Vanessa MacLaren-Wray, Storyteller

Greetings, fellow cometary life form! Welcome home!

Here, you’ll find tales of the patchwork universe…where inflation theory establishes that there may be multitudinous other worlds, universes in their own right. Some describe these as bubble universes and one theory holds that they may touch one another, like bubbles in a foam, so that the greater multiverse is a patchwork of worlds. Or you can take off to the center of the Milky Way Galaxy, where an ancient space station orbits an enormous black hole. Or take a break and enjoy a few short stories.

In the meantime, subscribe to My So-Called Newsletter (aka Messages from the Oort Cloud) for that personal connection: chat about writing and publishing, excerpts from works-in-progress, connections with other authors you’ll enjoy, and, yes, free books!

Book links on this page take you to Amazon. I’m also at Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Kobo, Google Play Books, Apple Books, and bookshop.org. Find all my current SFF stories through my author page at Water Dragon Publishing. Messages subscribers will know how to find me in person for book signings and at local, regional, and international SFF events.

A swordsman surrounded by flames faces a threatening landscape

Flames of Attrition

The duology concludes!

It will take all of Corren’s strategic genius, the loyalty and determination of his guardsmen, and technology stolen from a device from beyond this world to save Jeska from invaders and insurrectionistsā€”and those who believe their subversive lies.

Man holding a spear and standing next to a loaded baggage pony looks out over a wide valley with a condor soaring over. Text: Shadows of Insurrection

Shadows of Insurrection

Enter another world!

Corren, son of Orkast, is next in line to be king, but heā€™s got enough on his plate already, with brigands, insurrectionistsā€¦and visitors from another world.

The True Son

Get the backstory!

In this prequel short story, Corren aims to protect his brother, while the king’s son aims to eliminate Corren. Sword-fights, bullying, and a midnight escape.

A quirky country cottage with a satellite dish on the roof and an odd-lookig pony out front with weird alien-like trees growingin the garden.

All That Was Asked

First-contact adventure!

Ansegwe would rather write poetry than work, but his world changes when he adopts a weird alien creature from an alternative universe.

A suitcase covered with space-themed stickers sits in a hallway of a space station.

The Smugglers

Middle-grade that’s safe for adults!

Disguised as humans, a family of genderfluid aliens aims to deliver a dangerous pet ā€¦ just as Boy is beginning an alien adolescence.

A golden hand rises through a splash of  brown, fizzy liquid, a key fob dangling from one finger.

Coke Machine

Every truck stop needs one!

Skipship engineer Marichka Natalyovna is up to her elbows in aether, and hazard warnings are blaring. She could really use a hand. (a Dragon Gems short story)

An arched window looking out on a fantasy-type city on a hill.

Parrish Blue

Art + Fine Cuisine + Dreamers!

Take a break with a sci-fi romance, in which two people meet in a restaurant on a troubled Earth and rediscover their dreams. (a Dragon Gems short story)

A man with an umbrella walks down a street in a grey landscape.

Fault Zone: Reverse

Independent Press Award winner!

My Pushcart-nominated story of nature’s revolt against invasive humans leads off this anthology from the California Writers Club. Plus, a litfic story!

Two skydivers float in front of gold-tinged clouds, their hands linked, waiting to open parachutes.

Fault Zone: Detachment

Yes, poetry!

Two of my poems open and close this anthology of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry from the SF Peninsula Branch of the CWC. Gotta read ’em all!

A cute little dragon listens as a fairy reads from a book.

Dragon Gems

It’s not all dragons!

My words of wisdom on the nature of the short story, and the challenges of creating one, wrap up Water Dragon’s Spring 2023 collection of short speculative fiction.

Logo for Truck Stop at the center of the galaxy: a rainbw rim with an image of the Milky Way in the center.

It’s a Gift Shop!

Space souvenirs and writer necessities!

Truck Stop Merch

Water Dragon Goodies

Small Publishing in a Big Universe

An image of the galaxy, with dense glowing stars. Text: Messages from the Oort Cloud

It’s a Newsletter!

No, no, it’s not!

My erratically-published email journal features science-fan chat, discussion of issues and events in the SFF world, free books, and publishing news.

An old-style typewriter, focus on the keys, below a star field and the words Small Publishing in a Big Universe

It’s a Podcast!

Start here!

I’m a regular guest and guest host for Small Publishing in a Big Universe, a project of Water Dragon’s Steven Radecki and Lisa Jacobs