In the Shadow of Heroes

A 3rd Fieldston Mystery

by D.L. O'Neil

In book 3 of the Fieldston mystery series Camp Richland is being prepped to house Lyndon's Warrior Vision but before that can happen, its underground tunnels need to be sorted. The mysterious trunk's contents lead Sarge, Alex, and the others back through the centuries, following a trail to unravel the secrets hidden on the property. Who came before them and what might have been left behind? What makes this place so special to D'Shea? And who is tracking their every move from the shadows.

Join Sarge and the other Fieldston women as they explore the past, the present, and for some, the future.

Published:
Genres:
fiction, historical, lgbtq, mystery
Tags:
college graduate, construction worker, hurt/comfort, interracial couple, lesbian, military vet, Native American, outdoorsman, series, small town, uplifting
Excerpt:

Sarge ended the call and dropped her cell phone on the counter, turning to face Bill and Alex.

“That was Victoria King. The archeology team from Philadelphia is staged and ready. They expect to pull into camp sometime Wednesday afternoon. Once set up, they’ll start examining and mapping what we already discovered and then figure how best to open the trunk without damaging anything inside. King said they bring most of their own workspace but may need an extra storage area, maybe either the barn or the hall next door.” Sarge indicated the attached room which had been the camp’s original dining hall. “The historical significance of this is still unknown, but King said the team lead, Dr. Hawes, thinks it’s likely we stumbled on an unknown railroad station. This may put Camp Richland on the map for more than our warrior program.” Alex and Bill both grinned widely.

Reach Past the Shadows

A 2nd Fieldston Mystery

by D.L. O'Neil

The residents of Fieldston are healing from the hate crimes that tore the town apart while D’Shea Sinclair and her friends move forward, building lives with those they love. A series of unexplained incidents involving gunshots, drugs, and a mysterious disappearance lead police down a trail where people are not what they seem. Murky shadows loom large, remnants of the past surface, and mistrust is fueled by secrets…some innocent and others sinister. The investigation uncovers unlikely alliances, and a plot that just may tear the whole town apart once again.

When Camp Richland is put up for sale, time becomes the enemy. Will the mystery be unraveled before it’s too late?

The 2nd Fieldston mystery continues D’Shea and Evie’s love story alongside some familiar faces plus a few new ones.

Published:
Genres:
contemporary, fiction, lgbtq, mystery, suspense-thriller
Tags:
contemporary, interracial couple, lesbian, low angst, military vet, outdoorsman, series
Excerpt:

Nervous after the gunshot, D’Shea backed out of the ranger’s driveway and headed to the road. The camp gate was ajar, the padlock hanging loose, affording them an easy exit. As she pulled onto the road, D’Shea considered how odd it was that Dale would leave the lock hanging, but getting to the police station to report what happened was higher on her priority list than trying to puzzle out the hanging lock. The trip was a blur as both D’Shea and Evie replayed how close the shot had come to hitting them. “I’m sure that had nothing to do with the May incident,” Evie said finally, her voice shaky. Am I trying to convince D’Shea or myself?

READ MORE

Wearing a grim expression, D’Shea only nodded as they pulled up and parked in front of the police station in downtown Fieldston. Before getting out of the car, D’Shea dialed the ranger’s number again. If it was an accident, I’m not going to report it. Maybe he was taking target practice and missed. As quickly as the thought crossed D’Shea’s mind, she classified it as unlikely. Hitting the end button, she turned to Evie and said, “Dale still isn’t answering. Am I nuts or does it seem weird he’d leave, knowing we were in camp—and leave the gate lock hanging? Please tell me I’m overreacting, hon.”

Evie shook her head and touched D’Shea’s arm. “I’m afraid you and I are on the same wavelength on this. It’s out of character based on the few interactions I had with him last spring. But,” she paused and drew out her thought, “the police may not think so. Let’s not go too far down that path until we talk with them.”

Evie and D’Shea stood impatiently in front of the desk sergeant waiting for him to finish his phone call, which seemed to be taking forever. “How can I help you two girls?” the sergeant finally asked after disconnecting the call.

“I need to report a shooting,” D’Shea said hurriedly, ignoring her flare of irritation at his demeaning language.

COLLAPSE

Love Through the Shadows

by D.L. O'Neil

Ever wonder where hate comes from? From small slights or from deeply held beliefs? And what happens when hate runs headlong into the strongest emotion there is…love?

Fieldston, a sleepy town in eastern Pennsylvania, is gearing up to host a women’s music festival when a rash of petty crime and vandalism strike. When young women begin to disappear, something has to be done to keep locals and visitors safe. D’Shea Sinclair and women from the festival set out to unravel the mystery, discovering that there is more to Fieldston than a surface glance reveals. As the group uncovers and works to foil a dangerous plan, Sinclair finds herself presented with a second chance at love. If only she is brave enough to take the first step.

Set in 2018, this fictional tale explores the concepts of love and hate, the influence of national politics, and the power of a community coming together for the common good.

Published:
Genres:
lgbtq, mystery
Tags:
hurt/comfort, lesbian, second chance, series, small town
Excerpt:

Her car was speeding up, moving away from a past she didn't want to think about, hurtling towards a future that was nothing but murky grey to her now. She felt every molecule of air rushing past her, faster and faster. How did it get this like this? How did she go from a life that was so simple, so ordered, so routine to this? And what did it all mean? What caused the fear? The intimidation? The unrest?

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Faster now, she was going faster. She couldn't seem to slow the car although she knew that she should. The woods were now a solid green blur on her left. On her right, the greens of anise and dill reaching for the grey sky passed by, looking as though they were a single plant. Maybe this was it--maybe the chase was over. She’d run again and but this time she’d lost—everything. As though on cue the car leapt out of control and went airborne, careening toward the beautiful field of anise and dill. And then there was nothing.

COLLAPSE

Available in paperback and for a Kindle ereader

The Hencha Queen

The Tharassas Cycle

by J. Scott Coatsworth

Silya comes into her own, but will she be enough?

Silya finally has everything she always wanted: She's the Hencha Queen, head of the Temple, and is mastering her newfound talents. So why does the world pick now to fall apart?

Her once-nemesis Raven is off riding dragons, and their mutual friend (and her ex) Aik is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, a new threat menaces the Heartland from the East. If she can't convince a reluctant city council to prepare for the worst, she may lose everything—and everyone—she's ever cared about.

As Silya wields her abilities, dry wit, and sheer determination to save her city, she's joined by Raven and his new friends, just as a dark storm threatens to sweep them all away. Will their aid help tip the scales? And will she and Raven finally find out what happened to Aik?

Forget messy. Things just got apocalyptic.

Published:
Publisher: Other Worlds Ink (https://www.otherworldsink.com)
Cover Artists:
Sleepy Fox Studio
Genres:
action-adventure, fantasy, fiction, gay, lgbtq, M/M, romance, sci-fi, YA/Adult Crossover, young adult
Tags:
fantasy, gay romance, intersex, MM, science fiction, series
Excerpt:

Tales From Tharassas

Prequel to the Tharassas Cycle

by J. Scott Coatsworth

These three tales tell the story of Tharassas before the Tharassas Cycle, including the origin of the hencha queens, the ce’faine, and the colonization of the Highlands, essential companions for the four novels that make up the cycle:

The Fallen Angel

Charlie Fah, Cha’Fah to most of the world, has never fit in with the other citizens of Gully Town, thanks to his darker skin that sets him apart. But one day, an Angel arrives on a supply run from Earth, and what happens next sets Charlie on a new path that will turn his life upside down.

The Last Run

Sera is the last runner from Earth, bringing badly needed supplies to the Tharassas Colony across a twenty-five year gulf between the planets. Jas works on a hencha farm to make ends meet, harvesting berries from the semi-sentient plants. Neither one that knows their lives—and worlds—are about to change forever.

The Emp Test

Jey awakens to find himself in the care of a handsome stranger—a cheff from one of the mountain tribes. Afraid for his life, Jey has no choice but to let the man take care of him and his broken leg. Avain is on his Aud'ling—the coming-of-age test that requires him to spend a couple months away from his own people. The two of them will have to come to an understanding if they're going to help one another.

The Last Run and The Emp Test have been published before in previous stand-alone editions, but The Fallen Angel is a new story written exclusively for this collection.

Published:
Publisher: Other Worlds Ink (https://www.otherworldsink.com)
Editors:
Ryane Chatman
Cover Artists:
J. Scott Coatsworth
Genres:
action-adventure, fantasy, gay, M/M, sci-fi, YA/Adult Crossover, young adult
Tags:
gay romance, lesbian, novella, series, spaceman
Excerpt:
Reviews:Wallace Rinkelhaus on Amazon wrote:

"Well-told, thoughtful, beautiful stories, with strong world-building. Yes, reading these stories before The Dragon Eater, would add to one's understanding of this world and its people they do stand alone."


Transform the World

14 Si-Fi Writers Change the Planet

by J. Scott Coatsworth

Fourteen Ways to Change the Planet

Income inequality is worse than it was in the Roaring Twenties. Corporations are moving fast and breaking things, and the social contract seems to be falling apart, aided by social media disruption and division on steroids.

There has to be a better way.

We asked fourteen sci-fi writers to come up with innovative ways the world could work better. Universal basic income, smaller communities, AI voting, and learning to live in harmony with nature are just a few of the ideas explored inside these pages. So buckle up and settle in for a look at the world of the future.

The world’s not going to transform itself.

Published:
Publisher: Other Worlds Ink (https://www.otherworldsink.com)
Editors:
Jaime Lee Moyer
Cover Artists:
J. Scott Coatsworth
Genres:
action-adventure, cli-fi, fiction, gay, hopepunk, lgbtq, M/M, sci-fi
Tags:
climate change, future, gay romance, lesbian, MM, series
Excerpt:
Reviews:D. Donovan on Midwest Book Review wrote:

“A satisfyingly diverse set of visions of the future that come from a single question: how could the world work better?... Libraries and readers looking for especially diverse, thought-provoking sci-fi forays into not only what works, but why, will find Transform the World a potent gathering of forces that juxtapose tales of hope, social inspection, and a feeling of peaceful opportunity into the sci-fi short story world.”


Ever: Forged into Midnight

by Sen Taylor
Stories of war raised young Saya. In her nation of Sagittarius, little girls were molded into dutiful Sagittarian wives and mothers. But Saya wanted nothing more than to become a brave and honorable Sagittarian soldier, fighting against Scorpio, just like her father. She knew in her heart she was a boy, and nothing felt heavier than the expectations her nation imposed upon its children who had bodies like Saya's. That is, until the day she discovered what the weight of unspeakable tragedy felt like. Suddenly, with sword in hand, a quiver full of arrows, and a new name, Sai is thrust into an unprecedented life. He finally got what he had always wanted... but at what cost?
Published:
Genres:
action-adventure, dystopian, fiction, lgbtq, YA/Adult Crossover
Tags:
series, transgender
Reviews:Nicolas Dolern on Independent Book Review wrote:

"An epic post-apocalyptic tale of nationalism, gender, and war.... Forged is rich in character psychology.... A read for entertainment and imagination."

on Kirkus Reviews:

"Ruminative, queer dystopian fable... The writing is engrossing and punchy...and the action is energetic... A vigorous yarn that mixes stout swashbuckling with moody reflection."

ALS on Amazon wrote:

When I tell you this book is **Fantastic**, show me the lie. In the first chapter, you're immediately drawn into the character's stories, and the world they live in. The details of the scenes, and the life journey of the main character, Sai, gives you all the feels. The parallels of today's society is chilling. It's giving, movie franchise. Totally invested in the journey of these characters and the rest of the series. The only critique that I have, is that the author should have already released the rest of the series so I can binge read them already. If you want a book to make you feel totally immersed, you're wasting time reading this. Go BUy tHe BoOK!!!!