In a true story stranger than fiction, a tale inspired by Nannup's big clock could well have predicted the clock's future when it was written.
In true Nostradamus style, Nannup resident Michael Nicholas said he was inspired to write Big Time after seeing the clock some years ago and had sort of predicted what had now happened in his tale.
"I did predict in the novel that the clock would go back to its original home, which is Kevin Bird's shed, and in the novel he received funding from various anonymous sources to back him," he said.
"The book started when I went out to visit the clock with some friends and I was talking to the Mr Bird's wife and she said, 'someone should write a book about this.'
"She was referring to a fiasco with the clock that happened 10 years ago, almost similar to what has happened in the last couple of months.
"I did think it was interesting, but I did not want to dig up all that bad history, because back then the government had already chipped in a million dollars to the original project.
"But what would happen in a tiny town if that million dollars went missing and other mayors started to circle the project because they could see it would be really good for their town?
"That is where it gets really weird because art and life suddenly run into each other, because the rumours are that is actually what is happening, other people and other places are showing an interest."
Mr Nicholas said his book really explored small town life with a big emphasis on that collegial thing found in small towns, when things do go bad people step up and help.
"It might be that everyone knows everyone's business, which might be a bad thing but could also be a good thing too," he said.
"When it hits the fan you often find you do get support and I tried to capture that spirit, because in the end the town begins to realise they are being manipulated by outside forces, in particular a man with a lot of money.
"He tries to get control of the clock and the town gets together and fights back.
"In the end the clock tower goes up and the clock is installed, be it not in the middle of town but not far from the town.
"In that journey when the mayor is trying to figure out where to get the money, the book explores the relationships in that town.
"A lot of people in town have read the book and said, oh that has got to be so and so, it is not, it is a novel, it is purely fiction.
"You could put it in any country town and people would think it was someone they knew because they are generalised characters around this particular theme."
Mr Nicholas will be at Barefoot Books in Figtree Lane, Busselton to sign copies of his book Big Time from 10am to 2pm on Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 25.
