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Alien Dissonance by Wendell Warman
Beyond Luna by Bob Freeman
Centauri’s Shadow by Ross Garner
Drowning Earth by Sean Willson
Enigma by Ryan Southwick
Exoputians by AJ Pagan IV
Grave Cold by Shannon Knight
Hero (The Hero Rebellion 1) by Belinda Crawford
Hounds of Gaia by Sean M. Tirman
Imitari by Jenna McLeod
Mendelson’s Return by Cristóvão Correia
Neon Noir by Nina Voss
Of Friction by S. J. Lee
Our Lady of the Artilects by Andrew Gillsmith
Planet of Lies by Ellie Jay
Raq by T. K. Toppin
Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker
The Arid Lands by Kate Kelly
The Collective: Science is Stranger Than Fiction by J. F. Olazabal
The Descendants of Prontoth by Mark Raines
The Disk Mirror Solution by Danielle Ste. Just
The Finding Machine by Lucy Lyons
The Grandmaster’s Gamble by Paul G. Zareith
The Lazarus Men by Christian Warren Freed
The Lonely Ship from the Accord 1: Near Traverse by Ewan Stone
The Martian Incident by Ryan M. Patrick
The Mimameid Solution by Katherine Kempf
The Minority Rule by Alexia Muelle-Rushbrook
The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies
Unexpected Witness by M. J. Blehart
Utopia by Marie-Hélène Lebeault
Yours Celestially by Al Hess
Alien Dissonance by Wendell Warman
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder
Blurb: Jordan Ackerman garnered degrees in criminal and anomalistic psychology at a very young age. Yet rather than working as a consultant for the FBI, he opted to serve as a special agent where he could be more engaged in bringing criminals to justice. He loves his work, but the untimely death of his parents turns his world upside down. In a mysterious twist of events, Jordan is then asked to head up the Hostage Negotiation Team dispatched to investigate rumors of supernatural activity in the small town of Belmont, Kansas. As an anomalistic psychologist, he rejects paranormal phenomena, but what he discovers could very well mean the undoing of an unknown race of people and possibly the destruction of earth. With this new knowledge in hand, it becomes a race against time. Jordan’s investigations will literally take him into new and uncharted realms of abnormal and extraterrestrial psychology. Alien Dissonance brings together science fiction, psychology, mystery, treachery, romance, and irony that lead readers into a dissonant experience of their own.
Subgenres: Adventure, Cosmic Horror, Fantasy
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-06-06
Bio: I grew up in Joliet, Illinois but now live in Claremore, Oklahoma. I served many years in Italy in an evangelistic ministry, where I met my wife, Marilina. We have two wonderful boys who have grown up and now lead their own lives. I graduated from Rogers State University (OK). Among my interests are writing, leading Bible studies, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Prog music, and Italian cuisine.
Twitter: N/A
Mastodon: N/A
Notes: Regarding target audience, It is YA exceptable, but with all ages in mind.
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Beyond Luna by Bob Freeman
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Content Warnings: None, https://www.h2liftship.com/triggerwarn
Blurb: H2LiftShips – Beyond Luna (Volume 1 in the Series) “A Tech Manual for a Future” Imagine a world, exactly like ours, but different A series taking you on the ride of your life: part road trip, part solar sailing. Into a world almost parallel to our own (but not quite.) Soaring through the heliosphere through the asteroid belt on Solar Sail ships, the unlikely crew of the LunaCola finds themselves foraging supplies from Earth and sea and hitting up the casinos around Sol to gamble their bounty hoping to their pot. Their adventures cross paths with everything from pirates, anarchy, poker games to jail time. This is a space adventure unique to its own with characters who are just as out of this realm of reality, entertaining and unforgettable. And after your cruise through the Asteroid belt, Mars, and Luna, settle down on Earth for a party in the desert. They’ll bring the Carne Asada burritos and count on you to bring the fun.
Subgenres: Artificial Intelligence, Hard SF, Humorous, Space Opera
Target Audience: Young Adult (YA) – Ages 13 – 18
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2021-03-24
Bio: The author is a retired Public Health Microbiologist/Lab Director/LIMS Software designer and a confirmed science geek. The author began writing Indie SciFi in 2021 at the tender age of 70 and has published four volumes in the H2LiftShip series as well as numerous short stories.
Twitter: @h2lift
Mastodon: https://twit.social/@H2Lift
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Centauri’s Shadow by Ross Garner
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Content Warnings: None
Blurb: ‘Eight years ago they sent a single ship to test our defences. Now they’re building an armada.’ Cole grew up in the shadow of grief. Kyoko grew up in the shadow of war. Two pilots, separated by time, set out on parallel journeys to Proxima Centauri. What they find could be the start of something new. What they bring with them could be the end of all we know. In this sweeping science fiction debut from Ross Garner, readers will find an Earth that is transformed by fear of an imminent invasion; a space station in orbit that acts as a gateway to other worlds; a Martian colony with all of the threat and violence of the Old West; and a distant star where answers can be found. What is ‘the signal’? A greeting, or a threat?
Subgenres: Alien Invasion, First Contact, Hard SF, Space Exploration
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? No
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-04-08
Bio: I’m Ross Garner: a writer, learning designer and podcaster from the north of Scotland. When I’m not writing digital content and helping others develop their skills, I can often be found in a coffee shop: noodling at science fiction and reading what others have written. My debut novel, Centauri’s Shadow, was released in April 2024.
Twitter: RossGarnerMT
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Drowning Earth by Sean Willson
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Content Warnings: None
Blurb: Her sub can break the underwater speed of sound. But can she outpace the threat of nuclear winter? In 2055, with global tensions nearing the breaking point, humanity teeters on the brink of annihilation. Their only hope lies with Captain Kel Williams and her loyal team, crewing what some call the deadliest submarine ever built. Kel races to stake a claim to valuable undersea biomass—a lifeline that could prolong humanity’s demise. But deadly Russo-Chinese factions lurk in the lightless depths, determined to stop her at every turn. Besieged by threats within and without, Kel finds herself walking a razor’s edge to maintain control. Surrounded on all sides, she relies on her crew’s dedication and her Bull Nuke Oscar Allen to maintain order and avert disaster. Yet unbeknownst to all, salvation may lie in secrets lurking deep beneath the waves. Hidden truths once dismissed as myth. Whispers of impossible doorways and gods long forgotten. With danger at every turn, will anyone escape the deadly snare, or do ancient myths hold the key to humanity’s survival? Drowning Earth is the pulse-pounding first book in the Portalverse Elemental Origins science fiction techno-thriller series. If you like bold characters, dystopian conflicts, and wild surprises, then you’ll love Sean Willson’s plunge beneath the waves.
Subgenres: Adventure, Alternate History/Parallel Universe, Dying Earth, Fantasy, Military, Post-Apocalyptic, Techno Thriller
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-01-05
Bio: Sean Willson lives in North Carolina with his wife and three beautiful children. He’s a Computer Engineer in his day job, and when he’s not busy being a father, you can find him peering through his telescope, reading, or enjoying a great cup of coffee. It was only after having kids and teaching them that they could do anything they put their minds to, that he resolved to rekindle his passion for writing. He has since self-published multiple popular science fiction series.
Twitter: willson
Mastodon: @willson@mastodon.online
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Enigma by Ryan Southwick
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Content Warnings: Martial arts/combat
Blurb: Two friends, divided by tragedy, race to thwart an insidious plot that threatens humanity’s survival across the galaxy. 10,184 A.D. Britta is heir to the Silverstar legacy and the youngest ambassador in Galilean history. Crystal is the smartest scientist in ten generations and is happy to live in her lab without talking to anyone—except Britta. Even diametrically opposite interests haven’t managed to separate these childhood friends whose journey has led them to a space station orbiting Enigma, a planet with strange atmospheric properties that nullify their technology. A tragic drop-ship disaster leaves Britta stranded on the planet’s surface, and Crystal fleeing for her life. Each possess a critical piece to diffusing a plot that may allow their ancient enemy to annihilate the Lost Colonies Alliance, from outside and within. Equipped with only her prized hairpin, Britta must survive a harrowing trek across a primitive landscape to have any hope of helping the colonies, while Crystal must embark on a mad flight across the stars in a desperate mission to save her own colony, who are also hunting her for the alleged murder of Britta. Timers on both sides are ticking. If either fails to reach their goal, it could spell the end for the entire human race. Enigma is a science fantasy adventure set in the expansive Lost Colonies universe.
Subgenres: Adventure, Fantasy, Galactic Empire/Colonization, Space Exploration, Space Opera
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-06-12
Bio: Ryan Southwick decided to dabble at writing later in life, and quickly became obsessed with the craft. He currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two three children. His technical skills as a software developer, healthcare experience, and lifelong fascination for science fiction became the ingredients for his first series, The Z‑Tech Chronicles, which combines these elements into a fantastic contemporary tale of super-science, fantasy, and adventure, based in his Bay Area stomping grounds. He has since published other science fiction works, including the Timeless Keeper Saga, Lost Colonies, and One Man’s Trash.
Mastodon: wandering.shop/@ryansouthwick
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Exoputians by AJ Pagan IV
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Content Warnings: Drug use, Graphic violence/murder, Harm to an animal, Harm to a child, Martial arts/combat, Sexual violence/rape, Torture, Content Warning: This novel is about the Second American Civil War, a race war. As such, it contains references to racism, police brutality, war, profanity, hate speech, violence, violence against minorities, racial slurs, sexual violence, drug use, death/murder, descriptions of gore, school shootings, animal death, slavery, terrorism, torture, kidnapping, homophobia, child death, alcohol/ism, and possibly others.
Blurb: As the Second American Civil War wanes, Mary the Exoputian awaits her chance to contact the Folbulae—a highly advanced species of extraterrestrial, only to be hunted down by the dictator of the Sovereign States of America, Vladimir Booth. With rising tides and thawing tundra, the Exoputians—a new species of human genetically created to live in Space and communicate with the Folbulae, land in the Republic of Texas following a missile strike on their Space station. Mary and the other Exoputians learn of the lies their progenitor taught them, training the Space-bred crew to use their novel communication to cure the planet they’d never set foot on. As Mary and the others road trip through racially segregated America, they encounter multiple attempts on their lives to follow through with their once-mission of saving the planet from the climate crisis. Discover with Mary what’s worth saving on a planet prepared to destroy her entire species.
Subgenres: Dystopian, First Contact, Genetic Engineering, Horror, Military
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-04-17
Bio: AJ is a novelist maintaining science fiction story lines based upon the brain-the final frontier of biology, and of our existence. SFWA member, MS Organic Chemistry. Capitalism will be cool when it’s dead. Stories of ethical nightmares and moral quandaries, taking science fiction back, creating NeuralLit. Currently, AJ has a handful of works awaiting publication, he just needs to read them first and probably a round or three of edits. Sometimes he writes funny shit because the world is hard enough. He has a newsletter he’s not a fan of but you are most welcome to join and see the tech news that will destroy us all. With an amazing wife, baby, and weiner dog, AJ works in southern California in pharmaceuticals, cooking, writing, and traveling as much as possible.
Twitter: neurallit
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Grave Cold by Shannon Knight
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Content Warnings: Harm to an animal, Martial arts/combat, Non-consensual medical procedures, Suicide/self harm, Torture, decaying corpses, blood
Blurb: Nyle doesn’t want to be there. But something is very wrong in the District of Portland, and the cold call of death forces his arrival. If he can’t lay the dead fast enough, his long life, begun in Anglo-Saxon England, will end. Portland’s electronic walls do more than keep the mutants out. The government is using them to block Nyle and his kind, the ravens, who roam the world, freeing the dead from their bodies where they remain trapped till a raven’s arrival. Cait, a Portlander working as a beautician, has her own troubles, dodging the GM (genetic modification) police and struggling with rent. But the dead are invading her dreams. Nyle tells Cait that she’s not genetically modified. She’s a necromancer. In the District of Portland, the dead are being trapped indefinitely and used as energy sources. Nyle and Cait must stop the technology from spreading before the abuse of the dead becomes a worldwide menace and they themselves end up on a laboratory table or trapped in a machine.
Subgenres: Adventure, Dystopian, Genetic Engineering, Post-Apocalyptic, Suspense, Biopunk, Science Fantasy
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-05-02
Bio: Shannon Knight is a fantasy, science fiction, and horror author living in the Pacific Northwest. She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s in English. Winter Moon Press is her imprint for self-publication.
Twitter: @_Shannon_Knight
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Hero (The Hero Rebellion 1) by Belinda Crawford
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Content Warnings: Non-consensual medical procedures
Blurb: The battle for human evolution begins now. Centuries ago, humans colonised Jørn, a lonely planet on the far side of the galaxy, only to discover that the planet was killing them. The culprit, a native spore, carried on every wind to every corner of the globe. Blending Earth and Jørn DNA saved their crops and livestock, but for humans there was no cure. Instead they took to the skies, turning their colony ships into floating cities that hovered out of the spore’s reach. Today. Hero Regan is a freak; she hears voices, the kind only she can hear. Force medicated and isolated, her only solace is Fink, a six-hundred-kilogram, genetically engineered ruc-pard. They share lives, thoughts, triple-chocolate marshmallow ice-cream and the burning desire for freedom. Their chance comes when Hero is allowed to attend an academy in Cumulus City, but in this super city nothing is as it seems. As Hero is drawn into an ancient conspiracy where two secret societies will stop at nothing to control human evolution, she must decide how much she’s willing to risk to gain her freedom. Hero is the first book in an action-packed YA sci-fi series, featuring psychic mutant animal companions, illegal street races and a kick-ass heroine who won’t take no for an answer.
Subgenres: Adventure, Artificial Intelligence, Genetic Engineering
Target Audience: Young Adult (YA) – Ages 13 – 18
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2015-09-21
Bio: Physics makes Belinda’s brain hurt, while quadratics cause her eyes to cross and any mention of probability equations will have her running for the door. Nonetheless, she loves watching documentaries about the natural world, biology, space, history and technology. She’s also a sucker for a fast horse, a faster computer and superhero movies. When she’s not doing the horse, computer or superhero thing, Belinda writes science fiction (emphasis on the fiction), where she loves to write action-packed stories with diverse characters, butt-kicking heroines and complex worlds.
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Hounds of Gaia by Sean M. Tirman
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Content Warnings: Body horror, Drug use, Graphic violence/murder, Martial arts/combat
Blurb: Foxhound doesn’t care about the gaps in her memory. Being a Contractor, a kind of spacefaring mercenary, keeps her occupied enough. Rather than dwelling, she rockets around the farthest reaches of the solar system, earning a steady paycheck hunting down ne’er-do-wells and enjoying a semblance of freedom most folks in the outer colonies can’t dream of. So when she receives an urgent prisoner transfer request from a cult starship, she accepts the gig. She figures that transporting a bone marrow-eating serial killer from the cult’s colony back to Earth is just another well-paying job that’ll keep her mind off things. Upon discovering that the suspect in custody is an orphan girl—one that could pass for her much younger doppelgänger—she decides it’s time to get some answers. Before she can piece together who the girl is and how their lives intertwine, a group of violent prisoners aboard Foxhound’s starship breaks free. As the once-peaceful cultists take up arms in response, the Contractor teams up with her mechanized AI assistant and two of the cult’s wayward members to stop the barbaric escapees and elude the grasp of the cult’s radicalized leader. And when that’s done, she can focus on figuring out the secret behind the mysterious, potentially dangerous girl—but will she even want to know the truth?
Subgenres: Adventure, Artificial Intelligence, Crime & Mystery, Cyberpunk, Dystopian, Genetic Engineering, Horror, LGBTQIA+, Space Exploration, Space Opera, Techno Thriller
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-11-11
Bio: Sean M. Tirman is the author, creator, and custodian of the Marrower universe and has been published in both Infinite Worlds Magazine and Infinite Horrors Magazine. He lives in Rochester, New York, with his wife and two remarkably entitled, small, old dogs. Hounds of Gaia is his first novel.
Twitter: @seanmtirman (Threads/IG)
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Imitari by Jenna McLeod
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder, Martial arts/combat, Torture
Blurb: “Earth’s time has run out. You must leave this decaying cradle.” With only a few words, Orinious Xaiv’s deliberately small world is altered forever when he’s named Exim, the leader-elect of the Imitari. A theocratic group of genetically altered beings presiding over the dying Earth. As a “Named,” Orinious receives an impossible task: to recover the lost seeds of mankind. Without them, all is destined for failure, resulting in not only his death – but that of all. Setting out with him on this mission is Veyra, one of the rare Chimaera with an elevated position among the Imitari. An elite personal enforcer, infamous for her ruthlessness and violent nature. She’s ordered to leave her master’s side to protect Orinious – no matter the cost. Forced to work together to survive, they’re confronted by gut-wrenching realizations about themselves, their world, and the true purpose of their mission. Unlikely friendships emerge and a forbidden romance dares to gasp, all while brutal attacks, unrelenting chaos, and bitter deception challenge them at every turn. Tracking down the seeds is only the beginning. Imitari is the first book in the exhilarating dystopian sci-fi ALTERA DOMI Series.
Subgenres: Adventure, Dying Earth, Dystopian, Genetic Engineering, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-08-17
Bio: JENNA MCLEOD is the author of IMITARI and its forthcoming sequel CHIMAERA. An avid sci-fi fan that was raised on the classics, she’s intrigued by all that is bizarre, unconventional, and controversial. She loves head-banging to heavy metal music, floating in the waves at the beach, and eating vegan tacos. Jenna currently lives on the Emerald Coast of Florida with her family and her dogs.
Notes: I’m excited to be a part of this competition!
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Mendelson’s Return by Cristóvão Correia
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder, Martial arts/combat, Torture
Blurb: What if you were being hunted by terrorists and law enforcement on the same day? The Gifted, people with extraordinary powers who hide them from ordinary people, are torn by a decades-long war between the Order of Thesan, extremists for Gifted supremacy, and the Refuge, which stands for pacifist coexistence. Viviane Greenwell, a badass ex-Refuge operative and a Gifted with psychokinesis and accelerated regeneration, gave up on this war years ago. She just wants to live a normal life. She’d spent the last seven years on the run, trying to evade both The Order and the GSA, a special law enforcement agency that tries to control all Gifted and hunt down The Order’s operatives. The Order wants to capture her and convert her, or worse. And the GSA wants to lock her up for breaking the rules. When she returned to Lisbon, Portugal, under an alias, she thought she could finally live in peace. But one day, she nearly escapes both the GSA and the Order. And she discovers that Mendelson, the responsible for the death of her parents, is alive and has plans for her. And now he’s the new leader of the Order. If you like high-octane action thrillers, with twists and turns, science fiction elements and great characters, like Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. or The Alphas TV shows, then you’ll love Mendelson’s Return. Will Viviane avoid a war she doesn’t want to be a part of? Click the BUY NOW button above and enter Viviane’s exciting world today.
Subgenres: Adventure, Crime & Mystery, Super Hero, Techno Thriller, Apocalyptic
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-08-14
Bio: Cristóvão Correia is a Portuguese psychologist and therapist living in the Lisbon area. He writes science fiction, fantasy, and horror in Portuguese and English. He also likes to mix genres. He publishes short stories online and some of them have been published in Portuguese by Fábrica do Terror, a portal dedicated to horror in Portuguese. One of his stories, “The Documentary,” has also been published in a physical anthology. It was one of the stories that inspired a Portuguese indie film currently in post-production. Mendelson’s Return is his debut novel, the first book in The Grenvaldia Chronicles series.
Twitter: @CCorreiaAuthor
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Neon Noir by Nina Voss
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Content Warnings: Food and drink eating disorders, Martial arts/combat, Non-consensual medical procedures
Blurb: Cybernetic addiction plagues the populace of Cyber City, the post-apocalyptic metropolis of neon grime and crime. The government promises a tech-free ‘Utopia’ for the Virgins, a small community rejecting body modification technology. But before the invitation goes public, the Virgins begin to disappear. Xia, a lawbreaking freelancer with a haunting past, is the first to notice the strange vanishings. As she puts the pieces together, she reveals a sinister plot: someone is kidnapping Virgins and using their bodies to escape to the promised Utopia. Teaming up with Mai, a Virgin prostitute, Xia’s mission shifts from providing simple protection as a means for money into an impossible endeavor: helping the Virgins escape the city. This mission puts them at odds with both the mysterious Virgin body snatchers and Cyber City’s government—two threats that could end in fates worse than death. As the unlikely duo embark on the impossible, they discover secrets more shocking than the plasma dome that traps the city within.
Subgenres: Adventure, Artificial Intelligence, Crime & Mystery, Cyberpunk, Dystopian, Military, Noir, Post-Apocalyptic, Suspense, Techno Thriller
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-09-30
Bio: Nina is a writer from the Midwest forever dreaming of returning to Tokyo. She wrote her debut novel, Neon Noir, during her baby’s nap times. She loves video games, drinking tea during thunderstorms, and riding her motorcycle.
Twitter: n/a
Mastodon: n/a
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Of Friction by S. J. Lee
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder, Harm to a child, Martial arts/combat, Mentions of alcohol and substance abuse, explicit language
Blurb: Decades of hostilities. A chance for peace. Caught between belligerent groups, will this operation be her last? Sam “Valkyrie” Ryan is reeling. Struggling with her brother’s recent decision to make their next assignment his last, the recon specialist fights to change his mind. But she has no time to process her emotions when they’re tasked to protect a pivotal reconciliation summit between the Altered and Humans from human-supremacist terrorists. Distracted by a charming female medic, the golden-haired marine struggles to stay focused as events quickly unravel. And with the conflict becoming dangerously unpredictable, secrets from the past catch Sam by surprise as she uncovers a plot to destroy all of humanity. Can she stop a violent and oppressive history from spiraling into a catastrophic future?
Subgenres: Dystopian, Genetic Engineering, LGBTQIA+, Military, Post-Apocalyptic
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-02-20
Bio: S.J. Lee is a foreign service security specialist by day, gamer, photographer, and writer by night. She has worked and lived in Iraq, Mexico, Chile, India, Brazil, and Guyana, and currently resides in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with her wife and rescued street-dog. Of Friction is her debut novel and the first of the Altered Earth series.
Twitter: N/A
Mastodon: N/A
Notes: I don’t have the full audiobook file but please let me know if you’d like some Audible codes (US and UK only).
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Our Lady of the Artilects by Andrew Gillsmith
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Content Warnings: None
Blurb: World leaders are already on edge as Artilects (next generation androids) begin reporting a strange apocalyptic vision that only they can see. But when an Artilect belonging to the wealthiest man in Africa shows up at the Basilica of Our Lady of Nigeria claiming to be possessed, the stakes are raised. The Vatican sends Fr. Gabriel Serafian, an exorcist and former neuroscientist, to investigate. Serafian quickly finds himself swept up in a conspiracy of global–and possibly supernatural–dimensions. The timing couldn’t be worse. Rome is on the verge of reconciliation with the Chinese Economic Interest Zone after a 50 year cold war, and the Chinese are particularly sensitive about the so-called Apparition. To discover the truth and save not only humanity but the artilects themselves, Serafian enlists the aid of a tough-as-nails Imperial Praetor named Namono Mbambu. Our Lady of the Artilects is a mind-bending supernatural science fiction novel where The Exorcist meets Westworld, with a light dusting of Snow Crash.
Subgenres: Metaphysical/Visionary, Techno Thriller
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2022-04-19
Bio: ndrew Gillsmith is a science fiction writer living in St. Louis, Missouri. Gillsmith grew up in the Golden Age of Cyberpunk. Fittingly, his first job out of school was delivering mail for Jeff Bezos when he was still selling books via Listserv. Since then, he’s worked in a number of interesting roles, including head of customer experience for the Kentucky Derby, leader of a proposed hyperloop project in the United States, head of data analysis for a healthcare company, and SVP of sales for a digital marketing agency. He currently works in publisher development in the programmatic advertising space. He is married to Cheryl and has two young sons, a Great Dane, and a pet rat named Reggie.
Twitter: @andrewgillsmith
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Planet of Lies by Ellie Jay
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Content Warnings: None
Blurb: Zenya Cobb has had enough of a traditional life with her husband-to-be, Pavell. She returns to her life as a space pirate, setting out to find and claim as much gold and other treasures as she can. Except, due to a freak accident, she crash-lands on a planet that shouldn’t exist – The mythical lost planet of Vunerth, reputed to have been the galaxy’s richest spot until an asteroid destroyed it many years ago. But it’s still very much around, and holds more secrets than even Zenya can imagine. She meets the mysterious natives, a peaceful alien community of traders with their own secrets, and hears whispers of conspiracy. Could Vunerth’s disappearance be part of a web of darkness perpetuated by the government? While Zenya reels, her determined partner, Pavell chases her across the galaxy. But when they are reunited, they must make a choice. Leave this bizarre planet in their past and return to a life of peace, or risk their lives teaming up with the natives to save the planet and expose an intergalactic lie?
Subgenres: Adventure, Humorous, Space Opera, Suspense
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-09-02
Bio: Ellie Jay is an independent author with a love of fiction and a nasty habit of sarcasm. She writes books of all different genres, and ties them all together with sarcastic third-person narration. At the moment, her published works include The Secrets Series, a trilogy of Russian Mafia action thrillers with dashes of sci-fi and overarching sarcasm and Planet Of Lies, a sci-fi story that is packed full of witty dialogue and narration.
Twitter: EllieJayWrites
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Raq by T. K. Toppin
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Content Warnings: None
Blurb: Lies that become truths… The Hlad are one race, the only race beneath the Great Abyss. The great Fire King deemed it so when the Great Mother birthed the Fire King’s children from the dry lake beds. All know of His power and scorn, and praise Him with each rising so He may shine down gently and with kindness. Warrior Class Lieutenant Raq of the Imperial Guard is a proud soldier, an adoring father to his sons, brave, dutiful and honour-bound, a devout servant of the Fire King. He is a true Hlad. But his faith is shattered when an alien craft crash-lands on Hlad from the Great Abyss. One alien, the Dayyid, survives the horrible massacre that follows the crash. Imprisoned, suffering from malnutrition, and studied by the reptilian doctors and scientists, he doesn’t forget one of the creatures from the crash site. One who hesitated to kill. Forced to live together, Raq and the Dayyid learn to understand each other despite the language barrier. But when they learn of a threat to Earth, they discover an almost unbelievable truth that unites them against the Hlad. The rest of Hlad must learn this truth, and so, too, the rest of the universe.
Subgenres: Alien Invasion, First Contact, Space Exploration, Space Opera
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2022-09-16
Bio: “I tell lies, write them down and call it fiction.” T.K. Toppin writes character-driven tales, loaded with mystery, intrigue and adventure, navigating the realms of Science Fiction, Speculative Fiction and Space Opera. Since leaving small press publishers, she is now entrenched in indie publishing and discovering its many challenges and delights. T.K. was born, raised and lives in Barbados. When she’s not writing, she is studiously working on her doctorate in Procrastination. Binge-watching shows on streaming networks, doing absolutely nothing, and juggling the baffling realm of social media marketing.
Twitter: @TKToppin
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Saint Elspeth by Wick Welker
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Content Warnings: Suicide/self harm, Medical trauma
Blurb: Why did they come? When they appeared across the sky, speculation wheeled around the world—the aliens were from heaven, the invaders were from hell… or they were proof that neither existed. But when they landed, curiosity gave way to suspicion and the nations reacted with nuclear force, setting off a chain reaction that left the world in ruins. Twenty years later, instead of nearing her retirement, Dr. Elspeth Darrow struggles to forget the loss of her child and husband by plunging herself into the work of operating the last remaining hospital in San Francisco. With medical supplies running out and working herself to exhaustion, Elspeth must embark on a risky salvage mission into the heart of the Neo California danger zone. Here, she discovers the disturbing truth: the aliens have returned. As the mystery of the aliens’ purpose on Earth unravels before her, Elspeth must hide what she discovers from reactionary despots, all vying to bring Neo California under their control. Aided by a band of pre-war scientists and new-world medical students, Elspeth races against astronomical odds to reveal the terrifying truth that might save the world—or finally destroy it for good.
Subgenres: First Contact, Post-Apocalyptic, Astrobiology
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-11-04
Bio: I’m a husband and dad of an amazing little girl. I’ve published 7 novels and cannot stop writing. Big fan of SFF books and have read deep into the genre. I’ve submitted into every SPSFC competition and made it as a finalist last year. FYI I self publish under the LLC Demodocus Publishing. I have only published my books, no other authors, under this LLC for personal liability protection. I am not a small press. Additionally the audiobook is distributed by Dreamscape which is NOT a publisher but a distributor. Thanks!
Twitter: @wickwelker
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The Arid Lands by Kate Kelly
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Content Warnings: Violence, death, volcanoes
Blurb: The Tyrhennians struggle to survive in the dried out basin of an ancient ocean. Inez knows no other world than this endless cycle of heat and brine, but listens to the stories of a distant land of great cities and endless seas. She never believed them, until the day her brother is injured by a strange craft crossing the desolate plains. So she discovers that the stories are true. But as she tries to find her brother in a strange city she realises that she is not the only person from the salt plains here. Others from the Arid Lands have infiltrated the city – and they have a plan.
Subgenres: Adventure, Alternate History/Parallel Universe, Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Romance, Suspense
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-10-19
Bio: Kate Kelly is a marine scientist by day and a writer by night, with short stories published in a number of magazines and anthologies. She writes thrillers as KM Kelly and has been dipping her toe into the world of self publishing with her SF. She lives by the sea in the UK and can often be found wandering the remoter sections of the Southwest coast path.
Twitter: N/A
Mastodon: N/A
Notes: Written in British English
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The Collective: Science is Stranger Than Fiction by J. F. Olazabal
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Content Warnings: Harm to an animal, Non-consensual medical procedures
Blurb: Science says the Collective is the perfect society, where every day is sunny, and no wind blows. Science says all the animals are gone. Science says the accident in the fields couldn’t have happened… …but Science is stranger than fiction. Iago is an accomplished young Operator, harvesting corn in the name of the Collective – a hi-tech orphanage thousands of miles from civilization. After a chance encounter with Javier and Kraken – a pair of wayward boys who have escaped a brutal prison known as the Village – Iago is beginning to question his reality. Now, he must survive the cruelties of the Protocol, and discover the terrible secrets of the Collective: a long-dead trillionaire with a grim warning, a super-mind that controls fate, and a plague that kills only men.
Subgenres: Adventure, Dystopian, Genetic Engineering, Humorous, Weird
Target Audience: Young Adult (YA) – Ages 13 – 18
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-08-25
Bio: JF Olazábal is a British dystopian fiction author. Educated at Oxford University, he embarked on a career in biotechnology in the 2000s. In the wake of the Covid crisis, JF began writing his first novel, “The Collective,” as a satire on contemporary politics, artificial intelligence, and the dystopian genre.
Twitter: @olazabaljf
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The Descendants of Prontoth by Mark Raines
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Content Warnings: Harm to an animal
Blurb: An eight-hundred-year, galaxy-spanning hunt nears its conclusion setting up a confrontation thousands of years in the making. For eight hundred years Timion High Command has hunted the Descendants of Prontoth across the galaxy. Wars were fought, lives were lost, but the Descendants of Prontoth remained at large. Hamron Modestus knows Timion High Command has been doing it wrong. Their quest for revenge made them blind to the allies they would need to bring the Descendants of Prontoth to justice. In his new position of power, Modestus is on their trail, ready to succeed where High Command had failed. Caught in the middle of this inevitable confrontation is retired General Dash Cricken and the entire crew of the Prometheus. Dash and his crew discover evidence of a secret alliance formed to bring down the Descendants of Prontoth. The crew of the Prometheus is caught in the crosshairs of Timion High Command, forced to defend themselves against the hunter on their trail and dissension within their own ranks. Any failure could jeopardize everything they have worked toward.
Subgenres: Adventure, Galactic Empire/Colonization, Space Opera
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is an alternative entry point to a series
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-02-21
Bio: Perhaps (or perhaps not) you want to know a little about me… I’m a lawyer who fights for people often in the lowest moments of their lives, whether facing jail/prison, having their child removed or struggling with addiction. Some of my best days are keeping my clients out of jail, getting kids back in the care of parents who have worked to better themselves, or helping someone adopt a child they care about. I’m a father, whose daughter’s birth inspired him to finally make the leap and write the science fiction series percolating in my head for a decade. I’m a lifetime student who is always looking to broaden his knowledge. I’m a reader who loves the escape of magical worlds and far future excitement. Most of all I’m a person who rarely stresses, who loves life and all the challenges that come with it. I attack the world with positivity and enthusiasm, always looking forward to the next endeavor, the next challenge, while making sure to enjoy all the moments that get me there. Is that enough? Too much? I’ve published three books in my ever-expanding Galactic Civilizations series. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.
Twitter: @bearcatmark1
Notes: Technically Book 2 in the series, but specifically written to be its own entry point, where Book 1 can be read as a prequel to The Descendants of Prontoth.
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The Disk Mirror Solution by Danielle Ste. Just
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder, Harm to a child, Martial arts/combat, Torture
Blurb: Welcome to 2422, a galaxy of amazing implanted technology, exotic exoplanets, and the apex predator we ourselves created. Now two women from opposite ends of the galaxy threaten to expose the most dangerous predator the galaxy has spawned. Armintor Vess is days away from receiving her first cranial implant when a technology-fueled plague strikes her home planet. Fears of contagion condemn Armintor and the other survivors to a planet ruled by autocratic technophobes. She fights to survive in her new, pitiless, low-tech world. Seizing a better opportunity at first seems like the answer to her dreams. But her chance at a new life uncovers a danger that threatens the entire human race. Intel-broker Redcholate buys and sells information in virtual reality. When a mysterious client offers a fortune for a job that can only be completed in the real world, Redcholate agrees. But the job takes over her body and her life, and she learns more than she ever wanted to know. As their two stories collide, two women find themselves facing a foe they could never defeat alone. Both must find the truth before time—and humanity’s existence—runs out. The Disk Mirror Solution is an epic tale of humanity’s future, and its hubris. It takes place in opposite sides of the galaxy, one riding the crest of technology and the other drowning in its dregs. It’s the story of two women who must overcome their past, and their fears, to survive the future.
Subgenres: Artificial Intelligence, Crime & Mystery, Cyberpunk, Humorous, Space Opera, Suspense
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2021-11-14
Bio: I earned a BFA in creative writing from Emerson College, and have several self-published novels and short stories, as well as several pieces published in literary journals. I have an active Twitter presence, run a popular Novel Workshop at which I give monthly lectures on writing craft, and have done many author readings and signings.
Twitter: @DanielleSteJust
Notes: My audiobook is coming soon
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The Finding Machine by Lucy Lyons
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Content Warnings: None, as a cozy, violence and bad deeds are off the page, or in the past
Blurb: HER FATHER’S MYSTERIOUS INVENTION…A 1920s COLD CASE…CAN ALEX FOLLOW THE DOTS TO SOLVE IT? One winter morning in 1998, Alex Martin inherits a mysterious invention from her late father. The Finding Machine solves mysteries. But the biggest mystery of all lies deep within its wiring — the unsolved disappearance of a little girl, dating back seventy years. What happened to the girl, all those years ago? Who was she? Alex and her handsome housemate, Antony, must follow the dots to solve the mystery. But, as dark family secrets are revealed, will the Finding Machine bring them together…or push them further apart?
Subgenres: Adventure, Crime & Mystery, Suspense, Invention
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes, but the blurb isn’t science fiction
Publication Date: 2023-03-02
Bio: Lucy Lyons worked in London as an editorial illustrator before realising she loved writing novels so much, she wanted to do that full-time. She now lives in leafy Surrey with her illustrator husband, two grown-up boys and a bearded dragon called Pancake. When she’s not at her desk writing, she loves to escape into the garden and other worlds. Lucy writes page-turning mystery novels with a sprinkling of magic.
Twitter: @lucylyonswrites
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The Grandmaster’s Gamble by Paul G. Zareith
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder, Harm to an animal, Non-consensual medical procedures, Suicide/self harm, Torture
Blurb: In the depths of the cosmos, slumbers a malevolence that humanity has long forgotten. An unsuspecting researcher knocks on a door, completely unprepared for what awaits on the other side. As he tackles a murder investigation, an imperial treason conspiracy and backstabbing – the intertwined fates of two civilizations hang in balance. As a dark history suppressed centuries ago resurfaces, the direction of the future will be set by one epic gamble.
Subgenres: Adventure, Alternate History/Parallel Universe, Cosmic Horror, Crime & Mystery, Cyberpunk, Dystopian, Galactic Empire/Colonization, Horror, Sports, Techno Thriller
Target Audience: Young Adult (YA) – Ages 13 – 18
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-07-01
Bio: I am a sci-fi/fantasy author and an avid fiction lover. I love exploring themes around the duality of technology and magic, the ethical and moral sides of technological advancements and evolution of society and culture. Outside reading/writing fiction, my interests also include programming and computer graphics.
Twitter: paulgzareith
Mastodon: @paulgzareith@bookstodon.com
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The Lazarus Men by Christian Warren Freed
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder
Blurb: You know the story. Wrong place at the wrong time. Gerald LaPlant has spent his life with his head down, struggling to make in a menial job on a dying planet. Nothing ever went his way. In fact, if not for his boss, he doubted anyone would even know he existed. At least until he witnesses a murder in broad daylight. Fleeing from the scene in shock and horror, Gerald discovers an alien artefact in his jacket pocket. It is the key to a forgotten treasure and everyone wants it. Gerald is forced to leave earth behind to escape. In doing so, he finds himself at the mercy of the shadowy Lazarus Men, ruthless agents who will stop at nothing to get their way. Gerald must use all his cunning and resourcefulness to stay alive and outsmart his enemies. But with half the galaxy after him, the odds are stacked against him.
Subgenres: Noir
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2018-06-15
Bio: Christian W. Freed was born in Buffalo, N.Y. more years ago than he would like to remember. After spending more than 20 years in the active-duty US Army he has turned his talents to writing. Since retiring, he has gone on to publish over 30 military fantasy and science fiction novels, as well as his memoirs from his time in Iraq and Afghanistan, a children’s book, and a pair of how to books focused on indie authors and the decision-making process for writing a book and what happens after it is published. His first published book (Hammers in the Wind) has been the #1 free book on Kindle 4 times and he holds a fancy certificate from the L Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Contest. Ok, so it was for 4th place in one quarter, but it’s still recognition from the largest fiction writing contest in the world. And no, he’s not a scientologist. Passionate about history, he combines his knowledge of the past with modern military tactics to create an engaging, quasi-realistic world for the readers. He graduated from Campbell University with a degree in history and a Masters of Arts degree in Digital Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently lives outside of Raleigh, N.C. and devotes his time to writing, his family, and their two Bernese Mountain Dogs. If you drive by you might just find him on the porch with a cigar in one hand and a pen in the other.
Twitter: https://x.com/ChristianWFreed
Notes: Nope, just excited.
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The Lonely Ship from the Accord 1: Near Traverse by Ewan Stone
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Content Warnings: Explicit sex, Martial arts/combat
Blurb: The Galactic Accord’s first journey to the distant Forge galaxy goes awry, leaving the crew adrift in an ancient, alien starship powered by intimacy… Now, the crew of the Rune Carrier must travel across the new frontier, forging new connections and facing off against new enemies. They must uncover the legacy left behind by the galaxy’s lost masters. And all the while, the living ship must learn for herself who she is and what she wants. Or who she wants. The Lonely Ship from the Accord is a horny harem space opera adventure about sex and self-identity. It’s told in three parts, with this being the first part.
Subgenres: Artificial Intelligence, Romance, Space Exploration, Space Opera
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-05-24
Bio: I’m an avid fan of sci-fi, romance and discussing human interactions in the wake of the growing scope of civilisation and technology. I love the often downplayed character stories of shows like Gundam and Macross, and take heavy inspiration from authors like Elizabeth Moon, Robin Hobb, James SA Corey, Iain M Banks and Ann Leckie. I love any story that puts the found family of a starship crew at the heart of its action. Writing is a hobby I have thrown myself into this year, with a goal to write short stories in the fantasy and sci-fi genres every month, and I engage with casual writing challenges that will have me finishing a full novel during the month of November. All of my hobby writing can be accessed for free on my website and chosen associates, with Lonely Ship and its continuations available through epublishing. I’m hoping to finish Lonely Ship as a series of seven to nine books for good some time next year. I do engage predominantly in erotic literature for a number of reasons. I’ve used writing as a means of exploring my own thoughts and insecurities around sex for decades, and I’ve learned a lot about myself in doing so. My hope is that readers who have also been struggling to attribute a vocabulary to the chaotic emotions attached to romance can find something resonant in my exploration of love and the vastness of space. I certainly have. When not writing, I run a number of tabletop roleplaying games with friends around the world. Having spent eight years living and working in Japan, I also do my best to keep up my language studies and interaction with Japanese culture and news. All of which is helped by skills learned in my long career in project management.
Twitter: @MeEwanStone
Notes: Thanks for putting this together. Just sending this out is a test of my resolve.
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The Martian Incident by Ryan M. Patrick
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Content Warnings: Martial arts/combat
Blurb: A crashed UAV on Mars. A top-secret recovery mission. Danger at every corner. When a mysterious aerial drone is shot down on Mars near the American colony of Columbia, NASA accident investigator John Cameron joins a joint DOD team to recover it. But, as a sandstorm moves in to blanket the area, the Americans are attacked by an overwhelming enemy force of EU soldiers in a surprise attack. Forced into a deep cave system beneath the Martian surface, Cameron and the team uncover a breathtaking discovery, left untouched for millennia. But what will happen when its original owners come back for it? Will Cameron survive and be able to return to Earth? Find out in The Martian Incident, a standalone sci-fi thriller with military elements, perfect for fans of Michael Crichton, Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child, and Andy Weir.
Subgenres: Adventure, Galactic Empire/Colonization, Military, Suspense, Techno Thriller
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-12-05
Bio: I’m a former USSF officer who currently works as an engineer in the aerospace industry and writes sci-fi and technothriller novels in his free time. I am married with four daughters and a dog and currently live in northern Virginia.
Twitter: ryanpatrickauth
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The Mimameid Solution by Katherine Kempf
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Content Warnings: Graphic violence/murder, reference to rape (off page)
Blurb: Ragnarök was only the beginning. Five years after the world he knew collapsed in ecological disaster, Lysander is back in his homeland of Old Scandinavia with his companions, Magdelena and Linnaea. The atmosphere is full of ash, the days are cold and dark and they are constantly under threat from the Celts, who have invaded and are burning the countryside in their wake. When a rogue group of soldiers led by a fiery Lieutenant named Petra offers them refuge in a place called Mimameid, they are tempted by a chance at safety. But when Mimameid turns out to be more than he bargained for, Lysander must take control of his own fate and decide whether to stay or to go.
Subgenres: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-04-18
Bio: Katherine Kempf is a US expat with her Bachelors in Anthropology and Masters in Journalism from University, City London, both of which seep their way into her stories more than a little bit. Originally from Virginia, she now calls Germany home, which has fueled her love for multicultural stories even more. Katherine is a chronic mood reader, far-too-competitive Catan player and a hiker who always packs the most (best) snacks. Follow her on Instagram @katherinekempfwrites or sign up for her newsletter at www.katherinekempfbooks.com and get a free short story set in the same universe as her debut trilogy, The Mimameid Trilogy.
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The Minority Rule by Alexia Muelle-Rushbrook
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Content Warnings: Violence is mild throughout The Minority Rule trilogy, however, there are descriptions of attack, murder, medical testing, psychological abuse, and death as well as dealing with fertility and mental health issues.
Blurb: Years of greed and war devastated most of Earth. Now largely infertile, the remnants of the world have been united under one strict, unwavering power focused on Earth’s guardianship as well as humanity’s prosperity. Maia believes in the established order, yet as a budding young scientist, she also wants more than the decreed roles of housewife to a stranger, egg donor, and mother. As family and state force Maia into submission, she resigns herself to a life of compliance until she unexpectedly meets two vastly different women. Discovering they both hold secrets, Maia questions if she can keep silent, even if revealing the truth threatens to irrevocably challenge the foundations of her existence. Silence may not be golden – but it is safer.
Subgenres: Dystopian, Genetic Engineering
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2022-11-10
Bio: Alexia Muelle-Rushbrook is a multi-genre author who has spent her life daydreaming in the English countryside whilst surrounded by her animals. A self-confessed geek, she loves sci-fi and fantasy and has a passion for the natural world—thankfully a joy which her husband shares, otherwise the number of pets she has would drive him crazy! Stories have always run through Alexia’s head, but it wasn’t until one voice really wouldn’t leave her alone that she realised her dream of being a writer. That voice turned into dystopian trilogy, The Minority Rule, but now unleashed, the voices refuse to be boxed in—or stick to one genre—meaning Alexia can still be found daydreaming with her dogs but the narrative now gets recorded!
Twitter: @Alexia_MuelleRu
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The Thirteenth Hour by Trudie Skies
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Content Warnings: Drug use, Graphic violence/murder, Harm to a child, Sexual violence/rape, Suicide/self harm, Torture, Trauma, Swearing, Religious Criticism, Some Sexual Scenes
Blurb: WHEN THE SAINTS FAIL, THE SINNERS STEP UP. Cruel gods rule the steam-powered city of Chime, demanding worship and tribute from their mortal subjects. Kayl lost her faith in them long ago, and now seeks to protect vulnerable and downtrodden mortals from their gods’ whims. But when Kayl discovers powers that she didn’t know she had—and destroys a mortal’s soul by accident—she becomes Chime’s most wanted. Quen’s job was to pursue sinners, until the visions started. Haunted by foreboding images of his beloved city’s destruction, Quen hunts soul-sucking creatures made of aether who prey on its citizens—and Kayl is his number one target. To ensure Chime’s future, Kayl and Quen must discover the truth of Kayl’s divine abilities before the gods take matters into their own hands. For a city that bows to cruel gods, it’ll take godless heathens to save it.
Subgenres: Arcanepunk, Fantasy, LGBTQIA+, Steampunk
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2021-10-13
Bio: Trudie Skies is a non-binary author based in North East England, though they have been living inside fantasy worlds ever since they discovered books and refuse to return to reality. Within Trudie’s daydreams you’ll find SPFBO and BBNYA finalist The Thirteenth Hour, a gaslamp fantasy described as obnoxiously British and best read with a cup of tea. When not conjuring new worlds, Trudie spends their free time exploring the realms of indie books and video games, staring at clouds, and chasing after their fluffy companions.
Notes: There is an audiobook, but as it was published through an external group, I don’t actually have a local copy of it. I can gift copies if required via Audible.
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Unexpected Witness by M. J. Blehart
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Content Warnings: Martial arts/combat, cloning
Blurb: When a high-ranking businessman and two clones are murdered, Marshal Onima Gwok of the Confederation Bureau of Investigation (CBI) gets assigned the case. But nothing quite adds up. Is there something more insidious going on? There is just one witness – a clone. When the war ended ten years ago, the clones who had fought it were discarded, forgotten, and became second-class citizens of the new confederation. Jace Rojas, designated AC J7-2247, is an infantry clone. When he proves to be more helpful than just being a witness to a murder, Onima decides to bring Jace along to join her team as they look for answers across multiple solar systems. But every question seems to produce no answers – only more questions. Will this be the start of a new war – or something worse?
Subgenres: Adventure, Crime & Mystery, Genetic Engineering, Space Opera
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Yes
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2021-02-28
Bio: MJ Blehart has been writing throughout his life. He wrote his first sci-fi story (and illustrated it) when he was 9. Along the way, he added fantasy and Steampunk to his repertoire. Ever the student, MJ loves to study and learn. He’s constantly seeking to explore and gain knowledge of new things. MJ is notorious among friends for his puns and snarky comments. Random, unbelievable things happen to him all the time. Once, in Santa Fe, NM, a total stranger came up to him, offered to shake his hand, and told him, “I just had to say…you’re an odd-looking fellow.” MJ has been a member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), a medieval re-enactment society, for almost 30 years. In the SCA he is known as Malcolm Bowman, where he practices & teaches 16th-century rapier combat (fencing), court voice heraldry, archery, and more. MJ lives with his wife and two feline overlords (cats) in south New Jersey.
Notes: I’m excited to take part in this!
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Utopia by Marie-Hélène Lebeault
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Content Warnings: None
Blurb: A Clean YA Post-Apocalyptic Science Fiction Adventure Three extraordinary teenagers, each an outcast in their worlds, unite to reshape the destiny of a utopian society. Ryn, who couldn’t adapt to life under the sea, Eira, born above the clouds but unable to breathe the thin air, and Aiden, rejected by the subterranean civilization, embarks on a thrilling journey to Vancouver’s utopia. They’ll challenge the elders, confront hidden truths, and discover the power of unity in a fast-paced young adult sci-fi adventure that explores the boundaries of human resilience, and the promise of a better world. Utopia is a What Happens Next? novel developed from the Under the Iceshort story.
Subgenres: Dystopian, Post-Apocalyptic, Noble Bright/Utopian
Target Audience: Young Adult (YA) – Ages 13 – 18
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2024-01-15
Bio: Marie-Hélène Lebeault is a celebrated Canadian Speculative Fiction author. Specializing in young adult novels, her works are imbued with themes of magic, fantasy, and time-travel, paired with vital coming-of-age narratives. Beyond her passion for crafting captivating stories, Marie-Hélène enjoys outdoor activities like hiking and cycling, as well as unwinding on the beach with a book. A retired educator, she has enriched the literary landscape with over 30 young adult titles, including the acclaimed Evers Series, Blood Magick Trilogy, Defenders of the Realm, and the Chronicles of the Starborne Cadets, alongside a charming series of picture books aimed at younger readers. Residing in Quebec with her adult children, Marie-Hélène continues to inspire readers with tales of adventure and the magic of discovery, leaving a lasting impact on the world of young adult and children’s literature.
Twitter: mhlebeault
Notes: The cover was designed using a combination of licensed images and dall-e generated images.
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Yours Celestially by Al Hess
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Content Warnings: Suicide/self harm, past drug addiction, divorce, mentions of car wreck, discussion of death, brief violence, profanity, brief mention of suicide and past self-harm, brief mentions of transphobia, mentions of Christianity and biblical iconography (seraphs, cherubs, etc.), mild sexual elements, depression and anxiety, vomiting
Blurb: After divorce, death, and having his reformatted soul uploaded into a new body, Sasha expected resurrection to be a fresh start. His time spent in digital Limbo with the program’s cheeky AI guardian angel, Metatron, was cathartic, but what good is a second life when he only sees his daughter on the weekends, he has all the same problems he had before he died, and he can’t seem to shake the ache for the married life he lost? If that weren’t frustrating enough, a glitch in the program has given Sasha the ability to sense Metatron even outside of Limbo. And Metatron is in love. The angel’s sickly-sweet yearning for one of the souls still in Limbo has turned Sasha’s stomach into caramelized lead. It’s hard enough to move on without someone else’s feelings making the emptiness in his own life even more acute. He didn’t have playing wingman to an actual winged being on his bingo card, but he’s determined to help Metatron make a move on their crush so he can get love off of his mind. Sasha takes a job with the resurrection company in order to covertly contact Metatron. Except Sasha’s new coworker, Mr. C, keeps showing up at the worst moments. The man is annoying, he’s pushy… and he’s incredibly hot. Sasha can’t decide whether Mr. C wants to blackmail him or be his new BFF, but he seems to know things about Metatron and the resurrection program that Sasha doesn’t. Getting close to him might be the key to solving Sasha’s problem, but if he isn’t careful, he’s going to end up catching feelings of his own.
Subgenres: Artificial Intelligence, Cyberpunk, LGBTQIA+, Romance, Weird, Hopepunk, Cozy
Target Audience: Adult – Ages 18+
Is This First in a Series? Book is a standalone
Is This Science Fiction? Yes
Publication Date: 2023-11-02
Bio: Al Hess is author of World Running Down, Key Lime Sky, Yours Celestially, and the award-winning Hep Cats of Boise series. When not hunched before a computer screen, Al can be found at his art desk. He does portraits in both pencil and oil paint, and loves drawing fellow authors’ characters nearly as much as his own. He writes cozy and uplifting stories with queer, trans, and neurodiverse representation. Al is represented by agent Ren Balcombe at Janklow & Nesbit.
Notes: This is the “normal text” version of Yours Celestially, which plays nicer with all e-reading apps than Spicy Font Original (the story and most fonts are exactly the same, but the published version has a little playful House of Leaves-style chaos, which still works with read aloud accessibillity.) If you would like the published version instead of the plain text version, I’m happy to gift Kindle copies upon request!
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