The Clock Winder: a short story

by Iain Cameron Williams

The Great Clock of Turnbridge was no ordinary clock. Some believed it possessed special powers, while others thought it was full of visual trickery. In truth, only one person knew exactly what secrets lay hidden inside the clock, and that person was the town's Clock Winder.
Oh! I almost forgot. There was one other person who knew, a boy who mysteriously disappeared the same night the clock was completed.

20 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 25, 2024

About the author

Iain Cameron Williams was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, of Scottish and Welsh ancestry. His mother was born in New York, America, and his father was born in Kalimpong, West Bengal, India. His grandfather is the missionary, writer, and poet Rev. Aeneas Francon Williams, and his great grandfather is the renowned Welsh writer and geographer John Francon Williams. On his maternal side, Williams is a third cousin of the author D. H. Lawrence. Iain Cameron Williams is the writer of The KAHNS of Fifth Avenue [publ. 2022], and the travelogues The Empirical Observations of Algernon (vol. I & II). Williams' debut novel for younger readers, The Tail of 'Too Bad' Mike (audiobook released July 2023, narrated by Eilidh Beaton), follows the adventures of a skateboarding shrew named Mike. Set in the fictitious kingdom of Pembridge, the story introduces the reader to a curious little world full of hidden meanings. ‘Too Bad’ Mike™

Brighton Follies - A Stage Musical in Two Acts [publ. Nov 2023].

The Clock Winder: a short story [publ. Dec. 2024].

The Empirical Observations of Algernon (vol III) travelogue, to be published in 2025.

To read a selection of poetry from The Empirical Observations of Algernon (vol I) follow the link: https://b2l.bz/XKlHUM

Karaoke Freedom, a new screenplay by Iain Cameron Williams to be published in 2025. Set in Brighton in 2010 during the annual PRIDE event. '’An uplifting story of hope, diversity and challenge..."

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, dark story about a clockmaker who creates a clock unlike any other. With several layers to the plot, and an unexpected twist revealed at the end, the Clock Winder is 'an unusual story ... well worth a few minutes of your time...' as Williams expresses.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short story of greed and manipulation. Beautifully written with a well-thought-out plot. I read it in about 25 minutes, that said, the twist at the end took me by surprise and took me a few extra minutes to figure out—a brilliant ending.