Vanessa MacLaren-Wray

Biography

Vanessa MacLaren-Wray writes science fiction and fantasy about people (human or otherwise) trying to communicate, form connections, and solve problems in a complex universe. She has short stories in Fault Zone: Reverse, Dragon Gems, and The Truck Stop at the Center of the Galaxy. Her first-contact sci-fi book, All That Was Asked, has a sequel, Shadows of Insurrection, arriving in November 2022. Her latest contribution to the Truck Stop series is a middle-grade aliens-on-the-station adventure novel, The Smugglers.

As an engineer, she has analyzed electric power systems, studied climate-safe technology, and written extensively on energy issues. She also likes to make strange little robots out of LEGO and various odds and ends. When not arguing with her cats about treats, she works on new stories, her email journal Messages from the Oort Cloud, and her website, Cometary Tales. You can find all her stories, access Messages, or join her advance-reader team using the 'print editions' link.

Where to find Vanessa MacLaren-Wray online

Series

The Truck Stop at the Center of the Galaxy
At the center of the galaxy rests a mystery — a fully-functional space station abandoned by an alien race for centuries. Now a thriving hub for interstellar commerce and tourism, the station still contains more mysteries than you might imagine …
The Stargazer Gift Shop
Price: $0.99 USD.
Coke Machine
Price: $0.99 USD.
Hippolyta's Dagger
Price: $0.99 USD.
The Smugglers
Price: $4.99 USD.
Better Angels
Price: Free!
One Man's Trash
Price: $4.99 USD.

Books

The Smugglers
Series: The Truck Stop at the Center of the Galaxy, Book 4. Price: $4.99 USD. Words: 34,090. Language: English. Published: July 18, 2022 by Water Dragon Publishing. Categories: Fiction » Young adult or teen » Science Fiction, Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera
Boy and Mother need one last sale to pay off their debts, but Ashoka, a fuzzy ball of feathers and knife-like claws, has other ideas.
Coke Machine
Series: The Truck Stop at the Center of the Galaxy, Book 2. Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 3,500. Language: English. Published: April 12, 2022 by Water Dragon Publishing. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera
What a way to die — coated in sticky effluent, upside-down in a disused access tube, lost forever in a drifting, abandoned, bankrupt trader ship.
Parrish Blue
Price: $0.99 USD. Words: 4,910. Language: English. Published: June 28, 2021 by Water Dragon Publishing. Categories: Fiction » Romance » Sci-fi, Fiction » Science fiction » Space opera
Sallie never expected to discover a world she’d forgotten how to imagine. Sallie Anaro is proud to be a part of Maxfield’s, delivering exquisite meals to the beautiful people, Earth’s deserving elite. This off-world tourist gawking at the décor isn’t one of them. However, course by course, guided by an artist’s vision, the newcomer and Sallie open their eyes to new horizons.
All That Was Asked
Price: $3.99 USD. Words: 38,340. Language: English. Published: January 31, 2020 by Paper Angel Press. Categories: Fiction » Science fiction » General, Fiction » Science fiction » Adventure
Varayla Ansegwe—perpetual student, aspiring poet, and scion of the (allegedly) criminal Syndicate—didn’t volunteer for this alternate-world exploration mission, and the crew are fed up with his dawdling and distractions. When he disobeys orders and rescues an injured alien,