‘Through Each Tomorrow’ Author Q&A with Gabrielle Meyer

Gabrielle Meyer is a Christy Award–winner and ECPA bestselling author. She has worked for state and local historical societies and loves writing fiction inspired by real people, places, and events. She currently resides along the banks of the Mississippi River in central Minnesota with her husband and four children. By day, she’s a busy homeschool mom, and by night she pens fiction and nonfiction filled with hope. Find her online at GabrielleMeyer.com

FF: Can you please provide a brief summary of your novel Through Each Tomorrow?
As a time-crosser, Charles lives in 1563 and 1883. In 1563, he is the Earl of Norfolk and a trusted advisor to Queen Elizabeth, living at court with his stepsister, Cecily. With the queen’s strange illness and a plague ravaging London, he must navigate political intrigues as he finds a suitable husband for Cecily before it’s too late. Meanwhile in 1883, he is a poor farmer, trying to provide for his mother and sister there. When his time-crossing friend, Drew, asks him to pose as the earl in Newport for the summer in exchange for a financial investment in his farm, Charles agrees. But things don’t go as planned in either path, and Charles soon finds himself in a web of secrets he can’t seem to escape.

FF: This is the sixth book in your Timeless Series. How has the series evolved since you began writing it?
When I first started the Timeless Series, I only had three books planned. But as the series has grown, so has the connection between my characters. Charles, the hero in Through Each Tomorrow, was first introduced as a secondary character in book one, When the Day Comes. I had no idea I would write his story one day! It’s been fun to explore his two paths, and I love how it brings more depth to the entire series. If a reader has been following along since When the Day Comes, I believe Through Each Tomorrow will be full of a few jaw-dropping moments.

FF: Your novel features two distinct historical periods—Newport’s Gilded Age and Elizabethan England. What challenges did you face in researching and depicting these eras accurately?
Elizabethan England was a lot harder to research because there aren’t as many records available. That was one of the reasons I decided to put Charles and Cecily in Queen Elizabeth’s court, because we know the most about the 16th century through her life. Newport, Rhode Island, during the Gilded Age was a lot easier to research. One thing I discovered was that the two time periods shared a love of tennis! Queen Elizabeth’s father, King Henry VIII, had a tennis court installed at Windsor Castle, and Newport is home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, as well as the birthplace of the US Open. The game has evolved quite a bit, but it shares several similarities, and it was fun for Charles and his friend Drew to enjoy their favorite sport in both paths.

FF: Time-crossing is a unique concept in your series. How did you develop the rules and mechanics of this ability?
From the beginning, I wanted the rules to be simple and straightforward. I didn’t want my characters to have the ability to change history without consequences, because in other time-travel stories, as the characters change history, plot holes start to develop and things get murky and confusing. The rules for my time-crossers developed organically as I wrote the first story, and I’ve only added a couple more as the series has progressed.

FF: Queen Elizabeth I appears as a character in your book. What was it like incorporating such an iconic historical figure into your fiction?
I love including real people in my stories whenever possible. It helps to ground the characters in reality and give context to the historical time period. Queen Elizabeth was so much fun to research and incorporate into the story! There is a lot known about her, as well as a lot of speculation. It was the speculation about her life that I enjoyed playing with in Through Each Tomorrow. She was a complex and intriguing individual!

FF: How do you balance historical accuracy with the needs of storytelling, especially when creating fictional characters who interact with real historical figures?
This is my favorite part of writing novels! I love taking real history and inserting fictional characters to interact with the events and the people who lived through those times. I try to stay as true to history as possible, but if I need to change something to make it work in my story, I add the change to the note at the end of the book. And, if I change it, I try to keep it as authentic and accurate as possible—or in the realm of possibility.

FF: The concept of dual identities runs throughout the novel. What themes did you want to explore through Charles’s experience as both a poor farmer and an earl?
This story is like a mirror, reflecting similarities that look back at each other in opposite directions. In 1883, Charles is a poor farmer, looked down upon by high society, but in 1563, he is the Earl of Norfolk and a favorite advisor of Queen Elizabeth. His best friend, Drew, is also a time-crosser, but his paths are opposite. In 1563, Drew is the son of a poor carpenter, and in 1883, he is the heir of a massive shipping empire and a respected member of Gilded Age society. I loved exploring the cultural phenomenon around class distinctions and the truth that a person’s worth is not based on where they are born.

FF: What do you hope readers take away from Through Each Tomorrow?
I usually have two things I hope my readers take away from a story. The first is that they have a deeper understanding of God’s love and perfect plan for their lives, and the second is a greater appreciation for history and the people who came before us.

FF: What are you working on next?
I am currently working on book seven in the Timeless Series, yet to be titled. It’s set in 1849, during the California Gold Rush, and 1929, during the early years of the Golden Age of Hollywood. It will be released in May 2026.

FF: How can readers connect with you?
The best way is through my website GabrielleMeyer.com. There, they can sign up for my monthly newsletter and find links to my social media. I especially love connecting with readers on Instagram and Facebook.

Buy Through Each Tomorrow from the FamilyFiction Amazon Affiliate HERE!