Richard began his writing journey as a freelance writer in 1984 and gained his first fiction credit serving as the lead writer for the first two issues of the Elite Comics sci-fi/fantasy series, Seadragon. His sports writing career was highlighted by the 2001 California Newspaper Publishers Association award for Best Sports Story. In 2010, Richard retired as a sportswriter and returned to his fiction writing roots. Since then he has written several novels, non-fiction books, and nearly 30 short stories. He has won several awards and his novel, Escaping Infinity, was a 2017 Dragon Award Finalist for Best Sci-Fi novel.
ABOUT RICHARD PAOLINELLI
Of All The Gin Joints in the Universe by Richard Paolinelli is pure sci-fi noir with a mischievous grin: fedora tilted just so, cigarette smoke doing interpretive dance in the recycled air, a double-crossing dame whose secrets could melt a bulkhead—and the whole glorious mess playing out on a 25th-century space station where the stars never clock out and justice is the shadiest ITEM on the menu.
Ex-Galactic Justice Inspector Sam Spade strolls onto StatION Norma and immediately draws the short straw: two clients who lie like it’s an Olympic sport and a missing statue hiding a lost fortune.
Classic setup, right? Wrong.
The HALO—marketed as the ultimate truth serum—has been hijacked into a fiendish little gadget for framing and mind control, courtesy of the very agency Spade used to work for. Suddenly he’s not just chasing a jewel; he’s trying not to get rewired by the system that once paid his salary.
Paolinelli serves up a playful, pitch-perfect mashup of Casablanca’s smoky charm, The Maltese Falcon’s hardboiled attitude, and a deliciously twisted sci-fi conspiracy. The world-building sparkles without ever stealing the spotlight, the dialogue snaps, and the mystery keeps you guessing (and grinning) right to the final twist.
Are you ready to check in but never check out?
Dive into the gripping sci-fi adventure, Escaping Infinity, a 2017 Dragon Award Finalist for Best Sci-Fi Novel.
Peter Childress and Charlie Womack, on a routine journey, stumble upon the Infinity Hotel, an establishment that promises rest but delivers a reality far beyond their wildest imaginations. As Peter begins to peel back the layers of this peculiar hotel, he discovers floors that never end, guests from different times, and the unnerving truth that tomorrow never comes.
The entrance has vanished, and escape seems impossible. But more than just their freedom is at stake. The fate of a world lies in the balance, with the future of all humanity hanging on the choices made within the walls of the Infinity.
Don't miss your chance to explore the Infinity and embark on an adventure where the only way out is through, where every door could be your escape... or your end.
REVIEW
Imagine a world where one man's quest to shield Earth from cosmic destruction spirals into an unexpected odyssey. Maelstrom is not just a book; it's an adventure across time and space, where science meets the unimaginable possibilities of fiction.
Dr. Steven Collins, driven by a singular purpose to prevent humanity's annihilation by asteroids, invents a revolutionary shield using Earth's magnetic field. But what happens when this shield, meant to save us, becomes the harbinger of our doom?
Imagine you're a 32-year-old Master Chief in the U.S. Navy named Walter Koch, and you're not just testing any old diving suit; you're in what's essentially a high-tech, sci-fi wetsuit for Project Seadragon. This suit lets you swim deeper than a submarine's dreams, without the hassle of tanks or the fear of the bends.
But, as luck would have it, your test dive goes south faster than a penguin on a ski lift. An explosion sends you rocketing towards the surface, leaving your team in a rather permanent state of "rest." When you wake up, you're not just in the suit; you are the suit, in a manner of speaking. It's fused with you, and nobody's got a clue how to get you out.
The first mission to Mars discovers our origin stories were wrong. Earth's gods, led by Zeus, Odin, Ra, and Lucifer, waged a terrible war on the Red Planet millions of years ago.
but the final battle still looms,
and Earth will be the final battlefield.
In the distant future, humanity has fled the Milky Way, seeking refuge in the Andromeda Galaxy after a cataclysmic invasion by a dark force. Among the legends of those who stood against this doom, none shine brighter than Galen Underwood, the last of the great knights.
Now, in an era where those tales are but whispers, another Galen emerges—Galen Dwyn, a mercenary with a penchant for trouble and a knack for survival. Hired to rescue a kidnapped princess, Galen finds himself not just facing off against kidnappers, but entangled in a web of political machinations that threaten to ignite a civil war across the galaxy.
As he navigates this perilous journey, Galen discovers that the princess he's saved is far from the damsel in distress he expected. Alongside his former mentor, Lir, and a sarcastic AI named Cassandra, he must outwit entire kingdoms, protect the princess, and prevent a catastrophe that could cost millions of lives. In "Galen's Way",
follow Galen Dwyn as he unravels the legacy of his namesake, learning that sometimes, the only path to victory is one forged by the courage and cunning of a true hero. This epic adventure blends space opera with political intrigue, where the fate of galaxies hangs in the balance, and the spirit of ancient knights lives on in the heart of a modern-day warrior.
Are you ready to explore the depths of space, where magic intertwines with technology, and destiny clashes with duty?
Galen's Blade, the eagerly awaited second installment in Richard Paolinelli’s Starquest 4th Age series, invites you back to a universe where every choice could alter the cosmos. In the aftermath of the chaos left by the first book, Captain Galen Dwyn follows the trail of an ancient artifact that promises immense power or catastrophic destruction.
As the crew of the TEMPEST navigates through political intrigue, interstellar battles, and betrayals within their ranks, Galen must wield his blade not just in combat but in diplomacy and strategy.
Will he become the harbinger of peace or the catalyst for the galaxy's downfall?
In the thrilling series finale of Starquest 4th Age, Harmool's Galactic Empire has taken hold and rules the hominid's corner of the Andromeda Galaxy with an iron fist and the fate of all within hangs in the balance.
Galen Dwyn and the Princess Rhiannon have taken refuge, along with the rest of the resistance, on a world with an impenetrable defense surrounding it as they plan a counter-attack.
As ancient prophecies unravel and long-buried secrets surface, Dwyn must navigate treacherous betrayals, harness ancient technologies, and confront his own destiny to save all he holds dear.
Packed with pulse-pounding action, intricate world-building, and emotional depth, Galen's Heart is the Starquest 4th Age finale that delivers an epic conclusion that will leave readers breathless.
Join the quest—will courage and hope prevail, or will the stars fall forever?
A collection of stories by nine authors based on The Infinity Hotel from the 2017 Dragon Award Finalist for Best Sci-Fi Novel, Escaping Infinity.
These eight stories explore some of the other "guests" collected by The Infinity, as well as others who encountered the mysterious hotel but did not enter. Some of history's most memorable fictional characters - including Sherlock Holmes and the answer to that one case Dr. Watson wrote about but never published,
the true fate of Ichabod Crane and what really inspired a certain storyteller of the Arabian Nights - who will all cross paths with The Infinity. After all, escaping The Infinity was just the beginning of the adventure!
RICHARD PAOLINELLI
I absolutely love 😍this novel! The character's name is Sam Spade, which of course the name of the 1940s detective character perfectly played by Humphrey Bogart. The plot of the story is Sam Spade, an ex-cop, and now a private investigator on Mars, opens a new case, and falls for a femme fatale named Natasha Carter, may not be who she seems. As all of the layers were pulled apart in this case, I laughed, I was appalled, sad, and then laughed again. It made me feel as if I was watching a 1940s movie play out. The fantastic twists and turns kept me reading just one more chapter. Sam Spade introduces the reader to a unique technology created by a descendant of Elon Musk called a Halo, a device that can help policemen detect the brain waves of suspects to find out whether they actually committed the the crime or not, which becomes an incredible feature of this storyline. This is a fantastic start to a series and I will definitely go on to read the next book.
- El Mason, 5-Star Review OF OF ALL THE GIN JOINTS IN THE UNIVERSE on Amazon
In the distant future of the Andromeda Galaxy, long after humanity fled the Milky Way, the legends of ancient space knights still echo—and one modern mercenary must live up to the name of the greatest among them. Get all three novels set in the Starquest 4th Age that FOLLOW a hard-edged mercenary named Galen Dwyn in one volume.
U.S. Marshal. David Crockett Hall and Texas Ranger, John Barclay Armstrong have set out chasing men, each for their own reasons. When their paths converge in Kansas, they discover the men they were following separately have now joined together and are heading for a giant payday somewhere, but where the two lawmen don't know.
This story is about camaraderie, friendship, hardship, and an unerring desire to complete their jobs at any and all costs. Set against the background of the late 1870's, the story takes us across the mid-west, southwest and into Colorado, unfolding a tale of two strangers becoming friends.
DEATH STALKS THE RES
Who – or what – is killing members of the Navajo tribe? RESERVATIONS, the first book of the Jack Del Rio political mystery/thriller series, is set near Gallup, New Mexico, where the Navajo, Hopi and Zuni reservations lie adjacent.
Three tribal leaders have been murdered - murdered in a fashion that suggests the deeds were carried out by COYOTE, a legendary supernatural evil trickster feared by many Native Americans. The tribal president contacts an old friend in the FBI for assistance in solving the crimes and preventing more murders.
Star agent, Jack Del Rio, is dispatched to New Mexico where he finds a situation tangled in political intrigue. Jack must work his way through those issues on his way to solving the mystery. Sparks fly as Navajo police officer Lucy Chee is assigned to assist him in his quest.
Question is can Del Rio and Chee solve the mystery and find the killer before he strikes again? Because the killer is on the hunt and he has his sights on Del Rio himself.
In the second book of the series, Betrayals, FBI Special Agent Jack Del Rio is still recovering from the dramatic conclusion of the events on the Navajo Nation and quickly finds himself as the only man in America who can stop the strings of assassinations and conspiracies that threaten to topple the entire government administration and bring the United States under the thumb of evil dictatorship.
Unable to trust even his closest friends and allies in the Bureau, Jack must first survive multiple attempts on his own life then sort out the evildoers who have wormed their way into top positions and do this in time to save the President of the United States - who may just be one of the conspirers himself.
It's a race to the finish with the free world hanging in the balance and Del Rio soon finds that no one can be trusted not to betray everything he holds dear.
This second edition of From The Fields provides an updated narrative account, written by award-winning sports journalist Richard Paolinelli of the first century of high school football played in Turlock, California - including stats, rosters, and interviews with former players and coaches.
Starting with the first team of 15 players from the 1920 Turlock High football team all the way through to the 2019 season, Paolinelli reviews the highs and lows of a small town's high school football journey.
Players spotlighted include former pro football players from Turlock - Bob Mitchell, Paul Larson, Jeff Winans, Jonathan Quinn, Tom Brandstater and Colin Kaepernick - along with KEY moments in the history of Turlock connected to the football program.
Award-winning, best-selling author Richard Paolinelli has written six critically-acclaimed Sherlock Holmes pastiches in his career.
Now, for the first time, all six are available in one collection - Holmes By Tuscany Bay.
On October 8, 1956, New York Yankees pitcher Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history against the Brooklyn Dodgers. But the story you have never heard, a story that, had it not happened the way it did, might have changed the very history of baseball is the story of the man in the mask and blue umpire suit standing behind the plate and Yankees catcher Yogi Berra. That man was Ralph "Babe" Pinelli.
Had it been any other umpire that day other than Pinelli, Larsen's perfect game might never have happened, if not for how Pinelli grew up in early 20th Century San Francisco, how he overcame losing his father in the 1906 Quake, how he overcame his hot temper to become a major league baseball player and umpire.
Perfection's Arbiter looks at the amazing life and career of Ralph "Babe" Pinelli, the man fate chose to be exactly where he needed to be on one of the game's greatest days.
Dreams of the Storyteller by Richard Paolinelli gathers the imaginative short stories of his Dreams of the Storyteller series into a definitive two-volume collection.
From the far reaches of space—where desperate missions to Mars go awry, polar shifts strand survivors on the Moon, and humanity faces extinction-level threats or alien invitations that may doom Earth.
to haunted lodges where the living confront the departed, post-apocalyptic landscapes stalked by the undead, tense hunts for serial killers, and even a hilarious barnyard parody of interstellar epics.
these tales span classic science fiction, supernatural mystery, thriller, and unexpected humor. Paolinelli, an award-winning author and former sportswriter whose works include Dragon Award finalist Escaping Infinity, delivers tightly crafted stories that draw readers in with vivid characters, high-stakes dilemmas, and the classic storytelling flair of mid-century speculative fiction, while adding modern twists of sacrifice, survival, friendship, and the thin line between life and what lies beyond.
All three books of the Jack Del Rio political mystery/thriller series in one volume.
Follow Jack Del Rio's adventures from England to D.C. and out to the Navajo Reservation in Arizona and New Mexico.
In the thrilling conclusion to the Jack Del Rio series, Endgames, the former FBI Special Agent has fallen off the grid and is content to let the rest of the world believe him dead.
He has taken the name John Rivers and lives a secluded life on the Navajo Reservation. But the shades of his past are not yet done with him yet. Surviving elements of his enemies from London and Washington D.C. want to see him actually filling out a grave and are coming for him.
Compounding matters, a newspaper reporter from Phoenix is also on his trail and a former flame is coming from England and is bringing news that will change everything for Del Rio. A pair of deadly ambushes just outside his new home proves to be the last straw and Del Rio returns to the fight with a vengeance.
By the time he is done he will dispatch enemies on U.S. and foreign soil and be named an international terrorist. But even as the world turns against him, Del Rio uncovers one last gasp effort by the conspiracy he has fought for so many years to overthrow the U.S. government.
As his final battle draws to a close, Del Rio makes his final moves in an endgame no one will see coming.
SHORT STORIES / NOVELLAS
For a brief period of time the world thought Sherlock Holmes had perished in his battle with Professor Moriarty at Reichenbach Falls.
While Holmes was away from London, he traveled the world. Shortly before his return he took up residence in the south of France. To his surprise Irene Adler showed up on his doorstep.
She is looking for revenge. The man who murdered her husband has escaped justice and she wants Holmes to help her in her quest.
Eric Desmond, a man of both intellect and ambition, finds himself at a crossroads of fate when he falls for Regan, a woman with secrets as deep as the ocean. Their romantic retreat turns into a scene of transformation when Regan reveals her true identity and purpose, setting Eric on a path to become something beyond human.
A Serial Killer Stalks San Francisco: In the foggy nights of San Francisco, a killer emerges, leaving behind a trail of horror that intertwines with the celestial dance of Dyson's Comet. Inspector MacKenzie Bolton, a seasoned cop, finds himself at the center of a nightmare as the city's most wanted serial killer seems to be one step ahead, always watching, always waiting.
A Tale of Desperate Measures and Dire Consequences: When General Duncan Sinclair led humanity's first voyage beyond the solar system, little did he know it would herald the beginning of an existential threat. Now, with Earth under siege by the merciless Kustani, the general must face the grim reality that his invitation to the stars might have doomed humanity.
Haunted Hike: Join TV hosts Larry Kincaid and Vicki Grace as they venture into the mysterious Nantahal National Forest, investigating eerie legends of disappearing stone staircases.
They will find much more than they bargained for in a place where "nothing ever happens".
Jim Watson, having overseen the construction of Armstrong Base on the Moon, plans his final inspection before hanging up his space suit for a life of horses and beer. But fate, as unpredictable as the cosmos, has other plans.
Soon he will be fighting for his life, even if it is one that never let's him set foot on Earth again.
Step into the life of Eric Christopher, an heir finder whose latest case leads him not just through the records of the living, but into the realm of the departed. When a search for a missing person turns into an encounter with the paranormal, Eric's understanding of reality is forever altered.
Anne Fontana, a scientist at the forefront of extraterrestrial microbiology, returns from a peaceful mountain retreat to a radically altered world. The streets are eerily quiet, her colleagues at JPL seem off, and an inexplicable change has swept across humanity.
Join the observer in his solitary vigil, witness the end of Earth with him, and find out what it means to be at peace with one's fate. "At Homeworld's End" - a testament to the spirit of human curiosity and the acceptance of our place in the cosmos.
In the thrilling short story CAG, part of the Dreams of the Storyteller series, follow the journey of Robert "Cag" Carrington, a seasoned pilot of the United States Space Force. With pirates lurking in the void, Cag and his wingman, Preacher, embark on what seems like a routine patrol. But the cosmos has other plans.
For decades, the world focused on climate change as the harbinger of doom, but the true threat came from an ancient, unstoppable force—polar shift. When Earth's poles suddenly reversed, Sam Peck, an engineer stationed on the Moon, witnesses the apocalyptic reshaping of Earth from his lunar vantage point.
Left alone after his colleague's tragic choice, Sam embarks on a perilous journey back to an Earth transformed beyond recognition. Stranded on a planet where continents have collided, creating new landforms and obliterating old ones, Sam must navigate this alien world.
From the wreckage of his shuttle to the discovery of bizarre amalgamations of Earth's past—the Eiffel Tower next to a Midwestern megastore—Sam's story is one of resilience, solitude, and the unyielding human spirit.
Join Major Adam Armstrong as he embarks on the pioneering Seeker mission, the first manned flight to Pluto and beyond, testing humanity's limits with the groundbreaking Von Braun Drive. This isn't just space exploration; it's a venture into the mysteries of the cosmos.
Armstrong's journey takes a dramatic turn when he discovers Z'evea, a humanoid from the distant star system of Sirius, stranded within an icy tomb on Pluto. Their encounter promises not just answers about the universe but also the potential for new alliances among the stars.
Judas Iscariot, the now immortal Warrior Jesuit Priest known by the Church as "The Jesuit", continues his work toward redemption in a future that is far from Earth.
He is sent on a mission to the planet Mars, where an evil force seems to have taken hold over Musk City.
Upon arriving, Judas discovers the truth is even worse and he will come face-to-face with an old adversary. One he has a very large score to settle with, even as he fights to free the residents from the grip of the Devil himself.
Interstellar thief Duchess Moran continues her assault on Earth's history.
This time she travels back to ancient Egypt in search of a deadly secret: A gem that can raise an army of the undead to wipe out every living creature on the face of the Earth.
But to find the stone, she must first locate a scroll hidden away deep within the Sphinx. Captain Rock Congo, his First Mate Little John Singapore and the crew of the Timeless remain hot on her trail through time and space.
From the Library at Alexandria during Caesar's siege of the city to the construction of the Sphinx and even further back as the legendary architect Imhotep tries to steer his Pharoah, Djoser, from disaster.
When Moran arrives looking to gain possession of the Eye of Anubis all of Egypt, and the entire planet will find itself on the brink of annihilation!
Join Connor Osborne on a journey where life teeters on the edge, and every decision could mean the difference between life and death. "The Enemy of My Enemy" is not just a story of survival; it's a testament to the human spirit's ability to adapt, endure, and find hope in the darkest of times.
Earth's Past Is Under Attack!
In the far distant future, with the galaxy locked in an area of dark space where electronics will not work, Little John Singapore sits in a prison cell on Pluto awaiting execution. Singapore is the First Mate of the pirate ship, the Timeless. As he awaits his fate he agrees to tell a young author one story each day about his ship and his Captain, Rock Congo.
Singapore tells how the Governor of the Sol system Garabaldi enlisted the ship and her crew to pursue Duchess Moran. Moran is an infamous interstellar thief tired of her plans being interfered with by the Earth-led Alliance. She has stolen the Amulet of Geraint, allowing her to travel through time at will.
Her target is ancient Greece, where she plans to prevent democracy from ever taking hold by stopping King Leonidas from reaching the famed Battle of Thermopylae. By changing Earth's past she hopes to prevent the Alliance from ever forming.
The Timeless, a ship that can sail through space, air and water with equal ease, is the only ship capable of time travel, and Earth's only hope to save its past, present and future. Despite being crewed by pirates, Garabaldi sends them through time in pursuit of Moran.
When the Timeless arrives in ancient Sparta, they find Moran has already been there and has kidnapped Leonidas and his Queen. Now they have just a matter of days to find her and the King to keep his appointment with King Xerxes of Persia and preserve Earth's history.
H.G. Wells has built his time machine and taken American author Edgar Allan Poe on several trips through time. Unfortunately, he has become separated from Poe while hunting for Jack The Ripper in London.
Wells enlists the aid of Holmes and Watson to find Poe and return him to his correct time frame.
Most of Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes stories were told from the perspective of Dr. John Watson.
In this case, Winston Churchill recalls a time in his youth when he was accused of theft at school. At Churchill's beloved Nanny's insistence, Holmes and Watson are called in on the case.
The future Prime Minister will receive a shooting lesson from Watson and learn a valuable lesson in mercy from Holmes himself.
Once upon a midnight dreary Sherlock Holmes, though not weak and weary, finds himself in a tale connected to forgotten lore.
Now he must solve the mystery of an albino raven that seems to be a harbinger of death for the owner of the manor it has taken up residence in.
When a valuable manuscript has been replaced with a forgery, Holmes is called in to find the thief and recover the manuscript.
History records that the famous Alan Pinkerton - founder of both the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the United States Secret Service - died from a head injury suffered from a fall in Chicago.
But a mysterious visitor to 221B Baker Street in London has a story to tell Holmes and Watson. A story that calls into question the cause of Pinkerton’s demise.
Months later, and thousands of miles away, can Holmes deduce the truth about Pinkerton’s death?
In an alternate reality, set in the realm of H.G. Wells' War Of the Worlds, the invasion of the Martians doesn't just target England but spans the globe, including the heart of the American West. Major Daniel Wayne, a decorated veteran sidelined by injury, finds himself thrust into an unexpected role when the Martian cylinders strike near Denver.
Ever wondered what goes on in the minds of barnyard critters? "Barn Wars" delivers not just an answer but an epic comedy-fantasy that will have you clucking with laughter!
On a cold snowy night in a small North Dakota town in 1956, a man parks near the town's movie theater. He brings a special movie being "previewed across the country" to select audiences.
A small group of people happily take advantage of the free movie. Only they will get much more than they bargained for once the second reel of the film begins rolling.
Trapped inside the theater, at the mercy of a blood-thirsty, supernatural creature, only divine intervention can save them.
Or a mysterious man wearing the robes of a Jesuit priest who seems to appear out of the thin, cold, snowy night air...
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