“Hive is an eminently engrossing read, full of heart, humor, and horror alike, with a surprisingly dark turn in its 11th hour that will have readers chomping at the bit for what’s next.”
—Publishers Weekly’s BookLife Reviews
Another alternate reality for Isabel and her beloved Diego, Hive sends Diego back to the past, changing everything for the course of the world, including Diego and Isabel’s own futures. The first in the new Madders of Time series, book four of this series will ALSO be book four of the Crossing in Time series, melding the two alternate paths into one brilliant ending.
What could be better in a series all about time travel and its effects, than the books themselves playing with all the potential timelines?
Diego and Isabel, the protagonists of your new novel Hive, are also the leads of your Crossing in Time series. What about these characters made you return to them once again?
Isabel and Diego have always been at the heart of my stories because they embody what I love most in fiction—messy, complicated, deeply human characters struggling against impossible odds. Their relationship isn’t just a love story; it’s a battle of wills, a testament to resilience, and proof that some bonds can transcend time itself.
Can you explain to us how this new series, Madders of Time, will connect to your Crossing in Time series?
Both
series exist within the same multiverse, but Madders of Time expands
the scope beyond the personal stakes of Crossing in Time. While the
first series asked, What would you risk for love?, this new series asks,
How far would you go to save humanity?
In Hive, we see an alternate timeline where the misuse of the spacetime bridge has led to catastrophe. The future is grim, but it’s not hopeless. Diego and Isabel (or rather, versions of them) are still fighting for survival, trying to undo the mistakes of the past. Familiar characters return, but their roles and circumstances may not be what readers expect. There are also deeper dives into the ethical dilemmas of time travel, AI consciousness, and the unintended consequences of scientific ambition. Fans of Crossing in Time will recognize the core themes, but Madders of Time takes the stakes to a whole new level.
I’m also planning to connect both the original and new series with book four (in both timelines). Yes, this is probably not a great life choice.
Where do you gain your inspiration—books, current events, other media, your own life?
All of the above! I’m a voracious reader, from classic sci-fi like Asimov and Le Guin to contemporary authors pushing the boundaries of fiction. I also pull a lot from current events—climate change, artificial intelligence, the way technology shapes our lives in ways we don’t always anticipate. Some of the most terrifying sci-fi concepts come from reading the news. (I wrote all three books in the original series before the covid pandemic arrived—and before DJT “escalatored” into politics.)
And of course, my own life seeps into the story in ways both big and small. The relationships in my books—the way people love, fight, and forgive—are drawn from real emotions and experiences. The science is grounded in research, but the heart of the story always comes from inside me.
If there's one thing you hope your readers take away from reading Hive—other than enjoyment of the story and a hope for the next in the series to come out soon—what would it be?
That even in the darkest of times, there’s always hope.
We live in a world that sometimes feels like it’s on the edge of collapse—political unrest, climate disasters, technological upheaval. Hive is, in many ways, a cautionary tale about the consequences of our choices. But it’s also a story about resilience, about the power of love and determination in the face of overwhelming odds. I want readers to come away not just entertained but inspired—to believe that even small actions matter, that fighting for a better future is always worth it.
What led to you becoming a writer of sci-fi?
I’ve always been fascinated by “what if” questions. What if time travel were real? What if AI could evolve beyond human control? What if we made the wrong choices and had to live with the fallout? Science fiction lets me explore these ideas while still telling deeply personal stories. I started writing sci-fi because I love science, but I stayed because it’s the perfect lens for examining what makes us human.
Are there any other projects you are working on?
Always! Right now, I’m deep into the next book in the Madders of Time series, which will take Diego and Isabel even further into the multiverse’s tangled web of climate change, AI, and (of course) love in impossible circumstances.
by D. L. Orton
May 6, 2025
In a crumbling biodome surrounded by endless seas and swarms of microdrones, humanity’s last survivors cling to hope. For Isabel, a dying scientist, and Diego, the man she loves, time is running out—literally. The Earth is ravaged, and the biodome that was meant to save them is failing. But when Isabel stumbles upon a long-lost time bridge, the possibility of changing the past emerges, offering one final chance to rewrite history.
There’s just one problem: only one person can make the journey.
As they grapple with the weight of impossible choices, love, and regret, Isabel and Diego must decide whether altering the course of time is worth the risk. Will their sacrifice save the future, or will tampering with the past ensure humanity’s extinction?
Tense, emotional, and thought-provoking, Hive is a story of survival, love, and the ultimate cost of second chances. When the future is at stake, how far would you go to change it?
Amazon
About the author
THE AWARD-WINNING & BEST-SELLING author DL ORTON lives in the Tropics with her husband, a golden retriever mutt, a Siberian cat with a crewcut, and a bazillion geckos.
In her spare time, she's building a time machine so that someone can go back and do the laundry.
Ms. Orton is a graduate of Stanford University's Writers Workshop and has received numerous literary awards including two Indie Book Awards, the BookLife Prize in Fiction, a USA Best Book Award, and an International Book Award. She was recently shortlisted for the Hoffer Book Award Grand Prize and was selected by Publishers Weekly as one of "The Best of the Best" Indie authors.
Visit her website to sign up for free books!
%20eBook%20Orton%20D.%20L.%20Kindle%20Store.jpg)
.png)
