Title: The Runaway Clock
Author: Laurence M. Haynes
Publisher: L.M.Haynes Publishing
ISBN: 978-1087927268
Pages: 28
Genre: Children’s Book
Reviewed by: Tony Epinoza

Read Author Interview

PBR:  What inspired you to start writing?
A photograph of our first puppy inspired me to begin drawing again and with that came my desire to try and impact the lives of young people in a positive way through my drawings and short stories with Christian themes.

PBR: Do any of the books you write come from your own childhood?
The short stories that have become part of my books come from every part of my life. My childhood, the people that I have known, my married life, raising my daughters with my lovely wife and even recent experiences have contributed to the ideas in my books?

PBR: When did you start writing?
I began drawing again about ten years ago after taking a long break of about 30 years, and I began writing for the first time about six years ago at the age of 56.

PBR: What advice would you give a new writer, someone who is starting out?
That is a bit of a tough question for me since I still consider myself a new writer with so much to learn. However, I would tell a new writer (young or older) to write about subjects that they know about and that interest them. For me, my Christian faith is one of the centerpieces of my life, so it is easiest for me to develop stories revolving around those ideals. There is no shortage of writings and lessons to draw from.

PBR: What time of the day do you usually write?
I am definitely a morning person, and always have been. I do my best drawing and writing in the morning or early afternoon, usually with my favorite type of music playing in the background.

PBR: What was the inspiration for “The Runaway Clock”?
As a child, I was fascinated by the idea of time travel. Two of my other books titled, “The Christmas Time Travelers 1” and “The Christmas Time Travelers 2” revolve around this subject.

I was inspired to write this story while imaging a group of children wanting to stay young forever, yet also wanting to see themselves as adults and how their lives would impact the world that they lived in.

PBR: What is the significance of the title?
After deciding on the idea for this story, I knew that I would need a type of vehicle that would transport the children forward and backward in time. The idea of using a clock that spins wildly out of control within their own home seemed to work best.

PBR: Do you have future plans to write more books?
Yes! I am currently working on my eighth book titled, “The Empty Christmas Stocking” and I also have an outline written for my ninth book, which is yet to be titled.