"Steven Leiva not only promises but delivers. Bravo!" — Ray Bradbury
And others have said...
____________________________________
WELCOME!
 |
In a 1980s America different from our own, both familiar and not, Congress passed and President Henshaw signed the Birth Cessation Act. Once it became law, no one would be allowed to have a child for 25 years, any woman under 24 weeks pregnant was required to have an immediate abortion, and all men were called up to report for a vasectomy.
“Conscious regulation of human numbers must be achieved.” Dr. Paul R. Ehrlich wrote in his 1968 bestseller, The Population Bomb. By the early 80s, the government had statistical projections that population growth was outpacing the available resources needed for all in America to live a comfortable and secure life. A situation that would inevitably lead to the chaos and violence of extreme civil unrest.
Most Americans, liking comfort and security, supported the government’s action. Most, but not all. And those who didn’t—including a world-famous female billionaire entrepreneur/inventor/film producer; a TV salesman from Queens; a well-to-do Manhattan college radical; an unwed mother in Los Angeles who protests most horribly; America’s premier pundit-columnist; and a young man who talks to his dead brother—became loud enough to start a fresh new controversy in America.
This is a portrait of that controversy.
"Although a work of fiction, Right: A Portrait of Controversy is an expertly pictured projection of a draconian dystopia where 'big-brother style' governmental attempts at population control are vividly illustrated. An inherently fascinating read from start to finish, author Steven Paul Leiva raises his original novel to an impressive level of literary elegance. The result is a compelling novel that will linger in the mind and memory of the reader long after the book has been finished and set back on the shelf"
— Midwest Book Review
NO PIGEON HOLE ZONE!
I've always been an eclectic reader finding pleasure in a mix of genres, including literary fiction, science fiction, mysteries, comic novels, and historical fiction. And so, I've become an eclectic writer.
THE LOVE, SEX, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS NOVELS
Three novels of mainstream literary fiction. Although there is a hint of science fiction in one of the three.
THE WILD TRIP NOVELS
Here you will find imaginative novels of aliens meeting aliens, imps meeting politicians, creepy creatures of the night & monsters from another dimension, a really real virtual reality, a 21st-century trip to the Moon, a 17th-century trip to Mars, and a Journey to Where. Where? Exactly!
THE FIXXER ADVENTURES
The Fixxer, Roee, Peety, the Captain, and two beautiful and intelligent women fight to save the world from Hollywood in two thrilling and exciting adventures of suspense, action, danger, intrigue, and a really real virtual reality!
BEWARE!
All of the above are tied together by my comic view of life and often a disturbing amount of satire.
BUT DO NOT WORRY
IF SATIRE GOES OVER YOUR HEAD
AT LEAST YOU WON'T HAVE TO DUCK!
SO, UM, THANKS FOR DROPPING BY...
THE LOVE, SEX, AND PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS NOVELS
CAVEAT EMPTOR: As The Reluctant Heterosexual concerns sex, it is at times explicit in language, situations, and attitudes. Readers who are offended by such explicitness should not read this book.
The Reluctant Heterosexual concludes my thematic trilogy: The Love, Sex, and Pursuit of Happiness Novels. All three novels look at these essential aspects of the human condition, with each novel focusing on one of the three. By the Sea: A Comic Novel looks at our unease when unhappy. Bully 4 Love: A Rather Odd Love Story takes a skewed view of this most revered emotion. And now, The Reluctant Heterosexual, as the title predicts, concerns sex, which is not always the same as love, nor is it always a happy situation. Subtitled A Tragicomedy In Four Movements A Prelude And An Interlude, each section of the novel, as in a musical composition, has its own tempo, mood, and form as it tells the story—and stories—of Robert Leslie Cromwell and Sandy Smith. Two Homo sapiens sapiens surviving and striving in the late 20th century.
Robert and Sandy are intelligent, creative, not unattractive, wealthy, married to each other, and in love. Yet their procreating bodies might as well be standing naked on a savanna in Africa in the late Pliocene Era. This is the sometimes comic conflict between ancient bodies and modern culture. Can there possibly be a happy ending?
NAMED A
"FAVORITE BOOK OF 2021"
BY THE
MONTREAL TIMES!
Adolphus Seruya is a happy, middle-aged, unambitious bachelor and History professor at a prominent community college. Then suddenly, SHE walks into his classroom. Lavinia Carson is beautiful in a unique yet compelling way. And radiant almost beyond description.
Thus begins a rather odd story of love rejected, love ignored, love found—and cuttlefish pizza.
REVIEWS
"Bully 4 Love is definitely not your typical romance novel. And that's the best part about it. There's nothing schmaltzy within these pages. In fact, Leiva tears out the wires of the romance genre and scrambles all the circuits, which leaves the reader with some tears, but mainly tears of laughter...So if you want a rom-com story that breaks all the rules (stucco face-shredding and all), then ditch the Harlequin Romances! Bully 4 Love is the beach and balcony read for you. —Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times.
"I will say this definitely lived up to the title - it's odd. Not bad odd, and definitely interesting. I was captured from the first page, and the unique style kept me turning pages until the end. Above all, this story is about connections. Connections to each other, romantic, platonic, professional. I'm not sure if I'd call it a romance necessarily, and if you're looking for your typical romance story, you'll be sorely disappointed. If, however, you want something that is off the beaten path and a bit unique, then this is exactly what you're looking for. A must-read." — Liliyana Shadowlyn, The Faeire Review
"I am envious. This isn't a book I would have picked up off a shelf. It's "literary" and has romance in it. I am more of a blows-up-real-good kind of gal. But I have loved everything I've read from this author, and so I read this, too. And now I am envious. It is so sooooooo well written. There are pages I went back and re-read just because they were that good. It has twists and turns and excellent dialog, and I am envious that I cannot write something like this. So naturally, I am recommending it, as I like to recommend good books. If you're a writer, it's good for study, too, as Leiva's technique is exquisite. You'll be envious, too."— Jean Rabe, USA TODAY Bestselling Author.
"I really enjoyed reading this story. It brings you through the full range of human relationships. This book, at times, made me laugh and, at other times, made me cry. This is a contemporary tale that you really won't want to miss. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys reading deeply personal stories about how the simplest of things can be the catalyst to forever alter the course of someone's life."—Mom Kat Reads Blog.
"Bully 4 Love: A Rather Odd Love Story by Steven Paul Leiva—a deftly crafted contemporary romantic comedy that showcases the author's genuine flair for originality and a distinctive kind of narrative storytelling that quickly captures the reader's total attention and holds it firmly from cover to cover...unreservedly recommended." — Midwest Book Review
Instead of a kingdom by the sea, our story takes place in and around a residential hotel by the sea. The architecturally eclectic Briers Hotel is situated on Leech Beach, a not particularly inviting beach, being often fog-bound and always scruffy. But it's the perfect setting for our Cinderellas, male and female, who put up with the scruffiness of life while striving to make it through their various personal seaside fogs. Theater; art; antiques; old movies; sex; more sex; death; fast and slow cars, chicken shit and cow poop; military bearing and erotic emissions—not to mention the wicked witch, the sea serpent by the seashore, the village ogre, the village idiot, and several Prince Charmings—all figure into this merry tale with a multitude of happy endings.
REVIEWS
"Steven Paul Leiva has written an engaging, thoughtful, and kind book. In this era of unlikeable characters and the idea that a "good" book is one in which horrible things happen to horrible people, Leiva has turned that entirely on its head. Even when people act badly, he has told their story with sympathy and grace, with complete kindness for even the most outwardly difficult characters. By the Sea is long, but it's not fat. It's all muscle. And what a satisfying book it is! Leiva has built his small world perfectly, and each character is so complete and well thought out that what at first seems disparate pieces fit together perfectly by the end. It's a hat trick in perfect proportions!"—Jo Graham, author of Black Ships, Hand of Isis, and Stealing Fire.
"Leiva writes the story with a great deal of depth and perception as he explores the lives, thoughts, and ambitions of each main character...the book's ending plays upon the they-all-lived-happily-ever-after angle in a quite satisfying but not wholly exaggerated manner. Oh, and by the way, the book is filled with plenty of salty language and sex scenes that are blushingly frank and explicit."—Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times.
By the Sea is a delightfully engaging story about an eccentric community that resides in the foggy environs of Leech Beach...Leiva deftly interweaves characters' past and present to create a vibrant ensemble that is immediately engaging...an appealing comic treatise on small-town politics where sexual liaisons abound, on a collection of individuals who live cheek-by-jowl but find to the hysterical effect that they know each other, not at all. By the Sea is a light-hearted, clever read.— Literary Fiction Book Review.
THE WILD TRIP NOVELS
Khadambi Kinyanjui, a 6-foot-five Kenyan who grew up in London, is from a wealthy family. Joe Smith, quite a bit shorter, is a red-headed orphan who grew up with his Aunt Liz in a hole in the California desert. Both are brilliant scientists. One is a neurobiologist, the other an astronomer, who first meet in 2049 under the Tommy Trojan statue at the University of Southern California. They become the best of friends but a very odd couple. And yet, their brotherhood is more robust than most actual brothers.
A work of contrarian science fiction?
You decide.
REVIEWS
“Having a special appeal to readers with an interest in philosophy and science fiction, The Definition of Luck: Or The Post-Modern Prometheus showcases author Steven Paul Leiva's genuine and impressive flair for originality and the kind of narrative-driven storytelling that fully engages the reader from beginning to end. Thoughtful, thought-provoking, original and entertaining…unreservedly recommended”—Midwest Book Review
"What I can say is this is a very well-written book. Yes, it is Science Fiction and has some interesting ideas, but the description of the friendship between Astro and Neuro is the core subject of this book. Once you realize this, it puts things into perspective, which is probably why I’ve continued to enjoy thinking about the book long after reading it. ‘The Definition Of Luck Or The Post-Modern Prometheus’ certainly gets a recommendation from me." —Andy Whitaker, SFcrowsnest
“I love reading Mr. Leiva's books a great deal. His stories always leave me highly entertained, but more than that, they make me really think about the story and the characters. His stories are never ones that I read and then soon forget about as I begin reading another book. No, his stories really make me think about the meaning behind the story. And they stick with me long after having read them. (And for someone who reads a lot of books, that means something to me.) I would highly recommend this book. It is a very complex tale, but one that I think anyone would enjoy, especially if you like books that will really make you think.” — Mom Kat Reads Blog
What if a man wanted to go to the moon from the time he was an infant? Not a toddler, not a child, not a young man, but a babe in his mother's arms? What if Baron Munchausen traveled from 1790 to 1641 to take Cyrano de Bergerac to Mars? What if the man who wanted to go to the moon from the time he was an infant wrote some rude poems? What if the author of this book wrote his own Wikipedia page that he was sure Wikipedia would never publish? What if you bought this book and found out?
Award-winning Amazon bestselling author
Steven Paul Leiva is your tour guide on these Extraordinary Voyages.
Made on the Moon: A Novella
What a Pleasure it's Been to Piss in Porcelain: The Rude Poems of Stanley Lewis
Cyrano De Bergerac and Baron Munchausen Go to Mars: A Short Story
From Stage to Page—The Phases of Made on the Moon: An Essay
What I Would Put on My Wikipedia Page if I Thought Wikipedia Would Let Me: A WackiWiki
Praise for Made on the Moon: A Novella
"With just enough satirical elements to emphasize the blurred line between logic and insanity, true fans of Science Fiction will find a kindred attachment with the Stanley Lewis character. It is a hero's journey, a relentless determination to dream the impossible. Made on the Moon by Steven Paul Leiva shows us that reaching for the stars is not just a dream; for some, it is a way of life." — Ricky L. Brown, Amazing Stories Magazine.
"Leiva has crafted a satire – perhaps a self-satire – with a very warm heart. If you've ever dreamed of flying in space or walking on the Moon, you'll get the point of this story, and you'll love every page." — Russell Blackford, author of Science Fiction and the Moral Imagination.
"This brisk and touching comic novel has mysterious and profound things to say about the price of freedom, and it is not without relevance to the way new and disturbingly pernicious myths about freedom are being propagated every day in Trump's America. Highly recommended!" — John Billingsley, "Dr. Phlox" on Star Trek Enterprise and a voracious reader.
"Leiva brings his delightful wit and facility with language to a tale that feels personal and honest. It unravels in the most unexpected ways, and, as is so often the case in his work, I found both my curiosity and my funny bone tickled. A great read. — Jeff Cannata, host of the We Have Concerns and /or Filmcast podcasts.
On
"Cyrano De Bergerac and Baron Munchausen Go to Mars: A Short Story"
"Steven Paul Leiva teaches a master class in 'what if.' What if Baron Von Munchausen and Cyrano de Bergerac went to Mars? What if, indeed! What if and what if and what if? Marvelous." — Jean Rabe, USA Today Bestselling Author
THERE IS SOMETHING STRANGE HAPPENING IN PLACIDVILLE!
It is 1962. Kathy Anderson, a serious actress who took her training at the Actors Studio in New York, is stuck playing Vivacia, the Vampire Woman on Vivacia's House of Horrors for a local Chicago TV station. Finally fed up showing old monster movies to creature feature fans, she quits and heads to New York and the fame and footlights of Broadway. She stops off to visit her parents and old friends in Placidville, the all-American, middle-class, blissfully normal Midwest small town she grew up in.
But Kathy finds that things are strange in Placidville.
Kathy's parents, her best friend from high school, the local druggist, and even the Oberhausen twins are all acting curiously creepy, odiously odd, and wholly weird. Especially the town's super geeky nerd, Gerald, who warns of dark days ahead. Has Kathy entered a zone in the twilight? Did she reach the limits that are outer? Has she fallen through a mirror that is black? Or is it just—just—politics as usual?
Named a "TOP BOOK OF 2020" by the Montreal Times!
Amazon International BestsellerAmazon #1 Political Humor Bestseller
 |
| A Badge of Honor |
ADVANCE PRAISE
"VIVA, Vivacia! CREATURE FEATURE is a treat for everyone who grew up watching vintage sci-fi and monster movies on late-night TV presented by your favorite local horror host. This book tickled my funny bone while gnawing on it with razor-sharp fangs. As the Vampire Queen might say, it's ghoul-tastic!" — Greg Cox, New York Times Bestselling Author.
"CREATURE FEATURE is a weird, funny, twisty romp through the creepier parts of the American landscape. Highly entertaining and highly recommended."— Jonathan Maberry, NY Times Bestselling Author of ROT & RUIN and V-WARS
REVIEWS
"Creature Feature reads like a comedy, has the weirdness of a Twilight Zone episode, and just enough monsters and mayhem to keep the readers on their toes and eager to turn the page. Where the author truly shines is in the comfortable dialog between both primary and secondary characters. Often flirting with but never breaking the fourth wall, it is a joy to see characters who seem to recognize the silliness of their own archetypal roles but shrug it off and encourage the reader to tag along for the fun...So, curl up on the sofa, and dim the lights and pull the blanket up close because it's going to be a chilling ride. Steven Paul Leiva's fast-paced Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy will take you back to those late-night fright fests with just enough humor to appreciate the writing while remaining loyal to the horrors we grew up with and expect." — Ricky L. Brown, Amazing Stories Magazine.
"Leiva has such a vivid imagination -- not to mention a vast knowledge of the baby boomer world—and it shows up on every page of this book. Inspired by all those movies, comic books, and late shows, Leiva gives the reader such a roller coaster ride of a read that would certainly belong in the pages of Amazing Stories magazine but taken to a whole new level. And even the scenes with the proliferation of the creatures on the streets of Placidville has a tinge of timeliness to today's headlines that it will have you guessing what the parallels are."— Stuart Nulman, Montreal Times.
"Leiva is witty and engaging, stylistically striking an immediate generational middle ground. At face value, the novel would seem nothing more than a boomer's nostalgic wet dream, but Leiva imbues the novel with an accessible comedic edge...Leiva, somewhat of a polyglot of entertainment mediums, employs that mastery as he moves the novel forward in an incredibly charming way. A perfect mix of dynamic action and dry dialogue keep readers turning the pages... "Creature Feature" holds enough rich nostalgia for all of us. It's a tender ode to Cold War-era technological anxiety and is a delightful read for a less than delightful time. It's escapism for the gentle masochist, leaving a real world of trauma for a fictional one of catastrophe." — Areyon Jolivette, The Daily Californian.
"Creature Feature by Steven Paul Leiva is a perfect story for those who love horror B-movies. It's complete with ugly and slimy creatures, wild adventures, a little comedy, and an unaware beautiful damsel in distress. I hung on to Steven Paul Leiva's every word as Kathy and an unlikely local nerd hero try to save Placidville's townspeople from fire-breathing dragons, a demon with an ego this big and slimy blobs of nastiness. Creature Feature is action-packed and loaded with monsters galore, gadgets out of this world (Leiva really needs to patent his Interdimensional TV idea!), and an exciting climax worthy of any 5-star B-movie midnight horror-comedy flick. I'm looking forward to reading more from Steven Paul Leiva." — Joanie Chevalierm, Readers' Favorite Book Reviews.
"CreatureFeature: A Horrid Comedy by Steven Paul Leiva. By the way, this guy has super creds. I advise you to look this book up and the author because he's got RayBradbury praising his prose...this is such a fun book. As a kid, I would have loved this just for the prose and the situations alone. As an adult, I love the nostalgia part of it. I thought it was a ton of fun. If you like Elvira, if you like Invasion of the Body Snatchers, if you like Slither, you're going to dig this book. It is so much fun." — Hunter Shea, Monster Men Video Podcast.
"I really liked the writing style of the author; I found it really witty...I giggled every time they referred to the most monstrous behaviors as "Politics as Usual". The comical and zany parts are really on point and rarely failed to make me laugh...the absurdity of some of the turns of events makes them really unexpected."— Raven Nest Blog.
"I found (Creature Feature) a very fun book to read. It was quite funny and had the feel of being curled up and watching an old monster movie on television in the wee hours of the morning. It even had me wanting to argue with the characters, just as I did back when watching those old creature feature movies when I was younger... Recommended."—Mom Kat Reads Blog
Creature Feature "...is a thoughtful and caring homage to old-school monster movies and creature feature fans with brilliant and hilarious zingers thrown at you from the narrator throughout. I couldn't put it down...Do yourself a favor and put it on your reading list." — Ryan Parks, Dark Parks Bookstore
CREATURE FEATURE: A HORRID COMEDY
THE AUDIOBOOK
"(Seamus Dever) hits the tone just right—he's close to going over-the-top without ever slipping into parody. It's clearly funny material, but he plays it straight. Still, he sounds like he's having fun--and it's hard not to join in. And Juliana Dever nails the character of Kathy (and her alter ego)...Give this one a shot, folks; I think you'll be glad you did." — H.C. Newton, The Irresponsible Reader Blog.
"I loved it! I'm actually thinking of going back and listening to it again because it is so good, it's so much fun." — Jason A. Meuschke, Host of the Sample Chapter Podcast.
"Creature Feature is a fun fast-paced old-timey horror flick with plenty of humor. I enjoyed it for the one-line jokes, the crazy situations, and the odd characters all tossed together in a completely unexpected situation. Kathy, who at times does come off as a vain, self-involved woman, has her moments to shine as a woman of action. Meanwhile, Gerald's years as a science fiction lover and tech nerd have finally paid off - in the form of a supped-up Vespa! Haha! I love the imagery." — Dab of Darkness Book Reviews.
"On a warm June night, I sat on my patio with my Kindle, which will play audiobooks, let my dogs frolic in the yard, tipped back my head, and listened to Creature Feature. MARVELOUS. TRULY MARVELOUS." — Jean Rabe, USA Today Bestselling Author.
"If you are an audiobook lover, snap this one up! You'll be so pleased....The narrators are stellar...The whole thing is absurd, hilarious, and just a ton of fun to experience."— The Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile Blog.
"Overall, a very entertaining listen, with some splendid music and a few special effects thrown in. The way the book is read elevates it from a straightforward audiobook to something that feels a lot more like a full-cast drama, the range of voices Seamus Dever brings to the piece being so diverse. Juliana Dever is no less talented. Even if she plays just one part, she does it so well that working together, Creature Feature whips the listener along towards its thrilling if worrying, conclusion. Highly recommended."—Neale Monks, SFCrowsnest.
"I recommend Creature Feature to anyone who loves classic horror, full of monsters and otherworldly weapons with ultimately a light-heartedness that keeps the intensity at bay without lowering the stakes. I definitely recommend the audiobook version, which is well-produced and entertaining and really brings out the story's playfulness and late-night horror TV and radio traditions. — Laura's Books & Bogs
 |
| Seamus Dever |
Who played Detective Ryan on ABC's Castle
And Juliana Dever
 |
| Juliana Dever |
Who played Ryan's wife
Agreed to give to record the audiobook of
Creature Feature: A Horrid Comedy
They give wonderful, lively, and funny performances
That you will really enjoy.
Produced, directed, and edited by Seamus Dever.
International Amazon Science Fiction Bestseller
A CONTEMPORARY SCIENTIFIC ROMANCE
IN THE TRADITION OF H.G. WELLS AND JULES VERNE
When a radical experiment into the nature of time is sabotaged, the scientific team finds themselves in an alternate universe, where humans never became the dominant life force. Instead, dinosaurs evolved into intelligent bipeds, developing language and societal structures.
The scientists have to learn to communicate with this alien species, who view them as unusual pets, and figure out how to recreate the original experiment in a non-industrialized world, so they can go back home—assuming there's a home, or even a universe, to return to.
But the scientist who sabotaged them is trapped in this new world with them. And he's looking to rise to power, even if his quest means the death of his traveling companions.
REVIEWS
"A deftly crafted, inherently interesting, and thoroughly entertaining read from cover to cover, Journey to Where impressively showcases author Steven Paul Leiva's genuine flair for originality and a distinctive, reader-engaging narrative storytelling style. While unreservedly recommended, especially for community library Science Fiction & Fantasy collections, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of SciFi fans that Journey to Where is also available in a digital book format." — Midwest Book Review.
"The author's true strength is in storytelling. The attention to detail is spot on, providing just enough visual imagery to fill the reader's perception without diluting the setting with unnecessary clutter. Throw this in with a strong cast and a nicely paced plot, and Journey to Where by Steven Paul Leiva is a fun read sure to entertain fans of the classics." — Ricky L. Brown, Amazing Stories Magazine.
"Journey to Where—a truly wild trip. Recommended!" — Stephen Webb, Physicist, Author of New Light Through Old Windows: Exploring Contemporary Science through 12 Classic Science Fiction Tales
Science fiction can be a lot of different things: science-y, thinky, adventurous, fun, philosophical, bizarre, allegorical, and laden with commentary on current affairs, but rarely does one volume provide a dollop of all of these things while at the same time featuring realistic characters and realistic sentient dinosaurs. Recommended. — Donald J. Bingle, Author of the Dick Thornby Thrillers
Politics as Unusual!
Thomas P. Powell's ascension in politics was both unusual and yet very American. From traffic cop to Vice President of the United States, his climb up the ladder of public service was often due to the push of random acts and not-so-happy accidents—although Thomas held the opinion that it was due solely to his singular innate moral authority. What matters is what's within; that's the Powell political philosophy. Then, on the cusp of his grasping the last rung on the American political ladder, something truly within suddenly appears. A horrible homunculus, an impetuous imp, climbs out of Thomas's right ear to bedevil his nights, confuse his days, and take him on a crazy, wild, nauseating, and nuclear journey.
"Steven Paul Leiva is a very bad man. His version of U.S. politics Trumps anything the real world has to offer. Hell, you thought the orange one was the only homunculus America had to worry about? You thought wrong. There's always the nuclear option." — Steven Savile, New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author.
"Perfectly sincere Thomas P. Powell's proper life melts when he encounters a homunculus. Powell, the not-ready-to-be-president president, transforms into a character I wish I had written and one I'd like to know personally. Steven Paul Leiva is a master wordsmith able to take on any genre or blend them, as in the case of IMP, A Political Fantasia. Once started, I couldn't stop reading. The tale was just long enough, yet had me longing to read more of Leiva's prose." Zoommmmbizzt! I highly recommend this novel. — USA Today Bestselling author Jean Rabe.
"Anyone who is able to produce such a book as this has an innate ability and considerable talent. This isn't something you can learn, and as an author, I wish I had the ability to wield the written word so effectively. The book is a mix of genres, comedy, supernatural, suspense, and drama, with a U.S. presidential setting. Comedy is the overarching content, however, and I was left chuckling along at the behavior and attitude of the main protagonist. It's a strong story and a very entertaining read. Well done, Mr. Levia." — 5-Star Amazon review by PsychicSnail.
International Amazon Science Fiction Bestseller
A unique first contact novel from the point-of-view of the aliens.
The last thing the factfinders—who call themselves Life—expected to find while traveling in space in "The Curious" on a mission from their planet, The Living World, was "other" life. But one day, they stumble upon the third planet out from a backwater sun and find it teeming with a vast diversity of life, including one sentient and cognizant, if primitive, species that they dub: Otherlife.
Being not only from "The Curious" but inherently curious themselves, they begin to study the Otherlife and their alien culture, discovering such strange things as marriage, intoxicating drinks, weapons of minor and mass destruction, the gleeful inhaling of toxic substances, two-parent families, layered language, genocide, non-nude bathing, and—the strangest thing of all—religion.
This first contact between Life and Otherlife, disconcerting for both, has moments of humor and moments of horror—and neither escapes the encounter unchanged.
"Traveling in Space's humor and refreshing perspective is thoroughly enjoyable" — Diane Ackerman, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Zookeeper's Wife and A Natural History of the Senses.
"Superbly entertaining and unique...thought-provoking." — The Mindquest Review of Books
"Many of the aliens' encounters with human beings are downright funny...much to think about, and I'm sure that Traveling in Space will play on my mind for some time to come" —Russell Blackford, Author of Science Fiction and the Moral Imagination.
"A deadpan, laugh-out-loud look at first-contact told from the alien POV (with aliens that are as messed up as the rest of us). Recommended!" — Stephen Webb, Physicist, Author of "If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens ... WHERE IS EVERYBODY?: Seventy-Five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life."
"A unique spin of science fiction... With much humor and much to think about...not to be overlooked"— Midwest Book Review.
In Traveling In Space, we have a book of three parts. It starts with the humorous meeting of two civilizations followed by the contemplation of the rights and wrongs of each one... I'm not going to divulge too much more here as I'm running the risk of revealing spoilers. What I will say is that it's a good ending. A satisfying ending, in fact... It's well worth a read. — Andy Whitaker, SFcrowsnest
THE FIXXER ADVENTURES
It's the late 1990s—and Hollywood wants to take over the world!
What those in the know in Hollywood really know is that if they need a dark deed done, if they need a sticky personal or professional problem "fixed," they can call upon the mysterious and dangerous Fixxer. With wit and aplomb, he works the fruitful fields of Hollywood, fixing the sins and correcting the stupidities of the denizens therein.
BLOOD IS PRETTY
"Steven Leiva not only promises but delivers. Beautifully written. Bravo!" — Ray Bradbury.
"Blood is Pretty is a wonderful read, a highly entertaining and impressive debut novel." — Richard D. Zanuck, Academy Award-winning Producer of Jaws, Cocoon & Driving Miss Daisy.
"Steven Paul Leiva takes a dash of James Bond, the ghost of noir, a splash of Hollywood and stirs it into Blood is Pretty, an adventurous, fast-paced first novel." — Melodie Johnson Howe, Edgar-nominated Author of The Mother Shadow.
"The Fixxer has the mystery of the Shadow, the sophistication of James Bond, and the street smarts of Sam Spade." — Stuart Nulman, Book Banter/CJAD, Montreal.
"Fixxer is a fascinating character. Intrigue; murder; mayhem in a fast-paced action-filled adventure." A truly great first novel. — E. V. Le Roux, Silver Moon Magazine.
"Blood is Pretty is set in Hollywood; it's funny, it's kind of dark, and has a lot of biting things to say about Hollywood. I urge people to check it out." — Jeff Cannata, DLC Podcast.
HOLLYWOOD IS AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ARMY
"Leiva's immense gifts for mystery and suspense are matched only by his wry, biting wit in skewering the Hollywood he clearly knows so well."—Paul Provenza, author of ¡Satiristas!, director of The Aristocrats, host of Showtime's The Green Room with Paul Provenza.
"At last, Steven Paul Leiva has given us a second Fixxer adventure. Ever since I read Blood Is Pretty a few years ago, I've been eagerly anticipating more fun, exciting, and riotously entertaining travels with Leiva's Bond-like character. This time Leiva mines his firsthand knowledge of the community he has toiled in for much of his life, Hollywood. And he does it with the same wry humor, intellectual insight, and terrific storytelling that are the consistent signatures of his work. Once you start this novel, you won't put it down." — Ken Kragen, legendary Hollywood Producer/Manager.
"A fast-paced thriller with more twists than a box of Rotini pasta. Leiva ratchets up the action to a nuclear level, following his first Fixxer novel, Blood is Pretty. — L. Dean Murphy, The Big Thrill Magazine
And for something non-fiction and personal.
Here are
Eight personal essays on Ray Bradbury
Includes the title piece written for the Los Angeles Times and "The Man Who Was Himself," my memorial appreciation of Bradbury commissioned by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America for the Winter 2012/13 edition of their quarterly magazine, The Bulletin. Other pieces were originally written for Neworld Review, KCET.org, and this personal blog.
With a special foreword by Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author David Brin.
"Steven Paul Leiva's personal and deeply moving tribute to his friend, Searching for Ray Bradbury, shines a loving light upon some little-known aspects of this intricate and deeply passionate man... In keeping with Ray's own style, Steve gives way to impulse. To passion and the heart" — David Brin in his Foreword.
"Ray Bradbury will be remembered as one of the literary giants of the 20th Century. Steven Paul Leiva's book is a perfect tribute to the life and works of this great artist." — Joe Mantegna, actor.
"In Searching for Ray Bradbury, Steven Paul Leiva helps us negotiate Ray Bradbury's transition from a vibrant life to an enduring legacy. His trenchant observations effectively summarize the profound range of Bradbury's voice and vision and reveal how his influence extended from large public audiences and a vast readership to generations of individual students and writers just beginning to negotiate the great wide world." — Professor Jonathan R. Eller, author of Becoming Ray Bradbury and Director of the Center for Ray Bradbury Studies, Indiana University School of Liberal Arts.
"Searching for Ray Bradbury is a delightful book, written and made in the loving spirit of Ray himself. Sure, you could read almost all this material online for free, but it's a fine thing to have it gathered in one place, preserved for posterity in a physical book. Ray Bradbury loved books. OK, that's both obvious and an understatement. He didn't have much time for the online world, but now you can read Steven Paul Levia's tribute in the way Ray would most have appreciated. Who could resist?" — Gary Dalkin, Amazing Stories Magazine.
"A brisk read, partly because it is a slim volume, but also because of Leiva's essay writing skill. Because of his initiation of so many Bradbury tributes, there is a danger that this collection could place Leiva at the center of events and inadvertently become self-aggrandizing. But what lifts the book above this is precisely the way he finds the object of his search: hidden in plain sight, right there in Bradbury the public persona, is Bradbury the humanitarian, Bradbury the author. Leiva finds the true Bradbury by connecting anew with Bradbury's text. — Phil Nichols, BradburyMedia blog.
My Award-winning Novelization
Dogs! Christmas! Kids!
Now available as a novel based on the screenplay written by Kieth Merrill, this story is destined to become a classic for young readers during the holiday season.
The film centers around 12-year-old Emma O'Connor as she is sent to live with her "aunt" in the small town of Doverville. Emma soon finds herself in the middle of a "dogfight" with the mayor and town dogcatcher. In order to strike down their "no-dogs" law, Emma must bring together a group of schoolmates, grown-ups, and adorable dogs of all shapes and sizes in a spectacular holiday pageant. The 12 Dogs of Christmas is a fun, heartwarming story featuring a diverse canine cast and is perfect for all those who love dogs, kids, and Christmas.
The 12 Dogs of Christmas was first introduced as a picture book and board book with a companion CD written by then-8-year-old Emma Kragen. Now with over 500,000 books sold, the story has been expanded into a feature-length film.
"Leiva recounts the story in a very crisp, snappy style of prose which is full of humor and warmth." — Stuart Nulman, Bookbanter on CJAD, Montreal
CHECK OUT MY AUTHOR'S PAGE ON AMAZON.COM
No comments:
New comments are not allowed.