"To die by the hand of a Peony Flower, Even as a ghost, you would be in want of nothing." 「牡丹花下死 、做鬼也風流」 Year 300 BCE, China has not yet been united and the term "Emperor" doesn't even exist. China remains divided into warring states - a land of kings, torn by endless war. In the feudal kingdom of Rui, Princess Hengxin's powerful maternal family is rumored to have descended from the Goddess Bai Mudan. But this legendary lineage has never saved her from a life of neglect. When her father offers Hengxin as a royal hostage to their powerful ally, the State of Rong, she is cast out with only a desperate hope to survive. Hengxin is alone and friendless - until she catches the eye of Prince Ji Heng, a cold, calculating son of Rong's king. As whispers of rebellion and war swirl around them, their arrangement grows ever more volatile. Ji Heng's cool mask hides a growing obsession - a possessive fire in his veins whenever Hengxin is near. Together, they could ignite a dynasty... or destroy each other.

Cameron's first love is baseball, but when he falls for a softball player he can't be with, he realizes he's signed up for more than he bargained for. Between teaching baseball to a rag-tag team of kids and pursuing his dreams of coaching professionally, he shouldn't have feelings for Norah. But attraction is hard to fight, even when pasts and pain threaten to hurt him even more than they already have. ******* Cameron Shaw, the quiet and reserved assistant for an esteemed collegiate baseball team, has one goal in life: to coach professional ball. After one wild, unforgettable kiss on a dance floor with a stranger, his dreams are at risk of crashing down all around him. Again. Fun-loving Norah Young has two goals. First, to prove to her coach that she can be a starting player on the Saint Helena University softball team. Second, to find out why the stranger at the bar left her standing alone after the best kiss of her life. Infatuation turns to hate when he leads her to believe that he wants nothing to do with her. As the baseball assistant and a student athlete, Cameron and Norah aren't supposed to be together, but they can't seem to stay away from each other. Especially when Norah wakes up hungover in Cameron's bed, only to find out that he coaches a team of kids who don't know the first thing about baseball. While Cameron silently endures the chronic pain that stole his baseball career, Norah aims to figure out what it was that stole the promising young player's talent and smile, without getting too close to him. But they can't seem to stay away from each other, no matter how hard they try. FEATURED ON: Newly Written Books CONTENT: Women in sports Chronic pain and disability Gay rep in sports Steamy, but not spicy GENRES: Contemporary, college sports romance, new adult Marked mature for language and a few steamy scenes.

Burnt-out influencer Wynne Mayfield gave up on her social media dream five years ago. But a new sponsorship deal might be her second chance, even if it means returning to the island she has tried to escape. When she crosses paths with her former best friend, Sienna, Wynne can no longer avoid her. With only twenty days before the sponsorship deadline, Wynne plans to drown her feelings for Sienna--but the more their history resurfaces, the more the two find they understand each other better than before. **** Written for the Open Novella Contest 2025 (ONC), using prompts 110 and 120. * Cover by the wonderful @-MilaSteele !! *

The year is 1889. Jesse McCall is a cowboy, running from his past after a bounty was placed on his head for a murder he had no part in. While traveling, Jesse picks up Truth, a small town preacher literally beaten down after standing up to the sheriff. With no where left to turn, the two of them travel north, out towards Utah and away from any danger that might follow them. But Jesse underestimates just how bad people want Truth dead, how harsh the desert can be, and how much his and the preacher's relationship would change on their journey.

The gods have no pity for humans and their impermanence. Why would they care for lives measured in years, when time marches into millennia for them? The immortals stay in their city. The humans remain in their parts of the world. That is until a human terrorist group gains control over the Goddess of Death, forcing her to kill their enemies and increase their power. All immortals keep their backs turned on humanity. Except Samil, the God of Festivals and the Arts. Samil knows he isn't very powerful among his kind. Or important. Or confident. Yet, when he learns that the humans are desperate, he chooses to do a deceptively simple thing: Help them. ___________________________________ @Voyageavecmoi was kind enough to write this review of my book and she described it 100x better than I ever could lol. With her permission, I'm posting it below. Also, check out her book "Flight Risk." It's a sweet and deep romance about two characters negotiating their feelings for each other while life is doing everything to tear them apart. The characters have such mature conversations and, there's no reliance on the miscommunication trope at all. I'm *obsessed.* If you enjoy intriguing fantasy novels with deep and thoughtful themes, check out 'The Gifts of Mortality' by @eleanorkennedy14 . It explores the concept of mortality and how it gives life meaning through the eyes of both gods and humans. The story follows Samil, the god of the Festivals and the Arts, who is shocked by the apathy of his fellow gods when a human terrorist group gains control over the Goddess of Death. Despite finding no support among his kind, he's determined to help the humans, which sets him down an interesting course. There are lots of great twists in this novel, and I also loved seeing how queerness was worked in throughout both the immortal and mortal realms. Samil is a sweet and refreshing character to root for who is determined to see the good in the world.

Maddie Grace has spent her entire life locked in a never-ending feud with her infuriatingly handsome neighbor, Ben Carter. While their parents dream of the two childhood enemies one day falling in love, Maddie can't imagine anything worse. Ben's reckless behavior, cocky attitude, and constant teasing make him the last person she'd ever want in her life. But as high school life heats up, Maddie finds herself caught in a whirlwind of complicated feelings. Between her hopeless crush on Ben's intelligent rival, Alex Pierce, and her friends' obsession with Ben's bad-boy charm, Maddie is determined to keep her secret connection to him In a battle of wit, grudges, and unexpected chemistry, Maddie must decide if love can ever grow from a lifetime of rivalry-or if some enemies are meant to stay that way forever.

Heartbroken after discovering her fiancé's betrayal, Hazel meets Calum, a man carrying his own burdens. As their bond deepens, they must face a painful truth: some loves aren't meant to be.

Maddie thought she had it all figured out: a promising future, a supportive group of friends, and a fiancé she believed she could trust. But after discovering her fiancé's betrayal, her world shatters, leaving her questioning everything she once held dear. As the school year kicks off, Maddie finds herself leaning on Felix, her co-captain and unexpected ally. With his steady presence and unwavering support, she begins to navigate the tumultuous waters of heartbreak and self-discovery. Together, they forge a bond built on friendship and shared dreams, challenging Maddie to confront her fears of vulnerability and love. But just as she starts to open her heart again, shadows from her past threaten to pull her back into darkness. Can Maddie learn to trust herself-and Felix-before the final whistle blows on their chance at happiness? Join Maddie on a journey of resilience, friendship, and the transformative power of love in After the Whistle.