I Used to Go Here

Hello.

Hi, Kate. I have Amy Kim and Jay Lowry for you.

- It's adorable. - Hi, guys.

- Kate. - Hi, Kate!

Hi!

How are you feeling about the release?

I, uh, great.

Everyone here loves the book.

I sent it to my mom. Did I tell you that?

- Oh! - She loved it.

And we're all so excited about the New York Times review.

Great.

But, listen, we got the first numbers in today.

Unfortunately, Kate, they are a little lower than expected.

Wait, how low?

I still think they're very respectable, don't you, Amy?

Yes, especially for a first-time writer.

- Uh-huh. - But we're actually calling you

because we talked to Foxtrot this morning and we have some bad news.

And we are 100 percent in disagreement with this, Kate...

But they want to cancel the book tour.

Wait, what?

Honestly, Jay, I just feel like this is a symptom of the time.

I totally agree. This never would have happened 10 years ago.

No. Wait, isn't the book tour supposed to promote the book so that you can get more orders?

- This is so frustrating. - It's the market.

It's just a very difficult climate these days.

No one wants to spend the money to promote.

I feel like we can point the finger at e-books here.

E-books, yes. Always with the e-books.

- Yeah. - But, listen,

Amy and I think we can reopen this conversation

if we get a good review in the Times.

Yes, a good New York Times review could change everything.

We've both seen it happen, Kate.

- Yeah. - The most important thing is that

you wrote an amazing book, okay? Now, hang in there.

We'll talk soon.

Okay. Bye.

- Bye. - Bye!

This is Michael's voicemail.

I won't listen to it, but I'll see that you called.

Hey, Michael, um, I just wanted to give you a call

because it looks like you're still getting some pretty important mail, uh, here

and I want to figure out how to get it to you.

So, um, and it would just be nice to talk to you.

So, give me a call when you get a chance. Okay. Bye.

Oh, my gosh!

- So cute. Oh, my gosh! - Ooh, I love it. Okay, what else?

Janessa, is this you?

All right, girls, let's take some pictures please.

Oh, my God! Okay.

Is this good?

Ladies.

Wait, Kate get in here.

Oh, yeah. Come on, you have to.

Get... I couldn't... I'm not pregnant.

Get in here.

To be in this picture.

- I love it. - Okay.

All right, now turn and show me your bump, your baby bump.

Oh, God! I can't... No, I can't be in.

Get in here.

I know.

Look what I got.

- Yes. - Oh, I don't...

- Open it. - Is that your new book? I haven't even seen it.

- Look at this. - Oh, my God!

- Cover is horrible. - No, it's great.

Look at that.

Okay, ready?

Oh.

Smile.

Perfect.

Hey, Kate. This is a voice from your past. It's David Kirkpatrick from IU.

It's been a long time since we chatted, I know, uh, too long. I hope you're well.

I know your book just came out which is wonderful by the way and I know it's last-minute,

but I'm wondering if you'd be willing to come down to your alma mater

and do a reading.

I'd love the chance to catch up. Give me a call back.

Miss Conklin. Miss Conklin.

It's me, Elliot Mobono.

We've been communicating over a text message.

- I'm the graduate assistant here. - Yes, hi, Elliot.

Welcome to Carbondale, or I guess welcome back, right?

Because you went here, right?

- Obviously, that's why you're here. - Yeah.

I'm here for whatever you need this weekend,

tour guide, chauffeur, general companionship,

and I have your itinerary printed out right here.

Oh, great, great.

I'm a big fan of yours.

I bought your book.

I haven't read it yet, but I will.

Oh, cool! Thanks for buying it.

I thought it would be awkward if I didn't.

- Yeah, yeah. I guess. - Oh, this is me.

I... I'm gonna take you to the bed-and-breakfast first, if that's okay.

- Sure. - Great, great.

- Oh, thank you. - There you go.

Thank you. Oh, I got it.

- I got it. Yeah. - You sure? Oh!

- You good? - Yes.

Oh, man.

- That was my old house. - Yeah?

I kinda remember this place. Yeah?

Okay, you're here.

Come on. I'll show you your room.

Wow, this place is perfect!

Fresh towels in the bathroom,

there's an extra blanket in case you get cold, breakfast at 9:00 a.m.

Oh, wow! I didn't expect there to actually be breakfast.

I'm not really a breakfast person.

What did you think bed-and-breakfast meant?

I thought it's more like an Airbnb.

Here are your keys. It's the only set you're gonna get,

so, you better wear them around your neck.

Got it.

Well, I'll leave you to it.

I'll be back in a little bit to pick you up for the reading, unless you want me to stay.

Oh, no. I'm fine.

- Of course. Okay. - Thank you so much, Elliot.

- Bye. - Bye.

Hey, you're wearing the same blazer.

Yeah.

Ready?

And here we are.

Oh, wow.

- Kate! - I'm gonna go sit up closer.

- Hello. - David!

Wow. Welcome back.

- It's great to see you. - No, it's good to see you, too.

Thank you for having me. I... I was so excited to hear you're still teaching.

Yeah, I'm still at it.

Hopefully, I'm better at this whole professor thing than when you were in my class.

Come on, you blew everyone away that first year.

You were this young writer who came out of nowhere, you were so enthusiastic.

Well, I'm older now, but thanks, Kate.

That's such a... That's such a big compliment. Thank you.

- Hi. - Oh, hi, Alexis.

Uh, oh, Kate, this is my wife Alexis.

You have a wife!

I do.

I got one about five years ago.

Well, it is so nice to meet you.

So nice to meet you. David talks about you all the time.

Oh, really?

No, not all the time.

Not all the time.

- Hello, everyone. We're about to get started. - I'm gonna go find a seat.

- Please take your seats. - Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Not all the time.

My name is April Vavani.

I am this year's student editor of the Crab Orchard Review, our literary magazine.

- Kate, let's get a drink later, yeah? - Yeah, yeah.

I am so excited to welcome you all to the last speaker...

Oh, uh... I love this by the way.

Very cool.

Professor David Kirkpatrick will be introducing tonight's author.

Please welcome Professor Kirkpatrick.

Well, and everyone, a big thanks to April for organizing this evening.

I mean, applause, yeah, an applaud...

Tonight's author comes to us all the way from Chicago...

- Oh, thank you. - ...and has just published her first novel.

She also happens to be one of my former students,

although I do seem to remember you falling asleep during one of my lectures, Kate.

And now we have the pleasure of hearing an excerpt from her novel, Seasons Past.

Please welcome, Kate Conklin.

Thank you.

Wow, thank you, everyone. Ugh. It is such a pleasure to be back here

and I'm so excited to share my book with you.

It just came out.

Oh, thank you. Thank you.

Um, yeah, I'm... I am pretty proud of it, even though, I...

I don't love the cover, um, but anyway, let's... Okay.

Let's get into it. Okay. All right.

Um...

But this morning felt different.

The clouds seemed to be moving faster than he had ever noticed before.

Oh, wait! Sorry, just for context,

this is when the main character Calvin meets his love interest Willoughby.

But this morning felt different.

The clouds seemed to be moving faster than he had ever noticed before,

faster than he thought maybe he'd ever seen

and the Sun was so bright that as he walked along the familiar shore,

it felt as though he was walking under a strobe light,

pulsing almost as often as the cold waves licked his toes.

And just then, as he took note of all that,

he started out toward the mossy rock and found that it was occupied.

Yeah!

- The students adored you. - Oh, shut up.

I will not shut up and I will never shut up.

I was surprised they weren't asking for autographs.

Well, a few of them did ask for my personal emails.

Oh, wow. Your personal email address, even better.

Alexis didn't like it.

That's not true.

She's become quite the critic since marrying me.

Come on, it's fine, Kate can handle it.