Max Barry's new novel,MACHINE MAN, serialized online

Matthew sez, "Max Barry, author of Jennifer Government (and a seriously funny guy if you ever get a chance to see him talk in person), is publishing his next book, Machine Man, in serial form, one page a day. You can get it via e-mail, RSS, or just on the web site. Eventually there may be some sort of payment scheme, but that doesn't seem to be particularly thought out at this point. So far, it's 9 pages in and I'm enjoying it already."

One Tuesday afternoon my left leg was severed. It wasn’t as bad as it sounds. Well, it was. It was agonizing. There was a lot of screaming and flopping around and trying to tear my shirt into pieces to stem the bleeding. While I was busy with this, my co-workers stared through two-inch polycarbonate security glass and beat on the door. They couldn’t get in. It was sealed for their safety. I had to apply my own tourniquet and try not to pass out for eight minutes. While I lay there, waiting for the time-release, I could see the top of what used to be my leg poking out from between two thick slabs of steel, gently dripping blood to the floor. I felt sorry for it. My leg hadn’t asked for this. It had been a good leg. A faithful leg. And now look at it.

But in the weeks afterward, as I lay in my hospital bed, I came to see the bright side. I remembered that expression: A setback is just an opportunity in disguise. I decided that was true. Because while I was sad to lose my leg, now I could build a better one.

Machine Man (Thanks, Matthew!)

[#1 posted by Catchwa , March 31, 2009 2:37 AM]

s/Berry/Barry

(PS. I sent this in a week ago! Oh well, at least it's finally getting some publicity.)

[#2 posted by Matthew Miller , March 31, 2009 5:28 AM]

Also the FAQ is pretty good.