**A WATTPAD FEATURED COLLECTION** A young girl takes her first steps into the real world. A boy experiences the joy and pain of a first love. An old man relives the stories he's written. These are just some of the stories of The Carnival Papers, a volume of short stories dealing with life, loss, and love.

Have you ever wondered what your dog is thinking? Zelda is a curly-tailed, wrinkly, stubborn pug. But, she isn't an ordinary pug content to eat and sleep her days away. Zelda is always searching for a new adventure, mystery to solve, or squirrel to catch, and her unexpected reactions cause readers to smile and laugh. The thirteen short stories in this book connect and build into a story arc creating an exciting chapter book for young readers, providing a glimpse into the mind of a curious canine. But no matter your age, pug fanatics and dog lovers will enjoy the adventures of this enchanting pug who grabs life like a bone and won't let go. The Adventures of Zelda series is available for purchase in ebook and paperback formats. Learn more here - http://kristenotte.com/books/the-adventures-of-zelda-series/

[A WATTPAD FEATURED STORY] Okay, so Dr. Octavius is a kooky but lovable mad scientist. You'd really like him if you ever met him. But one day he disappears through a secret door into another world. His niece Sarah and his lab assistant Zeke set out to find him and end up in Quartzwater City, a bizarre land filled with talking animals, mythical creatures, bloodsucking plants, and the strongest alcoholic beverages ever concocted. They enlist the aid of local private eye Maximillian J. Toad, who might be incompetent at his job and also might possibly have a serious drinking problem. Oh yeah, some freaky dude with razor-sharp teeth who hates outsiders is after them as well. This outrageous fantasy comedy adventure features chills, thrills, and, of course, forbidden monkey love.

All Kelly wanted was to sell a few million in Canadian diamonds to fund her next scheme (annexing Quebec and ransoming a few small European countries are at the top of her list)...that is until the Kanuck Crusader goes and messes up her business model... And to top it off, her latest batch of minions wouldn't know a windchill warning if it hit them. Supervillains, bunny slippers, and Yukon. Enough said.

Spray Painted Bananas is a romantic comedy about Amber, a broke temp working in a catering firm in London, who after one too many evenings scrounging free wine from wacky art gallery openings with her best friend Farrell, decides there’s no reason she can’t become a conceptual artist herself. A chance meeting with the wealthy, young art curator, Elliott Frinton-Smith, sets things off in a desirable direction. Now all Amber needs is a brilliant idea to grab the attention of the nation. Spray Painted Bananas explores love and ambition with the touch of the absurd and plenty of bananas. It is OUT NOW published under the title THE TEMP by Harper Collins.

Sometimes all you really need is a place to call home. *** Claire is lost and scared and utterly alone. Her family is in shambles after the death of her older sister Ina, and she's left to pick up the broken pieces of herself as her life heads into a downwards spiral of loneliness. Her heart leads her to 5:48, a little cafe by 33rd street, where she finds her new home. With a broken heart and a speech disability, Jasper has his heart and mouth sewn shut by the winding threads of hurt and fear. Painting and serving coffee in cafe 5:48 are one of his last few saving graces, but the smile he's been painting on himself will soon fade away as everything he's ever held dear slips away from his grasp. Ezra is out-of-sync and oddly cold by the way life has treated his young self. Abandoned by his single mother at an early age, he has grown up thinking that he is a mistake. His constant shaking hands are a reflection of what he often thinks of himself, but the delightful pastries he bakes for 5:48's customers are a reflection of what others see of him. Drew is a quirky rarity. He is a dash of loud, a pinch of exuberant, and a cup of eccentric - just like the meals he serves in the cafe as the only chef there. Behind his playful grins and outlandish clothes, however, are his jutting ribs, hollowed cheeks, and too-thin arms. Sometimes he cannot stomach being in his own skin as much as he cannot stomach food. This family has gone a long way from finding each other, and they'll be going a long way together too as reality comes catching up to them, threatening the newfound happiness they've found with each other. Secrets are revealed, pasts become presents, and lives are changed. Slowly but surely, they find their way back home. *** NOTE AS OF 08/2026: This is the old version of the story from 2012, posted in FULL. Another story that will be considered a reprise of this old version is in the works, and will be posted under the name "Hiraya House."

Liz meets Cody, a broken boy who is pining for his lost love, Peyton, whom Liz knew when Peyton was alive. Liz has to fight love against loyalty as she tried to remain sober in a world where alcohol rules. Cover by @surrealinfinities