When That Time Comes
A short novel by David F
Pennant
Mark,a Neighbourhood Watch
Co-ordinator in a sleepy road does virtually nothing - he puts
round two or three news sheets a year and sends out the odd email
- until one day the world's computer chips stop working,
everything changes and he has to fight to keep the residents from
death.
Mark reckons the
malfunction was caused by a flare from the sun, but this was
never proved. Five days after I first web-published this story,
the opening discussion on Radio Four's Material World (27.8.09) was about the severe solar flare of 1859,
the so-called Carrington Event and
its damaging effect on power cables, melting a transformer, etc.
and that we are overdue for another flare. You have been warned...!
Horizon (BBC1) had a
similar programme in March 2012, a time of unusually large solar
flares; see July 2012 solar storm.
The largest ones seem to have been in 775, perhaps ten times
larger than the Carrington event.
Imagine the effect of a
severe solar flare on today's electronic society. Well, that's
what I did in this short novel.
The sun has an eleven year
cycle. Are we prepared for the next solar maximum in 2023 or so,
when such things are more likely?
I had Oriental Road in
Woking in mind when I wrote this. Special offer of a
complimentary signed copy to people that live in the road. Knock
at number thirty. Fun!
The book finally appeared
as a paperback in 2022.
For readers' opinions and feedback, click here, noting number seven especially.
for £3-99 (kindle £0-80)
ISBN 978-0-9550053-6-7