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feed the machine - excerpt...
But the man took comfort in knowing he was not the only one about to die. Not just the people around him, but others like him at this very moment, preparing to unleash terror at different locations around the country. At least a half dozen other men right now probably checking their watches, waiting for these last minutes to tick away. He wasn't sure of the exact number. Some of the details were kept secret, known only to the leaders of this group. But behind each man stood a vast network of unimaginable size and power, all willing to fight for the cause. All with access to the highest levels of infrastructure and information. No building, plane or bus is beyond their reach. They are the nightmare this country has been dreading.
And this day, only a preview of the storm to come.
de kler speaks...
More on this story in a moment. But first, a little about how i got to this point. While I've been writing fiction for years, it was always for my own enjoyment. My motive for writing a story was just to get an idea out of my head and onto paper. Getting it published wasn't even a concern for me. Recently however, I began to think about all those dreams in life that most of us rarely follow. I've let a few of my own go in the past and I decided it was time I actually pursued something for once. So I set a goal for myself - get published.
As part of my new task I made it a routine to check the online market listings for magazines and anthologies. One day I found a listing for Chimeraworld #3. I read the guidelines and thought, fuck it, let's go for it. I figured a story of mine might just be twisted enough to get accepted. I wrote "Feed the Machine" over the course of a few days and submitted it as soon as the window opened.
It was my first submission since I began to think of myself as a real writer. I had read all the articles about dealing with rejections. I was prepared for it, almost looking forward to it. My first rejection as a writer. It wasn't that I thought my story sucked. I was actually proud of it. The idea was simple. Show the inner workings of a terrorist's mind just minutes before he unleashes his wrath. I liked the whole "calm before the storm" aspect of it. But it needed more. I started thinking about motives and intentions and I quickly came up with what I thought would be a nice twist in the end. My goal for the reader was that after learning this guy's identity, they'd think two things: First, that they didn't see it coming, and second, that as fucked up as it sounds, it's actually a plausible scenario.
Still, I wasn't getting my hopes up. It was after all my first attempt at writing for more than just myself. I read some stories by Mike Philbin. I dipped my head into the world of the bizarre and the twisted and thought there was no way I could compete.
Amazingly, the damn story got accepted. I feel lucky not only because I got something published, but because I had the opportunity to give the reader something to think about, and enjoy. I hope I was successful on both fronts.
de kler bio...
Michael De Kler , after writing dark fiction and horror stories for several years, recently decided to take his hobby to the next level. His story "Retribution" was the winner of the monthly flash fiction contest at Horror World in September of 2005. Michael and his wife currently live in New Jersey where he is also a member of the Garden State Horror Writers.
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back to Chimeraworld #3 editorial page
Chimericana Books.
Chimericana Books.
Chimericana Books.
Chimericana Books.
Chimericana Books.
Chimericana Books.
Hellbound Books, Spring 2006
Plus six other short novels (approx 40,000 words each) that I'm looking to publish in a special 6-pack.
