Antarctica is thawed, vast expanses of the formerly frozen continent are up for grabs and utterly empty. At least, that is what humanity thought when it arrived. A curious biologist and an intrepid explorer rush to claim land with only hours to spare before rival countries and corporations arrive. Determined to claim the whole of Vinson Massif, haste blinds them to unforeseen dangers that have lain in wait for millions of years atop The Mesa.A divorced college professor in a Centre County, Pennsylvania town encounters a scared, lost child. While comforting her and bringing her to where she belongs, he meets another single professor. Brilliant and beautiful, he is instantly drawn to her. Their chance meeting blossoms into a whirlwind romance bringing them closer to another person than they have in years. They owe it all to this little girl, but she is more than what she seems.An unnamed college student spends the night on a deserted beach. Far from looking at the waves, he is there to catch a glimpse of a new arrival to our world. What he saw was nothing he expected - and he is the only person who can do anything about the Inquefish.A firefighter desperately tries to save the life of an elderly woman trapped in a raging inferno. Determined in his quest, nothing will stand in his way, except for an old adversary that has haunted him throughout his career. Can Stan overcome his past failures and finally defeat the Ember Angel?Depressed and anxious, Justin dreams of a world in which his accident has not rendered him “less than human.” Tormented by visions of a life that is passing him by, he is further traumatized by new technology that promises to leave him further isolated. Yet his isolation provides the very thing that can save an entire town of beach-goers from the machinations of an opportunistic hacker. Can Justin prevail after seeing the light?These and other thought-provoking stories and vignettes sample a range of science fiction solarpunk, post-industrial, post-apocalyptic, science fantasy, paranormal romance, and many others. Inspired by the author’s childhood on the Jersey Shore, or ripped out of his nightmares, “Dreams of a Freezing Ocean” is an epic collection filled with short stories for short attention spans.
