CORA BUHLERT

Even in a galaxy torn apart by war, the young still have dreams.On Rajipuri, a poor planet in the Empire of Worlds, Anjali Patel and her two younger sisters look up at the stars and dream of escaping the limitations of a traditional and rigidly stratified society.At the same time, in a camp for war orphans in the Republic of United Planets, Mikhail Grikov also looks up at the stars and dreams of escaping a life of pain and abuse.One day in the far future, they will meet and change the galaxy. But for now, theyre merely dreaming of the starsThis is a prequel novelette of 8500 words or approx. 30 print pages to the "In Love and War" series, but may be read as a standalone.

Cadet Anjali Patel had hoped for something more exciting than guard duty for her first mission with the legendary Shakyri Expeditionary Corps, the best fighters in the Empire of Worlds.However, this boring job quickly turns hot, when an enemy convoy comes up the mountain pass Anjali is supposed to guard.This is a prequel story of 4500 words or approx. 18 print pages to the "In Love and War" series, but may be read as a standalone.

Once, Anjali Patel and Mikhail Grikov were soldiers on opposing sides of an intergalactic war. They met, fell in love and decided to go on the run together.Now Anjali and Mikhail are trying to eke out a living on the independent worlds of the galactic rim, while attempting to stay under the radar of those pursuing them.When they are hired to retrieve a shipment of bootleg medical nanobots, it seems like a routine job at first. But it quickly turns out that they are not the only ones who are after the nanobots. And their client has an agenda of her own. This is a story of 5100 words or approx. 20 print pages in the "In Love and War" series, but may be read as a standalone.

No one ever expected the robot apocalypse to begin in the little town of Brighthaven. And no one ever expected it to involve murderous robot turkeys and their even more terrifying brethren, robot Santas that fire laserbeams from their eyes.However, Brighthavens finest are ready to tackle any robotic holiday menace that might come their way.Two interlinked holiday stories of approx. 6000 words by Hugo winner Cora Buhlert

Roads are interstitial spaces, their only purpose to take you from one place to another.In most cases, roads only connect two places in the real world. But occasionally, a road crosses the borderline into the unknown.Thats when things can come through, terrible things that lurk by the side of the road for the unwary traveller.A car full of drunk teenagers on their way home from a festival encounter something terrible in the woods of Northwest GermanyNina delivers newspapers in the wee hours of the night and pays no attention to the pets that go missing in the neighbourhood or the strange sounds echoing from the sewer grillesOn a lonely country road in northern Spain, a truck driver encounters the ghosts of a terrible pastSo buckle up and get ready to meet the horrors that lurk by the side of the road. But be careful, because every encounter with them might be your lastThis is a collection of three tales of roadside horror of 9500 words altogether by Hugo winner Cora Buhlert.

Massachusetts in the Year of the Lord 1695: Apprentice witchfinder Matthew Goodson, and condemned witch Grace Pankhurst have been on the run from Matthews former masters for months now.Shortly before Christmas, Matthew and Grace find shelter with the Whitelaw family in the town of Cold Hollow. But the witchfinders are on their trail, so Matthew and Grace have to flee again on the day of the winter solstice.Many dangers lurk in the dense woods of Massachusetts Bay Colony. But which is the greater threat, the witchfinders or the thing from beyond that dwells in the woods and hunts on the darkest nights of the year?This is a historical holiday horror novelette of 11100 words or approximately 40 print pages by two-time Hugo finalist Cora Buhlert.

1956. After a sock hop at the local high school gym, teenagers Betty and Cody drive out to Lovers Lane together. Betty knows only too well that good girls dont go to Lovers Lane with boys. But Cody is her one true love and besides, he swore that hed love her forever or may he be struck down where he stands. But then, an alien invasion shows Betty just what Codys word is truly worthThis is a short story of 6200 words or approx. 20 pages in the The Day the Saucers Came series, but may be read as a standalone.

1956. In the quiet suburb of Shady Groves, ten-year-old Kenny watches as both his parents are murdered, shot down by a mafia enforcer. And the mob is not inclined to leave any witnesses behind. However, an invasion from outer space may just prove to be one little boys salvationThis is a short story of 3500 words or approx. 13 pages in the The Day the Saucers Came series, but may be read as a standalone.

1956: Judy is the designated town slut of Stillwater Creek. After getting thrown out of a sock hop at the local high school, Judy winds up going to the movies with bad boy Hank instead, where a science fiction double feature is playing. However, before the first reel of the second movie is through, the night is interrupted by a very real invasion of flying saucers from outer space This is a novelette of 8500 words or approx. 30 pages in the The Day the Saucers Came series, but may be read as a standalone.

When cartoonist Charlie Ellis is stabbed to death in his studio, everybody suspects a political motive. For his controversial cartoons had placed Charlie Ellis in the crosshairs two years before.But Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd is sceptical. For why did Charlie Ellis not even try to defend himself and why did he open to door to his own killer? How did the killer manage to sneak past the police guard at the door in the first place? And what is the connection between Charlie Ellis and the other fifteen men in the Greater London area who happen to share his rather common name?With the help of Simon Westmoreland, a handsome chief inspector from the Counter Terrorism Command, Helen finally manages to shed some light on the murder of Charlie Ellis.This is a short mystery of 12200 words or approximately 42 print pages in the Helen Shepherd Mysteries series, but may be read as a standalone.

The cryogenic freezing of the dead in hope of a eventual revival has long been the province of cranks and crazies. However, when two frozen mountain gorillas are successfully revived, cryogenics suddenly becomes a viable medical technology. The first humans are revived soon thereafter and though most of them have financial difficulties not to mention problems adjusting to the new world in which they find themselves, their successful revival nonetheless sparks a run on cryogenic freezing with unforeseen social and financial consequencesThis short story of 2300 words chronicles the cryogenics boom of the mid to late twenty-first century.

When a priceless Fabergé egg goes missing from a locked room in the London townhouse of Russian oligarch Yevgeny Ivanov, everybody quickly suspects Eva Hart, Ivanovs cleaning lady and single mother.But Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd has her doubts about this theory, for Eva Hart has no motive, since the egg is unsellable on the free market. But what does Evas little daughter Emily know? And what happened to the egg?This is a mystery novelette of 7500 words or approx. 25 pages.

When the landlord of "The Cork and the Bottle" ends up dead in a puddle of blood on the floor of his own pub, the case seems clear. The teen burglars who broke into the pub to steal the contents of the till are the culprits.But there are things about the case that just dont add up. And eventually, Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd begins to suspect that the killers are to be found much closer to homeThis is a crime short of 4400 words or approx. 14 print pages altogether in the Helen Shepherd Mysteries series, but may be read as a standalone.

When Caroline Murray is found dead in an underground parking garage with a needle in her arm, the case seems clear. Caroline died of a drug overdose.However, everybody who knew Caroline insists that she was vehemently opposed to drugs and would never have taken any. And what was Caroline doing at 544 Grant Road, a building to which she had no known connection?Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd is quickly convinced that Caroline Murrays death was not a simple drug overdose. But who had reason to want Caroline dead and why?This is a crime novelette of 7700 words or approx. 24 print pages altogether in the Helen Shepherd Mysteries series, but may be read as a standalone.

After a massive row with her parents over intolerable relatives, Katie finds herself all alone for the holidays. So she heads for the one place in town where everyone is welcome on Christmas Eve, the legendary Purple Owl Cafe.The Purple Owl Cafe has a chequered sixty-year history. These days its not just a place for good music and conversation, it also happens to be a lesbian bar.Katie doesnt mind, though so far her life was too busy for romance of any kind. But thats about to change when Katie meets Jess at the Christmas Eve party at the Purple Owl CafeThis is a short and sweet holiday romance of 4700 words or approximately 16 print pages.

Homeless teen Chris certainly isnt the most reliable of witnesses. And so no one takes her seriously when she walks into a police station and claims that her boyfriend Max, nicknamed Zorro, has been kidnapped.Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd is initially inclined to dismiss Chris as well. But then Chris mentions a ransom demand, a mysterious phone call demanding an envelope in exchange for the safe return of Max.Chris claims she has no idea what the kidnappers are talking about. But when Helen and her team investigate the abandoned warehouse that Max and Chris have made their home, she notices unusual activities in the area.But what precisely do the kidnappers want? And whatever happened to Max?This is a mystery novelette of 8700 words or approximately 28 print pages in the Helen Shepherd Mysteries series, but may be read as a standalone.

When intern Kitty Chan is found dead in the basement of the Victoria and Albert Museum, dressed in a Victorian ball gown, the cause of death is quickly established. Kitty died of arsenic poisoning. But who gave her the deadly dose and why?Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd investigates and quickly realises that there is more to this case than meets the eye.This is a mystery novelette of 8500 words or approx. 27 print pages in the Helen Shepherd Mysteries series, but may be read as a standalone.Warning : There are some rude words in this story.

When two men dressed up as Father Christmas rob a London jewellery store and one of them ends up dead on the floor, shot by his own accomplice, its certainly one of the more unusual cases for Detective Inspector Helen Shepherd and her team. But as Helen begins to investigate, it turns out that the case is even more bizarre than she suspected.This is a holiday mystery novelette of 9300 words or approx. 30 print pages in the Helen Shepherd Mysteries series, but may be read as a standalone.

Once, Anjali Patel and Mikhail Grikov were soldiers on opposing sides of an intergalactic war. They met, fell in love and decided to go on the run together.Now Anjali and Mikhail are trying to eke out a living on the independent worlds of the galactic rim, while attempting to stay under the radar of those pursuing them.But when Anjali and Mikhail stumble upon a protection racket during a routine shopping trip, they have to make a choice: Lay low to avoid attracting attention or stay true to their personal ethics and intervene?This is a story of 6700 words or approx. 23 print pages in the In Love and War series, but may be read as a standalone.

When her boyfriend dumps her four weeks before Christmas, Hannah throws herself into holiday preparations in order to dull the pain. But nothing seems to help, until Hannah quite literally bumps into Owen, while Christmas shopping.Hannah and Owen hit it off immediately. But Owen is nursing an old grief of his ownThis is a short and sweet holiday romance of 5900 words or approximately 20 print pages.