No one had seen an Original in years.
In a post-apocalyptic world reshaped by genetic conformity and interdimensional secrets, one man must protect a mysterious child with impossible blue eyes—and the key to another reality.
Daleon used to scavenge the ruins of America for tech and treasure. Now he runs a quiet shop with his wife, Laurel, trading relics from before The Averaging—a global event that scrubbed human diversity down to sameness. So when a ragged traveler named Rajink arrives with a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl named Nola, Daleon knows she’s something rare… and dangerous.
Bartering Nola is a standalone sci-fi novella about found family, ethical choices, and the cost of protecting innocence in a world where nothing is what it seems.
Where to Buy
Bartering Nola is available exclusively at Amazon in print and digital formats.
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Bartering Nola is what we call in the biz a reader magnet, a free book designed to introduce new readers to an author's work without asking them to commit to a full novel first. It's a novella, it's free, and it's a pretty painless way to find out if my particular brand of science fiction is your thing before you jump headfirst into the Vinestead Anthology.
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Starring
Daleon — A sharp-tongued tradesman running a barter shop in the dusty outpost of Pickaxe, Montana, Daleon has spent years accumulating useful junk and useless wisdom in equal measure. When a stranger walks in offering something he's spent a lifetime dreaming about, he has to decide how much he's willing to gamble on the scavenge of the century.
Laurel — Daleon's wife and the moral center of everything he does, even when he won't admit it. Practical, warm, and harder to fool than she looks, Laurel sees through Rajink immediately.
Rajink — A traveler from the Westerland with a ragged coat, a sharp dagger, and a little girl with a big secret. He wants access to an inter-dimensional Gate more than he wants anyone's trust, and he's willing to say or do whatever it takes to get it.
Nola — A child with golden hair and blue eyes who doesn't speak. Rajink calls her a bargaining chip. Laurel calls her a daughter. The truth, like Nola herself, turns out to be something else entirely.
Obrego — Daleon's oldest friend and partner in the original scavenge that found the Gate. He arrives with a scanner, his son Caison, and a running commentary that keeps the darkness from closing in completely.
Content
Daniel Verastiqui
Daniel Verastiqui
Daniel Verastiqui