「 WATTYS 2019 WINNER 」 the failings of a surgically healed heart, is a series of autobiographical poems arranged into six thematic parts to form a collection which examines the idea of the collective and how that informs individual. i. family an exploration of my relationship with the men and boys in my household and how that has worsened, whilst the opposite is true of the rest of my family ii. immigrant an exploration of the immigrant experience and how as the first child of igbo parents; i was the intermediate between the east and west iii. spirituality an exploration of growing up in the catholic faith and an examination of all its faults and hypocrisies. iv. loving an exploration of friendship, artistry, sexuality, failed romance, but most importantly self-love and all it entails. v. womanhood an exploration of how in many ways puberty was a bitter sweet reality check along with everything that it entailed. vi. catharsis a reflection on the worst period of time in my life where, with hindsight, i come to terms with harsh and lovely realities of life and death.

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION When her initiation into her college's History Club goes awry, Sol has to come face to face with Ethan-the cute guy whose house she just broke into. ***** Soledad Gutierrez, or Sol to her friends, decides to join the History Club at her Community college. However, this club is not like other clubs: they have an initiation process and a slew of other 'extracurricular activities.' In order to join the club, Sol must break into the oldest house in her small Californian town and steal one of their forks. The club members provide all the materials to break in; she just needs to take the utensil, take a selfie in the kitchen, and get out undetected-with the fork, of course. The problem is: Ethan Winston spots Sol in his grandparent's house, and he's determined to uncover the reason behind the break-in. However, both he and Sol are thrown for a loop when feelings begin to develop between them. And as Ethan becomes suspicious of the History Club, he and Sol get tangled in an adventure none of them were expecting. [[word count: 90,000-100,000 words]] [[Wattys 2019 Winner for Young Adult + Being Published by Wattpad Books in Fall 2020]]

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.

*COMPLETED* "You think I'd murder you?" He laughed humorlessly. "I- what?" I stuttered, looking at him with a lost expression. If he didn't want to kill me, what was all of this then? "What's your name, speedy?" He asked after shaking his head. "Why would I-I tell you my name?" I tried to sound brave, but this whole scenario was just freaking me out. "I'll find out, eh?" He gave me a smirk. What? "For what? You can just kill me now. I don't want to live like this anymore." I breathed out. I really don't. His loud and obnoxious laugh pulled me out of my thoughts. What's so funny? "You're funny. But-" He took a step closer and I immediately stepped backwards. "-the stunt you pulled last week-" My back hit the wall and I gasped as he stood only a few inches away from me now. His finger lifted my chin and I gulped. "-was not." His smirk was replaced by a serious expression. His eyes were so dark and captivating, I couldn't look away. "And you know what they say, speedy?" He continued as his eyes flickered towards my mouth. I shook my head and his smirk was back. "Keep your friends close. But-" He clenched his jaw. "Keep your enemies closer."

❝Tell me a story, love.❞ In which, a slave girl tells a bloodthirsty king a story in exchange for her life. [07.15.16] all rights reserved ©2016

When the arrogant stranger Bess is forced to marry unexpectedly becomes a duke, she'll find herself at odds with her growing feelings as he hunts for a killer. ***** Sharp-tongued Elizabeth 'Bess' Jones is perfectly content living on her lonesome in a tiny village south of Derbyshire. She works as a nurse, owns a small home, and finds the label of 'spinster' an agreeable trade for her independence. But when her entire life is uprooted in an instant, she only has one person to blame: her new husband, Emmett Wilde, who was caught in a compromising situation with her. And now, despite his promise to fake a death certificate after their wedding--to free her of any duty to him or their marriage bed--he sends for her in the dead of night with startling news: his father has been murdered, and he is now the Duke of Ascot with a wife he can no longer deny... [[Word Count: 60,000-70,000 words]] [[Cover designed by Ren Tachibana]]

At sixteen, Sunngifu is more of a spoiled child than a dignified thane's daughter. She is destined to a life of wealth and power. Until her father fails to pay the Viking's tribute...

**Only the bonus chapter is paid, the rest of the story is (and will stay) free!!** Libby Marks-Whelan is decidedly not a lady. Kicked out of nearly every finishing school in the country, she's shocked when her demure, straight-laced cousin Ella invites her to the royal court as attendant during her debutante season. What Ella fails to realize, however, is that Libby's brand of mischief is exactly the kind of distraction Prince Andrew is looking for during his inaugural season as an eligible bachelor. Cover designed by Adam Budny

Aurelia, a Noble Roman woman, had heard of the savage British tribes, their mystic Celtic ways, and the battles the Roman army was fighting against them on their shores. The battles her soon-to-be Husband, Quintus Acquilla, was fighting in the name of the Eagle. But she could not have predicted that, when she crossed the ocean to be with him and fulfil the marriage contract between their families, she would be captured by a Barbarian War Lord and made to be his War Prize...

It's 1516 and the Italian Renaissance is booming. Our story starts with two very young different people. Francesca Visconti is a beautiful girl who's able to charm those with her quick wit and unseen intelligence hidden between the layers of thick unruly red hair. Giovanni D'Medici is one hell of a rake who beds any common whore and even his maids. He doesn't believe in love or such and thinks his future bride to be is an ugly hag just as rumours say. In the easiest terms to explain, he's a plain bastard. But everything changes when the two are brought together through the classic means of an arranged marriage. Though with a rake like Giovanni, will Francesca ever feel happiness? Even when he's touching another woman a few rooms next door?