The Open Novella Contest is back for 2025! Join a society of writers and take on the challenge to create a timeless 20,000+ word novella in 12 weeks! Your epic quest begins February 1st, 2025 - so mark your calendars with this date!

When Naomi's brother Jorge becomes infected with the world's newest killer parasite, she takes it upon herself to continue his research and save him and the remaining humans. : • Planique -- a parasite living within genetically modified mosquitoes. • Planique -- when passed to humans, it controls their behavior and thoughts, leading to disastrous outcomes. • Planique -- a parasite with a single goal: irriticate the human race and restore the planet to its normal, pure form. The world has fallen victim to this parasite, controlled by them; a strong desire to end humanity. Infected humans are on a path to self-destruction, as the parasite intends to happen. Naomi's brother Jorge, a pre-med student, thought he figured out a way to develop a cure with his colleagues, but he becomes infected, lost to the hope he wished to provide. Naomi needs to finish his work. For Jorge. For the world. Civilization needs her, even if they don't know she exists -- yet. ~~ ONC Prompt: #68 COPYRIGHT ©️ VEE LOZADA

Stay-at-home mom Harriet has just about had it. As her husband puts in more and more hours at the office, she's stuck with six-year-old Sam and the looming insanity of the holiday season. Along with the usual event planning panic, fall brings constant reminders of her father's failing health and the limited time they have left together. When her friend and renowned caterer Carol invites her over for a baking session, Harriet jumps at the opportunity to destress and learns Carol's secret ingredient to her stress-free lifestyle: venting her negative emotions into everything she bakes. As Harriet's love for baking warps into an addiction to the comforting warmth of the oven, her new coping mechanism starts to look more and more like a recipe for disaster. Cover by @meha-k

❈ Watty's 2019 Fantasy Winner ❈ 'I'll take pride over power and guts over greed'. The five nations of Schamaria have been in conflict for many years now. With a war breaking out and the continent being divided into two sides, irreversible damage and stigmas on the earth and the people are inevitable. But when a royal heirloom -- which happens to contain the secret to gaining magical and elemental abilities -- is stolen from the Seyali Palace, the raging flame of the battle is only fueled. A gang leader, a thief, a magic manipulator, a spy, a traitor to the crown; they know nothing about each other, yet they must come together to find the Kingfisher before everyone else. When dark secrets and unseen connections are revealed, when greed lays its golden claws on the adventurers' hearts, and when it all becomes a game of power and deception, will they be able to reach their goal? Five strangers. Five motives. One target. ⸻ Long chapters ahead! Word count ⇢ 117,363

Starlites are impossible to love. The human fell in love anyways. There is an age old story - some call it a myth, some believe it to be history. Nevertheless, the fact is that there exist three different species who look alike. First are the underwater dwellers - the nymphs. The myth says that they are cursed never to find love. They are all females and mate with humans. The humans die immediately afterwards. Second are the starlites. They live among the highest mountain peaks unreachable for humans. They can fly, and their hearts are cold as snow. They are cursed never to feel love or get loved by anyone. The third is the human race. Humans can feel love, get love, cherish it and are hence considered worthy to rule them all. The story revolves around a starlite soldier Sophia Antofurota who leaves the army to join the Guardians. The Guardians are a team of starlites who work for the humans. Neal is a manipulative, scheming human prince who offered the job to Sophia only because he is in love with her. Sophia gradually finds out that the royalty is hiding many secrets but never suspects that she can have any part to play in their schemes. Sophie's character drawing by @Lady-Emerald

**Cover done by victoria_arose ** Finley Collins has only ever desired one thing - to lead a normal life. Living in the heart of a city with a mediocre job at the local grocery store, this goal shouldn't be considered far from achieving. Except for the fact that Finley can't spend his hours in the daylight like the humans can. The city of Sekotsdale wasn't unfamiliar with their nightly inhabitants. Vampiric activity was a rising concern among the people that feared to leave their houses after sunset. Finley, however, never meant them any harm. He would gladly spend his nights working or be at the bar with friends rather than ravage the lives of the living like fellow vampires would. When Finley switches companies after a discrepancy regarding him working overnight, however, his attempt at a normal-appearing life changes. With his new store manager being a retired vampire hunter, Finley is faced with the conflict he's always aimed to avoid - either expose his true nature to those he's grown close to, or figure out a way to delude this persistent hunter from pushing him over that edge.

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Fanny, a young lesbian woman searches for her place in the world and it takes her somewhere she never thought she could ever belong. Despite being headstrong, rebellious, free-spirited, and a little arrogant - so everything that a soldier shouldn't be - she finds herself in the military, but the hardest part comes only after that. Before she could even realize, someone steals her heart, but unfortunately for her, that someone is her straight best friend who lives in a happy relationship. She has never truly been in love before, and this particular case would be challenging even for someone much more emotionally prepared than her. She has to grow up somehow to handle the unrequited love as an adult should, it's just not clear how she will do that. A/N.: This is my first English novel experiment, so there will be mistakes in it, please forgive me for them. Also feel free to point them out, as I'd be very grateful for any constructive criticism. Enjoy the story :)

Jason King is perfect. Whether it's the British accent, his flawless fashion sense or having been able to pick up life again after having been through trauma as a result from his kidnapping, everyone agrees that this man is immaculate. However, things are never the way they appear to the eye. While hiding his inner battles, Jason struggles to get through his daily life that's full of triggers to his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. As the ghost from the past is haunting him, he tries to move on and continue life as if he'd never been gone--all the while keeping up a perfect persona. Because all he's ever been is perfect, after all. * ✩ Featured by WattPad as a Fresh Read (July 27th, 2021) ✩ #freementalillness Be aware this book deals with post-traumatic stress disorder and might be triggering. This story is part of #ProjectManDown, #BoysDontCry and #FreeTheBoy to show you men can feel pain too. * Featured on WattPad's @generalfiction Featured on WattPad's @NA Featured on WattPad's @ComeSitWithUs Featured on WattPad's @bullyingprevention Second place in WattPad's Psychological Novel Contest What others said: "It was refreshing to come across a book that not only provides insight on mental illness but also does so in a realistic way. I appreciated the fact that you not only focused on what it is like to have a mental illness, but also how mental illness can have a ripple effect on friends and family; and how the journey isn't always one of smooth sailing." - @CreativeBibliophile "Wow, this was written so exceptionally well. All of my senses were completely engaged and I love how realistic your writing is." - GhostsInsideOfMyBed "Never have [I] felt so connected to a character, honestly. His struggles feel so real, it's astonishing." - @BeZorro * This story is a spin-off to All The Things We Lost but can be read as a standalone. Cover by @dysanic