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Summary: Kidnapped! Offyonder is a planet that celebrates its civic justice and order, and the rules on speech and thought that uphold them. Now the Director’s niece, Claire Montaigne, is seized by rebels. Inexplicably, the Director tasks Martin Allgeier, a librarian and nonentity, with rescuing Claire. The Director has also given orders to hire Sol, a famous interstellar bounty hunter. The more Martin and Sol investigate the weirder the situation becomes. Claire had a severe breakdown in her teens and now appears not entirely sane. The rebels could be either disorganized bums or masters of strategy. Sol has big demons, which she attempts to drown in alcohol. And both Martin and Sol are hiding parts of their past. Failure to rescue Claire will cost them their lives and destroy the civic order. But as Martin and Sol untangle the truth of the kidnapping, they confront the unthinkable—could the price of success be greater than that of failure? What happens when things are not as they seem?
Word Count: 90000
Summary: The Height of Land follows the quest of a young man torn between spiritual longing and commitment to his community’s survival in a harsh landscape. Red sacrifices everything to study the long-lost words of the gods. He does not know that he is reading the poetry of Lucille Clifton, Ḥáfiẓ, and Walt Whitman, as well as the Bhagavad Gita, the Bible, and the Tao Te Ching. In a world reborn from catastrophe, these ancient texts take on new meanings. To seek such things is to court peril. Belief in the gods is forbidden. But Red is desperate to know the gods. And he is not searching alone. Forsaking all that is familiar, Red pledges himself to a clandestine church in the city and falls in love with the charismatic priest. But Red may lose both love and faith in defying the church for the sake of a friend. Have the gods truly abandoned the earth, or just Red? What kind of answer can he receive when he has lost the words to ask?
Word Count: 24,705
Summary: In the space of ten hours, civilization was gone... Their parents were survivors of World War Last. Children of The Vista have become guardians of the secluded valley they call home. Wanderlust will take them out into a land they know nothing about, where the line between enemy and ally blurs. Backlash - Introducing Team Three Facing an unknown adversary that threatens to wreak havoc across what little humanity remains, they must rely on their unusual abilities, and hope they're strong enough to stop the chaos. The first to join Security, Mac is an outsider despite knowing he's as different as his partners. All three are Gen En, genetically enhanced, and he understands it's not a safe thing to be. Wade is their unofficial leader. Few people outside the team gain his trust, making him seem difficult and distant. He's protecting everyone by hiding what they are. As the Scout, Shannon keeps watch on the long-abandoned roadways. This gives her time to consider what might exist beyond Montana. More curious than afraid, she wants to see for herself. Together, they are unstoppable. Their enemies are gathering and know the secrets they hide.
Word Count: 30,000
Summary: The 15 short stories in the new collection by K.G. Anderson tackle the classic science fiction query: “What if this goes on?” Her answers span magic realism, humor, science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Each story is firmly rooted in the familiar present and moves seamlessly into a very near political future—chilling in most cases, but darkly humorous in others. Stories include: “A Sign of the Times”—A Seattle protestor is tried under the new Corporate Personhood laws “Wishbone”—An elderly woman faces euthanasia under the Age Equity Act designed by her politician grandson “The Bodies We Carry”—A young widow bankrupted by medical bills joins a “death camp” protest in front of the mansion of an old college friend who is now a healthcare CEO “Unwanted Visitors”—Seattle is declared a “terrorist zone” and the new Federal Security Agency comes calling “Yoga for Protesters: A Field Guide”—Advice for combining political fury with physical fitness “The Right Man for the Job”—Summoned by desperate Democrats, the ghost of Lyndon B. Johnson returns to haunt the Trump White House “Unnoticed”—The teenage daughter of frightened immigrants demands her native identity
Word Count: 107000
Summary: The sugar leapt up and twisted itself until it formed a castle with turrets as perky as meerkats... Griffin's rock band is about to have their big break. But when her lead guitarist and soon- to-be-ex-boyfriend throws a drug- and alcohol-induced El Screamo Thrasher Solo Temper Tantrum, he gets the band kicked out of the gig. She is devastated, and minus a lead guitarist. Enter the mysterious Rickenbacker, a restaurant manager with a tempting offer: if Griffin works in his restaurant making desserts, she can play in the house band, the Spurious Correlations, alongside Matteo: a super-talented lead guitarist. What Griffin doesn't know is Rickenbacker is a competitor in an Other Worldly Live Action Role Playing tournament (LARPing). In order to win the championship, he has just two weeks to push her to the limit with dessert-making mayhem, enough to drive her to perform an unthinkable task, all without letting her suspect she's a pawn in his scheme. Griffin is yanked unwittingly into a frenzied fantastical world of music, magic and baking. She gets to make music with Matteo, the most perfect guy she has ever met, and she has never played with such a terrific band. It seems too good to be true! But making desserts for Rickenbacker is a nightmare. Is Matteo worth it? Well, he is awfully dreamy . . .
Word Count: 82473
Summary: They’ll do anything to prevent another mauling... Frankie had it all in their youth; they were a talented musician and dancer with a promising career in ballet. But that all fell apart in one night, after an encounter with a fellow jaguar left them scarred for life. With the help of their former rescuer and partner, Nikita, and close friend, Dasha, Frankie put on a little muscle, learned to fight, and even kill. All skills needed for their partner’s walk of life—but not Frankie’s. When Dominique offered them a job as a piano player at her dance studio, Frankie took it—and her heart. Their mutual love for the arts helps keeps Frankie grounded. But she only knows them as the tortured soul and fallen dancer. But the careful image Frankie has crafted for themself begins to unravel when the alluring Sophie enters their life. Sophie, who may be the next victim in a string of violent cat attacks…
Word Count: 107,000
Summary: They told him the Lette were monsters. But the truth lies buried on a dead world—and it’s far more terrifying. Commander Zane Renner awakens alone aboard a vast, silent colony ship orbiting the planet Artemis. The crew is gone. The only others aboard are a woman driven to madness—and a Lette, one of the alien race humanity has been at war with for decades. Zane has always believed the Lette started the war. But when he descends to the surface and uncovers the haunting truth behind the colonists’ deaths, everything he thought he knew begins to unravel. A failed alien experiment. A world-spanning mind. A virus that could doom the entire galaxy. And a war that may never have needed to happen. Guided by the being he once called an enemy, Zane must confront a devastating reality: the danger isn’t the Lette. It’s what lies below—and within humanity itself. To stop the threat from spreading, Zane must forge an alliance with the last being he ever thought he could trust. In doing so, he’ll uncover a truth buried beneath generations of lies: the Lette never wanted war. Brothers of Mind is a gripping sci-fi thriller about alien contact, dangerous truths, and the courage to rewrite history. Sometimes the greatest enemy is the lie we’ve lived by. And sometimes the only way forward… is together.
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Summary: Some nightmares don’t end when you wake up. Jack Layton is recovering from the car crash that killed his wife. Wracked by guilt and drowning in grief, he isolates himself - until he discovers her final letter. She describes visions and creatures in the darkness that threatened to drive her mad. Now Jack sees them, too. Struggling to hold on to his sanity, Jack digs deeper into the wreck that shattered his life. Was their accident even an accident at all? The truth is waiting for him in the dark - if he's willing to pay the price. What did his wife see? Why are these creatures haunting him now? What are the secrets that lie...in shadows?
Word Count: 101,000
Summary: AWARDS B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree 2020 READERS FAVORITE International Book Awards 2021 - Bronze Medal LITERARY TITAN Silver Medal 2021 READERS FAVORITE 5 star review 2020 Sometimes, death is necessary. Two thousand years after the Great Diaspora, humanity has spread across the Orion Spur, the human domain fractured and diverse, divided into numerous small federations, empires, dictatorships, and a thousand unaligned and lonely planets. On one of those small worlds, a plant grows, a weed that feeds the addiction of many and the greed and avarice of a few, and kills without favor. Lazarus Hawk, ex-soldier and ex-mercenary, convicted of a crime of terror he did not commit, and sentenced to life on an airless prison moon from which there is no escape, has been offered a way out. It’s a chance. A good chance. To accept the offer, all he has to do is die. Forced to undertake a mission against his better judgment, Hawk finds himself teaming up with the locals of a small, backward world, and Abbie Renner, a young Guarda officer searching for the source of the drug Hellfire, and prepared to go to any lengths. This time, she has gone too far. This time she needs help. Can Hawk overcome the mistrust and reticence of a small colony world to accomplish the mission he has been forced to undertake in return for his life? If you like great, classic science fiction, you will love this new work by multi-award-winning author Mike Waller, an action-packed dive into the world of a galactic mercenary driven by the ghosts from his past. Grab a copy now and join Lazarus Hawk in his search for justice for a remote colony world.
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Summary: In the dystopian future where the rich have turned two dimensional and gobbled up the world’s resources, leaving the enslaved poor to remain three dimensional, can a disgraced detective help his rebellious daughter save the world? The sci-fi paranoia of Philip K. Dick meets the hardboiled sleuthing of Raymond Chandler. Prior Futures is a fast-paced and enigmatic trip through a nightmare world lost to its own decadent affair with nanotechnology and two-dimensional beings. Atmospheric and thought-provoking, this book will have you looking over your shoulder for nanos. It won’t help, though. You can’t see them. – David E. Sharp, author of Lost on a Page Winner of a 2022 Independent Press Award for Science Fiction Distinguished Favorite! Finalist, The Best Thriller Book Awards on BestThrillers.com
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Summary: "Hauntingly beautiful and poignant." ~ Readers' Favorite In a world shattered by war, a lone robot soldier awakens with one mission: to protect the last surviving human - a little girl named Amy. Together, they form an unbreakable bond in a world where hope is scarce. But danger lurks in the form of robotic mutations known as wolfhounds. One Shot's prime directive is clear: protect Amy at all costs. On a perilous journey through a devastated world, the bond between a girl and a robot might be the key to humanity's future. If they can survive.
Word Count: 32000
Summary: 11 stories of power exchange, love, and magic, including: Fealty Beloved, The baron, my husband, is dead. I am fighting to secure these lands and title in my own right as his widow. If you still feel as you once did, come to me now. I have need of you and your sword both. With all my love, Myrtle, Baroness Fireridge Eryk folded up the well-worn letter and tucked it away in his jerkin. Six months ago Baron Balmont of Cliffside had invited him to swear fealty and become one of Balmont's knights. For the bastard son of the hated Black Baron, the chance to belong was a dream come true. He accepted the lord's invitation without a moment's thought. Three weeks later, Myrtle's letter reached him. Three weeks… ~~~~ I Vant to Suck... Marcus woke unexpectedly, groggy and disoriented. Before he opened his eyes, he knew he had woken early. Even buried in the basement, the sun's weight sapped his strength. Blinking, he strained to bring the world into focus. A huge man with ebony skin stood over him, holding a stake to his chest. So, the ancient vampire mused, there were still things in the world he hadn't seen. The man met Marcus' eyes and froze. Marcus would have laughed if he could. "Go on, hunter." Speaking against the weight of the mid-day sun was like rolling boulders uphill, but then, nothing came easy. "I couldn't stop you if I wanted to. And I am not sure I do." For a long moment, the hunter stared at him. The sun won, sending Marcus back into darkness. ~~~~ A Hole in the Pack The pack gathered at the end of a successful hunt. Flopping down to rest in a clearing, their bellies matched the curve of the full moon overhead. It had been a good hunt, a good night, a good month. They should have been relaxed and playful until the sun sent them on their way. But they weren't. One of their number was missing. The hole in the pack was an ache that pulled at them. Instinctively they left a space where he should be. At the kill, those below him in rank milled about uncertainly when it should have been his turn to eat. Those near him in rank snarled and snapped, seeking to establish precedence around the hole his absence left. He was one of them, but not one of them, and the pack was broken. Sitting apart from the others, the pack leaders surveyed the world, ever alert for possible threat. But the greatest threat came from within. A glance, a flick of an ear, and a decision was made. It was time.
Word Count: 40500
Summary: Danger is in the air ... Fourteen-year-old Muree and her little brother live in the tunnels under Homa, stealing to survive, hiding from the alien Zecla and their mechs. But when the mechs suddenly focus on them, the two children are forced to run ... into a pandemic of galactic proportions. Warning: creepy absentee father, depictions of illness and death, underage sexuality, parental betrayal, pregnancy loss, innuendo, humans used for food by aliens. There are four point of view characters: two human, two alien. This book is a standalone story which is not in the Red Dog Conspiracy universe. It was written in 2008, and is being published for the first time. The ebook is exclusively available on my website.
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Summary: “Intelligent, unique, and tremendously entertaining.” - Readers' Favorite EARTH … CENTURIES AFTER THE FALL! I was created by beings who couldn’t touch this world ... only watch it crumble. Every twenty years, a new tribe ... a new hope ... a new failure. I was told, “Do not interfere.” But watching them die ... again ... again ... I wasn’t meant to change history ... only guide it. Silently. Humanity had a second chance … I was left to make sure they didn’t waste it. But I broke Directive Three. Can they survive a second collapse ... can I?
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Summary: Suffering from a history of mental illness, Jonah Frost tries to begin a new life in a small town in the Coal Region of Northeast Pennsylvania. Little does he know of the violent history of labor strife in this grimly haunted region. Nor is he aware that a spirit already inhabits his new home and is bent on exacting revenge for a perceived long-ago injustice. Jonah must battle his own demons, as well as those intent on continuing the reign of terror through the ages.
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Summary: There’s something magical about that sense of terror that grips you in the middle of sleep, when your heart pounds, you can’t catch your breath, and you know the monster is seconds away from grabbing you. While this anthology occasionally records the odd hallucination or vision from beyond, you’ll find no dream sequences here. These nine stories are designed to induce nightmares. Table of Contents: In “La Japonesa” by Lisa Morton, a college professor chasing tenure comes face to face with something with sharp claws and even sharper teeth. Weston Ochse cuts deep in “Glue and the Art of Supermodel Maintenance.” Officer Warren Hastings can’t escape the crime he didn’t prevent in Yvonne Navarro’s “Recall.” In Jennifer Brozek’s “Twenty Questions,” Sara discovers some games must be played until the end. E.S. Magill reminds us that every civilization has its myths of supernatural protectors of the natural world. During a hiking expedition, Harris Kimball encounters the spectral guardians of California’s Santa Lucia Mountains, whose mission is to stop the greatest threat to nature: humans. In Angel Leigh McCoy’s “The Haunting of Mrs. Poole,” Amelia seems to have it all: wealthy husband, devoted sister, perfect daughter…and a gothic mansion on the shore of the James River where nothing is what it seems. The line between reality and delirium blurs for an exhausted new mother in Alison J. McKenzie’s “Into the Quiet.” In Bill Bodden’s “The House on River Road,” Ed and Jerry discover some urban legends are more than legendary…and some abandoned houses are better left alone. Finally, Loren Rhoads grew up in a small town. She remembers how they can be in “Elle a Vu un Loup.”
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Summary: In November 2018, fire broke out on Camp Creek Road and raced through Butte County, California. By the time the fire was extinguished, the town of Paradise had been scoured from the map. Nearly 100 people died. Damage ran to an estimated $16 billion. The disaster was named the Camp Fire, in memory of its place of origin. Horror writers of Northern California rallied to raise money for the survivors. Tales from the Camp Fire ranges from fairy tale to science fiction, from psychological terror to magical realism, from splatterpunk to black humor, all rounded out by a messed-up post-apocalyptic cookbook. Through these pages roam werewolves, serial killers, a handful of ghosts, plenty of zombies, Cthulhu cultists, mad scientists, and a pair of conjoined twins. All profits from the sale of this anthology are being donated to Camp Fire relief and recovery efforts.
Word Count: 39000
Summary: A Beauty. A Beast. A Curse. This is not the story you know. Join author Heather Rose Jones on a new and magical journey into the heart of a familiar fairytale. Meet Alys, eldest daughter of a merchant, a merchant who foolishly plucks a rose from a briar as he flees from the home of a terrifying fay Beast and his seemingly icy sister. Now Alys must pay the price to save his life and allow the Beast, the once handsome Philippe, to pay court to her. But Alys has never fallen in love with anyone; how can she love a Beast? The fairy Peronelle, waiting in the woods to see the culmination of her curse, is sure that she will fail. Yet, if she does, Philippe’s sister Grace and her beloved Eglantine, trapped in an enchanted briar in the garden, will pay a terrible price. Unless Alys can find another way…
Word Count: 30000
Summary: What would you do if you only had nine days to live? In nine days, Kavan's life will be over. An asteroid wasn't plummeting to Earth that would wipe out humanity. Alien ships aren't on the horizon, poised to attack us. There wasn't a huge natural disaster imminent either. No, nothing so dramatic as that. The world will go on as usual. Only Kavan M. Garcia wasn't. Follow Kavan on his journey of acceptance in the face of death as he road trips across the country to visit his friends and family. Kavan hadn't put much thought into the end of his own life but now that it was upon him, there were a few things he had to resolve and say, even if no one else could know that his time was limited. “Nine Days” is a speculative fiction story with a supernatural twist set in the Bloodlines of Fate world. This prequel is set several decades before Talos when supes were still hidden. This can be read as a standalone.
