There are some who want to improve it. There are some who want to eradicate it. And there are others who just want to exploit it.When a young scientist is caught improving Nexus, he’s thrust over his head into a world of danger and international espionage – for there is far more at stake than anyone realizes.From the halls of academe to the halls of power, from the headquarters of an elite US agency in Washington DC to a secret lab beneath a top university in Shanghai, from the underground parties of San Francisco to the illegal biotech markets of Bangkok, from an international neuroscience conference to a remote monastery in the mountains of Thailand – Nexus is a thrill ride through a future on the brink of explosion.

    Connected to their Infected Players via neural implants (government-mandated in the event of an outbreak), Operators pit the Undead against one another using remote gaming controllers in a high stakes game of money, violence, and power. For the poor, the televised action on state-controlled Media streams is horrifying yet powerfully addictive. Volunteering to become an Undead Player is strictly forbidden, but fame and money lure some to The Game.On a whim, a small group of computer hackers and gamers decides to sneak onto the island, hoping to catch a glimpse of the uncontrolled Infecteds, unimplanted victims of an outbreak that took place there over a decade earlier. But while breaking in turns out to be a lot easier than any of them could have ever imagined, getting back out is one a hell of a killer. As they soon discover, when you play, you play to win. Because, if you die, you become part of The Game. The series consists of eight episodes publishing monthly through December 2012. Also available in paperback.EPISODE 1: Deep Into the GameZpocalypto gamer Jessica Daniels and her gang of code jackers decide to break into Long Island's Gameland hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the Infected Undead, risking arrest and an extension to their Life Service Commitment (a civil or military obligation fulfilled after death). But getting past the EM field, the wall surrounding the island, the mined waters, requires the addition of a stranger to their fold. Tensions within the group rise. So do the risks. After a near-fatal accident during preparation nearly takes the life of one of their members, emotions run dangerously high. They press on and find an abandoned wasteland like nothing they ever expected. Excitement quickly turns to dread as the dangers become all too clear.Approximately 50,000 words (~185 pages)EPISODE 2: FailsafeJessie and Kelly clash after one of their group gets stranded among the Infected Undead, forcing Kelly to make a rash decision which will ultimately deliver them into the hands of those who would turn them all into mindless players in The Game.Approximately 50,000 words (~185 pages)EPISODE 3: Deadman's SwitchUnable to escape from Long Island because of the failsafe device implanted inside their brains, the group digs in until they can devise a way to neutralize it. Jessie is anointed as their leader despite Jake's claims that she is unfit. A final desperate attempt is made to leave, setting into motion a sequence of events that will result in one of them dead, another infected, and all of them running for their lives.Approximately 52,000 words (~192 pages)EPISODE 4: Sunder the Hollow OnesA mutiny in the group splits the members, leaving Jessie out in the cold. As she continues to struggle to fulfill her promise to bring everyone safely home, a chance encounter with one of Gameland's residents dredges up deeply buried memories, leaving her feeling haunted and doubtful about her future.Approximately 44,000 words (~160 pages)EPISODE 5: Prometheus WeptAfter one member of their group is infected, Jessie makes a decision to hand over another to a mysterious group of Undead sympathizers in exchange for a promised antidote. But will she be able to collect the medicine and return before it's too late? Will the medicine work? And will she be able to get them all back home again?Approximately 41,000 words (~150 pages)EPISODE 6: Kingdom of PlayersArmed with a potential antiserum to the reanimation virus, Jessica races back to Gameland to save her infected friend. Waylaid along the way, she must fight for her life to save another. Will she make it back in time? Or will her friend die and return as one of the Undead?Approximately 41,000 words (~150 pages)EPISODE 7: Tag, You're DeadTorn between rescuing Ashley from the homicidal Ben and staying with Jake, who's been infected, Jessie, Kelly and Reggie must carefully plan their next move. But Reggie falls ill and the Undead break into their stronghold. Soon they're fighting for their lives in a battle that will lead all of the group to their darkest hour.Approximately 47,000 words (~170 pages)EPISODE 8: Jacker's CodeThe shocking conclusion to the high-tech horror thriller, GAMELAND. Jessie and the remaining gamers and hackers struggle against all odds to escape Gameland and Long Island, even though some of them have been infected with the zombie virus. Determined to do whatever is necessary to get home, they will have to face some of the most difficult decisions of their lives. But even if they're successful, will they ever be able to go back to the lives they so recklessly left behind?The world is suddenly a very different place from the one they left behind, and not all monsters live behind walls.Approximately 54,000 words (~196 pages)

    The only defense against the Alliance's creeping totalitarianism is the New Resistance, a polyglot team of rebels that includes Rick Rickenharp, a retro-rocker whose artistic and political sensibilities intertwine, and John Swenson, a mole who has infiltrated the Alliance. As the fight continues and years progress, so does the technology and brutality of the Alliance... but ordinary people like the damaged visionary Smoke, Claire Rimpler on FirStep, and Dance Torrence and his fellow urban warriors on Earth are bound together by the truth and a single purpose: to keep the darkness from becoming humankind's Total Eclipse - or die trying John Shirley was cyberpunk's patient zero, first locus of the virus, certifiably virulent."-William Gibson. An omnibus of all three novels-revised by the author-of the prophetic, still frighteningly relevant cyberpunk masterpieces: Eclipse, Eclipse Penumbra, and Eclipse Corona. With an introduction by Richard Kadrey and biographical note by Bruce Sterling.

    Official site: www.forehadows.net"Foreshadows: The Ghosts of Zero" is a unique 19-story anthology of dark science fiction paired with a 19-track album of original soundtrack songs and instrumentals. In the dystopia of "Foreshadows," multinational corporations vie for power on the world stage, individuals take extreme measures to find answers, and a mysterious creature called the Geist lurks between both groups, pursuing an unknown mission.Contents:• Foreword by C.S. Friedman• Prologue: "The Ghosts of Zero" by the Digital Alchemist• "Geist Anthropic 1:4" by Jeff LaSala, John LaSala, and Jeremy L.C. Jones; music by Michelangelo and Dylan Leeds• "Too Much is Never Enough" by Don Bassingthwaite; music by Bilian• "Cenotaph, or We've Been Reduced to Lo-Fi" by Mike Ferguson; music by Alternate Modes of Underwater Consciousness and Colin Garvey• "Graveduggery" by Brian W. Matthews and Jeff LaSala; music by Michelangelo• "Love Simulacra" by Joe Rixman; music by Bilian• "Cold as the Gun" by Robert J. Randisi; music by Joshua Wentz• "...And Weave the Spider's Web" by Keith Baker; music by Joshua Wentz• "Geist Threnodic 2:4" by Jeff LaSala and John LaSala; music by Dylan Leeds and Ali Kilpatrick• "Best Served Flash-Frozen" by Ed Greenwood; music by Michelangelo• "Geist Eidetic 3:4" by Jeff LaSala and John LaSala; music by Dylan Leeds• "All the Good Things You Are" by Robert Velarde; music by Bilian• "Twenty-One-Oh" by Ari Marmell; music by Michelangelo• "Made in Brazil | Living in Japan" by Jaleigh Johnson; music by Gene Pritsker and Bilian• "Crossed Swords" by Ken Hart; music by Michelangelo• "Geist Intrinsic 4:4" by Jeff LaSala and John LaSala; music by Dylan Leeds• "Anodyne Fading: The Wolf Without" by Christopher Dinkins; music by Thee Crumb• "Lament" by Brian W. Matthews; music by another cultural landslide• "Deep in the Deep: Reaction-Diffusion Dies Tonight" by Rosemary Jones; music by Jeremy Simmons• "Unto the Interface" by Ruth Lampi and Jessica Van Oort; music by Ali Kilpatrick• [Physical book+CD only]: Unique code for downloading entire soundtrack (songs and instrumentals) as single-edit MP3s, additional extended edits, and other bonus materials.

    Dick, Whose stories have been adapted into popular films including Blade Runner, Total Recall, A Scanner Darkly, Minority Report, Paycheck, Next, Screamers, and The Adjustment Bureau.The six short stories here are:Beyond Lies the WebBeyond The DoorMr. SpaceshipPiper in the WoodsThe Crystal CryptThe Defenders

    Nick Reynolds with US Cyber Command soon learns that former KGB agent Nikolai Chervanko, who has long dreamt of rebuilding his beloved Soviet Union, could be behind the massacre, with something even bigger planned. Lacking evidence linking Chervanko, however, outrage over the attack soon forces the United States to declare war on China. With no means to stop another destructive cyber attack and prevent a nuclear conflict, Nick finds help from an unlikely source from Area 51. Will Nick be able to avert a global holocaust? Find out in Cyber Space!

    Other than that, we're about as diverse as you can get. This anthology is one of the broadest samples you can find of up and coming science fiction and fantasy talent. Included are:Ibi Zoboi - both a writer and storyteller of the oral tradition, has won "Tricky Talker of the Year", granted by the Afrikan Folk Heritage Circle, and is a recipient of grants from the Brooklyn Arts Council and the Speculative Literature Foundation (Gulliver Travel Award)Patrick Samphire - has had stories in both the Year's Best Fantasy #6 and the Year's Best Science Fiction: 28th Annual EditionKiini Ibura Salaam - is about to release the collection, Ancient, Ancient, from Aqueduct Press and is a former Thomas J. Watson fellowAllan Rousselle - career journalist and video humoristBenjamin Rosenbaum - nominated for a Nebula for the first story he wrote at Clarion West, also a finalist for the Hugo and Theodore Sturgeon AwardsEmily Mah - blogger for The Black Gate, also an indie romance novelist under the name E.M. TippettsSamantha Ling - received an honorable mention in The Year's Best Science Fiction for the first short story she ever sold (to Asimov's)Ari Goelman - will have his first novel, The Path of Names, released by Adam Levine in 2013Raymund Eich - owner of CV-2 Books, an independent publisherSusan Ee - the first indie author to be a finalist for the Cybils Awards, for her novel, AngelfallLinda DeMeulemeester - author of the award winning, hit series, Grim Hill, which is now in development as an animated television showOur instructors were: Octavia Butler, Bradley Denton, Nalo Hopkinson, Connie Willis, Ellen Datlow, and Jack Womack

    One exchange leads to his free room and board at the Luzzatti, where he befriends the owner and looks out for the joint. In short order he’s able to establish his skills at solving problems that normal law enforcement ignores. But Mick’s soft spot for a lovely young woman named Natasha pulls him into a whirlpool of double-dealing and a game of nerve and wits with vengeful shylocks, lethal gangsters, and ultimately face-to-face with New Haven's most notorious hitman: the Red-Eyed Killer.

    Aurelia finds her perfect man: a robot. The space explorer Captain Arcot sacrifices his life for an impossible conquest, the heart of Vril the vampire queen. A shape-shifting mutant ignites the erotic desires of the galactic police officer who's been tracking her down. Alessio fights against corruption in a universe of his own creation. An innocent man is forced to submit to the domination of a ruthless prison director. A king who's forgotten his own past wanders through a magical dimension where he discovers his own history. Two souls separated after one abandons the other meet again in another life. In an exciting virtual reality game, the hunter of the fearsome black widow becomes her prey.

    In this diverse collection of cyberpunk short stories, Ballard explores the fringes of that world, shining a spotlight on aspects of that world only hinted at in his previous works. He dissects the inner workings of credit assassinations, illustrates what happens to GlobalNet ID’s of the deceased, and details the initiation process of the mysterious technomancers in ten exciting short stories, some never before published in any form. Fans of stylish science-fiction as well as those familiar with the previous Bridge Chronicles novels will enjoy this collection, available exclusively as an eBook.“Ballard takes us on a ride through the corruption and societal decay”“Ballard paints imaginative scenarios and environments”“Ballard does a complete and thorough job of world building.”

    His recurring nightmare of a futuristic world where he is murdered seems more real. A beautiful cybernetic assassin who knows the truth comes into his life. Is she his savior or here to finish the job?

    He has a load of debt over his head, the Mob on his back, and half a bottle of Jack in his system. And that's just the start of his day.When a mystery lady enters his office with a load of cash to recover some stolen goods, he doesn't think twice about taking it on. After all, Mick’s business is trouble. And when business is trouble, then business is good. But when the stolen goods turn out to be the missing leg of a beautiful but deadly crime boss, Mick's problems get a lot worse. He's pulled neck-deep in a conspiracy that involves mobsters, femme fatales, an android with a murderous streak, and even the mayor of New Haven.He'll have to tackle the case with more than just sarcasm and his seven-shot revolver. It will take unlikely allies and quick thinking to stay one step ahead of catching a case of the New Haven Blues.

    Further testing was clearly required.Jacob Dane's third strike lands him a life sentence, until a controversial prison rehab program gives him one more shot at redemption. As he attempts to build his new life on the streets of Chicago, Jacob is afforded an opportunity, one which resides in the grey area between legal and sending him back to prison.

    And many newer essays have been added as well. This comprehensive collection weighs in at 225,000 words, twice the length of an ordinary book. The essays fall into seven parts: (1) “The Art of Writing.” Manifestos and talks about writing science-fiction. (2) “Silicon Valley.” Cool scenes Rucker witnessed as he rode the Silicon Valley computer wave for over twenty years, starting in 1986. (3) “Weird Screens.” Graphical programs that have obsessed Rucker—cellular automata, artificial life, fractals, space curves, and virtual reality. (4) “Futurology.” Playful raps and speculations about the coming times. (5) “The Philosophy of Computation.” Where does it end? Immortality, artificial intelligence, and the birth of a universal mind? (6) “Personal Stories.” Stories Rucker tells to friends. (7) “Mentors.” Appreciations of the great minds and wild freaks who led Rucker along his path.

    Dur­ing her adven­tures we also fol­low the pro­gress of two other very dif­fer­ent com­batants also drawn into this war. One is Garner a half-fey, half-human wiz­ard work­ing for a mad machine-god and the other is a mem­ber of a spir­itu­ally rich spe­cies of shape-shifting trav­el­lers, that call them­selves the Bul­mäs, but that Desi knows by a host of other names.This is a story with UFOs, ali­ens, time-travel, magic, faer­ies, shape-shifters, were­wolves, time-slips, tarot, nan­o­tech­no­logy, femto­tech­no­logy, weapon­ised tem­poral para­doxes, altern­ate uni­verses, fate, space-craft, arti­fi­cial intel­li­gence, cyber­wraiths, myth­o­logy and dreams…

    He has a well-paying job utilizing his state-of-the-art cybernetics, has a steady girlfriend, and finally has a place to call his own for the first time since his parents died.Everything threatens to fall apart after a dangerous assignment forces Jacob to make a decision which could jeopardize everything he has fought so hard to earn.His choice leads Jacob down a path riddled with mob bosses, corrupt cops and powerful mega-corporations, all of whom want something from him. It will take everything Jacob can muster to survive the path he has laid out for himself.

    Again he shouted, “Clear!” and again the shock came. And yet a third time, the charm, “Clear!” and then the shock, as if Dr. Frankenstein were bringing the monster to life. The dead parts began to live, and the sinus rhythm settled into a regular pattern on the monitor, and the beeping became more regular and less frantic. Clearly the light had begun to darken, yet she lived. Unable to move, but seeing and hearing all those around her, she lay in the hospital bed while her faithful suitor sat in the chair and talked to her, or Mother sat reading aloud from the newspaper, even reading the want ads, but never the obituaries, for the thought of death must never enter this room. ~~~Tessa B. Dick has been writing stories, articles and poems since she was a freshman in high school. She holds a master’s degree from Chapman University, where she taught English and Communications for 12 years before retiring to a small mountain community, where she devotes all her time and effort to writing. Her books are widely available online, and most of them can be ordered at brick-and-mortar book stores. ~~~

    Genres include sci-fi, futuristic fantasy and horror."Sharon Cullars' prose is so graceful you may feel as if you're dancing along with stories themselves. The dance will take you to places so bright you're almost euphoric, and it will take you into corners so dark you'll be shaken to your core. But one thing all of these exquisite stories share is Cullars' ability to mesmerize. I've been an admirer of her work for years. Now it's your turn."6-time Bram Stoker Award-winner Gary A. Braunbeck, author of TO EACH THEIR DARKNESS