Bound by fate to a powerful alien king, a strong-willed human woman must navigate desire, danger, and destiny-discovering that the heart she resists may be the one thing worth surrendering ~ She was human. He was a king from another world. And fate has bound them together. Claimed against her will, she must navigate a world of alien power, forbidden desire, and a bond that won't be denied. Can she resist the king who ignites her heart-or will surrendering to him be the only way to survive? Highest Rankings: #44 in Fiction #284 in Love. #269 in Mates

A 2019 Watty Winner. For fans of Allison Pataki and Philippa Gregory, THE NYMPH OF VERSAILLES is based on the true story of Madame Montespan's rise and fall at the court of King Louis XIV. Being the Sun King's mistress is a coveted position in a court full of greedy courtiers vying for power and Athénaïs de Montespan won't let anything stand in the way of her stealing the king's heart-not even poison. When the king's interest in his mistress Louise begins to wane, Montespan sees the position as a possible escape from her husband's mounting debts and loveless marriage. Her strained friendship with Louise doesn't stop her from charming the king. However keeping his heart is tricky in a court full of plotting beauties eager to have him for themselves, especially with her jealous husband bent on ending her seduction. Then her children's governess becomes an unexpected rival for the king's heart and the only woman who can contend with Montespan. With the court swirling with rumors of poison, Montespan finds herself caught in the web of accusations. Her position with the king begins to crumble as she fights to hold on to the life she's built. Without the king's love, she fears she will lose everything as she falls from grace.

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.

In 2045, Psychwatch treats the mentally ill or cages them. Margo wants to bring empathy to every patient but a killer pushes her, and the system, to the limits ***** In a dark future, more than a third of the United States population suffers from mental illness and violent crime is on the rise. In response, Psychwatch is formed - an organization intended to combine mental healthcare and law enforcement - creating monitored areas and neglected ones known as the Psycho Slums. Margo Sandoval is the latest recruit to Psychwatch, bringing a new level of empathy to the controversial agency known for its unforgiving methods. Margo spends her days as an Empath treating everyone possible, until the arrival of a new serial killer upends her life and forces her to confront the evils of the human mind and the system that claims to be the solution.

A billion-dollar clone, bought and raised as an extremely dangerous weapon, strikes out against those who manufacture and harvest clones for spare parts. ***** Duplicates are used for one thing: spare parts. Kept in Emulation Facilities, brain-dead and hooked to machines, duplicates never open their eyes. As a transplant nurse, Evette Ashford knows this better than anyone -- until a living, breathing duplicate shatters her life. Merely knowing he exists drags Evette into a deep, dark world of manipulation, danger, and control. Evette knows he just wants to find himself, but the corporation that created him are furious he's broken their control. So Evette must decide who to trust: the monster who forced her into this chaos or the monster who created him. [[IC Universe People's Choice]] [[1st Place, Writers' Olympics Dystopian Award]] [[1st Place, Oscar Sci-fi Award]] Content and/or Trigger Warning: This story is rated PG-13 for violence, language, and sexual content. This story will become free on January 31st!

They say the world used to turn. They say that night would follow day in an endless dance. They say that dawn rose, dusk fell, and we worshiped both sun and stars. That was a long time ago. The dance has died. The world has fallen still. We float through the heavens, one half always in light, one half always in shadow. Like the moth of our forests, one wing white and the other black, we are torn. My people are the fortunate. We live in daylight, blessed in the warmth of the sun. Yet across the line, the others lurk in eternal night, afraid... and alone in the dark. I was born in the light. I was sent into darkness. This is my story.

A secret program in the United States seeks to replace human militaries with artificial intelligence-driven machines, but the machines aren't so willing to play along. *** Picture a world where humans no longer fight wars. No more families missing loved ones. No more veterans with lifelong mental and physical scars. No more conscription. For the super-secret End of War Project inside the United States government, such a reality is already here. The project models out how artificial intelligence can overcome dangerous and morally sensitive war scenarios with algorithms and automation. The centerpieces are "autonomous combat machines," or ACMs, that look like humans but function like supercomputers. After a string of brilliant successes in the field of combat, the End of War Project is preparing to reveal itself to the public, but something unusual stands in the way. Against their programming, the ACMs start exhibiting all-too-human signs of apprehension, guilt and compassion as they're pushed to perform ever more extreme tasks. The human leaders of the End of War Project race to find who "hacked" the ACMs, but what they find is even more startling--and revealing--than they could ever imagine. ***2019 Watty Award Winner - Science Fiction***

A tragic journey through mankind's hubris, as told from the perspective of an android. **** The androids of this park were created to play roles from a legendary time frozen in the pages of history. A time when outlaws and sheriffs battled in the streets, and cowboys and showgirls occupied saloons. These androids were not made to hold memories, only to obey the whims and wishes of the guests. But what happens if one does remember? After a perceived malfunction, one android remembers a time when she wasn't always meant to serve and pleasure men. A time when she roamed free and was considered the most fearsome gunslinger known as "The Lady in Black." But as she recalls of this previous life, she uncovers long-buried secrets and the true reason for her existence.

Edited by @KelseyDragon17 Anna lives in a world where by the time they turn eighteen, every man and woman must have a beast bond. Those of them left unbonded are cast out of the city, deemed violent and insane; for if even a rat will not lower itself to bond with you, you must be the lowest of the low. Anna has lived a simple, easy life as the part of one of the most powerful families in the land. Each member of her family had bonded mighty rare beasts, a sign of great power. It boosted them through society's ranks. Her father had bonded with one of the last of the unicorns. Her brother, a manticore. Her mother, a great eagle. Even her adopted sister bonded with a lion. But as her eighteenth birthday approaches, and with no beast having choose her, she must make a choice. Stay, and bring shame upon her and her family... Or leave the city on her own terms. Striking out across the Ashlands, Anna will discover an adventure she wasn't looking for, and a prophesy she has stumbled into the middle of. Can she bring two species who once slaughtered each other together to save themselves? Can she win this battle? Or the ones ahead? Highest Ranking #7 in Fantasy Featured August 18th

Seacliff is now only available on Inkitt. In 2019, Aidan is a kilt-wearing tour guide on the cobblestone streets of Edinburgh. In 1919, Saoirse is a Great War nurse who's got nothing left to live for - until the sea brings a naked, unconscious man to her feet. Not one easily shocked after caring for the most broken of men in France, Saoirse takes the stranger in and tends to his wounds. Except the man is all kinds of unusual and she begins to question whether he even is a man at all. Is the grief driving her mad or is there more to the world than she ever thought possible? Saoirse hopes to find answers in her Aunt Aoife's diaries, since the gentle giant she rescued from the sea has no recollection of how he ended up there in the first place. * Editors' Choice, December 2020 * an open novella contest entry which grew into a ~75k-word novel completed * prompt: "When something tragic happens, it's often said we lose a piece of ourselves. How far would you go to find these lost parts of yourself in order to be whole again?" * featured on: @WattpadHistoricalRomance - 'Traveling Through Time' @talesofthedeep - 'Fintastic Reads - Sea Creatures'