An Old Man's Journey Audiobook by Gregory Allanther, read by Michael Kramer

 

Release date: February 1, 2022

Subgenre: LitRPG, GameLit

 

About An Old Man's Journey:

 

At the end of his life, Charles was left with one question: What was it all for?

After his tour of duty and an unremarkable post-Army business career, Charles spent his twilight years watching old movies and waiting for his grandkids to call. He'd lived a good life, been a decent man, but now that his wife was gone he was... Lonely.

Until his old friend Bert introduced him to Crossroads, the new VR sensation. In this virtual world he can move without pain, explore new lands, and most importantly - see his family again. For as long as he can hold their interest, in this fast-paced modern world of instant gratification and VR thrills.

The solution: Build a place his family wants to visit. Armed only with a magic stick with game-breaking powers that should be nerfed, Charles sets out on a journey to find a place to call his own. Along the way, he will be mistaken for an NPC quest giver, become the antagonist in epic questlines, and attempt to teach the next generation proper behavior - even if he has to beat it into them.

This is the story of one man's search for belonging in his second virtual life. A search for a place to belong, and what it takes to get there. It's also a hilarious romp through online fantasy cliches that will appeal to fans of Ready Player One, The Wandering Inn, and slice-of-life comedies.

Because at the end of a man's life: What's more important than family?

 

 Excerpt:

 

 "Yeah, what do you want?" Charles turned, surprised to see a tiny man who looked familiar looking at him with puppy dog eyes. 

 

"Sir, when I stole your money earlier, I didn’t realize you had friends in high places. I wanted to give it back and apologize." The man held out five copper coins in his two hands and bowed his head. 

 

 Charles watched him for a moment and considered what to say. This must be the thief from earlier. I didn’t recognize him in these clothes. If this were one of my grandkids, I’d whoop their tail and make sure they didn’t forget it. Maybe someone else already did that. Or maybe he saw me with Bert and thinks he can get on my good side? Should I mess with him? He is trying to make amends, which is the right thing to do, except he shouldn’t have stolen in the first place. But maybe thief is a respectable job in the game, like Aladdin or Robin Hood? He finally decides on some simple words. 

 

"Well, you’re a little fella, aren’t ya?" Charles asked, looking at him. Above his head read ‘Sazerbo, Halfling, Level 9 Rogue’. Charles knew other details were available if he wanted to look closer, but he didn’t. Others in the room who heard chuckled to themselves, and the man looked around as if he didn’t know how to answer. 

 

"I’m a halfling. Full-grown male! And I’m just trying to do the right thing here," he whispered exasperatedly. "My class is rogue, and I can only earn experience by stealing!"

 

Audible

 

About Gregory Allanther:

Gregory Allanther is a mysterious writer of unknown qualities.

Where is he from? What does he look like? Is he as attractive as I think he is?

No one knows. Not even him. But!

But if you read all his novels, you might be able to figure it out.

 

An Old Man's Journey by Gregory Allanther

 

Release date: October 5, 2021

Subgenre: LitRPG, GameLit

 

About An Old Man's Journey:

 

At the end of his life, Charles was left with one question: What was it all for?

After his tour of duty and an unremarkable post-Army business career, Charles spent his twilight years watching old movies and waiting for his grandkids to call. He'd lived a good life, been a decent man, but now that his wife was gone he was... Lonely.

Until his old friend Bert introduced him to Crossroads, the new VR sensation. In this virtual world he can move without pain, explore new lands, and most importantly - see his family again. For as long as he can hold their interest, in this fast-paced modern world of instant gratification and VR thrills.

The solution: Build a place his family wants to visit. Armed only with a magic stick with game-breaking powers that should be nerfed, Charles sets out on a journey to find a place to call his own. Along the way, he will be mistaken for an NPC quest giver, become the antagonist in epic questlines, and attempt to teach the next generation proper behavior - even if he has to beat it into them.

This is the story of one man's search for belonging in his second virtual life. A search for a place to belong, and what it takes to get there. It's also a hilarious romp through online fantasy cliches that will appeal to fans of Ready Player One, The Wandering Inn, and slice-of-life comedies.

Because at the end of a man's life: What's more important than family?

 

Excerpt:

 

My wife had the best sense of timing. She must have waited until the very moment I had a mouthful of coffee to tell me our oldest daughter had started dating.

############

It took a good fifteen minutes to get all the women freed and back underway. It sure is disappointing to know I couldn’t get rid of the wolves. It must have been a quest reward, because every single one had magically poofed onto a full-grown direwolf as soon as they were freed. Still, they seemed happy enough to ride away, dragging the body of their slaver behind them tied to a rope.

When they asked for his body and permission, Charles had waved them away without a care. Immediately afterwards, though, he was given a blinking prompt he opened.

Congratulations! You have created your first military unit! The Dirty Valkyries is a mounted unit of freed dwarven crossbow women. Slayer quest. As they cross any dwarven settlements, they will grow in number until a full unit of three hundred is completed. This unit has been given the auto tasking of completing your Harem-Slayer quest. Would you like to change their tasking?

Charles read through the prompt as they walked, looking up when the surprisingly quick priest from the temple came out. The doors slammed open so fast, one banged against the outside wall. They had just reached it and were beginning to turn onto the southernmost trail that led south. The treeline was back from the wall by a good three yards, and the trail that turned out from the church was only a foot or two wide.

"Hail, good adventurers! I have been given a vision from a greater power and know where you seek to go! I have an urgent matter that can be—"

Charles didn’t wait for the man to finish before bopping him on the head with his stick. There’s already been enough delays. Charles stepped over the man as he groaned on the ground and kept walking South into deeper woods that came closer to them on the path. The others walked around the downed man and silently followed.

 

Amazon 

About Gregory Allanther:

Gregory Allanther is a mysterious writer of unknown qualities.

Where is he from? What does he look like? Is he as attractive as I think he is?

No one knows. Not even him. But!

But if you read all his novels, you might be able to figure it out.

Spelunkers by Cora Buhlert

 

Release date: March 23, 2021

Subgenre: Portal science fiction, Alien contact

 

 About Spelunkers:

 

 During a holiday in Belgium, college students Evan and Matt decide to explore an uncharted cave in the Ardennes. Also along for the ride is Evan’s sister Kate, who has been tasked with looking out for her brother since early childhood.

Deep inside the cave, Kate, Evan and Matt stumble upon a portal to another world. But does this portal represent the greatest adventure of their lives or a terrible danger…?

This is a science fiction short story of 3800 words or approximately 15 print pages.

Excerpt:

 

“I see light ahead,” Matt announced.

“Don’t be silly,” Evan snapped, “We’re some one hundred and forty metres underground. Where should the light come from?”

“He’s right. I see it, too,” Kate said, stumbling after the two men, “Maybe the light is falling in through a crevice or something.”

“It has to be a very deep crevice then,” Evan said, “And one that’s not on any maps.”

“I thought you wanted to explore this cave because so much of it is still uncharted,” Kate snapped at her brother, “So how can you know that there’s not a crevice here that’s not on any maps?”

“Because someone on the surface would have noticed,” Evan countered, “Some idiot hiker would have fallen in or…”

“Uhm, guys, why don’t we just check it out?” Matt suggested, “Then we can see what it is. Cause whatever it is, it’s right ahead.”

Undaunted he went on squeezing through a narrow cleft in the rock. Kate and Evan shrugged and followed.

Evan had always been the explorer type, even as a kid. Once, when Kate was ten and Evan eight, he’d wandered off during a camping trip. Mom and Dad had been in utter panic. They’d yelled at Kate for not watching Evan and then called in the park rangers. The rangers had been very serious and very concerned and were about to send out search parties, when, the next morning, Evan had shown up again as if nothing had happened. He hadn’t been lost, he insisted, just exploring. And besides, he’d spent the night in a cave, which had been a lot of fun and could they maybe do it again.

The fateful camping trip had been the beginning of a fascination with caves for Evan and the beginning of being tasked with looking out for her younger brother for Kate. And that was why she was here today, trudging through a bloody cave in Southern Belgium rather than sitting on the terrace of the hotel enjoying the tasty and potent local beer or browsing the entrancing shops in a place that called itself the villages of books. Because as always, Kate was Evan’s keeper, his babysitter. Even though they were twenty-two and twenty-four by now and definitely adults.

Evan was the one who’d brought Matt along. They’d met in college and bonded over their shared love for caves and lost places. Though at least Matt seemed to be more sensible than Evan, so Kate could delegate some of her babysitting duties to him.

At least that’s what she’d thought until they actually went underground. Because by that point, Matt had become as enthusiastic as Evan, two little boys playing Indiana Jones with zero regard for the danger. And Kate was the lone responsible adult, as usual.

She squeezed through the cleft after Matt and Evan, only to be brought up short when she bumped into her brother from behind, since he’d stopped just in front of the cleft.

“Wow, will you look at this place?” Evan exclaimed.

“Amazing,” Matt whistled, triggering an echo inside the cave.

“Well, maybe you could move your backside, so I can see it, too,” Kate grumbled.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Matt said, though he wasn’t the one who’d blocked her way. He even held out his hand to help her out of the cleft.

So Kate finally got to see what had Evan and Matt so enthralled. And for once, her brother was absolutely right. Cause this place, whatever it was, truly was amazing.

 

 Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple | Google Play | Smashwords | Scribd | DriveThru | Thalia

 

About Cora Buhlert:

Cora Buhlert was born and bred in North Germany, where she still lives today – after time spent in London, Singapore, Rotterdam and Mississippi. Cora holds an MA degree in English from the University of Bremen and is currently working towards her PhD. 

Cora has been writing, since she was a teenager, and has published stories, articles and poetry in various international magazines. She is the author of the Silencer series of pulp style thrillers, the Shattered Empire space opera series, the In Love and War science fiction romance series, the Helen Shepherd Mysteries and plenty of standalone stories in multiple genres.

When Cora is not writing, she works as a translator and teacher. She also runs the Speculative Fiction Showcase and the Indie Crime Scene and contributes to the Hugo-nominated fanzine Galactic Journey. Cora was a finalist for the 2020 Hugo Award.

 

Website | Mailing list | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | ISFDB

 

Family Solstice by Kate Maruyama

 

Release date: January 30, 2021

Subgenre: Horror

 

About Family Solstice:

 

 The Massey family loves their house. It's been in the family for generations, and the land on which it sits has been with them even longer. In the summer everyone comes through to visit and the house is alive with family friends, barbecues and lobster boils. But come fall, the mood shifts as all of the kids start training for their turn in the basement.

Shea, the youngest Massey is training extra hard. She's thirteen and that means this is her year to battle on Solstice. Her older siblings won't tell her exactly what's in the basement, you don't know until you're fighting it. She's excited finally to be in the know.

She does know that whatever happens in the basement every December 21 makes it possible for the Masseys to spend the rest of the year enjoying their home and all that it brings. It is her family duty.

But something about this year is different. Mama's extra quiet this fall, and the house is breathing early.

Maruyama explores the dangers of tradition, inheritance, and the sins of the father in this horror novella.

 

Excerpt:

 

Shea is thirteen, which means it’s her turn to fight for the family on Winter Solstice. She sneaks out at night to practice.

In the daytime, it’s a warm, friendly space with colored sunlight filtering through the stained-glass window at the head of the stairs. At night, it’s dark as crazy and the stairwell looks like a giant black mouth you have to walk down into, slowly and around. But this is my year. I’ve got to be braver than that. And I definitely can’t be afraid of this completely harmless part of the house during this completely harmless time of year.

I grab the bannister and follow it down, stepping softly to avoid the squeak on the left at the top, the squeak in the middle halfway down.

The kitchen is lit by the light from the stove and I open the back door, squeaking the back screen door open slooowly so as to keep it quiet. I step out onto the porch and survey the back yard. It’s one of those funny overcast orange-tinged nights where the light pollution means it’s never really going to get that dark. It’s cooler than my room, so that part is good, but I realize there is no way I’m going to find a stick in this light.

I sneak back in trying like hell not to squeak, and find my way in the dark, down through the pantry, through the living room and into the den, where I feel along the mantel to the right hand side of the fireplace and down. My hand hits the fireplace tools stand too quickly and there is a rattle. Shit. I stop for a second listening in the dark. I hear nothing until the house sighs.

 Our house breathes. You can’t hear it in the summer what with people coming and going and the din of the crickets outside. It’s most obvious in winter, but in the summer, once in a while, when things get really quiet, you can tell it’s still there.

I’ll really freak myself out if I listen too closely. Before I can hear beyond the next inhale, I clamp the poker in my hand and hustle it out the back door.

I follow the stepping stones carefully down to the part of the yard where Gainsly can’t reach. I don’t need to add dog shit to this exercise. Poker gripped in the right hand, pepper shaker in the left.

It’s two swishes to the left with the light, then stab right with the poker, advance.

Two swishes to the right with the poker, left with the light, advance.

Then three stabs straight forward with the poker and make sure not to look.

Don’t look. No matter what you hear or think you see, do not look directly at it. This is very important.

A few rotations, steps forward and it is no longer cool outside, it is sweaty. I try to remind myself it will be cold when I do this for real. Jeffrey says it gets so cold you don’t even want to hold the poker. That you get so tired you don’t think you can even swipe again. That’s why the training. You have to be able to do this all night.

 

Amazon | Omnium Gatherum Media

 

About Kate Maruyama:

Kate Maruyama's first novel was Harrowgate (47North, 2013). Her short works have appeared in Asimov's, Arcadia, and Entropy among other journals; as well as in numerous anthologies, including Winter Horror Days (Omnium Gatherum Media, 2015) and Halloween Carnival 3 (Hydra, 2017). She writes, teaches, cooks, and eats in Los Angeles where she lives with her family.

 

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Doll Crimes by Karen Runge

Release date: November 8, 2019

Subgenre: Horror

About Doll Crimes:

 

 ‘It’s not that there aren’t good people in the world. It’s that the bad ones are so much easier to find.’

A teen mother raises her daughter on a looping road trip, living hand-to-mouth in motel rest stops and backwater towns, stepping occasionally into the heat and chaos of the surrounding cities. A life without permanence, filled with terrors and joys, their stability is dependent on the strangers—and strange men—they meet along the way. But what is the difference between the love of a mother, and the love of a friend? And in a world with such blurred lines, where money is tight and there’s little outside influence, when does the need to survive slide into something more sinister?

“From page 1, Runge grabs you by the hand and drags you along. Her protagonist is a bird in constant flight, beautiful, brittle, broken−but there’s gold in her fractures, holding her together as she soars on thermals of simmering rage. Doll Crimes is an exquisite, painful, heartbreaking meditation on memory and of the evil that men—and women—do.”—Angela Slatter, award-winning author of The Bitterwood Bible

“Karen Runge is writing some of the darkest, most unsettling, gritty horror out there. A mix of The Girl Next Door, Requiem for a Dream, Hard Candy, and The Last Exit to Brooklyn there is no looking away from the tragedy on these gripping pages. An uneasy tale told with no apologies, you will walk away from this story heartbroken.”—Richard Thomas, author of Disintegration, and the Thriller-nominated Breaker

“Doll Crimes is gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and so smooth it reads like reality.”—Kaaron Warren, award-winning author of The Grief Hole and Tide of Stone

 

Excerpt:

 

“Okay kitten,” my mother says as we speed-walk across the parking lot. “Stay right by me for the next few blocks, okay?”

I wouldn’t know where else to go, but this is something she always says after what she calls a ‘paper-tiger heist’. The famous paper tiger, a cut-out form that fools only the utterly gullible or the absolutely stupid. My mother, she’s not made of paper, though. The tiger in her has teeth. Scarlet-marked and all.

That we’ve just risked a major scene for some milk and crackers, it’s not important. Adrenalin, endorphins, the sweet mayhem-jolt anxiety and excitement make when they swirl into each other. My heart pounds. My throat is swollen with all the giggles I’m keeping trapped down there. Scary as it is right now, it’s also sort of funny. Later it’ll be hilarious.

“Try to look innocent,” she tells me over her shoulder, half-smile, fast-stepping in her heels. I’ve never seen any other woman walk so fast with spikes on her feet. Battered concrete or rough country road, my mother steps like all the world is her linoleum.

The box of crackers slides out from under the clasp of her jacket—it thuds against the concrete and rolls onto a battered side. Probably all shattered in there, now.

“Goddammit,” she mumbles, pausing to snatch the box up, glancing at me through the fall of her hair.

I raise an eye at her, flash her the tube of lubricant, the carton of eggs. I lifted them right out of those tight-clenched baskets while their holders gazed in stunned outrage at my mother’s shining-smile antics. I could’ve swirled these items over my head on the way out, shrieking, and nobody would’ve noticed. Back there, I was that invisible and she was that bright.

“My girl.” She grins.

Without having to try this time, I smile.

I don’t know where we’re going, but she leads us. My momma in her pretty spiked shoes, with her lovely dark lips. Her blonde hair glittering, her silhouette stark as black velvet tossed on tall flames. Like an angel on fire. Like a shadow thrown against the sun.

 

 Amazon

 

About Karen Runge: 

Karen Runge is an author and visual artist based in South Africa. She is the author of ‘Seven Sins: Stories’ from Concord Free Press, ‘Seeing Double’ from Grey Matter Press, and ‘Doll Crimes’ from Crystal Lake Publishing. Never shy of darker themes in horror fiction, she has been dubbed 'The Queen of Extreme' and 'Princess of Pain' by various bloggers and book reviewers. Jack Ketchum once said in response to one of her stories: 'Karen, you scare me.'

Website