Maria Dean is an author from Yorkshire. She primarily writes contemporary romance novels but can’t resist the pull of a good short story.   

What inspired you to write ‘A Time for Justice’ (Issue 4)?

When we think about time travel, we always jump to the positives and the benefits that such technology could bring. I decided to flip the concept on its head and consider how it could be used negatively. What might happen if this sort of technology got into the hands of the wrong people? This was the starting point of A Time For Justice.   

Could you give us an insight into your writing process?

I work part-time as a learning mentor in a primary school, and I also have two young children, so, my writing has to fit around this. I write at all hours – early mornings, late nights, any scrap of time I get, I write. I have a Boston Terrier called Mo who is my faithful writing companion. He is often perched on my knee whilst I work. A huge chunk of my writing process is spent not at the laptop, but daydreaming, planning, and plotting in my head. It’s in the quiet moments of life, such as walking the dog or sorting the washing out when ideas can begin to take form.  

What do you consider to be the most enjoyable or important aspect of science fiction or fantasy, and why?

Limitless possibilities are what draws me to science fiction and the overall feeling of a future realm yet to be discovered. It’s almost like having the ability to time travel, to envisage what our world and others may look like and how our choices and interactions might shape this new world for better or worse.