My kinfolk of the written word,

I am excited to let you know, as eager followers of The Last Machine in the Solar System, that "chapters" III and IV are now posted for your consumption. This means that slightly more than half of the novella is now available on Inkshares for all to see. The full story is about a 35-45 minute read and I'll post the remainder in pretty short order.

I'm thrilled that we have this venue to share our work, exchange ideas, and receive feedback from our fellow writers who are devoted to the craft. Constructive feedback can turn an idea into a cohesive story or take a riveting story and raise it to an even higher level. 

Specifically for The Last Machine, there is a significant amount of real science underpinning the science fiction. There is also what I would call "theoretical science," which is meant to be plausible within the context of a hypothetical but potentially real future. From here on out, the scientific backbone of the story will continue to emerge. If any of you are steeped in the sciences, particularly astronomy or astrophysics, I would gladly welcome your knowledge which may further add to the realistic nature of the story.

Moreover, I recognize the deep and in some ways, bleak outlook of this story. It may not be for everyone. As a sub-genre of science fiction I would categorize it as "prophecy" in the vein of Stephen Vincent Benet, one of my favorite authors and a big influence. If you haven't read By the Waters of Babylon, I highly recommend moving it near the top of your reading list. I do hope that for many, my story will prove fascinating and thought provoking.

My goal is to grow the support base for this story while receiving your valuable thoughts and opinions. Ultimately the objective is to decide whether this story is complete in its current novella form, or whether the subject matter deserves expansion into a novel.

Thanks so much, and read on!  -Matthew