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.

UPDATING WEDNESDAYS Rock star, crowdfunding pioneer, and TED speaker Amanda Palmer knows all about asking. Performing as a living statue in a wedding dress, she wordlessly asked thousands of passersby for their dollars. When she became a singer, songwriter, and musician, she was not afraid to ask her audience to support her as she surfed the crowd (and slept on their couches while touring). And when she left her record label to strike out on her own, she asked her fans to support her in making an album, leading to the world's most successful music Kickstarter. Even while Amanda is both celebrated and attacked for her fearlessness in asking for help, she finds that there are important things she cannot ask for-as a musician, as a friend, and as a wife. She learns that she isn't alone in this, that so many people are afraid to ask for help, and it paralyzes their lives and relationships. In this groundbreaking book, she explores these barriers in her own life and in the lives of those around her, and discovers the emotional, philosophical, and practical aspects of THE ART OF ASKING. Part manifesto, part revelation, this is the story of an artist struggling with the new rules of exchange in the twenty-first century, both on and off the Internet. THE ART OF ASKING will inspire readers to rethink their own ideas about asking, giving, art, and love.

For the warriors of Geatland, there is nothing greater than glory. For Brynhildr, daughter of Geatland's king, it is the only way to prove herself. Born with a freakish appearance, Bryn bears an eerie resemblance to the trolls, the vicious monsters that have terrorized her father's lands for generations. And with the trolls' sudden disappearance in the year of her birth, Bryn has had to endure the brunt of her people's fear and hatred all her life. Haunted by malicious rumors and angry at the world, Bryn only wishes for the glory that will earn her father's acceptance. But glory comes at a heavy price, one that Bryn discovers she may not be willing to pay... "Let whoever can, win glory before death. When a warrior is gone, that will be his best and only bulwark." - Anonymous author of Beowulf Winner of the Fairy Tale Community Mix-up Novel Contest and the Fairytale Community Retelling Awards! A retelling of Tatterhood, Beowulf, and The Ring Cycle. Highest Ranking: #107 in Fantasy

Frankie Taton doesn't understand most of the problems in her life. Abandoned by her mother. Entombed in a crypt. Cursed with antlers. The only upside to her plight is the friendly mortician that takes care of her, along with a peculiar goose. But what Frankie doesn't know is that her life, and everything around her, is about to change... ****** A Wattpad Showcase Winner! This program is rated TV-PG-14 for language and violence. We suggest you watch this with the covers up and your cat canoodling beside you. Thank you.

"Want to hear a story dearies?" Atropos asked, as she cut a thread. "Let us bring you one," crooned Lachesis as she spun a new destiny. "That of pomegranates and changing seasons," finished Clotho as she began a life. Story One of Greek Gods Collection.

In a world where humans live alongside their gods and other magical creatures, spells and powers are an everyday thing. After Raiden Anders loses his parents to a storm at sea, he can't seem to control his own powers anymore; His cousin, Nami , doesn't have any powers of her own making the pair odd in their town. People of different shapes and sizes pass through every day but one pair of travelers change the cousins lives forever. When a creature attacks the town, two strangers save them from defeat but not before Raiden's powers reveal he has something lurking within him. After this encounter Raiden and Nami are invited on a journey to help discover their strengths and save their country. --NOTE-- This is still a Work in Progress. Writings are subject to change at any time, critiques on the works are encouraged and welcome! I want this story to be the best it could possibly be. Author will announce when chapters are changed and edited. Thank you for your patience!

Aeons once ruled the world. Now, their empire lies in ruin, and the survivors hide on the fringes of society. Nahlia is a librarian's apprentice who's obsessed with Aeon lore, scavenging for hints of their legendary power. But others are searching too, including the Templars who seek to hunt down the Aeon survivors. When the Templars attack her family, Nahlia is forced to infiltrate a secret academy and rise beyond everything she's ever known. https://davidmusk.com/books/aeonica-the-lost-redeemer

For months Summer is trapped in a cellar with the man who took her - and three other girls: Rose, Poppy, and Violet. His perfect, pure flowers. His family. But flowers can't survive long cut off from the sun, and time is running out...

(Chapter 1 only) In the winter of 1941-1942, Leningrad is under siege, and Karen Hamilton, a seventeen-year-old American musician, finds herself trapped and struggling to survive. Throughout the city, people are dying of starvation and frostbite, and Karen knows that if she doesn't escape immediately, she will share their fate. If she has any hope of leaving Russia and reuniting with her fiancé, Bobby, in New York, she must do the impossible: cross enemy lines and then stow away. On her harrowing journey, Karen encounters Petr, a young conscripted Russian soldier. She isn't sure she can trust him-he is equally wary of her. But as the two join forces in order to stay alive, an unexpected romance takes root. Now, as Karen gets closer to the reality of escape, she has a choice to make: Will she return to a safe life in America with Bobby, or remain in war-torn Russia with Petr? This is a sample chapter of the book that will be available October 18 from Lake Union Publishing.