Rachel, a junior assistant in the cargo bay, wasn't prepared for the spaceship's AI to gain awareness during what should have been a routine update, nor had anyone expected it to take exception to the crew and the crates of illegal cargo aboard. Rachel races against time to try and get life-saving systems back online while stranded in the middle of deep space. Unfortunately for her, the AI can access every system, door, and airlock. As truths emerge, the AI realizes that even computers can make miscalculations, and it focuses on the young woman who had dared to confront it. Rachel is left floundering when the AI decides that she would make an excellent captain, albeit one in need of training. As she struggles to learn her new duties and dodge shady government groups, she must ultimately discover what it truly means to be a Starship Captain. ------- There is no romance in this story. Copyright April 2018. All Rights Reserved. Readers may not copy, alter, translate, or steal this story. Fanfictions are allowed to use my *world* and *AI set-up* as long as credit is given.

[Watty's 2017 Shortlisted] Every cape needs a magician, and every magician a cape. That's what Aldeheid was told. A cape killer, an exiled Prince. That's what Aldeheid had become. After being banished from his home at the Etheria Bastion, Aldeheid finds himself homeless and hopeless. But a chance encounter with the mysterious Kitaya the Unwanted gives him the opportunity to set himself on a better path. However, determination alone isn't enough to prepare for the danger ahead, and a looming doom that threatens to change the very fabric of earth. As he and Kitaya fight their way through the realms, Aldeheid will find himself caught between a past the keeps haunting him, and an uncertain future. For earth was meant to be his new home. His new beginning. But earth is on the brink of destruction. *** Awesome cover was made Zuko @Ideologically

When the overindulged son of a duke meets a feisty bohemian beauty, two opposite worlds collide. But it doesn't matter how ill-suited they are for one another, Aiden and Amalia can't prevent their feelings from growing. • • • England, 1790. Aiden Langston, Earl Graham, future Duke of Leeds, is a jaded young man with everything to lose. Amalia Romero is a proud Bohemian who needs no one's help despite having next to nothing. After one mistake too many, Aiden is forced into exile for the summer. The boredom of the countryside nearly drives him mad until he meets Amalia, whom he hires to give him violin lessons. Amalia has always longed for freedom, and this deal is a golden opportunity to finally obtain it. Her desire for a lonesome life soon wavers, subdued by Aiden's effortless charm. Their shared love for music opens a doorway to more, and before long and despite their great differences, Aiden and Amalia can't deny this is much more than a convenient deal. But in a society that would never allow such a union, can things truly work out between them? • • • Shortlisted for the Wattys 2021! This is the first installment of the Langston Series. It's a standalone that doesn't end in a cliffhanger.

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

drabble" (also known as "microfiction," 100 words) is a short work of fiction of precisely one hundred words in length. The purpose of the drabble is brevity, testing the author's ability to express interesting and meaningful ideas in a confined space.

𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 @𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝 • 🥇#1 in Teen Fiction (Sunset Mini Awards, Savant Awards & Golden Awards) | 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦. I shivered in apprehension. It felt as if the words themselves were raking sharp talons down my spine. No. That couldn't be right. | Shy, 17-year-old Autumn Finch works in her family's bakery. When the new boy in town, super hot Leonardo Santoro, asks her out on a date, she's sure he is mistaken. What would a rich, handsome guy like Leo want with shy, nerdy Autumn? But when buried secrets from Leonardo's past begin to unravel, his parents decide it's time to move - again. With exams coming up soon and his loving girlfriend begging him to stay, Leo realises that he's happy exactly where he is. Determined, Leonardo is willing to sacrifice anything to clear his name and be with the girl he loves. Even if the whole world is trying to tear them apart. Cover credit goes to @meha-k

𝟓𝐱 𝐅𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 • 🥇#1 in Short Story (Lily Awards & Campfire Awards) | Just 16 years old, Cierra has a secret that is destined to shatter the foundations of the world around her. Determined to prove her worth, she does the unthinkable: she competes in the weekly fights, a sport traditionally dominated by men. Can she win? Or will the prejudices of those around her destine her for failure? • Featured by @CoffeeCommunity 21/08/2022 • Featured by @WackyWriters 07/11/2022 • Featured by @LowFantasy 06/12/2022 • Featured by @Badassreads 01/01/2023 • Featured by @YAFantasy 01/03/2023 | Cover designed by @BleuSaphir51 |

This collection is full of bite-sized short stories across a variety of genres that are perfect for a quick read. Some of these are stories of mine that have been published in literary magazines, some are contest entries, and some are just things I wrote for fun. What are you waiting for? Pull up a chair and dig in! Cover by @foxinscreamingcolor

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