Word Count: Information not available
Summary: “Stephen Colbert meets Stephen King” - Book Nerd’s Brain Candy Winner of the 2012 Laine Cunningham Award! Withrow Surrett is more than just his neighborhood’s resident curmudgeon: he's also the self-declared vampire lord of North Carolina. Across the state, Jennifer McCordy is a genius stuck in a dead-end job. When the dead rise, which will Withrow’s neighbors find worse: the monsters outside or the vampire who might be their only hope? When Jennifer takes matters in hand, will the people around her trust her competence or surrender to their own prejudices? And when they meet, will anything survive? Perishables is a novel in three parts, telling the story of reclusive vampires, reluctant heroes, questionable potlucks, late-night electronics sales, retail hell, unexpected friendships, and post-apocalyptic recipes. It’s sometimes funny, sometimes deadly serious, and utterly original! Fans of The Black Knight Chronicles, The Tome of Bill, and Fred, the Vampire Accountant will love this series.
Word Count: 75,600
Summary: Welcome to the Shifting Lands. Silluka was born with only one arm and could never practice the exacting motions to summon the favor of the gods. Caught stealing, she is forced to test her powers or be branded an outcast. She fails, and loses citizenship to her village. In a fit of desperation, Silluka tries to steal a badge of citizenship from a mysterious elder. But instead, Elder Quilqi shows Silluka a different path to gain the powers of the gods, aided by an octopus-like technological wizard who worships their own eldritch divinities. Time is short for training however, because a new island is speeding toward the coastal town, throwing deadly hurricanes and tidal waves before it, and threatening all who live there. Only the gods and godlike storm warriors protect the village from destruction, but all of them fail when a mysterious creature bursts through the wall. It's only one forerunner for a species of terrifying turtlemen: fast, deadly, and ready to invade the larger island. The village must flee inland before the invasion, while Silluka is weighed down by her outcast status and her brother’s failing abilities. To save herself, her family, and her village, Silluka must overcome stigma and self-doubt. She must learn the scope of the world outside her village. She must learn Physical Magic.
Word Count: Information not available
Summary: He was hidden to live. Now he must choose to lead. PILLYWIGGIN: AWAKENING A Dual-Realm YA Fantasy of Hidden Identity, Betrayal & Redemption When his father was murdered, Peter, the son of the lord of all dark creatures and queen of the light fairies was hidden away in an elite boarding school in the human realm and disguised for his protection. Now, in college, he is betrayed by his friend, then threatened with capture by the entity that may have killed his father-the powerful successor to his father's throne, an uncle that covets powers Peter doesn't know he has and definitely cannot control. A secret warning reconnects him to the mystical realm and he escapes on a journey leading to self-discovery, challenges and a chance to save the world... if he survives. Why you’ll love it Human-realm (Europe) intrigue tied to a larger fae war Hidden identity, betrayal, redemption—and the cost of power Directly connected to the prophecy and consequences of The Lost Shadow Boys Fast pace, portal stakes, and character-first tension (romance-friendly, YA-appropriate) Some destinies are hidden in plain sight...but to control our destiny, we must be awakened.
Word Count: 95000
Summary: “Reality took a greasy slide off-kilter. He had to be mistaken. Please, please God let him be mistaken…” Miles Baumgartner lost his boyfriend. His house. His job. Worst of all, he lost his nephew when Ian—his almost-son—died, crushed to death in a car accident nine months ago. So how is there a recent photo of Ian on Facebook? A series of lies and half-truths leads Miles far north to a long-abandoned orphanage. Secrets slink within St. Hamelin’s shadowed halls, and when Miles starts piecing the truth together, the horrors that walk within its rooms tighten their grip. They say that time heals all wounds, but time is running out for Miles. How can he start his life over now, knowing what really happened to Ian and the children of that unholy place? To have any chance, he must escape before dark forces curse him to walk eternally with the evils inhabiting St. Hamelin’s.
Word Count: 91000
Summary: An exiled prince searching for the truth. A curious squire desperate to prove himself. An epic romance that will change the world. Sixteen-year-old Prince Anden has spent eight years in the shadows - banished, forgotten, blamed for the death of a king. When he returns to his tense and divided kingdom, he meets River: an eager squire with a talent for trouble and a smile that disarms Anden’s guarded heart. As their friendship grows into something deeper, Anden begins to believe he might deserve more than vengeance. He might even deserve love. But treason runs deeper than either of them imagined. As assassins close in and war brews across the continent, Anden must rally allies, confront buried truths, and risk everything – not just for the crown or his family, but for the boy who believes in him. Set in a world without overt magic, Prince of Dawn is the spellbinding first volume in a queer fantasy trilogy about loyalty, legacy, and the courage to choose your own future.
Word Count: 206000
Summary: What is the cost of survival? It's been a year since Cassidy Durant became the captain of the Dreamscape Voyager, and six months since she witnessed the carnage at the Dragon's Nest. Supported by her crew and Hymn — the enigmatic Fae with whom she has formed an illicit partnership — she has done all she can to carry on with her life. However, the horrors of the past refuse to stay behind her. Instead, they threaten the future of the entire Empire. Promises of the Empire is the epic second installment in the Dreamscape Voyager Trilogy, which began with Skies of the Empire.
Word Count: Information not available
Summary: In this stunning work of speculative urban fiction, Redfern Jon Barrett breaks down the binary between utopia and dystopia—presenting an ambitopian vision of the world’s first gay state. A glittering gay metropolis of 24 million people, Berlin is a bustling world of pride parades, polyamorous trysts, and even an official gay language. Its distant radio broadcasts are a lifeline for teenagers William and Gareth, who flee toward sanctuary. But is there a place for them in the deeply divided city? Meanwhile, young mother Cissie loves Berlin’s towering high rises and chaotic multiculturalism, yet she’s never left her heterosexual district—not until she and her family are trapped in a queer riot. With her husband Howard plunging into religious paranoia, she discovers a walled-off slum of perpetual twilight, home to the city’s forbidden trans residents. Challenging assumptions of sex and gender, Proud Pink Sky questions how much of ourselves we need to sacrifice in order to find identity and community.
Word Count: Information not available
Summary: Four members of The Vampire Guard—Forge, Blair, Declan, and Lucas—face a dangerous and elusive enemy. And this time, it’s personal. When massive tech outages impact everything from Wi-Fi to traffic control, Blair, Forge, Declan, and Lucas think it’s a simple matter of catching troublesome hackers. But they quickly realize far more is at stake. Millions of dollars in art are the target of a thief who’s not afraid to kill---and he’s no stranger. Not only has he escaped capture, twice, a decade ago, but he’s had a hand in life-altering tragedies throughout their lifetimes. Once it becomes clear that art theft is just a fraction of his plan for mass destruction, they realize time is running out. The clock’s ticking. Catastrophe is imminent. Can they find and disarm all the bombs in time or will countless lives be lost?
Word Count: 100000
Summary: Qwyrk is having a bad day; several, in fact. One of the Shadow folk tasked with keeping an eye on humanity, she’s ready for a well-earned break in Yorkshire, but now she’s (literally) run into a girl, Jilly, who just saw something quite supernatural and truly awful happen in her town. As Qwyrk tries to unravel the mystery, layers of villainy are exposed, and she’s stuck with an assortment of unlikely folk that she’d rather not have “helping” her. Together, they confront ancient magic, medieval conspiracies, and the possible end of the world (that again?). It’s not the holiday Qwyrk was hoping for! Qwyrk is the first in a series of four novels about the adventures of a group of misfits at the edge of reality in modern northern England, a world of shadows, Nighttime Nasties, sorcery, intergalactic councils, tacky nightclub attire, an abundance of sarcasm, and even elves… though they are a bit silly.
Word Count: 100000
Summary: In a world where death magic is sometimes the lesser of the evils, a dark mage risks everything for redemption. To win a pardon, Raven must play a dangerous game of double agent. His mission: help the Guardians bring down his master William, the most powerful dark mage alive. His only Guardian contact is Cassandra, his former lover and the apprentice he once betrayed. His best weapon is the Ravensblood, a fearsome magical artifact his master thought destroyed. As Raven struggles to regain Cassandra's trust, the two of them devise a desperate plan to defeat William. If their plan fails, Raven could lose everything: his freedom, his love, his life, and his soul. And if William acquires the Ravensblood, he will gain the power to bring the world to its knees. First in the award-winning Ravensblood series, set in an alternate Pacific Northwest.
Word Count: 60000
Summary: Planet Hy Man is in turmoil. Its’ leader lost on earth. Will Mex rise to the challenge or fade faster than her hair dye? Mex is heading for the Edinburgh Festival in search of planet Hy Man’s lost energy. A feat made near impossible considering her arch-rival has taken over Planet Hy man’s “operations room” along with every high- tech spying equipment going. Led down the road of false leads by her `arch rival” Mex hooks up with a troupe of performing transvestites, delves into the seedier side of the festival and discovers gin. Saving Planet Hy Man could not be further from her mind if she was comatose until that is her personnel robot Pete finds her. Will Pete convince Mex to sober up and save their planet or will Mex stick with the padded bras and all who wear them? Rebel Without A Bra is the quirky second book in the Planet Hy Man science fiction comedy series. If you like high-mileage heroines, fast-paced satire, and meticulously crafted universes, then you’ll love Kerrie Noor’s otherworldly farce.
Word Count: 60000
Summary: How do you fight a hidden adversary on Mars? Dallas Gordon’s miners keep disappearing. Back on Earth, general Zhang Aiguo has seized control of the Chinese military and declared himself emperor. His forces have secretly dispatched to the Red Planet to plunder EPSILON’s hard-won treasure. Time is running out. Can Dallas Gordon and the Prospector team find Zhang’s hidden bases before they are all killed?
Word Count: 66479
Summary: Renegades Uncontrollable. Unpredictable. Dangerous. The Wildblood. Now, Team Three know what they are. Renegades takes up with Team Three out among clans of the Altered, and cities where civilization has held ground. One of the most pressing obstacles turns out to be their own governing council, a threat as real and treacherous as the Nomads of the outlands. Unwilling to confront those issues, they scatter along The Front Range of the Rocky Mountains to establish who are allies, and who are not. It’s only a matter of time before the team is forced to face the consequences of their actions, and of a war none of them remember. What would you do to protect your home?
Word Count: 150000
Summary: Can a retired assassin be the savior his people need? How does a former assassin save his fellow humans from extinction? By allying them with mrrogs of course! But that’s easier said than done as humans are understandably distrustful and suspicious of sescurei, the official species of the InterGalactic community. Leopold must convince them that Mastrodai’s offer of alliance isn’t a trick, which means diplomacy, patience, and tenacity. Times like this make him grateful that he has two strong mates to lean on. And when it comes to understanding his own people, he’d be wise to follow Alex’s lead. Alex has been too long away from her family and is thrilled to see them again. But with reunions come old pressures, old doubts, and old wounds. She must negotiate who she was with who she is, while helping her mates and her colony come together with the shared goal of freedom. Mastrodai, meanwhile, finds himself in the minority for the first time in his life, and the constant hostility has him doubting the wisdom of their choices. But he’s devoted to his human mates and determined to see things through no matter the discomfort… or danger. Not everyone wants what Leopold and his mates have to give, and he needs to break through the resistance humans have built up after generations of degradation, humiliation, and fear. He must win his people’s trust, solve the riddle of his parents’ rings, and navigate the new complexities of his love life. Being an assassin was so much easier. Reader Discretion advised: PTSD, abusive family, a cult, MMF romance, dystopian.
Word Count: Information not available
Summary: The ForeRunners have destroyed Capulet’s city, Ephesus, and the joint Lenar-Human search teams are needed to root out the enemy. But when the empathic Lenars refuse to work without Selena Dillon and her team of commandos, they soon find themselves back there in an uneasy alliance and a race against time to stop the enemy from destroying other cities. Throughout the galaxy billions are dying. Despite her fear that the alien Manta and their allies will turn against them, Selena needs to unite the races and find a way to destroy the ForeRunners before it’s too late. Selena knows there’s no more running, and that sooner or later there will be a final reckoning between herself and the queen. But even if they survive that long she needs to discover who will stand with her, and who against her, in this final confrontation with the tyrannical monarch.
Word Count: 72014
Summary: Lord Morgorth is a dark mage on the planet Karishian. He’s considered a villain by his peers and relishes the title, having embraced the role early in his life. However, not all of his actions are necessarily villainous. Despite owning several of the Stones of Power—gemstones infused with powerful magick—he doesn’t use them, preferring to keep them hidden away and out of destructive, power-hungry hands. He hates them more than anything. So when a sorcerer gets a hold of a major stone, Morgorth has no choice but to go after him. But, to his irritation, he is not alone. Aishe is a dialen whose tribe was massacred by the sorcerer, and is now on a mission of vengeance. The attraction is instant between them, but Morgorth keeps his distance. Because of a traumatic childhood and a deadly destiny, he has no desire for emotional complications. But Aishe’s very presence challenges Morgorth's resolve. Not only does Morgorth admire Aishe’s strength and intelligence, but he begins to see Aishe as a friend. As their hunt continues and their time together lengthens, their bond deepens, as does Morgorth’s fear. If he becomes the monster that destiny claims he will be, will he hurt Aishe? Will he harm the one person who sees right through him? Who accepts him wholeheartedly? Determined to not let that happen, Morgorth keeps Aishe at a distance. But when Aishe is kidnapped by the sorcerer, what will Morgorth do to get him back?
Word Count: 64,390
Summary: The time has come. The Dark Mage, Lord Morgorth, and Aishe of the Ravena Tribe, are to become bondmates. Morgorth is equal parts nervous and excited. He wants to unite with Aishe in the sacred dialen ceremony, to proclaim their devotion to the world, to show everyone that Aishe is his equal and deserving of respect. After all they’ve survived together, why shouldn’t they make the cosmic promise before friends and family? But duty must often come before pleasure. When Morgorth’s estranged mentor, Master Ulezander, comes to him with a time-sensitive mission involving a major stone of power, Morgorth has little choice but to acquiesce. Aishe knows his mate struggles with the revelation of his true destiny, after a lifetime of defining himself as the future Destroyer of Karishian. All he can do is reassure Morgorth that being the Savior is a far better fate for both of them. But as Morgorth and Aishe leap through worlds and dimensions in pursuit of a stone of power, more pieces to the puzzle of Morgorth’s destiny are revealed. And they form an image of sacrifice and tragedy. The dark cloud of an ancient enemy looms ever closer, and the path to becoming the Savior might prove more monstrous than that of the Destroyer.
Word Count: 73900
Summary: How far is too far to go to save someone you love? Brandon Lynch is magical. He’s a scintilla, wielder of electricity and is in love with a werewolf—or maybe he’d just in love with the idea of loving a werewolf? Raul Fierro is a bounty hunter and a werewolf. He knows he loves Brandon. He’s made a promise to always protect Brandon and will carry out that promise at all costs. When Brandon and Raul go head to head with human traffickers, Brandon’s morals are stretched to their limits. Will Raul keeping his promise tear them apart?
Word Count: Information not available
Summary: A killer, not a hero. That's how Bryan West thought of himself. It took a kidnapping, a double possession, a fervent priestess, a werewolf queen, and a death god to change his mind. The problem is that heroes have notoriously short life expectancies. Will Bryan survive to become the hero they need? Scion of Two Pantheons, Ted Striker’s debut novel, is an exciting addition to the great fantasy tradition of Robert Jordan, Glen Cook, and George R. R. Martin.
Word Count: 74150
Summary: A Sweet & Spicy D/s Romance! The pretty ones were always trouble... Cut Jones knows Samson from his work, but not really. He knows he’s got money, that he likes his whiskey sours extra sweet, but that’s where his knowledge ends. Samson’s come into the bar every few days for a year but has hardly said more than five words at a time, but Cut didn’t mind. Samson was out of his league. So imagine his surprise when Samson asks for his help with a very personal issue. The pressures of owning his own company and the expectations of his father had Samson Ba walking a razor’s edge. It was only a matter of time before he tried to find a release, but when he does it’s in the worst way. And he’s found by the last person he wanted to see him this way. But things aren’t all bad. Cut offers to help him relieve his stress, and Samson’s sure he’s just being nice, but some opportunities are too good to pass up.
