A short story in which he finally realises that he needs to let her go... #127 in Short Story - 25.02.17 Copyright © 2017 @_illuminating All Rights Reserved Cover by @asterism

* 2017 WATTY WINNER!* Blurb: Humans are at the top of the food chain and always have been. But what if they weren't? What if another took our place and decided to raise and exploit us as we have every other animal on earth? Welcome to a world after humanity... No one is exactly certain where the sibla came from. Some say they evolved from humans long ago, slowly taking power as their numbers increased. Taller, stronger, and longer-lived, than homo sapiens it isn't too hard to imagine. Now humans must face a reality in which they are no more than animals, domesticated beasts bred for their master's various needs and hungers. Rachel Turner is only eight years old. Born in Demin, one of the last remaining free human settlements on earth, she has never been forced to face the reality of life under a sibla Master, living a carefree existence in her hidden village. Magnus Kendrick is a sibla farmer with a sizable estate on which he raises all manner of livestock, from chickens, to sheep, to...humans. He is also the man destined to purchase Rachel's life. *Warning: This book contains a certain degree of gore and disturbing themes Beautiful cover by @my_fairytale 2016 Fright Fest Gold Winner Cryptic's Choice 2017 WATTY Winner ( Story Smiths category) *All Rights Reserved

*** Ansel Adams, or Ance as those he knows tend to call him, is a bad man though he didn't consider that to be his fault. His father had been a bad man, his grandfather had been a bad man--hell as far as Ance knew he came from a long line of men were just a bitten rotten down at their core. Everyone that knew Ance knew he was a man who would never change, never give up his lifestyle, never settle down....Until Penelope Reynolds came sobbing into his life. Ance hadn't given much thought to offering this rich man protection as he took a load of stolen goods to market until he realized that the banging sound coming from the crate was a tiny little blond with pigtails, freckles and a bad leg. Suddenly he's struck with a choice. Save the girl and return her to her family or simply let life do what life does and chalk it up to bad luck for little Penelope--in the past the latter choice would have been easy, but not now. *** Audrey Reynolds had never been so afraid in her life. Her daughter has been stolen. Her daughter is all she has left in the world since the murder of her husband five years earlier. Desperate to find Penelope, Audrey enlists the help of U.S. Marshall Rodger York who also happens to be the man who's been trying to marry her since the day after her husband had been placed under the ground. They embark on a journey to find Penelope and Rodger has vowed to kill whoever took the girl away. But things go wrong and Audrey learns that the very man she went to for help might be the man responsible for every bad thing that's happened in the last five years...... Will Audrey find a way to survive but more importantly will she ever see her daughter alive again?

A psychological evaluation of sorts, The Room is an experiment to get into the minds of various different characters, with different beliefs, personalities, and struggles. Ten subjects are chosen at random and asked to be a part of an experiment in the human psyche. Each subject is to first share their experiences with the psychologists in charge, then to enter a room--the same room for each--and describe what they think of it. A chance for me to practice using various different characters in a realistic way. A short story of sorts. *(Though not explicitly written, contains mentions of strong sexual or violent themes, such as sexual abuse or domestic violence.)

She had been the famous, sought-after teenage star of her generation. But like every star, she was destined to fall. While doing a kidnapping scene for her latest movie, no one expected she would be gone for good. When she didn't return after the last take, everyone thought she was kidnapped. When she didn't return after a few hours, a manhunt followed. When she didn't appear for days, people started to panic. Weeks followed and people mourned her death. What they don't know is that she is very much alive. She is scared...and she is waiting for the perfect escape.

Riley Monroe and Everett Rosenfeld have been best friends since they were four and have been in love since they were fourteen. Riley has promised Everett that no matter what, she will be his forever. So after Everett's mother dies in a car accident, why does Everett shut Riley down? Because Everett believes that Riley is the reason why his mother is dead.

A body positivity movement, in which Belle Moore emphasises the beauty of our birthday suits.

[This book has officially been published and only a sample remains. See inside for details.] Nora Montgomery's primary goal was to remain seemingly unnoticed until graduation, and that meant staying away from Ryder Collins. But when both she and Ryder are selected to participate in the local police department's handcuff demonstration, they find themselves inescapably chained together. The tension between them is thick; filled with unresolved issues from their past friendship. But things get a whole lot worse when the officer loses the key and the pair are forced to accommodate each other until a replacement is available. Being handcuffed to the opposite gender was sure to introduce some extremely uncomfortable situations. Things are about to get awkward, right? 2013 Watty Awards Winner Most Popular, Mystery//Thriller

"Cinderella had till midnight, I have twelve kisses to win back my prince's heart," John wants Metilda to end their marriage.He believes that he has fallen in love with another woman. Metilda agrees but she has one condition. John must kiss her every afternoon in-front of their son for twelve days. On the 12th kiss, something unexpected happens. highest rating so far #1

❝You and me,❞ he whispered, ❝until the end of time.❞ // A chronicle of Junie Bennett's birthdays from the ages of ten to twenty one.