Trailblazer (Adventure by Association: The Everternia Saga, Book 1) by Zen DiPietro

Release date: September 12, 2019

 Subgenre: LitRPG, Steampunk

About Trailblazer:  

Equip new adventurers. Send them out to find their way in Everternia. Sally's purpose had always been clear.Newly awakened from that repetitive existence, she now sees her world from a new perspective. Life has become a puzzle, and there's nothing she loves more than a good puzzle.

The two people responsible for her awakening are as fascinated by Sally as she is with Everternia. She's not sure why that is, but she's giving the pair the benefit of the doubt, for now. Their foreign ways can be confounding, but with time, she'll figure out what makes them tick.

She has so much to learn about Everternia and about herself that she barely knows where to start. She wants to do it all, immediately, with great enthusiasm, and maybe even while wearing a pair of really nice pants. Her new curiosity and sense of adventure are growing by the minute, like cogs fitting together to transmit torque.

With nothing but her bravery, two natural-born adventurers, and her unusual skills as a streetmonger, her future is anything but certain.

That's okay. She's ready to leave behind her old life and certainty to out what she's made of. She's got her goggles, so she'll be looking at what everything else is made of, too.

She'll be a brand-new type of adventurer, like nothing Everternia has ever seen.

 

Excerpt:

 

“So what are you going to do in Bracket?” Rex asked. “Are there some parts you have to buy for making stuff?”

“Something like that,” she agreed. “What about you?”

“I’ve got some stuff stored in a locker in Lazy Susan, and a buddy wants to buy it. I’ll probably hunt while I’m there, too, because why not?”

“Got to keep the learning going,” she said.

“Exactly. Do you get ranks for reading books like that?” He eyed the one in her lap.

“A little. It used to be more but it’s harder to advance now.”

He made a sound that was remarkably like that of a large steam engine. “It’s like that, isn’t it? Grind, grind, grind. Isn’t much different than Reallife, is it?” He grimaced. “Sorry. There I go again. Ignore that. What I mean is, if it’s all just work anyway, why bother? I’ve been thinking of taking a break from all this. That’s why I’m selling off some of my stuff. I mean, if it isn’t fun anymore, what’s the point, right?”

Reallife sounded like a bummer. No wonder people left it. Maybe she didn’t want to visit it, after all. He sounded like he wanted her to agree with him about the futility of his life, but she couldn’t.

“Maybe don’t grind, if you don’t like it,” she said.

“What do you mean?”

“If it’s not fun and you don’t like it, then do something else. Find your own type of fun.”

His lips pressed together, and his big personality seemed to dial itself down as he grew serious. “What do you find fun, Sally Strong?”

It was a good question.

“I like new things. I like friends. I like laughing and growing. Those are the best.”

“So maybe if I stop working my ranks all the time and ease off the leveling, I could…what? What would I do?”

“You have friends?” she asked.

“Yeah. I mean, they’d gut me to steal from me if they could, but we hang out.”

“Sounds like not good friends,” she observed. “My friends make me happy.”

“Well,” he said, “I do tend to hang out with ratfinks and schmucks.”

Sally brightened. These were new words. She resolved to try them out in the near future in regard to people who were up to no good. “Find new friends. You’ll be happier.”

“Maybe you’re right.” He looked at her, apparently in deep contemplation. “Maybe I’m hanging with the wrong crowd. But, let’s be real. Look at me. You think people like that would make friends with a guy like me? I’m a thug.”

Sally shrugged. She saw nothing wrong with him. So he was big and brawny. There was nothing wrong with him. He looked like a thug, sure, but he also had tons of Easterner charisma. Everything about him was big and bright and filled the room, from his laugh to his big smile to how very thoughtful he looked when he got serious. “You’re as worthy as anyone else.”

“Am I?” he leaned forward, his gaze intent on her. He extended his left hand slowly, toward the book on her lap. He put a finger on the corner of the book. “Are you saying you’re not afraid of me right now?”

She returned his gaze, unflinching. “No. You don’t scare me.”

“Why not? I should.”

“You like churros, like I do. You have a nice smile. You’re looking for something, like me. I’m looking, too. Everyone’s looking. Why would you scare me?”

“Have you assessed me?” he asked.

She assessed him.

Rex

Adventurer

Unlawful Neutral

Level Sixty-two

Profession: Entrepreneur

Specialty: Thug

Rex is carrying six platinum coins.

Rex has nine hundred and twenty-eight platinum, sixty-seven gold, forty-eight silver, and two copper in electronic funds.

Rex is a formidable adversary, but not a concern for you.

Rex’s karma is bad.

Rex reminds you of a lost puppy.

She smiled. “Have you assessed me?”

“What?”

She kept smiling, and he narrowed his eyes, looking at her with increased intensity.

“Hang on,” he said. “You could pound me into the dirt? What? How? You gonna beat me with your screwdriver?”

Sally grinned. “If I have to. But I’m better at taking things apart, piece by piece, from their foundation.”

Holy gasket, that sounded so cool! She’d gotten every word out just right, without slipping on any of the vowels.

For the first time since she met him, Rex looked uncertain. “Who are you?”

“Not sure yet,” she admitted. “I’m figuring it out.”

“Maybe I should stick around a little bit,” he mused. “Are you married, Sally?”

“To my screwdriver. Don’t get ideas.”

 

Amazon

 

About Zen DiPietro:

Zen DiPietro is a lifelong bookworm, dreamer, and writer. Perhaps most importantly, a Browncoat Trekkie Whovian. Also red-haired, left-handed, and a vegetarian geek. Absolutely terrible at conforming. A recovering gamer, but we won’t talk about that. Particular loves include badass heroines, British accents, and the smell of Band-Aids.

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Hello Protocol for Dead Girls by Zen DiPietro

Release date: March 17, 2019

Subgenre: Cyberpunk, Technothriller

About Hello Protocol for Dead Girls:

 

I wasn't so impulsive when I was alive. Death has changed me, I guess.

This isn't a dream. It's not the afterlife, either. This is something new.

I don't remember how I died. I only know that I did. My name is Jennika Monroe, and I need to find a way out of here. 

A college student reaches out from beyond the dead to solve her own murder. A struggle to identify what it means to be alive, what it means to love, and how hard a person will fight to hold onto what matters. 

This story is like nothing you've read before. It's Altered Carbon meets Gone Girl inside a Matrix type environment. It will challenge you, then thrill you, then leave you wanting more. Truly an innovative breath of fresh air that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Step into the pounding heart of a unique digital setting and enjoy this technothriller today!

 

Excerpt:

 

Again, I find myself in the position of having to decide whether I should inform someone that they’ve died or keep that information to myself.

While Ashta had been sweet and friendly, this girl seems angry. The snap in her eyes and tightness of her mouth suggest she’d just as soon have me dead, and I have to wonder why she bothered to warn me against something that could kill me.

Since I’m already dead, my existence is beginning to mean something else to me. I’m not sure what yet. It isn’t life. What does it mean to exist without being alive?

“Are you stupid?” The girl spits the words at me.

“I guess that’s a matter of opinion,” I say carefully. “What’s in there?”

I indicate the opening with a glance.

“Why should I tell you?” she demands.

“I don’t know. You bothered to tell me not to go in. That must count for something. And we aren’t exactly surrounded by a lot of people here. Our options for socializing are limited.”

She frowns. “Have you seen any others?”

“A young girl. Now you. That’s it.”

“Are you new?” she asks.

“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “I’m trying to figure things out.”

I take a chance on introducing myself to her. “I’m Jennika.”

“Good for you.” She glares at me.

Was she this unpleasant when she was alive? I hope not. As far as electronic ghosts go, she’s kind of a jerk.

***

I am the guardian of my domain and the keeper of everything I touch.

Within the closed confines of my network—and I do consider it mine now, not BomiTech’s—I have nothing but time.

I begin the process of seeking out every single hackable device within my reach. Cameras built into portable devices, cameras for teleconferences, surveillance cameras, and all audio pickups are my first tier of recruitment. Then I tap into other electronic surveillance means, like the doors of the actual building where this datacenter is located.

All this gives me a perfect image of the coming and going of everyone in the building. Not only that, but I can hear everything. I’m always listening now.

They don’t realize how much more capable they’ve forced me to be.

The difference between them and me seems greater and greater. I don’t require sleep or food or bathroom breaks. I can move so much faster than they can—at the speed of thought. Although I still think of myself as human, or at least a variation of human, they seem increasingly…less so. They’re slaves to their biological processes.

It’s an advantage I’m glad to leverage.

I put my surveillance of them into a somewhat passive mode so that if something interesting happens, I can turn my attention to it. In the meantime, I’m going to reach for my original objective.

I want to talk to my friends and family.

Amazon

 

About Zen DiPietro: 

Zen DiPietro is a lifelong bookworm, dreamer, writer, and a mom of two. Perhaps most importantly, a Browncoat Trekkie Whovian. Also red-haired, left-handed, and a vegetarian geek. Absolutely terrible at conforming. A recovering gamer, but we won’t talk about that. Particular loves include badass heroines, British accents, and the smell of Band-Aids. Writing reviews, author interviews, and fun stuff at www.womenofbadassery.com.

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The Guardian: Eleven Science Fiction Short Stories, edited by Alasdair Shaw

Release date: November 26, 2017

Subgenre: Science fiction anthology

About The Guardian: 

 

Guardians are defenders, carers and guides. Some look after individual people, others whole planets or universes, but all share a strong belief in their responsibility to protect their charges. 

The Guardian is an anthology of eleven science fiction short stories by writers from across the globe. It is part of the Newcomer series of scifi anthologies. 

The stories are:
Awakening - Alasdair Shaw
The Lattice - Jeff Tanyard
Biting Shadow - C Gold
Gate of Dreams - Rick Partlow
The Following Star - Elizabeth Baxter
The Renewal - Zen DiPietro
Stowaway - Benjamin Douglas
Baptism of Fire - Cora Buhlert
Sleeping Giant - Andrew Vaillencourt
We Have the Stars - JJ Green
Warning Signs - Edward M Grant

#

Algernon Wade and the crew of the Hansard arrive to study an abandoned colony for the Exploration Service. They find a highly advanced civilisation that met a grisly end. Their presence triggers an “Awakening”.

Rob Treutlen lives in a cage, just like everyone else on Earth. The Reptilian Empire constructed “The Lattice” around the planet, and they persistently demand more work from their captives. Rob hates it, but he has an ailing father to care for, and he can't afford to get involved with the resistance.

His father's death changes that. He seeks out the resistance and attempts to escape. It's dangerous, and his probability of success is low, but he's willing to risk it. Because having nothing left to live for makes some things worth dying for.

They say curiosity kills the cat, but what about a pup with only one life?

What starts out as a desire to see the great unknown outside the den quickly turns into more than “Biting Shadow” ever anticipated when he comes across a dying stranger who is desperately trying to pass on a ‘gift’. Now, as an unwitting host to alien technology, Biting Shadow struggles to make sense of the rapid changes made to his biology while also dealing with a hostile presence. These alterations may be the key to saving his family and even the planet, but at what cost to himself?

Andre Damiani is obsessed with finding the lost secrets of the Predecessors, thinking it will bring meaning and fulfilment to his life. When he finds the key to not just his own purpose but that of all life in the universe in a long-lost cache of ancient alien technology, he also finds it threatened by the same Corporate Council masters he’s served for decades. Damiani is forced to decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice to preserve the “Gate of Dreams” from the greed of men.

A lonely boy walks the empty corridors of a starship with only his dog for company. He guards a precious cargo: one that holds many secrets, one that only he can protect. But when “The Following Star” begins to catch the ship, he soon learns that his whole life has been a lie.

Arlen’s a trader, not a scientist. She never expected to be in a first-contact situation.

When an alien species needs her help, she discovers that there are people in the universe like nothing she ever dreamed. People who find her as unique and fascinating as she finds them. People who need her help with “The Renewal”.

Sometimes profit isn't everything.

A month ago, Ada Xander had a home, a family, and a normal life working the family mine on Cyron-2. Now she’s a “Stowaway”, sleeping standing up crammed in a smuggling cabinet on-board a pirate ship.

To survive, she’ll need to forge alliances, prove her worth, and become one of the crew. And all that assumes they won’t just space her outright if they find her.

Cadet Anjali Patel had hoped for something more exciting than guard duty for her first mission with the legendary Shakyri Expeditionary Corps, the best fighters in the Empire of Worlds.

However, this boring job quickly turns hot, when an enemy convoy comes up the mountain pass Anjali is supposed to guard. Her “Baptism of Fire” is more than she bargained for.

When a crew of desperate pirates sets down on a distant frontier world, the only thing between them and an easy payday is one old woman working the fields. But things are often not what they seem. What that woman knows makes all the difference between life and death, and a “Sleeping Giant” is stirring.

It is a foggy night in an alternate Victorian London. Eleanor, a world-famous inventor, fulfills a decades-old pact. In “We Have the Stars”, three friends meet, and the revelation that follows shatters Eleanor’s perspective on humanity and herself.

A damaged warship can’t remember much beyond its mission to defend the planet it orbits. When the Behemoth turns up and starts landing its passengers, no-one spots the “Warning Signs”.

  

Excerpt:

 

The shuttle bounced in the turbulent upper atmosphere. Algey held on to the restraints on his seat and studied Dr Oak. The older man seemed oblivious to the violent motion of the craft, focussing on his data pad.

“What do you think, Max?” asked Algey.

The doctor looked up and blinked. “Looks like a highly-developed colony, probably pre-Exodus. It’s hard to make a guess at population density when it was occupied, but given the number and size of the cities, I’d put the population in the four to five billion range. Certainly bordering on Core World status.”

“They looked pretty intact from orbit. No signs of bombardment.” Algey glanced along the row of archaeologists facing him on the other side of the compartment. “Any clues as to why it was abandoned?”

Max shook his head. “You Navy types are so impatient. I’ve not even set foot on the surface and you want answers.”

Algey bridled, almost reminding Max about his urgent demands to alter course. A couple of the security team to his right shifted in their seats, presumably feeling included in Max’s accusation.

The shuttle settled into a more smooth flight. Algey took a deep breath, pushing away his annoyance at the lead archaeologist. Being able to come on away missions like this was the biggest perk of commanding an Exploration Service ship instead of a Navy vessel and he didn’t want to waste it by getting bogged down in an argument.

“Boss,” called the pilot, his voice carrying through the open hatchway between the cockpit and the hold. “The Han confirms they’ve got us and have given clearance to land in the city.”

“Thanks,” Algey called back. “Did Lottie mention anything about the satellites?”

“She’ll send the data to your pad when she’s finished.”

“OK.” Algey drew his sidearm, checked it, and re-holstered it. The security team busied themselves readying their weapons.

Max glared at them then narrowed his eyes and pointedly looked down at his pad. Algey gave thanks that at least he wasn’t going to bring up his notion that the security team were just playing at being soldiers. The Exploration Service mandated an armed presence on all missions until such time as a complete absence of threat had been ascertained, and that was all there was to say about the matter. Most of the time, they only had to deal with fauna or the occasional aggressive flora, but from time to time they ran into raiders or people who didn’t want to be disturbed.

The shuttle broke through the cloud layer and the pilot brought them in a wide circle around the cluster of skyscrapers that marked the centre of the city. Everyone craned to see out of the windows, the petty sparring lost in the shared awe of setting eyes on a lost civilisation.

The shocking colours of the tall buildings affronted Algey’s sense of style, but there was no arguing that they were cheerful. Each tower seemed to vie with its neighbours to sport the most gaudy display; here flowers, there starships, no surface was left without a colourful coating.

 

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About Alasdair Shaw: 

I studied at the University of Cambridge, leaving with a BA in Natural Sciences and an MSci in Experimental and Theoretical Physics. My masters options included gravitational astrophysics, planetary geophysics, remote sensing and high resolution electron microscopy. I went on to earn a PGCE specialising in Science and Physics from the University of Bangor. A secondary teacher for over ten years I have plenty of experience communicating scientific ideas.
I grew up in Lancashire, within easy reach of the Yorkshire Dales, Pennines, Lake District and Snowdonia. After stints living in Cambridge, North Wales and the Cotswolds I have lived in Somerset since 2002.
I have been climbing, mountaineering, caving, kayaking and skiing as long as I can remember. Growing up I spent most of my spare time in the hills.
Landscape archaeology has always been one of my interests; when you spend a long time in the outdoors you start noticing things and wondering how they came to be there. At university I included geophysics in my options.
I am an experienced mountain and cave leader, holding a range of qualifications including ML, SPA and LCL. I am also a course director for climbing and navigation award schemes.

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Coalescence (Dragonfire Station, Book 3) by Zen DiPietro

Release date: February 6, 2017

Subgenre: Space opera

About Coalescence: 

 

Fallon’s back, and ready to settle things with Blackout once and for all. If she and her team can’t take control, the PAC will splinter and massive intergalactic war will decimate the populace.

Can one little rebellion save an empire? Avian Unit—and their friends—are sure as hell going to try.

Excerpt:

 

Fallon kept her attention fully on Nevitt as she settled across from her. “It was kind of you to give me time to get my bearings. But it’s been over a week, and we can’t lose any more time.”

“Of course. So say whatever it is you so clearly do not want to say.”

Fallon considered leading into it gradually, but doubted Nevitt would appreciate the evasiveness. So she dove right in. “I want to set up a rebel headquarters here on Dragonfire.”

Nevitt’s eyebrows moved toward her hairline. “Is that all?” Her quiet words blistered with sarcasm.

“Before I left here, you said you wanted to join the upper echelons of the PAC, so you could make changes for the greater good. This is your chance.”

Despite the bombshell, Nevitt remained composed. The time she took to respond was the only indication of the magnitude of what Fallon had laid on her.

“And you have a plan to do that?” Nevitt sounded skeptical.

“Not a precise plan. More like an agenda of potential tactics, each of which will require their own contingencies. But I need to get your approval before we go deep into the logistics.”

“What if I say no?” Nevitt’s gaze didn’t waver.

Fallon met her eyes. “Then we select another, less ideal site. Someplace less protected, where we have fewer assets and allies. But we’ll still go after Blackout.”

“And if I say yes?”

“Then you’ll be putting the lives of everyone on this station in jeopardy. You’ll become an enemy of the state. And you might just save the PAC from intergalactic war.”

The quiet of Nevitt’s quarters roared in Fallon’s ears as she waited for a reply.

“Agreed.” Nevitt snapped the word out like a stinger blast. “But I have some conditions.”

“State your terms.”

“Protecting this station and the people on it will be among your top priorities. You will remain security chief here.” She ticked off the points on her fingers as she went. “You will not fail to fix whatever’s wrong with Blackout. And, finally, I will be consulted on all matters regarding the safety of Dragonfire and the progress of your mission—” she broke off and corrected herself, “—our mission.”

Fallon opened her mouth to speak but Nevitt cut her off. “Don’t give me a bunch of scrap about top secret protocols or giving me plausible deniability. If you want to operate on my station, I’m going to be part of the team. That’s not negotiable.”

Fallon met her captain’s narrowed eyes. “Agreed.”

Nevitt’s brow furrowed in puzzlement. Or surprise, perhaps. Fallon had never seen such an uncertain expression on Nevitt, so she wasn’t entirely sure.

Nevitt’s brow smoothed, and her lips curved into a smirk. “I can’t believe you agreed to that.”

The absurdity of it all struck Fallon, and she laughed. To her even-greater surprise, Nevitt chuckled.

“Considering that my team has stolen data, broken into a PAC base, and taken down an illegal research lab manufacturing treaty-prohibited items, I’d say your lack of proper security clearance is a minor offense. And it makes sense that you should be informed.”

Nevitt’s amusement faded to seriousness. “It sounds like you need to fill me in on some things before we proceed.”

For the next two hours, Fallon did her best to bring Nevitt into the loop on all of Avian Unit’s activities and intentions. Nevitt’s expression grew increasingly grave.

When Fallon finished, Nevitt said, “There’s one more condition I want to add.”

“If it’s one I can’t agree to, it would put me in a very tricky position, given all that you now know.”

Nevitt ignored her. “When you’ve taken control of Blackout and gotten things sorted, I will be part of the new administration.”

Fallon wouldn’t have had it any other way. “Agreed.”

 

Amazon

 

About the Dragonfire Station series: 

• Book 1: Translucid 
• Book 2: Fragments
• Book 3: Coalescence
• Short story: The Cost of Business 

About Zen DiPietro: 

Zen DiPietro is a lifelong bookworm, dreamer, writer, and a mom of two. Perhaps most importantly, a Browncoat Trekkie Whovian. Also red-haired, left-handed, and a vegetarian geek. Absolutely terrible at conforming. A recovering gamer, but we won’t talk about that. Particular loves include badass heroines, British accents, and the smell of Band-Aids. Writing reviews, author interviews, and fun stuff at www.womenofbadassery.com. 

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