Barry Grey isn’t the sharpest device within the shed, however that hasn’t stopped him from turning into the middle-aged CEO of Atlas Wake, the company behind essentially the most addictive vitality drink on the planet. After an ungainly date, Barry is “X-ed”—a destiny worse than getting canceled…simply days earlier than the corporate’s greatest beverage launch. The explanation? An historic social media put up.

Because the Atlas Wake executives scramble to discover a alternative for Barry, they come upon Lo, a sardonic barista with no social media historical past. Lo eagerly steps into the CEO position, anticipating stacks of money, solely to be jolted by a surprising discovery in regards to the firm’s new vitality drink — it’s inflicting folks to blow up.

Fearing his new life as a social pariah, Barry is rescued by the Brotherhood of the Resigned, a bunch of X-ed outcasts hiding within the sewers. They consider Atlas Wake is a part of an enormous conspiracy through which Lo is now entangled. Tales collide as our crew faces a corporate-dominated world on the point of destruction on this darkly humorous, dystopian story of energy, deceit, and survival.

THEMES CHANGE

“What if canceled people have been pressured to stay underground like mole folks?” This was my preliminary thought for SITUATION NOWHERE, and it made me snort rather a lot. I believed perhaps I used to be writing a satire on “cancel tradition.” (I do know.) However after a number of chapters, I noticed the subject was simply the beginning gun, an inciting incident.

I’m going to put in writing a sentence that’s going to make us all cringe a bit bit. However it’s the reality…

The novel began taking a lifetime of its personal.

I do know! I hate myself for writing that. “Oooh, Bobby, your guide began speaking to you? HOW PRECIOUS!” However it did! And it turned out the guide was irritated at numerous issues! AI artwork, late-stage capitalism, company consumerism, the record goes on!

Certain. I may have informed the guide to close up. I had an overview, in any case! It ought to obey me! However I used to be having an excessive amount of rattling enjoyable writing the factor that I let it take over. No regrets.

AI ART IS NOTHING TO FEAR

Let me not mince phrases. I consider huge tech has slowly, methodically devalued artwork. The arrival of generative AI solely exacerbates the perilous situation we’re in.  In my guide, all of that is performed for max absurdity, however in writing it, I noticed AI “artwork” is one thing I not concern. Certain, I nonetheless assume it’s for losers! People who don’t wish to put within the work. However I’m not upset about it. No massive language mannequin can write the way you or I write. (I’m fairly certain LLMS will not be ingesting childhood trauma!)

Sure. AI “artwork” will additional decimate the job marketplace for artists, and we’ll have to discover a new mannequin that works for us. However AI “artwork” itself has restricted worth. Why would anybody pay cash for purely artificial work? It’s the human fingerprints that make artwork price having fun with. If something, human-made artwork will develop into extra helpful within the age of “AI slop.”

EVERYTHING IS TERRIBLE AND FUNNY?

There are many issues that preserve me up at evening. I’ve existential dread such as you wouldn’t consider. However I’ve all the time discovered solace in comedy. I wished my first guide to be propulsive and entertaining, a guide with issues to say! A thriller to unpack!

Most significantly, I wished it to be humorous till the final line—a balm for these chaotic occasions. I all the time hoped folks would discover consolation within the guide, however I didn’t notice that writing it might be a much-needed tonic for me. It saved me sane and laughing; typically, that’s all one must get by this life.

FINDING TIME TO WRITE SAVED MY SOUL.

I grew to become a dad in the course of the pandemic. On the time, I had no thought what the long run held. I had directed two characteristic movies and questioned if I might ever direct once more. On this artistic void, brief tales started to pour out of me, ultimately coalescing round this novel. I finally needed to return to workplace, and my free time drastically shrank. Earlier than the pandemic, earlier than turning into a dad, I may get by discovering jobs that might work round my writing schedule. However now it was completely different. I needed to discover the time.

I made a decision the one means was to get up extraordinarily early. Earlier than the household was up earlier than the day job began…If I may simply squirrel away one hour, I may rapidly write a primary draft and chip away at this factor. (At evening, I might edit.) Finally, piece by piece, the guide got here collectively. Was it straightforward? No. However it’s doable. I might argue that having restricted time zeroed in my consideration. There was no scrolling on social media and no wasted time. I had my hour, and I used to be flying. And brother, it was incredible. To have this secret factor whereas the world appeared on fireplace. It was a blessing and saved my inventive soul.

CHASING TRENDS NEVER WORKED FOR ME

Within the movie enterprise, I used to be lucky to direct one thing I wrote. However after that preliminary success, I started chasing developments. Writing screenplays that weren’t me. I wished to make a residing! The nice irony is that the one work that has gotten me any consideration has been deeply felt idiosyncratic weirdness. I seen the pandemic and fatherhood as the nice reset button. There was no extra time for chasing what I believed folks wished. I wanted to hearken to my intestine.

I additionally wished to carry myself accountable. On a movie set, you may level blame at myriads of issues that may go mistaken. “If solely we had three extra days to shoot,” and many others. I used to be bored with pointing fingers! I wished to put in writing one thing that I used to be solely answerable for. One thing I could possibly be assured in saying, “That is me!”

I wanted to get out a giant scattershot satire with tons of goop. For higher or for worse, that’s me. I beloved writing it. It saved my life. And now it’s your downside.

Bobby Miller is a author and filmmaker from New Jersey who lives in Los Angeles. His movies have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, and Fantasia. His fiction has appeared in Maudlin Home, Expat Press, and Bending Genres. SITUATION NOWHERE is his debut novel.

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