Pop-culture phenomenon, social rights advocate, and the most prominent LGBTQ+ voice on YouTube, Tyler Oakley brings you his first collection of witty, personal, and hilarious essays. For someone who made a career out of over-sharing on the Internet, Tyler has a shocking number of personal mishaps and shenanigans to reveal in his first book: experiencing a legitimate rage blackout in a Cheesecake Factory; negotiating a tense stand­off with a White House official; crashing a car in front of his entire high school, in an Arby's uniform; projectile vomiting while bartering with a grandmother; and so much more. In Binge, Tyler delivers his best untold, hilariously side-splitting moments with the trademark flair that made him a star.

"You'll be fine?" I shrieked. "You just got freaking stabbed! You're letting out more blood than a girl on her period! You are not going to be fine! I have to call the police. No wait, I have to call an ambulance! Oh my God, why didn't I think of that before? Stupid, Genevi-" "Stop talking!" he growled, turning away. I wrung my hands together in panic, trying to calm myself down. "I can take care of this, kitten. Leave me alone. It's just a small wound. Not like I haven't been stabbed before." he muttered the last part. "What?!" "Leave." he growled. I stared at him, unable to close my mouth. I had never seen someone get stabbed before. Heck, I had never seen someone get into a fight before. Ever. The only violence I had experienced was in movies. It was unfortunate for me that I found out how I would react in a danger situation like this. And by react, I mean completely flip the hell out. *LANGUAGE WARNING*

Nerdy Dakota Evans makes the biggest mistake of her life by falling in love with her best friend, Aaron Ford. Despite coming from entirely different cliques in school, will their relationship have a chance? *** In a high school where everyone belongs to cliques, nerdy and boyish Dakota Evans' friendship with basketball jock, Aaron Ford, becomes a big issue. Aaron's highly protective of Dakota and doesn't realize that she's in love with him. With their friendship eventually going on the rocks, will Aaron finally realize his true feelings for Dakota before it's too late? [[word count: 90,000-100,000 words]]

like the flash of a camera he was gone

[Now free to read!] Scott Wilson isn't used to being corrected, and he definitely didn't expect to get his biggest dose of criticism by his coach's daughter - Elle Monroe. ***** When Scott Wilson is drafted to try out for the Marlies hockey team, it's easily the best day of his life. He's cocky and for good reason. He's spent his entire life being told that he's a hockey prodigy and he knows that he's on the path to his destiny. Then Elle Monroe shows up, and throws off his entire plan. Elle - the daughter of his coach - is loud, rude, confident, and gets a special kick out of knocking Scott down a peg or two. Scott doesn't want to accept the help she's offering, but eventually he does, and it turns into a lot more than he was expecting. Scott isn't used to a lot of things, but there's one especially that he's never prepared for: a beautiful, loud girl stealing his jersey every day before their practices. [Winner of the 2015 Watty's 'cover to cover'] [completed]

The Wattys 2014 "Undiscovered Gem" Stella Henry is afraid of a lot of things. As a child, her simple, comfortable home life did not prepare her for the sort of people whom she would meet as a younger teenager. Now eighteen and a freshman at Clemson University, Stella meets Charlie, who, like her, has long been keeping others at bay. Though his disposition is kind and gentle, Charlie is a boxer, and his world only reminds Stella of elements of her past she would like to forget. When both realize that they have a safe place in one another, they start to overcome their fear of other people, and of letting them get close enough to matter. In many ways, this is a story about allowing people to matter to our lives, and about meaning something to them, in turn. At some point in your day, in your routine, in your life, you will matter to someone. That is a special kind of power, do be careful with it. "We love people not so much for the good they've done us, as for the good we've done them." Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

Ever been stuck on an elevator? Try being stuck in an elevator for 30 hours straight with nothing but a worn- out purse and a handsome stranger.

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 ||