A MATTER OF TIME

Love is timeless, time is heartless, and fate is unmerciful, so begins A Matter of Time, which is an emotionally charged voyage into the value of friendship, the power of love, the impact of evil, and the vagaries of fate. Inspired by the Titanic, the book which comes out in the centennial year of the Titanic tragedy is a timely and refreshing read.

A Matter of Time tells the story of James Collins, a student Santa Clara University, who has developed a strange disease that transported him back in time to the days leading to the Titanic disaster. During daytime he is sensitive to light, wears dark clothes, a large hat and sunglasses to protect himself. He tells his story to his roommate and an English professor. While they both found it difficult to believe, they supported him and assisted James in his attempt to change the course of history.

For those who have been fascinated by the Titanic story, this is a must read. The plot revolves round “the world’s greatest evil,” and the world’s greatest ship, Titanic.

Jamie in 1986 who, through a series of dreams, discovers that he is somehow connected to Titanic’s sinking, despite his having not been alive at the time. A mysterious cell appears in his blood, a cell that, in his case, originated aboard Titanic. His roommate Dan, Dan’s sister Maggie, and Jamie’s friend Kevin attempt to help him, but they cannot understand what is happening. Jamie finally announces that the only way he can save himself from the deadly effects of that “cell” is to circumvent time and board Titanic before she sinks in 1912.

While everyone thinks he’s delusional, including his writing professor and his parents, Jamie sets out to solve the mystery and save his life. Dan, for whom Jamie has become a good friend, agrees to accompany him on as much of the journey as possible. He knows that if Jamie can somehow “jump” time and board the ship, he would not be able to follow. Their adventures together and Jamie’s ultimate destiny make up the bulk of the story.

Will Jamie be able to save himself from the clutch of the mysterious disease? Will he be able to save the fate of the ship and its passengers?

A Matter of Time has high drama, lots of romance, unrequited love, lasting friendships…and much more! A story which is stranger than fiction!

Paperback, 326 pages
Publication Date: February 29th 2012

Publisher: Outskirts Press

ISBN: 143278711X 

ISBN13: 9781432787110

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About the Author: Michael Bowler grew up in San Rafael, California and attended Santa Clara University. Titanic and her tragic fate have fascinated him for as long as he can remember and he has a vast collection of artwork, memorabilia and virtually every book ever written about the disaster. He majored in English and Theatre in college and got a master’s in film production. He partnered with two friends as producer, writer, and/or director on several films, most notably “Fatal Images,” “Dead Girls,” “Hell Spa” (later re-edited and titled “Club Dead”), “Things” and “Things II.” He has been teaching high school in Hawthorne, California for over twenty years. He’s written a number of unproduced screenplays and his first novel, “A Boy and His Dragon” was published in 2011.

THE TRUE HERO OF TITANIC

John Harper was born to a pair of solid Christian parents on May 29th, 1872. It was on the last Sunday of March 1886, when he was thirteen years old that he received Jesus as the Lord of his life. He never knew what it was to "sow his wild oats." He began to preach about four years later at the ripe old age of 17 years by going down to the streets of his village and pouring out his soul in earnest entreaty for men to be reconciled to God.

As John Harper's life unfolded, one thing was apparent...he was consumed by the word of God. When asked by various ministers what his doctrine consisted of, he was known to reply "The Word of God!" After five or six years of toiling on street corners preaching the gospel and working in the mill during the day, Harper was taken in by Rev. E. A. Carter of Baptist Pioneer Mission in London, England. This set Harper free to devote his whole time of energy to the work so dear to his heart. Soon, John Harper started his own church in September of 1896. (Now known as the Harper Memorial Church). This church which John Harper had started with just 25 members, had grown to over 500 members when he left 13 years later. During this time he had gotten married, but was shortly there after widowed. However brief the marriage, God did bless John Harper with a beautiful little girl named Nana.

Ironically, John Harper almost drowned several times during his life. When he was two and a half years of age, he almost drowned when he fell into a well but was resuscitated by his mother. At the age of twenty-six, he was swept out to sea by a reverse current and barely survived, and at thirty-two he faced death on a leaking ship in the Mediterranean. Perhaps, God used these experiences to prepare this servant for what he faced next.......

It was the night of April 14, 1912. The RMS Titanic sailed swiftly on the bitterly cold ocean waters heading unknowingly into the pages of history. On board this luxurious ocean liner were many rich and famous people. At the time of the ship's launch, it was the world's largest man-made moveable object. At 11:40 p.m. on that fateful night, an iceberg scraped the ship's starboard side, showering the decks with ice and ripping open six watertight compartments. The sea poured in.

On board the ship that night was John Harper and his much-beloved six-year-old daughter Nana. According to documented reports, as soon as it was apparent that the ship was going to sink, John Harper immediately took his daughter to a lifeboat. It is reasonable to assume that this widowed preacher could have easily gotten on board this boat to safety; however, it never seems to have crossed his mind. He bent down and kissed his precious little girl; looking into her eyes he told her that she would see him again someday. The flares going off in the dark sky above reflected the tears on his face as he turned and headed towards the crowd of desperate humanity on the sinking ocean liner. As the rear of the huge ship began to lurch upwards, it was reported that Harper was seen making his way up the deck yelling "Women, children and unsaved into the lifeboats!" It was only minutes later that the Titanic began to rumble deep within. Most people thought it was an explosion; actually the gargantuan ship was literally breaking in half. At this point, many people jumped off the decks and into the icy, dark waters below. John Harper was one of these people.

That night 1528 people went into the frigid waters. John Harper was seen swimming frantically to people in the water leading them to Jesus before the hypothermia became fatal. Mr. Harper swam up to one young man who had climbed up on a piece of debris. Rev. Harper asked him between breaths, "Are you saved?" The young man replied that he was not.

Harper then tried to lead him to Christ only to have the young man who was near shock, reply no. John Harper then took off his life jacket and threw it to the man and said "Here then, you need this more than I do..." and swam away to other people. A few minutes later Harper swam back to the young man and succeeded in leading him to salvation. Of the 1528 people that went into the water that night, six were rescued by the lifeboats. One of them was this young man on the debris. Four years later, at a survivors meeting, this young man stood up and in tears recounted how John Harper had led him to Christ. Mr. Harper had tried to swim back to help other people, yet because of the intense cold, had grown too weak to swim. His last words before going under in the frigid waters were "Believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus and you will be saved." Does Hollywood remember this man? No. Oh well, no matter. This servant of God did what he had to do. While other people were trying to buy their way onto the lifeboats and selfishly trying to save their own lives, John Harper gave up his life so that others could be saved.

"Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends..." John Harper was truly the hero of the Titanic!

Sources for this article: "The Titanic's Last Hero" by Moody Press 1997, Scriptures are quoted from the King James Bible.