Timeless Gardens & Other Beautiful Miseries

by T.J. McGowan

Ellis Foster is, in many ways, a man which time had forgotten. Unintentionally orphaned from existence, he is now the gatekeeper to an insatiable void hidden in the fabric of our reality. One where seconds, minutes, and hours do not exist, and grief is both fuel for survival and the very essence of extraordinary beauty. And, within those cracks and crevices of the unknown, he will soon come to learn there also dwells truths not so pretty.

Laura Nagan, derailed by unexpected loss and anchored to irrevocable hopelessness, stands at a crossroad where pain outweighs peace, and her life is no longer a place she wishes to exist in. However, in a moment of coincidence, or possibly even fate, she finds herself with an opportunity at a second chance when her world collides with Ellis.

Are answers out there for them, in the inexplicable corners of the universe? Can solace be found within entwining voids of their past, present, and future? Or, might certain horrors lurk in the darker parts of uncharted existence?

Venture into the small town of Hollow Hills, into the lives of these two people, to uncover the true depths of grief; to discover what it means to be trapped, and perhaps what it means to be free.

This book is for those who know grief, seek the healing powers of love, strive to identify the true meaning of home and family, ponder the fluidity of time and mortality, or simply want to leap beyond the veil of what sits in front of them, in order to dip their toes into the mysterious, magical, and unapologetic pools of nature and human connectedness.

Don’t be afraid. Step inside.

302 pages, Paperback

Published May 3, 2022

About the author

T.J. McGowan, aka The Everyday Bite, is a writer, poet, spoken word artist, and filmmaker/producer based in the Bronx. Winner of the BRIO (Bronx Recognizes Its Own) 2025 for Spoken Word, T.J.’s taken the stage as a featured artist with his spoken word all over the tristate, and his written work has been featured in Collective Unrest, Vamp Cat Mag, Flash Fiction Mag, United: Red, BX Writers, and Mojave Heart, to name a few. His poem, I Am Not Her Bones, was awarded the best spoken word poem at the 2019 Word Masters Poetry Gala and subsequently published in the anthology War Crimes Against the Uterus. He has had two chapbooks, Anatomy of Us: a dissection (Between Shadows Press), and God is a Woman (Querencia Press) published in more recent years. His spoken word album, I Wear Another Man’s Name, dropped in 2021, while his debut fictional novel, Timeless Gardens & Other Beautiful Miseries (iiPublishing), released in Spring 2022. A Funeral of Strangers Gathered over a Body of Thought, a full-length poetry collection, will arrive in Winter 2027. With whatever time is left, he collaborates as one half of the meditative metal duo, Subtle Bodies, blending spoken word and trip-rock. Their two albums, It Is Love and 528, are available wherever you stream your music. And contrary to popular belief, don’t let the stage name fool you, he doesn’t bite… well, not always…

Reviews

[Carson Bowie · Rating 5 out of 5]

TJ has always been a talented poet and his passion for film taught me that he loves a good story. So when I heard he was releasing his first fiction novel, I had to score a copy. I never do well at comparing books to books, I tend to use a broader range of pop culture and life experience to reflect on stories. I’d personally describe his new release as the love child of Stephen King and Quentin Tarantino, albeit with more reasonable dialogue, and the cussing (mostly) stripped away. This is a great example of how telling a linear story, in a non linear way, can hook a reader and pull them deeper. With the turn of each page I was gutted further and further while we explore the history of what we’d just seen in the previous chapter, it’s a pattern that repeats in minor ways throughout the book, foreshadowing the way it will come together in the end. The writing is simple, it’s very often tell instead of show, but done in a manner that kept me engaged and hooked for the two days it took me to devour it. Every time I had to put it down I was irritated that I hadn’t yet learned what TJ had in store in the pages ahead. It hurt me in a few places, and I couldn’t see everything coming, which as someone who dissects every story I encounter as I go through it, usually predicting every next step, is the highest compliment I can give. Without giving away any spoilers, this book will pull you into something painful, fluid and surreal, where sadness is made beautiful, and one where you feel as though disaster may be only a few page turns away. If you’re looking for something that breaks the formulas you’re used to, and something you never expected, I’d recommend Timeless Gardens and Other Beautiful Miseries.

[mmck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered the poetry of TJ on Instagram and have devoured his work as he shares it. I couldn’t wait to pick up his first novel _Timeless Gardens and Other Beautiful Miseries_ and I will be honest in saying that after 25 pages, I needed to close it up and take a moment. TJ navigates the world of grief in such a way that you don’t feel pity or sadness for the characters, he (somehow!) makes it beautiful. This story is a descriptive unfolding of intersecting and intertwined storylines, a spellbinding journey of important emotions in human nature. He puts into words what most of us cannot about grief, making _Timeless Gardens and Other Beautiful Miseries_ wholly absorbing. You will not understand the “why” of this journey until TJ places a big fat red bow on it.

[Tara Yerks]

What waves of emotions I went through reading this amazing book! I shed tears, became angry, fell in love with the characters in this book. I could not put it down and I’m ready to read it all over again just finishing it a few moments ago. What an amazing way to write about grief and how all of us experience in different ways, for different reasons and how our minds constantly remind us of what was. Just amazing!!

[Justin Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me locked in by the first couple of chapters! T.J. paints this beautiful heart tugging world where I even get attached to the most minor of characters. This book is very well written and T.J. does a great job of not only making me feel, but also questioning my morals and beliefs the deeper the story goes.

[Diane McGowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I couldn't put it down! Captivating and heart wrenching. Leaves you wanting more!

[Anthony Desmond]

One of the smoothest reads I've ever had the pleasure of diving into. TJ is a phenomenal writer and doesn't miss.

[Jessica Collazo · Rating 5 out of 5]

TJ has always had this way of making tragedy sound beautiful. In his debut novel, it’s no surprise that he did the same thing. I enjoyed reading this book!

[Steven Svymbersky · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was no suprise that a book about the nature of grief woiuld be very sad at times, and this book really tugs at the heartstrings, but it is also offers some hope to the characters. Excellent writing and a wonderfully imaginative story. I really appreciated that the author didn't try and sugar coat the heaviness of the character's grief. It all rang true and had a strong effect on me as I read it.