Time To Reflect

Today we had a lovely day out in Warrington, at the Waterstones there where Sam and I were signing copies of our new books.

One of the customers, a lovely lady called Emma, was in a bind as she needed a two-hander script for her College work, and had no idea how to source it. So I offered to write her something.

Here's what I put together ... presented here for your enjoyment. I hope it helps her out :)



TIME TO REFLECT
(c) 2011 David J Howe


KATIE is in her room, reading a book, when there is a knock at the door. KATIE puts her book down and gets up to answer the door. She moves with a depressed gait. Life is pressing down on her.

She returns to the room with SUSAN, who is talking really fast.

SUSAN
… sorry to burst in like that, it’s something of a new thing for me and I’ve not had the time to …

KATIE
Woah. Slow down will you, what are you on about.

SUSAN
Sorry. Yes. Well. You see. It was …

KATIE
Slow. Down.

SUSAN relaxes a little and KATIE gestures to the sofa/chair to sit down. SUSAN smiles and sits. SUSAN gives a couple of deep breaths and then does a long exhale as her hands, outstretched and palms down move towards the floor as she breathes out.

SUSAN
Thanks. That’s better.

KATIE
Yes it is. Now. First things first.

KATIE fixes SUSAN with her eyes.

KATIE (cont)
Who are you?

SUSAN
Oh! Of course. Yes. You’ve not met me yet. That’s funny.

KATIE
What’s funny?

SUSAN
That you’ve not met me yet.

KATIE (giving a withering look)
Well of course I’ve not met you. I have no idea who you are!

SUSAN (giggling)
Oh, you will …

KATIE (Shaking head)
What?

SUSAN
Nothing. Nothing. Sorry. Who am I? Yes. I’m Susan. And you’re Katie.

KATIE
How do you know who I am, I’ve never met you before.

SUSAN
Oh you have, but you don’t know about it yet.

KATIE (confused)
I have … but I don’t know … look … what are you talking about?

SUSAN
I’m sorry.

KATIE
And stop apologising.

SUSAN
Sorry … (smiles) Sorry.

KATIE
So where do I know you from?

SUSAN
Oh, you know me very well indeed.

KATIE (looks at SUSAN critically)
Do I?

SUSAN
Oh, yes.

KATIE (studies SUSAN)
So … from Uni … no. I don’t remember anyone like you from there. Maybe … maybe from the Bar? Are you one of the girls from the bar?

SUSAN shakes her head.

KATIE (thoughtful)
Not the bar then … hmmm … are you … are you a friend of … of Peter’s? Yes! You’re a friend of Peter’s.



SUSAN
Peter! PETER! That loser. Do me a favour.

KATIE
Not Peter then … now you’re just trying to confuse me.

KATIE stands and starts pacing while SUSAN watches her, an amused expression on her face.

KATIE
So not Uni, not the bar, not Peter …

KATIE stops and point at SUSAN in triumph.

KATIE
Got it! You’re someone from the town … one of those girls I met the other month while working at Boots.

SUSAN
I wish it was that simple …

KATIE
OK.

KATIE slumps back in the chair.

KATIE (cont)
I give up. How do you know me?

SUSAN
Well …

KATIE nods and looks attentive

SUSAN (Cont)
This isn’t going to be easy …

KATIE frowns.

SUSAN (cont)
You see. Katie

SUSAN swallows and there’s a long pause

SUSAN (cont)
I’m your mother.

There is silence.

KATIE silently mouths ‘You’re my mother’ and shakes her head.

SUSAN
I knew you wouldn’t believe me.

KATIE
But … but my Mother is dead … she died four years ago.

SUSAN nods

KATIE (cont)
And she was sixty five years old.

SUSAN smiles

KATIE
And you … you are what … the same age as me? Seventeen?

SUSAN
Eighteen.

KATIE
I don’t get this at all.

SUSAN
Nor do I to tell the truth.

KATIE
Why do you say you’re my mother then? Her name was … was …

Realisation dawns over KATIE’S face.

KATIE (cont)
Her name was Susan …

SUSAN
Indeed … and I am she. No. I mean, she is me.

KATIE rubs her hand over her face.

KATIE
But if you are her.

SUSAN
Yes.

KATIE
And you are here.

SUSAN
Yes.

KATIE
And you are eighteen.

SUSAN nods encouragingly.

KATIE
Then … then … HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU BE MY MOTHER?

SUSAN smiles

SUSAN
Oh, that’s easy.

KATIE
Is it?

SUSAN
Yup. I came back in time.

KATIE
… what?

SUSAN
Yes. Back. Or probably forward. Yes. Forward.

KATIE
Forward?

SUSAN
From the past. Yes.

KATIE
Erm …

SUSAN
Oh, I know what you’re thinking. The girl is nuts. She’s bonkers. Crazy in the coconuts … but every word is true.

KATIE moves away from Susan, looking at her warily.

SUSAN
Yes. I have come forward in time, from the past, with a very important message for you.

KATIE shakes her head as if to clear it.

KATIE
A message.

SUSAN
Yup. Not everyone can do the travelling thing.

KATIE
Well, to be honest I’m surprised anyone can …

SUSAN
Tell me about it.

KATIE (muttering)
I wish you would.

SUSAN
Well, it’s like, you know Doctor Who?

KATIE
Erm … Doctor Who? What like off telly?

SUSAN
That’s the one.

KATIE
Yeah … I’ve seen a few episodes. The one with some statues that came alive, and something else with that bloke off Gavin and Stacey …

SUSAN (overjoyed)
You got it! Yes!

KATIE frowns again and looks at SUSAN quizzically

KATIE
You’re … telling me you came here in a police box?

SUSAN (laughs)
Oh no, don’t be daft. That would be stupid.

KATIE
Stupid. Right.

SUSAN
No, I meant it’s like that timey wimey stuff they go on about there … sometimes you find yourself moving about in time … just kinda happens yeah?

KATIE
No. Not really. I can’t say I’ve ever found that myself.

SUSAN
No? Ah, well, maybe that comes later. Anyway … the important thing I need to tell you is …

KATIE
Go on … am I going to be kidnapped by Daleks or something?

SUSAN (amazed)
How did you guess!

KATIE
What?

SUSAN (grins)
Kidding.

KATIE
Yeah, thanks for that. Look. What do you want?

SUSAN
Lottery.

KATIE
What?

SUSAN
Lottery? I wondered if you did the lottery?

KATIE
No. Not at all.

SUSAN
Good. No point. You’d never win.

KATIE
Oh, thanks for that. So you came all the way from the past to tell me not to do the lottery? Brilliant.

SUSAN
Sorry. Got distracted there.

SUSAN checks her watch.

SUSAN (cont)
Whoops. Nearly out of time. Look. Katie.

KATIE
You are a very strange person.

SUSAN
I know. But listen. I came from the past to tell you … tell you …

KATIE
Yes?

SUSAN
Well … I love you.

KATIE
What?

SUSAN
That’s all. I love you. And I’ve always been proud of you.

KATIE looks at SUSAN and starts to sniffle.

SUSAN
I’m sorry, dear. What with everything going on, I never actually got to tell you. And now … well … now I can see how that has held you back. Stopped you trying because you thought there was no point. Well there is a point, and you have to keep trying.

KATIE
What?

SUSAN keeps an eye on her watch.

SUSAN
Sorry … I only have so long, and only one chance. So use it Katie. Get out there and kick ass like there is no tomorrow.

KATIE nods.

SUSAN
Atta girl.

KATIE
But … if you’re my mum, then …

SUSAN
Sorry. No more time … just know that I love you and I’m proud of you … so get on with your life …

KATIE nods tearfully.

SUSAN
Right … that timey wimey stuff is happening again … got to get back to the point of collection …

SUSAN jumps up and hugs KATIE tight.

SUSAN
Be happy love.

Then SUSAN rushes for the door and off set.

KATIE is left standing there with one hand over her mouth, wondering what just happened.

KATIE shakes her head and frowns a little.

Then the frown turns into a smile.

KATIE
She did love me. And I never realised.

KATIE looks up into the air.

KATIE
Thanks mum.

KATIE moves off stage with a spring in her step which was not there before.


ENDS

Busy Bee

Time has a habit of slipping away from you ... and in the worlds of publishing even moreso. Since the last time I penned words for this blog a lot has happened. My IT Job has reached another breakpoint and I left my contract at the end of July, so after a quick holiday in the sun, for the moment I'm catching up on all sorts of other things. The new series of Doctor Who has started up again, and I'm very aware that I just couldn't make the time to talk about all the episodes in the first half of the season ... and so far I've not had time to comment on the one just past - the one about killing Hitler, though in fact it was about nothing of the sort. However we have plans for a new edition of The Television Companion for the 50th anniversary in 2013, and so I suspect that my comments on the Matt Smith episodes will find their way into that book ... But enough of what has not been happening ... time for some news of what has! Taking advantage in the break in IT work, and I am absolutely delighted that Telos has picked up a collection of my horror fiction. Called talespinning, the book should be published very soon now, and pre-ordering is available on the Telos site. The cover is by the amazing Bryan Talbot, and the book contains all my horror fiction, completed over the last thirty years or so, plus the scripts for the film Daemos Rising and an unfilmed sequel called Face of the Fendahl, extracts from two incomplete longer works ... it's a great selection of the macabre and the humourous and I hope people will enjoy it! Copies can be ordered direct from Telos: http://www.telos.me.uk/category.php?id=3#120; and every copy pre-ordered will be dedicated and signed by myself. Another book out at the end of September of which I am very proud is a fantasy/horror anthology called Full Fathom Forty. This is being published by the British Fantasy Society, and is a stonking 500 page tome of 40 of the very best stories by members and friends of the BFS. I have edited it for the BFS' own fortieth anniversary this year, and it's one of the strongest anthologies of fantastic fiction I have ever been pleased to read.

For forty years the British Fantasy Society has been promoting and appreciating fantastic fiction in all its guises. Now, to celebrate the many worlds of wonder and terror, the BFS presents an anthology of works by members and friends of the Society past and present. Here you will find angels and vampires, werewolves and killers, magicians and gentlemen, alien worlds and urban nightmares. Let the British Fantasy Society be your guide through a selection of the best fiction to be found on this world ... or beyond! Featuring the fantastic fiction and poetry of: Nina Allan, Suzanne Barbieri, Carl Barker, Mike Barrett, Ramsey Campbell, Jonathan Carroll, Adrian Chamberlin, Simon Clark, Raven Dane, Jan Edwards, Murray Ewing, Paul Finch, Christopher Fowler, Matthew Fryer, Stephen Gallagher, Cate Gardner, R B Harkess, Ian Hunter, Wilf Kelleher Jones, Jasper Kent, Joel Lane, Stephen Laws, Mark Lewis, Alison J Littlewood, Steve Lockley, Graham Masterton, Peter Mark May, Geoff Nelder, Kim Newman, Stan Nicholls, Martin Owton, Cas Peace, John Llewellyn Probert, Tina Rath, Steven Savile, Robert Shearman, Jim Steel, Sam Stone, Deborah Walker and Conrad Williams.

If you are not a member of the BFS, then copies are available for sale. Unfortunately the BFS Website is unavailable at the moment which makes providing a link there somewhat challenging, but copies can be ordered using this PayPal link:

Please select destination

UK £19.49 Europe £21.99 Rest of World £26.99

I'm also out and about quite a bit coming up. Here's a list of the events which I am appearing and guesting at. Hopefully some of you might be able to pop along and say hello!

THE ASYLUM, Lincoln, 9th-11th September 2011 The Asylum Steampunk weekend is an opportunity to do all things Steampunk. Sam Stone, David J Howe, Frazer Hines, Raven Dane, Robert Rankin and Toby Frost are among the guests for this fun weekend event. I will be taking part in panels, signings and readings. Date: 9th-11th Sept Address: Lincoln Castle, The Lawns, The Victoria, Lincoln. For more information visit: http://steampunk.synthasite.com WATERSTONES, Llandudno 17th September 2011 I will be launching talespinning, at this very popular North Wales Store. Time: 12pm-4pm Address: 37 Victoria Centre, Mostyn Centre, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 2NG WATERSTONES, Warrington, 24th September 2011 Science Fiction and Fantasy Day. Join Sam Stone, David J Howe and Frazer Hines (and many more) for readings, discussions and talks based around Sci-Fi/Fantasy in the Media and in print. More info on this later. I'll also have copies of talespinning for sale. Time: 12-4pm Address: Waterstone's Warrington, 22 The Mall, Golden Square Shopping Centre, Warrington, WA1 1QP. THE CRYPT, Manchester Vampire Society Meet, Manchester, 25th September 2011 Sam Stone and David J Howe will be reading from their latest works. With Q & A session. Books will be on sale. Address: The Seven Oaks, 5 Nicholas Street, Manchester, M1 4HL Time: 4-8pm FANTASYCON, Brighton, 30th Sept - 2nd Oct 2011 I'll be launching talespinning on Saturday 31st September at FantasyCon in Brighton. Telos also has a strong showing in the British Fantasy Awards which are to be announced at the convention on the Sunday. Address: The Royal Albion Hotel, 35 Old Steine, Brighton, BN1 1NT. Further Information: http://www.fantasycon2011.org/hotel.htm WATERSTONES, Trafford Centre, 8th October 2011 I'll be signing copies of talespinning at this popular Manchester store. Time: 12-4pm Address: Waterstones Trafford Centre, 42 Regent Crescent, Barton Dock Road, Manchester, M17 8AP WATERSTONES, Preston, 15 October 2011 I'll be signing copies of talespinning. Time: 12-4pm Address: Waterstone's Preston, 3-5 Fishergate Preston PR1 3LJ WATERSTONES, Bolton, Lancashire, 29th Oct 2011 I'll be signing copies of talespinning. Time: 12-4pm Address:Waterstones, 32-36 Deansgate, Bolton, BL1 1BL WATERSTONES, Wrexham, 30th Oct 2011 I'll be signing copies of talespinning. Time: 12-4pm Address: Waterstones, 9/11 Regent Street, Wrexham, LL11 1SG. WATERSTONES, Liverpool One, Liverpool, 26th Nov 2011 I'll be signing copies of talespinning. Time: 12-4pm Address:Waterstones, 12 College Lane, Liverpool, L1 3DL. GALLIFREY 2012, LAX Marriott, Los Angeles, USA, 17th-19th Feb 2012 Sam Stone, David J Howe and Frazer Hines will be appearing as guests at Gallifrey. Time: ALL Weekend. Panels, Interviews, Creative Writing Workshop. Address: LAX MARRIOT. Los Angeles, California. GALAXYFEST 2012, Colorado Springs, USA, 24th-26th Feb 2012 I'm overjoyed to be International Writing Guest of Honour at this convention. Other guests are Sam Stone and Kevin J Anderson, with Robert Picardo, Angus Oblong, Christie Golden, Frazer Hines, Robert Elrod, Clare Cramer, Claudia Christian, Dean Haglund, Denise Crosby and Tori Higginson. Time: ALL Weekend. Panels, Interviews, Creative Writing Workshop. Address: Antlers Hilton, 4 South Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO 80903-1695, USA.

That's all for the moment. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can share some more news and views with you all.