In 2045, Psychwatch treats the mentally ill or cages them. Margo wants to bring empathy to every patient but a killer pushes her, and the system, to the limits ***** In a dark future, more than a third of the United States population suffers from mental illness and violent crime is on the rise. In response, Psychwatch is formed - an organization intended to combine mental healthcare and law enforcement - creating monitored areas and neglected ones known as the Psycho Slums. Margo Sandoval is the latest recruit to Psychwatch, bringing a new level of empathy to the controversial agency known for its unforgiving methods. Margo spends her days as an Empath treating everyone possible, until the arrival of a new serial killer upends her life and forces her to confront the evils of the human mind and the system that claims to be the solution.

Ari Callahan has no idea how to talk to boys -- or how to talk to anyone for that matter. Enter Zac, the cute new guy in town who won't stop texting her. But is his interest real, or does he have a hidden agenda? ***** Found as a young child washed up on the beach, 17-year-old Ari Callahan has never uttered a word out loud to anyone -- not even her adoptive family. Psychologists have diagnosed her with a condition called selective mutism, but Ari can't help identifying with her namesake character, Ariel, the little mermaid in the fairytale whose voice was stolen by a sea witch. Mermaid-obsession aside, Ari's silence makes socializing tough. She's never had a boyfriend or been asked out on a date. Not until Zac, the confident new arrival in town, asks for her number. But Zac has his own reasons for texting with Ari. He's part of a movement to sabotage the artificial music app called SirenSong, threatening to render human singing obsolete. Zac's collaborators have scoured the globe in search of a singing voice perfect enough to break the SirenSong spell, and their search has led them straight to Ari's beachside town. Will her relationship with Zac help Ari find her voice and unlock the secrets of her origins? Or will he use her and leave her high and dry? Title: Ari and Zac (formerly The Mermaid Hypothesis) Content Warning: This story contains references to selective mutism, suicidal thoughts, and early childhood trauma.

ORGINALLY A 'PAID' STORY. NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON/KU *** 4 CHAPTER SAMPLE HERE *** Jake Bryant must stop the criminal mastermind who orchestrated the murder of his best friend from killing his new family. ***** More dark secrets from Jake Bryant's past come to light. Dolan, the criminal mastermind who ordered the hit on Jake's best friend, Tom, is searching for evidence Tom collected against him for another murder - evidence Tom hid with his widow before his death. Desperate to bring Dolan to justice, Jake finds himself in a race against time to save the lives of those he loves. But with allies double-crossing him left and right, Jake must discover who he can trust before Tom's family is destroyed along with the evidence. Can Jake win the race or will he die just like his friend? [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]