"What the hell?" I took a step closer to the mirror, staring at my reflection in disbelief. The person looking back was still me, but at the same time it wasn't. I had the same thick, dark, curly hair. The same hazel eyes. The same olive skin with a light dusting of freckles (ugh) scattered across the bridge of my nose. But my curls were now streaked with highlights. And not the subtle, golden-brown ones that sometimes appeared during the summer. No, these were an aggressive, dazzling blond that went from the roots of my hair all the way to the tips. It looked like I had spent a full day getting my hair done in some upscale salon. Never mind that I had never set foot in such a place since the day I was born. My eyes appeared somehow wider and more luminous. The colour brighter, my eyelashes darker up against them. And, when I looked closely, my pupils seemed to be slitted almost like a cat. I looked down at my body. My skinny arms-which had always refused to gain any definition no matter how hard I exercised-were lined with flat, wiry muscles. My bony shoulders were now curved and smooth. My scrawny legs were toned like a dancer. I reached down and lifted my shirt, revealing two subtle lines running vertically down my perfectly flat stomach, hinting at the rock-hard abs underneath. My whole body was rippling with strength. Like liquid steel.

Aspiring writer Norah Jacobs needs an escape. In the span of two weeks, her corrupt brother has been jailed for murder and his partner has been hovering on her doorstep, threatening to ruin what little peace she has left. Packing her car, Norah flees the city and goes off the grid, finding refuge in the small coastal town of Bellvale. However, Norah's newfound refuge lands her right in the middle of a power struggle between creatures she thought only existed in fairy tales, and she begins to see that no matter how hard you try to run from your troubles, they seem to have a way of catching up with you... Watty 2014 Winner Haven Copyright © Melissa Lucas 2013 All Rights Reserved. No part of this literary work may be reproduced or used without written consent from the author.

What happens when two are summoned together by a long remembered deal between two enemies to force their alliance in the industry business. Heartbroken, angry and confused Ivory says yes to the first thing she hears as she barges throgh the door. Perhaps she should have stopped and listened, but then again they had no choice. Married away to the handsome but cold Darius Quartz Ivory hopes for a somewhat happy life but finds herself in boredom and the same ritual she had been doing for the past 6 months, that's till her husband finally returns from his training. And soon after returns the one man she never hoped to see again. First come marriage but then comes love? I think not. Married at a young age of 20 they both are lost and unsure of what to expect. But only moments after their marriage Darius is summoned of to finish his work abroad for 6 months. When he returns things are no different. Neither talk and neither know how to accept their new relation. That is of course, till Ivory's ex comes back in.

Sam is the most promising swordsman among this year’s crop of Paladin trainees...and knows it. Brash, cocky, and unbeatable with a sword (well, almost), Sam is the kingdom of Thule’s best hope against the violence wrought by demons. The only problem is that Sam is really Lady Samantha, daughter of the seventeenth Duke of Haywood, and if her father has his way, she’ll be marrying a Paladin, not becoming one. But Sam has never held much interest in playing damsel-in-distress, and so she rescues herself from a lifetime of boredom and matrimonial drudgery. Pity that Tristan Lyons, the Paladin assigned to train her, is none other than the hero of her childhood. He hasn’t recognized her as Lady Samantha--yet-- but if he does, he’ll take away her sword and send her packing. Sam is not the only trainee hiding secrets: Braeden is a half-demon with a dark past that might be unforgivable. Sam, Braeden and Tristan set out for the western coast, charged with rooting out an infestation of demons that has made the West unlivable. As they travel, they uncover a deep-seated corruption of power that threatens to derail everything they stand for. Rebellion stirs, led by a rival faction of warriors who tempt Sam to join them with an irresistible offer. A war between men is coming, and Sam must pick a side. Will saving the kingdom cost her life -- or just her heart? Reminiscent of Mulan, but with a medieval fantasy twist, Paladin is a tale of adventure, action, and romance.

Facing the most powerful man in the Lands armed with nothing but a sword and the hope that she could prevail, was not the direction Akira saw her life going in. After witnessing her family's death she had stayed away from it all, living in hiding. Yet when she discovers that her dragon is a Dragon of Legend and together they are to challenge Haiden, the ruler of the dark Lands, her life plummets into chaos. Taken in by the Academy, where young dragon riders are trained to fight, she must rise up and prove herself worthy of the name of the 'Rider of Legend'. Yet as Akira finds out, fighting for an almost hopeless cause when no one believes in you, is not easy. With all odds stacked against them, Akira and her dragon must fight for their own lives as well as try to fulfill all expectations and free the Lands from a tyrant's rule once and for all.

At Camp Gloria, in the Lake District, 13 teen internet addicts are all placed in cabin 14. How will they fare without their trusty pal Wifi? Is life without Facebook really all it is cracked up to be? Friends will be made. Ships will come into play - but fear the fangirl who ships, because who knows what they're capable of...