Considered one of the most prolific writers working in modern fiction, with more than 30 million books sold, writer Dean Wesley Smith published far more than a hundred novels in forty years, and hundreds of short stories across many genres.

At the moment he produces novels in several major series, including the time travel Thunder Mountain novels set in the Old West, the galaxy-spanning Seeders Universe series, the urban fantasy Ghost of a Chance series, a superhero series starring Poker Boy, a mystery series featuring the retired detectives of the Cold Poker Gang, and the Mary Jo Assassin series.

His monthly magazine, Smith's Monthly, which consists of only his own fiction, premiered in October 2013 and offers readers more than 70,000 words per issue, including a new and original novel every month.

During his career, Dean also wrote a couple dozen Star Trek novels, the only two original Men in Black novels, Spider-Man and X-Men novels, plus novels set in gaming and television worlds. Writing with his wife Kristine Kathryn Rusch under the name Kathryn Wesley, he wrote the novel for the NBC miniseries The Tenth Kingdom and other books for Hallmark Hall of Fame movies.

He wrote novels under dozens of pen names in the worlds of comic books and movies, including novelizations of almost a dozen films, from The Final Fantasy to Steel to Rundown.

Dean also worked as a fiction editor off and on, starting at Pulphouse Publishing, then at VB Tech Journal, then Pocket Books, and now at WMG Publishing, where he and Kristine Kathryn Rusch serve as series editors for the acclaimed Fiction River anthology series.

For more information about Dean's books and ongoing projects, please visit his website at www.deanwesleysmith.com.

Luck Be Ladies by Dean Wesley Smith

Superhero Poker Boy works for Stan, the God of Poker. But sometimes Poker Boy and his team come to the aid of Lady Luck, the most powerful God of them all. And the boss of everything.

In these five Poker Boy stories, meet three of Lady Luck's four daughters. In the novella, "For the Balance of a Heart," Lady Luck asks Poker Boy to find her missing daughter, the Queen of Hearts. In "That Lost Riddle," Poker Boy helps the Queen of Diamonds solve an ancient riddle. And in "The Rules of the Game," Poker Boy assists Lady Luck with her warrior daughter, the Queen of Clubs.

But Poker Boy also gets to save Lady Luck in "Luck Be a Lady" and rescue Lady Luck's one great love in "You Forgive the Night's Scream."

Enjoy the crazy world of Poker Boy, one of the newest and most puzzling superheroes you might ever meet.

 
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Introduction

Getting to Know You

At some point I will publish a Poker Boy novel with all four of Lady Luck's daughters. I kept promising myself that. Years now that promise has been unfulfilled.

However, to prepare for that novel, I have written three Poker Boy stories introducing three of the daughters. All three of those stories are in this volume, starting with the Queen of Hearts in the story "Balance of a Heart."

But since I am talking about Lady Luck's daughters, I felt I also needed a few stories about Lady Luck herself. So, I included "Luck be a Lady," a story about Lady Luck herself being missing. And also "You Forgive the Night's Scream" about a love of Lady Luck's life.

I flat love writing Poker Boy stories because, to be honest, I have no idea what is going to happen next, how Poker Boy will solve the problem, and which new character will pop up next.

In fact, I love writing in this crazy superhero world so much, I have spun off three different series. Poker Boy stories are from the viewpoint of Poker Boy. There are at least 40 of them, and a couple novels. Not all of the stories are in print yet.

Then I spun off a series called Ghost of a Chance series. Those are all novels starring ghost couples who solve crimes and sometimes help Poker Boy save the world.

Then I spun off two crazy and sexy ghosts in the Marble Grant series. Those are only short stories so far and have only been published in Smith's Monthly issues. But more are coming.

Then, just to make it even more crazy, I started a brand new series starring superhero detective Sky Tate. She is not a ghost, but a superhero like Poker Boy, only working in the crime-solving side of things. Sometimes she works with the ghost Marble Grant to solve cases.

The first Sky Tate mystery is out in Volume #35 of Writers of the Future, for which I was invited to write a story around the wonderful Bob Eggleton cover. Sky Tate just raised her hand and said, "Oh, let me play."

I have a dozen unpublished Sky Tate mystery stories to come out this next year. And all of this is wrapped up in the Poker Boy universe.

So I hope you enjoy learning more about Poker Boy and the God who runs everything in all the series, Lady Luck herself. I sure enjoyed writing them.

Dean Wesley Smith
Las Vegas, Nevada
July 9, 2019