The Memory Eater is an anthology consisting of 27 uniquely illustrated stories based on a device with the ability to locate and destroy any memory in the human mind.
Follow the story of a conflicted man who tries to become the fantasy inside his head by deleting reality. Or the story of a devastated couple who lost their child and turn to a shady Memory Eater doctor to erase their problems. Discover the truth behind the urban legend regarding where the Memory Eater really came from, and how it was used during World War II in the fight against Hitler and Nazi Germany.
Drop in for a tale of love, and how one man never gives up hope to find his childhood sweetheart after the Memory Eater tore them apart. Witness how a teenage prank involving the machine and a chore goes hilariously wrong. Or how, with the introduction of this new technology, mass paranoia begins to spread, prompting people to tirelessly investigate their own pasts.
See how the Memory Eater will shape the future into the perfect utopia. How it evolves into much more than deleting memories. Memories will become transferable and sold in back alleys. They’ll become viral. But ultimately, nothing will be safe, not even the sacred depths of the mind.
Follow the story of a conflicted man who tries to become the fantasy inside his head by deleting reality. Or the story of a devastated couple who lost their child and turn to a shady Memory Eater doctor to erase their problems. Discover the truth behind the urban legend regarding where the Memory Eater really came from, and how it was used during World War II in the fight against Hitler and Nazi Germany.
Drop in for a tale of love, and how one man never gives up hope to find his childhood sweetheart after the Memory Eater tore them apart. Witness how a teenage prank involving the machine and a chore goes hilariously wrong. Or how, with the introduction of this new technology, mass paranoia begins to spread, prompting people to tirelessly investigate their own pasts.
See how the Memory Eater will shape the future into the perfect utopia. How it evolves into much more than deleting memories. Memories will become transferable and sold in back alleys. They’ll become viral. But ultimately, nothing will be safe, not even the sacred depths of the mind.
You can read 4 sample stories from The Memory Eater by clicking on the picture below:
Project Background
Sometime in January of 2011, I began working on a short story entry for the the Writers of the Future Contest. The plot I came up with revolved around a man who worked as a telemarketer for a memory-erasing company. As the telemarketer conversed with several customers, each stating a different reason why they wanted something erased, I realized the enormous potential this concept held.
I thought, "Everyone wants to forget something, don't they?"
Feeling that I couldn't do this idea justice with a mere short story, and not being up to the task of writing another novel (especially since I had just finished one), I thought it would be a great idea to get others involved. That way I could include a variety of voices from people all over the world.
On March 15, 2011, I sent out a massive call for submissions with the goal of hitting 100. I posted advertisements on 44 writing-related forums/message boards and amassed a following of over 8,000 followers on Twitter. On September 13, 2011, submissions closed, and The Memory Eater brought in over 230 stories.
The intrigue from not only writers but readers anticipating the book really blew me away, and now here I am with the near-finished product—excited to share it with the world!
Contributing Authors
We have a diverse group of authors spanning from the United Kingdom to Canada to the United States. Here's an incomplete list of what else they do besides write: Lawyer. Programmer. Video editor. IT trainer. Wine and beer brewer. Care giver. Minister. Magazine editor. State employee. Graphic designer. Head of a publisher. Translator. Programmer.
Authors' publications and awards (A condensed list): Asimov's Science Fiction. The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Clarkesworld. Lightspeed Magazine. Semi-finalist in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. Eclectric Flash. Midwest Literary Magazine. MiCrow. Zharmae Publishing. Enslow Publishers, Inc. Runewright, LLC. TRSF. Daily Science Fiction. Strange Horizons. Dark Moon Digest.
Authors' publications and awards (A condensed list): Asimov's Science Fiction. The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Clarkesworld. Lightspeed Magazine. Semi-finalist in the 2011 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. Eclectric Flash. Midwest Literary Magazine. MiCrow. Zharmae Publishing. Enslow Publishers, Inc. Runewright, LLC. TRSF. Daily Science Fiction. Strange Horizons. Dark Moon Digest.
Contributing Artists
If you don't already know, we have an extremely talented group of artists participating in this anthology. Samples of their work along with links to their sites can be found here.
