Stories are written by the winners. Winners who never fail to paint themselves in a 'favorable' light. I've been called evil. Twisted. Strange. Heartless. All fair assessments; I dispute none of these claims. In fact, I hold my head high while confessing to the evil, twisted, strange, and heartless things that I've done. The things, those ignorant of the truth, would condemn. But all people are capable of all things under the right conditions, good or bad. Don't believe me? I dare you to read my story and tell me if you would have--could have--done things differently. One of your most beloved fairy tale classics retold. Get all sides of the story.

Arphazat is a tokkaebi, a race of goblin-like creatures who make up the lowest caste of the technologically advanced Republic Commonwealth. She serves the Republic as a Scavenger, a guild of select tokkaebi who guide explorers and scholars into the ruins of a great and ancient magic empire to extract magical artifacts and tomes of knowledge. Deep in the deserts far south of the Republics reach a new ruin has been found. Word has spread it is haunted by the ghosts and demons of the great I'xian Empire. As Arphazat guides a scout party into the depths of the ruin she comes into the possession of a curious grimoire, which sets her on a journey to find the child of a long forgotten demi-god. Cover Artist: Tithi Luadthong

Shah Jamshid al-Hassan, king of the Sazian Empire, is dead. He is succeeded by three heirs: Esfandar, the crown prince; Soraya, the forgotten daughter; and Roshani- the one who killed him. Roshani felt no remorse shoving her sword through her father's heart. Nor does she have any doubts about imprisoning her cunning grandmother in the depths of the royal prison, where she can't cause any more trouble. The tyrannical tendencies in the young empress only seem to be tempered by Kasra, her infant half-brother born shortly before the coup. To protect Kasra, Roshani is determined to kill her other siblings and end this conflict once and for all. But spies and betrayers abound in the palace, and Roshani may have more enemies within than without. Esfandar's mind has always been more attuned to war than to the politics behind it. Shocked and outraged by his sisters' betrayals, he seeks to reclaim the throne that is rightfully his. His troops rally in support of their emperor, retaking the north from Roshani's forces. Yet doubt soon creeps into the young prince's mind. As his armies forge ahead, Esfandar will discover that governing and conquering are not one and the same. The large personalities of Esfandar and Roshani have always outshone Soraya in the palace. Neither the shah nor the other palace lords ever concerned themselves with the quiet girl hiding behind her mother's skirts. But now, having escaped Roshani's coup, the empire has been forced to consider Soraya a threat. Protected by the priests and magis of the fire temple, Soraya's claim to the throne is the weakest. Her only hope is a strange power from the gods, one she's not even sure she can control. Three siblings. Three armies. One crown.

An unlucky noblewoman precipitates a civil war and falls for a half-demonic beggar with a self-destructive healing talent. Summary: Tien Lyn was born lucky, but her luck ran out fast. Tossed on the currents of politics and magic, she lives in the accursed 'interesting times', during a civil war. Her worst enemy is a song that glorifies her as a rebel leader's lover. Once she helps an unassuming healer, Demure Yu, avoid execution for consorting with demons, her list of powerful enemies grows ever faster. To shelter the man she loves, Tien Lyn has to do what it takes to outrun her own legend. If you see this book on any other site, they'd stolen it. If they're charging you for it, this is the best and free version. Please read it here. First Published: May 29, 2018

[Watty's 2018 shortlist] Adelyn's quick hands and knack for thievery had a bad habit of putting her in dangerous situations, but forcing her into the path of Nikolai Kors was the worst of them all. A pirate captain with years of death and destruction under his belt, Nikolai has spent ages searching for the one thing that could make every loss, gamble and lie worth it, and Adelyn is the one person who knows where it is. But when fate strikes, it's revealed that Adelyn is more than just a common thief that stole a watch: she's the second piece to the puzzle Nik has been desperate to solve. Together, Nikolai and Adelyn must venture the seven seas and battle monsters of every kind. Should they succeed, Adelyn would have enough money to buy herself out of the life of thievery she's been living for years, but Nikolai hasn't been entirely honest with her... because there's a whole lot more than just riches at the end of this game.

Meet Jonathan - a typical American teen, who just likes to have fun. However, the day has come when he is to travel to Germany, where he will stay with his aunt and uncle during the summer to help in their shop. This is anything but fun for him. But that's until things start to get interesting. After meeting a girl and being thrown into an extraordinary situation, one feared by the locals, Jonathan learns of a century old myth that still haunts the small German town. Meanwhile, Jonathan ventures further to get to know this mysterious girl. Meeting atop Lorelei Rock at midnight, Jonathan is unknowingly pulled deeper into trouble until one night when he makes a discovery he finds hard to believe. Struggling between family and vacant love, Jonathan is forced to make a difficult decision - one that means life or death! Based upon the German myth of Lorelei. This story was entered in Target's #OnceUponNow contest, and is now entered in the #Wattys2016.

[One Million Project - Fantasy/Sci-Fi Anthology] Russell Cornelius Brattle - a punctual and orderly teen - worked long hours as an apprentice tinker to provide for his broken family. His cousin Agatha - a free-spirited youngster - was eager to put her sewing days behind her and get her hands greasy. But she and her prosthetic limb turned out to be more trouble than they were worth. One act of clumsiness put into motion a chain of events that not even Russell could fix... __________ This short story appears in the Fantasy/Sci-Fi edition of the One Million Project (OMP). All proceeds from the OMP go towards the charities Cancer Research UK and EMMAUS (a homelessness organization). Check out the OMP's latest short story collections on Amazon and like/join their facebook page to help out this great cause! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1767625790120273/ https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016WLQTXW http://www.theonemillionproject.com/ © 2016 by K.V. Wilson. All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author. Cover design © 2016 by K.V. Wilson; images used from Pexels and Pixabay under creative commons. *** #593 in Science Fiction - June 11/17 First Place in the Chaos Awards, Nov/17

Shal has had her future laid out for her for as long as she can remember. Cursed with vampirism and trained as a killer, she has accepted her fate as an enforcer for the Empire. Escape has never seemed possible until now, when an opportunity arises in the form of a fragile young woman chosen to die in a dark ceremony. They may make it to the woods, but it's miles of wild territory to uncertain safety, and the Imperial trackers are always following... Cover by @Silver_Chick

The Yuan Dynasty has fallen, and the Ming Dynasty begins. The concubines of the young Emperor Yu's harem are more than just pretty faces to decorate the halls. They are to be whatever he wishes of them; lovers, mothers, friends, advisers, toys. But most importantly, they are his pawns. cover by @lemvnade currently on hold for further research historical fic 96 ( 10.6.16 )

"We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." ~Benjamin Franklin (CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN) Valencia is a wealthy and powerful island nation that thrives off of the trade of wine, silk, spices, and a myriad of other exotic luxuries. The well-to-do citizens of the isle live lavish, extravagant lifestyles, full of riches and entertainment, while the poor can barely afford to feed themselves in the ever-growing slums of Valencia. For centuries, the League of Assassins has reigned supreme over Valencia, selecting the members of the ruling council and quietly disposing of anybody who could threaten their grip over the island. Honorable, stealthy, and deadly, they are trained and experienced killers; the best of the best. The Thieves' Guild is a raggle-taggle group of dirt-poor miscreants who banded together to stay alive. Just over a decade old, the Guild is free-spirited and defiant, with a reckless disregard for the law and a determination to survive, no matter what it takes. Never in a million years could anyone ever imagine the League and the Guild coexisting peacefully with each other. But when an unexpected enemy from outside Valencia threatens to conquer the island, the League and Guild must decide if they will fight together or die separately. "...like two partners in a deadly pas de deux, balancing each other out in a ballet of blades- where one misstep could cost you your life..." *NOTE: This story is a collaboration in between me and @itsnotsocomplicated. Chapters written by her will be marked with an asterick* Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzyWMTmcQ6k