New Releases by Tom Leveen

STORIES FROM ACROSS THE UNIVERSE… Comprising hundreds of solar systems and thousands of planets, the Inner Sphere is a vast realm of human exploration, achievement…and conflict. Among those achievements, of course, is the pinnacle of 30th century military technology, the BattleMech. Tales of the Inner Sphere is a collection of BattleTech stories that were published on the Catalyst Game Labs website in 2025, with each story only appearing for a single month. Collected here for the first time, now you can read stories by established BattleTech authors as well as more recent recruits to the corps any time you wish… Featuring stories by: Bryn Bills Jennifer Brozek Loren L. Coleman Tom Leveen James D. Long Craig A. Reed, Jr. Jason Schmetzer Bryan Young Russell Zimmerman

FOR THE GOOD OF THE STATE… Danai Liao-Centrella rose to prominence on the gladiator world of Solaris VII before being sent to McCarron’s Armored Cavalry, where her victories on innumerable battlefields garnered her the position of shàng-xiào of the Second MAC. Her brother, Capellan Chancellor Daoshen Liao, now uses Danai as a powerful chess piece in his relentless quest to conquer Terra—despite her opposition to his ruthless tactics. On the remote world of Sheratan, a violent resistance has formed, threatening Daoshen’s march toward Terra. Assuming command of the Liao forces there, Danai discovers that diplomacy is sometimes a dead-end. But achieving peace may cost more than she is willing to pay… As Daoshen’s ambitions grow ever more expansive and his tactics ever more destructive, Danai is promoted to jiāng-jūn of the MAC to keep her out of Daoshen’s way. Robbed of any real power, Danai is forced to reckon with the Celestial Wisdom’s overreach and its cost to the Confederation in treasury, faith, and blood. There are eyes on Daoshen’s crown. Rumors of a mad king. And a plot to have Danai ascend to the Capellan throne… In the end, blood will rise… For the good of the state…

TODD McFARLANE unleashed his signature creation, SPAWN , in 1992. In doing so, he created the most successful independent comic book in history. Join Spawn in SPAWN COMPENDIUM, VOL. 6 as he discovers the true meaning of becoming a Hellspawn and settles on a path of bloody revenge in search of a way back to his humanity! Collects SPAWN RESURRECTION and SPAWN #251-300, collected for the first time in FULL COLOR and featuring some never-before-collected issues

Sent to a private religious school? Oh, hell . . . When hopelessly ADHD smart-ass Jon Matthew -- who wants nothing more than a good laugh and to needle anyone older than 16 -- is sent to a private religious high school after getting in a little trouble, he must toe the line for the first time in his life, or else end up "in one of those bad-kid camps in the desert where they make you dig for treasure.” To make it to graduation, he enlists the help of Bill, a big dork who is loyal to a fault; Molly, the dark-souled skater who carries a heartbreaking secret; and Lauren, a dangerously asthmatic girl who Jon’s crushing on but who tries way too hard to be one of the cool kids. Against overwhelming odds (a.k.a. "teachers"), Jon powers through his education while his mouth puts him on a daily razor''s edge of getting booted out. Just when it looks like he''s pulled off a miracle and won''t be sent away, a tragedy knocks Jon’s world on its axis. Suddenly all his jokes and sarcasm aren’t as helpful as he used to think. He''ll have only those new friends to keep from losing his mind, his school, or his heart.

For family. For vengeance. Tanin, a desert elf whose grown up in a peaceful desert enclave, is the only member of his clan not killed when White Riders ravage his town. They take few prisoners, but one of them is his betrothed, Memine. Orrock of Guar has become a monk, taken in by a race of creatures not his own for the past ten years. With his training complete, he is sent back into the world to discover his creator''s will for his life . . . never anticipating that he would be challenged to revert to his former barbaric nature to serve his god. Despite crippling panic attacks after seeing the carnage back home, Tanin swears to track down the White Riders and rescue Memine. With Orrock''s help and the aid of two other odd companions, he may stand a chance of finding the Riders somewhere in the wilds of Kassia . . . if his guide is truly leading the way . . .

"I’m the girl nobody knows until she commits suicide. Then suddenly everyone had a class with her." Tonight''s the night. Everyone will be there. Will you? Graduation in Santa Barbara, a house near the beach, and no parents! That can mean only one thing: PARTY! But not everyone''s in a partying mood. Beckett is only going to confirm she is invisible after having spent two years caring for her mother; Morrigan seeks revenge on her ex- for having the gall to NOT sleep with her; Azize is trying to make a friend -- any friend; and Anthony''s ready to pop off on anyone who mentions his maimed, combat-veteran brother. As the night quickly spirals out of control, eleven unique characters -- all of whom are familiar to anyone who''s been a high school student -- crash, collide, and recombine in ways none of them saw coming when a brutal act of xenophobic violence brings the party to a halt. Graduation is a time of change. But after tonight, no one will ever be the same.

Rejection e-mails from agents and editors clogging your inbox? Getting the same rejection slips over and over again? It could be pacing, plot, narrative engine . . . or maybe what your characters say just isn''t getting the job done. Outstanding dialogue is often the difference between a good book and a great book. How does yours stack up? With nine books published with imprints of Random House, Abrams, and Simon & Schuster, and more than twenty years of experience as an actor and director, author, writing teacher, and Bram Stoker Award Finalist Tom Leveen guides you through everything you need to improve your writing, make your dialogue shine, and get your book noticed and talked about by readers, agents, and editors alike! Learn how to start with a great plot and conflict to form the foundation of awesome dialogue Discover actors’ techniques to give your characters strength and purpose Improve on setting scenes and building relationships between characters and more! What people are saying about Tom Leveen’s dialogue, voice, and character: Party “I must say that I’m absolutely in awe of Leveen’s ability to build such distinct and totally believable voice for eleven characters [protagonists] in one novel.” ~ fortheloveofya.com Zero “Well written, with a distinct and fantastically done voice, Zero is an unflinching must read.” ~ agoodaddiction.blogspot.com “[H]is voice is fresh and strong and consistent.” ~ scratchingcat.wordpress.com “Part of what makes the book, and the voice, believable is Leveen’s ability to channel a teenage girl and make her real. It’s all there—the insecurity, the bravado, the conflicting feelings about sex, the sense that your whole life is in front of you, which is both exhilarating and paralyzing.” ~ The Phoenix New Times manicpixiedreamgirl “[I]t’s the relationships between the novel’s teenage characters that are the real standouts. Tyler’s crass banter with his buddies, his snarky but supportive relationship with his sister, and his botched dealings with both Becky and Sydney are entirely realistic.” ~ Publisher’s Weekly “Tom Leveen has a unique voice and writes interesting male characters, so I was intrigued to check out his latest book manicpixiedreamgirl. Leveen’s characters are usually creative types and not the typical leading men you see in YA. . . . I thought the male voice in manicpixiedreamgirl was very strong and unique.” ~ thereadingdate.com Random “Author Tom Leveen presents a powerful story with a plot so real, readers will be gripped from the very first page.” ~ readingjunky.blogspot.com Sick “[Leveen] really nails the ‘guy’ dialogue as well—it is gross, colorful, and at times, downright funny.” ~ VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) “In an exciting take on the zombie novel, Leveen … shifts to horror while maintaining his trademark complex relationships and character-driven storytelling.” ~ Publisher’s Weekly “Tom Leveen’s voice is truly one of the best elements…” ~ blog.homoeoteleuton.com Shackled “The prose is tight and the dialogue lends emotion to the character’s mental state, properly complementing this plot-driven setup.” ~ School Library Journal “…impeccably written with true-to-life dialogue and characters I can relate to…” ~ literologie.com

Nicht bloß die Detectives Sam und Twitch folgen dem neuen Bösewicht Soul Crusher, der seine Opfer einen qualvollen Tod sterben lässt. Auch Spawn Al Simmons bekommt es mit dem Gasmasken-Mann zu tun. Die komplette Storyline in einem düsteren Band – mit einem brandneuen Gegner für den höllischen Antihelden!

Danny’s parents yanked him from the art school that let him wear a kilt and listen to bands that no one’s heard of. Now he’s starting sophomore year at the public high school—the one with the gymnasium at the heart of the building and the glorified athletes who rule it all. The smart thing would be to blend in, but Danny has always been about making statements. Brady just wants to get out. Go to college, play football, maybe reach the NFL. He definitely wants to stop waiting for his deadbeat mother to come home, sleeping on park benches, and going to bed hungry. But first he has to lead the team to the championships. It all adds up to a lot of stress. So who can really blame him when he and the football team turn their aggressions on the new freak? Even the quarterback needs to blow off steam sometimes. Coach turns a blind eye to his players’ crimes—because this year, they’re going to State. But maybe if Coach had paid more attention they could’ve caught it before it all happened. Maybe it could’ve been avoided. Maybe. With quick cuts between a large cast of unforgettable characters, and razor-sharp plotting, Tom Leveen takes readers on a countdown to an inevitable, horrifying act. This gripping novel offers an intense, smart perspective on the tragic, toxic mindsets behind the celebrated American sport and the monsters it creates.

Even though the doors to Heaven and Hell are locked, there''s enough evil on Earth to keep Spawn busy. But without his full powers, Spawn will have to find a way to fight his enemies without getting himself killed again. With art by fellow Image founder, ERIK LARSEN (issues #263-266) and veteran SPAWN artist, SZYMON KUDRANSKI (issues #267-275), this 12-issue trade paperback ushers SPAWN into a bold new era.

Hoping to get her life back on track, seventeen-year-old Abby plans to find out what happened when her mother, a co-host of a ghost hunting reality show, who disappeared five years ago in a "haunted" cave in Arizona.

As Spawn''s costume begins to form, it comes with new powers. But will Al be able to handle those powers?

In a one-of-a-kind collaboration, seventeen of the most recognizable YA writers—including Shaun David Hutchinson, Neal and Brendan Shusterman, and Beth Revis—come together to share the viewpoints of a group of students affected by a school shooting. It took only twenty-two minutes for Kirby Matheson to exit his car, march onto the school grounds, enter the gymnasium, and open fire, killing six and injuring five others. But this isn’t a story about the shooting itself. This isn’t about recounting that one unforgettable day. This is about one boy—who had friends, enjoyed reading, playing saxophone in the band, and had never been in trouble before—became a monster capable of entering his school with a loaded gun and firing bullets at his classmates. Each chapter is told from a different victim’s viewpoint, giving insight into who Kirby was and who he’d become. Some are sweet, some are dark; some are seemingly unrelated, about fights or first kisses or late-night parties. This is a book told from multiple perspectives—with one character and one event drawing them all together—by some of YA’s most recognizable names.

"When Pelly sees her best friend, who disappeared six years ago, in a coffee shop with a strange man, she''s determined to discover the truth of her friend''s disappearance and rescue her from her current captor"--

The night before going on trial in a sensational felony case that has ruined her life, sixteen-year-old Tori Hershberger receives a random phone call from a stranger contemplating suicide and she begins a race against time to save him.

Seventeen-year-old Tyler Darcy looks back on his first three years of high school and considers the significant events involving Becky, his elusive "dream girl" who may be more troubled than he is willing to acknolwedge.

After graduating from high school, aspiring artist Amanda "Zero" Walsh begins a relationship with a drummer, which helps her come to terms with her feelings about herself, her falling out with her best friend, and her parents'' personal problems.

Now you see him... Jim never thought of himself as the hero type. When his girlfriend and her daughter are targeted by a disfigured assailant who''s been popping the eyes out of his victims, Jim becomes the only person with a chance to save them. The first victim is Jim''s best friend Travis, who is attacked and blinded in his home and overpowered by the grisly intruder. Travis''s elderly father is assaulted next, then his mother. That leaves Travis''s only living relatives: his daughter Darla, and his ex-wife, who police assume are targeted as the next victims. Jim quickly agrees to protect them as best he can, neglecting to tell his buddy that he and Travis''s ex- already have a relationship on the side, and that Jim is beginning to love Darla like his own kid. As police race to find and stop the assailant, Jim discovers it''s far too late: someone''s lying in wait, and what he -- or they -- want is the last thing Jim could ever have expected . . . ...now you don''t.

Friends. Family. Monsters. Urban legends of a murderous figure called Springheel Jack date back to the 19th century. What 16-year-old Baylee is about to learn is that “he” is most certainly for real…and not alone. Baylee and her older brother Elijah are orphans, their parents brutally murdered in what appears to be a random act of violence along an empty Nevada highway. Living now in another state with friends of the family they hardly know, the two teens do their best to build new friendships: shy Elijah with a small and loyal group of gamers, and quiet Baylee with exactly one tomboy skater friend, Krista...plus a strikingly beautiful and kind boyfriend Baylee won''t tell anyone about. When Elijah suddenly gets his first girlfriend and Krista is picked up by a new boyfriend, both of them cease talking to Baylee. Determined to prove the two new kids are bad somehow, maybe even criminal, Baylee follows them out to the desert one night, and finds her worst fears are nothing compared to the bloody, gruesome truth. And her secret beau is right at the center of it... As Elijah slowly turns into something dangerous and otherworldly and Baylee''s adoptive family moves to put her into a psychiatric health facility after she tells the truth about what she knows, Baylee turns to the only people who might be able to Elijah human again: her brother’s nerdy RPG gamer friends.

WIN OR FALL… For Douglas, Jade Falcon Elemental cadet, there is no choice—he must succeed in becoming a warrior or die trying. Unfortunately, he is perilously close to falling—right out of his sibko. Consistently at the bottom of his class, everyone around him—from his trainers to his fellow sibkin—believes he will not survive his Trial of Position, and should quit before he is killed. But Douglas knows he is destined to be a Jade Falcon warrior. And when he meets a man with a checkered past who promises to show him the true ways of the warrior, Douglas embarks on a dangerous path that might bring him the victory he craves…or utterly destroy him in a brutal trial where sudden death is everywhere…