Crossed Worlds is a collection of four complete novellas from the original Crossroad Press book series Tales of the Scattered Earth, O.C.L.T., and The DeChance Chronicles. These novellas have been collected to give readers a taste of what they can expect in the full length novels, and to introduce new worlds, characters, and books to a wider range of readers.
Also included in this collection is the prologue to Keith R. A. DeCandido’s Super City Police Department novel The Case of the Claw – SCPD #1.
Included are:

Two complete novels of the O.C.L.T. – Brought to Light, and The Temple of Camazotz.

Brought to Light: When a world-renowned scientist with a high-level security clearance goes missing in Uppsala, Sweden, and then a trained CIA operative follows suit, the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency) taps Reed Christopher Hayes (“R. C.” to his friends and “Crease” to his teammates) and the rest of his Military Intelligence unit to investigate. What they find lurking in the shadows of that quiet little city defies belief. The real question, though, is can they take it down before more lives are lost—including their own?

The Temple of Camazotz: Headless bodies are turning up along the Mexican border. The Mexican government blames overzealous US Border guards. The border guards blame drug runners. In a village just on the Mexican side of the border, they have other ideas. There are legends, older even than the Mayan civilization that has died away, of a God. A bat-headed vengeful demon. Someone is fanning the flames of that superstition, and the piles of bodies continue to grow. Geoffrey Bullfinch, folklorist, dabbler in the occult, and Wendell “Mack” Macklemore, computer genius and extreme sports enthusiast are called down to investigate. There are plenty of questions, but can they find the answers before the body count gets too high? Is it possible that they should have let sleeping gods lie?

One Complete novella from The Tales of the Scattered Earth:

Crossed Paths – The Dread Remora: Despite its guise as a space pirate the Dread Remora is still a ship of Her Majesty’s Royal Navy, so when Captain Nate Demming and his crew discover a brutally savaged ship they are appalled. When a second ship appears and attacks, Demming assumes these must be the predators, and retaliates. The events that unfold lead to new discoveries for the Dread Remora, including some potential allies—and a ferocious new enemy.

One Complete Novella from The DeChance Chronicles:

Donovan DeChance is a collector of ancient manuscripts and books, a practicing mage, and a private investigator. He is also a very private man, and he is in love. When he invites his partner and lover, Amethyst, for a quiet dinner, she has no idea of his true intention. Donovan has planned a sharing – a vision that will give her the keys to his early life – the origins of his power – and a lot more than she bargained for.

The story leads to the town of Rookwood in 1842, an old wagon, a traveling charlatan, a cat, a horse, and a boy named Bones. It leads through the history of other stories, and back to Donovan’s home, giving Amethyst, and fans of Donovan DeChance, a glimpse into the man, and his magic. Join young Donovan as he fights to keep his soul, save a town, and learn the roots of his teacher and guardian – and meet his familiar, Cleo.

Magic, mayhem, and books – always the books. Welcome to the world of Donovan DeChance.

This is the first novella in the DeChance Chronicles. Also in this series are the novels Heart of a Dragon and Vintage Soul, both available as eBooks and unabridged audiobooks from Crossroad Press. The town of Rookwood, and the incident Donovan mentions happening there, can be discovered in the novel HALLOWED GROUND by David Niall Wilson and International best-selling author Steven Savile.

The Prologue from: The Case of the Claw –SCPD#1 – by Keith R. A. DeCandido – A Tale of the Super City Police Department.