Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month for January 2017

Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month
It’s that time of the month again, time for “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”.

So what is “Indie Speculative Fiction of the Month”? It’s a round-up of speculative fiction by indie authors newly published this month, though some December books I missed the last time around snuck in as well. The books are arranged in alphabetical order by author. So far, most links only go to Amazon.com, though I may add other retailers for future editions.

Once again, we have new releases covering the whole broad spectrum of speculative fiction. This month, we have urban fantasy, epic fantasy, Asian fantasy, space opera, military science fiction, post-apocalyptic science fiction, dystopian fiction, science fiction mystery, paranormal romance, fantasy romance, aliens, werewolves, robots, UFOs, intergalactic traders, temporary detectives, FBI witches, magical source-fixers, mutant assassins, murdered gods, monsters in the woods and much more.

As always, I know the authors at least vaguely, but I haven’t read all of the books, so Caveat emptor.

And now on to the books without further ado:

Dick and Henry and the Temporary Detective by Kenneth Buff:

Space is full of adventure. And danger too. Fresh off their last case, Captain Dick Shannon and his harvest bot, HN-R3 report to Station 2 for reassignment, only to find the station in the middle of an attack that threatens the lives of everyone on-board. Now, Dick and Henry must work together with a mysterious woman, hopping from planet to planet in search of clues in order to save themselves and bring the monsters responsible for the destruction of the station to justice before it’s too late.

Hunted Wolf by Stacy ClaflinHunted Wolf by Stacy Claflin:

Her fiancé’s family wants her dead. And they won’t stop until she is.

Victoria and Toby have faced one trial after another since falling in love. Now they must face Toby’s old pack—a cruel traditional group opposed to anyone refusing to follow the old ways. Toby will do anything to protect Victoria, even to the point of separating from her. He sends her to a fierce bear shifter colony, where she will be hidden and protected.

Life with the werebears begins to take its toll, and Victoria’s worries get the best of her. She fears for Toby and her pack, but her thoughts are torn—she also fears her sister is in danger. Victoria is compelled to find and protect her, so she leaves the sanctuary of the werebear colony and sets off in search of her.

Victoria encounters so much more than she could have imagined once she embarks on her quest. Will she be able to find her sister before Toby’s old pack finds and kills her?

The Cost of Business by Zen DiPietroThe Cost of Business by Zen DiPietro:

Cabot Layne has unintentionally become the owner of someone else’s problem. In order to get free of it, he’ll need to use every bit of his trader cunning. If he does it just right, he might stay out of prison. With a little luck, he’ll even manage to turn a profit.

Murdered Gods by Marina FinlaysonMurdered Gods by Marina Finlayson:

Lexi didn’t set out to steal a god’s ring, but when a magic artifact starts trying to talk to you, what’s a girl supposed to do? She’s always had the ability to talk to animals, but this new development amps up the crazy. Now she’s afraid her power is out of control and she’s losing her mind.

The only person who could possibly reassure her that she’s not going mad is her mother, who has always refused to discuss the source of Lexi’s strange ability. Now that the jewellery is getting chatty, maybe she’ll finally spill the beans.

Unfortunately, going home means a trip back to the human territories, and Lexi only just made it out of there alive last time. She’s hoping for a quick visit, but with a god hellbent on retrieving the ring and a fireshaper she might have accidentally betrayed on her tail, life is about to get horribly complicated—for her and everyone she cares about.

Alien Tales and Lore by G.J. Gundersen Jr.Alien Tales and Lore by G.J. Gundersen Jr.:

Strange messages from alien visitors start to appear in the newspapers. A young farmer dares to visit a mysterious pyramidal hill that, according to village legends, was built by aliens. A lowly researcher at a government installation finds a fully functional alien spacesuit …

These are just some of the stories included in Alien Tales and Lore.

Gundersen’s entertaining stories are told in a folkloric or fairytale style, but they are unashamedly set in a modern age where odd occurrences may often be brought about by alien technology. The tales included in this volume are by turns enchanting, surreal, and troubling. But as with all fairytales and folktales, they offer an insight into human nature. Gundersen writes a new tradition for an age of alien contact!

Source-Breaker by Kyra HallandSource-Breaker by Kyra Halland:

After twenty-seven years in the trade and with a string of failures behind him, Kaniev the Source-Fixer is ready to go home and take up fishing. First, though, one more repair job lies ahead of him – the magical Source Chaitrasse is experiencing problems. Kaniev’s depleted finances and self-confidence demand that this time, he get the job done right.

Fransisa, once presumed to be the next High Priestess of Source Chaitrasse and now displaced by a young Chosen, the natural heir to the position, is struggling to hold on to her authority at Chaitrasse when a wandering tradesman appears, telling her the Source has a problem and he’s the one who can fix it. Though he looks more like a wandering brigand than a powerful wizard or wise scholar, Fransisa decides it can’t hurt anything to let him take a look.

Kaniev’s ill-fated attempt to repair Source Chaitrasse leads to a sorcerer who is conducting dangerous experiments with magic. Caught in the sorcercer’s schemes, Fransisa and Kaniev must overcome their past failures and their differences to stop him before the Sources of magic and all the lands around them are destroyed.

Songs of Insurrection by J.C. KangSongs of Insurrection by J.C. Kang:

The Empire of Cathay teeters on the brink of rebellion, and only the lost magic of Dragon Songs can prevent the realm from descending into chaos.

Blessed with an unrivaled voice, Kaiya dreams of a time when music could summon typhoons and rout armies. Maybe then, the imperial court would see the awkward, gangly princess as more than a singing fool.

When members of the emperor’s elite spy clan uncover a brewing rebellion, the court hopes to appease the ringleader by offering Kaiya as a bride.

Obediently wedding the depraved rebel leader means giving up her music. Confronting him with the growing power of her voice could kill her.

Chameleon Assassin by B.R. KingsolverChameloen Assassin by B.R. Kingsolver:

Libby is a mutant, one of the top burglars and assassins in the world. For a price, she caters to executives’ secret desires. Eliminate your corporate rival? Deliver a priceless art masterpiece or necklace? Hack into another corporation’s network? Libby’s your girl.

Climate change met nuclear war, and humanity lost. The corporations stepped in, stripping governments of power. Civilization didn’t end, but it became less civilized. There are few rules as corporations jockey for position and control of assets and markets.

In the year 2200, the world has barely recovered the level of technology that existed before the ice melted and the subsequent wars. Corporate elites live in their walled estates and skyscraper apartments while the majority of humanity supplies their luxuries. On the bottom level, the mutants, the poor, and the criminals scramble every day just to survive.

Urban Fantasy set 200 years in the future.

Sundown Apocalypse by Leo NixSundown Apocalypse by Leo Nix:

It is the end of days, the Apocalypse of Revelations has begun and terrorists have effectively taken out the super powers cleansing the planet of the ‘disease of civilisation’.

Small bands of survivors are forced to confront the horrors of a psychopathic enemy. They fight back the only way they can – with sudden and savage violence.

Sundown, under the mentorship of an ex IRA commander and a retired Vietnam war CIA operative, struggles with his own demons as he guides a determined band of civilians to defeat their enemy and to survive the harshness of the Australian desert.

Cat's Night Out by T.S. PaulCat’s Night Out by T.S. Paul:

Catherine Moore, Cat to her friends, trained with her friend Agatha Blackmore to be the best FBI Agents to ever graduate from the Academy. When Agatha left for her Probi assignment Cat had one of her own. A serial killer stalked the South. Sometimes it takes a Monster to catch a Monster.

Read this and other Tales from the Federal Witch Universe today!
  
Inwards Bound by Jim RudnickInwards Bound by Jim Rudnick:

Tempted by the dissolution of the huge empire inwards, Duke Scott and the Baroness and the Caliph join forces to send a ship inwards bound, to find new planets for the expansion of the RIM Confederacy—led by the new captain, Bram Sander. Making a mind-reader a ship’s captain means more than one might expect, and Bram has to worry about the issues that arise.

Broken now into smaller Warlord realms, the first thing to do is to find allies and that becomes a major thrust in the RIM Confederacy ships first voyage inwards—and that leads to various new allies and antagonists too.

One Warlord wants to join the Confederacy and one wants to take it over by force and the chances of that happening are real.

As the new secret mine for Xithricite is found by the Confederacy who now mines the red ore in secret, the Warlord fomenting war sends declarations to the Confederacy ship and Bram must respond. Aided by his own red ship and the Leudies gifts, he foists the Confederacy wishes on the Warlords—and the battles begin…

The Winter Knife by Laramie SassevilleThe Winter Knife by Laramie Sasseville:

Death stalks a snowbound city from below… Feral dogs are blamed when a popular teen is killed. Is it just coincidence that he disappeared after infuriating 14-year-old Haley, who is torn between her anger and her desire to belong? More attacks implicate a creature of Northwoods myth she befriended in its summer form.

As the DNR leads a cougar hunt in town, Haley makes a desperate plan to steal a car and use their empathic bond to lead the creature away from the city — driving alone into the fangs of a blizzard that makes roads hazardous even for experienced drivers. If she fails, either her monster or more members of her community will die.

Requiem for the Wolf by Tara SaundersRequiem for the Wolf by Tara Saunders:

They told him that the Lost were animals. Crazed and brutal, they said, a danger to themselves and others. Hero, they called him, for providing the mercy of a clean death. They lied.

The Tiarna Beo is a land frozen in the still moment between acts of savage violence. Forty years after a Purging that drove an entire race either into the ground or north through the mountains, every man watches his words and his neighbour. Only a fool draws attention to himself, and only the suicidal travel from the North.

Growing up fatherless in a cold and grieving home, Breag had a clear vision for his future – a good woman, a family of his own and a quiet life. When his good woman betrays him, her confederates force him into the Tiarna on a mission to find one of the Lost and bring it home to be sacrificed. Mired in hopeless duty and wandering rootless among people who would kill him if they knew what he was, Breag struggles to hold on to the frayed edges of his humanity.

But no good deed goes unpunished. When his rescue of a brutalised young woman reveals her to be the Lost he has spent eight years hunting, Breag is forced to choose between her life and his future. And she’s not prepared to go quietly. Breag’s choice will create ripples that ignite the fumes of anger among his people and theirs, and ultimately to burn the entire kingdom down around his ears.

The Perception of Prejudice by Alasdair ShawThe Perception of Prejudice by Alasdair Shaw:

Ace fighter pilot Anastasia Seivers is offered a secret assignment: to join a squadron taking the fight to Concorde’s true enemies. But this squadron isn’t part of the regular Concorde military, it is attached to the Legion Libertus, the independent force responsible for saving thousands of lives after the nuclear attack.

After initial hope that her new commanders will be different, Seivers starts to suspect that they too are prejudiced against her.

Determined to remove the chip from Seivers’ shoulder, Prefect Olivia Johnson, commander of the Legion, takes her on as pilot for a special mission.

The Perception of Prejudice is a novelette in the Two Democracies: Revolution series.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Interview with Jon Griffin, author of Black Space and Cloudbreak


Today, the Speculative Fiction Showcase is pleased to interview Jon Griffin, author of Black Space, Cloudbreak and other SFF stories.

You say you like to write in many genres. What attracts you to Speculative Fiction?

I have been a reader of sci-fi and fantasy since I first learned to read. I’ve read all the classics, and though I have less time to read as I get older, I still prefer reading spec-fiction. I write in other genres because I have ideas that don’t always play out in a spec-fiction way. Believe it or not, my main source of income is romantic suspense. You won’t find that though since I write under a couple of different pen names.

Has travelling and living in many different places affected your writing and if so, how?

I think travelling and living both in the US and abroad allows me to put unique locations or customs into my writing. It also allows me to use people I’ve met in interesting ways.

Tell us a little about Cloudbreak, your most recent short.

Cloudbreak started as an idea I had while I was in Medellin Colombia. It was raining for a few days straight and coming from the desert of Las Vegas, seemed like it would never stop. I mentioned the storyline to a writer friend of mine, Lou J. Berger, and we decided to go with it.
The premise is Three children are stranded on a planet light-years from earth and they are running out of food. They only know the rain. 10,000 days of it and someone has to leave the pod or they all die.
It’s a short story.

Are you more of a horror writer or does SF predominate?

Almost all my new projects are spec-fiction. I have one big thriller that I may finish someday, but my next book is spec-fiction.
 
Do you prefer to write stand-alone novels?

In my romance writing, I tend to write cliff-hangers, but in sci-fi, I only write stand-alone, at least so far. Most of my stuff is shorts or novellas, so there is no real need to serialize them.

What are you working on at the moment?

The book is tentatively titled, Parallel Universe. It’s about two FBI agents assigned to strange cases and they discover parallel universes intruding into their own.

Do you belong to a writing group locally, or do you prefer to work alone?

I don’t belong to any writing groups. I guess I’m just used to working by myself. That said, I am a member of several private Facebook groups, so I’m not really alone.

Where do you see SF going in the years to come?

I wish I knew. I think that stories are becoming shorter for sure, and as technology changes, the implications of that will be reflected. I think the classic themes will always be around, but just like all arts, genres get blended and themes are being combined.

Androids and AI: are they a dystopian or a utopian future?

I think they are dystopian. It’s probably the influence of earlier writers I’ve read that most technology ends up bad. It’s a lot harder to write about utopian futures anyway.

Would you rather see your stories on the big screen or the little screen?

Everyone dreams of a blockbuster at the theaters, but with technology changing so rapidly, there isn’t much difference anymore. I love the little screen because I can watch at home, relaxed and usually can pause. The big screen does have a certain atmosphere, but if I bring my kids, it’s an expensive outing.

Are you hooked on any of the shows on the sci-fi channel? If so, which one(s)?

I hate to admit it but I don’t watch a lot of television. There are a couple of shows I have put on the DVR, but I never seem to find time to watch them. The Expanse looks good, and 12 Monkeys.

What films are you watching now?

I binge watch usually, but I just got done watching The Man in the High Castle. I’m still debating with my friends if there will be a season 3. My answer is no, but I hope I’m wrong.

Are you--or have you ever been--a gamer?

I’m not. My kids are, but I really haven’t kept up with gaming. Growing up I played a lot of Dungeons and Dragons, but, and I’m aging myself here, the original Atari came out when I was in high school, and there were no real personal computers that did much. I did play a lot of pinball at the local arcade though!

Do you cook? What is your best/favorite/most popular recipe?

I love to cook and prefer simple, hearty dishes. I can make some pretty complex dishes if I have to. I am around the cooking classes when I teach at UNLV in the hotel college, so I have a pro kitchen at my disposal and sometimes cook for my beers classes.

Would you prefer an independent bookshop, or a big chain?

I’m divided on this. Big chains offer one thing most indies don’t, selection. Indies offer something most chains don’t, curation and to some degree specialization.

Do you have your own office, study or writing space, or can you write in a cafe or the library?

I converted my third car garage into an office. Other than the main garage door which I left functional, it looks like an office. Wood floors, painted walls, insulation and heating and air conditioning.

Who do you consider are your major influences in writing?

I would have to say certainly the classic writers. Asimov, Bradbury, Heinlein, Clarke. Then of course, the epic fantasy I still reread on occasion, Tolkien, Herbert, and a cult favorite, Donaldson. I’m sure there are more, but I’ve read so many books now that I sometimes forget who wrote what and even confuse the storylines.

If you could have any director to shoot the film of your book(s), who would you choose?

Probably Peter Jackson. I love his style. Or I may go off the deep end and have Quentin Tarantino do a number on one J

How would you define Speculative Fiction?

I have a hard time with that. I think there isn’t any difference between spec-fiction and science fiction. If I had to define it though, I would probably say that spec-fiction includes science fiction, and includes other, non-science related memes. Maybe adding fantasy elements, and more suspension of belief.

About Jon Griffin

Born in Los Angeles Jon Griffin has lived in many places and many countries. He enjoys writing books in many genres and especially loves hanging out with his family and traveling the globe to visit old friends and make new ones. Besides writing, he's an adjunct professor at UNLV and teaches the world about beer.

Website | Amazon Author Page


Friday, January 27, 2017

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for January 27, 2017

Here is our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with lots of awards shortlists and nominations, presidential reading, Martians Abroad, Dreadnought and Passing Strange as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding projects, science articles and free online fiction. 

Speculative fiction in general:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Con reports:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends: 

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

The Winter Knife (Minnesota Strange, Book 1) by Laramie Sasseville


Release date: December 30, 2016
Subgenre: Dark fantasy, young adult fantasy

About The Winter Knife:


Death stalks a snowbound city from below... Feral dogs are blamed when a popular teen is killed. Is it just coincidence that he disappeared after infuriating 14-year-old Haley, who is torn between her anger and her desire to belong? More attacks implicate a creature of Northwoods myth she befriended in its summer form. As the DNR leads a cougar hunt in town, Haley makes a desperate plan to steal a car and use their empathic bond to lead the creature away from the city -- driving alone into the fangs of a blizzard that makes roads hazardous even for experienced drivers. If she fails, either her monster or more members of her community will die.

Excerpt:

 

George dumped the contents of the wastebaskets from bathroom, bedrooms and den into a larger bag, collected the sack from the kitchen bin and tied off both trash bags. He stopped at the back door to put on his coat, hat and gloves. He could do without the extra sweater and his scarf for the two minutes it would take to walk these out to the dumpster, but he wasn’t crazy. This kind of weather'd kill you if you weren’t careful. A few seconds without gloves and your fingers ached with the cold; even with gloves you felt it.
The bags thumped against his thighs as he took them to the dumpster behind the duplex, down at the end of the driveway and parking area shared by the two units. At 6:30 p.m. the sun had been down for a couple hours, but the city lights bouncing between low cloud cover and fallen snow made the night sky bright. A streetlight at the end of the alley added to the glow. No problem seeing where he was going.
The night held its breath on these residential side streets, so still and quiet. Hardly any traffic. No birds or dogs out in the cold. His home, like those of surrounding neighbors, stayed sealed tight against the killing cold. Everyone had windows of insulating glass, with another layer of storm windows inside that, then more layers of blinds and heavy drapes. His mother worked in the kitchen, radio tuned loud to the college jazz station. Dad hid in his den. Every house on the block would be as closed and insulated as theirs.
A door slammed somewhere down the block as he lifted the lid of the dumpster. The first bag went in fine, but, as he hefted the second, the dumpster lurched to the side and he barely snatched his hand out of the way in time as the lid slammed down again.
He didn’t have time to curse. Whatever had moved the dumpster rushed him, something white as the snow. He saw only gaping jaws lined with sharp white teeth, before those jaws closed on his leg.
He fell backward, scrabbling ineffectually at the icy tarmac beneath him while an unrelenting strength dragged him deep into the heavy snow piled behind the dumpster. He had barely time to cry out. Pain drove all else from his mind. In a split second George’s scream cut off as the snow closed over his head. That single, choked-off cry echoed on the chill night air and faded to silence.
The piled snowdrift was far from soft or fluffy. Thick chunks and clods of packed snow had been shoveled from the drive and piled into a miniature mountain. It made hard going, but the jaws clamped on his leg held tremendous strength. That grip cut into his leg like knives. Tears started in George’s eyes, but tears weren’t his concern as the looser snow blocked his nose and pressed against his mouth. He gasped, but it only got snow into his mouth. He tried to struggle, but the weight of the thick drift above proved too great. He couldn’t breathe. The knifing pain in his leg encompassed his chest and lungs now.
 

Amazon

 

About Laramie Sasseville: 

Laramie Sasseville was born in Minneapolis Minnesota and lived there most of her life, so is long-familiar with winters that may not impress Canadians or residents of Antarctica, but should impress anyone else. The winter temperatures at times go lower than those on the surface of Mars. This environment has taught her the value of warm communities and dressing for the weather. She's also loved stories of fantasy, folklore and speculative fiction since first learning to read and is active in her local f/sf fan community. 'The Winter Knife' takes its inspiration from the folklore of the loggers of the northwoods of Minnesota, Michigan and the upper midwest area of the USA in a previous century. 

Website | Facebook


 

Friday, January 20, 2017

Speculative Fiction Links of the Week for January 20, 2017

Here is our weekly round-up of interesting links about speculative fiction from around the web, this week with discussion of Sherlock, appreciation for Octavia Butler as well as the usual mix of awards news, writing advice, interviews, reviews, awards news, con reports, crowdfunding projects, science articles and free online fiction. 

Speculative fiction in general:

Comments on Sherlock:

Awards:

Writing, publishing and promotion:

Interviews:

Reviews:

Crowdfunding:

Con reports:

Science and technology:

Free online fiction:

Odds and ends: 

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Sundown Apocalypse (Sundown Apocalypse, Book 1) by Leo Nix

Release date: December 31, 2016
Subgenre: Post-apocalyptic, military science fiction

About Sundown Apocalypse:

 

It is the end of days, the Apocalypse of Revelations has begun and terrorists have effectively taken out the super powers cleansing the planet of the 'disease of civilisation'.
​Small bands of survivors are forced to confront the horrors of a psychopathic enemy. They fight back the only way they can - with sudden and savage violence.
Sundown, under the mentorship of an ex IRA commander and a retired Vietnam war CIA operative, struggles with his own demons as he guides a determined band of civilians to defeat their enemy and to survive the harshness of the Australian desert.

If you like hard-hitting, fast-paced adventure without the fluff, this is the series for you.

Excerpt:



"Boyo, what did those naughty terrorists do to your arm now? Come with us and we'll fix you up." Halo and Beamy teased as they led him off to see Tricia where she was gathering up the terrorist's medical gear. Halo was back to his fine mood, swinging his captured M16 over his shoulder African soldier style. A captured bandoleer of bullets draped over his other. His hair and face were a mess of blood from the head wound and he still hadn't noticed it.
Tricia looked up as they walked in. Assassin's arm was now swollen and bruised but the bullet hadn't hit anything serious. It had gone straight through the flesh on the edge of his biceps.
"You are a lucky soldier," she smiled, "any closer and you'd need a major repair job. I won't bother stitching this it'll heal itself in time, just don't knock it. Gail can have a look at it when we get back." She then cleaned up his bruised forehead with some antiseptic cream.
Halo smiled brightly at Tricia and her eyes opened wide. His hair was matted in blood and his face streaked with red clots. He looked frightening.
"Does anything hurt?" she asked as she sat him down and began to cut his hair away from the wound.
"Nah, yeah, nah." He was all dumb now he was being touched by this gorgeous angel. Her English accent had melted his heart and he was almost in a swoon. "I do feel a bit dizzy and it hurts when you touch my head."
"Hold still, this is nasty. It looks like one of those bullets has creased your scalp and taken some of your brains with it." She gave a wicked laugh.
"Huh? You're kidding me aren't you? Can you really see my brains? That's not good is it?" Halo really did feel dizzy now and he started to slip sideways off the seat.
"Catch him Beamy, he's about to pass out." Ordered Tricia without bothering to stop her cutting and swabbing.
Beamy gently held the unconscious Halo until Tricia had finished then she placed him on the officers bed. His head heavily swathed in a bandage that made him look like a mummy.
Tricia looked at his boyish face and smiled to herself. These are just boys, she thought, but her body said something else and she automatically put a hand to his face and stroked it. Just then Halo opened his eyes and they stared at each other for a split second that felt like an eternity.
"OK soldier," she said smartly back in control, "we'd better get you back to work. Make sure you see Lorraine when we get home." She went back to packing the remaining medical gear in readiness to take it all with them.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords

 

About Leo Nix:

Leo is a psychologist who has worked in the prison system, education and in private practice. He is published in both non-fiction and fiction genres describing fiction writing as the best form of therapy he has ever experienced. He is currently writing a post-apocalyptic series set in the Australian desert and the city of Adelaide. He is married with three children.