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11 stories
North Star by smidorii
smidorii
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In the tranquil waters of Hawai'i, Hokulani and Nikau wonder if it's possible for a song to go on forever. ***** For as long as Hokulani can remember, she's always felt like she's treading water. Everything she loves becomes a means to escape from what's happening around her or, worse, the unsteadiness of her mind. She even finds her passion for music slipping through her grasp, though she tries her best not to completely let that go. And even though the arrival of an up-and-coming musician from Aotearoa causes waves, she's unable to fully enjoy her life. Unable to release that breath she feels like she's been holding onto ever since her father passed away. When her family is hit with complicated news, the Kahananui woman must make difficult decisions for themselves, including one Hokulani isn't sure she fully understands. But even when their choices are made, they bring up memories they've all been trying their best to forget, forcing them to face the reality deep inside the family's hearts. Hokulani takes refuge in the comfort her shared feelings with Nikau bring, but just because she wants something, doesn't mean it's enough. She knows she has a lot to work through on her own, and with the understanding that his year on the island will eventually come to an end, the two of them spend endless nights wondering if they can somehow make a song go on forever. » featured on @wattpad @romance @ContemporaryLit and @Ambassadors « All rights reserved © Stephanie Midorii, smidorii
You Must Remember This by FranklinBarnes
FranklinBarnes
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A misguidedly idealistic high school student founds a club to teach his classmates philosophy; when it becomes a cult, he must change course before the whole school drinks the Kool-Aid. Frank can think of no better way to prove his classmates have no moral compass than to write a manifesto satirically arguing for the virtues of selfishness; when this attempt at shining a light on his classmates' behavior is taken at face value, he creates a club to spread his teachings, hoping his ironies will be more obvious on a grander scale. The authoritarian rule of law he establishes meets little resistance from his club members, even as he wonders privately when they'll have enough and choose a more virtuous path. While Frank earnestly seeks to help his classmates, his methodology proves misguided in practice, and Frank must find where to draw the line before he permanently ruins his beloved high school. But then again, being a cult leader is too much fun to pass up... You Must Remember This adapts the foundation of Catch-22 in a high school setting, applying the same notion of dystopian bureaucracy to lampoon Silicon Valley's competitive spirit and, in these politically charged times, comment on the fragility of our own democracy. CW: minor character death (non-graphic), dark psychological themes (e.g. gaslighting), authoritarian regimes (including references to communism and Nazism) "Amazing, terrible, bourgeois horror" "At first I thought the story was about silicone implants" "I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the classic American English course reading list or just wants to read something that will make them think."
The Third Shadow by bigimp
bigimp
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Sometimes the truth is just too terrible to ever be guessed... Readers' comments: 'Excellent story', 'gripping page-turner', 'marvellous read', 'great writing', 'simply remarkable', 'a fabulously emotional ride', 'wow', 'what a great book!', 'had me engaged right to the end' Wattys award-winning author (The Painted Altar, literary fiction 2020) When two British brothers are reported missing whilst on holiday in southern Italy, the local carabinieri turn to retired detective Jim Jacks for help. Still pained by a recent divorce, he has started a new life for himself as a small-scale wine producer. Along with commander Nuzzo, he will slowly unravel a mystery which is even darker than it had first seemed... Genre: murder mystery Length: 75,000 words (300 novel pages) Target audience: adult, fans of crime fiction, anyone who likes mysteries full of twists and which are populated by three-dimensional characters Extract: I stayed there at the holiday bungalow with Sarah and Olivia for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Would return again the following morning. An analyst would no doubt conclude that my actions weren't entirely selfless; that as a lonely old divorcee I found a nostalgic comfort in female company. And yes, this might have been part of it. But there was a very practical reason too for my more or less continued presence in the house. I just didn't want to leave them to themselves I suppose, was afraid of what might happen. Yes, the thing I remember most about that forty-eight hour period is the silence. There was something brooding to it. Something ominous, almost delicate, like if it cracked you feared it would explode. An edgy, precarious silence stretching on and on, minute after minute, hour after hour... About the author: I'm a 47-year-old English teacher who has lived in Italy for the last 15 years. I have two other novels on the site, The Painted Altar and Kill Who You Want
The Temporary Detective by JoanneSydneyLessner
JoanneSydneyLessner
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Phones, light typing...and murder. Think breaking into show business is hard? Try landing a temp job without office skills. That's the challenge facing aspiring actress Isobel Spice when she arrives in New York City, fresh out of college and deficient in PowerPoint. After being rejected by seven temp agencies for her lack of experience, Isobel sweet-talks recruiter James Cooke into letting her cover a last-minute vacancy at a bank. New to his own job, and recently sober, James takes a chance on Isobel, despite his suspicion that she's a trouble-magnet. His misgivings are borne out by lunchtime, when she stumbles across a dead secretary in a bathroom stall. Can Isobel find the killer before he strikes again?
Heartbreaks For Sale by caramelstreet
caramelstreet
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In which Akshara Zim, the owner of too many heartbreaks, finds her soulmate only to realize his name could ruin her final chance at love. ~ [extended description inside] ~ a novella [25,000 - 30,000 words]
Valentino by Anyone287
Anyone287
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Julien thinks dawn is his secret. Valentino discovers it. *I probably won't update unless someone tells me they want an update!* All rights reserved © Anyone287 2020
Until We Break (Formerly Wicked, Wild, Wonderful) by MatthewD_Writes
MatthewD_Writes
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Until We Break is now published as a Paperback, Hardcover and E-book from W by Wattpad Books! As a Wattpad reader, you can access the Wattpad Original Edition for free and the Wattpad Books Published Edition here upon purchase. ***** Naomi Morgan, the only black dancer at her ballet school, sacrifices everything to pursue her dream until she joins the Guise and realizes what she's missing. ***** Naomi Morgan is the only black dancer at the Riverside Dance Academy, but the sting of alienation is worth it. When the National Prix de Ballet Competition comes to Riverside, Naomi's determined to win...although, the cost of victory is high. She suffers injuries, lies to her family, and refuses to process her friend's death, all to get closer to her dream career. But when something goes wrong and The Guise, an online gang of anarchists, make Riverside their new target, Naomi finds herself caught up with the group. They teach her things the Riverside Academy never could - that dreams are worth having, but real life is so much more important. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]
To Defend A Duke by vickitickitoria
vickitickitoria
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Four years ago, Evelyn Wright's perfect life as a debutante in London was ripped away from her, and her family moved to the countryside. Since then, she has adjusted to the simple life, but one letter is about to send her to the city and back into the life of a socialite, forced to suffer through balls, matchmaking, scheming mothers and worst of all, despicable rakes. Evelyn wants nothing to do with this life, eager to return home, until a ​fateful decision throws her into the path of one of societies most daring rakes, Nathanial Blackmore, the Duke of Winchester. He is arrogant, rich and entitled, everything she despises about men, but as the unlikely pair begin to work together to avoid the hangman's noose, she discovers that there is a lot more to him than sinful smiles and dangerous promises. Can they escape the death sentence that hangs above them? Or is Evelyn more in danger of losing her heart, than her head?
The Play by Anyone187
Anyone187
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A deranged man who likes to call himself the Director kidnaps a teenage boy and girl to be his actors. He expects them to perform the six acts of his play without messing up once, or else harrowing pain awaits them. 🥇1st place / The Cosmic Awards 🥉3rd place / The Monthly Gemstone Awards © 2019 Anyone187 Copyright; all rights reserved