Everyone knows the rules of growing up. Once you're eighteen things become clearer, childhood problems melt away, and you're ready to go out and conquer the world. You're now an adult. You can look your parents in the eye as equals. Officially, you're on your own, and now you'll only look back fondly at what you once were, an immature child still learning about life. Or so you'd think. Jake is a young adult who grew up with the support of his family, especially his mother, Elaine. Though he experienced some rough patches as a child and fitting in was a constant challenge, she's been there for him. But it's time for Jake to "grow up" and for him, that means no longer needing his family. It turns out that life without them is a far greater struggle than he ever imagined. Living independently is hard, but admitting it is even harder. Join this true story of conflict and heart-pounding moments, as both mother and son explore the concept of parenting as a lifelong commitment.

Twenty-two year old Grace McCaffrey is humiliated when she can't find a job after graduating college and has to move back in with her parents. She always assumed she'd do something big with her life-create change or do something that matters-not work at the Banner Market as a cashier. Soon, Grace gets roped into being a chaperone for a high school backpacking trip with her ex-boyfriend, Miles Dalby. However, she quickly learns these students are part of a mentorship program for troubled youth. As she tries to get them to open up, Grace starts to doubt herself. How can she make a difference in the world if she can't even help these students? Or is her mom right and sometimes it's the little things that can make all the difference?

"Not a Flower" made it to the Top 50 Finalist in Harlequin's Writing Contest #SYTYCW15! I'm so excited and honored. So please read, vote, and share with your friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, email, any way you want. Appreciate it! SYNOPSIS: What is love? A chance meeting at the hospital is the start of an unexpected friendship between a charismatic young lawyer and quiet med student Grace Madison. For her, it was a tangled and complicated introduction to love. Grace's heart was broken when Duval, oblivious to her feelings, fell for her beloved older sister Elizabeth instead. When tragedy unexpectedly falls and Elizabeth is taken from them, Grace is shattered by the loss. It's not until she receives a wedding invitation from Duval many years later, that she realizes her life has been frozen in limbo. Determined to finally find closure and truly move on, she decides to attend the wedding. Grace's plan is disrupted when she meets Adrian Roussiard; a fascinating and brilliant man with an enigmatic agenda of his own, he is the black sheep younger brother of Duval. Mercurial and complex, alternately blunt and charming, he seems to delight in nothing more than to annoy her. But haunted by dark shadows from his past, his secrets could overturn everything Grace has ever thought she knew. Drawn to each other, Adrian becomes Grace's unlikely ally as the simple quest to find closure instead becomes the catalyst to finding herself. "Not a Flower" is a woman's journey to self-discovery with a powerful love triangle along for the ride; weaving the lives of three people who despite their outward successes are broken in some essential way. It's about understanding the lies people tell themselves in order to move on, and what comes of living those lies.

Welcome to my blog, The Self Worth Diet on Wattpad! Here you will find recipes, personal stories, articles that I wrote for The Huffington Post GPS for the Soul as well as self help pieces. The Self Worth Diet is a spiritual as well as self help blog that helps you with your self worth. You will find great tips and advice on how to live a healthy life both emotionally, physically and spiritually. You will also get to read about my sordid, weird life and experiences. This blog was originally started after I sued Jenny Craig for having to have emergency gallbladder removal surgery from being on their diet. My suit went very public but I dropped it in order to advocate against the dangers of the dieting industry. It is my goal to shine a light on the body image and self worth issues we all suffer from. I hope you find these recipes, personal stories, articles and self help pieces helpful as you trudge the road to happy destiny.

When Ella's grandmother passed away, she was left to the care of the Society--an organization that raises exceptional girls to become perfect brides for the elite, upper class men of the world. When Ella comes of age, she is Selected by Hale, whose family is forcing him to chose a Society girl even though he doesn't believe in the system and wants to wait for real love. Hale and Ella make a pact to be friends, but this unconventional decision thrusts them into the spotlight of the world for daring to defy an organization that has been in power for centuries. However as they grow closer they develop romantic feelings for each other, and they must try and hide their love in order to keep their revolution alive--but their secret may be too big to keep. Will they ever be able to be normal, or will the world always see Ella as nothing more than a Society girl?

(EDITING) Rachel and Jane have been best friends forever. But When Rachel dies tragically after childbirth. She leaves her newborn daughter, Summer, in the hands of Jane. Can Jane handle the new found responsibility that has been pushed upon her or will this be harder than she thought? Rankings #9 in CHICKLIT #22 WHAT'S HOT LIST #1 in THE NEW WRITERS AWARD

At some point in time, Diana Coal knew she wanted to settle down. At some point in time, the guy who liked her because she reminded him of Wonder Woman, would mess up. At some point in time, she would've forgiven him if he didn't leave her for another girl a few months before their wedding. At some point in time, she knew Mr. Perfect would turn left. And during that point in time, at a bachelorette party, she might just get a lap dance from a very unlikely Mr. Right. Copyright © 2016 Liz Martinez All Rights Reserved p.s. Photo used in the cover is not mine

THEN: At age thirteen Logan Stanfield already knew about bad timing-- his parents got divorced, he moved to a new town, and was forced to start his life over again from scratch. But when he walked into the classroom that first day and laid eyes on Maisy Jacobs, he immediately fell under her spell. But their's was a story of missed opportunities and bad timing, that is until... NOW: Maisy Jacobs never thought she'd be stepping foot back in her old home town, she left it all behind for a reason, and she certainly never expected to see Logan Stanfield again. She still remembered that night that they kissed; it was the night that changed everything forever. But that was then...

Startled eyes turn to face me, and my mind confirms what my heart already knows. I would recognize those gentle green eyes, dark eyebrows, the strong chin covered in sexy scruff and shaggy mane anywhere. Isaac's back in town. He is just as beautiful to me now as he was all those years ago. If anything, time has improved him. Last I heard, he started a nonprofit to build schools in Africa. Why has he finally come back after all this time? We are locked in a stare that seems to transport us to another place and time, until at last, his gaze breaks away. ______________ Beth Malcolm is pinning all her hopes on winning the Next Big Thing competition that will not only launch her business, but help her save her beloved family home. Things quickly become complicated when the business mentor assigned to her turns out to be her exfiance. Loosely based Jane Austen's story, "Restless Hope" is a modern Persuasion meets Shark Tank. I update every Friday. Enjoy! ©2016 Sarah Benson