Li Xiang is the Priestess of the Moon, she can see read the stars and fortune as well as misfortune to her people. However, the life of a Priestess consists of nothing but loneliness: she can neither leave the palace nor meet with anyone but the Emperor and his advisors. One day a mysterious servant boy named Rui sneaks into her room, daring her to go outside if he wins against her in a game. Upon meeting him, she also befriends a female warrior and a scholar, and realizes life is much more than the palace. When the day comes she can either choose to go down the road her heart truly desires but bring ruin to the kingdom, or ignore the one chance she will ever have to leave this life? *** "My fate has been decided for me." "There's no such thing as that," he said. "We all make our own fate." "But the stars tell me--" I stopped talking when he holds my face in his hands, warm hands cupping my cheeks, brown eyes looking into my eyes. "Then stop looking at the stars. Look at me." A love story about fate, finding one's identity, stepping out of your comfort zone, and, most of all, choosing between your happiness or the happiness of others... [[Word Count: 80,000-90,000]] Wattys Fantasy Winner 2021

WATTYS 2021 HORROR WINNER! NOW A PUBLISHED NOVEL! Paperbacks available on Amazon, eBooks available on Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, and Kobo! 😈 Diego's life has spiraled since the gruesome death of his brother Miguel, and moving to a new town right before his senior year definitely wasn't on his to-do list. Oh, yeah, and neither was saving the world from a centuries-old, undead spirit who's turned Diego's new high school into its own personal buffet. * * * * Diego Rivera killed his older brother. At least, that's how he sees it, since it was his behind-the-wheel blackout that cost Miguel's life. He's been a shell of his old self since, unable to shake the mental toll of that traumatic day. As if nightmares, spontaneous barfing, and disfigurement weren't enough to deal with, now there's a serial killer going around offing his peers. Great. He'd rather not think about the brutal killings any more than he has to, but his new friend Watts notices something he can't ignore: a pattern that suggests Vanterbest High's most popular students are involved in the murders. And not only that, but he thinks they're the newest members of an ancient demon-worshipping cult. So, you know, normal high school stuff. Reluctantly, Diego lets Watts drag him into outrageous theories, paranoid research, and the recruitment of two intimidating outcasts. But a bunch of jocks and cheerleaders can't really be behind the terror plaguing their small town... right? Well... yes and no. The truth is, things are about to get complicated. And bloody. Really, really bloody.