In the late 1960s in Australia, orphaned Maddie is thrust into her aunt's care, uncovering family secrets while sparking laughter and growth in cousins Simon and Edith (Didi). As shy Simon stumbles to shed his stutter and bratty Didi sheds her "Didiot" ways, Maddie's life darkens under the shadow of a corrupt politician's son. After a harrowing ordeal leaves her vulnerable and alone, she finds refuge with a kind artist named Bill Shakespeare, whose name whispers of destiny. Will their bond thrive amidst the psychedelic dawn of a new age, or unravel like a fragile dream?

Tallulah thought she was safe. She has a house outside Oklahoma City. A steady job at a daycare. A boyfriend she plans to marry. A future she's been building carefully, lovingly, the way she was told to. Then one morning, Joaquin doesn't come home. STOLEN is a work of political fiction about love interrupted by the state. About immigration enforcement, systemic racism, and what happens when "doing everything right" still isn't enough. Inspired by real-world injustices, this story asks one question: What does the law take-and who gets left behind?

Rambling ruminations, words of wisdom and awesome alliteration from your favorite coyote. An experiment, not so much a story as a stream of consciousness focused on human folly. Please enjoy the silly similes and playful, philosophical, political, provocative, purposeful, and pensive prose, pontifications, parables, philippics and polemics. As with Schrodinger's cat, everything is uncertain until you take a peek. Spoiler, the cat is alive. What happens to the rest of us is the uncertainty.

I read somewhere that when you stop believing in Santa Claus, you get underwear for Christmas. Well, I'm not going to give you just any underwear. I'm giving you my Christmas shorts. A collection of short Christmas stories. Some romances, some humor, and a lot of Christmas sentimentality.

~Wattys 2025 Winner~ BLOODLINES: THE BLOOD WITCH Book One of the Bloodlines Trilogy When Morgan Doran inherits her family's ancestral estate, she expects dust, secrets, and maybe a little madness-not a haunting, a legacy of forbidden power, and a warlock sworn to kill her. But Callum Rook isn't just any warlock. Bound by blood and prophecy, he arrives at the castle with a mission-to stop the rise of the last Blood Witch. Yet Morgan is nothing like the monster he was raised to fear. She is human. Fierce. Magnetic. And when he chooses love over legacy, everything unravels. As Morgan's powers awaken, ancient forces rise to claim her. Her bloodline carries not only the power to destroy, but the memory of betrayal, sacrifice, and a curse that spans generations. The deeper she falls for Callum, the more dangerous their love becomes. With enemies closing in and her destiny hurtling toward a tragic end, Morgan must decide: will she accept her fate, or rewrite it in fire and blood? Darkly romantic, chillingly magical, and emotionally devastating-Bloodline: The Blood Witch is a gothic fantasy of love, power, and the price of defying prophecy.

ONC 2025 JASMINE BAKER has given up on men and has decided to find herself. She catches the 6.20 from Flinders Street, each evening. Intrigued by one of her fellow passengers, she watches and listens to phone calls she can't understand. Jasmine witnesses Train Guy exchange packages with another passenger. Her imagination takes over. He has to be a drug dealer. When she sees him beating a man on the station platform Jasmine realises, she could be in danger. An unknowing witness to what must be criminal activity. Prompts - 57 - Two lovers - one is the villain, but no one knows it except the other. Can their love survive the truth? 126 - Because you're you, and I'm me and we just don't fit - Idea of you. Book by Robinne Lee.

🌊The Shortys 2025 Shortlist🌊 A short story, my entry for the Shortys 2025, followed by a few poems for the same contest. The short story is inspired by the Flannan Isles lighthouse mystery. The poems are all lighthouse themed.

At what point do scientific advancements become unethical? Is the opportunity for an easier life worth more than the one who gave it? The intelligence of the brain is a great strength, but the weakness of the heart is a person's biggest downfall. When grief clouds judgment, it threatens to drag many to the depths of hell. The apple of one young man's eye might be among the crowd, even against her will. Regardless of the odds, he won't rest until he sees her smile. Achievements~ 🏅Round three Ambys qualifier 🥇In the short story category for the 2025 Turtle Awards

She was once a character in a deleted story, now lost and memoryless in the Library Limbo. If she wants to get her memories back, she's going to have to work on her backstory - by helping to fix some stories that have gone wrong. Now, she's forced to team up with an overly-peppy cheerleader and a guy who insists he used to be a detective. As they delve into romance, mystery, and fairy tale stories, she realizes that things might not be as simple as they seemed. All she can do is hope the next plot twist isn't her own.

An earlier version made the ONC 2025 Long List. This is the longer, revised version for the Wattys. Scott an insecure idealistic young man gets his girlfriend Zelda new virtual reality goggles that control one's senses and thoughts. The complete immersion in the MMORPG adventure cannot be distinguished from reality and raises the question will their love survive virtual realities with dream lovers and none of the inhibitions of actual reality. An exploration of ideas on love, sexuality, reality and the impact of future mind-altering technologies. Hopefully thought provoking and entertaining.