WATTY'S 2017 NEWCOMER AWARD WINNER: What would you sell yourself for? Madeline knows. She's spent the last eighteen years impatiently waiting for her Auctioning so she can sell herself to MERCE Solutions Limited for a hundred thousand credits. But when the Auctioneer fails to call her and two suits show up at her doorstep, Madeline discovers there are far worse bargains to be made. So when your loved ones are in danger, there's a bounty on your head and your entire city might turn out to be a lie... what would you sell yourself for? "An action-packed cyberpunk thriller in the vein of Phillip K. Dick." ~ KISA WHIPKEY, REUTS PUBLICATIONS "A book that shakes you to the core and makes you take a close look at the world around you." - A DROP OF INK REVIEWS Updated every Wednesday and Saturday (Australian Time). Published under the pen name Lee S. Hawke and available in full on Amazon, iBooks, Kobo and Nook.

Wren Martin is socially awkward. She blocks off herself to the world, hiding behind her favorite hoodie. All she wants to do is keep a low profile, and graduate well enough to qualify for a college scholarship. But then a babysitting job leads her to cross paths with Asher Reed, Eastview Highʼs notorious athlete. When a field injury kickstarts his senior year, heʼs turning his free time and attention to Wren. And maybe she might not want to be invisible after all. ***** [Watty's Collector's Edition Winner] [TFA Runaway Prize Winner] [[word count: 150,000-200,000 words]] Cover designed by Ashley Santoro

{Highest Ranking: #2 in Short Story} One collision. Two strangers. One unorthodox way to pay off her debt. Three weeks of late night conversations. One Date.

There were three things that Dawn was certain of: 1) she's tall (she stands 5'10 which is really tall for a girl and according to her, well, she's basically a giraffe), 2) her best friend is getting married and 3) she believes that she'll never find true love. But things started to change after she spilled hot coffee to this strange man named Eric who is: 1) he's short (he stands 5'7 which is really short for a guy), 2) is actually her neighbor and 3) lost his belief in love. Will they find their way together to believe in something again? (Copyright © Flores, Catherine 2015)

[BOOK TWO] "Anniversaries to some are like counting the years spent doing something great, years spent together, or years spent alive." I started slowly, voice dropping to a drawl as I peeked cautiously out of my bedroom blinds, scanning the road to see if there was a cloaked figure watching my every movement. "I view anniversaries as counting down the days till death finds me." *** After the events of her wonderfully packed 21st birthday, Addison was ready to retire back into her home and never again see the light of day. It wasn't a totally bad idea. After all, her family's generations-old riches was enough to tide her over until the day her past finally catches on, and until that day finally arrives, she had no intention to step out of her front door. And to think the last time she did, she ended up in the game of cat and mouse with a cynical hooded spirit that wanted her dead and her soul in a glass bottle for his own little sadistic collection. Silence had followed the whole year after the disastrous party. For nearly 365 days, Addison had no trouble with unwanted evil celestial beings lurking around her house in an attempt to take her soul away with a world-stopping kiss. However, the silence was too often, and the world had become too quiet. Reason being? Apparently, Death's new move was to kidnap her best friend Minnie Hoover in an attempt to bait her down to hell itself. Life became much quieter without one-third of her little clique. And so Addison ventured away from the safety of her home, in search of her best friend. After all, silence creeps the heart just as death does, and the world was now deadly silent. ***** Highest Rank Fantasy: #9 Highest Rank Teen Fiction: #77

THANK YOU, Wattpad, for the HQ Love Watty Award! Concept: A mysterious young woman flees from her troubled past only to discover it is impossible to escape THE SECRET that haunts her. *PLEASE NOTE: This story was originally inspired by the movie "Sleeping With the Enemy". * * * * * "I would never, Steven," she promised, turning away from him in an attempt to protect herself. "I know you wouldn't," he screamed. Cupping her chin in his hand, he forced her to look at him. "Because I would kill you." His words hung heavy in the air. Sarah's heart sank into her stomach. No matter how many times she'd heard the menacing phrase, she could never get used to it. It had the same affect on her as the first time he'd thrown the ugly words in her face. The familiar sting of bile rose in her throat, and she knew she would deplete the contents of her stomach once she was locked in the safety of their master bath. 'If I make it through this time,' she agonized. Her biggest fear was that one day he would really lose his temper with her. Who knew what would happen then? *This story is an unedited first draft. Top Ranks: Action #1, Mystery and Thriller #1 *This story contains scenes of abuse and may be disturbing to some readers. While the characters are fictional, domestic violence is a serious issue that many people across the world face. If you or someone you know is the victim of abuse, please seek help immediately. Notice: This document is not authorized for upload or use with artificial intelligence systems or platforms. Any attempt to upload, analyze, or process this content using AI technology is strictly prohibited.

After a devastating accident, Dean Adams finds himself drawn to his classmate, and nurse-in-training, Katie Reynolds. What he doesn't expect to discover is that, as much as he needs her, she needs him even more.

When Jane Madarang's neighbor Natalie kills herself and leaves behind cryptic instructions, it's up to Jane and her classmates to unearth deadly secrets. ***** Natalie Driscoll is dead. She threw herself out a window and left her neighbor Jane to unravel their town's darkest secrets. Following Natalie's instructions leads Jane to three other high school students who all have something to hide. The four of them must carry out Natalie's final errand while solving the mysteries written in her diary. But the secrets they unearth may be far more dangerous than what they ever imagined. Content and/or trigger warning: This story contains scenes of suicide, violence and murder that may be triggering for some readers. [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

"There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds."

Reece Bremer goes through life with a scowl and cold personality. Jessica Andrews goes through life with a glowing smile and positive outlook. Reece looks at life with dull, judgmental eyes that make him hate the world and the people living in it. Jessica, well... She looks at life through a camera. Literally. They're polar opposites, and that's what sparks Reece's immediate hate for Jessica the moment they meet. All he sees is a girl with the best life, put in the category of those who get everything handed to them on a silver platter. But who says Jessica's life is like that? Just like a photograph, there's more to the story than what you see. Stumbling across one of Jessica's hidden portfolio might reveal that her happiness isn't all that true. Behind that smile and each picture she takes, holds a thousand words of a very big secret - one that Reece is determined to find out. And who knows? It just might change everything between them. cover by dysanic || 2015 watty's winner for talk of the town ||