Part of Series
9 tales of galactic ludicrousness, all communicated entirely in beeps and squinks. If you can read this, you're probably a cyborg. Stealing Trouble by Amy DuBoff Legitimate business is boring. There's no thrill, just a lot of paperwork. To amuse themselves, the crew of the Little Princess II decide to try their hands at some old fashioned art theft and black market dealings. However, going in without a clear plan has a tendency to backfire. Old nemeses, incorrect assumptions, and bad luck are just the beginning of their problems. Invasion of the Kaviis by C.C. Ekeke Since childhood, Henar has trained to become part of the Kavii Benevolency's grand military. But when he's sent to the backwater world known as Earth, the young soldier is hell-bent on making the best of his first military conquest. What he finds on Earth opens his eyes to a new and unorthodox chance at glory... and unlimited belly rubs. A Visit from my Cyborg Nana by Zen DiPietro Charlie Kenny is happy with his new life on the Second Chance. He's a redshirt, an unlikely adventurer, and he's even learned to mix a darn good cocktail. He's been reluctant to return to Earth, where the majority of his life's misfortunes have occurred, but his nana needs help. The cyborg overlords that assimilated her years ago now refuse to provide her with proper maintenance. Charlie has no choice but to face off against these robotic ruffians. Lucky for him, he'll have the help of the two best friends a redshirt could have. The Horrible Habits of Humans by S.E. Anderson Commander Strax of the Order would love nothing more than to command his ship and plan his retirement. Babysitting a new race is not part of the plan. When a simple dimplomatic mission goes sideways, it's up to strax to save the universe—and keep the human out of trouble. The Lone Ranger Returns by Michael Anderle Her grandfather is gone, his legacy remains. It takes a while for this granddaughter to realize you can't outrun the Grimes legacy. Swarn of the Zom-Bees by Chris J. Pike Captain Jim Jones and his crew just want to enjoy a few space hot dogs when blood-sucking bees attack. After reaching a tentative truce, everyone has been fooled by the Space Bees, with their apparent need to cultivate honey everywhere. But when the first Space Bee shop opens on Earth, Jones suspects something else is afoot as people start dropping like flies. Vermillion by L.A. Johnson Zenith researches ancient intergalactic maps for a living. Or at least she did, until she impulsively joined a slacker Civil Customer Service crew to get away from an ex-boyfriend. Now she must deal with the terrors lurking in deep space, a co-dependent ship named Vermillion, and a human-sized insect roommate. The crew is intent on keeping their zero percent customer satisfaction rating despite Zenith's objections, but when her past won't stop coming back to haunt her, her first job may be her last. Glitches Wild by Drew Avera What happens when the unluckiest man on the planets plays a high-stakes game of poker against the richest man in West Virginia? He loses his ass in more ways than one. The real question is, what happens after? Zip Zap Boing by Andrew Lawston The Starship Troupers Initiative is famed across the galaxy, bringing the greatest actors to entertain soldiers in warzones on the most lethal colony worlds. Now, new actor James Fanning must both give the performance of a lifetime, and singlehandedly turn the tide of Jargroth's civil war. The show must go on... even if it kills him! **
Authors
S.E. ANDERSON, PhD, is the author of the YA science fiction humor series THE STARSTRUCK SAGA and OVER THE MOON, as well as a YA contemporary novel, AIX MARKS THE SPOT, based on her childhood in Provence. During the day, she's an astrophysics researcher and studies what comets can tell us about the formation of the Solar System. She currently lives in Marseille, France, where she is currently trying to wrangle some comets, her cats, and her husband.
C.C. Ekeke is a native of California by way of Georgia by way of Missouri, spending much of his childhood on a steady diet of science fiction movies and television shows, as well as superhero comic books. It was in college studying for a degree in advertising that he stumbled across a desire to write books. STAR BRIGADE: Resurgent, his debut novel, was originally self-published in December 2005. This re-release marks the second edition of the book. He’s currently at work on the next books in the Star Brigade series.
Malorie Cooper likes to think of herself as a dreamer and a wanderer, yet her feet are firmly grounded in reality. A ‘maker’ from an early age, Malorie loves to craft things, from furniture, to cosplay costumes, to a well-spun tale, she can’t help but to create new things every day. A rare extrovert writer, she loves to hang out with readers and people in general. If you meet her at a convention, she just might be rocking a catsuit, cosplaying one of her own characters, or maybe her latest favorite from Overwatch! She shares her home with a brilliant young girl, her wonderful wife (who also writes), a cat that chirps at birds, a never-ending list of things she would like to build, and ideas…
Andrew K. Lawston has at various times been a writer, actor, director, teacher, journalist, academic, salesman, publisher, editor, designer (that was a weird day), cinema manager, film extra and till monkey. His first job was working in an independent bookshop aged 16, and he at least had the foresight to know that it would all be downhill from there. Andrew writes quirky comedy fiction over a variety of genres. His writing is infused with the kind of worldview that comes from watching a lot of French cinema and Doctor Who (not necessarily in that order), and reading a lot of Pratchett, Dickens and Shakespeare. It's often dark, sometimes disturbing, always unpredictable, and occasionally very funny. Ever wondered what would happen if a small boy got into an abusive relationship with the demonic clown hiding under his bed? So did he, unfortunately. With a degree in French, Andrew also translates classic French books, most notably Casanova's account of his escape from Venice prison in 1755, and the Chantecoq series of pulp detective novels. Andrew has now largely retired from acting, but in 2018 he was a finalist in the Arts Richmond New Plays Festival with his short play "Matrexit". He lives in London with a lovely wife and a crime-solving cat.
