Ellie Harris (they/he) has hit a patch of bad luck. Their dad died, they lost their job, their boyfriend cheated on them, and, to top things off, they literally trip over a black cat. What else could go wrong? Then Ellie learns their dad was a witch, the cat is not a cat, they're the heir to the 'Ivy Throne' (whatever the f -k that is), and certain people want to kill them for it. 'What else could go wrong?' is soon a question Ellie learns not to ask. - - - Open Novella Contest prompt # 91: 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘧𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 - 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘺. - - - Copyright SG Gardner, 2022.

Astraeus, a baby dragon, escapes from his old coven and stumbles upon a little shop that he spends months stealing from and hiding in to survive. The witch and familiars who live there are... strange. They know he takes from them but don't put up different wards, don't do things that could hurt him. They know that he has a hide out in the aster tree, that he lives close-instead of getting rid of him and forcing him to move, they visit him. Talk to him, leave him things, they're kind. Different. Stranger than any other witch or familiar he's ever met. Stray is not used to things that don't hurt. The gentleness is terrifying. He'd rather stay away from them than learn why they don't have sharp tongues or bruised knuckles. However, on the night of a bad storm, he gets trapped inside of the shop, trapped with kind strangers. After getting caught, he discovers another dragon. He learns that life is not meant to be painful. He learns that he can be loved. He's allowed to want things with them. To eat, to not fear the cold, to live instead of survive. Everything changes and Stray is determined to make them his hoard, to make it complete.

After an accident leaves him crippled, Kai Humphrey finds himself at Constance Academy. The Academy is divided into two sections: the Blues, who are the gifted students that rule the school, and the Maroons, who are the trouble making delinquents. Kai is enrolled into the Peer Program, where he's stuck with Jin Amano and his eccentric group of friends. But Jin's group has a dangerous goal: they want to take down Adam Constance, the powerful, abusive man who will take over the Academy. Kai never meant to get involved in any of it, but that doesn't stop him from getting helplessly tangled with Jin and his rebellious plans.

Brennan Kipling is hanging by a thread. After a wave of trouble gets him sent to Constance Academy, nicknamed Conversion Academy by its students, all it will take is one more incident to ruin his future. But Brennan realizes he can't kick his problematic habits as easily as he'd like to when he gets roped into Beckett Townsend's crew. The rebellious group of friends like to sabotage and torment the abusive staff of the Academy. With the headmaster's son hot on their heels to put an end to their rebellion, Brennan might be in for more trouble than he can handle.

When Killian's parents find out that he's gay, they decide to send him to Constance Academy in hopes of fixing him. Nicknamed Conversion Academy, the brutal school is known to the students for it's harsh methods implemented to change their behaviors. Kaz Warrick is a problem student who gets a kick out of pissing off the faculty of the Academy, drawing Killian into his outrageous schemes. Killian quickly comes to realize that he's in over his head as he and his classmates fight a battle against the staff that's trying to break their spirits and change who they are. Cover by: @_ebonyjayne

Levi wasn't the kind of guy to go around kissing strangers, least of all the insufferable princes these events tended to attract. But something about Prince Charles made him feel a little stupid -- almost stupid enough to believe in love at first sight. ~~~ When Levi, the youngest prince of Arthur Island, is forced by his parents to attend a performative "good relations" ball in their rival country, he can't wait for the night to end. That is, until he meets Prince Charles, the charming heir to the Elizabethan throne. Love is in the air, so palpable they can't seem to escape it no matter how hard they try. As if navigating seventeen-year-old emotions isn't hard enough already, their families drop a bomb that will only make it harder: In the name of permanent peace, Prince Charles is to marry Arthur's youngest royal. No, not Levi. His twin sister, Amelia.

" Across country? With you?" " admit it, you want to." -- Carter Grace didn't like her neighbor. She didn't like his love for old rock music, beanies, and worn black combat boots. She didn't like the way he'd smile a smile where the right corner of his mouth would tilt up just slightly more than the left. She especially didn't like it when he called her Angel. Nicholas Arson has a passion for the simple way of things, old rock, batman, and his worn combat boots. He loves to drown out the world with his music. He especially loves playing the piano, guitar, or any instrument he could get his hands on. He also finds joy in bothering his next door neighbor, Carter Grace. And when Nicholas learn that Carter's grandmother is all the way across the country, and that his Angel was going all the way to her to bring her home, he couldn't help but bud in. -- " I'll drive you the whole way there, and pay for gas."

After their Last Project was a success, The Gay Project had spent years planning on another big project. This time, how about we make a couple of daddies? Society said Gays or Lesbians can't be good parents. That every kid must have a Mummy figure and a Daddy figure. Well, The Gay Project Organization is here to prove to you that Gays as well as Lesbians can be just as good as a straight parents. Or even better? Four men are brought to a small town when they wake up to realize they don't know the lives they are living. Everyone seem to know them as if they have been there all their lives, but that's just the tip if the ice. What happens when they find out they've been coupled up and worse, they have two kids together? Gay and Daddies? Pfft. Well, that's The Gay Project for you. [May contain Strong Language, Violence and Mature Content. Viewers discretion is advised.]

This new organisation, The Gay Project, has come up with a way to prove to people that being gay is not a choice. They picked eight straight different men from different part of the world and took them to an island they own. Of course, the men don't know this but we do. So for survival before help comes, they will be given tasks and be living off the rewards. At first it would be simple because we are giving them time to form a bond before things start to get steamy and very gay. The Gay Project will prove to you audience that in good times and bad, love always finds a way to bring two people together. But will it be able to bring at least two straight men or make all of them gay? I mean, it is a gay project. [May contain scenes with Strong language, Violence and Mature Content. Viewers discretion is advised]

Damon Jacobs is new to the Hollywood scene. His bad boy attitude and sexy British accent make this up-and-comer someone to watch out for. Topher Ashton has been a Hollywood Heartthrob since he was a teenager. He's the one all the girls want and all the guys strive to be. Even with a miserable past; Topher is the envy of all. It's the premiere of one of Hollywood's newest blockbusters. Costars - and best friends - Topher and Damon are set to be the newest 'It-boys' when 'Save The Day' their new superhero comedy hits the box office. Will one drunken after-party change everything? And more importantly, will they lose a great friendship or will everything work out 'for better or for worse'?