Ashlyn hasn't spoken a word since the age of eight, and her heart's never felt more protected. But, when the confident and ever so charming Derek stumbles into her quiet little world, her emotions-and forbidden desires-have never been so loud. ***** For twenty years, silence is all Ashlyn Holland has known. Haunted by the memories of her father, and the harrowing song of the ocean that stole him from her, Ashlyn maintains a safe distance from the rest of the world. Treading carefully the sea of fear and anguish that surrounds her, Ashlyn is determined to do all she can to protect her heart from such a tragic loss striking again. In silence, she grieves. In silence, she is safe. In silence, she finds the strength to breathe. But the silence can only last so long... Derek Moreno is charming and devoted, and quick to see through every wall Ashlyn erects. With his arrival in town, defences fold and walls begin to crumble, the songs of her heart reaching new heights. Together, they crest twin tides of fate, the silence she'd once sought engulfed by his gentle touch, and the whispers of a love thought impossible. For the summer, Ashlyn welcomes the noise. The disruption. But, the ghosts of Derek's past will no longer remain silent, and their deafening power has the potential to drag them both into a current strong enough to drown them amidst their heartache. 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝟏 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ARCHER's VOICE x TEN TINY BREATHS meet in this journey through grief and the different stages of healing, finding love once thought impossible, and rediscovering one's voice.

This is a series of stories based on observations I have made while drinking coffee at Starbucks. Years of training as an investigator gives me little choice but to accidentally look into the lives of people I see. I don't do this so I can have something to write about. I do this because this is what I do. It just comes natural now. You would be surprised at the stories that are sitting right in front of you if you just knew what to look for. Cover by @Setalmage

WATTYS 2021 Historical Fiction winner | Writers Of The Past Series. 4000 years ago, in an empire where women were little more than flowers on the wall, one princess cemented her story in history and changed the art of writing for centuries to come. *** Based on the real-life Akkadian princess and high-priestess Enheduanna, this novel explores the life of history's first author. An outspoken visionary with a talent for writing down her deepest emotions, Enheduanna's life is turned upside-down when the god Nanna chooses her to become the high priestess of Ur. As her power in the city of Ur grows, so does her list of enemies. But her own safety is the least of her worries when thousands depend on her to keep the vengeful gods happy, and their land safe. Either way, Enheduanna is not willing to go down without a fight. One way or another, she will carve her own path, and nobody is going to erase her from the pages of history. - part 1 of the Writers Of The Past Series -

❝ she won't be a damsel in distress nor will she be someone as important. but she'll be there to redress your wounds and swab every hurting scar clean. she'll scare the hell out of you, but she'll keep your demons at bay. she won't cry pretty, but at least she'll try to cry all of the guilt off. and she isn't that easy on the eyes but her words will cling to you like a battle armour, fending, protecting. she can be your savior if you let her. ❞ → #5 in poetry [12/28/19] → featured in 'Summer Workshop 2016' as 'Talk of the Workshop'

poetry by a person that's afraid of people. 12/23/15- #1 in poetry

My heart spoke. I listened. I wrote.