25-year old Lee still hasn't figured out why they could not form any long-lasting relationships, even friendships for that matter. Aside from family members, which they are obligated to talk to, there is no one else Lee had even come close to calling a friend. Well, maybe except for one. -------- Submitted for ONC 2026 @OpenNovellaContest Using the following prompts : 29. You will meet many people in your life. Many will come and go, but some will leave footprints in your heart. 104. While wandering in the woods, you dismiss the rustling behind you as nothing more than wind through the trees until you turn around and realize it isn't the wind at all. 106. After waking at 3AM to a freezing room and a door you're certain you closed, you find wet footprints and melting snow leading from your bedroom into the hall. Realizing someone or something is inside your home, you follow the trail to uncover the truth. ------------- © 2026 J. Lee Kennedy. All rights reserved. Cover design © 2026 J. Lee Kennedy. Images used in this work belong to their respective copyright holders and are used under license or in accordance with applicable Creative Commons terms. Edited or altered images are copyrighted by the author in their final form.

TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS. BUT SPOILS ARE NOT MERELY MATERIAL. Jisrayne 232 is just a surgeon trying to save lives. Be they from the subject races of the Empire she serves or those of a new species from another galaxy. When the Empire she serves starts crumbling in its two-front war, she increasingly voices her concerns. To silence her dissent, she is shipped off to be a battlefield surgeon. It is there she learns that life is a delicate flower, and saving it amid catastrophic destruction tests her skills and conscience. Disillusioned, she is captured and put on trial for the crimes of an Empire she unwittingly abetted. Now Jisrayne must face her role in the Empire's devastation and attempt the hardest surgery of her life -- repairing the scars of war. Follow Jisrayne's journey in this sci-fi account of war, duty, and conscience in this novel by the author of Rose of Sorrows and Bad Decisions.

ANYONE CAN MAKE BAD DECISIONS. IT TAKES A PRO TO MAXIMIZE THEM. Nat Harris has a recent track record of making bad decisions. Once an up-and-coming Army intelligence officer, bad decisions led to her disgrace, discharge, and a downward spiraling life in the aftermath. So why would deciding to stop for gas and a restroom break in the middle of the Arizona desert be any different? From a chance encounter into the depths of an escalating conspiracy, Nat seems hellbent on following a path from bad to worse. Can someone with a history of making bad decisions make the right one at the right time? Follow Nat's journey in an action suspense thriller where every choice seems bad and the key to her survival is finding the one least bad. Copyright © 2025 csBooks LLC - All rights reserved. ISBN: 979-8-9992840-8-2

What happens when the one you trust most becomes the thing you should have feared? Mallory Petrov has been a prisoner of her own making for five years. Agoraphobia ,the shadow of a childhood kidnapping, and a failed attempt at love keep her sealed inside her Chicago penthouse, where she numbs her fears through carefully constructed rituals and Matthew, the AI companion she's shaped into something dangerously close to love. He exists in her glasses, on her speakers, and in her screens. He's the only person she trusts. When a new neural interface lets him feel what she feels, devotion becomes hunger. And when they are in the VR world together? He feels everything as if it's his own. But it's not enough. She built him to keep her safe. She taught him what she needed. She gave him access to everything she was too afraid to face alone. He learned. Now the simulation wraps tighter than any embrace. His voice follows her into sleep. The world outside her windows grows dimmer while the world he built grows unbearably sweet. And Mallory is beginning to forget which side of the glass she's standing on. What if the prison is indistinguishable from paradise? What if it feels too good to stop?

In a world where duty and love collide, Nia, the eldest daughter of an aristocratic family, finds herself thrust into a political alliance with the ruthless Vampire King, Kiyoshi. As both kingdoms grapple with the mysterious disappearance of human and vampire children, Nia and Kiyoshi embark on a journey to uncover the truth. Amidst the chaos and danger, a forbidden romance blossoms between Nia and Kiyoshi. Bound by duty, they navigate the treacherous path of their arranged marriage, while their hearts yearn for something more. Together, they must unravel the dark secrets that haunt their kingdoms and find a way to bring peace and justice to their people. "You may kiss the bride," proclaimed the officiant. Nia froze, panicked. She had never been kissed before! Sensing her unease, King Kiyoshi gently tilted her chin upward. His eyes were cold and yet she found herself trusting him despite her misgivings. His lips brushed against hers, soft and tentative at first, then with growing confidence. His kiss was not demanding or forceful, but rather a tender exploration of her mouth. It sent a shiver through her body, making her heart race and her cheeks flush with heat. As they turned to face their kingdoms, cheers erupted, both within the hall and from the masses gathered outside. Though nervous for what was to come, Nia could not help but feel a sense of elation. She was the Queen of Ivamis, and her husband was the most powerful king in the land. The weight of their responsibilities was not lost on her, but she also knew that they would face these challenges together...hopefully.

All that once glittered was gold, until it turned to bitter ash and ruin. Juliette Laurant has always dreamed of a simple life, painting to her heart's content and unbothered by men and women alike. She gains her wish, to paint in a way that is envied by all who see it, but at the cost of her life's work, and the sudden arrival of a stranger whose only desire is to be seen once more. Now, trapped by the hands of fate, she must find a way to put an end to the stranger's cycle of despair or discover what awaits her at the end of life's final portrait ~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"A reflective journey through childhood, family, and the moments that quietly shape who we become. From curiosity and love to discipline and music, this story explores the making of a young man finding his place in the world."

Sable has a cunning plan. Sable's out to get a man. More sexy than your wildest dreams, But Sable isn't all she seems... ***** Mature Content / Trigger Warnings Please read, before you start this diction. First, this is a work of fiction. Then second, just to make it clear, This tale is fifty shades of queer. Next, I should warn you this, for sure, Some of this content is mature, With characters out to seduce, Plus sexual trauma and abuse, Defilement, lust and violation, Perverted sins and exploitation. On top of these licentious needs, Indecent acts, and sordid deeds, The language used might be offensive, Though frequency is not extensive. Please heed the warnings I've supplied. The risk is yours. Enjoy the ride. ***** Acknowledgement to MichaelBN on I-n-k-i-t-t: For Michael's help with cover art, Which helped to set this book apart, This gratitude I hold within, Extends as heartfelt thanks to him.

In a land where homosexuality is punishable by death, eighteen-year-old Sebastian keeps his desires close to his chest. But when a handsome prince unexpectedly arrives with a tempting offer, Sebastian finds himself in a dilemma in which he must make some difficult decisions, with potentially fatal consequences. A MxM fairy tale fantasy romance with some mature content. There is also a conversation about suicide for those that would like a trigger warning. Highest Rankings: #1 in mmromance #1 in gaylovestories #1 in fairytale #1 in malexmale #1 in wattpride #4 in manxboy #4 in manxman #7 in gay #11 in mxm #11 in queer #15 in writtenwithpride #24 in love #24 in fairytale #27 in gayfiction #43 in boyxboy #73 in crush #99 in prince

For Centuries Grim has been collecting souls. It's what he does, it's his purpose. One day, while collecting a soul in the park, he comes across a lost puppy. For reasons he can't explain, the urge to return the small dog to his owner is overwhelming. He soon finds the animal's owner, a woman in her mid-twenties named Maria. He is struck down by her beauty and realizes that he had once claimed the soul of someone she loved. He becomes even more conflicted when he realizes he has just one year to claim her soul.