How does one review a collection of original, engaging and simply excellent stories? This collection of short stories, depicting strong female characters and those they love, left me speechless. Each author has woven a tale so poignantly crafty that I was cheering for each protagonist whether she was trying to outsmart a possible serial killer as in Guarding Kate by Samantha Boswell, warding off alien attackers taking over the newest spacecraft in outer space as in Inexorable by Jodi Payne, changing places, faces and identities in Free by Tracey Shellito or beating rowdy cowboys at poker as in Lady Luck by Julia Talbot. Dallas Coleman sets us off in The Merry Virgin where we set sail with captain Ginie whose past haunts her when she anchors to visit her steady in New Orleans.  The other authors follow her lead by taking the reader on a journey that covers many different timeframes – from eighteenth century to beyond the galaxies, many different characters – from pirates to spaceship developers and many emotional experiences whether a trained assassin or a barren mother.

Not to mention various walks of life where these women challenge every boundary set before them with intellect, confidence and courage. Each story conforms to its timeframe, dialect, setting and storyline, taking the reader on an adventure, be it back in time or to futuristic places not yet discovered. The writing is crisp, passionate and authentic and displays an array of talent.  

Whether you enjoy quality short stories, heroic women and/or romance there is something sure to please your palate in Locked & Loaded edited by SA Clement and featuring authors Coleman, Talbot, Tortuga, Parhelion, Joyce, Shellito, Boswell, Barela and Payne.