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  • 14-DEC-2024 | Excerpt from “Journey Beyond Tomorrow” by Robert Sheckley

14-DEC-2024 | Excerpt from “Journey Beyond Tomorrow” by Robert Sheckley

Author

Dan Bogachek
December 14, 2024

Excerpt from “Journey Beyond Tomorrow” by Robert Sheckley

Joenes’s fabulous world is more than a thousand years behind us, in the remote and misty past. We know that Joenes’s Journey began around the year 2000, and ended in the opening years of our own era. We also know that the age through which Joenes traveled was remarkable for its industrial civilizations. Twenty-first-century mechanical articulation gave rise to many strange artifacts that no present-day reader has ever encountered. Still, most of us have learned at one time or another what the ancients meant by “guided missile,” or “atom bomb.” Fragments of some of these fantastic creations can be seen in many museums. 🏁

Exposition can be a remarkable tool for social commentary.

As we read, it dawns on us that something has gone very very wrong. What’s happened? Our minds search with questions — and Sheckley’s hints leave it to our imaginations.

You glance at your watch.

It’s 6:28. You’ve been at it since 3.
Crap. Your hot date is at 7. Running late. Sink shower it is.
Nowhere close to done editing…

“…at least all the ideas are laid out, so there’s that. Did I miss anything? I don’t think so? Ok, but how do I make it flow? I need to get the final draft to Stacey for design asap, team cutoff is at noon Thursday…”

You’ve spent dinner completely distracted. Your date just took off. You go home exhausted, plod to your desk, and crack open the laptop.

Or… it could go like this:

5:41 — you’re out of the shower and lip-syncing.
6:17 — dressed to the nines and zenned out.
7:03 — the sunset glints off your aviators as you smile hello.
8:36 — it actually feels like you’re hitting it off. Not just hot, funny to boot.
Next morning, 10:27 — polished draft ready in your inbox.
10:31 — Stacey messages back, “thanks, looks good!”

The difference?

You had Copygloss handle it yesterday afternoon.

For help with editing, email Dan:
[email protected].