Two years ago, we interviewed David Burr Gerrard about his terrific, politically-informed first novel Short Century. At the time he discussed the book he was working on at the time: a novel titled The Epiphany Machine. 

It’s about a machine that tattoos epiphanies on the forearms of its users. That is my attempt to question and honor one of the major ideas of fiction, which is that fiction should lead up to an epiphany. That leads very easily to cliche; at the same time, I’m not very comfortable with total rejection of the idea of an epiphany. If fiction doesn’t force its characters into a realization of some kind of truth, if you don’t force the reader into a realization of some kind of truth, then what is fiction really for?

The Epiphany Machine is due out from G.P. Putnam’s Sons on July 18, 2017, and the cover has been revealed. Given that Short Century was that rare political novel that grappled full-on with the political issues it raised, we’re eager to experience what his followup has in store.

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