Jill Pastone: 4 books

Gerstner's crossing the wastelands, starving and parched, his horse about to collapse. When he sees the forest of giant, artificial mushrooms, he thinks he might make it. Then the locals arrive. A post-apocalyptic story by Jill Pastone, author of "Uphill".

Former secret security officer Jason Mehrman just wanted to retire to a quiet life of fishing and raising his family. Sure he takes occasional jobs-they're quick and they pay well. But when Nesser's gang comes looking for him, that last job might just cost Jason his life.

Patty Blake knows something is out of whack with the way Damon keeps winning the uphill races. His Charger seems to hold back, then sprint to the finish. If she can figure it out before she has to race him at the nationals, then she might have a chance at winning. What she doesn't expect is to be forced to race him at a trial meet, and find out what he's up to in an unusual way.

Living in the Oort cloud should have been a dream for Katya and Barry. But with Chuapa's out of whack gravity and busted infrastructure they wish they'd never come. A single flower grows at the edge of their tower home and Katya believes it symbolizes something. She just doesn't know what.