Opennovellacontest2024 Stories

[Novella Version] November Adams has exactly one best friend. And Jessie Reynolds-Somber has always been there, and vice versa. When November, newly seventeen, takes a bus ride to the library, she inexplicably gets off at the hospital instead. For good reason, it turns out: Jessie's in the emergency room, and nobody's saying why. An unsent email may have the answer. On it is a bucket list: eight items, a letter, and a promise, from Jessie, that she'll explain everything when the list is complete. But the further through the list November gets, the more she learns what's going on, and the less she wants to know the whole truth. November Adams has exactly one best friend. And Jessie Reynolds-Somber has always been there. Except this time. [FORMERLY AN ENTRY FOR THE 2024 ONC]

Hopeless romantic Romano Goodpan has admired his crush, Yoliana Mielvalle, from afar for more than a minute. Fortune smiles on him during a senior trip to the charming and scenic town of Willowmere, which puts him in close proximity to the girl for whom his heart beats. Soon, Romano gets to see a side of Yoliana that he did not know before. But when secrets come to light, their budding romance and friendship are threatened by what they reveal. *** The story is based on ONC 2024 Prompt 72: It's your senior year of high school, and you're excited about going on the weekend senior trip. Your longtime crush notices you for the first time. Will sparks fly or will you realise they're not who you imagined they would be?

One favor, one journey, one game-changing weapon. With tensions between humans and mystical creatures at an all-time high, going on a journey for rare blood was never going to be good. Especially when Vaughn knows he's the only one who can turn it into a weapon. As the journey continues, doubts soon begin to grow - between Vaughn and his companion, his strict manager from work; doubts about the past his family had warned him of; and finally, about the true reason behind this journey. Why exactly did the requester want this blood? Do they know how dangerous it can be? And if they do, what are they planning to do with it? ~ 21.6K words total ONC Shortlist! Cover by @AlexandraLing2000

Round two ambassador pick. Wyatt has just won it big and, in a drunken haze, buys an old, neglected mansion. When she moves in to start renovations, she gets an eerie feeling that she's not always alone-and let's not forget the noises. One fitful night, she heads to the kitchen for a midnight snack and is shocked when a random stranger runs past her in the hallway. A handsome man dressed like Mr Darcy, who disappears like a ghost. After her encounter, Wyatt does some research into the old house, only to discover it has a creepy and troubling past. But that's nothing compared to the revelation that the old antique wardrobe in her room is a secret doorway to the past and the handsome stranger is no ghost, but the son of an Earl looking for his long-lost aunt.

A dark family lineage. Secrets hidden away within rotting walls. And a mysterious Book that binds it all together... Oliver Wendell was only ever meant to write stories, lost within his own worlds of imagination. He was never meant to be a soldier. He was never meant to see his brother die. Yet in the midst of the first World War he finds himself caught within the wreckage of both grief and carnal destruction that has torn such worlds away. Seeking refuge from it all, the disgraced boy soldier hides himself away within the decaying seaside manor of his grandparents-- finding there a mysterious and unfinished book that has reignited his passion for the written word. Yet amidst the house's ancient bones lay the unexplainable, and beneath its foundations lay unimaginable horrors waiting to be awakened with a few strokes of a writer's pen... Written for ONC 2024 using prompt 66; A grim fairytale is unfolding before your eyes. As its author, it's up to you to put an end to this nightmare. And prompt 5; Horror is in the eye of the beholder. CW; This book contains graphic scenes, descriptions of war and PTSD, and details of eldritch horror. It is intended for readers ages 16 and up.

Mortal races rise and fall at the whim of the gods, immortal beings transcending the bindings of the mundane. They have not been seen in the last century, not since the Great Fall, when mortal races bound together to fight their tyrant rule at the battlefield called Desolation. Their hand has been felt through the eons, however, shaping the world to their pleasure with wars, plagues and cataclysms. Especially among the humans. The mad goddess Endra, personification of a power that struck the other gods with fear, was struck down from the heavens, bound to the earth. Centuries passed, and by chance encounter she was freed again. Vengeance would be hers. Jayne cannot remember much of anything, her memory stripped from her, leaving only troublesome, chaotic dreams with no meaning. All she remembers with certainty is that she has been running from the powerful men who hunt her across the mortal realm, hiding from the mad deity haunting her every step. But she has run long enough. She will face whatever comes at her, be it the gods or monsters from the underworld. Or the truths of her past that begin to resurface. For in the end, only she can determine if she will triumph... or fall. Cover created by myself using Dream.AI Written for the 2024 OpenNovellaContest. (Core prompt) Prompt 18: With powers they said were a shame, a goddess is tamed into submission and fears her own destiny. Prompt 3: Your greatest fear is monsters in the dark. The last thing you expect is to become the Monster in the dark. Prompt 51: A band discovers that their songs has the power to control minds, and they are determined to discover how this power works... and how to use it. Prompt 94: I will become as monstrous as I must. © Kevin Cross 2024 If you find this book anywhere other than wattpad, then it is a pirated copy. Please leave this site immediately and if possible, report this to the author. Visit @moonlight-blade on wattpad to get the original version of this book.

An Open Novella Contest 2024 Book. Prompt used: Prompt no. 88 Your father is forcing you to marry someone you have never met. The night before your wedding you tie your sheets together and make your escape through the window. Half way down you make eye contact with someone doing the exact same thing a few windows over. --------------- Royal families hold a reverent image and must uphold it in front of their nobles and citizens. What then shall the Princess of England do when she has no interest in fulfilling her father's wish of marrying a never seen prince of Netherlands. --------------- Jane, also known as Jess, is the only daughter of the King of England, Leo Evans. Upon meeting the French Princess Catherine, Jane and Catherine develop mutual feelings for one another. But the arranged marriage by King Leo troubles the two love birds. Wanting to fly far and high in love, the two must decide their actions wisely for it affects not only their lives but the honour of their families as well. Should they take a wrong step, the centuries old prestige of their families will be put on test. Witness passionate love, royal family drama and kingdom affairs and journey through the life of two suffocating birds as they try making things work in the intolerant and conservative society of the seventeenth century. NOTE: The book is not mature but the last two chapters may contain mature or triggering content. Reader discretion is advised.

2024 ONC Prompt 21 : A dragon, an elf and a dwarf embark on a quest to find the lost heir to the kingdom. What happens when a young elf, a grumpy dwarf and a baby dragon leaves the city behind to look for the lost heir to the throne? And what will happen when they find him and the young man gives the elf an offer that will change his life, but is also hard to refuse?

**AVAILABLE ON AMAZON (Paperback AND e-book)** What will Elijah do when A-list movie star, Aria Sterling, crashes his well-earned vacation? As a lawyer fighting for the rights of LGBTQ youth, he doesn't have much sympathy for some spoiled actress who is trailed by paparazzi wherever she goes. But, surrounded by aggressive photogs, they'll realize they have more in common than first meets the eye.

For him to live, a witch must die. Driven out of his village for the curse he possesses, Tavor is alone. With nowhere else to go, he must venture into the Eylderfell to hunt down the witch who cursed him. But the forest is dangerous, wild with magic and sinister spirits. And there is something lurking there, a darkness within the forest and within himself, both waiting to get out...

❀ ONC 2024 Shortlister ❀ In a world tinged with whispers of faeries of sort and forgotten bargains, Ayina, a gifted dreamseer, witnesses a chilling prophecy unfold. Every ten years, a girl is offered to the Azenar gate. The gate either chooses to take her in or sacrifice her for all to see. As she witnesses her mother get sicker, Ayina heads to the Choosing ceremony festivities to procure a healer, however her world is turned upside down when her younger sister, Rani is chosen tribute for the ceremony and thrust into the clutches of the dark court, a sacrifice to appease an ancient threat. Driven by unwavering love and fierce loyalty, Ayina embarks on a perilous quest into the forbidden dark realm that had now festered between the borders of two mighty lands, Benar and Elemore. There, she encounters the mad wraith king of the dark court and Haider, a sarcastic Haraseen warrior ostracized for his mixed human and fae blood. As they navigate treacherous landscapes and formidable enemies, an unexpected bond blossoms between them. But a hidden truth awaits, one that forces them to confront a difficult choice: fulfill a prophecy that could save their kingdoms, or defy fate and fight for a love that transcends the boundaries of human and faerie.

#47 A seemingly normal day ends with the disappearance of every adult on the planet, and it's up to the most unlikely of heroes to bring them back. #52 "And that is how that world was lost and a new one, our world, was born." #80 "Meet me next life." ~ The battles with demons were so commonplace, and their world shrank so much that everyday prayer changed. No "Give us this day our daily bread," but more "Can there be bread, tomorrow?" The former Commander 1st Class of the Holy Knights and Laypriest of Arden, Valentine Auger, fought these monsters that spilled into their realm for 2 decades. In his last battle, the Rapture began, taking any native creature bigger than a beetle from the face of his world--except for him. For another 2 decades, he evaded the demons he once fought, until even they were gone. He was facing his 60s when he discovered there might be a way to restore the world he once knew. It was a long shot, but it would be better than the years spent with two silent ghost dogs, seeing his memories collapse under rot and ruin, until the day he'd walk into his grave, left alone by the Goddess Arden. Little did he know that this task was riddled with the mistakes of the other times he chose this path, making the entirety of his existence an exercise in a living hell.

A vampire named Citlali receives an email from an old lover who broke her heart centuries ago. The message says the immortal is dead and she left a key for Citlali in a bank in New York. But the same message had been sent to two other persons whose identity Citlali ignores and the safe can only be opened if the three of them are present. Dear Citlali is a queer polyamorous paranormal romance. This story is set in the For Centuries Universe but can be read as a standalone. Cover by Bartholomé Girard

Confined to the family's estate since birth, three sisters have never seen the outside world. Taught they are unable to leave home due to their long hair, Lexi, Lulu, and Fia secretly envy their volatile father and narcissistic mother whose short locks allow them to come and go whenever they wish. Raised believing their grandparents live in the TV set, the young women's knowledge about the outside world is skewed. On the eve of Fia's eighteenth birthday, life as they know it is altered when the girls find a young man unconscious in their yard. Believing he is an angel, they hide him in the guest house. Soon Fia's feelings for the man bloom and she finds herself sneaking to the guest house to be with him. When the lies the sisters have been told begin to unravel, Fia decides she will do whatever it takes to escape. The only thing holding her back is her long dark hair. Dogtooth x Rapunzel x The Castle of Purity Warning for abuse, swearing, romantic themes, alcohol addiction, blood, and typical Christine darkness. There is no SA. Best rank: #1 IN OPENNOVELLACONTEST2024 I started writing this story for the ONC 2024. Due to work and life, I could not finish it for the contest. Which made me sad...but I continued...at a snail's pace. Thanks to everyone who kept reading!

A work in progress, an unfortunate night. Henry Smickle stumbles into a world he had no idea existed. Where memories are erased and nothing is the way it seems.

𝐎𝐍𝐂 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 - When Eventyr spirals into war, three young foxes from its divided kingdoms must discover themselves and their united purpose if they wish to save their home from being destroyed. -❈- A reluctant heir. A living mistake. A misguided ambition. One knows nothing but violence, one knows nothing but deceit, and the last is blissfully ignorant to the war that draws them all together. They all strive to be part of something bigger. And each has their secrets. Colborn is next in line for a role he isn't sure he can take. The burden he bears-and the sacrifice he must make to stoke his father's embers of pride-is all too much to handle. Skadi is scorned and broken. She was never meant to be born, much less, to live. All she wants is to belong, even if it means going against everything she believes in. Trygve just wants to make something of himself, to prove to his family that he isn't just a kit anymore. With passion driven by curiosity and stubborn determination, he's bound to land in the paws of trouble. As pressures rise and the war reaches a breaking point, each fox must face a decision that's bound to weave their threads of fate closer together. Either they accept their role as a force to fuel the conflict-or risk their lives to save another. But there's only one key to stopping the war. They must find the truth before Eventyr is destroyed. -❈- Entry for the Open Novella Contest 2024 Based on prompt 20: Three strangers, two secrets, one key. Final Word-count: ~38,000 Cover by: @avadel

The 20s are back and the Prohibition is in full effect. Only this time the only spirits that are being outlawed isn't alcohol - it's powerful potions, endangered magical creatures and living souls being confined into bottles. These illicit spirits are coveted by criminal organizations that want to take over the underworld. One dangerous concoction could decimate an entire city to oblivion. Some of these spirits can be used to power engines, regenerate the tissue of a cadaver or make someone glow like a firefly, but the most dangerous of them all is to use the vessel of an imprisoned spirit to use mind control. Aster Rhodes was just a homeless lad who travelled across the states playing an old violin in the park when he got discovered by Daisy Ray. The young violinist has a penchant for bad poetry and soliloquys though it didn't deter the widow from introducing Aster to the frontman of the once-nomadic band called the Daisy Dukes - Darrell "Zib" Zibulon aka the Dandy Lion. After passing the rehearsal, the real head honcho of the speakeasy, Blaise Ray shows Aster the ropes of the business operates, though he didn't know the real extent of what his job would entail after the owner of the Dandelion speakeasy gets murdered one night. The business starts to sink and the only way to keep it afloat is to procure the illicits spirits, no one else is willing to take the risk to go bootlegging except for Aster, and Blaise's goddaughter - Ivy Taylor.

In a bleak world, void of both love and heartbreak, a fallen angel must convince a jaded god to break the curse he has cast on the realm. *** Made for ONC 2024 Prompt used: 19. A world with no heartbreaks. In such a world, you fall for someone forbidden. And you're about to experience the first ever heartbreak.

THIS BOOK IS ON HIATUS Amintyre week is approaching, a sacred festival to the Eldritchs. Mavishyanep, "Mavi," is a young Eldritch woman, part of the many young adults who will "rise" into the next generation, and have their achievements etched in the book of Recollection. She wants to squeeze in one last accomplishment by going where no rising eldritch has gone: to the underland known as Earth. But her family tells her that simply isn't done. The risks are too high, and the creatures living there are too weak to withstand the natural strength of the eldritch. But Mavi has never been one to follow orders. And when she catches sight of a human down there, she's more fascinated than ever. Going to Earth will be the greatest experience Mavi has ever known, she's sure of it. It definitely won't trigger a whimsical romance that ends in heartbreak. ***** ROMANCE READERS BEWARE - THIS BOOK DOES NOT HAVE A HEA

Of heroes, villains, and doing the right thing (no matter what it costs). After losing his job as a Top Hero, Jack is left reeling with the knowledge that everything he thinks he knows about the world is wrong. Turning to the only person he knows he can trust to be honest with him comes naturally - after all, they had a shared history anyways. Being public enemies didn't really mean you couldn't know someone privately... But when he proposes dismantling the system as they know it, he doesn't really know what he's getting himself - or his new makeshift team - into. This is the introduction to something much larger than one angry man. This is a story about growth and change. A story about new beginnings and questioning everything you think you know. A 2024 ONC Novella