The Time Travel Love Zeitgeist strikes again.  I'm not clear as to whether his feature film's story relates to a character going back in time and pursuiing romance with a real once-living historical hero or heroine of his dreams or it's a story about a contemporary character going back in his 'own life' and rewriting his personal love history - both intriguing - but I think it's unlikely that he'll choose any of my own Time Travel Boyfriends long-gone pin-ups - but you never know! Perhaps his leading character has always had a passion for the ingenious Brunel or the attractive Charles B. Fry whose party piece to impress the ladies was jumping on the mantlepiece of English drawing rooms in one leap - a nod to his long-jumping championship days -and I wish I'd known that about him when I was writing my book Time Travel Boyfriends in 2007. It would have been a challenge to film though so probably just as well I didn't know that then!!....  Anyway, I look forward to seeing Mr. Curtis' film when ready for the eyes of the world and how they have approached the subject themselves.  Richard Curtis is quoted talking about his interest in time-travel.  He reportedly says ' Maybe it's a desire to get out of being old - Sometimes you do just love the idea that you could go back in time and change things'.  Yes, that has certainly made me think that perhaps my own creative adventure with the subject was indeed about desire to turn back the years - an indulgence of this 'forever' youth chasing generation I belong to - perhaps it's the attraction of easing into the middle-aged joys of armchair travelling - the ultimate lazy person's dating agency - and the infinite possibilities of the imagination.  And of course, the best thing about fantasy is you only have to live with the good bits.

I recently visited Cornwall for the wedding of my friend and actor in Time Travel Boyfriends' Tim Seyfert  which was a happy and lovely event.  Then I went on to visit Nicky Carlyon, a Cornwall native and Badcocks Gallery owner (www.badcocksgallery.co.uk)  She had, one winter's night in her lovely home near Penzance (she's now doing B&B if any art loving readers in search of stylishness and true Cornish hospitality are interested) arranged a gathering inspired by my book to discuss their own Time Travel Boyfriends .. I look forward to hearing the choices - I think that the discussion led to their choices as being divided into 'above' the  neck and 'below' categories but I'll be interested in them all!  From Cornwall to Australia there appear to be folks meeting to engage in escapist romantiscism.  Rebecca Cannon, a writer and artist Down Under who I once met on a plane years ago, asked me if I was interested in sending my book along to a group over there who meet to read out letters to famous people and historical folk.  Yes, we are all across the globe trying to make sense of the fast changing world we now inhabit - hence the retro romantic dream that always appeals - asking for the reassuring words and arms of those of us who went before (as if they know the answers we search for!!).... from the safe distance of the present day!!!

JH, May 2011