stories in

Up Against Mooneye

Up Against Mooneye by Mikkel Høst

SPFBO7

A story inspired by myths, music and magic! Long ago, a mysterious and powerful spell shattered the world's tallest mountain, causing it to crumble over the Great Eastern Empire's capital. The wounded empire shunned sorcerers from that day onward. But the worst was yet to come for those who practised the mystical arts, for something had climbed down the mountain before it fell to pieces... An adventure for all ages! Desperate to make something of himself, a man named Saolan is one day given the opportunity to become a sorcerer’s apprentice, on the condition that he agrees to fight a despicable creature known as Mooneye. Join him as he journeys through an enchanted forest, a peaceful port town, an underwater kingdom and many ancient wonders left behind by the sorcerers of old.


Seasons of Albadone (The Eighth Chant Book 1)

Seasons of Albadone (The Eighth Chant Book 1) by Élan Marché and Christopher Warman

SPFBO7

Four seasons. Four stories. An aspiring enchantress searches for a way to lift a terrible curse. A drunken father makes a dangerous wish. A foreman tilts the balance between nature and progress. A mother travels with her dying child in search of a healer. Four paths merge. Four destinies intertwine.


Supernatural Drabbles of Dread

Supernatural Drabbles of Dread by Victory Witherkeigh

The unexplained and the unnatural. Things that go bump in the night, driving spikes of fear into our hearts that are all the sharper for being unknown. Supernatural Drabbles of Dread is a collection of bite-sized, supernatural horror stories from over thirty authors. These stories are horror and are not for the faint of heart.


Haven

Haven by Ceril N Domace

SPFBO7

Most people think the fae are gone. Most people are wrong. Owen Williams wakes after a horrific car accident to find his wife is dead—and somehow turned into a gryphon—and his kids gone after a home invasion turned horribly wrong. Shattered and reeling, he vows to do whatever it takes to find them. When a fae scout appears and promises to reunite him with his kids, he doesn’t hesitate before joining her. But she warns him that if he wants to protect his family, he must follow the fae to their city, the hidden haven of Tearmann. With enemies on the horizon, Owen needs to set aside his fears and take up arms to defend their new home alongside the people he’s always been taught were monsters—or he’ll lose everyone he’s trying to protect.


Dragon Tamer

Dragon Tamer by Ophelia Silk

Katla, idiot of idiots, last warrior of Lundr, should know better than to release a dragon. Sacrificing humans to keep the dragons away may be less bloody than war, but it’s repulsive and cowardly. Real warriors fight their enemies head on. And that’s exactly what Katla intends to do. Her plans go south when, instead of preventing the sacrifice, she frees a sleeping dragon and is kidnapped to his frozen castle. Between his speed and bestial form, escape would be hard enough. But the dragon is compassionate, too—and nothing slays a lonely warrior faster than a kindhearted grouch. Soon, Katla is trapped between raging factions of her own heart. Stopping the sacrifices will recommence an age-old war, one she and her peace-loving dragon would wage from opposing sides. Now that they have tamed each other, could they truly go back to being enemies? Icy curses, blood magic, and sassy banter collide as a heroic dumbass finds herself falling for a dragon shifter in this comedic and heartwarming romance.


Our Bloody Pearl

Our Bloody Pearl by D.N. Bryn

Kraken Collective

The ocean is uncontrollable and dangerous. But to the sirens who swim the warm island waters, it’s a home more than worth protecting from the humans and their steam-propelled ships. Between their hypnotic voices and the strength of their powerful tails, sirens have little to fear. That is, until the ruthless pirate captain, Kian, creates a device to cancel out their songs. Perle was the first siren captured, and while all since have either been sold or killed, Kian still keeps them prisoner. Though their song is muted and their tail paralyzed, Perle’s hope for escape rekindles as another pirating vessel seizes Kian’s ship. This new captain seems different, with his brilliant smile and his promises that Kian will never again be Perle’s master. But he’s still a human, and a captor in his own way. The compassion he and his rag-tag human family show can’t be sincere… or can it? Soon it becomes clear that Kian will hunt Perle relentlessly, taking down any siren in her path. As the tides turn, Perle must decide whether to run from Kian forever, or ride the forming wave into battle, hoping their newfound human companions will fight with them. This adult fantasy novel featuring an nonbinary disabled protagonist is a voyage of laughter and danger where friendships and love abound and sirens are sure to steal—or eat—your heart.


Who Built The Humans?

Who Built The Humans? by Phillip Carter

SPSFC 2023

Who Built The Humans? is a fragmented novel, a multiverse of 47 stories that combine into 11 interconnected universes. These universes range from soaring science fiction to searing satire, and pose increasingly strange answers to that ancient question, Who Built The Humans? Concepts and theories explored thoughtfully in one story will be relentlessly parodied in the next, and characters and objects will hop between universes to knit the multiverse together in unexpected ways. In this way WBTH is both a short story collection and a novel, and can be read in almost any order. No two stories from the same reality touch across the pages, meaning WBTH can be read front to back as a novel, or universe by universe if you become sucked into one particular reality. If this happens, helpful signs will lead you across time and space into the next story in that universe. This concept is pushed to its limits with the On-Series universe, a darkly satirical universe of poetic short stories that requires reader participation to decide the ridiculous fate of humanity. Will we be destroyed by shame machines, or remembered in the nightmares of some future cyborg? Within the book you will discover shapeshifting televangelists, talking crystals who hate anyone called Susan, the physical manifestation of your inner self, time travel (again), artificial afterlives, intelligent planets, bottleneck spacetimes, collapsing universes, poets that turn into black holes, black holes that turn into poets, shame machines that use those black holes for fuel, time travel, reincarnation cults, parallel universes, deceptive aliens, new Earths, old Earths, sarcastic living metaphors, robots who struggle to learn jokes, intersecting realities and the occasional probing. It's a ridiculous multiverse. You should visit it. (and visit Goodreads for the reviews)


Silence of the Song Trees

Silence of the Song Trees by Branwen OShea

Young Cerulean's carefree life as a Firth is shattered when a planet-wide disaster wipes out all of his kind except him. The song trees that once harmonized to maintain the ecological balance of their shared planet Lenglood are silenced by the tragedy. Grief-stricken, Cerulean struggles to survive and awaken the dormant trees. But when human colonists show up, he has more to lose--the planet of Lenglood itself.


The Calling

The Calling by Branwen OShea

Humanity’s wake-up call. Answer it or face extinction. When Bleu’s little sister shows symptoms of the deadly Sickness, a strange vision directs him to leave humanity’s subterranean haven and seek the cure on Earth’s glacial surface. Joining the expedition team, Bleu expects extreme temperatures, not a surface ruled by ingenious predators. Rana and her fellow star beings have co-existed with Earth’s top carnivores since the humans disappeared. But when her peers transform into Crowned Ones, the final stage of star being development, she fears remaining Uncrowned like her parents. To prove her worth, she undertakes a dangerous mission—contacting the hostile and nearly extinct humans. But Rana’s plan backfires, and Bleu’s team retaliates. As war with the more advanced star being civilization looms, both Rana and Bleu separately seek a way to save their people.


THE DINOSAUR FOUR

THE DINOSAUR FOUR by Geoff Jones

SPSFC

An R-Rated B-Movie Time-Travel Dinosaur Thriller Ten strangers trapped in time.... A ticking sound fills the air as Tim MacGregor enters The Daily Edition Café, hoping to meet his new girlfriend for coffee. Moments later, the café is transported 67 million years into the past, along with everyone inside. Time is running out as 10 unlikely companions search for a way home, while one member of the group plots to keep them all trapped in the past. Who will survive? Audiobook performed by award-winning narrator Nick Podehl


She's the One Who Gets in Fights

She's the One Who Gets in Fights by S. R. Cronin

Do you know what your problem is? Sulphur knows hers. This 13th-century woman has trained as a fighter all her life in hopes of joining the army. Then, within days, both of her older sisters announce plans and suddenly Sulphur is expected to find a man to marry instead. Is it her good fortune her homeland is gripped by fear of a pending invasion and the army now goes door to door encouraging recruits? Sulphur thinks it is. But once she’s forced to kill in a small skirmish, she’s ready to rethink her career decision. Too bad it’s too late. The invasion is coming, and Ilari needs every good soldier it has. Once Sulphur learns Ilari’s army has made the strategic decision to not defend certain parts of the realm, including the one where her family lives, she has to re-evaluate her loyalty. Is it with the military she’s always admired? Or is it with her sisters, who are hatching a plan to defend their homeland with magic? The problem with being a woman who fights for what’s right is that now, she has to figure out what is. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading.


She's the One Who Cares Too Much

She's the One Who Cares Too Much by S. R. Cronin

Do you know what your problem is? Coral knows hers. People have been telling this tenderhearted 13th-century woman for years. So when a heroic army officer proposes, she decides she’s stronger than people realize and her dreams have come true. Except, the perfect man turns out to be less than ideal. And she’s gotten pregnant. And her homeland is gripped with fear of a pending Mongol invasion and she cries about everything now that she’s with child. When a friend suggests the ever-caring Coral possesses a power well beyond what anyone imagines, Coral’s sister decides this formidable talent is what the realm needs. Can Coral raise a baby, placate an absent military husband who thinks he’s stopping the invasion, and help her sister save her homeland? This is just the sort of problem encountered by a woman who cares too much. The War Stories of the Seven Troublesome Sisters consists of seven short companion novels. Each tells the personal story and perspective of one of seven radically different sisters in the 1200s as they prepare for an invasion of their realm. While these historical fantasy/alternate history books can be enjoyed as stand-alone novels, together they tell the full story of how Ilari survived. Which sister do you think saved the realm? That will depend on whose story you are reading.


She's the One Who Thinks Too Much

She's the One Who Thinks Too Much by S. R. Cronin

Do you know what your problem is? Ryalgar knows hers. People have been telling this over-educated 13th-century woman for years. So when an equally intellectual prince decides he loves her, it looks like everyone was wrong and her dreams have come true. Except, this prince is obligated to marry another. He is leading the army training to defend their tiny realm against an expected Mongol invasion. And he is considering sacrificing Ryalgar’s home nichna by abandoning it’s rich farmlands to their foes. If only he wasn’t such a nice guy. Another woman would ….. Ryalgar has no idea what another would do. All she knows is she has a multitude of university intellectuals and a family of tough farmers behind her, and a newfound connection with the witches in the forest. Why not devise her own strategy to keep the invaders from destroying her home? Then she can figure out what to do about this problem prince. It’s just the sort of thing that happens when a woman thinks too much.


Torpor; Or, The Disquieted Vicissitudes of the Inchoate

Torpor; Or, The Disquieted Vicissitudes of the Inchoate by Jack CJ Stark

Each night whilst everyone else was praying for good health and fortune, Arwen prayed for change. It arrived on a dank winter night. A Ma Shen folk tale told to and via Jack CJ Stark.


Nephilim's Hex

Nephilim's Hex by Susana Imaginário

The Nephilim loom over Niflheim. Gods, Dharkan and mortals fight amongst themselves in their shadow. And Time is on no one's side. The gods are outmatched, their talents useless against the Nephilim's technology. Desperate, they turn on each other. New alliances form and fall apart, for there can be no peace when survival is at stake. Psyche, torn between a goddess's duty and a mortal's hate, sets off on her own to learn the truth behind her fate, unaware of the danger following her. Meanwhile, Chronos' own agenda involves a power so dangerous and unpredictable it's been long forsaken by both the gods and the Nephilim. Will it be worth the risk?


The Dharkan

The Dharkan by Susana Imaginário

The enemy is defeated. The gods strike a truce. And the Dharkan strike against the gods. Victory has cost both gods and mortals dearly. The veil between life and death in Niflheim is thinner than ever. Try as they might, the gods are powerless against the influence of Time, and their past mistakes threaten not only their future but their very existence. Now the fate of eternity rests in the unlikely alliance between the goddess of the soul and a soulless Dharkan, as they must work together to achieve peace between the living and the dead in Aegea. And although their goals may seem similar, the motivations behind them couldn’t be more at odds with each other. Meanwhile, a greater enemy approaches. Or maybe it’s already here...


Wyrd Gods

Wyrd Gods by Susana Imaginário

SPFBO6

The God of Time wants to destroy Eternity. A mysterious immortal seeks vengeance. And a reclusive deity does what no god should ever do: she answers a prayer. As punishment, she is stripped of her powers and trapped in a mortal's body. Now a Wyrd – a fated god – she is haunted by the memories and thoughts of her host and must hide her true identity in order to survive in Niflheim, the rival Norse Underworld. There she discovers the afterlife is not quite what it used to be. Niflheim's new ruler threatens the precarious balance of a world overrun with outcast deities and mortals alike. To save her own sanity and find her way back to the stars, she must help the other Wyrd overcome their grievances to defeat this enemy, but those who would be her allies appear to have motives as hidden as her fragmented consciousness. And yet it seems the greatest threat to her freedom comes from within, and the prize it seeks is her immortal soul...


A Feeling Like Home

A Feeling Like Home by Haleigh Wenger

Sword and Silk Books WriteHive Book Club Indie Recs Indie

Sixteen-year-old Paige Williams can’t stop self-sabotaging. Not when her dad gets sick, not when her relationship implodes, not even when her parents send her to another-freaking-state for the summer to live with her sister. Paige just wants to have fun, spray paint a few walls, and block out everything stressful, including her growing concern that she might be sick as well. To make things worse, her parents threaten her with boarding school in the fall if she can’t prove she’s changed her bad habits. Paige’s parents sign her up for a rebuilding project in Texas where her sister lives. Meanwhile, Paige reluctantly befriends her sister’s straight-laced teenage neighbor, Joey, who is a frequent guest. He’s so different from her, but Paige realizes that may not be a bad thing, especially since being around Joey curbs her urge to vandalize and ignore the rules. He even makes her forget about the debilitating stomach cramps she struggles to hide. Just as Paige begins to feel settled in Texas, her dad’s worsening Crohn’s disease brings her home to Seattle. When her own health fails her, she has the choice of staying at home and receiving care. Or, she could go back to Texas and prove for once and for all that she’s more than her mistakes and more than a disease. Torn between two worlds and two versions of herself, Paige must decide where, and with whom, she truly feels at home.


Achten Tan: Land of Dust and Bone

Achten Tan: Land of Dust and Bone by C. Vandyke

At the crossroads between Mieville’s New Crobuzon and M.T. Anderson’s Viriconium, on the border of Dhalgren and D&D, just to the left of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld and Mad Max’s Fury Road … lies Achten TanTales from the Year Between is a biannual anthology that brings together some of the most talented writers from around the globe to invent an original world from scratch, then explore that world through their writing. After a week of intensive world-building, each author sets out to expand their new, fabulous universe through short-stories, flash fiction, poems, songs, and whatever other genres their boundless imaginations unleash ... In this inaugural volume, the world in question is Achten Tan, an at times brutal and at times humorous city located at the foot of the Godtree on the southern edge of the Bonewastes. Home to giant ants, mysterious mirror fragments, and the world’s greatest barbecue rib joint, Achten Tan is bursting with stories of fantasy and wonder. One part Italo Calvino, one part Frank Herbert, with just a dash of George R.R. Martin and L. Frank BaumWarning. Achten Tan: Land of Dust & Bone is weird. Inside its pages are drama and humor; action and longing; violence, death, and love. It’s strange and beautiful, a living instance of the old aphorism regarding the whole being greater than the parts. Oh, and there are also giant ants and a city obsessed with barbecued ribs.There are poems and short stories, one-act plays and flash fiction, epistles and excerpts from academic texts, erotic tales and even recipes. It’s a wonderful, fabulous, bizarre, and exciting mix of fiction by Skullgate Media. (Contains contributions by the following authors: Gabrielle Awe, Jesse Nolan Bailey, Ian Barr, Darius Bearguard, Jonathan Beck, Kyle Beers, Dan Berison , Benjamin Blattberg, Elvira Canaveral, Gregory Coley, Darby Cupid, Chris “Terry” Durston, Diana C Gagliardi, Erin Rae Hoffer, Sarah Houck, Debbie Iancu-Haddad, Roger Kristian Jones, Vincent LaBate, Allison Moore, Iseult Murphy, Chapel Orahamm, S.L.Parker, Sarah Remy, Rosalind Dando, CD Storiz, Imelda Taylor, Chris Vandyke, Kelly Washington, and Paul Worthington. Maps by Aaron Hockett)


The Kavordian Library Omnibus (Fyskar, Subject 15, Polaris Skies, Subgalaxia)

The Kavordian Library Omnibus (Fyskar, Subject 15, Polaris Skies, Subgalaxia) by Chapel Orahamm

Collects Fyskar, Subject 15, Polaris Skies, and Subgalaxia. Content Warning-18+, not suitable for young people-Depictions and mention of sex, blood, gore, violence, abuse, suicide, rape, death, homophobia, racism, sexism, drowning, PTSD, psychological trauma, war, language, loss of pregnancy


Each Little Universe

Each Little Universe by Chris Durston

If Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett had written an earnestly nerdy story in a setting running on the ridiculous logic of Scott Pilgrim, it might have come out something like this. For two oddball inventors, taking care of an unexpected new arrival - a girl from the stars - is hard enough. Dealing with the things that want her back may turn out to be harder. A story about love in all its forms (but not a love story), Each Little Universe wonders with wit and insight about what it means to be human in a vast, peculiar cosmos. A celebration of all that is wonderful and strange about people, each member of its cast of twenty-first century weirdos is both larger than life and peculiarly familiar. Fans of Neil Gaiman (Neverwhere, American Gods), Bryan Lee O'Malley (Scott Pilgrim, Seconds), and Haruki Murakami (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Killing Commendatore) will love this story, set in a world very much like our own but a little more strange, and the unusual take it offers on life, the human experience, and cats.


The Murder Next Door

The Murder Next Door by Sarah Bell

July 1912 Leeds, England. A man is found dead on his study floor and his now-missing wife is the obvious suspect. To their neighbour, Louisa Knight, it's a shocking piece of news but nothing more. However, when she tells her 'companion' over breakfast, Ada Chapman nearly breaks their teapot and looks ready to run out the door. For Ada watched Mrs Pearce leave from the window of her painting studio. A moment's glance of a fearful face brings back old memories and gives her doubts. As far as the more pragmatic Louisa is concerned, Ada's determination to investigate is bound to lead them into trouble. Again. Yet Louisa's curiosity cannot be denied, and as the pair delve deeper into their neighbour's life what they uncover only clouds the issue further. The question soon becomes not just 'Who killed Mr Pearce?' but also 'Does that person deserve to hang for it?' Even if the couple can find the guilty party, will they be able to agree what should become of them?


Double-Crossing the Bridge

Double-Crossing the Bridge by Sarah J Sover

“Sover’s ability to gross out readers is nothing short of gleeful…Comedy-fantasy fans with strong stomachs will enjoy this book.” – Kirkus Reviews Rent in New Metta is through the cavern ceiling. When Granu barely survives her first gig teaching students who attempt to fillet her for lunch, the baby-eating troll ends up unemployed and facing eviction. Granu's only prospect for income is grueling work in the tar pits. That is, until her playboy best friend devises a perfect, if suicidal, scheme—a heist! The Covered Bridge, the largest source of income for the city, has New Metta well under hoof. In a week, TCB Corporation pulls in enough cash to buy a small country. It's the ideal target, but security is top-notch. Granu needs three things to survive this heist: a crew of specialists, impenetrable sun protection, and gallons of grog. There’s just one thing Granu doesn’t plan for—those damn meddling billy goats.


More Time: A Brief Anthology of Indie Author Short Fiction

More Time: A Brief Anthology of Indie Author Short Fiction by R. Tim Morris (editor)

We might have made better decisions if we'd only had more time. Maybe more time would have been all we needed to love them right. More time could have fixed our mistakes. More time might have only made things worse. More time could have meant a bigger love, but eventually, it might have proven to be a lesser one. And even when the measure of time itself is altogether powerless, love will inevitably find us and leave us in so many more ways. In this short fiction anthology, a global collection of rising talents explore the connection between love and time. Their stories will take us from cancer wards to small town bakeries. From retirement communities, to parkade rooftops, to paranormal phone booths. Love will bloom beneath meteor showers, endure through the magic of mythical creatures, and elude us within the veils of memory. These twelve tales touch on the supernatural, the psychological, and secrets just beneath the surface, teasing our vulnerabilities. Eventually, love may end up being defined by nothing more than a pair of men's slippers, a pilfered hoodie, or a body on the sidewalk. And in all of these stories, one question could be asked: What if we had More Time? Featuring stories by Eloise Archer, Ioanna Arka, Emma Deshpande, Zev Good, R.Tim Morris, Natalie Pinter, Justine Rosenberg, Chet Sandberg, Abby Simpson, Isana Skeete, Lior Torenberg, and Perry Wolfecastle.


To Be Honest

To Be Honest by R. Tim Morris

Chester K. Eddy isn't completely honest. But he's trying to be. When the struggling New York stage actor decides being totally open and honest is exactly the change he needs in his life, Chester doesn't expect being so obnoxiously transparent will only make things worse. After his brother kicks him out, his favorite bar cuts him off, and his best pal Melissa tells him she needs a break from their friends-with-benefits relationship, Chester quickly has few people left who still want to listen to him and his self-professed Honesty Movement. Along his way to newfound self-discovery, Chester will finagle his way into the tenuous role of Director's Assistant for a small-time theatre's production of an unknown play; he'll accidentally attend Sex Addicts Anonymous meetings; he'll find himself in the company of suspected serial killers; he'll drink a bit too much. And he might even have an eye-opening encounter with a talking dinosaur. But there's one truth Chester realizes he hasn't been capable of admitting: he's in love with Melissa. And he can't be completely honest until he's ready to tell her as much.


The Inevitable Fall of Tommy Mueller

The Inevitable Fall of Tommy Mueller by R. Tim Morris

The four of them walked slowly towards the Canal Street Station. Tommy in his bulky Empire State Building costume; Kate in mint green hospital scrubs; Jesse disguised as a superhero; and Patrick dressed as a frog. It was Halloween night, and Tommy made note of all the other ghosts, spirits and specters drifting around them. He didn't feel all that different from any of them at that moment, haunting a world they were only temporarily part of. But what brought the four together in this place at this moment? THE INEVITABLE FALL OF TOMMY MUELLER tells the story of four friends - Tommy, Kate, Jesse and Patrick - and how New York City has watched closely as each of them hit their lowest points. KATE PRINCE had dreams of being a writer and living a life free of regrets. But she's been stuck for years in a dead-end editing job and married to a man she's never loved. JESSE CLASSEN aspired to be an artist with the hopes of one day meeting the girl of his dreams. Instead, he found himself lost, falling into an affair with an older woman and floating directionless through the miserable world of comic book retail. PATRICK KOHN thought he was making the right decision when he left New York to marry an old girlfriend. But now his wife has died, and Patrick must raise a son he's never been comfortable around while facing the reality of returning to the city and the friends he once left behind. And yet, whether by fate or simply good fortune, TOMMY MUELLER has managed to build the perfect life for himself. Since he was a child he had always dreamed of living in New York City and he did so upon graduating from high school. He became a published author and stumbled upon the perfect apartment in Morningside Heights. He met Rachel, his long-time girlfriend, during the catastrophe of September Eleventh. Tommy Mueller's life is exactly as he planned it. But the great city awaits the falling of all its inhabitants, because the fall is inevitable.


Molt

Molt by R. Tim Morris

Isabelle Donhelle is a professor of ornithology at the prestigious Hawthorne University in Boston. It's Isabelle's twenty-ninth birthday, and after escaping from a party she never wanted to be a part of, she has come to the conclusion that her life so far has lacked any significant, meaningful change. But following a chance encounter, Isabelle falls for a struggling student of hers. But things are not always what they seem, and this newfound relationship is much more than Isabelle wanted to believe it was. Now she must realize that change, whether desired or not, is always more complicated after the fact.


This Never Happened

This Never Happened by R. Tim Morris

Cepik Small doesn't belong here. Around Coney Island, he's known as "Epic" but his life could not be less so. And no matter how hard he tries, he can't shake the feeling that he was born in the wrong place, at the wrong time. The cocktail of drugs he takes daily doesn't help and the face-blindness from which he suffers only adds to his feeling of isolation. In his dreams, Epic lives in the countryside with the girl he loves. In his dreams, Epic is the cherished son of proud and ever-present parents. In his dreams, Epic is everything he was meant to be. But nobody ever lives their dreams, do they? Just as he begins seeing a new and unorthodox therapist, Epic also meets the bold and blithe Abigail Ayr. And when a novel found on the subway begins to strangely mirror events in his own life, the mysteries of Epic Small's dreams quickly and uncontrollably begin to unravel.


Privilege: A Trilogy

Privilege: A Trilogy by Bharat Krishnan

SPFBO7 WriteHive Book Club

In this epic saga about privilege and power, Rakshan Baliga will have to choose between the American Dream… and his own. New York’s drug problem is Rakshan's solution. Getting his hands on a super drug called WP could earn him glory, power, and a chance to win back his ex. But stealing it from the Top 1% is costly, and if Rakshan isn’t careful he’ll pay with his life. Discover how Rakshan’s journey sets off a chain of events that changes his city, his country… and the world. This OwnVoices political thriller is perfect for fans of Ocean’s 11 and House of Cards.


The Rest of Forever

The Rest of Forever by Mandy Lawson

As wedding day approaches, so does Lora Kate's looming court date to bring her attacker to justice. Her life is flung into chaos when she sees a blast from the past, lands a cover on a major fashion magazine, and has an unexpected duet. Is she juggling too much? Can Sam handle his new wife's busy, frantic lifestyle? And most importantly, are either of them prepared for a new addition to the family?


Just a Little Frosting

Just a Little Frosting by Mandy Lawson

Newly engaged Lora Kate is over-the-moon happy. She is the boss of a major party planning company, and her fiance, Sam, is the sweetest man alive. And Garrett Smith, her new assistant, is amazing. He makes wonderful coffee, is completely organized, and keeps her day running smoothly - a professional in every sense of the word. However, he's gorgeous and has a crush on her. Besides doing the little extra for the job, he walks her to her car and brings her donuts. He seems to just know what she needs. Sam doesn't like the perfect assistant at all and jealousy begins to seep in. And that begins to drive a wedge between the happy couple. Can Lora Kate and Sam survive the holidays, wedding planning, and a New York fashion show? A fashion show where L.K. goes with her assistant and without Sam? Or will Garrett make his way into L.K.'s heart?


From New York to L.A.

From New York to L.A. by Mandy Lawson

Fall in love with best friend Check! Move to Los Angeles Check! Be an amazing Boss Babe Check! Commit to amazing boyfriend Uh...not yet Lora Kate London is starting a new job as the boss of Madden Party Company. Her best friend and boyfriend, Sam Bridges, is going to be her new assistant. With her boyfriend trying to get her to commit and her new employees being scared of her, L.K. is feeling the pressure, but all things can be made right with cake, coffee, and a good party. Los Angeles is where all of the celebrities live and L.K. is ready to plan. They take trips to the beach, attend fashion week, make a couple of ER trips, and tumble their way into the holidays. Sam's ready to propose, but L.K. isn't ready for that yet. Will he put a ring on it or will L.K. end up heartbroken again?


Party Central

Party Central by Mandy Lawson

Lora Kate London has had a string of meaningless jobs and she's finally ready to make something of herself. Her roommate kind of bailed on her and she may have to give her coffee maker a funeral. But there's one person she can always count on, her best friend Sam Bridges. They've been friends for five years and she's his number one. L.K. lands a job as a party planner with a boss that is so hot he makes her melt right into her Jimmy Choos, but Sam doesn't trust him. At her first party, she ends up forgetting the cake and accidentally flashes the caterer! Luckily, her boss, Ben Sparks, thinks she's adorable. He buys her presents and gives amazing kisses, but things get a little dicey when Sam starts dating her new roommate. She might be a little jealous, but she shouldn't be. She has a hot boyfriend and Sam's just her best friend. Right? Who will capture L.K.'s heart? Bestie? Or Boss Man?


Ethereal Secrets: Shadows of Otherside Book 3

Ethereal Secrets: Shadows of Otherside Book 3 by Whitney Hill

Arden Finch's conflict with her former guardian reaches the breaking point. As Arden's power grows, Callista works to twist the alliance away from her once more. To secure her ties with Otherside, Arden must outmaneuver both enemies and allies in a race against time. Between that and complications with the upcoming Reveal, a high-pressure case is exactly what Arden doesn't need. But the goddess Artemis has a task, one that will push Arden to her limits and force her to question everything. And as the Wild Hunt draws closer, she finds herself on a collision course with her past—and her future.


Untouched

Untouched by Jayme Bean

Dr. Julia Morrow and her graduate students, David and Marisol, embark on a research trip to explore a remote section of the Amazon rainforest. When their trails seem to change direction at will and they find themselves lost and without communication, the trio worry they may be in for more than just the latest scientific discovery. Banding together, they’re left deciding which is more important - finding out how to escape the unexpected horrors lurking within the rainforest or getting back home in one piece. The deeper they travel into the jungle, the more they realize that some places are meant to remain untouched.


The Tribulations of August Barton

The Tribulations of August Barton by Jennifer LeBlanc

August Barton could never have mentally prepared himself for his freshman year of college: not only has his anxiety increased, but his parents are divorcing, his new roommate thinks Augie is the biggest nerd in existence, and his grandma, a retired prostitute named Gertie, has taken to running away from her nursing home. Augie just wants to hole up in his dorm room with his Star Wars collectables and textbooks, but Gertie is not about to let that happen. What ensues is a crazy ride including naked trespassing, befriending a local biker gang, and maybe-just maybe-with Augie defeating his anxiety and actually getting the girl.


Never Say Never

Never Say Never by Justine Manzano

Sword and Silk Books Indie Recs Indie Teacup Dragon Coop WriteHive Book Club

After she walks in on her mom doing the horizontal mambo with a man that's decidedly not her dad, Brynn Stark swears to NEVER fall in love. One of her friends--Val-- reveals her true identity--Aphrodite, goddess of love, and promises to show Brynn why she shouldn't lose faith. But when Brynn realizes she's beginning to fall for Adam, Aphrodite's boyfriend, Brynn's forced to decide if she'll choose her goddess-given fate, or risk it all for the wrong-but-right guy. One thing's for sure. Love sucks. And it's all about to blow up in their faces.


Damned Souls and a Sangria (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 8)

Damned Souls and a Sangria (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 8) by Annette Marie

Once upon a time, I was your average spunky redhead with the lamest employment history ever, a shaky relationship with my only family member, and no idea what I was doing with my life. Now, I'm a pseudo mythic with the best bartending job in the world, the most amazing (and hot) best friends I never knew I needed, and a guild of misfit magic-users who've become my extended family. And I'm about to lose it all. In my desperation to save Ezra, I stumbled into a web of ruthless deception--and seriously pissed off a sleeping hydra. Now its every murderous head is turned toward me and my guild, and I don't know how to stop it. I'm not sure I can. I'm not sure anyone can. But if I don't, we're all doomed--Ezra, Aaron, Kai, and my beloved guild.


Lost Talismans and a Tequila (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 7)

Lost Talismans and a Tequila (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 7) by Annette Marie

You know that squirmy sensation in your gut when you have no idea what you're doing and you're about to screw everything up? Yeah, that feeling. I thought I was a good judge of character, but recent events proved me very wrong. Now, in a brilliant demonstration of my newfound caution, I'm putting all my faith in a demon—a demon who's tried to kill me before. The squirmy feeling is making sense, right? Unfortunately, I don't have any other options. Ezra's time is almost up, which means I need answers and I need them fast. So it's time to toughen up, pack my gear, and find me one of the most illegal, reviled, and scarce mythics out there: a demon-mage summoner. And all I have to do is follow a demon's instructions on where to look. How could that go wrong?


Druid Vices and a Vodka (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 6)

Druid Vices and a Vodka (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 6) by Annette Marie

I've said it before, but sometimes I'm a bad person. I cheated on my twelfth grade math final, I've run countless yellow lights, and I gossip about how hot my kickass best friends are. (Good thing my job as a guild bartender doesn't require moral perfection.) But there's bad, and then there's bad. And I'm not sure which applies to a certain dark druid/wanted criminal/reluctant friend of mine. His transgressions include black-magic dealings, kidnapping, and murder, and he's about to add "revenge-fueled killing spree" to his resume—if I don't stop him. Should I stop him? He and his nemesis are gearing up to tear each other apart, rogues and vultures are converging with their sights on the spoils, and the guilds that would normally stomp them into the ground are under attack. We're on the verge of an all-out criminal turf war, and my time to decide is almost up. Who's the real bad guy ... and do I dare stand in his way?


The Alchemist and an Amaretto (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 5)

The Alchemist and an Amaretto (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 5) by Annette Marie

As a guild bartender, I can handle pretty much anything--mages, sorcerers, witches, the occasional demon. But show me anything family-related and I'd rather run for the hills. It doesn't even have to be my family. So I have no idea why I thought spending the holidays with Aaron's mom and pop was a good idea. Meeting his famous parents is already terrifying enough, but I've got a bigger problem. Students of his family's renowned mage academy are being attacked on the grounds--and somehow no one has seen a single assailant? Unexplained tracks litter the nearby woods, rumors of forbidden alchemy are circulating the campus...and Ezra has been acting strangely since we arrived. Something deadly is brewing in the shadow of Sinclair Academy, and the longer we take to uncover it, the more dangerous it becomes. But no matter the risk, we'll protect the students. And Aaron's parents too, I suppose. If we have to.


Demon Magic and a Martini (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 4)

Demon Magic and a Martini (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 4) by Annette Marie

When I first landed a bartending job at the local guild, I didn't know a thing about magic. These days, I'm practically an expert on the different magical classes, but there's one nobody ever talks about: Demonica. Turns out they have a good reason for that. My guild is strictly hellion-free, but some people will risk life and soul to control the biggest bullies on the mythic playground. And now a demon has been loosed in the city. My three best friends are determined to slay it, but even badass combat mages are critically out-magicked. And that's not all. The monster they're tracking--it's not hiding. It's not fleeing. It's not leaving a trail of corpses everywhere it goes. The demon is hunting too. And in a city full of mythics, it's searching for deadlier prey. If we can't unravel the demon's sinister motivations, more innocent people will die, but finding the answers means digging into dark secrets...and learning truths I never wanted to know. -- Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn't a reverse harem. It's 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.


Two Witches and a Whiskey (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 3)

Two Witches and a Whiskey (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 3) by Annette Marie

Three months ago, I landed a job as a bartender. But not at a bar--at a guild. Yeah, the magic kind. I'm not a badass mage like my three smokin' hot best friends. I'm not a sorcerer or an alchemist, or even a wussy witch. I'm just a human, slinging drinks like a pro and keeping my non-magical nose out of mythic business. Seriously, I know my limits. So why am I currently standing in a black-magic ritual circle across from a fae lord? Somewhere behind me, my three mage friends are battling for their lives. Somewhere near my feet is the rogue witch I just knocked out with a stolen spell. And I have about five seconds to convince this very angry sea god not to shmoosh me like a bug. I'm pretty sure this wasn't in the job description. -- Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn't a reverse harem. It's 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.


Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 2)

Dark Arts and a Daiquiri (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 2) by Annette Marie

When I found myself facing down the scariest black-magic felon in the city, practically daring him to abduct me, I had to wonder exactly how I ended up here. It all started when I accidentally landed a job as a bartender--but not at a bar. At a guild, populated by mages, sorcerers, alchemists, witches, and psychics. Good thing this lame-o human is adaptable, right? Then my favorite guild members--three sexy, powerful, and intermittently charming mages--asked for my help. Did they want access to my encyclopedic knowledge of cocktails? Oh no. They wanted to wrap me up in a pretty ribbon and plunk me in the crosshairs of a murderous rogue to lure him out of hiding. So that's what we did. And that's why I'm here. About to be kidnapped. Oh, and our grand plan for safely capturing said murderous rogue? Yeah, that completely fell apart about two minutes ago. Why did I agree to this again? -- Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn't a reverse harem. It's 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy.


Three Mages and a Margarita (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 1)

Three Mages and a Margarita (The Guild Codex: Spellbound Book 1) by Annette Marie

Broke, almost homeless, and recently fired. Those are my official reasons for answering a wanted ad for a skeevy-looking bartender gig. It went downhill the moment they asked for a trial shift instead of an interview—to see if I'd mesh with their "special" clientele. I think that part went great. Their customers were complete jerks, and I was an asshole right back. That's the definition of fitting in, right? I expected to get thrown out on my ass. Instead, they ... offered me the job? It turns out this place isn't a bar. It's a guild. And the three cocky guys I drenched with a margarita during my trial? Yeah, they were mages. Either I'm exactly the kind of takes-no-shit bartender this guild needs, or there's a good reason no one else wants to work here. So what's a broke girl to do? Take the job, of course—with a pay raise. -- Note: The three mages are definitely sexy, but this series isn't a reverse harem. It's 100% fun, sassy, fast-paced urban fantasy. Tori has no problem getting herself into trouble in every book in the Guild Codex series, but each one is a complete adventure.


A Letter to Claudia

A Letter to Claudia by Barbara Avon

A month after Luke changes the course of his life, he is overtaken by an intense desire to win back the very thing he lost. The ultimate sacrifice has caused him immense pain, but by employing the haunted Remington Typewriter, he sets out to change the future once more - as everything he types, comes true. Set in October 1972, and in the tradition of Twilight Zone, follow Luke as he attempts to win back the love of his life. "A Letter to Claudia" is the sequel to "Qwerty" - a book that readers have called "haunting, visceral, raw, and beautiful."


Pursuing Liam

Pursuing Liam by Lisa Lanay

Find out if Taryn and Liam can go from friends-to-lovers-to-forever in this funny, light-hearted, contemporary romance that will melt your heart. At thirty-four years old, veterinarian Taryn Williams wants a baby. After a failed attempt to adopt, she believes her chances for a family are dismal. But that all changes when Liam McGregor, hunky Chicago Fireman and part-time mural artist, offers her the opportunity to fulfill her dreams. Taryn believes their agreement perfect, until she realizes that she wants Liam as more than her baby daddy; she wants him too! There’s no turning back for Taryn by the time she accepts that marriage and a family are not on Liam’s radar, but can she convince him otherwise? Invicta Libertas, Latin for Invincible Freedom. It’s the code Liam has lived by since graduating college and he has the tattoo to prove it. He does his own thing, and knows what he wants…until he offers to help his gorgeous friend-with-benefits, Taryn Williams, and his world is turned upside down. He agrees to a no-strings attached arrangement because he believes anything else would threaten his freedom and his dream of becoming a full-time artist. Soon, Liam finds himself questioning his decisions because his heart has determined that is has plans of its own, including love for Taryn and their baby, something he can no longer deny and isn’t sure he wants to.


Lesser Known Monsters

Lesser Known Monsters by Rory Michaelson

Being the chosen one isn’t always a good thing. Oscar Tundale is useless, or at least that's what he's always thought. He and his friends are about to discover that not only are monsters real, but some of them are very interested in Oscar. Now, they must find out what the monsters want, before something terrible happens to London; or worse yet, the world. Lesser Known Monsters is an own voices queer dark fantasy featuring diverse characters on a found family adventure. Perfect for fans of action and paranormal romance seeking LGBTQ+ heroes. This is the first book in the Lesser Known Monsters series.


Get Ted Dead

Get Ted Dead by Ross Young

Teddington Rex is living his best life, star of the daily chat show and darling of the social elite. There's just one problem, his life is the only one there is... everyone else here is dead. Augustan Blunt has been fired and humiliated in front of the whole city, but a mysterious stranger has a job for him. All Blunt has to do is find someone living in the afterlife. It's an impossible task, but he's got nothing better to do, and it isn't as if anyone else is going to employ him. The Grim Reaper isn't feeling himself. He isn't feeling anyone else either, but he's never been accused of being 'handsy'. Something is wrong in the city of Gloomwood. The dead are coming to life, toys are causing problems, and an old friend has turned up in town. Whatever happens everyone seems to have the same goal. Get Ted Dead.


Dead Heads

Dead Heads by Ross Young

Augustan Blunt is a washed out cop with a bad attitude, a drinking problem and a troubled past, oh, he's also dead but that's okay so is everyone else. Other than that things are just peachy. Someone has stolen the Grim Reaper's head and Blunt has been told to find it. In a new city where the rules of the living don't apply Blunt's up to his neck in the brown stuff and he's never been much of a swimmer. With the aid of a woman who keeps turning involuntarily invisible, a journalist who hasn't written an article since she died, and a bureaucrat who can't say no to anyone, Blunt's got to stop whoever is stealing the heads of the city's elite. As he begins his investigations he finds things aren't all they seem. Who are the Gloomwood Youth Order? What do you call the murder of someone already dead? Why are people having their heads chopped off? And what is in the hot dogs? With time slipping away he needs to learn what makes the city tick before there's no city left.


© 2025 Hakea Media | Terms | Privacy