Gemotions

Liam was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet as he approached the bookstore. Today was the release date of *Echoes of the Void*, the new novel by his writing hero, Julian Vance. He’d pre-ordered it, of course, but he wanted to experience the communal joy of the launch. Grinning, he elbowed his way through the crowd.

He snatched a signed copy, his fingers tingling with excitement. Settling into his favorite armchair at home, he practically tore through the plastic wrapping. He then proceeded to rip off the book cover. He opened the book and inhaled the scent of the pages, then started reading.

He got only a few chapters in, and his cheeks began to burn. The story…it was eerily similar to a story he'd penned during his university days, a story he'd submitted to a workshop and gotten some positive feedback on. His jaw clenched. He raced through the rest of the book, his initial excitement curdling into a bitter knot of disbelief.