The Galactic Zookeeper's Guide to Heists and Husbandry by A.C. Huntley

SPSFC 2023

For eight years, Saffron Savage has been stuck on a dilapidated zoo-planet on the outskirts of the galaxy. Her mountains of overdue student loans make it impossible to afford the cost of leaving, and her sleazy coworkers force her to work demoralizing jobs on a daily basis. Desperate to escape, she hatches a scheme that might just be crazy enough to work: steal the zoo’s rare, two-headed llama and sell it to the highest bidder. When the poorly planned theft lands Saffron and her stolen companion as unwitting stowaways on an outbound ship, she must pose as an animal rights activist on a mission to return the animal to its home planet. To her surprise, the ride comes with some perks – an instant chemistry with Captain Michael Reyes and burgeoning friendships with the ship’s motley, animal-loving crew. Other than the lie that’s snowballing out of control, Saffron finds herself settling into this quirky, ship-bound life. If only the buyer wasn’t the most notorious, cut-throat mob boss in the galaxy. Or there wasn’t a warrant out for her arrest. The Galactic Zookeeper’s Guide to Heists and Husbandry is a fast-paced space romp about second chances, rediscovering purpose, and finding family in unexpected places.

Adult • Science Fiction/Comic and Light SF