☆☆ Watty Award Winner 2020 ☆☆ Cooper Daniels lives next door to a psychopath. He just can't prove it...yet. When the most popular girl in high school is murdered at a Halloween party, Cooper's suspicions become a reality. He knows exactly who did it. But how is he supposed to prove his charming neighbor is a killer? Meanwhile, Calla Parker is waking up with blood under her nails, and she has no idea why. Unable to remember the night before, Calla begins to suspect herself of murder. She's relieved to find out the police have zero evidence to go on. Yet she can't help but shake the feeling she's being watched - very closely. And she knows why. Cooper Daniels knows her secret. ☆ Cover by @CarKann ☆

#SurvivalRomance #ForcedProximity #Fast-paced BOUGHT BY WATTPAD WEBTOON STUDIOS FOR PUBLISHING/MOVIE DEALS!!! (Contract expired September, 2025) Winner of the Wattys 2020 Award Plot: In 1974, the mysterious cult's mass kidnapping and ritualistic killing led to the summoning of the Shade-a paranormal entity of living shadow. Ever since then, starting in October in Bastillio-a city in the Philippines steeped in history and superstition-the Shade would be seen haunting twelve teenagers at night throughout the month, often resulting in their deaths. But the discovery of U.V. lights as a deterrent from the Shade led the government to establish a system to contain the Shade's threat. Fast forward to 2025, twenty years after the system had successfully prevented any more deaths, the media and global firestorm surrounding the phenomenon died down. So when sixteen-year-old Vergil Torres was identified as one of the twelve and was immediately brought to Biringan-the government shelter where haunteds like him would stay for the month-he was more excited than scared for his life. But the gruesome and inexplicable death of one of them during their stay in the supposedly safe house renews the horror of the Shade. Vergil, together with his classmate and fellow haunted, the "traditional morena beauty" Cana Bernardo, decided to get to the bottom of it. The two classmates who were indifferent to each other must now work together if they are to survive through the month.

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.

A WATTYS SHORTS WINNER: POETRY CATEGORY #1 in Poems #1 in Poetry A collection of poetry about the most powerful feeling in the world. Love hurts, but love heals. Love shatters, but love fixes what's broken. Cover by @salemkeating