One of the winners of the OnceUponNow contest! Of Sirens and Beasts will be published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster on October 11th in the Once Upon Now Anthology! Football uniforms and tutus do not make a pretty picture. That is what Cal's football team, the Beasts, strongly believe. So when their coach randomly decides twelve of them will be taught ballet by a group of twelve sisters, they aren't planning to take any of it seriously. But after waking up in the mornings and not remembering anything of the ballet classes the night before and with the number of football players seeming to shrink, will Cal catch on to the twelve deadly dancing beauties' game before he himself falls into their captivating song of death? Cover by @emi-leexoxo Highest ranking: 314 in Fantasy

One of the winners of the Once Upon Now contest! Feet Aren't Made for Walking will be renamed Truth Be Told and will be published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon and Schuster, on October 11, 2016 in the Once Upon Now Anthology! ---------------------------- Leo Clark is having a really bad day. He's been transported into a topsy-turvy alternate universe (not a good thing when your mom's expecting you home for dinner), he's recently acquired wooden extremities and is physically incapable of telling a lie (an even worse thing when you pride yourself on not sharing your emotions), and his little sister has been kidnapped, mistaken for the lost princess of the Land of Pittsborough (the worst thing of all because...please refer back to the part about Mom making dinner). In order to save his sister and find a way home, Leo will have to confront an evil queen who lives in an office cubicle, a few mice with horrible fashion sense, and a girl with green skin and webbed toes (but hey, at least she's kind of cute). And he'll have to do it all before the clock strikes midnight or risk being trapped in Pittsborough forever. Now if only he could figure out how to walk on his wooden feet... --------------------------- This short story is a modern day fairytale mashup, partially inspired by Pinocchio, The Frog Prince, and many others. Enjoy!

*One of 10 winners in the @target OnceUponNow contest* After five years in a coma, Rose has given up on ever living her life again. It's pure torture hearing her husband's voice as he struggles to save her. All Rose wants is for Crane to be able to go on with his life and be happy. When a change in her condition drives Crane to extreme measures, Rose must decide what the value of a life is-- Hers & Crane's. Not all fairytales can end with a kiss.

Once Upon Now Grand Prize Winner published by Gallery Books. Sixteen-year-old Mira Sighansen never questions her place in the majestic wilderness of the Yukon Territory until she witnesses her brothers' oil rig explode. Refusing to believe the young men are dead, the teen's suspicions are strengthened when their bodies aren't found and she's later visited by six wild egrets. But these are no ordinary birds, and Mira is faced with a remarkable task not even the loss of her voice or the anger of her best friend (over a boy, of course!) can hamper. Convinced she can break a magical enchantment to bring her brothers back, Mira will risk jail and even psychiatric commitment to stop the rig from being rebuilt. Failure to overcome the doubts of her mayor mother, the opposition of her drilling foreman step-father, and the wrath of an industry thirsty for the valuable natural resource could mean not only the end of her family as she knows it, but also the loss of a vital part of her peoples' culture. This 9,000 word original short story is a modern-day retelling of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale number forty-nine 'The Six Swans' with a First Nations twist. It was part of the #OnceUponNow contest sponsored by @Target for a chance to be included in a published anthology. As of July 5, 2016, it has made it into the Top 25 and as of August 16, 2016, it has been announced as one of the Top 10 Grand Prize winners.

Mallory has dreamed of, drooled over, and loved Trevor from the trenches of the Friendzone for over a year. When he asks her to help him deliver a Promposal to the new girl Jessica, she dreams of the magic of fairy tale's, but only belief in herself can help her find her wings. Can she soar from the Friendzone to a Promposal of her own? This is my entry for the Once Upon Now contest. ❤️❤️Votes count only June 14- June 21!!!❤️❤️