Memoirs of Elise

by David L. Gurnee

A proposed sequel/prequel to the film Somewhere In Time (based on the book Bid Time Return), told from the point of view of Elise McKenna - after her encounter with Richard Collier.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Time Travel

104 pages

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Besides bringing me to Mackinac Island, writing Memoirs of Elise helped me to realize that I loved crafting plots, scenes, and dialog - processes of screenwriting. So after writing my second novel, A Love of Time, I tried my hand at adapting it to a screenplay, and once I learned the format, found I was very comfortable with the screenwriting process. So much so that, my novel Amy's Flowers was first written as a screenplay and then afterwards novelized. Over the last few years, I've co-written two stageplays and have found the stage format to be the most comfortable and enjoyable for me of all story telling forms.

My first love was music. I started playing guitar at the age of 11, and rocked out for 33 years. But while working on Memoirs of Elise I discovered and fell hopelessly in love with classical music. This inspired the composition of two filmscore-like music CDs, with a third one in the works.

My most recent projects are The Busy Little Mouse (a children's book which was illustrated by my Ukrainian in-laws), and Memoirs of a Trumpster (a political chronicle of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections).

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella, which is a sequel/prequel to the movie "Somewhere In Time" really surprised me. It is basically a series of diary entries written by Elise McKenna, twenty years after her encounter with Richard Collier, as she tries to determine where he came from and what happened to him. The book nicely fills in many of the gaps and questions left by the film. (It follows the movie, rather than the original novel "Bid Time Return" which has some considerable differences.)

Because the story is short (104 pages) it cuts to the chase, avoiding some of the awkwardness in BTR - and has some of the most effective romantic writing I've encountered in a long time. David L. Gurnee has created a moving companion work that enhances Matheson's original story, while remaining true to his characters. If you're a fan of "Somewhere In Time", you should really seek this out. (It was in limited print, but I think it's available at the Somewhere In Time website.) You will never see the movie quite the same way again.

[Tracy Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raise your hand if you are a huge fan of the film ‘Somewhere In Time’! Yeah, me too! Ever wondered what happened to Elise McKenna? Me too! I became aware of this prequel/sequel a few years ago but it is rare to find a hard copy edition. Soft copies are pricey when you can find them. I finally stumbled upon a fourth printing hard copy recently and couldn’t get my credit card out fast enough! A quick and sentimental read. Worth every penny and the wait.

Page 57: “Had humanity simply become a product of its own thoughts? Could thoughts transform reality? If so, what was the effect of feeding on the regurgitation of this self made reality in the daily newspapers? Wouldn’t it simply perpetuate that reality?” (this could describe us today)

[Carol Ann]

Can someone please tell me why this book cannot be found anywhere?

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been after this book for so long. It has always been out there, but has always been quite unobtainable, which is unfortunate. I managed to get a hold of A Love Of Time, which I thought would satisfy my curiosity (since it was using the same setting, similar style of storyline). Unfortunately Memoirs of Elise, the woman made famous by the Somewhere In Time book/movie/Jane Seymour, has eluded me.

Until now.

I managed to track down a signed copy of Memoirs (I'm pretty sure I have a signed copy of A Love Of Time too), and read it within a couple of hours. Frustrating it's only 110 pages in total, with lots of blank pages between chapters.

There are some nice black and white photos included, some look like they are taken from the film directly. The story is much like a diary entry, set in the 1930s, after Elise's experience with Richard, which you will already know about from the book/film. It's a very odd little story, as it took me a little while to get into the rhythm of it again, and seeing things through Elise's eyes. Her terror at seeing Richard disappear before her, the constant deja vu of seeing 9.18, and hearing the Collier name. There's also the issue of her manager William, who appears to know more than he's letting on.

This is quite a frustrating book in a way, as it was missing a certain magic that the film possessed (I was not able to get into the Richard Matheson book), and it just ends. We don't see how Elise continues up until the present day where she meets Richard as an old woman or any of the aftermath of that - does she know that he'll now have gone back in time? What happens to her in the end? It just ends in the 1930s, with Elise making a decision that will affect the rest of her life.

I just wanted more from it, and it's just so short. It is nice to have a signed copy, but I was just expecting something with more substance, something that would leave me feeling satisfied with the conclusion and rounded out my experience with the film more. Don't get me wrong, this is still a good read, if you have enjoyed the film, but don't be surprised if you're disappointed by the time you finish it.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no idea this book existed until I accidentally came across it at the bookstore. Read it in one evening, and LOVED it. Told from Elise's POV, it's a perfect companion to the movie Somewhere In Time.

[Don Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This 1997 book is a short sequel to the movie Somewhere in Time (not directly a sequel to the novel Bid Time Return, which the movie is an adaptation of). It contains little in the way of plot: essentially, after Richard Collier involuntarily leaves her, Elise McKenna spends decades pining away for him, writing diary entries that comprise most of the book. The only thing that impressed me is that author David Gurnee nailed the "diary" aspect: it does feel like a real set of journal or diary entries by a character who never meant to write a literary work, only to talk to herself in writing.




I wouldn't particularly recommend this book, except possibly to diehard fans of the movie it's based on. From the tone, I think it's very much a piece of fan fiction meant to appeal to fellow fans. If you wonder why someone would have written it, read this column (not written by me). http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/1...

[Linda Clark-Koball · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have watched or read Somewhere In Time, you MUST read David L. Gurnee, Memoirs of Elise. I read it when it first came out and it is one of my all time favorite reads. My adult kids have copies and they are fans too. David answers all the questions from the book and movie Somewhere In Time. David is a very talented writer and I look forward to reading all of his books on Goodreads.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives you insight into the mind of Elise McKenna, who was the love of Richard Collier in "Somewhere In Time". You really need to read the book or see the movie before reading this book. It was interesting to read Elise's side of the story. I thought some of it was repetitive, but it didn't distract too much from the story.

[Harry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet, romantic book. A follow on to the movie “Somewhere in Time” which is based on the book “Bid Time Return.”

By the way the book is hard to find. I read it through the Internet Archives. Set up a free account and you can borrow it for an hour at a time. It’s a short book. 😉