Evan Kidwell was born three months premature, always the smallest kid in the room and the easiest target. From grade school through junior year of high school, bullying was constant. Books were his escape. Fantasy worlds were where he survived.
Now he's an author.
In this episode, Evan joins Side Quest Book Club to talk about Timaeus, his debut young adult fantasy novel about a hierarchy of powered individuals, a tyrannical government, and a protagonist whose superpower is resilience. We explore the childhood trauma that shaped Evan and his story, the dream that became the book's backbone, and why it took a keynote speaker and 400 witnesses to finally make him write it.
We also cover the craft: how a villain with no motivation nearly killed his manuscript, what "pantsing" looks like at 100,000 words, why your first draft should be trash, and the editorial moment that transformed his story.
Evan is a 2026 International Impact Awards finalist for Young Adult Fantasy and a 2025 Reader's Favorite Award silver medalist in Young Adult Mythology.
Find Evan:
📚 Timaeus on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DJGYLK35
🌐 tomatospark.com (join his newsletter — free gift included)
📱 Instagram/Facebook: @evan_kidwell_author | Evan Kidwell Author
https://www.instagram.com/evan_kidwell_author/
Vote for Evan in the 2026 International Impact Awards for Young Adult Fantasy: https://apply.internationalimpactbookawards.com/public-voting-form
ABOUT THE BOOK
In a world where power determines your place, one boy refuses to be defined by the system.
Timeaous by Evan Kidwell is a young adult fantasy novel set in Mythantas, a society that ranks citizens by bloodline abilities and enforces conformity through fear. When Timeaous Spark faces the Trials, everything is at stake: status, belonging, and survival.
Born without privilege in a world obsessed with power, Timeaous must navigate injustice, forge unlikely friendships, and find the courage to challenge rules never built for someone like him.
Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and The Hunger Games, Timaeus is a story about resilience, identity, and the cost of fighting for where you belong.
🏆 2025 Reader's Favorite Award — Silver Medal, Young Adult Mythology
🏆 2026 International Impact Awards — Finalist, Young Adult Fantasy
ABOUT THE SIDE QUEST BOOK CLUB PODCAST
Reading is the ultimate side quest. Side Quest is a casual book club podcast full of literary adventures. Join Slava and Jonathan as they discuss the books they are reading, life, history, belief systems, and more. Explore world-building, characters, and story development, and share some laughs along the way.
New episodes drop every TUES.
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CREDITS
Hosts: Slava and Jonathan
Podcast Hosting & Distribution by Transistor.fm https://transistor.fm/how-to-start-a-podcast/?via=slava
Intro/Outro Music: HoliznaCC0v
Editing by: CharacterNorth6081
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