✧ Book 2 in Guiding Stars Series ✧ After the war with Kako has ended and Tsume's disappearance, the Hudsons have finally settled down. Everything seems to be back to normal, or so it seems. After the disappearance of a friend, things get turned upside down. The crew gets news of a mysterious island and are told to come immediately. Is the island safe, and if not, is going there worth the risk to save a friend? And what are they prepared to lose in order to make things right? It's hard to tell right from wrong when everything is falling apart in front of you. ✧ Chapter Schedule Coming Soon! ✧ (Current cover is by @beethrooot on Instagram!)

A dialogue short story about the things we wake up to that remind us there are still things in this life worth waking up for. ante meridiem - [adv. & adj.] "before noon;" Abbr: A.M. Or a.m. [credit to owner of image (not me)]

Sometimes all you really need is a place to call home. *** Claire is lost and scared and utterly alone. Her family is in shambles after the death of her older sister Ina, and she's left to pick up the broken pieces of herself as her life heads into a downwards spiral of loneliness. Her heart leads her to 5:48, a little cafe by 33rd street, where she finds her new home. With a broken heart and a speech disability, Jasper has his heart and mouth sewn shut by the winding threads of hurt and fear. Painting and serving coffee in cafe 5:48 are one of his last few saving graces, but the smile he's been painting on himself will soon fade away as everything he's ever held dear slips away from his grasp. Ezra is out-of-sync and oddly cold by the way life has treated his young self. Abandoned by his single mother at an early age, he has grown up thinking that he is a mistake. His constant shaking hands are a reflection of what he often thinks of himself, but the delightful pastries he bakes for 5:48's customers are a reflection of what others see of him. Drew is a quirky rarity. He is a dash of loud, a pinch of exuberant, and a cup of eccentric - just like the meals he serves in the cafe as the only chef there. Behind his playful grins and outlandish clothes, however, are his jutting ribs, hollowed cheeks, and too-thin arms. Sometimes he cannot stomach being in his own skin as much as he cannot stomach food. This family has gone a long way from finding each other, and they'll be going a long way together too as reality comes catching up to them, threatening the newfound happiness they've found with each other. Secrets are revealed, pasts become presents, and lives are changed. Slowly but surely, they find their way back home. *** NOTE AS OF 08/2026: This is the old version of the story from 2012, posted in FULL. Another story that will be considered a reprise of this old version is in the works, and will be posted under the name "Hiraya House."

✧ HIGHEST RANKING: #196 on Fantasy ✧ Fourteen year old Aven Whitmeyer is a "Special," in a world where those with powers are discriminated against. The "Normals" consider them to be a danger, and being one is considered a disgrace to all who know you. When she's kicked out of her home for discovering her magical abilities, she finds herself at the doorstep of the mysterious Hudson House- a safe spot for Specials like herself. However, the safety of her home is at risk when mysterious, Corrupted monsters begin to appear. Powerful beings who were once Specials like herself. After losing friends and a threat appearing at every turn, Aven quickly realizes that her world is changing. She must decide whether to sit and watch it go down, or take a stand to protect the only place she belongs. ✧ New chapters every Friday! ✧ (Book 1 in the Guiding Stars trilogy. Current cover is by @beethrooot on Instagram!)