When I First Started Writing ChronoSpace
When I first began writing the ChronoSpace series, the image of Tony Nowlan hadn’t fully solidified in my mind. I knew I wanted him to be brilliant, driven, and introspective — but the visual and emotional tone of him was still forming. Then a film I’d seen years earlier came to mind: About Time.
A Cornerstone Inspiration for Tony Nowlan
Domhnall Gleeson’s portrayal in About Time resonated with me — especially how his character narrated his thoughts and experiences. There was something endearing and reflective about it, which matched what I wanted for Tony. Gleeson’s character navigates love, time, and life’s strange twists — elements not too far removed from Tony’s journey in Bootstrap’s Journey and beyond. (Or even our own lives, really.)
While Tony’s world is filled with time travel, danger, and high-stakes moments, there’s a grounding force in him — a quiet strength, curiosity, and internal reflection — much like the character Gleeson played. Only… imagine Domhnall with brown hair.
Then there’s the iBioPad, the sleek piece of futuristic tech Tony uses — a key element of his time-travelling adventures. Thinking back, I can’t help but picture one of those early promo shots of Gleeson wearing a bracelet or wristband. That subtle image helped inspire the concept of Tony’s iBioPad — a wristwatch-like device, a mix between an iPhone and a smartwatch, only with far more power and a direct link to the belt-worn ChronoSpace unit.
(Side note: that picture wasn’t the only inspiration behind the ChronoSpace… but that’s a story for another post.)
Tony Nowlan has evolved a lot since those early drafts of Bootstrap’s Journey, but if you look closely, you might still catch glimpses of that Domhnall Gleeson-like energy — a character who feels real, thoughtful, and complex, even when facing impossible situations.
If you’d like more glimpses into how the ChronoSpace universe came to life — and a few exclusive extras I don’t share anywhere else — join my newsletter. Or, better yet, start where it all began with Bootstrap’s Journey.
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