(This is a prequel of I Never Imagined.) Being best friends with Sophia Smith, Sonia has seen all kinds of drama. Whether it be from old friends, fellow classmates, or between her Sophia and her, all kinds of drama is documented in her diary. And being the badass she is, she can take on any kind of torments. How does this badass deal with all the hurdles thrown at her so quickly? Cover made by @armeiallanes Completed on 1/19/20! Highest rankings: #1 in middleschool #35 in diary #330 in humor #1 in diaryentries #39 in teenagers #494 in drama #67 in bestfriend #2 in firstperson #62 in badass #15 in spinoff #182 in youngadult #527 in teenfiction

WATTYS WINNER 2020 Two interconnected murders, 64 years apart. One woman's search for truth and identity. Readers' comments: 'a masterpiece', 'impeccably written', 'amazing', 'superbly crafted page-turner', 'hauntingly beautiful', 'tremendous plot and character development', 'one of a kind', 'fantastic story telling', 'loved this book', 'a wonderful read", 'absolutely beautiful', 'brought tears to my eyes' and many more Wattys judging panel: 'This is VERY good. We were HOOKED from the beginning, and the writing and plot hold up throughout. This is a very unique, polished, well-written and well-researched piece.' Plot Set partly in rural England, partly on the sun-kissed coast of southerm Italy, The Painted Altar is a murder mystery mixed with romantic and historical elements (World War Two). Given away at two days old, Mary Rice has spent her life in the shadows. When discovering the suspicious circumstances surrounding her biological mother's death, she embarks on a journey which will shine a light not only on the truth but also on her own identity. Brief extract Suddenly, the door had inched open, half a wrinkled face visible behind the tautened chain. "Hello. Who is it?" The words I was going to say had of course been well-rehearsed, repeated over and over in my mind like a mantra, but now that the moment had arrived I found myself struggling to remember them. "Mrs Harvey... I think that you might... well, that you might be..." The door closed, then slowly opened once more, the chain this time unlatched. And there she was before me - half a metre away, within arm's reach. Thin lips gradually crooking upwards at each corner like the slow beatific kindling of a summer's dawn. "Oh yes love, I know who you are." Length: 70,000 words About the author: Originally from England but for the last 16 years I've been living in Italy. I hope therefore that the Italian aspects of the novel will have a certain gloss of authenticity.

Nadia, orphaned by the first Vigilant Men uprising, is taken in by Mr. Lennox, an ominous man with a vision to create the most stunning ballet company in existence. He teaches the already talented girl to dance like an unearthly creature, bestowing upon her almost magical powers of a most breathtaking kind. However, as he builds the famous Lennox Company, the uprising once again stirs the nation, and the opulent ballet finds itself out of place in the new and austere culture of the Vigilant Men. Throughout it all, Nadia falls in love with her partner, Ferdinand, a famous young dancer who awakens her long silent heart. A jealous Lennox, the growing civil unrest, and a nation at war conspire to separate the dancers forever. Nadia must find a strength inside of her to brave her new world and fend for herself against the coming of an uncertain future.

Chosen when a child, Lady Joselyn is trained to be a ruthless killer. She is destined to be the English king's assassin and protector. Only he and the guild master are supposed to know. It's a life and death secret that must be kept. For an assassin survival is precarious. Life is something you simply cannot take for granted because the next day is never granted. Despite her privileged upbringing, Joselyn quickly learned how to survive on her own and to never trust a soul while following the Guild without question. Upon her return to England, a murderous plot against King Cassiush is discovered. Joselyn is shocked when she finds out who the fiend is. She's even more shocked when the King proposes marriage, a lot. An assassin has never married her king before. The last one who fell in love had her tongue ripped out and was burned alive. Letting her emotions cloud her judgment, Joselynfalls for Cassius and agrees to the marriage, jeopardizing not only his life but her own. Disobeying the Guild means death. Now she must figure out how to keep them both alive and not piles of smoldering ash.