Mergle, a misunderstood dragon struggling with social acceptance, finds solace in his secret garden near a forbidden river. He treasures the shiny objects he collects, which provide him comfort and a sense of uniqueness. When an unusual, squishy creature invades his sanctuary and steals his favorite brooch, Mergle is torn between his fear of the unknown and his need to reclaim his treasure. Determined, he crosses into the forbidden land in pursuit of the thief. As Mergle attempts to communicate and retrieve his beloved brooch, the situation escalates, leading to an unexpected and profound confrontation.
Sequel to Dragon’s Story: in this short fantasy, Perdie, a young female dragon on the cusp of her flame-lighting finds her world turned upside down. Perdie is renowned for her potential and beauty, yet her unlit flame leaves her feeling incomplete. When she confronts her own prejudices and societal expectations, she grapples with unexpected feelings and forbidden curiosities. Perdie embarks on a journey that challenges everything she thought she knew about her clan and the mysterious world beyond the forbidden river. Perdie's quest for understanding leads to a fiery awakening that will change her – and her world – forever.
[Unabridged version - contains LGBTQ themes that may not be appropriate for all readers.]
In a society where human consciousness can freely transfer between bodies, this short story follows Jasper, a part-time Star Ship pilot deeply involved in an interstellar project called REACH OUT. Jasper explores the meaning of identity, autonomy, and the moral dilemmas within a society that has conquered death through technology, allowing humans to live indefinitely by jumping from body to body. Throughout the short story, Jasper navigates complex relationships, particularly with Devon, a character who decides to inhabit his original body permanently. As Jasper shifts through various forms and genders, the narrative delves into the fluidity of identity and the spectrum of human experience, challenging societal norms and prompting Jasper to reconsider her perspectives on life, duty, personal freedom, and the essence of human existence.
In the heart of London, George, a reclusive software developer, finds solace in a small diner where a kind waitress, Lily, is his only connection to the world. Struggling with the isolation of his success, George's life takes a turn when he receives an unexpected email from someone he never knew existed. George discovers the power of connection and the impact of unseen acts of kindness. Amidst the rain-soaked streets and the hum of everyday life, this poignant tale explores themes of friendship, loss, and the quest for redemption. "Pizza Not For Takeout" is a heartwarming short story of unexpected bonds and the small moments that can change a life forever.
A short story of a cosmic journey with Michelle Angora aboard the Bonne Chance, humanity's hope for survival in a universe teetering on the brink of extinction. As galaxies spiral towards doom, one woman battles against her own despair and the cold calculations of the ship's brain to uncover a glimmer of hope. "Close the Door" melds physics and profound philosophical questions, challenging the limits of human courage and ingenuity. Will Michelle find salvation in the stars, or is it the end of humanity?
Second Contact is much more mundane than First. Garnaak, a huge, lumbering, three-eyed, three-limbed martini-drinking Xtro, resides in a condo at the Cape, blending into the seemingly ordinary rhythms of human life. He is part of a mission that, on the surface, is simple: observe, learn, and perhaps one day guide humanity in their journey toward the stars. But the complexities of human nature make this task anything but straightforward.
In this thought-provoking short story, Garnaak forms an unlikely bond with his human neighbor Sidney, whose casual humor and genuine curiosity challenge Garnaak's expectations of what it means to coexist. Alongside Sidney, there is also a pair of inseparable ducks—the "two ladies"—whose graceful simplicity becomes a symbol of companionship and resilience. As Garnaak observes humanity's struggle with fear, conflict, and their unrelenting drive to escape the confines of Earth, he finds insights and unexpected depths that reach far beyond his mission's parameters.
Through moments of quiet observation, heartfelt interactions, and reflections on both the profound and mundane, "Garnaak and the Two Ladies" explores the delicate balance between interstellar ambitions and the simple, meaningful connections that make life worth living. This is an optimistic tale of patience, curiosity, and the quiet yet powerful threads that bind beings together across the cosmos—whether they have two eyes or three, wings or a pair of martini glasses.
[Unabridged version - contains mature themes that may not be appropriate for all readers.]
"We shall not cease from exploration..." - T.S. Eliot
When billionaire CEO Claire Elsworth's husband and daughter vanish during what should have been a routine space jump to Disney World, she's told there's nothing that can be done. Emergency Exit protocols were signed. No guarantees in interstellar travel. Case closed.
But Claire isn't buying it.
Aided by a brilliant but disheveled young physicist whose own secrets run deeper than she suspects, Claire launches a desperate investigation into her family's disappearance. What she uncovers will challenge everything she knows about space, time, and her own legacy as head of humanity's most powerful communications empire.
From the pristine towers of future Seattle to the untamed banks of the ancient Columbia River, "Puppets of Time" weaves together corporate intrigue, cutting-edge physics, and archaeological mystery into a mind-bending exploration of causality and free will. When the strings of past and future become tangled, who really controls humanity's destiny?
A sweeping science fiction novel that will appeal to fans of Blake Crouch's Recursion and Michael Crichton's scientific thrillers, "Puppets of Time" asks the ultimate question: If you could sacrifice everything to be with the ones you love, would you pull your own strings?
A tale of music, misadventure, and the untold battles of the Cold War.
In 1973, four naïve theater students from a small Catholic university are chosen for the opportunity of a lifetime: a State Department-sponsored cultural goodwill tour, performing Godspell across Central America. Their journey starts like a musical - young artists bringing Broadway to bustling cities and remote villages. But it ends like a spy thriller. Somewhere between the standing ovations and missing journalists, between a drug lord's mansion and an earthquake that brings down more than just the house, these performers realize their production is the perfect cover for a show they never auditioned for. And in 1973's Central America, missing your cue could mean more than just a bad review...
From mysterious government "sponsors" to unnervingly watchful guides, the quartet's tour is anything but routine. They find themselves enveloped in a web of shifting alliances, political undercurrents, and secrets they can't quite grasp. As the lines between performance and reality blur, the group must navigate a journey filled with laughter, danger, and discoveries about the world—and themselves.
Blending wit, suspense, and historical nuance, Central Exposure is a fast-paced, vividly told story that will leave readers both singing-along and thoughtfully reflective. Perfect for fans of Catch-22, Our Man in Havana, and The Americans, this novel captures the absurdity and humanity of young dreamers caught in forces beyond their control.
"I was five when I first saw my mother. Not the way other children see their mothers - in photographs or through foster parents' stories of the woman who left me in that alley. No, I saw her the way I would always see her: impossible, beautiful, and mine alone."
In this science fiction short story, James Whitehall's journey begins with abandonment near London's Paddington Station and transforms into an extraordinary tale of connection across time. His birthdays become mysterious anchors, marked by visits from a mother only he can see - a military commander whose strategic insights shape his path from foster child to tech empire builder. Each impossible meeting brings new revelations: combat tactics that revolutionize his business strategy, cryptic star charts that hold hidden messages, and warnings of a future that may or may not exist.
Through rain-soaked London streets and gleaming corporate towers, this speculative fiction weaves together military science fiction, celestial navigation, and the uncharted territories of the human heart. This emotional time travel tale explores how the stories we tell ourselves shape who we become and how the most profound truths might exist in the space between reality and imagination.
Perfect for readers of emotional science fiction who loved the temporal complexity of Audrey Niffenegger's "The Time Traveler's Wife," the military precision of Joe Haldeman's "The Forever War," and the profound parent-child connections of Ted Chiang's "Story of Your Life," this British supernatural short story asks: What if the impossible isn't?
"The ground beneath my boots shouldn't feel familiar. Not on a planet centuries from Earth. Not when I hadn't ever set foot on an open surface beneath an infinite sky. Three hundred years. A very long wait."
In this haunting science fiction short story, Captain Alexandra Brennan leads humanity's first interstellar colony mission, carrying the weight of centuries of hope and sacrifice. When she discovers four perfect circles of emptiness on an otherwise verdant world, she questions everything about humanity's place among the stars.
From a mysterious crystalline rock to the profound burden of generational duty, "Slow Ship" weaves together the intimate and the cosmic, exploring how choices ripple through the ages. As Alexandra leads her team through revelations that challenge their mission and her role as mother to the next generation, she must confront a world where nothing is quite what they expected.
Perfect for readers who loved the generational complexity of Becky Chambers' "The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet," the archaeological mystery of Alastair Reynolds' "Diamond Dogs," and the philosophical depth of Adrian Tchaikovsky's "Children of Time." This divergent tale asks: When we finally reach the stars, will we recognize the truths waiting for us there?
IIn the chaos of geopolitics, three women dare to lead with heart—and risk everything for the truth, for power, and for love.
Investigative journalist Millie O’Dair doesn’t believe in fairy tales—but somewhere between DC, Dulles, and 39,000 feet over the Pacific, she meets a naval officer who just might change her mind. Their chemistry ignites across continents and conflicts, even as her stories threaten to unravel a dangerous global conspiracy.
In Singapore, Laura Davidson, enigmatic socialite and diplomatic wife, knows all too well that power is seduction—and secrets are currency. And deep within the Pentagon, Regina Pike, a military intelligence engineer, must choose between loyalty and desire as everything she’s built begins to crack under pressure.
Straits blends sizzling chemistry with high-stakes global intrigue, where the battlefields are boardrooms, backchannels, and bedrooms. From late-night rendezvous to whispered truths at 50,000 feet, love becomes a weapon—and pleasure, a dangerous game.
For romantasy readers craving spice without dragons, Straits delivers intelligence with heat, romance with grit, and heroines you’ll never forget—an epic-scale geopolitical thriller with the heart of a slow-burn, high-stakes love story.
[Each of the nine short stories collected here have been separately published under their own covers.]
Journey across time, space, and the human experience in this captivating collection of nine unforgettable short stories.
From the generational starship saga "Slow Ship," where Captain Alexandra Brennan discovers the shocking truth about humanity's interstellar future, to the poignant "Pizza Not For Takeout," where an unlikely friendship develops against London's bustling backdrop, this anthology traverses the full spectrum of speculative and contemporary fiction.
Step into worlds where three-eyed alien diplomats observe humanity's struggles in "Garnaak and the Two Ladies," where time itself bends to allow a mother and son to meet across decades in "Echoes of Birthdays," and where dragons face heartbreaking misunderstandings in "Dragon's Story."
Venture into the mind-bending philosophical questions of gender identity in "Coming Home Again," where leaving your body forces us to reconsider what it means to be human. Experience the Cold War intrigue of "Central Exposure" as four college singers become unwitting pawns in a dangerous international game, contemplate the universe's end in "Close the Door," and witness a dragon's awakening passion in "Perdie's Flame."
Each tale in this collection invites readers to explore the boundaries between connection and isolation, between what we create and what we destroy, between the stories we tell ourselves and the truths we cannot escape.
Naught Enough weaves together science fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction with characters whose struggles, triumphs, and transformations will linger long after the final page.
Discover nine worlds. Nine journeys. Nine chances to see reality through different eyes.
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David Neyland was born in Iceland and loves to travel. Some of his best friends were dachshunds, better known as wiener dogs - the original badger hounds.
Dave is a self-publisher of an eclectic mix of science fiction, short stories, fantasy, and espionage. Dave resonates with the philosophy of "A story untold is a burden," and "Stories told lessen the load and carry no obligation."
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