Stay-at-home mom Harriet has just about had it. As her husband puts in more and more hours at the office, she's stuck with six-year-old Sam and the looming insanity of the holiday season. Along with the usual event planning panic, fall brings constant reminders of her father's failing health and the limited time they have left together. When her friend and renowned caterer Carol invites her over for a baking session, Harriet jumps at the opportunity to destress and learns Carol's secret ingredient to her stress-free lifestyle: venting her negative emotions into everything she bakes. As Harriet's love for baking warps into an addiction to the comforting warmth of the oven, her new coping mechanism starts to look more and more like a recipe for disaster. Cover by @meha-k

Welcome to the world of black and white martial arts epics of medieval Jawadwipa! Despite being the daughter of a white martial arts "pendekar", Wening was dead set on ditching the so-called 'noble path' for its darker counterpart. Her father decided to stick with those pretentious principles and now he was dead. Disguising herself as a young man, Wening roamed the land to find the perfect teacher of the black "silat" martial arts. Until one day, by a curious twist of fate, she stumbled upon Kelana Klawu, the mysterious "pendekar silat" whose deadly reputation preceded himself. *** Throwing herself to the ground, Wening groveled so low she practically kissed the dirt. "O' Venerable Guru, The Mighty Terror and Harbinger of Doom, please accept this humble one as your disciple!" Kneading his temple, Kelana Klawu groaned. "For a hundred times, I'm not your guru and I don't- can't- won't take any disciple," he sighed exasperatedly. "In fact, I'm looking for a teacher myself. A white martial arts guru." "WHAT?" Wening snapped her head up. "B-but... WHY?" "Believe me, you don't want me to be your teacher." "I don't?" "You're doing this because you heard I used to be an heir of a famous black martial arts school," Kelana Klawu said with a surprising patience, "but the truth is... I think I was probably adopted." *** [ONC 2021] Prompt #44 - Adventure/Action/Historical Fiction "When a raid on an enemy encampment goes awry, a child is taken in and raised by those they were brought up to believe were vile and monstrous." - ROUND 2 QUALIFIER - ROUND 1 Ambassadors Picks List

Ara, the only woman left alive after a plague, is searching for a way to save humanity. She thinks there isn't a man she can trust, until she meets Kaden. ***** A plague has swept over the Earth, killing the majority of the population and every female. Except one. Ara witnessed the horror and destruction, but for the last three years she has survived. Now, desperation and hunger force her out of the mountains and onto a dangerous path; across the flooded downtown and through the gangs of survivors is hope. Ara's father spoke of a clue that could save not just her, but humanity. Then she is captured by a group of men. Despite the seeming kindness of Kaden, a young man her own age, Ara doesn't know if she can trust them. Then again, there's no way she can cross the plague-ridden city on her own. Men. Monsters. Is there a difference? This is the story of The Last She. (This book contains all of The Last She Series - Book 1: The Last She, Book 2: The Last City and Book 3: The Last Creation) [[word count: 250,000-300,000 words]]

[THIS STORY IS FREE WITH EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT] A fake relationship, a diabolical plan and a threat to the human race. The only thing that ties them together is an eighteen year old girl's choice, that could change the course of everything. *** Every year five hundred children are abducted from planet Earth and taken to Pluto to serve as slaves to aliens who are far superior to the human species. When a slave turns eighteen they are allowed to choose their fate for the rest of their lives. They are only given three choices; remain a slave, become a fighter or serve as a Plutonian's lover. For the past eleven years, Aria has spent every second waiting for an opportunity to escape and when she's offered a dangerous but rewarding arrangement by a prominent Plutonian, she is quick to agree. But when the lines between love and hatred blur, will Aria ever be able to escape or will her risky circumstances kill her first? Editor's Picks 2021 *Winner of the Spotlight Awards* *Highest rank so far: #4 in Aliens #1 in dystopian #3 in romance (10/2/21) Cover by @Greenteadragon