Ryan Collett: On Honoring Reader Expectations
In this interview, author Ryan Collett discusses how London’s 2020 shutdown helped inspire his new novel, George Falls Through Time.
Ryan Collett is a writer, animator, and knitter. He grew up in Oregon and now lives in London where his first novel, The Disassembly of Doreen Durand, was published in 2021. He also runs a popular YouTube channel dedicated to knitting. Follow him on X (Twitter) and Instagram.
In this interview, Ryan discusses how London’s 2020 shutdown helped inspire his new novel, George Falls Through Time, his advice for other writers, and more.
Name: Ryan Collett
Literary agent: Hattie Grünewald (U.K.) and Naomi Eisenbeiss (U.S.)
Book title: George Falls Through Time
Publisher: William Morrow
Release date: January 20, 2026
Genre/category: Literary Fiction
Previous titles: The Disassembly of Doreen Durand
Elevator pitch: Stressed out thirty-something Londoner time travels to 1300 and finds even more things to be stressed about, including kings, dragons, and boyfriends.
What prompted you to write this book?
I’m never quite sure how these things happen. Back in 2020 I was sitting in the middle of Hyde Park, back when London was completely shutdown and I could sit there and not see or hear a single soul. There were no airplanes, no cars, no tourists, and I remember thinking to myself, This is probably what London used to sound like centuries ago. I had always been interested in medieval history, but this was the first time I really considered the sensations of medieval life. What did it actually feel like to live back then?
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
Like a good little author, I ignored my initial idea for several years and wrote other things. I told myself I wasn't going to write a time travel novel, no way. I played video games instead. Still, the idea ate away at me. It wasn't until I read Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard that I finally gained the confidence to start. The way she writes about nature is as close to how I wanted to write about time travel, with a sort of gruesome naturalism. That gave me the push I needed, as well as the confidence.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Working with my brilliant editor, Peter Kispert, taught me the importance of honoring reader expectations. Even if you're going to subvert them, they should be honored. I spent a lot of time shying away from the big, bombastic elements of my novel (yes, there's a dragon!), but the editing process challenged me to really embrace them and ignore any genre hangups I might have had. I've always believed that I can and should write whatever I want to write. This book really put that to the test.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I knew this book would be a very close first-person narrative, but I wasn't prepared for the diaristic, almost stream-of-consciousness voice that would emerge. George has quite the past and it fuels a lot of surprising rage and vulnerable earnestness, feelings I delve deep in with this book, leading to unexpected places.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
I hope readers will have the same experience I had while writing it: pure escapism, but also a reconnection with a larger, more humanistic sense of wonder. The people who lived back in 1300 are the same people who live in the world today—actually, they might have been better at living than we are. I hope this book gives you a personable perspective on history and time. We're all in it together.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Write when you can, write when you want, but more importantly: Read! Find your favorite authors and read them over and over again. Also, walk places. If you have a car, try to get rid of it.
