A Transcendental Habit — James R. Callan

Palindrome is a sprawling, sordid, mega-metropolis populated by roborgs, shapeshifers, holographic kids, and rats the size of Labradors. Among its myriad of destitute city-dwellers is Jarred, a down-and-out nobody whose tedious existence amplifies into an ultra-bizarre escapade after meeting Bee, an alluring enigma loaded with bionic upgrades and brimming with Squidge, a coveted drug new to the black market that enhances anything it touches. With Bee by his side and Squidge in his system, Jarred savors a newfound zest for life. But when the founder of Squidge, an unhinged zealot corporate mogul, becomes the target of Bee’s obsessive need for revenge, Jarred finds himself immersed in a violent feud between ex-lovers who have the power to save or destroy the world.Originally from Minnesota, James Callan is a writer and fulltime father living on the Kāpiti Coast, New Zealand. His short fiction has appeared in various literary journals and several print anthologies. His first novel, Neon Dreams, was published in 2021.