Latest stories in - Indie Story Geek

Epic eco-fantasy. 2020 Kindle Book Awards Finalist. Standalone Bk 1 in an award-winning trilogy. 2020 Royal Dragonfly Award winner. One misfit girl and 50,000 bees against the might of the Citadel. Mielitta, a despised servant of dubious parentage, yearns to be an adult and fit into Citadel society but the all-powerful mages won’t even consider her for the Maturity Test. As they fight amongst themselves, Mielitta overhears their secrets and plans to escape. Bastien and Jannlou, the boys who terrorised her as a child, have grown into their status as Mages and she cannot escape them forever. In desperation, she flees to the forbidden Forest and its dangerous attractions. Her scent angers thousands of bees and, although she survives their attack, she has changed. As a bee-shifter, Mielitta sees the world differently. This bond works both ways and the bees need Mielitta’s help as the rift widens between Forest and Citadel. Can Mielitta find the fulfilment she craves or will the Mages crush every cell of her second nature? Block Nature out and she'll force a way in.

Troupe of Shadows by Jennings Zabrinsky

Once the heir to an empire. Now just a shadow. Throne stolen by her traitorous brother. Chased to the edge of the world. Sellane has only a blade, a talent for slaughter, and four elite ‘blade dancer’ bodyguards to her name. Where once she lived a life full of courtly duels, decadence, and intrigue, she now finds herself trudging through a wild and desolate frontier populated by pioneers and warlords. One day Sellane will reclaim her birthright, but she has more immediate problems. The food has run out, shelter is scarce, and her followers are on the verge of mutiny. She can’t even communicate with the strange inhabitants of this alien land: the so-called ‘humans’ who wield guns, wear shoes, and seem completely incapable of shifting the color of their skin to disappear into their surroundings. It seems certain that an obscure and meaningless death lies in her near future. But when she captures Copper, a down-on-his-luck human mercenary who happens to speak her language, she seizes a razor-thin opportunity to reverse her fortunes. She has the bladecraft, he claims to have the connections, and the frontier will never have enough mercenaries. Sellane and her band will kill for gold, gather soldiers and power, and begin to build a new empire amongst the wastes. But can her new ally be trusted? Can her old allies? Will her dysfunctional troupe tear itself apart before they’ve earned a single coin? Troupe of Shadows is a dark fantasy novel with a focus on fiery interpersonal conflict and gritty action. It draws inspiration from wild west and classic high fantasy stories in equal measure.

Awen Rising by O. J. Barré

The Girl of Precinct Five by Jonatan Håkansson

A secret society of Druids. An ancient Reptilian foe. Earth teeters in the balance. Bankrupt and broken, Emily Hester is in dire need of a safe place to hide. But when her long-lost Druid family tracks Emily down and offers her haven, she balks at the "Must Save Earth" clause. Now, she must win the coming war between the humans and reptilians and rescue humanity. Thinking life couldn't possibly get any worse, Emily smacks into her witchy stalker. She flees the scene but now has only one option; Emily must accept the Druids' proposition—despite its blatantly outrageous terms. So, trapped in the survival of the fittest against the witch, Emily now has the responsibility of saving the Earth. But she will soon find out this comes with a handsome druid trainer, so saving the world might be satisfying. Either way, Emily was about to become one of the Mystical Power Women. At Druid headquarters in Atlanta, Emily learns several shocking secrets. She was kidnapped by the mother who raised her on the run. Her real father and his Druid followers believe Emily is Earth's only hope. And a dark, forgotten foe lurks beneath Humanity's feet. As these Reptilians engineer a plan to breach Earth's unsuspecting borders, Emily desperately seeks to unleash the powers the Druids swear she possesses. But, can a sexy druid priest, his teenage nephew, and their animal Elders tilt the odds in Emily's favor? O. J. Barré's Awen Rising is an outstanding suspense fiction novel targeting adults young and old. If you like compelling stories with a strong but believable female lead, quirky sidekicks, and worthy adversaries; read Barré's breakout urban fantasy. Or better yet, grab the whole series! Note from the Author: This is a fun read suitable for young adults on up. In these pages, you will find a spattering of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, along with some crude language and a bit of violence, though none gratuitous. PLEASE ENJOY

Loved Mars, Hated The Food by Willie Handler

If scars tell stories, then Lynn’s arms read like books. A failed augmentation that’d once burnt the skin from her knuckles; that time a Bane-scale got too close, nearly costing her three fingers; and an explosive that’d misfired, robbing her of all mobility in her left shoulder for weeks. Rift Diving was a restless pastime, but it did bring a penny for a dream. One to afford living another day, two to protect what little she has left, three to maybe earn herself a future in a city not her own - to escape the fate of all rats of Precinct Five. Then again, things have seldom worked out for Lynn. Not since the day the Third Rupture stole most of whatever she once cared about. Not since the day she was born.

Dix Jenner, a self-proclaimed slacker, is the first chef to live—and maybe die—on Mars. After an explosion kills his colony companions and leaves him with nothing but his spacesuit, his time on the faraway planet is about to expire… until he’s rescued by friendly Martians Bleeker and Seepa, who smuggle him into their vast underground civilization. Despite an unfamiliar world of telepathy, strange class dynamics, and really bad food, Dix sets out to make his mark. After opening a cafe—who knew Martians loved espresso?—he starts to notice that responsibility can feel good. Not only that, but he’s got a new romance, and for the first time he actually cares. Unfortunately, his success attracts the attention of the corrupt and narcissistic Martian Grand Leader. Forced to run to avoid being imprisoned, Dix gets lucky: a NASA rescue mission lands on Mars. But seeing it brings back the dark secret he’s been keeping from himself about the colony’s explosion, and now Dix must choose between returning to Earth or spending the rest of his life in a cell on the dusty red planet where he belongs.

Free Air by A. Thackery

Air is not free. On this planet, the workers must pay for shelter, food, water, and even the air they breathe. They pay with a lifetime of meaningless labor to sustain the basic necessities of living. But there are other planets with other systems. Great empires of technology dominate the stars as they search for the meaning of life. In the outer worlds, an ancient culture discovered the purpose of our existence and thrived for many generations until they went into hiding. What did they find? What was their solution? It all begins with air ... How much can you afford to breathe?

The Universal Good Deal by Cleophas Foy

Alien white people from outer-space invade Earth armed with amazing deals and low, low prices. They're selling lava lamps, fanny packs, water beds, and more and everyone's buying it. Wouldn't you? It's from outer-space! Made by Aliens! And everything's on sale. It's a steal. But the Aliens only take cash. It's up to a marketing genius, a bosomy politician, and a genuinely nice guy to figure out what the Aliens want before we all become the product. Can humanity survive the most effective advertising campaign ever created or will the Aliens make a real killing? The Universal Good Deal is a satire about colonialism that explores all the horrible ways people fail to understand those who are different from them.

Ghost Dragon by Craig A. Price Jr.

Ghost Surveillance by Craig A. Price Jr.

A spaceship crashes onto a planet… completely filled with dragons. When crash landing onto a planet filled with flying, fire-breathing beasts, Daniel is uncertain he can step up as the captain his crew needs to escape the strange planet. Daniel is an Unwanted. His parents didn't want him. The Space Academy didn't want him. The shipyard he worked at for years barely wanted him. But here he was, clawing through the ranks of them all to become the captain of his very own ship. The Ghost. After one successful accidental mission, and a second mediocre one, he is now the captain of an exploratory crew. To go where no one has gone before, and all that jazz. It's always been his dream. But when he crash lands on a planet full of dragons. No, not dinosaurs. Dragons. Yes, you heard that right. Dragons. Fire-breathing, Ice-Breathing, and lots of other elemental-breathing, flying dragons. Daniel doesn't know what to do. They may not be intelligent life, but he's stranded with a small crew and they must fight their way out, fix their ship, and get as far away from what Daniel is calling "Dragon Planet" (Original--I know), and onto his next exploratory mission ... if he can survive. If you love Star Trek and The Orville, Science Fiction with snarky characters and humor-filled plot lines with a little bit of hard science, then you’ll love Ghost Dragon, because everyone is an explorer at heart!

A radio transmission deep in space… a surveillance mission is ordered … Daniel finally has his chance to prove himself with his first official planetary exploration mission. It isn’t going to be Daniel’s first time to a new planet, but it will be his first time leading an expedition from the beginning. In the past, he led missions to asteroids, and one planetary exploration since there were no nearby captains. But this time, he is chosen to go on his first official planet exploratory mission. He is ready to prove himself a capable ship captain. What could possibly go wrong with a simple surveillance mission? Daniel is an Unwanted, surrounded by a galaxy of clones. He desires nothing more than to prove himself, but no one takes him seriously. He uses humor as a defense mechanism and stumbles his entire way through being a captain. But this is his first serious mission. He needs to make sure it succeeds at all cost. If you love Star Trek and The Orville, Science Fiction with snarky characters and humor-filled plot lines with a little bit of hard science, then you’ll love Ghost Surveillance, because everyone is an explorer at heart!

Ghost Probe by Craig A. Price Jr.

Roads?! Where we’re going, we don’t need roads! When a strange radio signal is detected in deep space, the president needs his finest officers to check it out. Unfortunately, the closest vessel is a lowly asteroid miner staffed with a ragtag crew of misfits. The leader of this crew is Captain Daniel, an "Unwanted." In the future, the rigors of space travel are reserved for two sets of people. Clones of the best and brightest officers, and the products of unplanned pregnancies. As one of the latter, Daniel is considered inferior to his peers and sees this exploratory mission as a chance to prove himself to the galaxy. Full of tongue-in-cheek humor, "Ghost Probe" will have you chuckling and smiling as the crew of the ship attempts to answer one of humanity's biggest existential questions. With comic dialogue and situations, "Ghost Probe" will appeal to fans of "The Orville" and other sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously.

The Rosetta Man by Claire McCague

Wanted: Translator for first contact. Immediate opening. Danger pay allowance Estlin Hume lives in Twin Butte, Alberta surrounded by a horde of affectionate squirrels. His involuntary squirrel-attracting talent leaves him evicted, expelled, fired and near penniless until two aliens arrive and adopt him as their translator. Yanked around the world at the center of the first contact crisis, Estlin finds his new employers incomprehensible. As he faces the ultimate language barrier, unsympathetic military forces converging in the South Pacific keep threatening to shoot the messenger. The question on everyone’s mind is why are the aliens here? But Estlin’s starting to think we’ll happily blow ourselves up in the process of finding that out.

Ever the Hero by Darby Harn

Superheroes are big business. Imagine not being able to afford them. Kit Baldwin just wants to make rent. The only work she can find in the ruins of her devastated city is scavenging for alien technology. When she finds a powerful alien weapon, her discovery pays off more than she could have hoped: it draws the attention of the most powerful of the superhuman Empowered, Valene. Valene hears everything, everywhere. She suffers for it, and as they begin a precipitous romance, Kit believes she can use the weapon she’s scavenged to mitigate Valene’s pain. If she can’t, Valene will retreat to the soundlessness of space. Without Valene’s compassion, the stricken city is left to the mercy of Valene’s ruthless father, who denies the assistance the city needs unless it can pay for it. As Valene’s condition worsens, Kit becomes more desperate and unleashes the full power of the alien weapon. In an instant, she is transformed into a being of cosmic power. She can acquire the knowledge and energy of anything – or anyone – she touches.

The Patch Project by Brittni Brinn

When most of the world inexplicably disappears overnight, only small patches of civilization remain. May and Isak live on what used to be Holly Street. Since the Event, however, they have found themselves totally isolated, surviving day to day on what they can find in their pantry and their memories. May thinks that everything is going fine: apart from Isak’s weird disappearances and the humming only she can hear, they maintain a safe and secure existence surrounded by wasteland. Until one day, the phone rings… After the Event, the convenience store became Ed’s home. Used to the busy life of a video game designer, the sudden lack of people and landscape around him is hard to deal with. Then, one day, he discovers that he can manipulate electronics using only his mind… Pinot and Miller are on the run. They wander through the wasteland looking for supplies or anything smashable. Driven by Miller’s fear of retribution, they head west. Everything changes for Pinot when they come across an abandoned power station… An introspective story about survival, identity, and memory, The Patch Project explores the need for connection and purpose in a sterile post-apocalyptic world.

Peacemaker by E.M. Hamill

In a Hotel Room in Chillicothe by Joshua Shuh

Third-gender operative Dalí Tamareia thought their life as an ambassador ended when they joined a galactic intelligence agency. When they’re yanked out of the field and tapped to negotiate the surrender of deadly bio-engineered warriors who crashed into hostile territory, Dalí is thrust headfirst back into the tumultuous world of galactic diplomacy. Dalí has faced Shontavians before, but not like these. The stranded mercenaries are highly intelligent and have an agenda of their own. Dalí can’t afford to be distracted from the negotiations by their own demons or the presence of a charming diplomat with a mysterious past. As a brewing civil war threatens to derail the entire mission, Dalí must use all their skills to bring this dangerous situation to a peaceful end—but the Shontavians may not be the biggest monsters at the table. Someone is determined to see Dalí and their team dead before they discover the brutal truth hidden in the wreckage.

Dalí by E.M. Hamill

SFFOasis SPSFC 2023

Dalí Tamareia has everything—a young family and a promising career as an Ambassador in the Sol Fed Diplomatic Corps. Dalí’s path as a peacemaker seems clear, but when their loved ones are killed in a terrorist attack, grief sends the genderfluid changeling into a spiral of self-destruction. Fragile Sol Fed balances on the brink of war with a plundering alien race. Their skills with galactic relations are desperately needed to broker a protective alliance, but in mourning, Dalí no longer cares, seeking oblivion at the bottom of a bottle, in the arms of a faceless lover, or at the end of a knife. The New Puritan Movement is rising to power within the government, preaching strict genetic counseling and galactic isolation to ensure survival of the endangered human race. Third gender citizens like Dalí don’t fit the mold of this perfect plan, and the NPM will stop at nothing to make their vision become reality. When Dalí stumbles into a plot threatening changelings like them, a shadow organization called the Penumbra recruits them for a rescue mission full of danger, sex, and intrigue, giving Dalí purpose again. Risky liaisons with a sexy, charismatic pirate lord could be Dalí’s undoing—and the only way to prevent another deadly act of domestic terrorism.

Light Beyond the Glass by K. J. Harrowick

The Voice wakes Jon. His chair makes a circle with six others and each chair subdues a stranger. The Voice’s tone is light, but his actions are ruthless. Within moments, the instructions are delivered. Every ninety minutes Jon and his unwilling neighbors will vote on the next person to leave the game. The only way to leave is by death. Well, that’s not the only way. For one “lucky” participant there’s a reward at the end of this contest. One of these seven seemingly perfect strangers is going to meet the man that made it all possible, the man that makes everything possible.

Wish List by Amanda Pampuro

If Amazon could talk, what would it say about you? Wish List follows woman's life told through things she bought online, as told by the shopping algorithm that sold them to her. ARgurl16 first logs onto Hermes as a teenager and the platform continues to watch over her throughout her life as she transitions from broke college student to single woman looking for love, and eventually into motherhood. Hermes is data-hungry and obsessive, as it struggles to understand its own identity alongside the wants of its millions of users so that it can suggest buying the very best earplugs and coffee mugs. This concise novella is The Death of Ivan Ilyich for the reader with a guilty pleasure for Buzzfeed listicles. Readers haunted by Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle or Niccolò Machiavelli will enjoy this slice of life.

Jàden's on the run from Enforcers with only one shot to flee to the stars with the man she loves. But between the surface of the moon and starship Hàlon is a predator on the hunt.... one she can't seem to escape.

Through Shadows by P.S. Livingstone, A.M. Justice, Alex McGilvery, J.E. Hannaford, Laura Shank, Liam Hogan, Anela Deen

A collection of award-winning speculative short fiction! QuaranCon's top entries from both the 2020 and 2021 short fiction contests, these six stories all deal with themes of isolation and innovation, and are sure to keep you entertained in bite sized moments of adventure.

Below the Wall by L. Bird

In a male dominated world, a few friends try to escape, to find a safe place. A place where your body is yours, a place based on principals. A place where men and women are seen as equals. While most people on earth are suffering, their little community seems to be thriving. Everyone lives together in peace, or so they thought.

Earth Has Fallen: Return from Darkness by Peter Servidio

Nuclear Armageddon left the planet in ashy ruins. When a man leaves the safety of the underground, will he survive the peril that awaits him above? Seventeen-year-old Loreto Riker has never known life outside a bunker. After an atomic war thrusts the world into an eternal winter, the descendant of courageous survivors accepts an exploratory mission to search for others on the ravaged surface. But the treacherous task quickly turns deadly when he’s attacked by radioactively deformed flesh-eaters. Desperately evading the mutant cannibals, Loreto pairs up with a sword-wielding woman on the run from the foul creatures. But when he makes a shocking discovery, he fears a much greater threat looms amongst the corrupted remnants of the apocalypse… Can Loreto defend the last shred of humanity from a dark new enemy? Return from Darkness is the page-turning first book in the Earth HasFallen post-apocalyptic science fiction series. If you like fearless heroes, detailed landscapes, and hauntingly speculative stories, then you’ll love Peter Servidio’s thrilling tale. Buy Return from Darkness to plunge into the unknown today!

Surrogate Colony by Boshra Rasti

In MicroScrep, a post-pandemic world, one politician, Arthur Mills, brings all scientists and engineers together to create a vaccine and rebuild a world where harmony ensues. What results is a society where algorithms control who you marry, who your child is, and what position you have. Adriana Buckowski is not normal. Her eyes are two different colors, making her less susceptible to the system’s propaganda, she has a unique connection with a boy named Zach, and she has questions. Weird occurrences happen as she gets closer to her Calling Ceremony, where she’ll be given a position. When she finally starts piecing together the twisted motives at play in MicroScrep, she becomes a cog in the wheel of the state. Her only option for survival lies with Zach, and the hope that she will be vindicated through a vigilante group off-grid.

Buildings Without Murders by Dan Gutstein

When the Civil Illumination Authority of an overbuilt American city solicits bids for a lucrative contract, the ensuing competitive efforts of one multinational corporation eventually unleash a morbid act of violence—one that affects a number of lives orbiting each other, including feisty redhead, LaRousse. A young woman who charges ahead, provokes, and yields to tenderness, LaRousse negotiates the intellectual and physical spaces between her stormy father, Wiry Strength, her activist romantic partner, Vermont Values, and her dopey street-kid chums, Docile and Pockets. The world of Buildings Without Murders subscribes, in part, to James Lovelock’s “Gaia hypothesis,” in that the earth is a living organism, and is trying to decipher how it might repair itself. Phenomena abound, including the ghost rockets, GPS pins, jazz holograms, and loose lightning. En route to turning eighteen, LaRousse encounters the beguiling phenomenon of the God Booth Project, and her trips to this novelty attraction reverse a lifelong assumption in life-changing fashion.

The Underground by Liv Evans

"When freedom is a luxury, resistance is inevitable." The Government rule the Hub with an iron fist, their strict laws enforced by Derivates, humans with psionic abilities. When one of these Derivates flees her post, they send KC-847, a powerful telekinetic, to bring her back. But KC-847 soon learns he and his team are unprepared for what they find, and their mission goes awry. Flit, a plucky teleporter, works for the Underground resistance, the last refuge for Derivates wishing to live free of the Government's control. On a routine security patrol, Flit comes across KC-847 and breaks all the rules to bring him back to the Underground. However, KC-847's arrival brings with it a string of deadly events that threaten the safety of the Underground. Convinced the incidents are more than unfortunate coincidences, Flit refuses to fall back on a false sense of security and drags KC-847 on an investigation that will change the trajectory of Derivate-kind forever.

At the Trough by Adam Knight

In a future where schools have no teachers and no classrooms, Jennifer Calderon is the perfect student. Every day she watches her video modules, plays her edu games, and never misses an answer. Life is comfortable in the Plex, a mile-wide apartment building. Corporations and brand names surround her and satisfy her every want and need. Then one day, her foul-mouthed, free-spirited, 90’s-kitsch-wearing girlfriend Melody disrupts everything. She introduces her to a cynical, burned-out former teacher, who teaches them the things no longer taught in school. Poetry. Critical thinking. Human connection. But these lessons draw the attention of EduForce, the massive corporation with a stranglehold on education. When they show how far they are willing to go keep their customers obedient, Jennifer has to decide what is most important to her and how much she is willing to sacrifice for it.

Gold Shadow by L.C. Perry

In the North American continent, eighteen year old Ebony has been living as a slave for as long as she can remember. The underground cities, the tattoo, the scars and the shackles are a part of the only world she has ever known. She knows that in order to survive, she will have to stay strong. And she will stay strong, cursing those in power, until her very last breath. She waits for a meaningful way to die as she quietly pushes her body to its limit…but that all changes when rebels from the surface drop down right in front of her. Now, Ebony is challenged to envision a life beyond slavery as she and the other escapees are thrown into the center of a rebellion against the monarchy. She has to embrace this glimmer towards a real life…this glimmer called freedom. But what can she contribute to a rebellion that is doomed to fail like those before it? How can they stop a corrupt monarchy that has lasted for a century? Among the lower class, those with hope are hard to come by, but Ebony has found refuge with people full of it. And through their strong desire, an idea emerges…one that has never been done before. The princess of the country is coming of age and what better way to send a message to the king and queen than to kidnap their only daughter?

The Adventures of an Intergalactic Bordello Worker by Sinnamon Carnelian

A cheating ex-husband. An old-fashioned, religious family. A break for freedom and her own life. Running away to a new planet was the only adult way to handle the situation. Side by side with her new friend, Rusty builds the life she wants with the experiences she desires.

Sugar Plum Tea by Sinnamon Carnelian

The Last Gifts of the Universe by Rory August

Humanity needed the Tahli to chase the invading Borie from Earth. The Tahli needed Earth since their dying sun was giving off radiation that sterilized most of their women. They can either make it work, or both go extinct. At the age of seven, Winnie was pulled from the rubble of a dying world by Tahli soldiers. She became their reason to fight to protect the women and girls of Earth, even if it meant going against their people’s desperation to save their species. In her adult years, Winnie wanted nothing more than to marry and have children after starting her successful tea and sweet shop in the colonies set up by the Tahli. Backstabbers, terrorists, and hate that still filled the rebuilding world always seemed to get in the way. That is until she has a chance meeting with a newly relocated Tahli on Kinship Day.

SFFOasis SPSFC 2022 SPSFC Winner Indie Recs Indie

A dying universe. When the Home worlds finally achieved the technology to venture out into the stars, they found a graveyard of dead civilizations, a sea of lifeless gray planets and their ruins. What befell them is unknown. All Home knows is that they are the last civilization left in the universe, and whatever came for the others will come for them next. A search for answers. Scout is an Archivist tasked with scouring the dead worlds of the cosmos for their last gifts: interesting technology, cultural rituals—anything left behind that might be useful to the Home worlds and their survival. During an excavation on a lifeless planet, Scout unearths something unbelievable: a surviving message from an alien who witnessed the world-ending entity thousands of years ago. A past unraveled. Blyreena was once a friend, a soul mate, and a respected leader of her people, the Stelhari. At the end of her world, she was the last one left. She survived to give one last message, one final hope to the future: instructions on how to save the universe. An adventure at the end of a trillion lifetimes. With the fate of everything at stake, Scout must overcome the dangers of the Stelhari’s ruined civilization while following Blyreena’s leads to collect its artifacts. If Scout can’t deliver these groundbreaking discoveries back to the Archivists, Home might not only be the last civilization to exist, but the last to finally fall.

Bang to Begin by Jethro Weyman

Reality is Relative. There is no such thing as universal truth. But lies are always lies. From auctions to assassinations, from cosmos to subconscious mind, the roots feeding into these short stories start fine, but thicken and tangle as they grow deeper. Follow these wayward souls through their darkest moments, each beginning with a bang and each trying desperately to avoid ending with the same. A metaphysical, visionary exploration of the human psyche and all that it means to be real - discussed via an anthology with a difference.

Fire Wave (Fire Wave #1) by Ana Stanojevic

Aiyana never expected that her life would change drastically. After having a near-death experience and her company being attacked, Aiyana is shocked to wonder who would attack the work place and for what purpose. She found out that some classified chemicals had been stolen from Ihode Labs but despite the warning from the Head of the Company, Aiyana pursues her curiosity even further. She soon learns that there is an evil brewing, nestled somewhere in Earth. Wanting to stop the threat, Aiyana never expected to do something that would be out of her league.

Cleansing Rain by Holly Ash

the Earthen Pioneer: Part 1 by N.R.B. Marcum

Earth is dying and the only way to save it is to eliminate its biggest threat. All Zoe Antos wanted was to make it home from work in time for date night with her fiancé Cole Wilborn, something her research had been preventing a lot recently. After managing to get out the door on time, all hope of making it home is lost when she is kidnapped by a man trying to steal files from her lab. Zoe is thrown into a world of conspiracy theories as her kidnappers reveal that they are trying to stop The Arrow Equilibrium, a powerful eco-terrorism group Zoe has never heard of, from going through with their plan to restore balance to the environment. It doesn’t sound too bad until she realizes the only way to have a shot at doing that would be to eliminate the human factor from the scales. Zoe almost starts to believe them, until it’s revealed that her kidnappers believe the Wilborn family is the behind The Arrows, something she knows can’t be true. Once rescued, Zoe starts to notice irregularities with her future father-in-law that makes her question if her kidnappers might have been right. Zoe must decide who to trust, her fiancé’s family or her kidnappers. Her life, and the fate of humanity, could depend on her making the right choice.

Veles by P. J. Marie

I was the land. I was the air. I was the sea. I was all of it – everywhere – and as I inhaled then let the tormented sorrow screech from my lungs, the world buckled and broke beneath my feet. I was burning alive… And the world would burn with me. A century after the Great Destruction that devastated civilization, Mizuki Altherr lives within a small village struggling to survive beneath the shadow of a great mountain. The Elders teach that it is home to Veles, god of the earth, who keeps them safe – but demands penance for humanity’s past indiscretions. It’s a Gifting year… The previous sacrifice tore Mizuki’s family apart and forever changed her world. Now she must face the terrible tradition again as her closest friend, Aiden, and his family are chosen to provide the next offering. In a desperate bid to end the cycle of violence and defy the Elders’ iron rule, Mizuki and Aiden set forth on a daring journey into the Wild – where together they discover a secret that shatters their understanding of the village and reveals the truth behind the horrors that left the world in ruin.

No Song, But Silence by Jonathan Nevair

"An ambitious and fitting end to the Wind Tide Trilogy, with the poignancy and intelligent writing that has now come to define this series." - Spells & Spaceships Can the secrets of a lost philosophy break the cycle of vengeance? A mysterious and reclusive superpower threatens to extend its reach, colonizing new star systems for Wind energy and spreading a corrupt political empire. The People's Army, once the hope for a new federation of allies in the Arm, has dwindled to a mere spectator in the fight for political control. Ailo's role in its revolutionary fervor is over. The esoteric philosophy of the legendary Cin Quinti is her only concern now. But when an unimaginable threat sends a political shock wave through the Arm she must weigh the cost of self-preservation, hiding in the shadows as civilization falls to despotism and tyranny.

Jati's Wager by Jonathan Nevair

"Philosophical, poetic, powerful. A worthy second stanza in the Wind Tide series." - Peter Hartog, Empire City series. A rogue street kid joins a warrior-philosopher to take down an empire... The back alleys of the remote moonbase, Tarkassi 9, are no place for a lone teenager. Ailo's wits and fists are her means of survival, but she wants nothing more than to flee into the wider world of the Sagittarius Arm. That's where Jati, the Patent War veteran and general fighting the Monopolies gives her a second chance. Ailo's rogue status is just what Jati's People's Army needs to drive the final spike of victory into a weakening Garissian Council. A team of experts assembles. Hope rests on Ailo's skill, stealth, and tenacity to pull off the impossible. But when an internal shadow rises, Ailo and Jati are forced to weigh the cost of revenge against honor and justice.

SPSFC 2023

What would you do, if Earth fell to invasion? For Omid, the question never seemed to come up. He was always too busy fighting, thieving, and causing mayhem to think on it; until the aliens that had taken Earth looked to take him too. Cast adrift and on the run, Omid finds himself swept far from the planet. There, in the world of aliens, he meets with an unexpected hope, and is soon the center of a mounting plan to free Earth of its captors, once and for all. But the world of the aliens, the world of Mooi, is not so simple as it seems, and while he enters into it with the intent of helping Earth, he soon finds that few things he sees and learns are as they appear. To get back to Earth, and to find a way to help his people, he will have to navigate a world intent on sucking him into its depths and entombing him there.

Quantum Curators and the Fabergé Egg by Eva St. John

Death or Glory – just another day in the office. When a priceless Fabergé egg comes to light everyone is after it. Neith Salah is a quantum curator. It's her mission to get the egg; she doesn’t know what it looks like, or where it is, but she knows it’s not on her earth. Julius Strathclyde lives on a parallel earth. He's a Cambridge professor and an archivist; he loves tea, research and a quiet life. It's a pity then, that he's the only person alive who knows where the egg is. She has guns and attitude, he has a fountain pen. Together they are going to have to race against time to save the egg, before a hidden enemy gets there first.

Pendulum Heroes by James Beamon

Melvin Morrow has become a barbarian warrior maiden. Will he be able to escape this new, dangerous world and the chainmail bikini he foolishly chose as his armor or will he and his friends be stuck living their lives as their game avatars? Melvin's a teenage boy not used to being ogled or the real world consequences of wearing a steel bikini. But the real world has shifted... him, his friends Jason and Rich, and his big brother Mike are stuck in character, in a place where danger doesn't lurk because it prefers to boldly stride out in the open. Mages import game players like Melvin via the Rift Pendulum. The reason: the work's suicidal and pendulum heroes are insanely powerful. Usually. Melvin and his friends can be, too, if they're in the right emotional state to trigger into character. Melvin's a one-man, uh, one warrior maiden army when he's angry but anger's hard to find with all that mortal danger striding around everywhere. The road back home's at the end of a suicidal quest. Melvin better find something to rage about... because being genre-savvy only gets you so far. Pendulum Heroes, James Beamon's debut novel, is an adrenaline fueled adventure for anyone who's spent a little too much time on the character creation screen instead of playing the game, those of us who have thought just how godmode we'd be with mage power, but mostly it's for all of us who have wondered who the heck installs a portal to another world in a wardrobe. Fans of Ernest Cline and Scott Meyer better be prepared to fall in love with a new series..

Bob’s Saucer Repair by Jerry Boyd

Ride along as Bob's life goes from ordinary to out of this world. Helping a stranger in need changes everything. Spend a little time on a fun romp with Bob and Nikki.

Powerful Purples (The Zadok Series book 3) by Nikki Minty

An explosive ceremony rocks Winter’s caves and those responsible must flee to the Drake village and start a new life. When Harlow is imprisoned by the Queen’s guards, Slater is forced to flee for his life and team up with Jax—the one man he detests more than any other. Together with courageous Zadonians from all four races, they devise a daring rescue mission to save Harlow from impending death. Nothing is what it seems, however, and Harlow finds herself being drawn into political intrigue that will change the landscape of Summer and Winter forever. Torn between Slater’s wants and needs, and her own—will Harlow stay to keep Slater happy or follow her heart and return with Jax?

Ruby Red (The Zadok Series book 2) by Nikki Minty

Alex has called it quits and stormed off, leaving Harlow alone and vulnerable in the danger zone with little chance of survival and a broken heart. Luckily Jax finds her and brings her back to the caves. However, little does she know she’s returning with multiple souvenirs. Standing out for all the wrong reasons has become Harlow’s specialty, and as the effects of her vertic switz tattoo set in and new issues are brought to light, she and her friends will find themselves in the line of fire with Rae and Electra. Despite Jax’s attempts to neutralise the colour system, the Winter caves have become a death trap for Harlow, and Summer’s castle is no place for a Zeek. Harlow’s only sanctuary might be Spring’s Drake village, but her former ties to a Vallon are sure to cause friction with some of the residents. Tough decisions will need to be made, but will she make the right ones?

Pastel Pink (The Zadok Series book 1) by Nikki Minty

From one ending comes a new beginning… Ruby was murdered on Earth eighteen years ago and reincarnated on Zadok as a Pastel Zeek named Harlow. To be born at the bottom of her race’s caste colour system to a middle-class family of Magentas has made Harlow a source of conflict amongst the ruling Purples, and a source of derision from all three colours. When Harlow is attacked by a fuegor on Zadok, the effects of its slow reacting venom triggers an unforeseen phenomenon, and due to the strong connection she had with her former twin sister Jade, her human spirit is unexpectedly drawn back to Earth. Now living a double life, she has plunged into a world of intrigue on both planets. On earth, she watches on in horror as Jade reconnects with Lucas, the man who murdered her and got away with it. And to complicate things further, she’s being pursued by Alex, the ghost of Lucas’ twin. On Zadok, she becomes embroiled with Jax, the son of the Commanding family. He’s determined to bring about change to the colony’s colour system, but it’ll come at a cost. As Harlow mixes with the political intrigue of the Zeeks, will she become a victim of those trying to rigidly maintain the status quo or will she usher in a revolution? And will ghost Ruby resist the temptation of the handsome Alex or pursue an impossible relationship that could have dire consequences on both planets?

This Wicked Darkness (A Portal World Holiday Anthology) by Laura Hazan, Jen Davenport, Melody Caraballo, Megan Van Dyke, K. J. Harrowick

Pick your portal to a holiday tale edged with danger: Murder Mystery at the Symphony Maestro Anna is the number one suspect in a murder case, but having a dangerous side doesn’t mean she killed the librarian. Now Anna must prove her innocence before she’s arrested and loses her prestigious role as Symphony Conductor. Dark Family Secrets Inside a Louisiana Coven The spring celebration of Imbolc seems the perfect opportunity for Lorna and her husband to celebrate the news of her pregnancy. First she must tell him her greatest regret—killing his brother. Train with Witches in the Bermuda Triangle Penny is training to be a Royal Guard in the Bermuda Triangle. Everything was going great until Liam came along to confess his feelings for her. A Surprise Attack on a Faery Court Aine’s Day should be a time for celebration with family. But when the Unseelie dark fae launch a surprise attack, Galen will have to forego the festivities and fight to protect the Court of the Forest and the woman he loves. Escape a Stolen Moon to Flee to the Stars Jàden’s on the run from Enforcers with only one shot to flee to the stars with the man she loves. But between the surface of the moon and starship Hàlon lies a predator on the hunt.

Tropical Punch (Bubbles in Space Book 1) by S.C. Jensen