Rights and responsibilities is the 2014 theme of National History Day Contest, a broad topic. And I chose to write a just as broad topic of human rights. What are human rights? Is it to prove we're human? Prove that we're humans are right? Or to tell us apart from aliens? Though, now that I think of it, all extraterrestrial beings should have rights as well, but let's just have the Men in Black deal with that- But before getting off of topic, let's focus back on this. As you read about this, think about these questions (not the alien one, unless you want to). Think about what it takes to not only be human, to act like one too. And after you read this, think to yourself. Do you have the right to be human? This essay won first place for the 2014 National History Day essay contest in California.

Valentine was a girl who drowned herself in video games. Jace was a boy who was painting a smile and everyone else's faces except his own. They may seem different but are more alike then they know. Will they help each other to find the color in this black and white world?

From a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author comes a novelette in the Mind Dimensions series. This short story does not require you to have read the other books in the series. I can stop time, but I can’t change anything. I can access memories, but not far enough. My name is Mira, and my life is about finding the Russian mobster who killed my family.

Ever since they were little, Aaron and Charolette were always teased by their parents that they were going to end up together one day. That's just how it goes, really. If your parents' friends have a child the same age as you and is the opposite sex then you two are just 'destined' to be together. There's just one little problem. Aaron and Charolette hate each other. With a burning passion. Of hate. Not love. HATE. But their parents refuse to even acknowledge such a proposterous fact. So, the two families decide to go on a camping trip over the summer, forcing both Aaron and Charolette to go. Teasing parents, sibling battles, maybe not so harmless pranks, and more hatred, what could go wrong? I mean come on, it's just a camping trip.

I never believed in all that crap with monsters...until I turned into one.

Marcie is an oddity in her village, the daughter of a widower with both village and outsider blood in her veins. She cares for her drunken father, and struggles to fit in with the rest of the village. Everything changes when she comes across two dragons, a mother and her new born, and unwittingly becomes the Tamer of the baby dragon when his mother dies. This new unlikely bond completely changes her life and opens doors to her future that she would have never thought possible whilst also causing her pain and heartache.