Main character description (short): Terry is a down-on-his-luck gig-worker in a job-starved future who loves to play video games. He’s hardworking, but suffers from low self-esteem.
Synopsis:
He entered the contest to win cash…
Now millions could die.
Random gigs and ramen noodles… that’s how out-of-shape gamer Terry survives the job-starved future of 2044. Until he’s accepted into the Path of Relics tournament—the most anticipated virtual reality RPG event of the decade—where he has the chance to win some real loot.
But does he have a fighting chance against the world’s top Active-VR athletes?
Not to mention the ancient dungeons, puzzles, scorpion-wolves, and all-too-realistic NPCs the game world throws at him. And just how advanced is this “Portal Rig” that lets him physically experience the fantasy world as if he were transported there?
Worse, could his suspicions be true?
Are the strange and deadly malfunctions plaguing Manhattan somehow triggered by Path of Relics?
Now, outmatched and exhausted, can Terry’s mysterious ability to level-up quickly and his meager martial arts skills help him avert catastrophe in the real world?
Lose yourself in a fantasy world of dead gods, lost civilizations, and forgotten lore, made possible by the advanced technology of 2044.
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
As Terry feared, their HP only whittled away. They must be high-level. Terry yelled as he neared the scuffle, drawing attention away from Chris.
Two of the four men broke off, racing to meet him.
He whirled his Kali sticks, deflecting each of their attacks in turn. Then Terry whipped around and caught the nearest man with solid strikes to hip and neck. He leapt back as the man’s companion thrust forward with his blade.
Together, the two men pressed Terry, putting him on the defensive.
He shuffled back through the obelisks, blocking and dodging. Still, he took a couple of hits, bringing his health down by a quarter.
These NPCs were high-level. Unlike the goblins, they fought smart, pushing Terry between them. His heart thundered, straining at the collective effort of the fight and his earlier sprint up the stairs.
The killing intent in the men’s eyes chilled him. Up to this point, he’d only fought creatures in PoR. Battling human NPCs was disturbing.
He wondered briefly if they might be special, like Jade. In the heat of battle, it was impossible to tell, but it didn’t matter. He needed to turn that seal back on, no matter what. Lives in the real world were at stake—lives he knew weren’t faked by an algorithm.
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?
If you want an adventurous escape that’s a mix of Ready Player One, Lord of the Rings, and Indiana Jones, give Path of Relics a try. Experience the action, secrets, real-world stakes, and compelling weak-to-strong progression, plus get a sneak-peek into the near future of advanced AI and full-immersion VR.
Set a millennium from now on Threshold Terminal—virtually a Grand Hotel in space— a young test pilot, Joe South, is thrust five hundred years into his future and finds himself in the thick of interstellar smuggling, intrigue, and the rough underworld of an alien environment. It is a time of danger and ever-shifting powers . . . and the destinies of a lost test pilot, an underworld scavenger, and two young lovers become irrevocably intertwined . . .
**For the month of April, Threshold is Perseid Press’ featured title and is on sale for only $2.99!**
Best selling author Janet Morris began writing in 1976 and has since published more than 30 novels, many co-authored with her husband Chris Morris or others. Most of her fiction work has been in the fantasy and science fiction genres, although she has also written historical and other novels. Morris has written, contributed to, or edited several book-length works of non-fiction, as well as papers and articles on nonlethal weapons, developmental military technology and other defense and national security topics.
Christopher Crosby Morris (born 1946) is an American author of fiction and non-fiction, as well as a lyricist, musical composer, and singer-songwriter. He is married to author Janet Morris. He is a defense policy and strategy analyst and a principal in M2 Technologies, Inc. He writes primarily as Chris Morris, but occasionally uses pseudonyms.
The unnamed narrator lives ten million years in the future. Stuck in a dead-end academic position, he time-travels to the year 2022 to find proof validating his research, but mainly to prevail over Scott — his arch-nemesis and a researcher at a competing university. The rivalry between the scientists quickly spins out of control. The Narrator and Scott remain focused on being right, even if this means endangering the universe’s fate. Through the narrator’s flashbacks, the reader gets a glimpse of the world ten million years from now. It’s a world in which technology is indistinguishable from magic. It is also a world ruled by stupidity, jealousy, pettiness and shortsighted spite — much like our own.
Synopsis:
10.000.002 A.D. A cantankerous scholar slipping into obscurity is out for revenge. He time-travels to the year 2022 to stop his nemesis, Scott — a successful scientist at a competing university — from thwarting his research into the origin of a mysterious phenomenon, the Great Convergence. Cunning and ruthless, Scott will stop at nothing to defend his tenure track. The feud quickly spins out of control, and the damage to reality grows unchecked.
Caught in the crosshairs are three characters responsible for triggering the Great Convergence: an art-hating professional art critic who, unbeknownst to him, spontaneously switches between universes wreaking havoc as he goes; a talentless artist whose sculptures act as trans-universal portals; and a schizophrenic astrophysicist trying to avert the invasion of alternate versions of himself from different realities. As their paths converge, the apocalyptic event takes place, and the inescapable tragedy of human existence unfolds.
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
There is an old legend which originated in the Lacerta Cantus Nebula. It explains how most universes got their shape. It goes like this:
A long time ago, there was a school for young Gods. At the beginning of each learning season, each God would get his universe to study and play with under the keen eye of the instructor. On balance, the universes were sturdy pieces of work. They could take a lot of damage, often reversible, but not always. And there was a lot of damaging going on, because not all the Gods treated their universes well.
The school programme was brief and much to the point. Gods graduated quickly and moved onto different matters with far-reaching consequences. They’d leave their universes behind, to be studied and played with by the next generation of deities. This would go on and on until the universes would become altogether unusable. What would happen to the battered, pass-me-down universe nobody wanted anymore? The legend doesn’t say.
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?
A subversive philosophical science fiction and social satire, the Great Convergence will take you out of your comfort zone, exposing the absurdity of many ethical and intellectual ideals. If you like the wry humour of Kurt Vonnegut and Douglas Adams or the philosophical insights of Stanislaw Lem, you’ll enjoy it too.
I don’t really know how old I was when I started writing stories. I wrote them for school, I’m certain, but the first time I wrote without any academic goal I was 12, I remember that much. I just loved reading and stories and the books I laid hands on didn’t last that much and I had so many stories in my head I just started playing with them until it was impossible not to write them down.
I kept writing different stuff. When I was 22, a friend of mine incited me to enter one of the largest and most prestigious Young Writers’ contests in Portugal. I did and won an Honourable Mention. I tried again two years later and won it. I went to Torino and then Rome and Sarajevo, representing my country as a Young Writer. One of the best times of my life. Then, one day, I decided to write a Scifi novel I had been chewing on for some time: The Saga of Alex 9. I showed it to a publisher who’d just included a short story of mine in an anthology, and he loved it. I was a published novelist one year later, and soon was featured in a series alongside names like George R.R. Martin or Bernard Cornwell, hailed as an author to recon with in Portuguese Scifi. How about that? I wrote more novels and worked in movies, TV and plays. I’ve done a lot of things in my career, but overall, I’ve been writing professionally for 20 years.
Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short)
INSIGHT is a horror story that will come out in April 22. It’s about Matt Taylor, an American psychologist. Strange things begin to happen to him: his 9-year-old son seems to develop supernatural powers, apparitions of his dead wife become frequent, and he is being followed by a suspicious man. When his son is kidnapped, he dives into a spiral of unexplained events. He’ll have to do the unimaginable to save his family. It’s very intense and thought provoking, I think. I love how the characters came out and Matt’s character in particular is incredibly strong and admirable – and yet, still very human and relatable.
When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it?
I love stories since I can remember. And I was a storyteller from the start. But I grew up watching my father reading books. Every day before or after lunch or dinner he would sit in his chair and read a novel. A crime novel, as it happens. Or a spy novel. He hated SciFi («Those are things that don’t happen and will never happen.» – i.e. «old ladies solve murders all the time.»), and Fantasy was obviously (obviously!) for kids. Still, some of the first novels he gave me to read were from Edgar Rice Burroughs or Jules Verne. And that was besides all the comic books I read – the pride of my collection was a 50cm-long special edition of ‘Flash Gordon’. At 16 I read Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’ for the first time, and loved it. Its intimist style still stays with me after all this time. As well as authors as Boris Vian, or Virginia Woolf
But then, movies. I love movies. Much of my writing skills, my plotting skills, my ‘lay-down-the-scene’ skills, came from movies. I’d stay here a long time talking about it, so I’d better shut up. Seriously, when I was a kid, I would narrate every single scene from a movie I enjoyed to some poor family member I was able to trap. I was nasty! So don’t get me started!
What writing plans do you have for the future?
I have another couple of books still to publish this year. Probably a box-set for THE DARK SEA WAR CHRONICLES with a couple of surprises in it as well. Then, later in the year, I’m planning to start publishing the English version of my first SciFi trilogy: THE ALEX 9 SAGA. Meanwhile, I’m writing the sequel to THE DARK SEA WAR CHRONICLES, called THE OUTER SEA WAR CHRONICLES. If the DSWC was a kind of WW2’s Battle of the Atlantic in Space, OSWC is a kind of WW2’s Battle of the Pacific in Space. It’s the continuation of Byl Iddo’s saga.
What do you like to read?
Love Hemingway, Woolf and G.R.R.Martin. But also Bernard Cornwell or Alexander Kent/Douglas Reeman. Love to read historical fiction, but also some realistic one and scifi/fantasy.
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you’d started your writing adventure?
It’s easy to get infatuated with incredible stories in our heads just to find out that when we start putting them in the blank page there is something missing. Writing is a bit more difficult than it seems. Many aspiring writers get the sense that they are not any good after the first few tries. But that’s a trap. Writing is a craft with a set of skills you need to learn. You can learn them by yourself, reading books and watching movies, or you can have lessons or mentors, or use other learning resources. Still, it takes time. There’s no substitute to writing and writing and writing. You won’t be good enough unless you practice.
Another trap is being discouraged by rejection. Becoming a writer means you’re entering the rejection business. If you’re doing enough writing you’ll probably be rejected 95% of the time. That’s the nature of the thing. Don’t get discouraged. Accept it. It is normal for someone in this kind of business, just like in acting or modelling, or sales, to be rejected most of the time. Get used to it.
Author bio and book synopsis
Bruno Martins Soares writes fiction since he was 12 years old, and his first book, ‘O Massacre’ (The Massacre), a collection of short stories, came out in Portugal in 1998.
It was followed by several contributions to newspapers, magazines, and other collective books.
In 1996, he won the National Young Creators Award for Writing, representing Portugal at the 1997 Torino Young Creators of Europe and the Mediterranean Fair, where his short-story ‘Mindsweeper’ was translated and published in Italian.
His first novel ‘A Saga de Alex 9’ (The Alex 9 Saga) was published in Portugal in 2012, by publisher Saída de Emergência, within a series that features authors like George R.R.Martin or Bernard Cornwell. The Portuguese version of ‘The Dark Sea War Chronicles’ (A Batalha da Escuridão) was published by Editorial Divergência.
He worked in Project Development for Television and was a journalist and a communications, HR and management consultant before settling as a writer. He was also an international correspondent in Portugal for Jane’s Defense Weekly and a researcher for The Washington Post. He wrote several plays and short and full-length pictures’ screenplays, and he wrote and produced English-spoken Castaway Entertainment’s full-length feature film ‘Regret’, distributed in the USA and Canada in 2015. He lives and works in Lisbon.
INSIGHT
Strange things begin to happen to Matt, a recent widower: his 9-year-old son seems to develop supernatural powers, apparitions of his dead wife become frequent, and he is being followed by a suspicious man. When his son is kidnapped, he dives into a spiral of unexplained events. He’ll have to do the unimaginable to save his family.
In this new novel, award-winning author Bruno Martins Soares dives into the psychological thriller/horror genre to give us a riveting tale of suspense, surprising twists and impossible choices.
I live in SPACE ACADEMY DROPOUTS, a story of adventure and romance and not at all a story about how I got dragooned into service with Space Fleet’s intelligence service after I dropped out because I was expendable. My world is the utopian Community, of which Earth is a new puny member, and it is a truly good organization that never does anything shady to preserve the seemingly idyllic life of its citizens. No sir.
Tell us about yourself
I, Vance Turbo, HERO OF SPACE FLEET, am the nephew of legendary Space Fleet Captain Kathryn Tagawa. Yes, Vance Turbo is not my name. Shocking, I know. I am a genius and quite good at what I do and what I do is be a wiseass. I didn’t ask to be dragooned by Division Twelve but I’m doing my very best to try to stop some weapons of interstellar destruction from falling into the hands of terrorists. But hey, no pressure.
What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
As yes, I am a genius (allegedly). However, my greatest ability is to be able to snark my way through the most traumatizing as well as distressing encounters that would drive most people to space madness. I can usually think my way around most problems rather than solving things with fusion pistols or barrier shields. I’m also stuck being the only sane man on my starship of weirdos and outcasts.
Name three important people/creatures/institutions in your world (such as lovers, pets, government institutions, leaders, gods etc).
In addition to my Aunt Kathy, I am closest to my crew (even if they don’t appreciate me). The closest of the crew to me is probably the ship’s AI, Trish. Trish was designed for a top of the line warship and is one of the most powerful machines in existence but somehow got stuck with the tugboat we’re operating. My next favourite person is Hannah O’Brian, a mercenary demihuman bounty-hunter who is the most competent person onboard but has the military discipline of a wild T-Rex—which she hunts on her home planet. Finally, the third person I care for most is my ex. Which is not a state I’m used to. Lieutenant Leah Mass, who is a biomodified human with telepathy and every bit as determined to be a star in Space Fleet as I used to be. Except she’s become an agent of the intelligence service and I’ve become a dropout.
What does ‘heroism’ mean to you?
Heroism means doing your duty to your crew and then your mission. I dropped out of Space Academy because I couldn’t deal with the responsibility. Because of my carelessness, another student was killed even if I was cleared of all culpability. However, since I’ve been conscripted, I now have to do the best job I can because people are counting on me whether I want them to or not.
What do you think of your ‘creator’?
CT Phipps? I’m uncomfortably stuck with him.
Give us your favourite piece of advice:
There is no job too large or too important not to run away from. Too bad I can’t seem to follow it properly.
Main character description (short): Vance Turbo (real name: Vannevar Tagashi) is a highly capable senior at Space Academy. However, he has gotten himself close to being thrown out and decides to blackmail his way into dropping out instead. He is snarky, irreverent, and highly capable in his field but very inexperienced.
Synopsis:
Vance Turbo finds himself dragooned into serving the secret service of the galaxy-spanning Community after he drops out of Space Academy under suspicious circumstances. Put in the worst crew in the galaxy, there’s something very strange about them being used for a mission that’s vital to the safety of the universe. Will he figure out what’s really going on? Can he survive with his ridiculous crew? Will they save everyone or doom us all?
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
“Cadet Vannevar James Tagawa—” the lion-faced alien said, sitting behind the desk in front of me. He had six arms and all of them fit in a snug red uniform with a silver badge on the right lapel that signified him as the Commandant of the Academy.
“Correction, sir,” I replied, smoothly. “I’ve had my name legally changed to Vance Turbo.”
The Commandant, whose name was a series of roars I couldn’t pronounce, stared at me. “No one calls you that. We’re also here to formally kick you out of the Academy.”
“I’m hoping to persuade you otherwise,” I said, smiling broadly.
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?
It is snarky, hilarious, and action-packed. I think if you love Star Trek, Mass Effect, Star Wars, or anything like them then you’ll love this.
All he wants is to live in peace, away from the ignorance of his village, to outrun the raging ghost which haunts him.
But a hidden evil seeks to harness his fury.
Accused of murder, hunted by ruthless soldiers, Brohr delves the way of the Skald, unlocking forbidden blood magic as he unearths terrible family secrets.
When the red moon is broken, and all is lost, it’s up to Brohr to lead a rebellion, or face the end of the world!
An epic blend of norse fantasy and grimdark sci-fi!
Praise for the Dreadbound Ode…
“Rich in detail, bringing his tale to life with a foreboding atmosphere and characters that are intense. Good dialogue, rapid-fire action scenes, explosive magic and wicked political machinations.” -Tome Tender
“This is extremely well-written grimdark and if you like your fantasy and sci-fi gritty…this is a book you should pick up.” -Booknest
“The Weeping Sigil never stops. It has a relentless forward motion. It’s painful, and its glorious, and there are twists and turns that I never saw coming. It made my heart pound and yes, there was even a tear or two.” – Sarah Chorn, author of Seraphina’s Lament
“Perfect for grimdark fans.” -Grimdark Magazine
“[The Weeping Sigil] took everything that I had loved from The Skald’s Black Verse and lifted it to a whole other level, and I for one can’t wait to see what Jordan Loyal Short will do next. This is a fantastic book, great for anyone who enjoys a delectable mix of fantasy and science fiction, with a good dash of grimdark.” – Beneath a Thousand Skies
“I love the cultures, the magic system, the spaceships and the interplanetary communication. There’s lots of action and peril. It’s a great book! I’d very much recommend it.” – Lee Conley, author of the Dead Sagas
Adrift in the void, Henrik’s rescue is only a prelude to slavery.
But his new life on Tyria is not at all what he expected. When the illustrious House of Quoll purchases him, Henrik finds himself living in the home of his old enemy, Prefect Brasca Quoll. Desperate to hide the truth of his last days on Heimir, Henrik dives into the murderous game of Tyrianite politics. Devastated by the catastrophe on the Norn homeworld, the Federation teeters on the brink of civil war.
While the Shining Ones maneuver their champions for the final confrontation, Henrik’s fevered visions unveil the scope of Moriigo’s nightmarish rebellion.
Aboard a stolen voidcraft, Brohr and Lyssa hurtle into the depths of the starry abyss, on a desperate exodus in search of safe haven. But the outer reaches of the system are full of strange worlds, haunted ruins, and bizarre cults.
As anarchy grips the streets of Tyria, Henrik vows to reveal the true peril facing the Federation: Moriigo’s return! While rival electors, assassins, and federal inquisitors plot the downfall of House Quoll, Henrik must bind himself to the future of his onetime enemies, lest the horrors of his prophetic visions come to pass!
Lyssa is going to the Dead Place and everyone she killed will be waiting.
As the Hidden One’s twisted plan to resurrect the Deep Gods unfolds, the only way to stop him is a secret buried in the land of death.
But Lyssa has not given up. If the Deep Gods can return, so can she.
Can Lyssa find a way back? Can she delve into hell’s darkest corners and emerge with the lore to stop the Deep Gods’ rise? Or will she become a lost soul, like so many of those she loved in life?
Ancient horrors will wake. Skalds will sing. And a blind seer will see the shadows gather.
Lyssa Pedersten has tasted poison, and hell had best beware.
Jordan Loyal Short is an author of epic fantasy. His first novel, The Skald’s Black Verse, is a dark and beautiful story about families, cultures, and beliefs at war with themselves. The protagonist, Brohr, must navigate the tangled loyalties and unforgiving biases of a planet conquered by invaders from another world. Using black magic, and the bizarre bond he shares with his stillborn brother’s spirit, Brohr unravels the truth about himself and an eon spanning war that has reached its end game.
Jordan has worked in a variety of industries, as a web developer, bartender, copywriter and more. He lives in Washington state with his wife where he is currently daydreaming about the end of the world.
Main character description (short). Troy is Battlemaster for a clan of humans and vampires. He works with the Clan Leader, Vlad, to ensure safety of the entire clan during battles and negotiations.
Synopsis: A clan of vampires and humans is lost in the dimensions due to a failed experiment. They must fight other clans and mad scientists before they are able to control their travel and head for their home dimension.
Brief Excerpt 250 words:
Vlad stood there in all his magnificence, his power emanating all the way to
where I lay on the table. Dmetri and Vlad both looked surprised at the presence of the
other. Vlad spoke, a shock startling me at his words. “Dmetri, I was wondering when we
would meet you. What are you doing with a member of my clan?”
Dmetri’s grin returned. “Stealing him,” he responded and turned all his vampiric
attention toward Vlad.
As he released me I wrenched the injector out of my arm and flung myself from
the table scrambling to the farthest corner from the arguing clan leaders ignoring the
pain it caused.
“It’s good to see you, Vlad. Although I guess I should have expected it,
considering I have your son here.” He paused before continuing on. “He is your son,
isn’t he? Although it’s rather odd. I killed you both some time ago.”
Vlad started with surprise at Dmetri’s words but recovered to respond. “I am a
different Vlad. I am sure my — son — has told you what has happened.”
A shock thudded through me as Vlad confirmed what Dmetri had just said.
“Yes, he did. I didn’t believe him at first, but seeing you here like this makes me
realise he was telling the truth. Your envoy from years ago was enjoyable, by the way.”
“I have not sent any envoys to you. I am not interested in getting involved in your
petty war.”
Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)? People should read this book because it is full of life and is an entertaining delight that will allow people time away from the worries of life.
Please introduce yourself (250 words or so): I’m Wren Handman, and I write speculative YA fiction—mostly paranormal and scifi. I love to craft and I’m always trying something new, whether that’s my ancient knitting machine or making my own book nook.
Tell us about your book(s) – title, genre etc (short): The Phantasmer Cycle is a duology about prep school, bullies, and fairies. Wire Wings is a dark scifi about the nature of identity in a world where everything is changeable. And Havoc & Happiness is a sapphic comedy about monster monsters! As you can see, I’m all over the map.
When did you start your writing adventure? What was the inspiration for it? I’ve been writing as long as I can remember. I wrote my first play when I was six, and got all of my friends to perform it for our class. I wrote my first novel in middle school (it’s still sitting on my harddrive, never to be published!!).
What writing plans do you have for the future? I’m working on two books right now, I should really focus up! One is my first adult paranormal, about monsters that live in dreams. I’m having a lot of fun with that. I also just finished plotting the sequel to Havoc & Happiness. More sapphic love!
What do you like to read? If it’s fantasy, scifi, or paranormal, I love it! Huge fan of V.E. Schwab, N.K. Jemisin, Juliet Marillier, Naomi Novik…the list goes on and on and on!
What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you’d started your writing adventure? Revise, revise, revise, and don’t send it out until it’s ready! I cringe at some of the manuscripts I sent out when I wa eighteen. But also – heck, why not take a chance? It didn’t hurt me, after all!
Author bio and book synopsis
Wren Handman is a novelist and screenwriter from Vancouver, Canada. She writes a wide range of stories, from science fiction (Wire WIngs) to young adult paranormal (In Restless Dreams). All of her stories are connected by one thing: the magical blended with the everyday… probably because she secretly wishes magic were real. You can find Wren spending way too much time on Facebook or Instagram.
Book Synopsis: Graciela does as she’s told: she cowers beneath the towering intellect of her parents, goes to school, toes the line. But in the Waves, a virtual reality world, Graciela can be anyone, anywhere, anytime. Free.
In the real world, Graciela is drowning. Her best friend recently passed away, she’s suffering from crippling panic attacks, and her only connection to life is Khaiam, who keeps trying to draw her back to reality.
But how can he compete with the Waves? There, she can be whoever she dreams. And in that world, there’s Thomas, the stunning stranger with haunted eyes she’s only ever met online. Thomas seems to be able to defy the rules of the Waves, and he holds secrets of his own—about the origins of his creation, the nature of AI, and about Gracie’s own past. He will lead her on a dangerous road to truths she isn’t ready for, and the ultimate decision between acceptance and identity, duty and love, life and freedom.
Library of Erana 