Introduce Yourself : Hi, I recently joined STAGE 32. by Keith Sauerland

Twelve years ago when my children were younger, they would ask me to tell them a story after I tucked them in bed. It started during the Christmas holiday and continued on most every night after that. Over a great many story times, I soon developed a skill for making up the stories as I went along. Years went by and I started realizing that unusual things always happened to me. Sometimes on the way to work and then other times they would happen even when we were on vacations. They would occur when I was alone or when I was in a crowd. Occasionally, I would tell my wife, my kids and sometimes my friends about them. Some were funny and some were scary, but all were definitely quite different. From time to time, friends would tell me that I should write them down in a book. Ever since high school, I have enjoyed writing. There was one major unusual event that happened in my life before I had my children. It was unlike anything that had ever happened to me. I have told a lot of people about it just because it was really strange and it REALLY happened. I bet a lot of them thought I was crazy. As I undertook the enjoyable work of transcribing the stories, I discovered that the various smaller episodes could be tied together to make a longer thriller. Six years ago I began to put them together and finished my first script two years ago, THE DEERFIELD HOUSE. Recently Amazon published my book, THE DEERFIELD HOUSE. Another script, ARE THE STARS OUT TONIGHT? was finished about six months ago (many,many re-writes). People who have read it have enjoyed the thrill. I am working on making ARE THE STARS OUT TONIGHT? into a recorded book. We have a small sound studio that is mostly used by my son who is working as a Script Supervisor. Aaron is currently finishing his senior year at Columbia College Chicago. Together, we are planning to assemble voice artists for the characters in the book. Down another road, I am working on a TV pilot, Ed, the Bus Driver. Ed is nearing retirement and has become a grumpy old man. He has been unhappy and sad since his wife died a year ago. Everything seems to make him disgruntled, even squirrels. The kids on his bus are rowdy and mischievous. He finds that the more he ignores them, the easier the bus route goes. Three problem boys have taken up "residence" in the seats just behind his. Usually, he hears but pays no attention. One day they talk of going squirrel hunting. Just to kill a few for fun. This, however, does not disturb him. On the contrary, it interests him. The pesky little fur-tails are the bain of his bus driving history. As years have gone by, he has found them to be deliberately brazen, bold and deliberate. Their antics have caused him to slam on the brakes, injuring children and getting him into trouble. If he never sees them again in his lifetime, it will be too soon. He, now, encourages the boys and gives them tips on squirrel hunting. It seems that Ed and the boys have something in common, something that may come back to frighten him to safety in a nearby oak tree. Because of an unfortunate bus incident (caused by a curious squirrel), Ed is killed in that freak accident when his bus runs him over. His hilarious nightmare begins when he returns as one of his pesky squirrels and experiences the life of a hunted animal. At the end of the first episode…while playing his “chicken” game with oncoming traffic, the troublesome squirrel is run over and comes back as A BUS DRIVER!! …leaving it open for a sequel