Canada’s Debate

Well I am once again on the open job market, as apparently teaching in Japan isn’t going to happen. I am basically left in the same in a position I was in three weeks ago, only now the gap in my employment history is larger. Hurray!

Anyways, I’ve taken to finally writing some science-fiction in my spare time (as well as resurrecting an earlier enterprise) in order to stave off the boredom between rejection letters. Let me tell you, writing fiction is no cake walk… Anyways, here’s a little sample.

He stirred. Reality washed over him the way a cement truck washes over sightless rodent. “And in our leading story this morning, engineers at the Jet Propulsion laboratory are reporting that…”

“Shit.” He turned off the alarm clock and pulled himself out of bed, stopping only to look at the time. He was late.

Breakfast; a banana and a dry bagel. As he chewed hurriedly he mused that he would kill for a proper bagel. Too bad there were none to be found in Florida. He bypassed his usual shower to save time. Being late is fine when you work with a collection of sun-starved scientists, but it looks bad when you’ve got an appointment with the press. He dressed with the same attention to detail that a homeless man would show his morning shave; which he also skipped.

I’m curious what people think. Obviously I expect no appraisal of my creative skills from such a small sample, but rather how it reads. In the past I’ve always found myself unconsciously becoming extremely derivative of whomever it is I’ve read recently. However, since the only book I’ve touched in the last month is Moby Dick, I’m kind of curious which author I end up accidentally parroting. Anything sound familiar?