Soap is supposed to be harmless, but when a pet ferret dies after eating some, a group of friends has doubts. When the ferret suddenly comes back from the dead and attacks them, they have an entirely new set of problems on their hands. *** People always figured the apocalypse would come someday, but no one imagined it'd begin with a tainted batch of soap and a ferret. Not only do Jayson and Taylor have to fight off the suddenly-rabid animal, but things go from bad to worse when two of their friends find themselves trapped at work, staring down a gauntlet of ravenous "Soapies" looking for their next living meal. Staying in the city isn't an option, and they know they have to regroup in order to escape to safety. The trip seems impossible with thousands of mindless Soapies in the way, so they have to find allies and outrun enemies while looking out for each other in this apocalyptic tale of friendship and survival. Book One in the Zombie Soap Series 🌟WATTYS 2020 WINNER🌟 "Polished, intriguing, this captivating zombie story really lets you connect with the characters, and the storytelling is quite engaging - we enjoyed this a lot!" -The Wattys- -Cover by Azanthiel- ©2019 **NOT recommended for readers under 17** Content warning: This story contains mature sexual content and violence, including themes of racism and past sexual assault.

WATTYS WINNER 2020 Two interconnected murders, 64 years apart. One woman's search for truth and identity. Readers' comments: 'a masterpiece', 'impeccably written', 'amazing', 'superbly crafted page-turner', 'hauntingly beautiful', 'tremendous plot and character development', 'one of a kind', 'fantastic story telling', 'loved this book', 'a wonderful read", 'absolutely beautiful', 'brought tears to my eyes' and many more Wattys judging panel: 'This is VERY good. We were HOOKED from the beginning, and the writing and plot hold up throughout. This is a very unique, polished, well-written and well-researched piece.' Plot Set partly in rural England, partly on the sun-kissed coast of southerm Italy, The Painted Altar is a murder mystery mixed with romantic and historical elements (World War Two). Given away at two days old, Mary Rice has spent her life in the shadows. When discovering the suspicious circumstances surrounding her biological mother's death, she embarks on a journey which will shine a light not only on the truth but also on her own identity. Brief extract Suddenly, the door had inched open, half a wrinkled face visible behind the tautened chain. "Hello. Who is it?" The words I was going to say had of course been well-rehearsed, repeated over and over in my mind like a mantra, but now that the moment had arrived I found myself struggling to remember them. "Mrs Harvey... I think that you might... well, that you might be..." The door closed, then slowly opened once more, the chain this time unlatched. And there she was before me - half a metre away, within arm's reach. Thin lips gradually crooking upwards at each corner like the slow beatific kindling of a summer's dawn. "Oh yes love, I know who you are." Length: 70,000 words About the author: Originally from England but for the last 16 years I've been living in Italy. I hope therefore that the Italian aspects of the novel will have a certain gloss of authenticity.

When darkness falls, the vampires come out. Sixteen-year-old Kiara Morrow knows that better than anyone. She's been trained her whole life to wipe bloodsuckers off the face of the earth. But then she meets Luke. He's a vampire but he's unlike any vamp Kiara's ever known. ***** Luke may be what Kiara's been looking for her whole life, but as far as her family is concerned, the only good vampire is a dead vampire. The closer she grows to him, the more Kiara is forced to confront the foundation of lies her life has been built on. But Kiara's bloodthirsty family isn't the only problem they have to face. People in town are dying. Something evil is looming on the horizon... [[word count: 100,000 - 150,000]] Cover designed by Holly Thurston

[ORIGINAL DRAFT SAMPLE] She is twenty-nine when the FBI comes for her, but Catherine Themis was only seventeen, grieving and naive and angry, the first time she wiped someone else's blood from her fingers and felt the snake rise in her chest. She was seventeen when she stepped into the dark and never looked back. ***** By day, Catherine Themis is an unassuming civilian administrator for the Dedwich Police Department, but by night, she is a notorious vigilante known as The Hangman. Struggling with her violent urges and the psychological cost of her actions, Catherine becomes the target of an obsessive serial killer and a relentless FBI agent, and as the hunt for the Hangman intensifies, Catherine must decide which life she wishes to live and what she values more: vengeance or her fading humanity? A psychological thriller in the vein of MINDHUNTER and HANNIBAL, SERPENT HEART is a deep-dive into the life and history of a conflicted vigilante forced to confront her inner demons and evade a national manhunt. Catherine questions the efficacy of her own convictions as the FBI closes in and a vindictive murderer puts her family, love, and identity in jeopardy. With everything on the line and time running out, who will Catherine Themis become? --- [[AVAILABLE ON AMAZON]] [[REMOVED 24 DEC 2021]] [[2019 Watty Winner - Mystery & Thriller]]

In a world where just one wisp can take your breath away from good, Millie takes a big risk by doing what teenagers do best: sneaking out after bedtime.

Jamie is visiting New York City for the first time, and there is something in the air. He hears it in the chorus of humanity and traffic. He smells it in the mingling scents of street vendors, restaurants, and rubbish bins. He can almost feel the excitement. The hope. The desperation. But he senses something else in the air, too. And he is sure it wants to kill him.

The girl in the ratty dress was ruining his birthday party, and Evander had already decided that nothing⁠-not the dank smell of the underground, not the glass skylight that showed a tempting but unreachable summer day, not the jealous looks his so-called friends threw him⁠-was going to ruin this day.... A short story about a boy, a girl, and a wooden bird, all set in a futuristic dystopian world.