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Lord of Thundertown by O F Cieri In the movies, Thundertown was depicted like a real town, with boundaries, Folk-run businesses, and a government. In real life, Thundertown was a block here or there, three businesses on the same side of the street, an unconnected sewer main, or a single abandoned building. When an epidemic of missing person cases is on the rise, the police refuse to act. Instead, Alex Delatorre goes to Thundertown for answers and finds clues leading to a new Lord trying to unite the population. No one has seen the Lord, and the closer Alex gets to him, the farther Alex gets from his path home. |
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ManuScrita: Poems on Life, Love, & the Nature of Reality by Michael Teichberg Embark on a transformative journey of introspection and wonder with "ManuScrita," a captivating award-winning poetry collection two decades in the making. Inspired by undergraduate studies in philosophy, comparative religion, Judaic studies, astronomy, and metaphysics, as well as encounters with eclectic music, movies, and conversations with strangers and friends, this collection offers a lifelong odyssey for reflection. Featuring poems composed during the Poet-in-Decadence Writer's Residence for O, Miami Poetry Month in 2016, alongside experimental formats, short free-form essays, and stream-of-consciousness exercises, "ManuScrita" offers an immersive experience that invites readers to delve into the depths of their own consciousness. Prepare to be transported, challenged, and moved by this debut publication, which celebrates life, love, and the nature of reality through a mystic's lens. |
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Last Train Home by Sienna Eggler Meike’s cozy train ride left them stranded in Glasend, a world where magic and man-eating plants are the norm. With their knowledge of botany and healing herbs, Meike aspires to become a reputable herbalist and mage. They make many friends along the way, including a quick-witted swordswoman, an axe wielding corgi, and other quirky characters. Later seasons explore magic and proper questing, and introduce monster taming. Updates weekly, on Thursdays! |
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Early Adopter by Sienna Eggler "But what if she doesn't want to be found?" Aided by their cybernetic eyes, private investigator Ryn Casler makes a living busting cheating spouses. While they’ll occasionally dabble in fraud and other typical cases, they don’t deal with the missing. Until the persistent Shae Winters, a police detective, approaches them about the disappearance of a young Black woman. Friction flies between detective and PI, as Shae insists on tagging along during the investigation. But as their search deepens and spills into the world of fantastical body mods, it becomes clear there’s more to this case than meets the eye. |
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Never Too Much by Sienna Eggler Romance was never a priority in Cyrille's life; her work on the local nature reserve came first. And compounded by her upbringing in a small town, finding a girlfriend seemed out of reach. "If it happens, it happens." But now that she's in her late 30's, Cyrille realizes it's better now than never. And a lot has changed over the last twenty years, leading to a steadily progressive attitude in town. A not yet out Cyrille braves a speed dating event, where she meets three potential partners: a childhood friend, a fellow park ranger, and a self-proclaimed "Goblin of the Forest." A hopeful Cyrille has one person in mind, but life is full of surprises. Never Too Much is a sapphic romance about an asexual lesbian navigating the dating scene, happy ending included. |
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Who is the Wanderer? An enigmatic stranger on the run, forced to travel the land and its many self-governed towns, cities, and metropolises. Who or what is the Wanderer so desperate to evade, and why does he continue to find himself at the centre of other people's problems, compelled to help? From a terrible beast stalking the streets of a bizarre town, violent, sentient sandstorms and civil unrest looming on the horizon, in desperate need of aid, the Wanderer is reluctantly dragged into the midst of these events. Meanwhile, a major political shift dominates as the newly formed United Federation of Allied Settlements aims to usher in a brighter future. Before long, the Wanderer finds himself pulled back into a world he desperately tried to put behind him. |
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Queen of the Dawn by S.M. Gaither "The light cannot always overcome the dark. But it can rise to meet it.” Against all odds, Casia Greythorne has survived battles with gods and monsters alike, and the most powerful crown in the Kethran Empire is now securely in her grasp. Yet a seemingly impossible task still looms: finding a way to rid her world of its darkest god so she actually has a future to rule over. The path to sealing that god away has been revealed, but to follow it will mean venturing into a deadly and strange new realm, facing old fears and enemies, and deciphering ancient magic that raises more questions than answers. Meanwhile, chaos continues to spread throughout the empires. Armies rise and fall. The bonds between allies begin to fray—and hope along with it. And with every bloody battle, the final cost of saving their world becomes clearer. Dawn is coming, but will Casia and her friends survive to see the new day? |
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At the Manor House by E A Stoy As a secret agent in a war between supernatural societies, Brand has made himself into an expert in social engineering and information gathering -- or, as some might put it, sexpionage. His world is upturned when a new handler back at the office takes an interest in him and pulls out all the stops to save him from a trivial lapse in intelligence. Intrigued, he resolves to learn more about what turns out to be a shy and withdrawn man in the Extraction department, whose blisteringly competent work persona is at odds with his awkwardness and inability to control his own elemental powers. Feeling that he owes this handler a favor, and with growing interest in this strange and quiet man, Brand takes him under his wing and swiftly develops a reason to come home at the end of a mission. Meanwhile, he's being sent back into the fray to seduce a dangerously skilled mage bred by an opposing society. It certainly appears that he'd prefer a clean break from his own organization, but will that be enough to flip him as an asset to Headquarters? A queer romance based on mutual respect and admiration. |
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Awakened Horror by Quill Holland Actions have consequences. Could you live with yours? Although the Republic has rebuilt itself, Raith continues to struggle with the aftermath of the actions that thwarted the Empire — were his choices to defeat them justified? As he focuses on building a better life for his family, Raith can’t shake the nagging feeling of doubt that plagues his mind — is the Empire truly gone? Nothing is safe when a terrifying ancient evil resurfaces, and Raith is thrust into battle against himself and the horrific force that now threatens to destroy everything he holds dear. With the fate of millions on the line, Raith must confront his deepest fears — before it’s too late. If humanity is to have a future, all must set aside their differences. Only Raith can unite humankind against the monstrosity that threatens to consume them all, but can he do it in time? Or will the awakened horror annihilate everything? |
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Paper Daffodils: A Dawn & Rosie Adventure by Titania Tempest Is it ever too late for a love story? Dawn Clermont certainly doesn’t think so. Rosie Bishop absolutely disagrees. The last place divorcee Rosie wants to be is on a Seniors Retreat in the Lake District. She’s determined not to have a good time, but an unexpected reunion with an old friend thwarts her plans. Her armour of bitterness proves no match for the spirited widow Dawn; dragged through a whirlwind of adventures and betrayed by her own sense of humour, Rosie soon realises she hasn’t got a hope of staying sullen. As Rosie clings to the remnants of her sarcasm, something about Dawn draws her closer than ever before. Soon, their bond threatens to run deeper, but is the possibility of budding romance worth risking their rekindled friendship? |
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After a job gone wrong, Special Agent Olgo is trapped within the bowels of Mars with no means of escape. The device that imprisons the trauma within them is about to fail, and the past terrors kept hidden by it must be contained for Olgo’s sanity and everyone's safety. From the darkness comes a tiny voice, and a tinier hope, "Hello?" *** The first book in the ‘Cold Rush Verse follows Agent Olgo as their corporate masters give them what could be their big break, a mission to Mars. But trying to change the working conditions in the planet's underground cities proves more challenging than the agent could have imagined. When a wearable device Olgo uses to block emotions begins to fail, an unlikely friendship changes everything as Olgo struggles to prevent spilling more blood on the Red Planet. |
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Wild Flowers, Electric Beasts by Alina Leonova Two species of humans — one technologically advanced and one living in nature — have coexisted peacefully on their home planet for over a century. But when an ancient treaty is breached, devastation follows. Balika has always felt like an outsider. When tragedy strikes, she is left without a reason to remain with her tribe. Looking for a place where she can belong, she leaves the familiar forest and ventures into the desert to bond with a mythical animal through music. But her forgotten life calls her back when she discovers an unexpected threat to her land. Sammah works long hours as an experience developer and returns to his tiny apartment alone. He suffers from anxiety and spends most of his time in the virtual world. He opens up to a friendship with a colleague, but just when things start to look up, he gets trapped in a strange and dangerous affair. He might either lose himself, or the only person he truly cares about. Struggling to make the right choices, they get pulled into a brewing disaster. Their worlds are about to collide, and their paths are fated to cross. Caught on different sides of the conflict, Balika and Sammah take up the fight in their own ways. If they want to save what they love most, they must risk everything. Will that be enough? |
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Reclaiming the Forest by Alejandro M. P. Embark on a captivating journey of courage and friendship in "Reclaiming the Forest." In this short story, Leonard Wellinhall must join forces with his childhood friend, Drake Kane, to unravel the mysteries surrounding stolen artifacts. What begins as a routine investigation into a robbery quickly evolves into a perilous quest to protect elvenkind. Together, Leo and Drake must confront enigmatic thieves who seek to unleash chaos upon their world. "Reclaiming the Forest" weaves a tale of adventure, loyalty, and self-discovery as the protagonists uncover hidden truths. Join Leo on his enthralling journey as he discovers the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones and safeguard the very essence of elvenkind. |
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Everything Is Wonderful Now by Shane Blackheart When Dark is good and Light is evil... Ten-year-old Sera is isolated and depressed; bullied at school and at home by her father. Her mind gives her no respite, suffering from a panic disorder and a second voice in her head that forces violent, intrusive thoughts. She meets the fallen angel Byleth one night while wanting to end her life. He isn't a fan of kids and intends to leave immediately, but Sera's aura catches his eye. It's dark, and it isn't from her trauma that pulls at his heartstrings. It's also attracted a corrupt angel who wants to rid the world of another Hellspawn child. Sera has a lot on her plate, but as she ages and transitions to Sean, a disabled trans man with C-PTSD, he not only meets more spirit guides from Hell, he realizes that his biggest threat has always been the 'other' that dwells in his own head. |
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Sushi and Sea Lions by Rachel Corsini When a career-ending injury and a messy breakup send prima ballerina Daniela Verdi back to Queens, New York, she fills her days with countless distractions: meaningless sex, pinot grigio, and video games. It takes a chance meeting with her brother's best friend, Vincent LaBate, for her to remember who she was before the stage lights and distractions of the Upper West Side. She's convinced that Vincent could never love a girl like her: broken, insecure, and stumbling her way through life. What Daniela didn’t count on is that Vincent is as scarred as she is after divorcing his cheating wife and going through an equally messy child custody fight. Soon enough, old vulnerabilities rear their ugly heads, opening a crack in Daniela’s perfectly imperfect romance. As Daniela and Vincent's relationship develops, will Daniela learn to accept that a dream life isn't all it's cracked up to be? |
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Melancholic Parables by Dale Stromberg Bellatrix Sakakino has lived many lives. She dampens electricity. She longs for a fruit that went extinct before she was born. She’s radioactive. She’s not above committing a massacre for the sake of a perfect omelet. She crashes through timelines and circumstances, recurring in these flash stories as a tricksterish film director, a pink hedgehog, a simulation of herself, or a child who can only speak in dial-up modem shrieks. Are we the same person we were last year? Or last week? Or last story? Whimsical and dolorous, ironic and absurd, this slippery assortment of stories dances around these questions with ambiguous aplomb. |
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Isolated Futures Omnibus by Koen Martens If you’re a fan of thought-provoking sci-fi cyberpunk technothrillers like The Passengers and Black Mirror, then Koen Martens’ sci-fi anthology is your perfect next read! Story 1 - Forced to be Free: Sam, a young hacker with anger management issues, has joined a defense initiative against the advancing Russian army set to occupy Europe. When he discovers his boss is working undercover for the enemy, he must thwart his boss and prevent the destruction of the EU’s drone defense network before it’s too late. Story 2 - Murder, Plain and Simple: Dr. Jennifer Mendoza is a ship physician on the interstellar luxury cruiser Christopher. When a prominent and wealthy passenger is murdered, she is called to investigate the crime. Can she identify the killer before more people lose their lives? Story 3 - Cima Peak: Juan, a naive adolescent growing up in a post-apocalyptic world, embarks on a dangerous excursion that strands him and his friend far from his home. Can they make it back to their base before it’s too late to save the city from incoming slavers? Story 4 - Negative Reinforcement: Limei is an independent app developer on an isolated space station. She is utterly dependent on and enamored with her personal AI assistant. When she learns The Algorithm is planning to destroy human life on her ship, she must find a way to take it down before her crew perishes. Story 5 - Eddy: Digital forensics expert Lagan has been wrongly convicted of murder, but no one is willing to believe that he witnessed his own doppelgänger commit the crime. When he learns that the doppelgänger was one of many beings created to replace humans with AI-run clones, he must prove his innocence and take down the scheme before more people’s lives are ruined. Story 6 - DingDong by Zhumee: When Martin’s new Zhumee smart doorbell accidentally causes his neighbor’s wrongful arrest, he must set out on a quest to prove her innocence. Little does he know, Zhumee has far more control over the justice system than anyone imagined. Can he race against the clock to take down this corrupt system? |
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The Ein Particle by Koen Martens One girl discovers what it means to be human in a world ruled by ancient technology in this riveting high tech sci-fi adventure by breakout author Koen Martens Young Tlana, unaware of the totalitarian convictions of those she admires and emulates, is a promising student of human consciousness and devout scholar of the holy texts governing society. But when she is chosen to be this year’s sacrificial lamb and die for the common good, cracks appear in her convictions and she flees. She discovers society is not as benign as she once thought. Worse, her only hope is to hide among those she most despises. Ashamed and confused, she reluctantly embraces their cause as her own. With a ruthless leader on her tail and war between continents brewing, can she hold on to her new-found identity? Or will she succumb to the dark and ancient secret that lurks beneath the surface? |
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Tamika Wood's Birthday Party by Le Kendall Follow the stories of Alan Sebastian Parker and his family as they navigate life, love, family and parenting, queerness and neurodivergence. |
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Death is what you make it. . . . Eleanor never wanted to leave the daughter she loved so much. The overpowering urge to wander -- to search, without knowing what she sought -- drove her away. She left little Cassidy in her family's loving care. But Cassidy and the others died in an accident before Eleanor could find her way home. Now, they are all reunited, in an afterlife where nothing is truly lost: places once loved may be revisited, memories relived and even shared. Surely this is a place where they can understand and heal. And yet, the restlessness that shaped Eleanor's life still haunts her in death. Somehow, she must solve the mystery of her life -- or none of them will be at peace. |
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Who by Karen A. Wyle Have they changed their minds? Or have their minds been changed? Death is no longer the end. Those who prepare, and can afford it, may have their memories and personalities digitally preserved. The digitally stored population can interact with the world of the living, remaining part of their loved ones’ lives. They can even vote. Except - someone's in charge of the code. Someone who may have an agenda. After the young and vital Thea dies and is stored, her husband Max starts to wonder about changes in her preoccupations and politics. Are they simply the result of the new company she keeps? Or has she been altered without her knowledge and against her will? And if Thea is no longer herself, what can they do? Blending near-future speculation with courtroom drama, this novel explores the technical, legal, and ethical ramifications of a technology that many see over the horizon. |
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Playback Effect by Karen A. Wyle In the near future, new technology records the highlights of emotional experience for others to share. Buy a helmet and you can feel the exhilaration of an Olympic ski jumper, or the heat of a lucid dreamer's erotic imaginings. Commit a crime, and you may be sentenced to endure the suffering you inflicted on others. But such recordings may carry more information than the public has realized. What will criminals learn about their victims? When a husband is wrongfully convicted of injuring his wife, how will their marriage change? And what uses will a sociopath find for recordings of the experience of death? |
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**Finalist in the Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off Contest!** He's a jerk. She knows it. Can they save the world anyway? Xinlas’s life goal is modest: he wants to be a living legend, revered in song and story. And he’s off to a good start. He faced death once, and won. His legend grew -- at least in his own mind. Fame comes calling on Xinlas again, or so he thinks, when he’s flying a dragon one afternoon and stumbles on a hidden village. The village has a resource that no one’s ever seen before, something that can enable invasions of foreign lands. It is a force so powerful that a ruthless king will kill for it. Along the way, Xinlas meets a mysterious orange-haired girl on a river. Greengrass is like no one he’s ever met. He tries to woo her, and can’t understand why she doesn’t fall for his charms like every other girl. But Greengrass is not every other girl. She is, in fact, the key to stopping the ruler who would enslave millions and crush the world under his throne. Xinlas can’t let that happen, but he'll need help. Help from Greengrass. The problem is that she can’t stand him. Will Xinlas become the hero he believes he can be, or will he break under the weight of his destiny -- and his own arrogance? The fate of civilization rests on his choices. Click to buy, or read free with Kindle Unlimited. NOTE: “The Anointed” is chronologically the third book in the “Red Proxy” series, but can be read and enjoyed without having read the others. Book 1: The Blood King Book 2: 99 Days Book 3: The Anointed |
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Whose children are they? Who decides? In the near future, abortion is a thing of the past -- but the development of artificial wombs provides an alternative. The federal government controls this technology, and the fetuses consigned to these special incubators. Young and unprepared for motherhood, Toni Green panics and agrees to "donate" her unborn child for adoption, the fortunate parents to be selected by the Bureau of Reproductive Safety. But the decision doesn't sit well with her, and as her regrets grow, she consults her mother, a high-powered lawyer, about her options. And thus begins a journey for her, her mother, the chosen adoptive parents -- and Poloma Clark, an administrator at the Bureau whose policies and practices Toni is challenging. Poloma, initially tasked with helping the Bureau prepare for trial, finds herself confronted with evidence that the Bureau is exceeding its mandate. If the purpose of this mission creep is to protect vulnerable children, how can she help but join in? But the more she learns, the more her assumptions face challenges that force her to make possibly life-altering decisions. This novel, like Wyle's previous near-future stories, includes a substantial number of courtroom scenes -- and a memorable judge. |
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Can interspecies diplomacy begin in the womb? Humans have lived on Tofarn, planet of creeks and rivers, for seventy years, but they still don't understand the Tofa. The Tofa are an enigma, from their featureless faces to the four arms that sometimes seem to be five. They take arbitrary umbrage at the simplest human activities, while annoying their human neighbors in seemingly pointless ways. The next infuriating, inexplicable incident may explode into war. Scientist Mara Cadell's radical proposal: that host mothers carry fraternal twins, human and Tofa, in the hope that the bond between twins can bridge the gap between species. Mara knows about the bond between twins: her own twin, Levi, died in utero, but she has secretly kept him alive in her mind as companion and collaborator. Perhaps Mara should have expected the enigmatic Tofa to have their own reasons to support her project. Perhaps the ever-cynical Levi should have warned her that members of the human government might use her twins as weapons against the Tofa. Will the Twin-Bred bring peace, war, or something else entirely? |
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What Heals the Heart by Karen A. Wyle Joshua Gibbs survived the Civil War, building on his wartime experiences to become a small town doctor. And if he wakes from nightmares more often than he would like, only his dog Major is there to know it. Then two newcomers arrive in Cowbird Creek: Clara Brook, a plain-speaking and yet enigmatic farmer’s daughter, and Freida Blum, an elderly Jewish widow from New York. Freida knows just what Joshua needs: a bride. But it shouldn’t be Clara Brook! Joshua tries everything he can think of to discourage Freida’s efforts, including a wager: if he can find Freida a husband, she’ll stop trying to find him a wife. Will either matchmaker succeed? Or is it Clara, despite her own scars, who can heal the doctor’s troubled heart? |
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Far From Mortal Realms by Karen A. Wyle Negotiating with the Fair Folk is a tightrope walk over deadly perils. And even the most skilled can misstep. The many wondrous realms the Fair Folk inhabit offer tempting opportunities for mortals hoping to benefit from faerie magic. But making bargains with the Fair Folk is a dangerous business, for the fae have a habit of leaving loopholes to snare the unwary. Father-and-daughter lawyers Abe and Adira have made a career out of helping their fellow humans reach such agreements safely. Abe and Adira know the rules for dealing with Fair Folk: don't reveal your true name, don't say thank you, don't accept gifts, don't eat fae food, don't tell even the slightest of lies . . . . Oh, and always, no matter the provocation, be unfailingly polite. A moment of carelessness, a brief lapse, and a professional defender of mortal interests may be in dire need of rescue. |
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Merchants of Light and Bone by Erika McCorkle Sorrow in paradise. A parent’s worst nightmare. When grief drives one to revenge. Living in a tropical paradise with his spouses and kids, Amiere is a merchant of light, a sculptor who carves glowing crystals into spectacular and powerful, demon-killing works of art. When the ground opens up near his idyllic village to reveal a massive supply of crystals, the whole nation of Aloutia celebrates. The merchants are guaranteed money for decades and officials predict Aloutia will be safe from demonkind for generations. But Amiere isn’t rejoicing—when the ground split apart, his seven-year-old daughter fell to her death. Amiere’s grief turns to rage when an old enemy returns to the village with a young daughter displaying signs of starvation and abuse. Having witnessed his own daughter’s death, Amiere cannot bear the thought of watching another child die, especially when he can prevent it. Unable to ask police for help due to the village’s reputation of hostility toward authority figures, Amiere takes matters into his own hands, even at the risk of being exiled and separated from his family forever. |
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Priss Starwillow & the Wolf, and Other Short Stories by D. L. Lewellyn Priss Starwillow & the Wolf The first time they meet, she pelts him with bunchberries. The black wolf would suffer the sticky mess an entire day if it meant listening to her sweet laughter and the soothing sound of her wings... but he has a job to do. ~ Priss Starwillow & the Wolf In addition to tales in the Tsuga Kingdom, featuring Priss Starwillow and her handsome black wolf, enjoy this collection of an eclectic mix of genres, characters, and worlds. Meet the giant Greek god Tityus in his underground grotto, horribly bored from endless torture and looking for entertainment. How about a cannibal comedy with a ferryman taking a group of serial killers to a masked party through an eerie swamp? You will love the Kassian dragon Mareduke who encounters a toddler alone in the woods, though Eliana is more than she seems. You can ride a giant pineapple into a lost world. You'll even meet a pair of Oscar fish trying to get fed while this mundane household chore keeps getting interrupted by a stranger wielding a butcher knife. And recently added for your enjoyment is a whodunnit, Little Shop of Honeybees. Thank you for giving my stories a read. Review for Priss Starwillow & the Wolf: "I love this short story! The setting is incredibly immersive, the characters are well fleshed out and captivating, and it got me wanting more. Great writing wraps everything together perfectly. "His eyes found hers again." Also, I have a huge crush on Sam now." ~ Isa Now Featuring 12 Stories: Priss Starwillow & the Wolf The Last of the Glenning Crows The Guardian Little Shop of Honeybees Hellbound Hiatus Pineapple Ride to Anywhere The Passengers A Noble Wind End at Barfleur Message in the Clouds The Oscarsons Words Through a Vent |
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Drago Incendium by D. L. Lewellyn "Whoever said destinies are easy?" – Milani Kekoa Selena Aires The peaceful artist life I was going for is getting seriously derailed. Sure. I found my dream cottage nestled against forest trails; plenty of ways to teach art, and endless inspiration. The most inspiring? A six-and-a-half-foot blond Adonis whose kisses and primal growls make my toes curl. But the world he's from includes powerful enemies. It's a good thing Thomas spent a decade training me as a street fighter. Andras is away when the enemy comes to town, and my skills are put to the test. Then, a dark-haired, blue-eyed stranger shows up and scares the crap out of our attackers before deciding that taking me with him is the best way to keep me safe. Andras Johns My job as an alpha is to keep my pack safe. That's never been an issue until I mate with a human marked for an epic destiny. Everything I know is being tested and that's because I've never had to make decisions involving the very core of my primal being. But Selena is worth every contest fate throws our way. I just need to find out what my bear will do when the contest involves a rival alpha who wants her as much as I do… because it looks like we'll need to team up to deal with a resurging conflict barreling Selena's way. ~~~ In this second installment, Selena's artist life gets further derailed when she's embroiled in the world of the supernatural. But when this kickass warrior becomes the target of a prince so old he can tell you the real story of Gilgamesh, she embraces her goddess-bestowed instincts, her fighting skills, and learns everything she can from the two hotter than hot rival alphas who each want to claim her heart. *This is not a standalone.* Book One, Ursus Borealis, is the beginning of Selena's journey. The epic conclusion comes together in Book Three, Tigris Vetus. Review for Dragon Incendium: I was up to 1 am last night to finish Drago Incendium. And I LOVED it! It was unbelievably exciting, sexy and ingenious! I am fascinated and impressed by how the author develops the different scenarios, relationships, and supernatural aspects that make the story so engrossing. Also her ability to create scenes that leave us with questions and wanting us to know more…wanting answers! Not to mention the fascinating new characters that are introduced in this book! I’m in love with Elliot… and beguiled by Mortas… but I won’t say anymore! Kudos to the author! And thank you for a fabulous read! ~ A Forehand, USA |
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Tales from the Gunpowder Chronicles: A collection of Opium War steampunk stories by Jeannie Lin Asian steampunk at its finest with three new tales of adventure from bestselling author Jeannie Lin East meets West in a clash of gunpowder technology versus steam in an epic and richly-detailed series. Features three standalone stories: Big Trouble in Old Shanghai The Island of the Opium-Eaters Love in the Time of Engines Big Trouble in Old Shanghai The signs are there. Gangs roaming the streets, the very earth shaking beneath their feet. Ming-fen could tell something was coming to Old Shanghai, but she didn't know exactly what until the city erupted in fiery rebellion — with her brother caught on the wrong side. With the streets in turmoil, Ming-fen must rely on her fighting skills and a blue-eyed foreign devil to survive the day, and perhaps keep an already broken city from all-out civil war. The Island of the Opium-Eaters Sagara Satomi hasn't set foot on land since she was exiled from Nippon and cast adrift upon a ship owned by a notorious Chinese rebel. Rogue alchemist, Yang Hanzhu has spent years chasing dark rumors, plotting a course toward an unmarked island with a mysterious past. Will they uncover the island's secrets? Or be buried there along with them |
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Ursus Borealis by D. L. Lewellyn Bears are supposed to live in the woods. Just not one who sends you to the moon. Selena Aires I promised my friend on his deathbed that I would find the place I was destined for. Neither of us had a clue what that meant, but searching for it after he's gone helps me cope with my grief, and I pack up my art supplies and hit the highway. When I stop for gas in Quincy, Thomas is waiting for me—in spirit. So, I stay—and find my dream cottage with a studio and hiking trails out the back door, and a quaint old tavern called the Starlight with a cozy booth in the corner. I set out my sketchbook and pencils and get busy drawing faces—my way of getting to know people while I enjoy a beer. It works. I'm making friends and filling my journal with the kind of diverse characters typical of a crossroads pub. But diversity doesn't explain why the people coming to life on my pages are the stuff of fairytales. The most fascinating is Andras Johns, and I'm wondering more often whether the towering man who sets me on fire with one look is the prince in the story or the beast lurking in the woods. Andras Johns I've been the alpha of the North Star Pack for a long time. My policy? Never mix it up with a human. I can't stand the idea of exposing a vulnerable species to the hazards of my job, and the hazards recently ramped up. But there's a new face in town. A beautiful, human face. The first time Selena Aires gives me her smile, I smile back. It's a mistake—and I know I'm done for, which is a problem because an alpha can't break his own rules. ~~~ Meet a giant, smoking-hot cinnamon roll hero and a diminutive loveable kickass heroine in this paranormal romance with heart, medium spice, and a little bit of danger. *This is not a standalone.* The hazards and thrills ramp up in Book Two, Drago Incendium and conclude in Book Three, Tigris Vetus. Recent Review for Ursus Borealis: This book is so good. The writing is unbelievable. It’s a slow build up to a crescendo of action. I love shifter books and this one is over the top. Can’t wait to get to the next book to find out what happens to Selena and Andras and the rest of the shifters. What fate awaits them. ~ CJ, USA |
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The Great Migration: Book One of the S'orne Saga by Steve Ramirez What are the s'orne? The bringers of death and destruction, they spread a fever that drives human beings insane. Now, after a century of peace and prosperity, horrific evidence of the s'orne's return has been discovered in the Kingdom's capital. Bellona knows none of this. For the last eight months, she's been following the Great Migration through the Kingdom's most brutal wilderness. With a new appreciation for life, she’s returned to the Crystal City with her guide Luta, a member of the ancient Zuni tribe, to enjoy its massive summer festival. But just as their time together begins, rumors of a deadly s'orne invasion begin to spread throughout the crowds. While the capital's streets swell in blind celebration, fate brings Bellona to a new understanding of the s'orne and their connection to the Zuni people. As an attack bears down on them all, she must choose between protecting the city and its citizens or Luta and his homeland. And time is running out. |
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An innocent girl with a mysterious father… … finds herself a fugitive on the galaxy’s most wanted list. Considered too fragile, Kal is forbidden to join the raising of the Et’Tal’s home and feels as if she has shamed her family. Her lithe stature links her to her absent father. He left the village to fight in the Teristaque Wars and never returned. She meets Sarge, a strange star species called Human, who seems to know the secret of the patch from her father’s uniform. Before she can get clarity, a fierce Teristaque death squad descends on her village, murders everyone in it, and takes Kal prisoner. Kal wants more than just answers. She wants revenge. |
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Moon Deeds by Palmer Pickering It's 2090: the last outpost of freedom is the moon, the best defense against technology is magic, and the only hope for humankind rests in the hands of the Star Children. Twins Cassidy and Torr must save Earth from a ruthless enemy at a time when the only force more powerful than alien technology is magic. Moon Deeds launches the siblings' journey across the galaxy, where they must learn their power as the Star Children, claim their shamanic heritage, and battle dark forces that threaten humankind. The Star Children Saga follows Cassidy and Torr as they slowly awaken to their destiny as the twin Star Children, born every millennium to reconnect with the source of all life. They come to discover the sheer enormity of their task: to find our ancestors on a lost planet across the galaxy and save humanity from a spiraling descent into darkness. The powers they must wield to accomplish this task are truly frightening and put at risk everything they love. Come along with 20-year-old twins Cassidy and Torr, who inherited deeds to land parcels on the moon. They want to use their moon deeds to get off Earth and escape a brutal dictatorship. But first they must unlock their shaman powers. A rollicking yet poignant adventure in the not too distant future, when we have colonized the moon and nearly lost Earth to a dictatorship. Only the shamans remain free, plus the lucky ones who escaped to the moon. Join the adventure! An addictive space opera, science-fantasy series. |
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Tomorrow Lives Today by W. O. Torres When a weapon composed of dark matter mysteriously arrives from the future, twenty-four-year-old Brody Rodriguez's chill life gets a super-powered upgrade. A clandestine government agency led by Agent Gonzo and a squad of sinister spies kidnaps Brody and his future tech to save democracy … or at least their version of it. Brody’s only ally is his time-traveling granddaughter, Isabella Rodriguez who wields a future tech of her own. Brody must convince his future wife “Dez” to stick around his chaotic life long enough to fall in love with him or watch him die. As an impending A.I. War inches closer, threatening humanity, Brody will face who he was, who he is, and who he is meant to be. |
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Of Mycelium and Men by William C. Tracy The generational fleet planned to make landfall after eighty years, but eleven planets and four centuries later, they still had not found a home. Finally, they landed on Lida, but something already lives there, and it's big. Agetha and her husband have spent their whole lives in the fleet’s zero-G. Now all is turmoil as the fleet lands, discovering they are surrounded by a single fungal biomass spanning the entire planet. To build a new home, the fleet must confront a dangerous organism, and Agetha must decide if she can raise a family in this inhospitable landscape. Jane Brighton holds tenuous command over the colony and its administrators. She and the other gene-modded leaders emerged from their four-hundred-year suspended animation to find a crew much different to the one that departed Old Earth. Jane must direct the colony’s fragile growth, and defend it against being overrun by the fast-growing biomass. But there is something none of the colonists know. The massive organism that spans the planet is not simply a fungal mass, nor even a chimerical combination of species that once roamed the planet. The biomass has desires and goals, and one is to know these strange beings carving out a home in its midst. |
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The Last of the Time Lords by Athena Stamelou Centuries after the Great War between the Time Lords and the Syndicate of the Five Planets, a Bounty Hunter accepts a job that ties directly to that past. Meanwhile, a Gypsy is having dark visions he doesn't want, two planets will do anything to win the war between them, the last Time Lord is being hunted by Vampires, and a Witch from Earth believes that her neighbor is a demon. |
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Zeroed Out is a cyberpunk thriller set in a fully automated metropolis governed by an all-seeing synthetic intelligence that examines the morality of limiting technological evolution. While chasing a criminal through an unruly sector of Omega City 6, freelance enforcer Zed Takeda stumbles on the first of many victims by an unknown serial killer that has somehow escaped all forms of the city’s intensive surveillance. His investigation into the murders will uncover some hard truths he had not intended to find. On the other side of the city, Ash Starbrooke lives as a dreamcaster, or someone whose dreams are turned into highly profitable virtual reality entertainment. She is unaware that the symbols showing up in her nightmares will have her caught up in Zed’s murder investigation. Their intertwining stories will have them traveling through multiple layers of the neon-drenched, futuristic city filled with street gangs, radical political groups, and social elites |
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Time to Play: Apocalypse Parenting #1 by Erin Ampersand A few minutes ago, Meghan Moretti's biggest concern was getting the kids' athletic clothes washed in time for practice this evening. Now, it seems that Earth has been forced into participating in some high-stakes intergalactic reality television. All electrical wiring has been slagged, and most combustibles neutralized. Some kind of evil space rodents are appearing on the front lawn, too. Like any parent, Meghan's first instinct is to keep her young kids safely away from the monsters, but an odd stroke of luck has her coming into some advanced information about this dangerous game. She learns that her kids will have to fight too. What's a mom to do? --- The beginning of an apocalyptic LitRPG saga. |
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Webley and The World Machine by Zachary Chopchinski "This world within a world is such a fabulous concept! It's almost like Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the Bible all mashed up together with a steampunk twist." A strange coin. A mysterious elevator. And a war deep within the Earth that could destroy the world. Adal and Arija weren't concerned with what makes the world go round until they followed an old coin into a dark cave. Deep within the Earth is a world they never dreamed possible. A world that will challenge their most important beliefs. A world that will soon be torn apart by war. Webley controls the center of Earth, but not all his creations are happy. When the hidden plot to overthrow him turns violent, Adal and Arija are forced to choose sides. But the dangers are more than they could have predicted. Will their hidden feelings for each other help them through it, or rip them and the world apart? If you like Cassandra Clare, Quantum Leap, and Lindsay Buroker, you'll love this hilarious portal fiction adventure full of snark, sass, and one curious little robot boy. |
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Hammer and Crucible by Cameron Cooper The interstellar array which links worlds together wakes to find it has enemies… The Fourth Carinad Empire stretches across hundreds of settled worlds and stellar cities, and thousands of light years. The Empire’s people and data are linked by a space-folding gates array controlled by the Emperor and his cohorts. When the array evolves into a sentient entity, it recognizes the Emperor as its foe. Danny Andela, once known as The Imperial Hammer, withdrew from the Imperial Rangers decades ago, her reputation in tatters. She lives on her family’s star barge, waiting to die of a rare disease: old age. She would be the array’s perfect weapon against the Emperor, except she no longer gives a damn—about anything. Then Danny learns that the military disaster which essentially ended her life might possibly have been arranged by the Emperor himself… Hammer and Crucible is the first book in the Imperial Hammer space opera science fiction series by award-winning SF author Cameron Cooper. The Imperial Hammer series: 1.0: Hammer and Crucible 1.1: An Average Night on Androkles 2.0: Star Forge 3.0: Long Live the Emperor 4.0: Severed 5.0: Destroyer of Worlds Space Opera Science Fiction Novel |
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For many years the curse of the Evil Shadowy Figure is plaguing the Chagga. Prophecy has it that the day an extraterrestrial falls from the sky, the tribe will have a chance to perform a ritual to end the curse. DECEMBER 2010. In a far-off galaxy, a Brozian cargo ship, with a female Catusapien aboard, slips into a wormhole and spits out into the Milky Way Galaxy. The Catusapien escapes her cell and flees the ship in an escape pod. Allison Banes, who is in Tanzania working on a PhD in zoology, is in Arusha National Park and sees the Brozian spaceship explode and crash land. She finds the Catusapien sleeping by the escape pod and takes the alien to her house for observation. When Allison Banes falls victim to the Evil Shadowy Figure, the alien retreats to the forest surrounding Lake Duluti. After spearfishing on Christmas Eve, Cassidy Mkama, an 11-year-old African girl, sees the alien and tells her friend Laila Diwani, a Chagga member who tells the tribe’s Paramount Chief, Anton Naruma. The chance to end the supernatural curse on the Chagga is at hand. And a lifelong friendship between Cassidy and the alien, whom she soon will name Gotham Kitty, is just beginning. |
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Mathematics of Eternity by David M. Kelly A grisly death, a disturbed scientist, and a dangerous conspiracy. Joe Ballen dreams of returning to space, but after an accident left him half-crippled, he scrapes a living flying cabs in flooded-out Baltimore. When one of his passengers suffers a grisly death, Joe is dragged into a dangerous conspiracy centered around a prototype JumpShip. No one believes the ship will work, not even the space-faring Atolls who have barricaded Earth from the rest of the solar system. But someone is murdering everyone connected to it. As the bodies pile up, Joe becomes suspect number one, and his enemies will stop at nothing to hide the truth. With the help of a disturbed scientist, a senile survivalist, and his glamorous boss, can Joe untangle the puzzle and uncover the truth before he becomes another statistic? The future's about to get a lot more action packed! The Joe Ballen series is a near future, sci-fi noir thriller series, featuring a smart-mouthed space engineer, engaging characters, cynical humor, and plausible science. |
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A Space Girl from Earth by Christina McMullen Yesterday, her biggest worry was failing an exam. Today, it's saving the galaxy. From her six foot four inch height to the uniform white dots that peppered her skin in perfect geometric patterns, Ellie Whitmore was certainly unusual, but an alien from the other side of the galaxy? Of course not. That's just what the tabloids said to sell papers. Or so she thought. Turns out not only is Ellie an alien, but an ancient and powerful relic housing the forbidden knowledge of a lost civilization is hidden deep within her genetic code. Suddenly she's on the run from a malevolent Emperor who sees her as the key to ruling the galaxy. Even her own mother can't resist the draw of ultimate power and the one person Ellie might be able to trust is an unrepentant assassin who may be responsible for her life’s upheaval. Now, she must travel to a distant planet and unlock the secrets to restoring peace and ending tyranny. But how can anyone expect her to save the galaxy when she can’t even pass organic chemistry? |
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INTERGALACTIC BASTARD by Dave Walsh The galaxy’s mightiest warriors laughed at humans entering their arena... until they met the bastard. Coop Sabre, along with his exploding barbed wire bat, Guy, has turned the galaxy upside down, taking crowds across the galaxy by storm. The brutal bloodsport of alien deathmatches was no place for the average person, but nothing about Coop and his reckless fighting style was average. With everything he desires seemingly within reach, an unwanted question pops into his mind: Is this really what he wants out of his life? The vicious cycle of violence, addiction and depression takes a toll on every warrior. It’s up to Coop to find where he belongs, or he risks losing it all. He is the INTERGALACTIC BASTARD. |
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Da Vinci On The Lam by B. D. Booker One week. One chance. Earth is dying as a fungal ‘grit’ and dust storms smoother crop lands and destroy the oceans. The rich flee into space, leaving the poor to die off. But if gunslinger Artis Quinn delivers a priceless da Vinci artwork to an offworlder hub on the other side of the country, his family will get tickets off-world. Yet the true end of the world might arrive sooner than expected and Quinn will have to fight his way through the ruthless Onyx Group to succeed. |
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It appears out of nowhere—one moment the sky is empty, the next, there’s a rent in the fabric of space itself. And nothing in the system will ever be the same. In the far reaches of the Rim Mountains, itinerant field-scientist Aran Romeu is searching desperately for the cure to an incurable disease—one that’s slowly killing his best friend. He’s sworn to do whatever it takes to find it. But when the portal opens, and something comes through, he realizes that ‘whatever it takes’ will involve travelling into the uncharted space beyond the portal. And he’s not the only one after the cure, and willing to do whatever it takes to get to it first … In the weighty halls of government, Chief Justice Alba Espina is preparing a political gamble that could change the shape of the system itself. The appearance of the portal shatters her carefully-laid plans and hands her political rival a weapon he could use destroy her—unless she can delay him with the promise of a diplomatic mission through the portal. But the stakes of the mission are higher than just her personal ambition. If her diplomatic mission doesn’t succeed, it might just spell the end of humanity itself. In a remote spaceport, Savina Moya, the system's most talented assassin-for-hire, is on the run again after her latest murder. But when a deadly government agent is sent after her, with instructions to bring her back dead or alive, the diplomatic mission heading into the portal may hold the key to Savina’s survival—if she’s brave enough, or desperate enough, to take it. No one knows what’s beyond the portal. And as the three of them are drawn inexorably together in uncharted space, with no idea who is an ally and who is an enemy—it’s an open question if any of them will live long enough to find out. |