Word Count: 93765
Summary: Home, a place where we belong and are safe and loved. Home, the house in which we grew up, a neighborhood, a culture, even a country. Home is a state of mind, it is a place of the heart, and in the heart. Finding home, coming home, and bringing home the one we love is a journey, a journey that can be a dangerous adventure. For the lovers in these stories, adventures can include quests and fighting dragons and demons, past and present, physical as well as mental and emotional. Rocket launchers need to be dodged, the Wild Hunt needs to be outrun. For some of the lovers here, home has been lost, or they have been forced to leave, as is too common for LGBT+ youth. In this collection queer positive speculative fiction stories, explore the idea of what and where home is in the lives of these lovers. Will they survive their quests, defeat their monsters? Will they find a place to call home?
Word Count: 118676
Summary: Once upon a time, before the hunts, dragons were plentiful in the world. Now they exist only in legend…except in the land of Ivria. Without the Dragon Talent, Sascha has long been told his only value is his ability to make the best match possible, whether as concubine or husband. He has always done what his family expects of him, cultivating grace and beauty, and when his parents make a match for him, Sascha goes without protest. He never anticipates being contractually bound to a cruel man embroiled in a plot to overthrow the king of Ivria. Or being confronted by the king himself, a man with whom Sascha is disturbed to find himself fascinated. With help from the few people he can trust absolutely, King Lysander is working carefully to uncover the members of a conspiracy to overthrow him and expose the existence of dragons to the world. Apprehending one traitor only complicates the situation further, not the least of which because of the man’s beautiful, intriguing concubine. Who may be involved in the plot and whom Lysander is immediately attracted to. As danger looms, Sascha and Lysander grow closer, but can Lysander trust Sascha with his life and heart? And can Sascha be strong enough to love the dragon king?
Word Count: 34985
Summary: By the year 2060, mankind is on the verge of bringing Terra to her knees. The population has exploded, and land for cattle and crops has been sacrificed for housing and employment for the more than fifteen billion souls now living on the planet. Synthetic food is created in plants, and the remaining animals are kept in zoos and game preserves of the wealthy. In an effort to insure the survival of mankind, spaceships are sent to explore Terra’s nearest neighbors, Mars and Venus, but will it be too little too late? The four men who took the MRM to Mars have high hopes, until on their return home they travel through a magnetic field that crashes them… somewhere. As they explore the unknown world with its dangers, Doc, Nick, Hank, and Ed will struggle to come to terms with their new reality and find their own paths to happiness.
Word Count: 61424
Summary: Todd Ruger is a sentry, a very good one, some might say the best. He was eleven when he and Nick were bound as master and slave. Todd spent the years Nick lived in the slave village waiting for the day Nick could leave and they’d be together, bit by bit building a life for both of them. He took his role of master seriously. It was his responsibility to provide for Nick, protect him and along the way he learned to love him. Todd loved Nick deeply and completely. They were more than a pair of sentries. Todd and Nick were friends, lovers, mates. Eighteen months ago, Nick left the small village where he’d spent his entire life being raised and trained as a slave. Blessed with a unique skill set, Nick became a sentry. He took his place beside his master, Todd Ruger, defending society against the many paranormal threats that abound. They became more than master and slave, they became mates. Nick had found a home with Todd and together they became a family. Eventually, Nick’s special abilities and skills attract the attention of the second most powerful man in New Colorado Protectorate’s government, Vice Chancellor Clarke. Or, maybe certain people knew of Nick all along and just now had cause to use him. He believes Nick might be the answer to explaining Chancellor Shaffer’s sudden, unusual behavior. Forced to go undercover at the Chancellor’s Estate, Todd and Nick discover an ancient and deadly creature preying on residents of the estate. The same creature that is radically effecting Chancellor Shaffer. A creature only Nick can see in its true form. It hunts using specialized skills and has Todd and Nick in its crosshairs. Even if they defeat the creature and survive, they still face the possibility of being torn from each other when their lives are thrown into chaos by the thing they’re hunting.
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Summary:
Withrow Surrett, the most sarcastic vampire for a country mile, makes an annual Appalachian pilgrimage to keep tabs on nocturnal colleagues and his last living friend from mortal days. What should be a quiet week among familiar faces quickly fills with undead rednecks, folk magic, murder, a rookie detective and Withrow's own psychotic cousin who insists on trying to help. Because even vampires have cousins, and Southern ones especially so.
As Withrow chases the phantoms of conspiracy and paranoia across moonlit forests, abandoned factories, shadowy back roads and seedy bars - all the quiet little places humans fear to tread - Withrow also struggles with who he wants to be. Can a monster find a place among family and friends?
Fans of The Black Knight Chronicles, The Tome of Bill, and Fred, the Vampire Accountant will love this series!
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Summary: Bioinformatics whiz Victor Eastmore at long last gains control over his frightening mirror resonance syndrome, but he still believes his grandfather was murdered. Victor’s best hope for finding justice lies in New Venice, a tourist town in the Louisiana Territories where his family’s company is exploring new treatment options for so-called “Broken Mirrors” and the stim addicts who experience similar symptoms–blank outs, synesthesia, and euphoria. Only by confronting Samuel Miller, the MRS “patient zero” who was responsible for the Carmichael Massacre, can Victor learn the truth. To do that, Samuel must first be weaned off Personil, the drug that keeps his mirror resonance syndrome in check. Can Victor learn the data egg’s darkest secrets without unleashing a violent madman? Meanwhile, a cult dedicated to the sanctity and purity of human life disrupts New Venice with protests and vandalism. When they take an interest in stopping BioScan from medicating MRS patients, including Samuel Miller, Victor finds himself with unlikely allies and divided loyalties. As pressure builds for the nations of the American Union to pass new legislation to control Broken Mirrors, Victor must become an effective advocate for people with MRS or risk being institutionalized along with them. A fast-paced sequel to Broken Mirror, Tortured Echoes continues the sci-fi detective saga of Resonant Earth. In this installment, fans of Broken Mirror will finally get answers to their questions: Why was Jefferson Eastmore killed? How did it happen? Who was responsible? Revisit the world of self-driving cars, stunsticks, brainhackers, and herbalism with Victor, Elena, Ozie, Tosh, and Karine, and several new figures that might help Victor chart a new course for his future, or condemn him to madness.
Word Count: 96000
Summary: "Today I swam through MOMA. Leon says it was a waste, encasing the art, then flooding the museum—frivolous and elitist. I say it was a gesture of optimism, a triumph of technology and political will." Want to thrill to the possibilities of a hopeful future? We asked a bunch of sci-fi writers to spin tales of a better future, imagining ways in which the world might become a better place. From a swim through an underwater museum to a joyous dance at a futuristic concert, from the eco-friendly aftermath of an alien invasion and retreat to the refurbishing of an old climate-ravaged home in New Vancouver, these fourteen short sci-fi stories will to restore your faith in the future. A world transformed is a world we can all hope for. Book three in the Writers Save the World short story anthologies. If you enjoy this book, check out Fix the World and Save the World.
Word Count: 8000
Summary: Tucker has spent his entire life as an interstellar trash man. But ever since his mother died, he’s been alone, and certainly lonely. So when he discovers the derelict ship he scooped up has an occupant—a beautiful young man named Ronan—Tucker is thrilled. Ronan is royalty and running from his tyrannical mother, determined to keep a powerful object out of her hands. But when he strikes a deal with the adorable Tucker, he wonders if it’s time to stop running.
Word Count: 121650
Summary: The helpless Noble I was once is no more. I am Red Sister Sirana, watching my city from the shadows. Once silent and disposable, I've found a place among the Sisterhood of Sivaraus, coarse, crude, and stirring to my blood. In crimson uniform I walk among sensual consorts, studious wizards, and sadistic Priestesses. I am an initiate with true influence in my underground city, a power both freeing and addicting. Everyone keeps secrets which bind them up if they jerk on the web too hard, and none are more vulnerable than novices wielding new power. Should my own secret come to the surface, I know I can't survive alone. I won't give up what I've found. Neither will the Sisterhood. Sivaraus will always need new Red Sisters, no matter what strangeness we bring with us. In Treasure Revealed, A.S. Etaski weaves threads of intrigue and action in this second tale of the Sister Seekers, where a new fighter tastes her potential in new connections that she must dare to strengthen by choice. Sister Seekers is dark epic fantasy for adults with an ever-broadening scope. The saga genre-hops a bit so things never get stale. Found Family is a core theme throughout. Perfect for fans of entwined plots, challenging themes, immersive worldbuilding, and elements of erotic horror. Sexuality and inner conflict play into character growth with nuanced intrigue, intense action, and fantastical magic.
Word Count: 65000
Summary: Romance may be in the atmo when Colin joins the Merry Swallow’s crew on the beautiful ocean planet of Merak, but for Alan, it’s just another day working the most important and stressful case of his career. Yet Alan’s woes are only beginning. Not only does the pirate confederacy have ties to both the pyrean navy and human corporations, pyrean separatists have gotten involved, and Alan’s employers are about to advance their own agenda, whether or not Alan supports it. Worse yet, the case is more personal than Alan could have realized. Steele, the man who murdered Sven’s sister thirty years prior is not only alive and well, but ready to return to the public eye in grand, and bloody, fashion — and he has his sights set on the Swallow. A storm is on the horizon, and as Alan’s fragile happiness aboard the Swallow comes to an end, the only question remaining is — when the storm breaks, will he and Sven be able to weather it? A Gathering Storm is the third book in the Triple Strike series, and it includes seven illustrations plus additional bonus content and comics.
Word Count: 62000
Summary: Alan Beringer has settled into his role of human Elite inspector working with Pyrean Navy privateers. Is it stressful being the principle investigator into a dangerous and hitherto unknown pirate confederacy? Certainly. Is it kind of fun living amid the exuberant and free-spirited crew of the Swallow? Most definitely. Accidental kidnapping aside, Alan has come to think of the Swallow as his home and the crew his family — and it’s obvious to everyone except Alan exactly how infatuated the captain, Sven Jiordson, is with him. But right now, if Alan wants to survive (much less keep his job), he’ll need to determine how deep this conspiracy goes, its connection to a tragedy from thirty years prior, and what exactly his pyrean and human superiors plan on doing once he cracks this case. And if he can finally recognize flirting when he sees it? So much the better! Pasts Revisited is the second book in the Triple Strike series, and it includes seven illustrations plus additional bonus content and comics.
Word Count: 54000
Summary: Alan Beringer’s day takes an unexpected turn when he’s kidnapped by alien space pirates. In all fairness, pyrean space pirates claiming they're "privateers” has become the norm since humans became an interstellar species. Pirates aren’t the problem. The problem is Alan's job is to curtail space piracy. The problem is Alan may be more pyrean than he lets on. The problem is the alien space pirate captain, Sven Jiordson, has a growing infatuation with Alan. The problem is Alan kind of enjoys being kidnapped. But who has time for romance when there's a new, unknown threat to interstellar space travel? Kidnapping aside, Alan needs to do what he does best: use his brilliant detective skills to notice everything…except Sven flirting with him. As the pyreans say — romance is more fun when somebody’s alive to enjoy it! Threads of Fate is the first book in the Triple Strike series, and it includes seven illustrations plus additional bonus content and comics.
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Summary: Condrie the tavern maid befriends a man on the run only to discover he is a firebird disguised in human form. Together they must elude the tyrant king's relentless forces while seeking the truth of who massacred other firebirds enslaved to the king.
Word Count: 35000
Summary: Rollo is the overworked, stressed-out Head Elf at the North Pole. As he prepares for Christmas Eve, he has to deal with toys that look like they're having sex, terrorist reindeer, and worst of all, the sudden death of Santa Claus. Rollo has to save Christmas after he finds out that Santa is not just dead -- he is undead. 'Twas the Night is a novella of approximately 35,000 words. It is a satire and contains adult language and themes.
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Summary: A collection of seventeen short stories and one novella ("Inclemency"), all penned (or "computered") by Tracy Shew. Who really killed JFK, and why? What strange secret do oranges hold? Can sub-sub-atomic particles have sex? Where do stories that no one will ever read go? What is God doing in Arizona? What happens when the national debt clock reaches zero? Where does luck come from? Do plants and animals have souls? What is the true source of your childhood fears?"
Word Count: 7200
Summary: Being gay and pagan can make for a lonely holiday season, as Liam knows well. He’s used to celebrating alone. The last place he expects to meet a like-minded guy is at LAX during a twenty-nine-hour layover. Liam’s never felt so comfortable or compatible with another man, even if there is an air of mystery to Race. Race is no stranger to holiday isolation, and he decides they should seize the opportunity they’ve been given and observe the Saturnalia the way it was meant to be. A grand celebration ensues, where every moment is special and every meal a feast. The ancient traditions take on new meaning as the men find meaning in each other. Each of them has a destiny and for their paths to continue together, it’ll take a kind of magic that hasn’t been seen in centuries. Can Race convince Liam to accept that destiny?
Word Count: 55000
Summary: In Unsafe Words, the first full-length collection of her edgy, award-winning short stories, Loren Rhoads punctures the boundaries between horror, dark fantasy, and science fiction in a maelstrom of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. Ghosts, succubi, naiads, vampires, the Wild Hunt, and the worst predator in the woods stalk these pages, alongside human monsters who follow their cravings past sanity or sense. Featuring an introduction by Lisa Morton and cover art by Lynne Hansen, these never-before-collected stories come from the magazines Cemetery Dance, Space & Time, City Slab, and Instant City, the Wily Writers podcast, and from the books Sins of the Sirens, Demon Lovers, The Haunted Mansion Project: Year Two, Tales for the Camp Fire, and more. One story, “With You By My Side It Should Be Fine,” is original to the collection.
Word Count: 90000
Summary: A new generation of vampires embarks on a quest to save humanity. Opening a forgotten crypt during a military exercise, Dr. Jane Heckman is made a vampire and begins a journey to unlock the secret origins of her new kindred. Elsewhere, solitary vampire Marcella DuBois emerges from the shadows and uncovers a government plot to create vampire-like super soldiers. Daniel McKee, a vampire working as an astronomer, moves to a new town where he's adopted by a family, only to have government agents strip those he loves away from him. All three vampires discover the government is dabbling in technologies so advanced they'll tap into realms and dimensions they don't understand. To save humans and vampires alike, Jane, Marcella, and Daniel must seek out the legendary master vampire Desmond, Lord Draco and encourage him to resurrect his band of mercenaries, the Scarlet Order.
Word Count: 103061
Summary: SISTER. ASSASSIN. VESSEL. Echo Rodrigal isn't just a survivor; she's a success. But in a land where the law is there are no laws, the terms of success rest on a knife's edge, and Echo's luck is about to change. The Vindicata are one of the top vengeance crews in the Ten Realms of Interra. Their oaths to only commit crimes of justice have earned them the respect of their peers. But the Vindicata are more than a crew, they're a family. And ever since they adopted Echo, she's cared about one thing: making her family proud. For years, that's meant becoming the continent's most feared assassin. But each kill wreaks havoc on her soul, no matter how justified. Echo's unraveling fast, complicated by the mysterious rift growing between her and her beloved sister. Miyala's keeping dangerous secrets, and Echo cannot find the key to unlock her sister's trust. When the Warlord orders the Vindicata to transport foreign dissidents to a new prison, they must put their personal issues aside to face an impossible choice: die for defying orders, or die for breaking their oaths to uphold justice. Between meddling gods returning to the continent, mercenaries around every corner, and an ancient prophecy that foretells the end of all worlds, the pressure on Echo is mounting fast. Can she make enough right moves to save her family? The fate of many worlds rests in Echo's next choice.
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Summary: In the depths of space, amidst a relentless interstellar war, Nena Videt's name echoes as both a legend and a pariah. Convicted of a crime she vehemently denies, she rots in prison, a star-faring turned into a forgotten prisoner. But when the Union of Galactic Commerce faces imminent destruction, the lines between hero and villain blur and desperate times call for desperate measures. Drawn from her darkened cell, Nena is thrust into a world where freedom awaits-but at a cost. As she joins a crew on the edge of mutiny, Nena must navigate more than perilous space battles. A mysterious race of warrior women seeks to claim her as their own, offering both allegiance and enmity. In the heart of the conflict, Nena finds herself in an uneasy alliance with Admiral Kirpich, a relentless leader hell-bent on securing victory, no matter the consequences. This book is a riveting sci-fi saga of redemption. Nena Videt's journey will take readers on a voyage through uncharted territory, where the lines between loyalty and betrayal, heroism and atrocity, blur into infinite.
