In the era where swords rule, where women consider their modesty their greatest virtue. Where a man would kill to find his wife warming another mans bed, a time when women would consider it the greatest of adultery or fornication to warm a bed other than her husbands. A time when an honorable man guards his gaze, for his gaze is solely for his wife alone, as well as his heart. He's feared, ruthless, cold, heartless, manipulative, cunning, a rake. Or so they assume... She's beautiful yet silent, not by a defect, she simply dislikes to mingle with gossip.Yet she has emotional scars that no one sees behind her smile, but a few. Cover by @forcade

Treasure Lloyd is a twenty-eight year old business mogul and entrepreneur residing in Philadelphia. Instead of working for her father like her twenty-four year old brother Manner, Treasure took the high road on her own with her line up of businesses. From boutiques to manufacturing companies and promotions. She does it all. Including, having to take on father's business when he becomes ill. Having to slow her own business down, she finds herself running both companies and meeting Carter. Carter Owens is a twenty-nine year old club owner residing in Philadelphia as well. Not growing up with as much privilege as Treasure, Carter went through a world of struggles to become as successful as he is now. He watched his father struggle and knew that he had to do better for himself. Usually when he meets someone like Treasure, he has a certain attitude towards them. However, something about Treasure keeps him interested. It's just something about her. Take a journey with Treasure and Carter as two different worlds collide. This is an Urban-Fiction, Secure the Bag.

**PLEASE READ SECURE THE BAG FIRST BEFORE READING THIS STORY!!** We followed the journey of Treasure and Carter, who showed us how to love and Secure the Bag. Although it's was easy for them, others began having trouble. Kelis Rogers is a thirty year old woman who lives in Philadelphia, P.A. Growing up with two parents, she always had the example of what love should be like. Her feelings on love was always unbalanced. Either she wanted love, or she didn't. Until she gave her heart to one person, who eventually left her broken. Once she met Ty, she felt whole again, only to change her mind. TyHeem 'Ty' Moss is a thirty-one year old personal trainer and gym owner. He lives in Norristown, P.A., but was raised by his single father in North Philadelphia. Unlike Kelis, he didn't have an example of love in his home. However, he always knew what he wanted. When he met Kelis, he could see a future with her. Kelis felt otherwise, but Ty won't give up on her. Follow the journey of Kelis and Ty as they go through family and past dramas. This is...Secure the Heart.

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.

@amazingphil now follows you- texting fic ; copyright © 2018

After Li Meixing is executed by her lover alongside her family, she wakes up four years earlier and searches for a way to survive the coming conflict. ***** Li Meixing is living the perfect life. Her father is a powerful politician in the Qi Kingdom, and she is engaged to the charismatic new Emperor, Huang Siming. But at the Emperor's coronation, Li and her family are framed as traitors by and ruthlessly executed. When Meixing wakes up, she finds that she has returned to the day when she first met Huang Siming. Now no longer naive and knowing what is to come, Meixing must dive into the world of politics that she has always avoided in order to save her family from their terrible fate. If she fails, she won't have a third chance.

**A Blue Beard retelling** Based on Charles Perrault's fairytale, this YA Historical Fantasy short story set in Victorian England mixes romance, magic and mystery. After agreeing to an arranged marriage to escape her greedy relatives, 18-year-old heiress Amelia moves into her husband's manor determined to start a new life. But the gothic mansion's forbidding surroundings, the servants' strange demeanour and her husband's mysterious past soon awaken her suspicions. If Amelia truly wants to become the lady of the house, she'll have to discover what secrets lie beyond closed doors and unravel the mystery of the old house's forbidden room. But sometimes secrets are kept for a good reason... HIGHEST RANKING IN HISTORICAL FICTION # 44 Copyright © 2017. All works posted here are the property of EM Castellan. Please do not use without permission. Any duplication or reproduction of all or part of the work without explicit permission by the author is illegal. Cover artist: @seventhstar