Latest stories in - Indie Story Geek

Winner of a OneBookTwo Standout Award and Semi-finalist in Hugh Howey's inaugural SPSFC From the moment you are born, you are conditioned to know this truth: Unorthodoxy is wrong action, Heterodoxy is wrong thought. The first will lead to your Detention. The second to your Execution. A century from now, the walled city-state of a future Paris is enjoying its Golden Age. The horrors of the Singularity forgotten, citizens revel in an intoxicating mix of abandon and apathy made possible by the Orthodoxy—a new world order where everything is engineered for maximum efficiency, including identities. Dividing the population into four neuro-social classes has allowed the government to maintain control and ensure its citizens exist in complete equality, fraternity, and liberty. But, not everyone is satisfied with the status quo. Anaiya, a Peacekeeper aligned to the single-minded Fire class, has dedicated her life to enforcing the rules. Unlike other citizens, she has extra motivation to prove herself loyal: she’s still tarnished by the legacy of her Heterodox mentor, the infamous Kane 148. So, when forbidden murals start appearing on crumbling walls calling for citizens to rebel, Anaiya will do anything to bring down the growing resistance movement—even if it means sacrificing her identity. Realigned from her proud Fire identity to an irrational and unpredictable Air, Anaiya goes deep undercover in search of the growing rebellion. But, with her dual nature pulling her in opposite directions and her mind fracturing under the pressure, her convictions waver and her hold on the truth starts to slip. As the city descends into chaos, Anaiya is left with a fatal choice: stay loyal to her mission, or risk it all for her new identity and the resistance that has shown her a different truth. Utopia comes at a cost. Not everyone is willing to pay the pay the price. Resistance is the award-winning first book in the dark and subversive dystopian trilogy, Divided Elements. Perfect for fans of Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, Pierce Brown’s Red Rising, and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451, this stunning debut explores themes of loyalty, identity, betrayal, and resistance against the carnival atmosphere of a dystopian Paris. If you’re ready to graduate from YA dystopian classics like Divergent and The Gender Game, or are looking for a contemporary tale in the classic style of Zamaytin’s We or Orwell’s 1984, you’ll love Kopievsky’s Resistance. Buy now to start reading this addictive dystopian novel today.

Before the Sun Hits by Arthur Swan

When an unrelenting universe threatens to end Earth in an instant, one man could make a difference . . . In a small North Carolina college town, a disillusioned math professor, Drew Bauer, discovers the sun is dying. His abandoned research could hold the key to survival, but he needs more information, and he needs help against the growing conspiracy to stop him. Trenton Smith, a sadistic billionaire who plans to sacrifice Earth for his own survival, attempts to isolate and control Drew. But Drew escapes with his engineer pal, Joe Sandusk. They plunge into a dangerous cross-country trip to a secret NASA facility where Drew falls for a scientist, Liza Maddox, whose uncertain loyalty could sabotage all their efforts. Almost out of time—and with Smith’s forces closing in—Drew, Liza, and Joe race down the California coast to save the world.

Seattle Quake 9.2 by Marti Talbott

Lies the Guardians Tell by Herman Steuernagel

They knew it could happen - scientists had been warning them for years. Yet, nearly two million people living in the greater Seattle area went about their daily lives as usual. A Detective Agency thought they had found a missing woman, an upstart radio station was on the air, and an eccentric banker had just started a round of golf. Thousands were driving on freeways, shopping in malls, awaiting flights, working in downtown high-rises, and on buses in the bus tunnel. They knew -- they just didn't believe it could happen to them.

The Guardians have lied to humanity for centuries . . . Now she’ll be forced to uncover the truth. **With a well-paced storyline and thrilling action scenes, this story will keep readers on their toes. -- Reedsy Discovery** Sierra Runar calls the Sphere her home, where the Guardians claim to protect humanity from the toxic world outside. But when Sierra discovers the framework of their perfect society might be built on a lie, she begins to ask dangerous questions and is unprepared for the chain of events she triggers, including the murder of her best friend. Plunged into a deadly hunt for forbidden secrets, she stumbles into a world that shouldn’t exist. On top of everything else, she discovers she can somehow bring malfunctioning technology to life, making her a valuable commodity in an unscrupulous world, but also humanity’s potential savior. Not knowing who she can trust, Sierra must decide who is friend and who is foe, and must choose between the fate of the world and the lives of those closest to her. Can Sierra discover the secrets of the past before it’s too late? Lies The Guardians Tell is the explosive first book in the Lies of the Guardians series. If you like bold heroines, captivating dystopias, and epic adventures, then you’ll love Herman Steuernagel’s pulse-pounding story. Tap "Buy Now" to join Sierra on her adventure today.

Derelict by LJ Cohen

SPSFC 2022

When Rosalen Maldonado tinkers with the derelict freighter, she's just hoping to prove she deserves a scholarship to University. She certainly doesn't count on waking the ship's damaged AI or having three stowaways, Micah Rotherwood and brothers Jem and Barre Durbin, along for the ride. They all have their private reasons for hiding aboard and lives they are seeking to escape, but if the accidental crew can't work together and learn to trust each other, they'll die together, victims of a computer that doesn't realize the war ended decades before any of them were even born.

Shadows of Mars by I.O. Adler

The message from Carmen Vincent’s mother wasn’t possible. She died in the Mars base disaster two years ago. But when government agents show up at Carmen’s door, she realizes the message is no hoax. Someone is still trying to cover up the disaster and the reason why Earth abandoned its space program. It’s a race to discover the truth of what happened on Mars before Carmen loses her mother for a second time. I.O. Adler’s relentlessly entertaining space opera adventure channels the excitement of The Expanse and the Mass Effect games.

Earth Warden by Tony James Slater

The Wardens are our planet's last line of defence. Powerful warriors, they stand firm against every threat humanity faces. It’s more than just a career – it’s a sacred calling… But it comes with a very short life expectancy. Lord Kreon, Warden of the First Circle, has a problem. He’s been forced to kill another apprentice, and he’s rapidly running out of candidates. In fact, there is precisely one left… Raised on modern-day Earth, Tristan knows nothing of the wider galaxy. He’s been fighting just to survive, ever since the day his dad left for work – and never came home. He’s always believed that there was more to life. That he could make a difference. He’s about to discover that what you don’t know can not only hurt you, it can tear your world apart! Forcibly abducted, he has no choice but to join the hand-picked warriors of Lord Kreon’s team: Kyra, a rainbow-haired mercenary with a tongue as sharp as her swords; Blas, a gigantic super-soldier left for dead by his unit; and Loader, a cargo handling robot with an incredible secret. All he wants are answers – but will he survive long enough to get them? Join Tris, as he’s catapulted into a universe beyond his wildest imagination. Where bizarre aliens threaten mankind, genetically engineered assassins lurk in the shadows, and the mysterious Wardens live by an ancient code… Of sacrifice. With a healthy dose of Joss Whedon-style humour, fans of Firefly and The Expanse will love this fast-paced and action-packed space opera. Buckle up, brace yourself, and download Earth Warden today! ***Complete 5-book series available now! All books in Kindle Unlimited.***

The Brickweavers by J. F. Williams

Thujwa is a desert city, built from clay and mud, surrounded by walls, secretive, thirsty, and desirous of wealth. But it is also a place of cool breezes, improbably tall towers, plentiful water, bountiful farmland, and vehicles that traverse great distances in a few hundred heartbeats. That is because the Thujwani long ago discovered the secrets of brickweaving: the laying of bricks in special patterns that manipulate the forces of magnetism and gravity. They have used this knowledge to gouge a world of comfort out of the desert, and to enslave others. Jeppo is a brickweaver but a social pariah who rejected status for love. Nonetheless, Thujwa's highest holy man chooses him to complete a cryptic mission outside the city walls. Joining him will be his new apprentice, a hapless youth named Kulkulla who had washed out in the other guilds. What they find on their trek will only be the first of many discoveries, including the secret of Thujwa's founding, the origin of brickweaving, the nature of the mud-clothed people who speak in a clicking language, and, ultimately, the parts the two of them will play in a centuries-old struggle against injustice.

The Crafting of Chess by Kit Falbo

Nate wants more to life than moving from town to town, hustling chess with his con-man grandfather or wagering pick-up games online. A new immersive game opens up the chance to bring in a steady paycheck. Maybe enough to convince his grandfather to stay straight. Little does he know how his actions will change his life. A GameLit coming of age story.

Quantum Dark by R. A. Nargi

SPSFC 2022

Famed archaeologist. Daring adventurer. Total imposter. Jannigan Beck is the exact spitting image of his father: Sean Beck, the most famous explorer in the galaxy. But ever since the elder Beck disappeared on a mission inside an alien wormhole, Jannigan has secretly been masquerading as his father, shaking hands, doing press junkets, and attending meetings. But when a wealthy trade consortium plans an expedition back into the same mysterious wormhole where Jannigan’s father perished, they demand that Sean Beck personally lead the mission to recover an ancient alien artifact. And they are willing to pay handsomely for his presence. Now, posing as his father, Jannigan Beck (a complete greenhorn) must command a crew that doesn’t respect him on a perilous mission to the uncharted edge of the galaxy. There he will face alien megafauna, hostile competitors, and a mysterious force with the power to destroy worlds. Quantum Dark by Amazon Bestselling Author R.A. Nargi is a fast-paced swashbuckling science fiction adventure in the classic space opera and science fantasy tradition, packed with intrigue, betrayal, explosive battles, and edge-of-your-seat thrills that will keep you turning pages long into the night.

Time's Alibi by Husky Harlequin

Cancer. Undetected, it relentlessly devours its host until there is nothing left. Andrew Acheson's grandfather has been searching for a cure since a rare blood born pathogen claimed the life of his beloved wife. Family. If damaged, it can be the breeding ground for social disease. Greed infected the Acheson clan long ago. David Acheson, the patriarch, has been missing for over a year and is presumed to be dead. Murdered? Kidnapped? The FBI has no leads. David's heirs can't wait to get their filthy fingers on his pharmaceutical empire. Discovery. If misunderstood, it has the power to destroy. Andrew desires the success and love that have painfully eluded him. Without his grandfather's guidance, he may never find it. Suddenly thrust into the center of a conflict with historic consequences, Andrew might be able to survive if he can overcome his flaws, both inherited and self-inflicted. But first, he must find his grandfather and deal with David's most dangerous invention yet: time travel.

One of One by S. R. Cronin

Celebrate the superhero in each of us in this unique exploration of the connections we forge. A young Nigerian telepath faces a crisis when her sister is forced into a frightening marriage, then disappears. Once Somadina cannot locate her sibling's thoughts, she seeks another telepath to help. What she finds is Lola, a busy Texan scientist who has ignored the disturbing phenomenon in her mind for decades, and has no intention of embracing this nonsense now. Yet these two women have more in common than they know, and a powerful link will be forged. Once Somadina discovers her sister is a pawn in a dangerous political game, the stakes rise for everyone, including an ancient organization of telepaths compelled to intervene. For both women are stronger than they realize, and they have ignited the wrath of a fanatic willing to kill anyone to alter his nation's future.

The Order of Chaos by Ben J Henry

Glimmer of The Other by Heather G Harris

How can a dream be dangerous? This is the lucid dreaming murder mystery that readers are calling intriguing, compelling and original. Alicia’s younger brother has been missing for two years. On the eve of her eighteenth birthday, she finds a book in her parents’ bedroom containing a hit list. How far is her mother prepared to go to return David to the family? While lucid dreaming, Alicia escapes the waking world, entering a realm where survival depends on the strength of your will. Is handsome Ryan a figment of her imagination, or was he sent by her brother’s kidnappers? The Order of Chaos is the first in a fantasy trilogy for young adults and adults young at heart. Readers who enjoy complex, unfolding mysteries like His Dark Materials are invited to follow Alicia to a realm where thoughts and insecurities are laid bare. What are we but a collection of memories, real and false?

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2022 SPSFC 2023

I can tell when you’re lying. Every. Single. Time. I’m Jinx. As a private investigator, being a walking, talking lie detector is a useful skill – but let’s face it, it’s not normal. You’d think it would make my job way too easy, but even with my weird skills, I still haven’t been able to track down my parent’s killers. When I’m hired to find a missing university student, I hope to find her propped up at a bar – yet my gut tells me there’s more to this case than a party girl gone wild. Firstly, she’s a bookish soul who’s as likely to go off the rails as Mother Theresa. Secondly, I’m not the only one on her trail; she’s also being tracked by the implacable and oh-so-sexy Inspector Stone. Stone and I team up, and he shoves me into a realm where magic is real – a place where there are vampyrs and werewolves, dragons and trolls. And where my skills are more than just detecting lies… Oh, and my dog? He’s a freaking hellhound who can manipulate the magical realms themselves. I need to find the girl. I need to discover who killed my parents. And I need to find out more about the attractive but mysterious Zachary Stone…

Wistful Ascending by JCM Berne

A superhero space opera for grownups. For fans of Invincible and Marvel Cinematic Universe films who like a little hard science fiction in their superheroes. If Thor and Harry Dresden combined in a transporter accident.

Blind the Eyes by K.A. Wiggins

In the City of Nightmares, one haunted girl is taking back more than just her dreams. A lush & lyrical gothic-dystopian YA Fantasy of stolen choices, eldritch horrors & sisterhood beyond the grave. _______ In a drowned city overrun by shapeshifting monsters of the climate apocalypse, human contact is forbidden and the slightest wilfulness or sign of inner life can draw down ravening horrors. Haunted outcast Cole would give anything to be able to follow the rules, silence her rebellious pest of a ghostly best friend, and live a virtuous (and peaceful) life in Refuge. But her shameful secret obsession with the monsters' victims is only the start of her downfall when a dangerously tempting encounter with a tattooed stranger entangles her in a deadly conspiracy. Hunted for what she knows—and what she doesn’t yet even suspect—Cole scales the austere heights of the Tower of Refuge and scours the depths of carnivalesque underground club Freedom for allies. But with mysterious unseen threads tugging her into gruesome visions of the monster-taken and absolutely zero practice in making friends (much less navigating an unexpected and not entirely welcome romance whiledrumming up a revolution), her survival and the fate of the city are both at risk. Can she untangle the most earth-shattering secret of all, confront her forbidden feelings, and lay to rest the ghosts of her past in time to escape a bloody end? An award-winning series starter for fans of post-climate-collapse dystopias, monsters-and-magic urban fantasy, and genre-bending gothic dark fantasy with messy and morally grey characters, dreamweaving and threadwitchery, and intricate worldbuilding.

The Wake of Manadar by T R Peers

The Harbinger of Freedom by Freddie A. Clark

Strive not for power, but for control. Power without control is nothing, control without power is a beginning. - First Book of Thelen, first stanza. The civil war that has riven the Empire of the Thelenic Curriculum for five long years nears an end. Besieged in Manadar, their final fortress, the surviving twelve Royalist Magisters hatch a desperate plot- to break the walls of reality itself and turn the power of another universe against the Lily College. Unknown to the Twelve, that universe is home to Operative Amanda Devereux, and the most highly-advanced dimensional research facility on Earth. When the Royalists’ magic touches the cutting-edge science of The Office, the results are apocalyptic. Of the Twelve and their bastion, there is no trace. But in the crater that lies in the wake of Manadar, Amanda Devereux stirs, a cybernetic infiltration agent hurled into a world she could never have imagined- a world that has never seen anything like her. Science-fiction and fantasy collide head-on in the first novel of the Thelenic Curriculum: The Wake of Manadar.

Lightblade by Zamil Akhtar

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2022

In three days, Jyosh will slay the God Emperor, or die trying. But first he must train his lightblade skills. While asleep. Each hour of sleep equals a day in a lucid dream, plenty of time to master the essential lightblade techniques and hopefully get skilled enough to defeat the monster who enslaved him and beheaded his parents and sister. When Jyosh awakens to learn that the God Emperor has surrendered to an even crueler foe, a mysterious lightblade master who can summon divine dragons to burn whole cities, he’ll face a trial by fire against forces far more frightening than he could ever dream. That is, if he’s not still in one.

In the millenary world of Taenand, the continent of Empiria is oppressed by a fifty year lasting military dictatorship perpetrated by the Army of the Harpy, the leader of which is the young General of aristocratic descent Ludwig Maximilian Eckhale who inherited the throne and became the second Emperor of his Era.In these challenging times, Valerius Raleigh, a young noble as the Emperor himself, takes on the mission to inspire his country to break its chains and free itself from the ever more raging tyranny, first becoming a symbol and a messenger of freedom, then building an army whose purpose is to take down the reign of terror and injustice which threatens to spread all over Taenand due to the ruthless ruler’s strategic mindset and powerful alliances.The Harbinger of Freedom is the first act of the Falling Feathers Series, a crazy mix of blood, sex, drugs, hacking, cybernetic augmentations, shamanism, fantasy creatures, artificial life and an overall retrofuturistic and cyberpunkish aesthetic. In this vast, complex world, liberty and self-determination play a pivotal role in the search for balance and justice for all, while the diverse characters are pawns in a gritty game of power, intrigues and violence in which there is no place for surrender or subjugation.

Bystanders by Phillip Murrell

"Intrepid reporters end up dead." That's what Claire Kennedy's boss told her. Claire doesn't care. She's prepared to risk her life to land an interview with her city's superhero. The mysterious vigilante is a demolition force against the criminal empire operating inside Colberton. He won't identify himself to the public, so Claire will assign him a name herself. She's willing to create other "facts" as necessary, anything to get a promotion at Data to Information News. The hero, Votary, cares not for her goals. Nor does Votary worry about the actions of the police or criminals. The city must be protected from itself and outside threats. Votary is the only person capable of this, though the methods used will lead to death and trauma for many citizens of Colberton. Most will debate the methods of this crusader. Some support Votary, others fear the vigilante, but none will know the person beneath the armor, despite trying.

The Burnt Watcher by Keith Healing

Empire Under a Dying Sun by Joseph O. Doran

The Excise exists to keep the world safe. This is done in two ways. First is the Judiciary. It understands local law and applies it evenly. The second is the Watcher. It understands Fear and fights it mercilessly. Five hundred years ago the old world burned and the Fear rose from the ashes and the Glass. Watchers knew the Fear and found the ways of fighting it, enabling the world to be built anew. Now the Fear is a memory, a story to remind people why they should not build with stone. The Watchers have all but disappeared, remnants of a time that has passed. But in a small village in the west of England a retired Watcher suspects that the Fear is not as distant as people believe.

What use is magic, when your sun is dying? Empress Anyosa and her loyal general Sethes are ill-prepared to respond when, without warning, the sun changes colour and fire-like devastation starts to rain from the heavens. Anyosa is a young ruler struggling to assert her authority against a rebellious royal court, while Sethes is an old warhorse beset by personal demons. Three holy relics hold the key to protecting their people from the coming devastation, but the Empire only has one, and so Sethes and Anyosa must decide how far they are willing to go to obtain the other two. As Sethes wages an unprovoked war against the Shalisun Sultanate to steal one, Anyosa strives to hold her people together as the calamity takes its toll. And all the while, the possessor of the third relic, the Kingdom of Asdor, looks on hungrily at the Empire of Kelamenai... And yet the question remains: politics, war, honour... what are their worth, when the world is ending around you?

Orange Storm by Ned Marcus

Pale orange snow falls over London. With it arrives life from another universe intent on manipulating the fabric of reality—to deadly effect. When linguist Luke Lee witnesses the aliens murder a senior British politician, he becomes a target. And when they kidnap his pregnant wife, he will do anything to get her back. He’s one of the few people with the skills to understand and defeat them. Psychic Amelia Blake never imagined she would be called upon to defend humanity—but the message is clear. She must stop this evil. And she sees what others cannot—a magic unlike anything she’s encountered. In her search for help, she’s drawn to another plane where she faces a witch of terrifying power. Should she risk summoning an alien witch to counter an alien threat? Can Luke and Amelia prevent further deadly intrusions into Earth? They have 38 hours to act. If you like fast-paced urban fantasies with science fiction elements, you’ll love Ned Marcus’s exciting new adventure.

Aya and the Alphas by Berneta L. Haynes

When a young girl, Aya Wright, develops extraordinary abilities and becomes a target of the world’s most powerful fader, Eve must protect her. But at what price? In the twenty-five years since she exposed the existence of faders, Eve Cooper has survived the collapse of her country and the loss of her closest friends. Now she lives a mostly solitary life in rural Indiana, where she runs a secret network and safe house for faders—individuals like her with extraordinary abilities. In nearby Chicago, a young girl named Aya Wright becomes a target of the world’s most powerful fader because of her unparalleled abilities. When she arrives at the safe house after an attack, Aya soon sets in motion a series of events that threaten not only to upend Eve’s settled life but potentially change the world. As Eve struggles to reconcile her past with the choices in front of her, she must decide whether to leave her recluse life to protect Aya or allow the headstrong girl to find her own way in the world…  Aya and the Alphas is an action-packed and expansive sequel to Eve and the Faders that will thrill readers!

Any Minor World by Craig Schaefer

SPFBO8 SPSFC 2023

For Roy Mackey -- a recovering addict who makes his living as an unlicensed PI and occasional muscle for hire -- tracking down a dead writer's final manuscript should be a walk in the park. Too bad his client is a phony, the dead writer is a thief, and shadowy men are watching his every move. All clues lead to a canceled pulp-adventure comic, The Midnight Jury, and its mousy, reclusive author. Lucy Langenkamp is living a quiet life as an art restorer in Las Vegas; when Roy helps her escape from a crew of armed kidnappers, she's as baffled as he is. Then one of her own characters, a flamethrower-wielding "human exterminator," steps out of the pages of her comic book and into the real world. He's intent on hunting her down, and he isn't alone. The pulp villains spawned from Lucy's childhood imagination are coming to life, searching for their long-lost author. Her most sinister creation, the Illustrated Duke, has a dark plan in motion. This is a job for Lucy's two-fisted vigilante, the Midnight Jury. But the Jury is missing. To save the day, Lucy and Roy must descend into a noir-drenched nightmare city on a rescue mission. The walls between fiction and reality are shattered, there's wild magic in the air, and it's up to two unlikely heroes to risk it all and save the day.

Quenched in Blood by Sean Crow

Twilight City hosts over a hundred million souls, most held beneath the heel of the global empire, Tenocore. After suffering a bitter defeat in Europe, Angus Jarlson, the Glade Burner, has brought the Old Gods and what remains of his once mighty empire of Valhalla Steel, across the ocean to stake a claim in the megacity and begin to rebuild. Yet the long-lived Fae despise the Glade Burner and will muster their might and magic to destroy what remains of Angus and his clansmen. When vengeance and duty to family collide, violence ensues. The question is not only which side will be victorious, but will either remain standing at all?

The Last Lumenian by S.G. Blaise

MOST PRINCESSES NEED SAVING. THIS ONE WILL SAVE YOU. She is a rebel. Lilla is fighting for the refugees's freedom from oppression. The king, her father, lost touch with reality ever since Lilla's mother died. Now everyone else is paying the price. The arrival of Callum, a powerful Teryn general, complicates Lilla's life. His presence leads to conflicted feelings and friction with Arrov, a handsome pilot and fellow rebel. Her life is not what she imagined it to be. Not by far. Meddling gods, love interests and sudden magical abilities have no room in Lilla's world, but that has become her new reality. No matter how hard she pushes them away, it's too late. They all seek to control her anyway. Now the Era War between two ruling archgods forces Lilla to act: accept who she really is magic and all; find true love; fulfill her destiny by defeating the Archgod of Chaos and Destruction before He finds her.

The Binding Tempest by Steven Rudy

SPFBO8 SPSFC

A fallen empire, a failed republic, and a frontier of alchemy, magic, and machines... They thought the war was over. That they had given enough, but when an oppressive empire falls, what comes from the ashes, is turmoil and treachery. Ellaria Moonstone, an alchemist, and a hero of the Great War, has spent the last forty years trying to rebuild. As an emissary for the Scholar’s Guild, her life’s work is establishing universities throughout the world. But as a former general that led the resistance in overthrowing the Sagean Empire, she has watched as all she fought for has slowly eroded away and with it, her faith in the republic. Now in her mid-fifties her singular focus has been to protect all knowledge for future generations. When the Peace King of the Free Cities goes missing Ellaria uncovers a plot to overthrow the tenuous republic. Convinced that the entity manipulating the fragile government is a Luminary with the powers to control energy, called a Sagean Lord. Ellaria sends for help from old allies and expatriates scattered across the chaotic frontier. Three former war heroes, long past their prime and haunted by their pasts, are all that stand against a dark entity threatening the future. But once reunited, the aging veterans realize trust between old friends is not what it once was. With the currency of souls is in the balance they find that their destinies are entwined with a band of young rogues willing to stand and fight with the heroes they grew up reading about. Together they must stop the return of a dark empire, but the key to protecting the future resides in the mysteries of the past, the lost tomb of the emperor’s and a relic from the time of the unknown ancients, called the Tempest Stone.

Queen of the Warrior Bees by Jean Gill

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

SPSFC 2022

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.