#Interview: TIMEKEEPER by Tara Sim

Hey all! I have a pretty awesome post for you guys today. But it's all about

TIMEKEEPER by Tara Sim!

You can read an interview with Tara about her book. So let's get to it!

TIMEKEEPER

Author: Tara Sim
Series: Timekeeper #1
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: November 8, 2016

Summary:
Two o’clock was missing. 

In an alternate Victorian world controlled by clock towers, a damaged clock can fracture time—and a destroyed one can stop it completely.

It’s a truth that seventeen-year-old clock mechanic Danny Hart knows all too well; his father has been trapped in a Stopped town east of London for three years. Though Danny is a prodigy who can repair not only clockwork, but the very fabric of time, his fixation with staging a rescue is quickly becoming a concern to his superiors.

And so they assign him to Enfield, a town where the tower seems to be forever plagued with problems. Danny’s new apprentice both annoys and intrigues him, and though the boy is eager to work, he maintains a secretive distance. Danny soon discovers why: he is the tower’s clock spirit, a mythical being that oversees Enfield’s time. Though the boys are drawn together by their loneliness, Danny knows falling in love with a clock spirit is forbidden, and means risking everything he’s fought to achieve.

But when a series of bombings at nearby towers threaten to Stop more cities, Danny must race to prevent Enfield from becoming the next target or he’ll not only lose his father, but the boy he loves, forever.

Purchase:

Amazon | Chapters | TBD

Describe TIMEKEEPER in 10 words or less.

Tara Sim: Clocks, magic, boys, London, explosions, wibbly wobbly, timey wimey.

How long did it take you to write the first draft?

Tara Sim: The very first draft took about 2 weeks overall. As soon as I wrote the first sentence I was hooked, and I kept wanting to know more about these characters and their story. However, it took about a year and a half to revise the book and add/rewrite all the layers that needed to be incorporated. Despite how fast the initial drafting took, I more than made up for it with all the revision that came after.

Which was your favourite scene to write?

Tara Sim: My favorite scene is the one where Danny realizes something shocking about his odd apprentice. I also really enjoyed a certain moment in the book's climax...but that would be a spoiler.

Who was your favourite character to write and why?

Tara Sim: I love writing Danny, mostly because his grumpiness is something I relate to quite strongly, but I'd say my favorite character to write is Colton. He's just so different and fun and made my brain work in different ways. Figuring out his character and how he relates to the world was fascinating.

Which character would you most like to be friends with?

Tara Sim: I'd say either Cassie or Daphne. Cassie would be a great drinking buddy and she'd be the extrovert to my introvert, but Daphne would be good for those deep, philosophical conversations, and I have a feeling she'd give me good advice.

Why do you write for younger audiences?

Tara Sim: Some of my fondest memories growing up were diving into series that I loved, like Harry Potter and anything by Tamora Pierce. I experienced such an amazing feeling when I read those books, like these characters were my friends and their worlds were second homes to me. It's what turned me into a voracious reader, and eventually a writer. I'd love to give that experience to the young adults who pick up my books.

What can we expect to see in TIMEKEEPER that we haven’t seen before in historical fantasy novels?

Tara Sim: One of the most prominent elements of the book is that it's an alternate history/world, which allowed me to play around with the rules a bit. There was a very certain type of mindset in Victorian times, but in my alternate world, you'll see certain perspectives skewed as a cause-and-effect from the building of the clock towers that control time. This includes a shifting attitude towards women as they enter the workforce more (and start wearing trousers), and more accepting attitudes towards homosexuality. I wanted to shy away from the societal norms of the time and write the story with a modern audience in mind.

Tara Sim can typically be found wandering the wilds of the Bay Area in California. When she’s not chasing cats or lurking in bookstores, she writes books about magic, clocks, and explosives. Timekeeper is her debut novel. Follow her on social media and her website for fun Timekeeper extras. She can be found at www.TaraSim.com, on Twitter (@EachStarAWorld), and Instagram (@tssim53).