Tag Archives: Science fiction

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 22, 2024 · 5:00 am

The Spiderboys of Aranae Blitz

Volume 1

Science Fiction

Date Published: 10-01-2024

To the people of Earth, it is generally agreed that there is no sight more
extraordinary than that of their human cousins on the distant colony of
Aranae jumping onto the backs of giant spiders and riding off as if going to
a picnic.

To the people of Aranae, it means freedom. But for The Provenance,
their Earth rulers, one of their colonies entertaining thoughts of liberty
makes them uncomfortable.

In the first three Spiderboy adventures comprising Volume 1, we follow the
sixteen-year-old runaway, Haley as she discovers for herself the meaning of
freedom.

1. Haley’s First Spider Bite.

Billionaire’s daughter Haley Morgan joins forces with an unlikely
ally in an escaped convict on a quest to track down and apprehend a
dangerous outlaw while at the same time dodge the spiderboy search party
sent to catch Haley and return her home. And as in all
young-woman-joins-up-with-escaped-prisoner stories, things are bound to get
out of hand.

2. Malady in Savoy.

Continuing her quest, Haley takes a job as a showgirl in the city of Savoy
where she becomes the object of mistaken identity, gets caught up in
interstellar intrigue and falls for a roguish fugitive agent from
Earth. Shape-shifting does have its drawbacks.

3. Along Came a Spider.

Haley endures a marathon battle of survival with a monstrous Trap Door
spider that is determined to pin the girl on its venom-laced fangs.

About the Author

Glenn Thomas’s life path has been a meandering one, setting new life
goals at various points along the way, gaining knowledge in art,
photography, filmmaking, driving commercial vehicles, and ultimately,
writing both screenplays and prose. As a self-described
“high-functioning daydreamer,” Glenn often finds contentment in
self-imposed isolation, in conversations with an eclectic array of
characters and personalities in universes of his creation. Once in a
while, he writes their stories into scripts and novels to share with the
world.

From a young age, those who spent time with Glenn quickly recognized his
remarkable gift of daydreaming. According to his first-grade report
card, his teacher, Mrs. Haslett, wrote, “Glenn is on cloud
nine.” With that ringing endorsement from one of his earliest
admirers, Glenn has made his circuitous path to this time and place to make
some practical use of this often-misunderstood gift. With a nostalgic
smile to his past, Glenn created his film production company, Cloud 9
Filmworks, shortly after completing film school in 2005, which has now
expanded in 2024 to Cloud 9 Press to oversee his books.

Glenn lives in the Los Angeles area, and when he’s not writing, he
works as a driver for a major motion picture studio where the real
money’s at. His first self-published work was a series of short
science fiction stories called The Spiderboys of Aranae, released in 2015
and revised in 2024. Also, in 2024, the first book in a science
fiction series titled The Stars Rain Down debuted. Set in the same
universe as Spiderboys, SRD has strong connections with the earlier work,
and fans of one book will enjoy the other.

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by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | October 15, 2024 · 5:00 am

The Stars Rain Down Week Blast

Who Owns You?, Book One

Science Fiction

Date to be Published: October 11th

Set in the early 23rd century, THE STARS RAIN DOWN follows an android woman
pursuing a renegade human. At the same time, he searches for his missing
wife and child, abducted by alien pirates, and sold into slavery. Special
Agent Catherine Mercer, an artificial intelligence and agent of
Interplanetary Security (think FBI in space), is given the assignment to
pursue and apprehend Rick McCabe, a freighter pilot suspected of illegally
smuggling passengers to the free colony of Aranae, some 1300 light years
from Earth. Rick, on the other hand, on route to Aranae, was attacked by
pirates and separated from his pregnant wife, Sarah, who was captured. But,
having come under the suspicion of IPS of illegally transporting passengers,
Rick goes rogue and sets off to find Sarah while evading Catherine trying to
capture him. Rick and his tech-savvy partner QR follow a trail of clues and
tips that lead from one planet to another, from one hostile slave owner and
alien race to more pirates and unsavory characters. Along the journey,
Catherine learns that being human is more than possessing a flesh and blood
body. The transitory body holds an eternal spirit that yearns to be free.

About the Author

Glenn Thomas’s life path has been a meandering one, setting new life
goals at various points along the way, gaining skills in art, photography,
film-making, driving, and ultimately, writing in screenplays and
prose. As a self-described “high-functioning daydreamer,”
Glenn often finds contentment in self-imposed isolation, in conversation
with characters only he sees and hears, in universes of his own
creation. Once in a while, he writes them down into scripts and novels
to share with the world.

Glenn lives in the Los Angeles area and works as a driver for a major
motion picture studio. His first self-published work was a series of
short Science Fiction stories called The Spiderboys of Aranae, which
appeared in 2015.

In 1986, when Glenn was convinced he was at the start of a long and
prosperous career as a visual artist, an idea for a sci-fi story came to
him. A guy loses his wife to space aliens, and he searches the galaxy
to find her. As a fan of the genre, Glenn sat down with paper and
pencil to write the story, and two years later, No Longer Mourn for Me was
finished. It then sat on the shelf, unpublished, for nearly 35
years. Glenn thought about that crudely executed early work, got ideas
to improve it, and sat down at the computer for a rewrite. The
original story was completely gutted, retooled, and reborn with a new title:
The Stars Rain Down.

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by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | August 22, 2024 · 5:00 am

The Stars Rain Down Reveal

Who Owns You?, Book One

Science Fiction

Date to be Published: October 11th

About the Author

Glenn lives in the Los Angeles area and works as a driver for a major
motion picture studio. His first self-published work was a series of
short Science Fiction stories called The Spiderboys of Aranae, which
appeared in 2015.

In 1986, when Glenn was convinced he was at the start of a long and
prosperous career as a visual artist, an idea for a sci-fi story came to
him. A guy loses his wife to space aliens, and he searches the galaxy
to find her. As a fan of the genre, Glenn sat down with paper and
pencil to write the story, and two years later, No Longer Mourn for Me was
finished. It then sat on the shelf, unpublished, for nearly 35
years. Glenn thought about that crudely executed early work, got ideas
to improve it, and sat down at the computer for a rewrite. The
original story was completely gutted, retooled, and reborn with a new title:
The Stars Rain Down.

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Tagged as Glenn Thomas, Science fiction, The Stars Rain Down

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | June 12, 2024 · 5:00 am

Symmetry Blitz

Science Fiction

Survival knows no bounds in the depths of space. Are you ready to uncover
the chilling truth?

Spaceship Seven Ocean is sent to investigate a mysterious object near
Pluto. As they approach it, they receive a distress call from Auria, the
radar operator. She claims that everyone aboard is killed in fire after
oxygen leak. The engineers soon find out that the oxygen tanks indeed have
been damaged. They fix the tanks and avoid a deadly accident. But it
doesn’t change the fate of the ship. The crew is erased one by one,
while charred corpses appear on the floor as a haunting reminder of their
inevitable fate. Only Salin, the co-pilot, is left alive. She is trapped in
a tomb-like vessel with an unknown force. As she fights for survival and
uncovers the truth, she realizes she is not alone in the darkness.

A gripping tale of survival and mystery, Symmetry will keep readers on the
edge of their seats until the very end. Fans of The Martian and Gravity will
also love this heart-pounding adventure.

Author

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Tagged as Dimm Lamp, Science fiction, Symmetry

by Jennifer Reed/ bookjunkiez | May 10, 2024 · 5:00 am

Writers of the Future Volume 40 Virtual Book Tour

Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Short Stories

Date Published: May 7, 2024

Spine-tingling

Breathtaking

Mind-blowing

Experience these powerful new voices—vivid, visceral, and
visionary—as they explore uncharted worlds and reveal unlimited
possibilities.

Open the Writers of the Future and be carried away by stories—and
illustrations—that will make you think, make you laugh, and make you
see the world in ways you never imagined.

Twelve captivating tales from the best new writers of the year as selected
by Writers of the Future Contest judges accompanied by three more from L.
Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, S.M. Stirling. Each is accompanied by a full-color
illustration.

Plus Bonus Art and Writing Tips from Gregory Benford, Bob Eggleton,
L. Ron Hubbard, Dean Wesley Smith

“When her owner goes missing, a digital housecat must become more
than simulation to find her dearest companion through the virtual
world.—“The Edge of Where My Light Is Cast” by Sky
McKinnon, art by Carina Zhang

No one came to his brother’s funeral. Not even the spirits.
Étienne knew it was his fault.—“Son, Spirit, Snake”
by Jack Nash, art by Pedro N.

Man overboard is a nightmare scenario for any sailor, but Lieutenant Susan
Guidry is also running out of air—and the nearest help is light years
away.—“Nonzero” by Tom Vandermolen, art by Jennifer
Mellen

Mac wanted to invent a cocktail to burn itself upon the pages of
history—but this one had some unexpected side
effects.—“The Last Drop” by L. Ron Hubbard and L. Sprague
de Camp, art by Chris Arias

Dementia has landed Dan Kennedy in Graydon Manor, and what’s left of
his life ahead seems dismal, but a pair of impossible visitors bring
unexpected hope.—“The Imagalisk” by Galen Westlake, art by
Arthur Haywood

When a teenage swamp witch fears her mama will be killed, she utilizes her
wits and the magic of the bayou—no matter the cost to her own
soul.—“Life and Death and Love in the Bayou” by Stephannie
Tallent, art by Ashley Cassaday

Our exodus family awoke on the new world—a paradise inexplicably
teeming with Earth life, the Promise fulfilled. But 154 of us are
missing.…—“Five Days Until Sunset” by Lance
Robinson, art by Steve Bentley

Spirits were supposed to lurk beneath the Lake of Death, hungry and patient
and hostile to all life.—“Shaman Dreams” by S.M. Stirling,
art by Dan dos Santos

A new app lets users see through the eyes of any human in history, but
it’s not long before the secrets of the past catch up with the
present.—“The Wall Isn’t a Circle” by Rosalyn
Robilliard, art by Guelly Rivera

In the shadows of Teddy Roosevelt’s wendigo hunt, a Native American
boy resolves to turn the tables on his captors, setting his sights on the
ultimate prey—America’s Great
Chief.—“Da-ko-ta” by Amir Agoora, art by Connor
Chamberlain

When squids from outer space take over, a punk-rock P.I. must crawl out of
her own miserable existence to find her client’s daughter—and
maybe a way out.—“Squiddy” by John Eric Schleicher, art by
Tyler Vail

Another outbreak? This time it’s a virus with an eighty percent
infection rate that affects personality changes …
permanently.—“Halo” by Nancy Kress, art by Lucas
Durham

Planet K2-18b is almost dead, humanity is enslaved, and it’s
Rickard’s fault. Now in his twilight years, he’d give an arm and
a leg for redemption. Literally.—“Ashes to Ashes, Blood to
Carbonfiber” by James Davies, art by May Zheng

What if magic could undo the unthinkable, and undo Death itself? Would you
use it no matter the cost? What would you sacrifice for
love?—“Summer of Thirty Years” by Lisa Silverthorne, art
by Gigi Hooper

Joe is a prospector tasked with exploring the cosmos on behalf of an
all-powerful government. Breadna is a toaster. There have been weirder love
stories, but that’s unlikely.—“Butter Side Down” by
Kal M, art by Selena Meraki

EXCERPT

Introduction

Once again, I am proud to present to you twelve brand-new stories that will delight you, expose you to new ideas, drag you through harrowing trials, make you think, cry, and laugh. The variety of stories, from time travel to dystopia to the memory of a child’s imagination, is like a library between two covers. You have a treat waiting for you.

Every year that I have been involved in the Writers of the Future Contest, I have been impressed by the talent of up-and-coming writers. They have a vision, they explore it through the eyes of well drawn characters in a world made vivid by their words, and they bring the plot to a conclusion that satisfies the reader’s desire for adventure. It’s hard to choose the finalists because there are always more than the eight per quarter that I am allowed to select from the myriad we receive, and just as hard to pick the three winners from that group. These are the best of the best.

Another important facet is their perseverance. In some cases, the success of these twelve writers is the result of years of submitting to the Contest. When one story didn’t make the cut, they tried a fresh idea. In this year, each of them succeeded. I enjoyed each of these stories, and I am proud to have been a part of bringing the world’s attention to these new writers.

I know there are many hopeful writers who want to join the ranks of Contest winners, and I encourage you to keep trying. One thing that I have noticed over the last couple of years is that some writers keep sending me the same stories over and over again. Once in a very great while, a story will move up in rank, achieving notice as an honorable mention, to silver honorable mention, to semifinalist, or even finalist. If a story that you send me has received the same ranking for three or more quarters, it is unlikely ever to be considered for a higher prize. I beseech you to put that story aside, sell it elsewhere, and send me something else. The Writers of the Future Contest wants to help you achieve a writing career, and a career is not made on a single story. It’s like trying keys in a lock. If one key doesn’t work, try others until one of them opens the door.

What am I looking for? I want a story with a beginning, middle, and end. I want your protagonist to grow in some fashion, whether or not s/he succeeds at the goal. Speculative fiction is about extrapolating on things that already exist. Show me new ideas. Don’t retread ground that has been trampled by thousands of others. Let me hear your voice. Tickle my imagination. Introduce me to new people, new cultures. I want excellent storytelling with great characters and imaginative world-building. You can enter once a quarter, with no entrance fee, with a story that can range in length from flash fiction (yes! we accept flash fiction) up to seventeen thousand words, in any subgenre of science fiction or fantasy, even light horror. Please read the guidelines carefully, and send me your stories!

The rewards for becoming a winner of the Contest are worthwhile. The twelve writer winners are flown into Hollywood, California, from wherever they are in the world, for a grand black-tie, red-carpet gala, given beautiful trophies and checks for winning. Winners from each quarter receive US$500 for third place, US$750 for second place, and US$1,000 for first. Each of their stories has also been handed off to the winners of the Illustrators of the Future Contest to create a unique and original piece of art to accompany it in the anthology. Thousands of longtime professional writers have never had a published story of theirs illustrated in full color, so this is a great honor and a pleasure. The anthologies themselves often become national bestsellers, a terrific thing to have on your bibliography.

The next year’s Contest is already under way. Join us, and let us see your vision.

L. Ron Hubbard, Nancy Kress, S. M. Stirling, Gregory Benford, Bob Eggleton,
Dean Amir Agoora, James Davies, Kal M, Sky McKinnon, Jack Nash, Rosalyn
Robilliard, Lance Robinson, John Eric Schleicher, Lisa Silverthorne,
Stephannie Tallent, Tom Vandermolen, and Galen Westlake.

Illustrators: Dan dos Santos, Ashley Cassaday, Gigi Hooper, Jennifer
Mellen, Pedro Nascimento, Steve Bentley, Connor Chamberlain, Selena Meraki,
Guelly Rivera, Tyler Vail, Carina Zhang, May Zheng, Lucas Durham, and Chris
Arias.

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