because tarot is a tool. Just like Lumen, the sword that enables time travel, is a tool.

Tarot doesn’t predict the future. It organizes it. It helps you sit with the chaos long enough to see patterns. It gives shape to the questions you’re already asking. It invites you to pause, breathe, and consider where you’ve been, where you stand, and where you might go next.

In other words, it’s the perfect tool for a time traveler.

Jamie’s journey is filled with moments where she must navigate uncertainty — emotional, historical, and existential. Tarot mirrors that process. It offers a symbolic language for reflection, a way to hold the unanswerable questions without being overwhelmed by them. It’s not magic. It’s perspective.

And that’s why the tarot deck exists alongside the novels. Whether you read the books or simply pick up the cards, the message is the same: our lives are a series of questions, and the answers often linger just out of sight. Tarot helps bring them into focus. It helps you understand the path behind you and the one unfolding ahead.

In Jamie’s world — and in ours — that kind of clarity is its own form of time travel.

Spoilers ahead!

The Time Travelers Tarot Guidebook will be available April, 1, 2026. There is a link to pre-order the Kindle edition. (This is the US link. It is going to be available internationally as well. Check your local Amazon site.) The paper version will be available at the same time. The Time Travelers Tarot deck comes out May 26, 2026. If you wish for an autographed copy of the book, you will be able to purchase both the deck and the full-sized guidebook from the author. Choices! I know. (grin)