Adele knows she witnessed a murder - what she doesn't know is just how personal it is. ***** A girl was brutally murdered in the basement of a sorority house in spring 2011. Adele Theroux thinks she saw the killer - and the killer definitely saw her. What she doesn't know is why this all happened and who this guy is. As she tries to solve the mystery from a distance while in witness protection, the connections keep getting weirder and more personal. Might she be able to relate to the killer in a way that no one else can? And what does that mean about her own psyche? *2019 Watty Award for Mystery/Thriller* [[word count: 50,000-60,000 words]] Cover designed by April Alforque

An #OpenNovellaContest (#ONC) Ambassador Pick! Eleanor and Lydia, book 1 Armed with knitting needles and a fantastic playlist, Eleanor and Lydia set off to solve The Mystery of Novak Manor. Eleanor Albright is a spritely ninety-year-old ex-detective with more than a few skeletons in her closet and a grim determination to keep them there by hiding from the world. Her great-granddaughter Lydia is twenty-two- years old and sorely misunderstood by the world. After all, just because a girl dresses in all black and listens to My Chemical Romance doesn't mean she lacks vision or hope. Well... maybe hope. When Lord Novak calls Eleanor from his castle in a tiny, beautiful Eastern European nation with a desperate plea for help, she agrees, with mixed emotions, to come out of retirement and she talks Lydia into serving as her assistant. Now the two women must find the truth about the fearsome ghost that's haunting Novak Manor before the "ghost" finds the legendary secret treasure with the power to bring the monarchy to its knees.

As an accountant, Dylan Reed's life revolves around revenues and expenses. Until a trivial encounter brings him and a free spirited surfer named Penny Campbell together. Spontaneous, energetic and lively, Penny shows Dylan that there is more to life than just numbers. When an accident takes away Penny's vision, the tables turn. Suddenly vulnerable, the formerly radiant surfer isolates herself from the rest of the world, including Dylan. As the girl he has come to love becomes a shell of her past self, Dylan takes it upon himself to help Penny discover the beauty of life from a whole new perspective.

PERSONAL ASSISTANT NEEDED. People skills optional. Ability to take drink orders preferred. Personal mode of transport a MUST. To Reply, Contact Dr. M's home office: 1-555-TRBLE-4-U (Idiots and those prone to knock-knock jokes need not apply.) ◎ ◎ ◎ Nobody in their right mind would respond to a help wanted listing so vague. Enter, Robin Banks. The wacky exploits of a narcoleptic super villain and his reluctant sidekick. [COMPLETED FIRST DRAFT - #22 in Humor on 4/12/15]

When Myrtle Clover and her friend Miles attend a play in their small town, there's a full house on opening night. It's clear to Myrtle that one of the actresses is a stage hog who loves stealing the spotlight. Nandina Marshall certainly does upstage everyone-when her murder forces an unexpected intermission. Can Myrtle and Miles discover who was behind her final curtain call....before murder makes an encore?