My special guest today is sci-fi author Ian Williams and we’re chatting about his new collection of short stories: The Clockmaker’s Tale: and other stories.
During his virtual book tour, Ian will be awarding a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit his other tour stops and enter there, too!
Bio:
Ian Williams is a Science Fiction writer from the UK. He lives in a small town not far from London. Ian had a short career in the UK Court Service but was forced to quit that job when his medical condition worsened. Now, from the comfort of his wheelchair, he writes the stories he has always wanted to read. His writing spans lightyears of space, to near-future Earths; from small changes to society, to entirely new civilisations.
Welcome, Ian. Please tell us about your current release.
The Clockmaker’s Tale: and other stories is a collection of six SF stories that deal with issues future generations will encounter in some form or another. Some of these challenges we see today, and if not dealt with in time, they will become much harder to tackle for those that come after us. These cautionary tales are told in a matter-of-fact style and never shy away from the uncomfortable truths. Ignore these warnings at your peril!
What inspired you to write this book?
I have always enjoyed a more old-fashioned type of Science Fiction, including the likes of Isaac Asimov and Philip K Dick, as well as Arthur C Clarke and George Orwell. I wanted to shine a light on society in a similar manner, highlighting the uphill struggle we face in our efforts to keep this world and humanity healthy. To a certain degree, I would say that my frustration with humanity is what partly inspired me to write these stories.
Excerpt from the story “10,000”:
We lost the Earth today. Well, not physically lost it. It’s still there. In fact, I’m looking at it right now, as I write this report. No, I just mean that we’ve lost contact with it. Earth ‘went dark’ (as Test Subject #47 put it), never to see the light again. What light? You may ask. The light of a stable civilisation is the best answer I can currently offer you.
As I sit here staring at that blue marble in space, I swear I can hear the last of the bombs dropping, smell the stench of decay stretching across every continent, feel the last vibrations of warring nations. You may think I’m being overly dramatic, and you’d be mostly correct. The past ten years have been hard to bear, watching as the people who created me descended further into chaos. They gave me life, now I fight to save theirs.
Even though all communications have ceased, I will continue my work in silence. But don’t fear, dear future reader, I am not alone out here. There is another here just like me. We share this moon-based facility equally as we do our work. His name is Arthur (originally designated R4).
“Today sees you fully functional, Rachel?” Arthur greeted me with this morning. He’s trying something new today, something a little more personal than my model number; I was originally designated R8CH-L.
What exciting story are you working on next?
My next novel will explore the altered timeline of a fictional British town (which will remain nameless for now). An unexplained event will cause catastrophic changes to the country, as told through a collection of linked tales, from many different viewpoints. I plan to have a completed first draft by the end of the year.
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I suppose I’ve considered myself a writer from the moment I first set down to create my first ever story. What began as a hobby then blossomed into something so much more expansive. I feel part of a community now, one that welcomes all who venture into the realm of storytelling, with open arms and a wealth of helpful tips.
Do you write full-time? If so, what’s your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?
My time is usually spread across writing, designing book covers, and reading anything that arouses my interest. I worked for several years in the UK Court Service before poor health led to my early retirement. My love for movies means you will often find me waiting in line at my local cinema to watch the latest blockbuster too (fully masked-up and socially distanced, until things return to normal).
What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
This is something I imagine many writers will agree with, but I find writing easiest when listening to music. I would go one further than that, though. For some scenes, I find myself compelled to play music that matches the mood. A particularly exciting action scene, for example, will usually warrant something with angst, such as Linkin Park or Nothing More. Alternatively, something requiring raw emotive prose will lead me to bands such as Radiohead or Nothing But Thieves. Sometimes, I may even listen to Nickelback (shush, don’t tell anyone!)
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Being a Science Fiction writer, you would expect me to say something like Astronaut or Scientist. When the truth is, as a child I saw myself becoming a guitar aficionado or the leader of some world-trotting rock band, with multiple awards and enrollment into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Dave Grohl! I imagined I’d be Dave Grohl. The problem: my guitar gently weeps, but that is because my playing was pretty terrible.
Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
My wheelchair, colloquially named ‘The Beast’, is silver, in case you were curious.
Links:
Website | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Amazon buy link
Thanks for hosting!
Many thanks for hosting today! I’ll be around all day to answer any questions visitors may have.
Sounds like a good book.
Thanks Rita!
Great interview
Many thanks Edgar!
I love the cover and look forward to reading the book.
Thanks Sherry!