Start your evening with an excerpt of Null States by Malka Older.

The future of democracy is about to implode.

After the last controversial global election, the global infomocracy that has ensured thirty years of world peace is fraying at the edges. As the new Supermajority government struggles to establish its legitimacy, agents of Information across the globe strive to keep the peace and maintain the flows of data that feed the new world order.

SINK OR SWIM: THE SEARCH FOR AVELINE | Captain Harry Roberts of The Sappho and her daring crew of misfits are not for the faint of heart. A ship of strays unlike any other, they’re ready to face whatever the world throws at them — be it mermaids, kidnappings, sirens, plague, clashes with their mortal enemy Captain Wrath Drew of The Charon, a handsome merman, or good old-fashioned love.

A collection of interconnected stories featuring a diverse, predominately female cast of characters that cover the full LGBTQ spectrum. Co-written with @stephanierabig​. Available here on Amazon [ebook & paperback]. Fancasts here, here, and here.

WEIRD, USA | Fraternal twins Ben and Charlie Hawthorne inherit a fortune from their famous photographer uncle, but the money comes with a stipulation — it must be spent on an adventure. So the two set out for a cross-country road trip with friend Olivia Nettles, discovering more about themselves, their family, and just how weird the world really is. Full of cryptids, ghosts, psychic abilities, nostalgic Americana, and very colorful characters. Buy volume 1 here. Fancast here.

SORRY, WE’RE DEAD | In a town where the noises in the night aren’t always gunshots, some cases require investigators who are more than human. When a literal femme fatale, the zombie slayer Abigail Laveau, hires werepanther Virgil Meriweather to find her missing sister, it’s not long before he’s mixed up with all sorts of underworld figures — like Vodun bokors, werewolves, zombies, and even a Mexican death god… Meanwhile, vampire Warrenwick Gam has his own hands full after he saves a suicidal secretary. Are Nora Donovan’s nightmares the result of trauma, magic, or something else entirely? Can a vampire actually help a girl with the face of an angel? When things go bump in the night, Gam & Meriweather bump back.  

A paranormal noir. This extended edition includes bonus short stories, character profiles, and world-building details. Available here on Blurb. Fancast here.

THE LITO | With Olympus and their powers fading, the gods and goddesses of Greece agree to a Pact that renders them half-mortal while creating a new home amongst us: The Lito. And while they may not be the figures they once were, they still get up to plenty of their old shenanigans — there are sexcapades, grudges and rivalries, and a long game playing out behind the scenes where one of them is trying to reclaim their old power, no matter the cost...

Collections of short stories. Volume One | Volume Two | Volume Three. Fancasting here.

BALANCING ACT | In a world where even the Greek gods have to earn a paycheck, former lovers Adonis and Narcissus make a bet on who will be the first to successfully seduce the newest intern at Olympus Air: Ganymede. But seduction isn't so simple when old feelings are far from faded and new realizations come to light, leaving the two men confused as to who and what they really want.

A Lito short story featuring a LGBTQ relationship. Available here as an ebook through Less Than Three Press.

STOLEN HEART | Snow White is the heir to a vast business empire. In the wake of the sudden death of her father, Arthur "King" White, she finds herself grappling with newfound responsibilities — and a mysterious admirer. After a scandalous series of correspondence, Snow finally meets the person behind the pen: the queen of the criminal underworld, Regine. Secret meetings in smoky bars. A dangerously violent femme fatale. And several sordid details are revealed before the queens can truly claim their thrones.

A sapphic noir fairy tale retelling. Available here as an ebook through Less Than Three Press.

FAERIETALE | On the other side of a door — of many doors — lies a world where familiar figures like Snow White, Captain Hook, Prince Charming, Red Riding Hood, Beauty, and the Big Bad Wolf are a little bit different from what the fairy tales would have you believe. The Prince has a harem; Red Riding Hood is a psychotic assassin; Beauty is her own Beast; and Snow White falls for Alice.  

A collaborative novel co-written with @stephanierabig​  and @airy-minotaur. Available here on Amazon [ebook & paperback].

CROSSROADS | Take all of the creatures of the night and world mythology, stick ‘em in a blender, add a crazy prophecy, and VOILA. A collaborative project, currently on hold. Here.

CRIMINAL ELEMENT | I also write meta, commentary, and reviews on genre movies, books, and TV shows. You can find those articles here.

Is it crime or sci-fi? ...is it too much to ask for both?

😭 me tooooooo!!!

Criminal Element, Salty: Day 5

I woke this morning to a horrible sound. Sorrow filled my soul as I quickly checked my notifications through the disgusting noises--still shadow-banned, still no reply to my ticket.

I sighed deeply, trying to drown out both my feelings and the close, wet slurps of Potassium-the-dog grooming eVeRy InCh of her body WHILE ON MY BED, DO YOU MIND, POTASSIUM?!?!?!?!

"SLURP SLORP SLURP GNAWGNAWGNAW SLUUUURRRRP SLOOORRRP!"

She didn't mind! She likes being all-natural and hygienic! It's great for dogs! Did I know it was morning?! BECAUSE IT WAS!!!

She's singing another song of her people now: boredom barking. It's super helpful to let me know that the dog is bored, which is a tragedy almost as sad as the dog being hungry.

❤️

Maybe it's a week-long ban. I'll bug them again soon so I can return to the regular hellsite, though I've been enjoying connecting with folks on discord. ❤️

Still miss everyone here!

Book review and giveaway: People Like Them

People Like Them by Samira Sedira Translated by Lara Vergnaud Penguin Books Published on 7/6/2021 Des gens comme eux was first published in French in 2020 192 pages Suspense/Thriller/Literary fiction Goodreads As Covid related restrictions loosen up, many tourists are going to head for France, and for good reasons, as it’s a wonderful place to visit for a few days or a few weeks, with great…