This Machine is a dystopian short story by Atlanta-based writer Aaron Thorpe. The account is set against a backdrop of societal uncertainty and the existential terror of the protagonist’s relationship with technology. Written in a series of quick successions, the narrative follows the psychological turmoil of a man plagued by an ever-growing fear and paranoia towards machines.

This Machine is introduced by writer and programmer Gui Machiavelli and is edited by Black Ballad editor and writer Jendella Benson (All We’ve Got and Hope & Glory). The publication features an interdisciplinary collaboration between Aaron Thorpe and graphic illustrator Júlia C. de Aguiar. The unique aspect of this book is how both mediums dictates the pacing, that is, where Aaron’s text stops or pauses, Júlia’s illustration continues in its place, establishing a process of ebb and flow that requires both parties to deeply consider how their disciplines can to tell a single unified story.

Aaron Thorpe is a writer originally hailing from New York. After studying Writing and Literature at Borough of Manhattan Community College, he relocated to Georgia and briefly studied Political Science at Georgia State Perimeter College before engaging in community organizing and working various restaurant jobs.

He is currently the co-host of the socialist podcast: “The Trillbillies Workers Party”. You can find him on Twitter — still not calling it “X” — under @afrocosmist, where he shares retro sci-fi art, political commentary, and his love for “Star Trek.” He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia. This is his first published work.
Júlia C. de Aguiar is a Brazilian graphic illustrator. After studying graphic design at the Artez Institute in Arnhem and completing a Master's in Design at the Sandberg Institute in Amsterdam, Júlia developed a keen interest in using the glyph-drawing.club tool to create unique illustrations and fonts.

‘This Machine’ features Júlia’s exploration into combining narrative with visual art, offering a glimpse into their approach to design and storytelling..
This book would not have been made possible without the efforts and talents of the following:

Author: Aaron Thorpe
Graphic Illustrator: Júlia C. de Aguiar
Designer: Sherida Kuffour
Editor: Jendella Benson
Foreword: Gui Machiavelli
Proofreading: Aidan Wall
Motion Video: Bertran Suris
Typefaces: Kéroïne by Charlotte Rohde
and Degular by James Edmondson
Publisher: Fantastic and Imaginative Romances: A Brave New Lit. Imprint