Opennovellacontest2023 Stories

** The horror slumbers buried under many meters of rubble and desert sand. Nameless cartouches, desecrated relics, and a sarcophagus containing an ancient riddle. ** "Ancient lands lost in time. Storms of sand, walls of lime Surround this mask of death that I wear Awakened by invading souls The curse of Pharaoh upon you Who dares to invade his holy ground The gods rise to destroy you." - Symphony X - When young student and photography enthusiast Arabella Redcliffe visits her uncle at an excavation site in Egypt anno 1922, ancient secrets are uncovered that should have remained hidden forever. The men and women of the archaeological excavation stumble upon a still-sealed burial chamber. But not only its condition and location raise questions. Who was buried here, why was his name erased from all records and reliefs, and why were many grave goods wantonly desecrated? Together, Arabella and the dashing archaeological assistant Miles Thornton try to get to the bottom of the mysteries. But then, inexplicable and terrible events begin to take their course. If they don't figure out what's going on in this cursed place fast enough, this tomb could become theirs, too. ***** My entry for the Open Novella Contest 2023 Cover by Me ***** 🥇TheGemstoneBooksAwards - Mystery 🥇 1st Place The Aster Awards - Paranormal 🥇 1st Place Rose Book Award - Mystery 🥇 1st Place Crown Awards - Mystery 🥇 1st Place Luminous Award - Best Title 🥇 1st Place Starlight Mini Awards - Best Prologue 🥇 Grad Prize Starlight Mini Awards 🥇 1st Categories Awards 2023 - Best Cover 🥇 1st Place Astania Awards - Mystery 🥈 2nd Place Starlight Mini Awards - Best Cover 🥈 2nd Place Megawatt Awards - Paranormal/Horror 🥈 2nd Categories Awards 2023 - Best Blurb 🥈 2nd Place Dazzle Awards - Thriller/Horror *****

"Excuse me, mister, but why did everything suddenly turn black and white?" A miserable adult who prefers to ignore everything, including their dying father. A concerned neighbor/friend/something more with curious connections. A taxi driver who doesn't bother to ask where the passenger wants to go. And a cat with unclear intentions. Where will this journey lead to, if anywhere? --------------------------------------------------------- • Based on prompt #9 of ONC. • Started: February 2, 2023 • Ended: November 15, 2023

Aria is on top of her game. Putting away criminals, closing cases, she is smart, tenacious, and ambitious. As a detective with the NYPD, she is putting in the hours and working diligently towards a promotion. Only instead of a new title, she finds herself transported into the future where death is not the end, but merely a transition into virtual reality. Now in the year 3000, Aria is immersed in a new type of case where the victim of a grisly murder can still provide some clues to help catch the perpetrator through his consciousness. Worse yet, as Aria delves deeper into the investigation, she finds herself falling in love with a mysterious man named Ayden. Nothing is as it seems in this new world where reality can be augmented and the truth may be hiding in plain sight. As Aria and Ayden grow closer, the looming shadow of the murderer threatens everything they have come to care for. Aria must use her skills of deduction to unravel the truth and bring justice to the victim while saving the man she loves. -------------------------------------- ONC2023 Prompt 82. In a future where humans have the ability to upload their consciousness into virtual reality at the time of their death, a detective must solve a murder case in both the virtual and physical world as the victim's consciousness may still exist in the virtual world and hold the key to solving the crime.

Zoé is a young immortal. She is only 186 years old. Currently, she works in an incredible library of the occult, located in Budapest and curated by a very old immortal called Ikshan. Unfortunately, one day she stumbles upon a terrifying monster in a hallway of this very library. That was definitely not in the job description. This story is a spin-off of my series For Centuries but it can be read as a standalone. Genre: Paranormal/ Comedy Award: First Place Prime Awards 2023 (Category: paranormal)

Hunters are the world's best detectives. They protect the world from evil and, in return, are treated as saints. Spencer Reid wasn't anything he'd consider saintly. Sure, he was a Hunter, but compared to the other Hunters, he was basically the bus boy. He was great at finding clues, figuring out how the suspect worked, and where they were from-but when it came to field work, he was barely adequate. Yet, somehow, he was still given the assignment of hunting down Aaron Hotchner. Based on prompts 25 and 33. #25 "If he smiled at you, he'll break your heart. If she winked at you, she'll rip you apart." #33 They had their arrow aimed at their target's back, a perfect shot despite the crowded ballroom. Taking a deep, steadying breath, they pulled the bowstring taunt and prepared to let the arrow fly. But then their target turned and looked directly at them, finding them in the eaves as if they'd known they were there all along. The target winked. Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7JstZcPpNeOuIWmtllCSVC?si=rFmSFmp7S_K7n4xRVsrLGQ

When Ava is sucked into her grandmother's mirror, she is thrust into a world of her worst nightmares. Alone and surrounded by friends turned enemies, escaping seems like an impossible task. Grímhildr is a spirit tied to the mirror. Once a beautiful and powerful sorceress, centuries of confinement have taken their toll, and she is determined to lay waste to the real world. She will do anything to make it happen. Ava only has a week to face her fears, uncover Grímhildr's secrets, and escape the mirror. If she fails, she will be stuck in the mirror for good, and Grímhildr's vengeance will be unleashed on the outside world. The clock is ticking. --- Cover by @ryevain

"Hell is empty and all the devils are here" - The Tempest, William Shakespeare A curse-ridden young woman, drifts through life after living a lavish and deadly childhood as a changeling. Banished and cursed she attempts to piece together her history while also trying to find the cure to her vicious ailment. When she is betrayed and captured by gang that call themselves the Foxhounds. Her escape rests on the shoulders of its youngest member who is looking for his brother and thinks she's only one that can find him.

Yasil, a fairy and guardian of Earth, wakes up after a long slumber that isn't long at all. Not even a century has passed, yet the world is already in a precarious state. The elves are dying, the dragons are on the verge of going berserk, and the humans... are becoming tyrants. Why is this happening? Who started this? As Yasil gets closer to the truth, he realizes that his current mission is much more complex than he thought. Something sinister is hiding behind all conflicts, an existence he can't eliminate without a hero. But who is the hero? How can he find them? 🏆ONC 2023 Longlister Copyright ©️ 2023 by ALeks All rights reserved

Bernard heard other elves talk about finding true love. After living a thousand years he'd not found it, always waiting one more day knowing full well the odds were stacked against him. Disclaimer - I don't own 48 Christmas Wishes or The Santa Clause. This is written for ONC 2023 for prompt forty-three, "You waited a thousand years to find your true love, what's one more day?" 2/5/25 - Ambassador Pick for Fanfic for February 2025. 3/9/25 - Added to Fanfic's Crossover list.

University professor Cora Glass may be an expert on the topic of red/green colorblindness, but when her walking red flag of an ex shows up on campus, is she smart enough to say no to a second chance? *** Three years ago, scientist Cora Glass met a stranger over cocktails in an airport hotel lobby. His name was Jamie Bowen: an irresistible charmer with a talent for impersonating men he'd never be - and the only man who ever succeeded in breaking Cora's heart. Their fiery relationship flamed out years ago, but forgetting about Jamie is a different story. Seeking a change of scenery, Cora accepts a junior faculty position at prestigious Wallingford University and throws herself into her research with single-minded focus. She couldn't be less interested in the campus gossip surrounding the hot new professor who just joined the English department. That is, until she sees him, and he turns out to be none other than... her ex? But the man who won her heart three years ago was a high school dropout, not a PhD. Jamie could only be at Wallingford now as an impostor - and Cora's determined not to let him drag her into whatever game he's playing. ONC 2023 Contest Prompts: 51. The problem with red flags is that I'm attracted to them. 63. A rivalry between two coworkers has unforeseen consequences. 6. Can we go back to the start when we were all strangers in the dark?

When the two best thieves - self-proclaimed - in the entire continent decide to take on the same target at the same time, unaware of the other's involvement, it can't go as planned. Two massive egos, an even more massive mission on a flying city in the clouds and as if things weren't complicated enough, a group of cyborg cultists also enter the tense chemistry between the two rivals. A fast-paced heist adventure with some kind of romance, humor and lots of flying stuff... ---------- My contribution for the Open Novella Contest 2023

Maisie's mother should have known better, buying a house on the cheap to renovate and live in, what with how things were with The Problem. A body in the wall means calling in a reputable Paranormal Agency, something they can't afford. Unless of course it's Lockwood & Co, or perhaps not, given some noticlbe peculiarities of the agency. Disclaimer - I don't own Lockwood & Co. This is written for ONC 2023, for prompt thirty, "You purchase a new home and, during renovations and discover a human skeleton buried within your walls." Takes place after the first season of the show.

12 An evil sorcerer offers you an immense amount of power-but it comes with a price. ~~~ When a King has three sons and only one kingdom to inherit, he raises his heirs to serve different purposes. Fjell-og-dal had a wise and business-friendly Crown Prince (Pawel) who could rule justly in times of peace, and a decisive warrior in the 2nd prince (Olbretch). What would such a king do with a 3rd son? Anselm was a fool, a prince stuffed full of fairy tales, useless in days of peace or war. Or was he? Neither were the cause of devastation in their kingdom-something malignant was changing their world. Perhaps the king had known he needed a 3rd path, where someone was trained to understand the strange ways of fairytales, in order to save them all. The problem is that Anselm isn't a fool, and he doesn't trust what his father made of him because a man trained for foolishness isn't needed once the folly has been averted. Every step his father laid out for him was a brilliant lunacy-a lie wrapped in truth. He brought his brothers along as a precaution-to save them or to save himself? The 3rd prince had no clue. What awaited the brothers at the end of their journey was immense power with a terrible price-but only 1 had to pay. Would they make a good decision in a series of consequences that they could not run from?

[ONC Shortlister - 4x Featured] Professional thief and smuggler, Nio Barn, lives by one rule: break them all. When his criminal past finally catches up to him, he's faced with a choice: win the world's most dangerous racing competition in exchange for freedom or face a lifetime in an overcrowded prison cell. As he enters a world of high-speed thrills, deception and betrayal, Nio realises that life in the Speed Sprint races is far from easy. Forced into a fake relationship with his teammate to keep the money flowing, Nio instead feels more drawn to his fiercest competitor, Ruben Vincuña. With ten races across ten different countries, the stakes are high and the tension is palpable. Only one can be crowned champion. Only one can be free. Death is but a corner away. Written for the Open Novella Contest 2023, based on the prompts: 69 - I had a marvellous time ruining everything - Taylor Swift 49 - Master the rules of the game until you play it better than they can - Michael Scott Four times featured: Romance - Rainbow of Love Dystopian & Apocalypse - Rebellion: Against The System Speculative Fiction - A Crack In The System Science Fiction - Punk Fiction

Chris Hallowswift is the heir to the Hallowswift throne. Every date he's ever been on has been organized. He's confined to do whatever his parents organize for him to do and doesn't go out frequently. When his parents organize a blind date for him with an heiress from another well-respected magical family who gives off a bad impression, he never expected to be given an out...and a taste of freedom ---- ONC Prompt 39: On a blind date with a complete mismatch, you're increasingly uncomfortable but too polite to leave. Then an attractive stranger comes over and gives you an out.

Raya has a near death experience where she accidentally lets some souls loose and now she has to help the grim reaper get the souls back. All is not what it seems in this exciting story with a touch of humor.

[DUO spin-off, prequel to Codename: DEMON]  In the city of Portia, the government has a small branch called the Special Connections Division. On the outside, they serve as a way for for the government to keep an eye out for non-government funded organizations. On the inside, however, their job is different: they operate as a black ops, weeding out criminal organizations and gathering enemy information from the shadows During the night, Lucinda Saffirus works for the SCD as an assassin who uses her blood as a weapon. But during the day, she's a private detective working to solve the major crimes, especially murders, in the city. Juggling new jobs isn't new to her, but raising her eight year old son as a single mother changes a lot of things. Life isn't already easy, but a new threat makes things more difficult--one of the top members of the city's most powerful criminal organization has figured out her identity, and she's given one rule: play their game. And she has no choice but to accept. Otherwise, her family, friends, both jobs, and especially herself will be at risk.

Copying is a common occurence, but not to the extent of copying someone else's image and likeness. Carina a.k.a. The Copycat was the harbinger to usher in an era of usurping on a galactic scale by stealing the encrypted data of a bioweapon which can copy and splice the genetic composition much faster than any plastic surgeon and geneticist combined. The Genome Collider was the original bioweapon that can copy, alter, transfer, and adapt for the user to morph into anyone or anything they desire-given the right combination and master it. Carina, now public enemy No.1, was last spotted in Pinwheel Galaxy according to the Intergalactic Bureau Investigation. It's up to Micah Arganism and Stella Spacey to pick up where they left off to find The Copycat and turn her in to the I.B.I. That is if they are able to find her.

Once upon a time, in a land far far away, a young girl awoke in a body not her own. 'Mirror mirror on the wall tell no more lies of who we are.' Atticus When the giant mirror shows not her own reflection but that of an evil enchantress, Lucy Lambert realizes that her troubles have only just begone. Waking up as the villainous character of a well-known fairy tale is no walk in the park, especially not when her only options are to die a gruesome death or succeed where the original has failed. *Original Story written for the Open Novella Contest 2023, completed with 25K words*