stories in

Failsafe

Failsafe by Jeff Sylvester

SPSFC 2024

The world runs on code, and not all code is safe. This is why Anna Flynn has a job. Matter Manipulation Devices alter the physical world, turning dreams into reality. But some dreams are treacherous, and the streets are filled with mods that manipulate matter in illegal and dangerous ways. As a seasoned MMD agent, Anna fights back against the criminals who misuse these devices and traffic in illegal mods. When she intervenes in a plot to assassinate one of the world’s most respected political leaders, her methods draw the ire of her superiors, and she finds herself under investigation from her own agency. Increasingly isolated and unsure whom she can trust, Anna works to unravel a conspiracy that would unleash the worst potential of matter manipulation technology on the world.


Exoputians

Exoputians by AJ Pagan IV

SPSFC 2024

As the Second American Civil War wanes, Mary the Exoputian awaits her chance to contact the Folbulae—a highly advanced species of extraterrestrial, only to be hunted down by the dictator of the Sovereign States of America, Vladimir Booth. With rising tides and thawing tundra, the Exoputians—a new species of human genetically created to live in Space and communicate with the Folbulae, land in the Republic of Texas following a missile strike on their Space station. Mary and the other Exoputians learn of the lies their progenitor taught them, training the Space-bred crew to use their novel communication to cure the planet they’d never set foot on. As Mary and the others road trip through racially segregated America, they encounter multiple attempts on their lives to follow through with their once-mission of saving the planet from the climate crisis. Discover with Mary what’s worth saving on a planet prepared to destroy her entire species.


Even the Stars Deserve to Die

Even the Stars Deserve to Die by Ramon Miravitllas Mas

SPSFC 2024

On Earth, the cities of humanity crumbled to dust, turning into fossils. Forests burned and life went extinct. But, billions of years later, it rained one last time. The siblings were born from that rain, strange creatures of human appearance and mind. Their life on the desert of Earth has no purpose, until they discover the wick, a molecule burning around their genetic material, condemning them to death one hundred years and three months after birth. In search to find out if life is worth living, a researcher explores a cave billions of years old. The brain inside a simulacrum misses its dead father. The commander of a spaceship travels to meet a mysterious satellite in the bowels of the solar system. In this story of philosophical dimensions, the power of the word merges with the nostalgia for an irretrievable past, where fear of death coexists with the sadness of losing the parents you will never see again. A hard science fiction book dealing with topics such as molecular biology, stellar evolution and the future of Earth, combined with poetry, sculpture and the early artworks of creatures who yearn to be human.


Enigma

Enigma by Ryan Southwick

SPSFC 2024

Two friends, divided by tragedy, race to thwart an insidious plot that threatens humanity’s survival across the galaxy. 10,184 A.D. Britta is heir to the Silverstar legacy and the youngest ambassador in Galilean history. Crystal is the smartest scientist in ten generations and is happy to live in her lab without talking to anyone—except Britta. Even diametrically opposite interests haven’t managed to separate these childhood friends whose journey has led them to a space station orbiting Enigma, a planet with strange atmospheric properties that nullify their technology. A tragic drop-ship disaster leaves Britta stranded on the planet’s surface, and Crystal fleeing for her life. Each possess a critical piece to diffusing a plot that may allow their ancient enemy to annihilate the Lost Colonies Alliance, from outside and within. Equipped with only her prized hairpin, Britta must survive a harrowing trek across a primitive landscape to have any hope of helping the colonies, while Crystal must embark on a mad flight across the stars in a desperate mission to save her own colony, who are also hunting her for the alleged murder of Britta. Timers on both sides are ticking. If either fails to reach their goal, it could spell the end for the entire human race. Enigma is a science fantasy adventure set in the expansive Lost Colonies universe.


Emergence

Emergence by Poppy Orion

SPSFC 2024

Two galaxies. One microbe. Trillions at risk. When an unidentified microbe sweeps across Earth, curing all disease but crippling the global economy, heiress Aubrey Hope hatches a risky plan to save her family’s pharmaceutical empire. To succeed, she’ll need the help of a brilliant microbiologist, a master hacker, and a pop star with a secret. In another galaxy, Matthai Valtrellin, unexpected heir to the high priesthood, is burdened by grief and duty. But when a bloodied alien claiming to be his mate teleports from the future, his world turns upside down. Caught between his obligations to her, his family, and the countless Valmoran citizens he is meant to lead, he finds himself torn between fate and destiny. But with the help of a luck-obsessed smuggler, an empathic politician who finds most people ‘invariably intolerable’, and a four-armed ex-gladiator, he may just find himself on a perilous journey to a mythical planet … called Earth. As these complex characters navigate love, duty, and the weight of their choices, their paths intertwine in unexpected ways. Nothing is as it seems, and the truth could reshape two galaxies forever. Perfect for fans of the grand-scale world-building of Dune, the ragtag crew dynamics of Firefly, and the mind-bending twists of Black Mirror, The Valmoran Chronicles: Emergence is a thrilling space opera that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.


Embers of Esper

Embers of Esper by Tyler Aston

SPSFC 2024

Kyra groaned as she uncoiled the swords from her waist. It looked like she was about to spend another night shampooing entrails out of her hair… Tristan is on the verge of becoming a Warden. It is one of the greatest honours the galaxy can bestow – not bad for a scrawny kid from Earth. With it comes a new life of responsibility, dedication and sacrifice. But after a lifetime on the run, the rainbow-haired mercenary Kyra has a problem. Her past, it seems, has finally caught up with her… And innocent people are paying the price. Her family are in danger. Her home planet is under attack. She is the only one who can make things right – but she can’t do it alone. Join Tris and Kyra on a desperate mission to the furthest reaches of space. Together they must confront an enemy that has haunted Kyra’s dreams, and pursued her across the stars since she was a child. But you can’t fight the past. Or can you? Find out now, in this fast-paced and explosive space opera – perfect for fans of Firefly, The Expanse and Killjoys.


EAT: The Sum

EAT: The Sum by Jesse Brown

SPSFC 2024

“A chunk of white rested inside the dip of her collarbone. She fished it out and flicked it away, its rattle echoing as it bounced under a display table, alerting her to the silence. The ringing in her ears had finally stopped. The mask and goggles were long gone; fallen off in her haste. Pointless to wear them now, anyway…” Caede wants to complete her master’s degree, refresh her dating profile, and finally join the land of the living. Instead, she wakes up on a cold, wet pavement, surrounded by dead bodies and ferocious monsters. Kai waits anxiously for his sister to return from the world’s longest night shift. Ravi hides under a desk in his office, and Efia lays unconscious in a garage. Jonathan, recently dumped and drinking himself to death in an empty flat, is waiting for the end to come… until a grizzly attack sends him stumbling into the path of Caede, and all the horrors of an apocalyptic London.


Drowning Earth

Drowning Earth by Sean Willson

SPSFC 2024

Her sub can break the underwater speed of sound. But can she outpace the threat of nuclear winter? In 2055, with global tensions nearing the breaking point, humanity teeters on the brink of annihilation. Their only hope lies with Captain Kel Williams and her loyal team, crewing what some call the deadliest submarine ever built. Kel races to stake a claim to valuable undersea biomass—a lifeline that could prolong humanity’s demise. But deadly Russo-Chinese factions lurk in the lightless depths, determined to stop her at every turn. Besieged by threats within and without, Kel finds herself walking a razor’s edge to maintain control. Surrounded on all sides, she relies on her crew’s dedication and her Bull Nuke Oscar Allen to maintain order and avert disaster. Yet unbeknownst to all, salvation may lie in secrets lurking deep beneath the waves. Hidden truths once dismissed as myth. Whispers of impossible doorways and gods long forgotten. With danger at every turn, will anyone escape the deadly snare, or do ancient myths hold the key to humanity’s survival? Drowning Earth is the pulse-pounding first book in the Portalverse Elemental Origins science fiction techno-thriller series. If you like bold characters, dystopian conflicts, and wild surprises, then you’ll love Sean Willson’s plunge beneath the waves.


Dierock 88

Dierock 88 by S. A. Ernster

SPSFC 2024

In the sprawling tapestry of the Aurorion Galaxy, Atlas Viridian dreams of escaping the junk-strewn life of the Salvage Belt. However, his aspirations crumble when his father is arrested under suspicion of being the elusive terrorist, “Typhon.” Accused of aiding and abetting, Atlas is thrust into the relentless grip of Horizon Corporation, condemned to toil for resources beneath the surface of a distant moon. Trapped in the Dome of Dierock 88, Atlas’ destiny becomes entwined with the clandestine machinations of “Vanguard,” a shadowy Black Operations group. Their motives remain elusive—Atlas is the key, but to what? Learning to live with a ragtag group of very different people, he’ll navigate the treacherous depths and discover that Horizon’s facade of happiness conceals a darker Deadly creatures, remnants of the ancient alien Kosmonautai, haunt the caverns below. Every descent brings not only deadly adversaries but inexplicable mental turmoil. BENEATH THE SURFACE, SECRETS AWAIT. In the crucible of survival, he’ll grapple with the tragic lives around him and the harsh truths of the galaxy he inhabits. Dierock 88 becomes a dangerous journey of self-discovery, challenging a young man to unearth the mystery of his own existence, and decide what matters most in an unfair, and cruel society. Will Atlas survive the descent and emerge from the darkness? Or will the battle within himself be his downfall? TORN ALLEGIANCE. FRACTURED TRUST. BE REBORN.


Devil to Pay

Devil to Pay by R. M. Olson

SPSFC 2024

In a world of pirates and murderous ghosts, one naval cadet must choose between loyalty and survival. In the Level’s Naval Academy, officer candidate Silas Hunt stumbles across a secret that could get him hanged for treason. The only hope he has to save his own life and to find justice is to join up with a ruthless pirate captain, a woman known as Mad Dog—even if it means sacrificing everything he’s spent his life working for. The Verity is just a ship of the line, but for Stacks-born Captain Hollis Ives, it’s not just her first command. It’s her one chance to prove that a woman from the slums can handle a high-ranking naval position—even if it means accepting a posting that’s likely to be a death sentence. Treasure Island meets Master and Commander with a science-fiction twist in R.M. Olson’s thrilling new space opera series, The Devil and the Dark.


Dawn of the Seekers

Dawn of the Seekers by Alex O’Connor

SPSFC 2024

War rages between the Kaltari Empire and the United Celestial Alliance! Nova Team, a UCA special forces team, finds themselves on the front lines chasing a dangerous enemy leader. With rumors emerging of future battles, an unlikely ally is on the verge of discovery. As Nova Team courts the boundary of friend or foe, they must attempt a mission that could see the end of the war as a deadly new weapon emerges.


Bleeding Mars

Bleeding Mars by Asher J. Quazar

SPSFC 2024

Dezi doesn’t own the clothes on his back or the blood in his veins. He’s a college dropout working a dead-end job on the most backwater planet humanity has ever colonized. He’d always dreamed of traveling the system, but when he’s framed for a facility malfunction, he’s forced to flee to the capital of Mars—a city teeming with gangs and space-age aristocracy. He manages to land a job at a luxury casino where a VIP selects him as his regular host. Umbra is a perennial, one of the few wealthy enough to extend their lives through a blood-based medical process, and he might be Dezi’s ticket to paying off his bounty, but the immortal is as eccentric as he is generous. He claims to be an authentic vampire, and his appetites have Dezi questioning whether he might just be telling the truth. As Dezi falls headfirst into a web of seduction and deceit, he must decide what he’s willing to do to survive a city where the weak end up as blood bags.


CY-LNK

CY-LNK by Kai Surr

SPSFC 2024

In 2140 the strange had become the norm. Human life has been transformed by the cy-lnk cognitive implant that connects the physical brain to the ‘Online Environment’. On board the first manned trip to colonize Proxima Centauri B, all is not well. Chief Engineer Gus Salatin and Science Officer Dr Lilian Garcia are among the few who refused to have ‘the operation’. They believe the company is using cy-lnk to control the crew’s thoughts. As the ship passes through the Keiper Belt on its way out of our solar system, chaos erupts. A mysterious planet suddenly appears, the crew begin hallucinating, and a terrifying secret about their destination is revealed. Brace for a oddly believable, darkly humorous, and hopeful read.


Cosmic Strife: Assault

Cosmic Strife: Assault by Steve Gavin

SPSFC 2024

The Ragner family name carries weight amongst the United Global Navy. Colyn Ragner had been a hero of the war 15 years ago when he assisted in an attempt to defend the alien world of Casbaria from the evil Luyons. The humans were unsuccessful in fighting off the invaders and Casbaria was lost. The human fleet was able to escape back to Earth, at the heroic expense of Colyn sacrificing his life to make this possible. Colyn’s children are now all grown up and in positions to assist the human plight in an upcoming rematch. Aalin is the eldest Ragner and a senator who is conflicted about re-entering a bloody battle. She is ambitious and morally driven but her anti-war stance is seen as a hinderance to some of her opposing senators, one of which is fully driven to stopping her efforts at all costs. Will she yield her position or hold her ground amidst a growing pro-war sentiment. Nolan is the middle sibling who is looking to pave his own way through the military ranks while at the same time battling peers who would otherwise see his career fail due to his popular family name. Assigned to the legendary Triton battleship Hyperion, he is immediately met with a superior who wishes to see him fail because of his lineage. Vance is the youngest Ragner who chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and become an elite fighter pilot for the Navy. Vance’s rebellious nature inside the cockpit gets him into trouble and puts his career into jeopardy even before it begins. Will he be sidelined for the biggest fight that humanity has ever faced or will his skillset help win the day for the outgunned Earth Navy. Each sibling must play the role of hero in order to save everyone from certain death. As the battle soon rages, it will test the mettle of the Ragner family. As the humans plan an attack to go back and liberate Casbaria from the Luyons from its capture many years ago, the seemingly distant threat may be looming much closer than anyone realizes. There is an additional unknown malicious force dead set on hindering the Ranger family as they try to combat their individual plights. Follow the events of this cosmic strife as the characters fight for human existence against a power hungry Luyon race headed by a ruthless and fear inducing leader. Who will strike first? The fate of all humanity hangs in the balance.


Company Assassin

Company Assassin by Claudia Blood

SPSFC 2024

Time is coming apart at the seams, and a tech-savvy teenage orphan is the only one who can save the past and the future… Turning eighteen in the orphanage on Kalecca means starvation for those who aren’t hired into a Family, so no one is celebrating Duff Roman’s big day. Outside the Family compounds lies the jungle. And in the jungle lies death. And Relics—the only real currency on Planet Kalecca. The orphans are Duff’s family, and he’s sacrificed everything to keep the orphanage running, even his chance to move on. But without him to bring in extra money, the orphans will starve under the Company’s control. Duff’s only chance to save them is to find a spot on an independent crew and hopefully find a Relic to sell. When a seemingly chance encounter with Z, leader of the most feared independent crew, offers Duff his opportunity to score a Relic, it also gives Z a chance to relieve the guilt he feels over his past. But a Company assassin has plans to lay waste to Duff’s future and destroy the people he cares about the most…


Children of the Fall

Children of the Fall by H. S. Down

SPSFC 2024

Hypatia is a companion child, a cyborg with the consciousness of a child, designed to help her non-verbal human sister, Alexandra, navigate the world. When a flash knocks out the power and a civil war erupts, the sisters are forced to travel through powerless cities and dangerous country roads in search of refuge on the eastern coast of the United States. Realizing that without access to a charging station it’s only a matter of time before her battery fails, Hypatia must deliver Alexandra to safety before it’s too late. Yet, as Hypatia and Alexandra encounter other companion children that have gone berserk, Hypatia begins to suspect the flash may have done more than just take out the power. Can Alexandra trust her sister, and is Hypatia exactly what she seems?


Ceres Station Calling

Ceres Station Calling by R. M. Bradley

SPSFC 2024

Heartbreak hurts, even in space. When it comes to love, Maeve’s luck has never been great. First, she followed her cheating boyfriend to a clandestine rendezvous, only to be abducted by aliens and sent to a mining colony on Ceres in the asteroid belt. Then, she accidentally fell in love with one of the aliens in her mining unit. It’s really too bad that his heart belongs to another biocarbon and he’s due to be released from Ceres Station. Not that Maeve should be obsessing over anyone. Distractions lead to death on Ceres. Between mining highly explosive ursadium while trigger happy, laser-wielding drones monitor her every move, and defending her unit’s mining position against violent poaching, unrequited love should be the least of her concerns. But the ache in her chest never ceases, and because of this, she’s willing to risk it all to escape Ceres and start a new life among the stars.


Centauri’s Shadow

Centauri’s Shadow by Ross Garner

SPSFC 2024

Eight years ago they sent a single ship to test our defences. Now they’re building an armada.’ Cole grew up in the shadow of grief. Kyoko grew up in the shadow of war. Two pilots, separated by time, set out on parallel journeys to Proxima Centauri. What they find could be the start of something new. What they bring with them could be the end of all we know. In this sweeping science fiction debut from Ross Garner, readers will find an Earth that is transformed by fear of an imminent invasion; a space station in orbit that acts as a gateway to other worlds; a Martian colony with all of the threat and violence of the Old West; and a distant star where answers can be found. What is ‘the signal’? A greeting, or a threat?


Cage of Bone

Cage of Bone by David Dvorkin

SPSFC 2024

Suddenly, a murderer’s memories force their way into Max Iverson’s mind. Max is horrified and bewildered. Surely this isn’t real! Max is a private person by nature, isolated from his fellow humans. Now he is forced to know what the worst of them are thinking, and his nights are filled with nightmares. Even worse, he is drawn into helping the authorities punish the criminals whose thoughts he now knows. He is unaware of the danger this will expose him to. There is a cabal of criminals behind much of the major crime in the city. He didn’t know of their existence, but they become aware of his, and now they are determined to eliminate him. Max must change from frightened quarry to pitiless hunter. His hunt leads him to the cabal and also to life–changing discoveries about his own history.


Broken Mirror

Broken Mirror by Cody Sisco

SPSFC 2024

A fractured mind or a global conspiracy? Uncovering the truth can be hell when nobody believes you… and you can’t even trust yourself. “A fantastic science fiction thriller with a sincere and important message.”—Kirkus Reviews “A breathtaking, deeply dark alternate-history Earth with complex characters, layered worldbuilding, and twist after twist after twist.”—Julianna Caro, Reedsy Discovery “Crisply and actively told, Cody Sisco’s Broken Mirror expresses powerful empathy for those suffering from the stigma of mental illness in our own society today.”—IndieReader Broken Mirror is the first volume in a queer psychological science fiction saga that looks at the stigma of mental illness and the hellish distrust and alienation that goes with it. Victor Eastmore knows someone killed his grandfather, the pioneering scientist Jefferson Eastmore. But Victor, diagnosed with mirror resonance syndrome, has been shunned by Semiautonomous California society. Nobody will believe a Broken Mirror. Now Victor must tread the line between sanity and reclassification—a fate that all but guarantees he’ll lose his freedom. With its self-driving cars, global firearms ban, and a cure for cancer, the science fiction world of Broken Mirror may sound like a near-future utopia, but on Resonant Earth, history has taken a few wrong turns. The American Union is a weak and fractious alliance of nations in decline. Europe manipulates its citizens through propaganda. And Asia is reeling from decades of war. Determined to uncover the truth about Jefferson’s murder, pansexual Victor and his trans friend Elena set out on a road trip that takes them across the American Union from Semiautonomous California through the Organized Western States to the Republic of Texas. But Elena is holding something back, and Victor’s condition worsens. Amid shifting geopolitical sands, Broken Mirrors like Victor find themselves at a cyberpunk crossroads: evolve or go extinct.


Blood Sacrifice

Blood Sacrifice by Q. Turner

SPSFC 2024

Welcome to the Isulum Empire. Inflation is high, trust in the government is low, and unrest is growing. Here, oligarchs live offshore on superyachts with their pleasure androids, far from tax obligations and the crumbling, crime-ridden city center. The rest of the population retreats into the digital world of Parallel, a sanctuary that offers daily respite from the real world. Many of Parallel’s users have rallied around the speaker Rita Shor, who challenges the empire’s class division and the injustices faced by women. Shor and her followers adamantly oppose the radical ideologies of another charismatic speaker, Doctor Gagarin Sokolo, who promotes extreme misogyny in an effort to address the empire’s declining birth rate. Neither Shor nor Sokolo realize that in the depths of Parallel, a team of hackers is working hard to unite their disparate followers under a singular purpose: to dismantle the Isulum Empire. As Shor and Sokolo’s lives become further intertwined, the empire’s fate rests in their hands. But the price of victory may prove far greater than they ever imagined.


Avalon Found

Avalon Found by E. M. Hanzel

SPSFC 2024

A colony ship left Earth to settle the planet Avalon with thirty-two hundred souls on board. The last radio signal received a hundred years ago said that they had arrived. Why did the signals stop? What happened to the original crew, their descendants, and Earth’s attempt to re-establish contact?


All Hope of Becoming Human

All Hope of Becoming Human by Lonnie Busch

SPSFC 2024

The world is about to change in unimaginable ways… Earthquakes rock the planet, revealing massive metallic objects and vast subterranean graveyards. One such location is in the Arizona desert. Scientists believe this incredible discovery may hold answers to the origins of man, but when the site is suddenly shut down due to seismic activity, one researcher knows she must return. Assistant archaeologist Rebecca Duccati sneaks into the compound alone, and will have to dig deep to find clues in these strange underground caves and tunnels. The work is dangerous and frightening, but she feels a connection to this bizarre phenomenon that even she isn’t fully aware of yet. FBI Special Agent Demzey knows nothing about archaeology; his specialty— anomalous crimes, the fringe edge of the aberrant and the unknown. Demzey is investigating a recent rash of vicious and brutal murders, the clues surrounding the killings both disturbing and inexplicable. He and his assistant Connie Wegman catch a break when they discover remains of two monstrous creatures unknown to science, believed to be a race of aliens responsible for attacks on humans across the globe. With the death toll ticking ever higher, scientists and intelligence agencies on every continent search for the source of these vicious creatures, until the combined efforts of Duccati and Demzey begin to unravel the mystery, though what they uncover could spell the end for the human race.


Alien Dissonance

Alien Dissonance by Wendell Warman

SPSFC 2024

Jordan Ackerman garnered degrees in criminal and anomalistic psychology at a very young age. Yet rather than working as a consultant for the FBI, he opted to serve as a special agent where he could be more engaged in bringing criminals to justice. He loves his work, but the untimely death of his parents turns his world upside down. In a mysterious twist of events, Jordan is then asked to head up the Hostage Negotiation Team dispatched to investigate rumors of supernatural activity in the small town of Belmont, Kansas. As an anomalistic psychologist, he rejects paranormal phenomena, but what he discovers could very well mean the undoing of an unknown race of people and possibly the destruction of earth. With this new knowledge in hand, it becomes a race against time. Jordan’s investigations will literally take him into new and uncharted realms of abnormal and extraterrestrial psychology. Alien Dissonance brings together science fiction, psychology, mystery, treachery, romance, and irony that lead readers into a dissonant experience of their own.


Afterburn

Afterburn by D. Andrews

SPSFC 2024

Kara is an outcast. A freak. A non-telepath. The only person to ever show her any kindness − Caethiid, is dead. Ever since the state informed her of Caethiid’s death, Kara’s life has been bleak, consisting of a tedious job, a small book collection and the painful memories of a love that never was. But Kara also harbours a dark secret. Within her is a terrible power, one that’s manifested in times of great danger, with devastating consequences. When Caethiid miraculously reappears, Kara’s joy is short-lived. From across the galaxy, Caethiid has been listening to Kara’s thoughts. He knows her secret and he wants to use her power to overthrow the state. Kara finds herself trapped in his twisted game of psychological manipulation. As Caethiid’s ruthless nature is revealed, Kara realises the man she once knew may no longer exist. With Caethiid’s grip tightening, Kara begins to wonder whether she can trust her own mind, or whether everything she thought she knew was part of his plan all along.


After the Fall: The Engineer and the Apocalypse

After the Fall: The Engineer and the Apocalypse by Gerry Gainford

SPSFC 2024

Haley left Dublin for a six-week internship in Seattle. Four years later and she’s living in the ruins of Washington State after the world fell in a cascade of nuclear bombs, computer viruses and human plagues. When she is accused of her friend’s murder, she flees into the night, with one destination in mind. Home to Marley, the love she left behind. To escape her pursuers, skip around the swathes of chemical and radioactive waste, avoid the Kings, a roaming gang of marauders, she will need to use every bit of engineering knowledge she has. Can she make it across the continent and an uncrossable ocean to finally get home? Does home still exist, or did it perish in the Fall?


Achilles: Origin of Heroes

Achilles: Origin of Heroes by Chad Retterath

SPSFC 2024

Jimmy Dale, an average middle-aged man, undergoes a life-altering transformation when he participates in an experiment that grants him super strength. Embracing his newfound abilities, he joins the secret government organization known as Olympus. In the Twin Cities, individuals with various powers begin to surface, turning Minneapolis into a focal point for powered criminals.


Above the Sun

Above the Sun by Dennis Black

SPSFC 2024

Strains is a research project, to find 1 solution to 2 problems: 1) Save th’Earth from humanity. 2) Save humanity from humanity. Not as easy as it sounds. We can solve the 1st one by destroying humanity – working on it. We can solve the 2nd one by destroying th’Earth. Actually, no, that won’t work, yet it’s been our consistent approach thus·far. Also, that’s 2 solutions, and we need to solve both with just 1, so as to avoid th’added burden of deconfliction, which would any·way fail. Not easy, yet the solution is simple, even obvious, to an outsider. No·one can believe it, because no·one will even consider it. So the 1st step is to trick us all into thinking th’unthinkable. No problem, we do that all the time. Just present it as fiction. After all, so much fiction already gets presented as research results, and turn·about is fair·play, so . . . Actually, better make it sci·fi. Just as well – saves having to apologize for all th’unorthodoxies. Non·standard fiction vs accepted reality . . . Faites vos jeux.


A Quiet Universe

A Quiet Universe by Kay F. Atkinson

SPSFC 2024

CERHA is a fabricant, and her job is simple: keep Annalise Fletcher safe, a role she performs dutifully and without fail, as she was designed to. Neither she nor her charge expected that this routine assignment could lead to love, but when feelings begin to bloom, neither see fit to stand in their way, and the two find themselves leading a shared life where both must walk a tightrope, precariously balancing between duty, and what domestic bliss is woven into the spaces remaining. For a time, they are as close to happy as they can manage. Then Annalise vanishes away to the embattled starship ‘Upon Silver Tides’, leaving a cryptic warning in her wake, and CERHA finds herself frantically in pursuit, on an illegal mission to save her objective-turned-lover and bring her home alive. She isn’t sure what she’ll find. But what awaits is a web ensnaring both wayward lovers, far more tangled than either could possibly know, and lurking upon this forsaken vessel is a descent into insanity that will force CERHA to confront the bleak truth at the heart of her function.


In the Valley, A Shadow

In the Valley, A Shadow by Samantha Tano

SPSFC 2024

An action-packed sci-fi western tale of revenge, love, and identity. The frontier planet Celestine, millennia from now. It was supposed to be the furthest Alix could get from the Xypha Corporation, that all-consuming entity at the heart of humanity’s interstellar expansion. After the Xypha forward station arrives in orbit, Alix, a transgender pilot, finds herself out of work and her ship grounded. She’ll do anything to pay off her mounting debts so she can fly again—even if it means killing for the meanest crime boss in the Isidis Valley. As Xypha’s influence grows, Alix is trapped in a web of betrayal and politics that threatens more than just her life. Armed with a pair of Plasveld-7s, a sharp wit, and with the love of her life by her side, Alix embarks on a deadly path across the valley. Can she flee Xypha’s creeping shadow, or is it time to stop running and stand her ground?


Imitari

Imitari by Jenna McLeod

SPSFC 2024

“Earth’s time has run out. You must leave this decaying cradle.” With only a few words, Orinious Xaiv’s deliberately small world is altered forever when he’s named Exim, the leader-elect of the Imitari. A theocratic group of genetically altered beings presiding over the dying Earth. As a “Named,” Orinious receives an impossible task: to recover the lost seeds of mankind. Without them, all is destined for failure, resulting in not only his death – but that of all. Setting out with him on this mission is Veyra, one of the rare Chimaera with an elevated position among the Imitari. An elite personal enforcer, infamous for her ruthlessness and violent nature. She’s ordered to leave her master’s side to protect Orinious – no matter the cost. Forced to work together to survive, they’re confronted by gut-wrenching realizations about themselves, their world, and the true purpose of their mission. Unlikely friendships emerge and a forbidden romance dares to gasp, all while brutal attacks, unrelenting chaos, and bitter deception challenge them at every turn. Tracking down the seeds is only the beginning. Imitari is the first book in the exhilarating dystopian sci-fi ALTERA DOMI Series.


Hounds of Gaia

Hounds of Gaia by Sean M. Tirman

SPSFC 2024

Foxhound doesn’t care about the gaps in her memory. Being a Contractor, a kind of spacefaring mercenary, keeps her occupied enough. Rather than dwelling, she rockets around the farthest reaches of the solar system, earning a steady paycheck hunting down ne’er-do-wells and enjoying a semblance of freedom most folks in the outer colonies can’t dream of. So when she receives an urgent prisoner transfer request from a cult starship, she accepts the gig. She figures that transporting a bone marrow-eating serial killer from the cult’s colony back to Earth is just another well-paying job that’ll keep her mind off things. Upon discovering that the suspect in custody is an orphan girl—one that could pass for her much younger doppelgänger—she decides it’s time to get some answers. Before she can piece together who the girl is and how their lives intertwine, a group of violent prisoners aboard Foxhound’s starship breaks free. As the once-peaceful cultists take up arms in response, the Contractor teams up with her mechanized AI assistant and two of the cult’s wayward members to stop the barbaric escapees and elude the grasp of the cult’s radicalized leader. And when that’s done, she can focus on figuring out the secret behind the mysterious, potentially dangerous girl—but will she even want to know the truth?


Horizon

Horizon by David W. Adams

SPSFC 2024

There is no salvation among the stars… With every known planet, colony or settlement mostly ruined or completely destroyed, a desperate crew of humans onboard the starship Odyssey, hear rumours of a mythical phenomenon called the Horizon. This magical place on the edge of known space is believed to transport those who traverse it, back in time to the moment they were at their happiest. With only death, heartache and baron wastelands surrounding them, the crew head toward the Horizon. However to reach this phenomenon, they must cross the Expanse – a 30 day trip through entirely empty space. No light, no stars, no planets… nothing. At least that’s what they think.


Historian of Future Past

Historian of Future Past by Revis Grey

SPSFC 2024

Alaina is a 26th-century data linguist and a historian specializing in 15th-century Turkey. Working with a quantum computer called Nexus, a machine able to record history in real time, she longs to be like the woman she observes, a red-head warrior temptress. But when an anomaly appears, and a peasant from the past is teleported into the future, anyone involved begins to be reassigned or disappear. Alaina finds herself thrust into the history she’s been studying when her godfather, the Director of Operations, chooses to lose her in time rather than eliminate her. Alaina transports from a culture of peace and abundance to a world of scarcity and violence. She will have to navigate 15th-century strife with the aid of a holographic cohort and a 26th-century mirage of life rapidly fading. Betrayed and wrongly accused of murder, her last hope rests in a crooked dwarf merchant. When a mysterious reflection brings her closer to understanding the future’s past.


Hi De Ho, Infecterino!

Hi De Ho, Infecterino! by Andrew Marc Rowe

SPSFC 2024

Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out Larry Evans never asked for this, dude. As the front man for a rock band with the brand spankingest new deal with a major record label, the Irish-born Londoner was on the up and up. Finally, he could cease slinging pot to make ends meet and maybe – just maybe – make his father proud of him. One little ‘accidental’ fire and a faceful of sporulating destiny had another idea… Subject #30452 never really asked for it either. Not the injections from the strange men, not the development of sapience and self-awareness out of his easy-going life as a crow. Not to mention the fact that he was the sole one of his murdermates to have some kind of Cartesian epiphany in the California section of Parasol Industries. Escape – and revenge, served hot – might prove to be the first orders of business as brilliant bird of… opportunism. And what about Willy, the adult book shop worker who is trying to get clean from sex addiction? Or Hester, the brilliant scientist with the aesthetic challenges? Or Hector, the black ops Zen master? Or Constable Sheri Allston, the bobby who just happened to be thrust into a world of… Flesh-eating zombies that may or may not be tripping balls as they feast. There, I said it. Thanks to Parasol Industries, your friendly neighbourhood nefarious corporation on the government teat, some brand-new strain of fungus that is definitely not a derivative of jock itch and Albert Hoffmann’s beloved ergot is bringing humanity to the brink. But the brink of what? Will the monsters destroy us all? Will we use the nuclear option? Or is this all about… Evolution?


Gospel of the Cuckoo

Gospel of the Cuckoo by Sirius

Dallas’ entire life changed when the Church of New Lazarus opened its doors. The small town of Wicker, Alabama has been taken over by a glamorous, fast-talking reverend with a charismatic smile as bright as his Rolex watch. This new reverend, who calls himself Blue, has declared himself a ‘modern day Lazarus’ and has set the whole town on fire with religious fervor. Yet, Dallas doesn’t trust him. There is something sinister about the new church and its cult-like following. And when Dallas, who has spent five years caring for his ailing grandfather, is suddenly thrust into the world behind the pulpit; he finds that his expectations of salvation may lie in more infernal hands.


Death and Sweet Temptations

Death and Sweet Temptations by Kristen Coar

Kristen Coar launches her brand-new ALEX BAIN series with Death and Sweet Temptations, a tale of half-vampire, half-human Alex Bain, where the veil between the mundane and the monstrous thins to a nearly imperceptible shroud, and within its folds lurks a desire as perilous as any fiend. Set in a contemporary fantasy world brimming with magic, danger, and searing romance, this story is perfect for fans of series like Anita Blake, The Hollows, Crescent City, or the Night Huntress. Alex's tenure at Sweet Temptations is marked with success, her ascent up the corporate ladder as smooth as molten cocoa. But as Chicago's shadowed alleys echo with the cries of supernaturally murdered women, her dark heritage calls her to a far greater task. Joining forces with her wisecracking roommate Argo, a gourmet-loving corgi from Hell, and Sergeant Isabella "Izzie" Bliss of the CPD, they race against time to thwart this diabolical terror. However, before they can find those responsible, her two carefully curated identities collide in an office romance that quickly threatens to pull her under. As she falls deeper, the lines between sanity and chaos blur, and Lucas, the steamy consultant, becomes more than just a delicious distraction. As more women die and ancient powers awaken whispering of a long-forgotten prophecy, can her burgeoning love for a man with shady secrets and a wicked past craft a new destiny? One thing becomes clear: the price of temptation could be her very soul. Death and Sweet Temptations is a story of deep bonds, what makes a monster, and a love that transcends the darkness within each of us. Don't miss this gripping adventure, your next sexy supernatural obsession awaits!


The Ranger

The Ranger by E H Bradley

Long have the Rangers of Eshana patrolled the land. When danger presents itself, in distance cities and towns, they answer the call of the King Crow. Ranger of the north, Michel Danage, after a life of service and protection, has retired, passing the torch to his son Eraden. Now, with his years of training complete, Eraden finally steps into the wild, ready to take up the mantle of his family’s lineage and protect the lands from evil. Hemavale is in trouble, the young Ranger must travel many miles to unravel its mystery, a journey, that sets in place a chain reaction of events, taking Eraden and Eshana to the very edge of darkness.


The Weight of Darkness

The Weight of Darkness by John A. McColley

Silver Hill, Nevada - 1874 The 1870's offered a peaceful, simple, life after the strife of the Civil War. Its mine promised steady work. Abigail and Martin Beckett's parents owned and ran the mine, often away for days at a time, leaving the twins to... find their own fun. Tales of strange creatures, eerie cries, men and women gone missing in a blink... Folktales flow like whiskey amongst the miners. When curiosity gets the better of Abigail, she ropes her brother into an expedition, finding far more than they bargained for. With their parents and miners acting strangely and unseen influence beginning to take hold of her faculties, Abigail reaches out to her correspondence course professors for aid. Even when they arrive, though, these wise men can hardly believe what has become of the town and its people. Amid fires and armies of the undead and other monsters, how will they survive, let alone save their parents or the town?


The Faerie Guild Trials

The Faerie Guild Trials by G. L. Preston

Step into the deadly world of the faerie realm, where alliances are fragile, and shadows hold the key to survival. Efia Mathonwy, the last Gwri, is thrust into the treacherous trials of the Seelie and Unseelie courts, wielding the rare power to control shadows. As she faces ruthless foes and navigates the cutthroat faerie politics, Efia discovers an unexpected ally in Ansel, a mysterious fae with secrets of his own. In a contest where every decision could be her last, Efia's journey unfolds in a dance of danger and intrigue. Shadows cling to her every move, revealing hidden dangers whilst unlocking the secrets of her family. As the realm teeters on the edge of chaos, Efia must choose her path wisely. Will she conquer the trials and emerge triumphant, or will the enemies that surround her become her undoing? In a world where survival is a deadly game, alliances will crumble, and the realms destiny hangs in the balance.


UNHOLY FAVORS

UNHOLY FAVORS by mars adler

Two tales of sinister influence, two trans protagonists struggling to come to terms with the consequences of relying on the supernatural to fix their problems. Trick or Treat. THE SOUL LOTTERY primal play || knife & blood play || CNC Tate played the soul lottery and won a single wish ten years ago, but now his years of fortune are up, and the demon who owns his soul has come to collect. On the run from Hellhounds, and with only one person to turn to, he's out of options. But what awaits him isn't what he expects. SILVERTONGUED DREAMS somno || dubcon || praise & degradation Kiran is an insomniac and college student who dreams of more than what he has. After finding a rare spell book, he brings an egregore into being, and feeds it his ideas and dreams in hopes that it can be his equal and help him become great. But what happens when his dreams outpace him and take on their own life? UNHOLY FAVORS is a dark, mature 21k word book and is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. Please read CWs before purchasing.


Skin in the Game: The Hooded Warrior Spy

Skin in the Game: The Hooded Warrior Spy by Sam Carnes

The year is 1942. Alex is a young American soldier off to war. Noticing his foreskin and his ability to speak German flawlessly, his superiors believe he can effectively infiltrate the German army. But Alex has a secret his superiors don’t know - he is gay. Will Alex be able to survive this web of secrets? Forced to keep this part of himself a secret from the American military while simultaneously keeping his cover as a spy, Alex must live life, never showing his true self. During all of this, Alex falls in love with a young German soldier. Will they find themselves on the same side or will the chaos of war tear them apart? Will they be able to find happiness?


A Pocket of Lies

A Pocket of Lies by R A Sandpiper

BLOOD BOUND AND PENNILESS. EXILED INTO CURSED LANDS. HUNTED BY DEATH. When the thief Suri suffers a humiliating robbery, she has one day to pay off an ugly debt. Her solution: abduct and impersonate a foreign princess at the royal ball. But the wickedly handsome fae lord of the wasteland, Kol, has gatecrashed the party to find the princess she’s pretending to be. And worse, his bodyguards are the same ones who robbed her the night before. With Suri’s knife lodged in Kol’s right-hand man, stolen trinkets in her pockets, and now her kidnapped princess missing, she can't outrun the law. The King exiles her with one condition: assassinate Kol, and all is forgiven. But Kol has promised his own brutal revenge against her—if his wastelands don’t kill her first. In this fast-paced fantasy debut, expect a powerful adventure, lots of twists and turns, and the start of a slow-burn romance.


The Sea Spirit Festival

The Sea Spirit Festival by Claudie Arseneault

Fate and friendship brought Horace, Rumi, Keza, and Aliyah together in Rumi’s sentient self-propelling wagon. They seek the forest haunting Aliyah’s dream, hoping for answers about the elf’s past and unique abilities—but first, they need to traverse a world haunted by Fragments, dangerous shards that can possess travellers. Their journey has brought them to Alleaze, a coastal city from which they hope to book passage across the ocean. But Alleaze’s regular life has stopped, giving way to the excitement of the Sea Spirit Festival, a weeks-long event. Forcefully grounded, the Wagon crew is more than happy to partake in the local festivities, brimming with games, seaside delicacies, and legends about the Bay. But the Festival is more than one big celebration: it is a crucial time during which the Bay’s Spirit guides its residents to their new life path and chooses a Storm Catcher, a divine hero meant to revitalize the Spirit’s strength. When the Festival winds down and no Storm Catcher has been chosen, panic washes over Alleaze and the Wagon crew finds itself embroiled in the subsequent chaos. In order to help Alleaze find its local hero and be allowed to sail out, they will need to confront the truth behind the legend of the Sea Spirit—and survive it.


Guns & Scones

Guns & Scones by Darcia G. Laucerica

In a city ruled by magic wielding families, Arawn Stant is thrust into power when his father´s abilities run dry. Taking care of his neighbours and their businesses is challenge enough. But his main concern is the school´s upcoming bake sale. He promised his niece he would bring something homemade. The problem is... Arawn could burn water. He must learn to bake before the weekend arrives. It´s a good thing a little bakery just opened in his territory. And that the owner, Alejandra, is terribly cute.


Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms

Breeze Spells and Bridegrooms by Sarah Wallace & S.O. Callahan

Roger not only had to prove himself to the Council, he also had to prove himself to Wyndham Wrenwhistle. Fae and humans alike are returning to London for the Season, but the excitement is marred by the growing poverty rate among humans with low magical scores. Tenacious Roger Barnes proposes a new rubric for testing magic to the Council, hoping to resolve the predicament for his fellow humans. But when he is paired with Wyndham Wrenwhistle, a dashing fae who has disliked him since childhood, the project seems destined to fail. Even after reaching a tentative truce, their fragile partnership crumbles due to malicious lies. Adding to the disarray, a popular gossip column unexpectedly announces that Roger and Wyn are engaged. Obliged to go along with the falsehood to save their families from scandal, they are forced to reconcile their differences for the sake of the rubric — and for their impending marriage. As the project bleeds into their wedding plans, the pressure to flawlessly execute both mounts even higher. Together, they have the chance to solve a crisis decades in the making — but they'll need more than magic to succeed.


Tale of Three Ships

Tale of Three Ships by Darcia G. Laucerica

In a world under the thumb of an empire, pirates sail away searching for a breath of freedom. But even the ocean is tainted by the powerful nation that has spread lies about women being bad luck at sea. Glenlivet has never cared about the fear-mongering. Her ship welcomes those who are rejected and need a home. For all the sailor´s superstitions and “codes” of piracy the captain mocks every day, not leaving the docks when it’s dark is a personal boundary she swears by ever since acquiring The Outsider about eight years ago. She just might have to break her own rules to protect her crew, escape the claws of a king who wants her dead, and murder the man who raised her.


The Spellmaster of Tutting-on-Cress

The Spellmaster of Tutting-on-Cress by Sarah Wallace

You can’t orchestrate true love…can you? Spellmaster Geraldine Hartford has everything she could want — a successful spell shop and close friends and family — but she’s still waiting on her own swoon-worthy romance. Her friends think their matchmaking efforts are helping, but it’s the tall, handsome stranger in town who immediately catches Gerry’s eye. Basil Thorne’s life has turned upside down. After his father’s death, he’s found himself uprooted from Bath to become the head of a family he barely knows. Overwhelmed by responsibilities, not to mention the clamor of Tutting-on-Cress locals wishing to befriend him — only the lovely spellmaster with a twinkling smile seems to soothe Basil’s heart. And he’s not the only one who’s noticed… Soon it seems as though everyone in Gerry and Basil’s lives is determined to match them up. But Gerry is waiting for the surefire spark of romance and Basil is waiting until his life settles down. They may be perfect for each other, but it will take some meddling — and a bit of magic — to bring them together. This book is the fifth installment in the series Meddle & Mend. It can be read after Dear Bartleby or as a standalone.


Sentence for Life

Sentence for Life by Maxime Jaz

“Sometimes, we are in a place where we don’t want to be. And maybe, that place is the only place we should be after all.” Theo knows he will become a star lawyer, like the one his Dad paid to keep him out of prison... he's wrong on both counts. He thinks the first day of jail is brutal; meeting his new cellmate redefines the word. Theo's world not only falls apart; it shrinks to the size smaller than a dorm bathroom he has to share with a man who doesn’t belong in his world. Ryker is as strong as a fortress, one that he had to rebuild from the ruins of his own self. Serving the last year of his long sentence, he is terrified of having his freedom at arm's reach. Ryker is everything Theo fears; Theo is everything Ryker loathes. But being locked up together in a tiny space is a powerful force sparking the fires of love, and neither of the men are prepared for the turmoil this raging inferno will unleash. Are Ryker and Theo who they think they are? Or will new lives be born, like the phoenix etched in Ryker's skin, out of the fire of their love?


Dance with the Devil

Dance with the Devil by Madison Chase

She lost everything she built, he was built to lose everything, and the Heavens themselves are duty-bound to keep them apart. Charlotte Brant, former detective and present-day pariah, has been rebuilding her life following the attack that cost her a job, a marriage, and possibly her sanity. When the King of Hell inserts himself into her life--all dark, handsome, and aggravating--it does her no favors in her efforts to regain some normalcy. Especially when an Archangel is sent on a holy mission to keep them apart by any means necessary--even offering her what she thought she lost forever.


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