Showing results by author "Danielle Ackley-McPhail" in All Categories

In 11 reprints and two never-before-published stories, explore the harsh realities and boundless possibilities of mankind let loose on the greater universe. Pirates and gypsies, elite armed forces and scientific pioneers, all faced with the horror, wonder, and unexpected challenges that life in space has to offer.

At the ass-end of the galaxy, Allied Forces—including the 142nd Mobile Special Ops Team, better known as Daire’s Devils—stand ready to defend the contested colony planet Demeter from military invasion and corporate exploitation. But when the ranks are infiltrated by those determined to secure the top-secret designs of AeroCom’s new prototype flagship, the Cromwell, the newest member of the Devils, Corporal Katrion Alexander, finds herself facing off against an unexpected menace, synthetic operatives indistinguishable from living beings.

By the late 21st century, humanity has final reached for the stars and established an off-world colony in the system of Tau Ceti, only to discover that man's greatest enemy is still man. On the colony world of Demeter, ADF power-armored troopers and their Parr scouts fight a desperate, covert war against invading corporate mercenaries. Even in the vastness of space, there is no room for lasting peace.

Seven tales of conflict set among the stars, driven by the very roots of humankind’s Earth-bound strife. Yet even in the face of the vast void of space, these brave souls fight to hold on to their humanity.

Guilt, the venom running through humanity’s veins. The cancer eating mankind’s soul. Death, both courted and earned, well-fed upon denial. Balanced on the delicate edge between madness and damnation, clarity comes to us all. There is one thing more terrifying than the darkness at the edge of your vision staring back. The seed of that darkness peering from within your heart. What is real? What is imagined? Right, or wrong, the price of your answer is your soul.

What image does Venus draw to your mind? A great planetary body of deadly gases neighboring Earth, existing as its own world, mysterious and alluring? Or an image of a more fantastical nature, such as the jungles described by Edgar Rice Burroughs? Or do you think, perhaps, of a goddess who holds power and beauty beyond measure, whose name, throughout the ages, has been synonymous with love? Within this book, you will find tales of wonder, some of space, some of the heart, some that follow in the footsteps of the goddess herself.

Mortal. Immortal. Musician. Mage. On a journey from the boroughs of New York to the heart of Tir na nÓg, from innocence to the deepest darkest crevices of her soul, Kara O’Keefe found power and strength in the discovery of self. Once savior of the world, Kara must now save herself and the innocents around her. She has come into her legacy, but where will destiny take her?

With triumph heavy on their hearts, Kara O'Keefe and the survivors from the battle atop Yesterday's Dreams rush to Ireland and Tír na nóg, carrying with them a weapon feared by gods and men. There they seek solace and healing for their warriors, and a miracle for Patrick, Kara's father, mortally wounded in the battle.

History...Legacy...Destiny...Triggered by an act of self-sacrifice, all three converge upon Kara O'Keefe, transforming her simple life into one both magical and menacing. Overwhelmed by the expenses of her father's cancer treatments, Kara finds herself forced to give up Quicksilver, her cherished violin and the only physical link with her long-gone Grandda. Her selflessness becomes the key to her future.

To a mermaid watching airships as she dreams of the sky… to an orphan girl caught between innovation and tradition… From a desperate Lady turning to science to search for the rightful heir… The Age of Steam is full of potential—and peril—for those with the vision to wonder what if?

Love, life, liberty. Never before had Kara O'Keefe had cause to doubt in any of these, and yet she was now called to defend all three or lose them for all time. Though the Battle of the Knock was counted a victory, the war - as they say - was not won. Carman's Children have resurface after millennia and have reunited against their common foe once more.

Can Suzanne - Wild Hunt biker chick and one-time member of the fae High Court - stand strong as her world falls apart? She survived an assault by redcaps, an all-out battle with the High King's armies, and her first encounter with roller derby...but how will she fare against her inner demons? Caught in the midst of a transformation she scarcely realizes and does not understand, her hard-won convictions are tested as never before.

The rumble of a Harley... The gleam of black leather... The shine of polished chrome... The freedom of the open road... Motorcycles meet magic and mayhem as Lance Cosain, the halfling leader of The Wild Hunt MC, protects his turf and his people from attacks ordered by Dair na Scath, the high king of the fae.

In England, far from his desert home, Ali bin-Massoud serves as apprentice to the famed Charles Babbage. One night a mysterious box is delivered by a clockwork falcon and Ali's world is never the same again. Heartache, danger, and thieves mark his journey as Ali is summoned home at the death of his father. It will take faith, knowledge, and yes, love to realize his destiny, and more than a little skill with steam-driven technology.

When the mortal coil wears thin and the great unknown draws nigh you might spy the narrow gap between the mystical and the mundane. You might even notice something's looking back. Transcendence takes a hard look at humanity in nine tales of difficult choices, great rewards, and journeys beyond expectation.

Have a dream of being an author? Frustrated with banging your head against the publishing wall? (Let's face it...why else would you be reading this?) Don't worry. You are by no means alone! Success in publishing is equal parts skill, determination, knowledge, and pure, dumb luck. If you have the drive, and you have the skill, but you're missing that little bit of insight into the industry, this book might just be the edge you're looking for. (For the luck...you're on your own.)

Spend your next 30 minutes traveling to a future where first adopters have the most advanced robot butlers or where everyone has a superpower - except the young man you just met. Or perhaps you prefer a good hard-boiled detective story or one about a hardscrabble life in the Australian outback.

'Tis said we all return to whence we began.... Is it any wonder then why so many are drawn to the sea? Throughout the history of Man the crash of the waves has been a siren song...a promise...a curse. Above the waves is a challenge that makes or breaks many a man or woman. Below is another world both magical and menacing. In Consigned to the Sea you will find the vast spectrum of what the oceans have to offer.

From a kitsune slinking through the mists … to an elven champion tied to every crossroad in the moment of Midnight … to the heir of Underhill ruling the road on a Harley, the mystical and magical intersect nearly unrealized with the world of man. Do you dare to walk among them with open eyes? Do you seek a glimpse of their power? Take care and proceed with soft steps among the folk of magic and moonlight.