Heather’s Bookshelf: Author Interview with Oliver R. Simmonds

What inspired you to write “The Timepiece?

Simmonds: I’ve always spent most of my free time wrapped up in one story or another and, as a child, I enjoyed creating my own as well. However, when it came to writing a full-length novel, it happened gradually and almost by accident.

For my day job, I work in the games industry and several years ago I began work on a personal project, which was a point-and-click adventure game with the working title: The Timepiece. For various reasons that game didn’t end up getting made, but by the end of that whole process, I had this 200-page game document with a really strong story that I knew would never see the light of day if I didn’t do something about it. This coincided with my mum moving house and finding some old notebooks from my childhood which contained various stories written by my younger self. I was reminded that once upon a time I used to write stories for fun. Pretty soon after that, I started writing The Timepiece as a novel.

How did you come up with the names of your main characters?

Simmonds: When I decided to write a time travel story, I knew from fairly early on that I wanted the main character to share his name with the great H.G. Wells (even if Edward Page Mitchell technically wrote the first literary time travel story!). I’m also a sucker for alliteration and have always been fond of the name William.

As for Frenz Belingi, this was a name that I happened to glance at through a car window years ago. It was painted on a wall and I only caught a momentary glimpse of it, but from the moment I saw it, I knew that I wanted to explore what kind of character might lay behind that name.

Generally, when it comes to naming characters I try to tread the line between distinctive, memorable names and the everyday. I try to ground my stories in reality, so the idea of having a cast of characters all with outlandish or obscure names just doesn’t fit with that philosophy.

Is there anything that you want readers to know about you, your writing process or your book?

Simmonds: Before the pandemic, I had tended to try to get out of the house to write. My brother is the head chef at a lovely café not too far from where I live and I would often ask him to reserve the little round table in the corner for me - the one next to the only working plug socket in the whole place - so that I could sit down with a cup of tea and write. They have patchy WiFi and poor phone service which is a pretty good way to keep you focused. I used to find people who sit in café’s writing a little pretentious, but I actually find the hum of conversation and the isolation of that little round table in the corner quite liberating.

I spend most of my free time voraciously consuming stories, in almost any medium. I’ve binge-watched an ungodly number of television shows and movies, but I also read every day, often alternating between novels and graphic novels. I also indulge in my first love: gaming, but lately, I’ve had to become picky about where I invest my time. If it doesn’t have a narrative that I’m fully invested in, then I tend to lose interest pretty quickly.

Are there any tips that you would like to share with other aspiring authors?

Simmonds: First and foremost I would encourage any aspiring writer with an idea in their head to not hold back and to just write it.

I would also advise authors to get their book into the hands of as many beta readers as possible before publication. It doesn’t matter if it’s your mother, brother, a friend or a willing stranger, getting early feedback is vital before that final draft.

Finally, if possible, try to engage a professional editor before releasing. I truly believe it’s a worthwhile investment.

What is your favorite book, genre, and/or author?

Simmonds: It might be easier to list the genres I don’t read! I don’t tend to read romance or non-fiction, but I’m pretty open to all other fiction genres.

As for a favourite author, I have to admit that I love anything and everything Andy Weir writes.

What are you working on next?

Simmonds: I’ve finished a couple of drafts of my second book and am just making some tweaks to the tone and pacing. This is probably unadvisable for a new author, but it’s quite different to The Timepiece, to the point where I may need to release it under a different pen name altogether, but we’ll see! It’s a darkly humorous thriller about a man who must overcome face blindness to bring a privileged criminal to justice.

The moment that book is tied up, I will continue work on a follow up to The Timepiece. I was determined not to just write a sequel for the sake of it, but I’ve landed on a concept for a follow up which I think readers will love. The outline is written, and I can’t wait to resume writing that one in anger!

Learn More About the Author and The Timepiece here:

Twitter: o_simmonds

Facebook: ORSimmonds

Instagram: o.r.simmonds_author

Goodreads: Oliver R Simmonds

Website: https://orsimmonds.com/

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