Guide to My Fiction
“Your style is like your face: After a while, you don’t really know what it is anymore.” – Joan Acocella.
Welcome! You’ll find all my published novels and some short fiction listed here (other free material is found in several blog archives or listed on the “Free Stuff & Contests” web page). Each story is different; there is no one style. The mix of genres includes mystery, sci-fi, suspense, thrillers, and even rom-coms. The characters can be heroic (who are often flawed) or evil (who sometimes do good), old people or young adults, and even ETs. The settings are defined by the first part of my motto: “Around the world and to the stars!” The themes are many but often reflect the second part of the motto: “In libris libertas!” (Latin for “In books, liberty!”) And don’t expect formulaic fluff: Each story’s distinct.
When you scan this web page, I know it can be confusing and daunting. To me, that’s because it has the look of those dusty shelves of books you see in an old-fashioned bookstore, a place where you and I like to browse and find new books to read, as well as those “evergreen books,” i.e., ones as fresh and current as the day the authors finished their manuscripts…maybe even more so as time passes.
The only difference here? All these stories are mine! This is my bookstore! Or, maybe more like a library because nothing’s really for sale here. (If the books are for sale, you’ll have to purchase them somewhere else…sorry. I sell no products here. I give away a lot of stories, though.)
Why do I mention “evergreen books”? Because I’ve been publishing my work since 2006, a lot of my books have old publication dates (relative to today, 2006 is old!) – but they are evergreen, and I hope they will entertain readers long after I’m gone. They were written precisely for that purpose, entertainment. There’s a lot more meat on their bones than a lot of fiction has, though, so you won’t find much formulaic fluff. Sorry.
For example: That first novel, Full Medical, is about cloning; Leonardo and the Quantum Code deals with quantum computing; the “Chaos Chronicles Trilogy” is basically about the creation of ITUIP (that’s the “Interstellar Trade Union of Independent Planets), so a star drive is invented! These are just some examples of my far-out themes, but there are many others reflecting the human (and ETs’) condition (the good, the bad, and the ugly – can you hear Maestro Morricone’s music?) that are still current in our everyday lives. (Even The Time Traveler’s Guide through the Multiverse, a sci-fi rom-com, has its serious moments!)
So browse through the shelves of my online bookstore until you see something you like, jot the title down, and buy it in your favorite mom-and-pop bookstore or at an online site. I offer you many plots, themes, characters, and settings, and I write in many genres (okay, mostly three – mysteries, thrillers, and sci-fi – but those are just three labels to describe them).
Most covers and all titles below are linked to the book’s page on Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Later books are published using Draft2Digital/Smashwords and don’t appear on Amazon (for many reasons).
Amazon is (unfortunately!) the world’s biggest book retailer (among many other things now) and offers many of my titles, but so do other retailers. Readers often prefer other retail outlets for their book purchases. Here are a few:
For ebook versions:
I prefer to publish ebooks because that doesn’t kill forests, they’re less expensive for readers (except traditionally published ebooks – I don’t have many), and they don’t fill up your bookshelves. So, where do you find mine?
See the affiliated retailers of Draft2Digital/Smashwords (Apple iBooks, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, etc.). They offer a better alternative to Amazon; they also provide all ebook formats, not just Amazon’s exclusive .mobi for Kindle. (Warning: If you use the Amazon site, that formatting doesn’t allow sharing with your family and friends, which, of course, print versions do.)
After March 1, 2021, no new ebook of mine will appear on Amazon. You can still purchase any ebook published prior to that date there, if you insist.
Also, after March 1, 2022, supposedly Draft2Digital and Smashwords will merge. The Smashwords catalog now appears on Draft2Digital’s page, but it’s probably easier to purchase all ebooks at Draft2Digital/Smashwords affiliated reatailers.
For print versions:
Patronize your local bookstores (like Watchung Booksellers in Montclair, NJ), or go visit a nearby B&N bookstore or their online website. My print versions are all generally available and are shown paired with the ebook versions on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, whether they’re KDP/Create Space (Amazon POD) or from one of my small-press (i.e., traditional) publishers.
All my small-press books are also sold at the publisher’s website, where there are many other quality books available. Peruse the Black Opal Books and Penmore Press catalogs to find many hours of reading entertainment.
No new print books will be published by me after March 1, 2021. I apologize for any inconvenience this might cause. (This policy might change when I’m convinced that Draft2Digital’s POD service is running smoothly – it seems they’re still in beta-testing mode.
Infinity Publishing will disappear. This affects the original editions of The Midas Bomb, Survivors of the Chaos, and Soldiers of God (see below), and is effective October 15, 2023. (All three novels have ebook second editions, so availability of these stories isn’t affected.)
Reviews:
See the end of this catalog for information. Reviews and review excerpts are no longer displayed here on this page for space reasons. Some are collected in the blog archive “My Reviews.” Unfortunately, Jeff Bezos, the chief bot at Amazon has decided to destroy a lot of them!
The Catalog
At book events, readers have often asked me, “Steve, which book of yours should I read first?” Good question! You might choose one in the following series – there are some that are mystery/thriller series and others that are more sci-fi/thriller – and begin with the first book in that series? (Each book in a series can be read independently of the other books, though.) But should you forget about my stand-alone novels or my short fiction? Maybe not. It’s all up to you! (And your choice isn’t as complicated as what you have in a library or bookstore. I’m just one fiction writer!)
In any case, I hope you enjoy the book you choose and come back for more. I believe most people will do so once they learn about me and my stories. To that end, please tell your relatives and friends about me and my books. They’ll value your recommendation more than any review!
Key: E = ebook .mobi file (Amazon only); E* = ebook .mobi and all other ebook file formats (Amazon, Draft2Digital/Smashwords, and their affiliated retailers, like Apple, B&N, Kobo, and many lenders); E+ = only .epub format; and P = trade paperback (Xlibris, Infinity, and Amazon PODs; or from the small traditional presses Penmore Press and Black Opal Books).
Novels
Series…
The “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco” series of eight mystery/thriller novels…
The Midas Bomb (Infinity, 2009 (no longer available), E, P; Carrick Publishing, 2016 E*, P), a mystery/suspense/thriller (“Chen & Castilblanco” #1) – a spicy stew of terrorism and high finance in the Big Apple of NYC.
Castilblanco investigates a homicide where the victim is from his past; Chen is given the homicide case of a young doctor’s sister. Together for the first time, they combine forces to uncover a pact between terrorists and a hedge fund operator.
Angels Need Not Apply (Carrick Publishing, 2012, E*), thriller/suspense (“Chen & Castilblanco” #2) – terrorists + cartels + neo-Nazi militias…what could go wrong?
The terrorist from The Midas Bomb conspires with a cartel leader and neo-Nazis to free prisoners at Gitmo and flood America with drugs.
Teeter-Totter between Lust and Murder (Carrick Publishing, 2013, E), thriller/suspense (“Chen & Castilblanco” #3) – Chen is charged with murder, but it’s all about gun smuggling.
Chen’s affair with a senator ends abruptly in the politician’s murder. She’s charged, but Castilblanco steps up to prove her innocence. The two detectives then go on to discover a connection with illegal arms trafficking and what it’s financing.
Aristocrats and Assassins (Carrick Publishing, 2014, E), mystery/thriller (“Chen & Castilblanco” #4) – what does a terrorist who’s kidnapping European royalty really want?
Castilblanco’s European vacation with his wife is interrupted by a terrorist act. What’s the terrorist’s agenda? Why is his battle with Castilblanco personal? What’s the connection with Chen’s case in Hong Kong? The two detectives come together to uncover a plot to blackmail Europe.
The Collector + (Carrick Publishing, 2014, E*), mystery/thriller (“Chen & Castilblanco” #5) – what do human trafficking and stolen artwork have in common?
The detectives set out to solve the murder of a SOHO art dealer, delve into the shadowy world of art thieves, and discover that stolen artwork can serve as collateral to finance some dark and sleazy entrepreneurship.
Family Affairs (Carrick Publishing, 2015, E*), mystery/thriller (“Chen & Castilblanco” #6) – you might want to think twice about taking that ocean cruise!
Various families are affected, including Castilblanco’s, when a domestic terrorist plots an attack. The detectives team up with multiple authorities, including the US Coast Guard, to battle the terrorist.
Gaia and the Goliaths (Carrick Publishing, 2017, E*), mystery/thriller (“Chen & Castilblanco” #7) – from Manhattan to European capitals and back, Russians and Americans conspire.
An environmental activist is murdered. Investigations into her homicide lead the two cops to discover a plot that a Russian oligarch and a US energy conglomerate have hatched to buoy up fossil fuel prices.
The “Esther Brookstone Art Detective” series of nine mystery/thriller novels…
Rembrandt’s Angel (Penmore Press, 2017, E*, P), mystery/thriller (“Esther Brookstone Art Detective” #1) – the Scotland Yard detective goes on a roller coaster ride around Europe and South America in search of a stolen masterpiece.
Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques Inspector Esther Brookstone and her paramour, Bastiann van Coevorden, an Interpol agent, attempt to recover the Rembrandt masterpiece “An Angel with Titus’ Features,” which was stolen by Nazis in WWII. They uncover an international conspiracy instead.
(And here’s a YouTube link to my related talk about storytelling and this book.)
Son of Thunder (Penmore Press, 2019, E*, P), mystery/thriller (“Esther Brookstone Art Detective” #2) – the ex-Scotland Yard detective is on a quest again to prove Botticelli wrong.
Esther Brookstone is now retired from Scotland Yard and becomes obsessed yet again, this time with trying to find St. John the Divine’s tomb using directions supposedly left by the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Esther’s search, the disciple’s missionary travels, and Botticelli’s supposed trip to the Middle East are three travel stories that all come together at the end of this novel. Her paramour, Interpol agent Bastiann van Coevorden, has his own problems to deal with, but he multitasks by trying to keep Esther focused and out of danger…and marry her!
Death on the Danube (Carrick Publishing, 2020, E*, P), mystery/thriller (“Esther Brookstone Art Detective” #3)– a honeymoon voyage is interrupted by a murder.
Esther and new hubby Bastiann van Coevorden are on their honeymoon cruise when a passenger on the same riverboat is murdered. Who is this victim? And what’s he doing alone on a romantic cruise mostly filled with couples? Interpol agent Bastiann reluctantly must step up to investigate the murder, and Esther helps him, of course. The riverboat, the scene of the crime, floats from Vilshofen in Germany to Budapest in Hungary, and the romance along the way has the added spice of murder and intrigue.
(Note: Thanks to the Readers’ Favorite award received by my novel The Last Humans, here’s a link to the video trailer.)
Palettes, Patriots and Prats: Esther Brookstone Art Detective, Book Four (Draft2Digital , 2021, E+), mystery/thriller set in merry olde England and featuring the inimitable Esther and her new husband Bastiann.
Esther Brookstone, ex-Scotland Yard inspector in the Art and Antiques Division and ex-MI6 spy during the Cold War, and her new husband, Bastiann van Coevorden, have just returned from their honeymoon cruise down the Danube, refreshed and reinvigorated despite Bastiann’s having to handle a murder investigation as his last assignment as an Interpol agent. Esther is content running her gallery, and Bastiann now works as a consultant for MI5. They hope to enjoy their active golden years together, but more adventures as sleuths await them, colliding with their idyllic existence, as they aid an American artist, try to thwart a Russian assassin, and go after the illegal art trade and human traffickers. Mystery, suspense, thrills, and intrigue once more await readers.
Leonardo and the Quantum Code: Esther Brookstone Art Detective, Book Five (Draft2Digital, 2021, E+), a mystery, thriller, and suspenseful spy story has the ex-MI6 agent and ex-Scotland Yard inspector protecting an old friend from Russian operatives.
Trouble again finds Esther Brookstone on her home turf. An old friend from her Oxford days is developing encoding and decoding algorithms that involve entangled quantum states and quantum computers, all motivated by some of Leonardo Da Vinci’s ideas found in a newly discovered notebook of the artist. His far-out project is financed by MI5, but both the Americans and Russians want his results…and so does a mysterious stranger. Cloak-and-dagger suspense abound in this fifth novel of the series.
Defanging the Red Dragon: Esther Brookstone Art Detective, Book Six (free PDF download*), more mysteries, thrills, and suspense await the reader as Esther this time battles Chinese spies.
Esther Brookstone, ex-MI6 spy and ex-Scotland Yard Inspector in the Art and Antiques Division, and her husband, Bastiann van Coevorden, ex-Interpol agent, along with NYPD homicide detective Rolando Castilblanco and his wife, TV reporter Pam Stuart, become embroiled in geopolitical intrigue as the West tries to thwart a plan China has for stealing its nuclear submarine secrets. Taking place mostly in the US and UK, this suspenseful story has multiple twists and turns and is also the tale of two cities, New York and London, and the bustling life found in both, from the rich and powerful to the most scurrilous criminal elements.
Intolerance: Esther Brookstone Art Detective, Book Seven (free PDF download*), Esther’s obsession for protecting innocent victims from criminal elements involves her again in three different cases.
Esther Brookstone, ex-MI6 spy and ex-Scotland Yard Inspector in the Art and Antiques Division, becomes involved in solving a cold case, a murder committed in Ireland years earlier; in thwarting a plot to kill immigrants and refugees; and in a murder case involving a famous Irish author. Her husband, Bastiann van Coevorden, an ex-Interpol agent and now a consultant for MI5, and various others help her in these cases. As one character proclaims, “God help me. She turns up everywhere.” Life after Brexit has become very dangerous in the British Isles!
*To download these free PDFs, see the list on the “Free Stuff & Contests” web page and follow the directions.
The Klimt Connection, Esther Brookstone Art Detective, Book Eight (Draft2Digital, 2022, E+), Esther and Bastiann continue their battle against domestic terrorists, but a painting by the famous Austrian artist, Gustav Klimt, is somehow connected.
After a bomb destroys their flat, Esther Brookstone, ex-MI6 spy and ex-Scotland Yard Inspector in the Art and Antiques Division, and Bastiann van Coevorden, her husband, ex-Interpol agent, and current MI5 consultant, are forced to stay in an MI5 safehouse along with others who are threatened by the bomber and his accomplices. The hunt for the domestic terrorists is UK- and EU-wide and leads to the discovery of a nationwide conspiracy, all financed by the far right and designed to purge the UK of perceived invaders, migrants and refugees who are accused of wanting to “replace” the white majority.
Celtic Chronicles, Esther Brookstone Art Detective, Book Nine (Draft2Digital, 2022, E+), Esther and Bastiann’s Scottish relaxation in their castle is interrupted by a student’s murder.
In this last novel of the series, Esther and Bastiann volunteer to work at an archaeological dig near their modest castle located just outside Edinburgh. A student also working there is murdered, and officers from Police Scotland find a Russian oligarch’s number on the lad’s call-list. That Russian is on his yacht anchored off the Scottish coast. As the investigation continues, everything becomes more complex, other characters come into play, and the intrigue and suspense increase.
The “Inspector Steve Morgan” series+ of three mystery/thriller novels…
Legacy of Evil: Inspector Steve Morgan #1 (Draft2Digital, 2022, E+), a Bristol PD officer finds a lot of trouble in his first real murder case but romance as well.
Former Scotland Yard Inspector Steve Morgan receives his first murder case after a transfer to Bristol PD and a stressful secondment to MI5. An old man’s murder is soon followed by three related ones. Their investigations lead the DI and his team to probe the operations of a national crime syndicate as well as uncover a Russian oligarch’s plans to destabilize the UK. Eventually, both MI5 and NCA become involved.
Cult of Evil: Inspector Steve Morgan, Book Two (Draft2Digital, 2022, E+), has the Bristol PD’s detective pursuing a sociopathic con man who has duped women to join a cult.
Steve Morgan, a former Scotland Yard Inspector and now working for Bristol PD, has another murder case to solve. A young woman appears to have been tortured as part of some cult’s evil rite and then hung lifeless from a Victorian folly. Is the cult leader the scam artist who took over the woman’s properties and other valuable assets? And to make matters even worse for Morgan, a deadly assassin is hunting him.
Fear the Asian Evil: Inspector Steve Morgan, Book Three (Draft2Digital, 2022, E+), has the Bristol PD’s detective looking for a reporter’s shooter, but the investigation leads to a network of Chinese agents and spies.
Former Scotland Yard Inspector Steve Morgan’s next case at Bristol PD involves the attempted murder of a journalist who happens to be the sister-in-law of one of his sergeants. Its prelude, though, involves a fishing trip made during a vacation when Steve and his girlfriend’s father find a dead Chinese spy afloat in the North Sea. That leads to frictions with MI5 that distract from solving what should be the routine case of the Bristol woman’s attempted murder. The hunt for spies and ordinary policework clash until they come together.
The “Clones and Mutants Trilogy” – the series title says it all…
Full Medical (Xlibris, 2006, P; Carrick Publishing, 2011, E*), sci-fi thriller (“Clones & Mutants” #1) – a human cloning conspiracy.
It is 2053. Meet the clones! They’re kids who represent the ultimate health plans for VIPs, a plan exposed by a trio of concerned citizens. And you think DC is a swamp today? See what it might become!
Evil Agenda (Carrick Publishing, 2011, E*), sci-fi/thriller (“Clones & Mutants” #2) – what do super-human mutants and WMDs have in common?
One clone from Full Medical and a laboratory mutant team up to battle an evil genius out to take over the world. This thrill ride takes you from the DC area, to Africa, China, Canada, and Spain, as the protagonists try to thwart the evil man’s agenda.
No Amber Waves of Grain (Carrick Publishing, 2013, E*), sci-fi/thriller (“Clones & Mutants” #3) – The clones and mutant fight yet another battle, this time to save the world.
The clones-and-mutant team from the first two books joins forces with their old nemesis to battle a Korean industrialist who wants to destroy the West.
The “Chaos Chronicles Trilogy”…
Survivors of the Chaos (Infinity, 2011, E*, P, no longer available — see The Chaos Chronicles Trilogy Collection), sci-fi thriller (“Chaos Chronicles” #1) – from dystopia to the stars, passing through the social singularity.
A dystopian Earth and its solar system are controlled by multinational companies and their mercenaries, but a wise director of the UN Space Agency takes a chance on star colonies.
(Note: a second edition of this novel is contained in the three-book bundle The Chaos Chronicles Trilogy Collection – see below.)
Sing a Zamba Galactica (Carrick Publishing, 2012, E*), sci-fi thriller (“Chaos Chronicles” #2) – humans meet both good and bad ET and two collective intelligences…and the results vary.
Two of the Humans’ star colonies and Earth battle an ET invasion, teaming up with other ETs to thwart the invaders’ plan of conquest. The Humans then have to help Swarm, a collective intelligence, by finding another one that can serve as the first’s psychiatrist.
(Note: This novel is now bundled with the other books in the trilogy–see below.)
Come Dance a Cumbia…with Stars in Your Hand! (Carrick Publishing, 2012, E*), sci-fi (“Chaos Chronicles” #3) – readers, if the “Chaos Chronicles Trilogy” is my Foundation series, here you can meet my “Mule.”
A psychotic industrialist tries to control all of galactic near-Earth space by forcing ETs with ESP powers to help him. Swarm steps in to aid the Humans and their ET friends.
(Note: This novel is now bundled with the other books in the trilogy–see below.)
The Chaos Chronicles Trilogy Collection (Carrick Publishing, 2017, E*), sci-fi – a bundle of three sci-fi novels.
This collection contains the entire “Chaos Chronicles Trilogy,” Survivors of the Chaos (2nd ed), Sing a Zamba Galactica, and Come Dance a Cumbia…with Stars in Your Hand! For summaries of each novel, please see the individual books above. (Note: Only the second edition of Survivors of the Chaos is available, and it’s in this bundle!)
The “Mary Jo Melendez Mysteries”…
Muddlin’ Through (Carrick Publishing, 2014, E*), sci-fi thriller (“Mary Jo Melendez” #1) – a new protagonist channels Heinlein’s Friday or Jolie’s Salt, making it up as she goes.
After Mary Jo finds a new job, she gets into a lot of trouble when she’s accused of stealing state secrets and murdering her sister and brother-in-law. She escapes from a prison bus and rambles across Europe, South America, and the US in search of the true perpetrators. In the process she finds adventure, romance, and friends who restore her faith in humanity, the MECHs (“Mechanically Enhanced Cybernetic Humans”).
Silicon Slummin’…and Just Gettin’ By (Carrick Publishing, 2015, E*), sci-fi thriller (“Mary Jo Melendez” #2) – with CIA and Russian agents chasing her along with a stalker, Mary Jo is in trouble again.
Mary Jo has a new job as security director again, this time for a computer games firm in the Silicon Valley. The PI she hires to protect her becomes more than a friend, and an autistic boy, her neighbor, also chips in to help thwart her pursuers who are after her friends, the MECHs.
Goin’ the Extra Mile (Carrick Publishing, 2018, E*), sci-fi thriller (“Mary Jo Melendez” #3) – Mary Jo and the MECHs battle Chinese agents.
The US made them, the Russians stole them, and now the Chinese are after the MECHs…and they will kidnap Mary Jo and her new family to obtain them.
“The Last Humans” trilogy contains three exciting and thought-provoking post-apocalyptic sci-fi thrillers (the apocalypse only occurs at the beginning of the first book, by the way, so the series is mostly post-apocalytpic!) …
The Last Humans, The Last Humans, Book One (Black Opal Books, 2019, E*, P), post-apocalyptic thriller – Last man alive? No, last woman alive…maybe, if she can survive.
In spite of many millions of casualties around the world, Penny Castro, ex-USN SAR and now LA County Sheriff’s Deputy and forensic diver, finds she isn’t alone—there are a few other survivors of the contagion, and some of them want to kill her. And the struggling remnants of a US government could be the greatest danger to her and the adopted family she’s trying to create.
(Warning: Jeff Bezos, that big and super-rich Amazon bot, has created some confusion that plagues this trilogy. (2/19/2021 status) Amazon in its wonderful service to authors – that’s called irony, by the way – has apparently confused this book with its sequel. If you go to The Last Humans: A New Dawn‘s book page on the Amazon site, you will see that sequel seems to have a print version – it doesn’t! Click on that supposed paperback version and you will see both versions of this first book. I don’t know if the above link still even works, by the way, but you can try it. Just another way Amazon, which used to be just an online bookstore alternative, helps authors. Another example of irony….)
The Last Humans: A New Dawn, The Last Humans, Book Two (Draft2Digital, 2020, E*), post-apocalyptic thriller – the origins of the pandemic are revealed…and someone wants to finish the job!
Penny Castro survived the biowarfare apocalypse and created a family. Their post-apocalyptic idyll on their California citrus ranch is interrupted by the US government’s plan to stop another attack…and get some revenge for the attack. Penny and husband Alex, along with others, are drafted to carry out the plan—in their case, forced to do so by the government’s kidnapping of their young children. But the enemy has surprises awaiting them when a submarine delivers them to that foreign shore.
(Warning: Please don’t confuse this book with the first one in the series. (2/19/2021 status) Jeff Bezos, the big and super-rich Amazon bot, did, and has yet to fix the problem. It’s possible that they never will because the company is now run completely by that big bot and his little slave bots!)
Menace from Moscow: The Last Humans, Book Three (Draft2Digital, 2023, E*). This post-apocalyptic thriller features more of Penny Castro’s adventures in a post-apocalyptic world.
In the third novel of this post-apocalyptic sci-fi trilogy, the critical and difficult management of geopolitics in a post-apocalyptic world that was ravaged by a bioengineered virus continues: Survivor Penny Castro and her friends’ new task now is to recover nuclear-armed missiles aboard a US submarine that sank off Cuba’s coast at the beginning of the pandemic. As if the train ride from Colorado to Florida across a dangerous, desolate, and devasted US isn’t enough danger, what awaits them in the Caribbean and beyond will put any fan of sci-fi thrillers on the edge of their seats. From SoCal to Cheyenne Mountain and on to Florida, Cuba, and what remains of the Russian Federation, Penny’s adventures are full of mystery, thrills, and suspense.
A. B. Carolan’s “ABC Sci-Fi Mysteries for Young Adults” (and for adults young at heart)…
The Secret Lab (2nd ed) +(Carrick Publishing, 2011, E*; 2018,
E*, P), YA sci-fi mystery (“ABC Sci-Fi Mysteries” #1) – a gang of kids and a mutant cat solve a mystery on the ISS.
Four students on the International Space Station set out to discover the origins of a mutant cat and end up uncovering an evil conspiracy.
(Note: This new second edition was completely rewritten and reedited by Steven M. Moore’s Irish collaborator.)
The Secret of the Urns + (Carrick Publishing, 2018, E*, P), YA sci-fi mystery (“ABC Sci-Fi Mysteries” #2) – a young girl teaches humans tolerance for ETs.
Set on a Jupiter-sized planet’s satellite in a faraway solar system, human scientists study local flora and fauna and behave badly until a teen, who wants to study the satellite’s ETs more closely, comes along to set her parents and the other scientists straight. She also discovers that the ETs’ beliefs go far beyond ancestor worship.
Mind Games + (Carrick Publishing, 2019, E*, P), YA sci-fi mystery (“ABC Sci-Fi Mysteries” #3) – androids with ESP…what can go wrong?
This story, set a bit farther into the future than the first two books in this series, is about Della Dos Toros, a young girl with psi powers living in the Dark Domes of the planet Sanctuary, finding herself. Her adopted father didn’t let her use those powers, but she must do so to find his killer.
Origins: The Denisovan Trilogy, Book One (Carrick Publishing, 2021, E+), another sci-fi thriller for young adults and adults who are young-at-heart.
Kayla Jones has dreams she can’t understand. Her future seems determined as the brilliant STEM student looks forward to a research career, but her past gets in the way. As if the chaos afflicting the world and leading to her adopted father’s death wasn’t enough, killers begin to pursue her. With some friends who come to her aid, she’s on her way to discover a conspiracy that can be traced to prehistoric battles waged by hominins bent on the conquest of a primitive Earth.
Stand-Alone Novels…
The Golden Years of Virginia Morgan* + (Carrick Publishing, 2013, E*), mystery/thriller – Does the government think that some old government agents possess too many national secrets?
The year is 2030. What happens when paranoid U.S. government officials decide their elderly agents and top scientists are becoming security risks with the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s? DHS agent Ashley Scott and Pulitzer prize-winning reporter Eduardo Ortega team up to battle a government conspiracy.
Soldiers of God* + (Infinity, 2008, P, no longer available; Carrick Publishing, 2014, E*), sci-fi thriller – an FBI agent and a priest fight religious fanatics…and a criminal mastermind.
A grad student of Arab descent is brutally murdered. The FBI agent on the case finds that there’s a lot more to the murder as she teams up with a priest to uncover a conspiracy which will lead to the first nuclear exchange in the Western Hemisphere.
Rogue Planet* + (Carrick Publishing, 2016, E* P), sci-fi – medieval settings mixed with tech-magic, armies doing battle, mystery, suspense, and thrills all await you in this hard sci-fi novel with Game-of-Thrones fantasy elements.
The fledgling ITUIP (Interstellar Trade Union of Independent Planets) from the “Chaos Chronicles Trilogy” applies their Protocol to quarantine a planet controlled by a brutal theocracy. With a bit of secret help from that Union, the son of the planet’s deposed king foments a rebellion to forge a new future for his planet.
More than Human: The Mensa Contagion (Carrick Publishing, 2015, E*), sci-fi thriller – new beginnings for humans on Earth and beyond.
An invading ET virus affects Earth’s social structures as it creates Homo sapiens 2.0 and speeds up subsequent space exploration, including the colonization of Mars.
A Time-Traveler’s Guide through the Multiverse (Carrick Publishing, 2020, E*), a sci-fi rom-com—a fantastic road trip to end all road trips!
Enrico Fermi wasn’t the last physicist who was both an experimental and theoretical genius, but Professor Gail Hoff will never receive the Nobel Prize. She wants to travel through time but discovers she can only go forward. She goes time-traveling through several universes of the multiverse, never to return to her little lab outside Philly. Jeff Langley, her jack-of-all-trades electronics wizard, accompanies her.
+A book that connects two series. In the case of Rogue Planet, the bridge is to the Dr. Carlos stories (see the list of free PDF downloads).
Short Fiction
Novel, novella, short story–when I start writing, I never know how long the tale will become. I write a lot of short fiction. Some of my short stories have won prizes (nothing mind-blowing, so I don’t make a big deal out of them).
Some definitions: Both anthologies and collections are aggregations of short fiction – short stories or novellas. (A “bundle” is an aggregation of two or more novels.) An anthology is an aggregate of several authors’ stories; a collection is an aggregation of one author’s stories.
Much of my short fiction is free, either found in the “Steve’s Shorts,” “ABC Shorts,” and “Friday Fiction” blog archives, or in the PDFs you can download for free (see the “Free Stuff & Contests” web page for a complete list of the latter – they aren’t listed below).
Collections…
Pop Two Antacids and Have Some Java (Carrick Publishing, 2012, E) – a collection of more cases involving NYPD Detectives Chen and Castilblanco.
These short cases show off more of the detectives’ sleuthing capabilities.
Pasodobles in a Quantum Stringscape (Carrick Publishing, 2013, E), Volume One* – a collection of short works of speculative fiction for your reading pleasure.
Features the novella “Flight from Mother World” (this explains how the ETs beat humans to the planet New Haven in the 82 Eridani system – see Sing a Zamba Galactica) and seven Dr. Carlos stories (he’s the medical officer on the starship Brendan) that take place in the far future beyond “The Chaos Chronicles.” There are many other stories to give you hours of entertaining reading.
Fantastic Encores! (Carrick Publishing, 2015, E) – a collection of five short stories set in Steve’s “Chaos Chronicles” universe.
These short stories feature my characters from “The Chaos Chronicles Trilogy” and other series and novels. Two more Dr. Carlos stories are also included. (For others, see Pasodobles in a a Quantum Stringscape–Volume One is available on Amazon, while Volumes Two and Three are free PDF downloads.)
Sleuthing, British-Style (Drat2Digital, 2021, E*), Volume One* – a collection of three short novellas written in the British-style mystery tradition.
DC Logan Blake gets a promotion and leaves London to find peace and quiet in the English countryside. His initiation for his new job as DS is far from peaceful, though, as three murder cases immediately challenge him. There’s some compensation: He finds romance. (This short story collection is an homage to the genre.)
*Additional volumes corresponding to these collections can be found in the list of free downloadable PDF on the “Free Stuff & Contests” web page.
Anthologies…
World Enough and Crime (Carrick Publishing, 2014, E*, P) – an anthology of short stories covering the mystery, suspense, and police procedural genres.
Various authors’ stories are included in this anthology. My short story, “The Case of the Carriageless Horse,” describes Detective Castilblanco’s first case as an NYPD homicide detective. (Chen isn’t his partner yet, but she makes a cameo appearance.) The tales here should offer you hours of exciting entertainment.
Howling at the Moon…from the #WolfPackAuthors (2020, E, P) – an anthology of moon-related speculative fiction.
The stories in this anthology are as varied as the authors who wrote them – a tasty smorgasbord for your reading pleasure. My sci-fi crime story “Gamin” included here also takes place on the moon.
Apology: My latest book covers might not have Amazon links when you click on them. That’s because most of my latest books aren’t available on Amazon! I’m trying to boycott Amazon as much as possible! They do nothing for authors with the money they effectively charge us just for the privilege of offering our books there! I hope this causes no inconvenience, but you should really buy from other online retailers (or borrow your books from online lending services and libraries) and not support Amazon either. (Maybe the jump in Amazon’s Prime prices – a scam perpetrated against consumers as well as authors – will encourage your boycott? Most people need none of those “additional services” Prime offers! That’s their excuse for increasing Prime members’ fees.)
Note: Many series, novels, and short fiction can be placed on one extended timeline that goes from The Midas Bomb all the way to Rogue Planet and the Dr. Carlos stories in Pasodobles in a Quantum Stringscape. To see that timeline, please download the free PDF found in the list on the “Free Stuff & Contests” web page.
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Here are some additional links readers might find useful:
Steve’s U.S./Canadian Amazon author page
Steve’s U.K. Amazon author page
Steve’s Smashwords author page
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Reviews? You’ll find some reviews of the above books on the book’s Amazon page (this online retailer has the bad habit of erasing old but valid reviews from time to time, though), along with a blurb (it may differ from the one above) and the “peek inside” feature. (Most of these browsing features also exist at other online retailers’ sites, of course, but book-bloggers, for some reason, prefer to repost their reviews to Amazon–a deal made in hell with the retail giant?). I’ve also posted blog articles that are book reviews (including ones originally found on this page, as well as ones not found on Amazon); you’ll find these articles in the “My Reviews” archive of my blog.
Reviewers? A special thanks to all readers who write and post reviews of my books. You’re performing a valuable service to readers and authors because your reviews will help both, the first with their purchases and the second with their writing. You might have dreaded them in school, but book reviews are rather simple to write: After reading the book, just write about what you liked and/or disliked and why. While supplies are limited, readers who’d like to review one of my ebooks should query me using the contact page at this website. You can have a free copy in return for an honest review. Please, no review requests for print versions – the cost is too onerous for this poor author. (For my small-press books, you could request a review copy of the print version from the publisher. No guarantees because they make their own policies.) Thank you for your understanding.
Around the world and to the stars! In libris libertas!