Jesus Told Me to Kill Her: The Fantasy of Failed Writer

“You don’t understand. He can’t be bargained with. He can’t be reasoned with. He doesn’t know pity or fear or remorse, and he absolutely will not stop…ever, until you are dead.” Kyle Resse: The Terminator

The premise of this novella is simple enough. It is also something that can easily resonate with anyone who has attempted to have a book published. A struggling writer, beaten down by months and years of rejection, snaps and decides to kill the literary agent who personifies everything that is wrong with the publishing industry. This crisis decision leads this author on a long strange trip into madness and murder.

There is a similarity between the iconic, unstoppable cyborg and the protagonist in Mr. Johnson’s book; relentless perseverance.  There is a darkly comedic quality to the prose that is engaging, even if it doesn’t quite create empathy between the reader and the protagonist. There is also a tragic unsettled character to the ending that might be more disturbing than the story itself. If you are a writer (or ever wanted to be one), this is a cautionary tale of obsession. You have been warned.

Have fun.

Gamal