Southern Stories

Hollis is committed to the shadowed halls of the Marrowbend Institute. But he quickly realizes that the institution is more than just a cage. The Boonies, a cult of Cora Boone's followers, operate within the walls of the teenage asylum. Ready and willing to perform tasks set before them by Cora herself, even if it means great personal harm. Her three-year confinement left a dark legacy within these walls, forcing Hollis to confront a version of her he never knew existed, and allowing him to see the power she truly holds over others. He must form alliances with other patients to survive, while combating new and dangerous rivalries. On the outside, Cora's relentless pursuit to expose the police cover-up regarding her parents' deaths has earned her a formidable new enemy in Officer Bradwell. With the law weaponized against her, Cora fights to make the truth known before the town buries her along with its secrets. Unfortunately for Cora, the law and the Headmaster of Marrowbend, Abel Trenner, push back, threatening to make Hollis disappear forever.

In East Texas, you're expected to come back with pie, gossip, or maybe a good story. Just not blood on your hands. Briar brought home a Frenchman, a secret, and more trouble than her mama's prayers could fix. Prompt 51: "While in search of a missing friend, you accidentally kidnap the most feared crime lord." #ONC2026 (Open Novella Contest 2026)

Malik is a man carved from shadow and steel. A former military "Scribe" and ex-convict, he arrives in the quiet town of Oakhaven looking for one thing: silence. But when he meets Ava, a spirited baker with a secret chocolate recipe, he finds a sweetness worth fighting for. However, the past doesn't stay buried in the Southern mud. When his former unit leader, Vane, arrives to collect a debt involving a lost fortune from Kandahar, Malik must choose between the man he was and the man he wants to be. From the rusted ruins of a salvage yard to a high-speed chase through the blackwater swamps, One Spoon of Chocolate is a gritty, soul-stirring masterpiece of action, betrayal, and redemption. "One spoon to remember. One bullet to forget."

Sawyer Sweeney has tumbled down the Hollis hierarchy and it's none other than Annabeth Matthew's that's shoved her from the spot light. Newly engaged Annabeth is enjoying the perks of being associated with a Founding Family and she's determined to show the town that she belongs. She wants her wedding to be the highlight of the year and has demanded that Sawyer be her maid of honor. While planning the major event, Sawyer witnesses Annabeth's ugly side coming out and wonders what Annabeth will do to make sure she's the belle of the ball. While Sawyer deals with a Bridezilla, Ryan is dealing with a new F.B.I agent in Hollis that has ties to his past. When an assignment comes up that Sawyer can help with, she assumes Ryan will forbid her from interfering but instead, is surprised when he shoves her into it. When she discovers the case could jeopardize her and Ryan's relationship she quickly backs out but the agent has some blackmail on Sawyer that could not only force her into a compromising position but also crash the wedding of the year.

Sawyer Sweeney Series Book 3 Sawyer Sweeney is finally in love. She's also now the party planner for the Hollis Historical Society and enjoys spending a few days a week working at the Old Town Winery. Her mother is pleased and Austin has come around to accepting her and Ryan's relationship. Things seem to be going her way until Poppy Penderghast makes things official with Jackson Hemming. The new couple of Hollis creates some buzz but Mrs. Hemming is not pleased. She knows Poppy is going through financial trouble and she's afraid Poppy will weasel her way into the Hemming's fortune. Mrs. Hemming makes a deal with Sawyer to split the new couple up but before Sawyer is able to make good on her word, she finds Poppy dead, face down on the country club golf course. Now the detective on the case, Mason Connor, has Sawyer as his prime suspect and Ryan is doing everything he can to keep her off his list. Sawyer realizes she has to find Poppy's killer before Mason finds more evidence to stack against her and arrests her for murder. #466 ChickLit #JustWriteIt #firsts

A stranger from the north walks into The Rusty Spur with military eyes and a mission. Sable Dalton knows immediately he isn't there for a drink. He's hunting a ghost... and the man he came to save may already be losing the fight. Some storms don't come with rain. Some arrive in a black Charger.

Three weeks. One ranch. And someone who doesn't want her here. Sienna grew up with the scent of Colorado pines and the grit of her family's farm. But when her grandfather passes away, her world is uprooted, yet again. She's dragged to a Texas ranch belonging to her father's Charlie new wife, Grace Holloway. Sienna expected a fresh start. She didn't expect Alex. Alex is everything the cowboys are in Sienna's romance books: mysterious, handy and devastatingly handsome. However, Alex is also the most arrogant man she's ever met. From the moment she steps onto the Holloway ranch, he's made up his mind: he doesn't want her there, and he is going to let her know. But when their Grace and Charlie jet off to Hawaii for a three-week honeymoon, Sienna and Alex are left alone. Twenty-one days of shared chores, starlit nights, and a tension neither of them can deny any longer. In a small town where the brightest smiles hide the darkest secrets, the man who claims to hate her might be the only one she can truly trust.

"Oh so you're the almighty Reece I've heard so much about?" he said standing just inches from me "And you must be the prick Case?" I said rolling my eyes. Reece Walker is a 19 year old girl trying to live every cowgirl's dream of making it to the NFR and she won't let anything or anyone get in her way. Case Cooper is a 21 year old cocky calf roper trying to qualify to his second NFR and he is a total player. What happens when their worlds collide? Will Reece fall for Case? Or will Case change for Reece? Find out in 'Keep Dreaming Cowboy'

This story picks up where Dead Ever After finishes. Sookie is with Sam and Eric is in Oklahoma. Married to others, it is up to destiny to find the way to bring them back together. Follow our favorite couple through the world of vampire politics as they find their happily ever after. Winner: 2015 New Blood Awards -Best Story Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

dear diary, there's a hot boy in my math class signing off - part 1

If you ever wanna meet a boy who is the spitting image of an actor, you might wanna pick another dream. Pretty boys don't always have such a pretty personality. Leander may have a cute face and a rockin' body, but he certainly is not the "southern gentleman" he claims to be. He doesn't think much of Kodi, either, not that she's distraught over it. Though she can't imagine why he would up and decide to hate her, either. Just when you think you're done with the small town of Lewisburg, Tennessee, there's another story that needs sharing. Leander and Kodi are an odd couple....perhaps that's why they aren't a couple at all. But perhaps people aren't always what they seem. [NOT a sequel to "Missed Me, Missed Me. Now You Gotta Kiss Me]

A girl deep in the throes of depression is trapped in an abusive relationship and to pass the time, she stares at his fan inevitably turning around above her on the ceiling, wishing she were d£ad. Inspired by Ethel Cain's 'Head in the Wall'

"I'm trying to forget you but I'm also waiting for you to come back." You know how they say that having a high school sweetheart is a rarity, a gem, almost. If you have found that once in a lifetime love at such a young age to hold onto it. Never let it go? Well, what if this story was a little bit different with a southern twist. . .

At My Daddy's House follows Kamari, a quiet, observant Black girl who moves to Atlanta to live with her dad and unexpectedly finds herself surrounded by family, culture, and a sense of belonging she didn't know she was missing. Through everyday moments-cookouts, cousins, new friendships, and first love-she slowly steps out of the background and into her own life. Kamari's journey is about self-acceptance just as much as it is about family, culture, and relationships-romantic, platonic, and with herself. Set in the 2020s but carrying the soul of the '90s and early 2000s, the story doesn't shy away from heavier truths either-touching on grief, identity, generational struggles, queerness in the Black South, and the consequences of certain choices.

Annabel Oakley McKnight is a 16 year old girl who's going through a rough part of her life. She grew up in Nashville Tennessee, but moved to Virgina when she was eight because her mother had gotten a job offer. Now with her mother in England for three months, she's moved back to Tennessee with her grandmother who's close to death. Read more to read a story of how a best friend, Matthew Espinosa, sticks with his best friend through thick and thin whilst obliviously falling in love.

俺 ﹪ ◟ spitkn0t just posted ! ⤫ beep beep! ☺︎ book 𝘁𝘄𝗼 ▬▬▬▬▬▬ 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚠𝚊𝚖𝚙 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 ▬▬▬ ☆ 𓊘 In the bayou of Louisiana , nestled between the cypress trees and murky waters, lived a newly settled devout Christian family of three, from the levees of Mississippi . The Wisp household was rooted in faith, filled with prayer, scripture, and gospel songs echoing through the walls. But their youngest daughter, 𝐀𝐝𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐩, never felt the same pull toward the Word as her parents did. Her heart wandered elsewhere-curious, doubting, quietly rebellious. One morning, walking through French quarter with her mother and their neighbor, she was stopped by a older lady whose eyes were hard and sharper than a knife who spoke to her. The swamp started to whisper and play soft tunes Low growls echoed through the trees. Shadows stretched too far. Whispers clawed at the edge of her dreams, and a name hung in the thick air: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫. As the line between the natural and supernatural began to blur, Ada encountered a wandering spirit-neither angel nor demon-who offered to help her. But the spirit warned: time was running short. The Tall Man was coming, strumming a cursed melody that could pull her soul straight into the depths. To survive, Ada must uncover the truth about the spirit world, confront the darkness she unknowingly invited in, and decide whether the faith she once dismissed holds the only key to her salvation. ▊ ★ ﾟ⟴ ݊. 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 ▬ ཐི♡⃟͚̊ཋྀ ⭏ ₉ ㌐ ₀₀ ★ ▬ 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 ⤫ 𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙘 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙣

kis·met /ˈkizmit,ˈkizˌmet/ noun destiny; fate. We were always fated to be in each others lives. It was written in the stars the moment we wrestled on the playground our first day of preschool. But it was easier to love him behind the veil of hatred than to ever be upfront. Of course things only got complicated from there. My family crumbled, and left to rebuild again and I knew I'd never see Derek Navarro again. I made peace with that, I had to. Of course, fate had other plans. Fast-forward to my new life in New York working on my breakthrough novel, when fate rears its ugly head in my life again. My baby sister is getting married to a boy who grew up in the childhood home we left behind...and his best man is none other than Derek. The love I had chosen to forget. Was this fate at work?

Shayla is a sophomore at THE Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge Louisiana. She is a dancer and a childhood education major. After a dreadful freshman year; dealing with heartbreak from back home, she is beyond excited that this is the semester that she flaunts her cross over to pink & green. She is determined to leave love & friendship on the back burner and focus on her self and dancing but would a certain someone get in the way of that? Landon is a sophomore football star on the field for THE Southern Jaguars. He is also a Que Dawg on the yard. He is known for being a hot head and bit of a player. Growing up the way he grew up in Baton Rouge the environment kind of shaped him to be the way he is. But would a certain someone change him for the better? I DO NOT OWN ANY COPYRIGHTS TO PHOTOS & MUSIC USED IN STORY! THESE CHARACTERS ARE COMPLETELY FICTIONAL!

LJ has learned to never be hopeful. Hope is the most destructive emotion of all of them. LJ knew the only way to achieve what you want is to work for it...that didn't even guarantee success. Success didn't guarantee happiness. Everyday she worked hard to find her slice of happiness, she definitely didn't expect to find it in Division 1 Wide Receiver who's everything she's not. Callum lives his life one football season at a time. After all, he is the number one wide receiver at a top university. He loves his life - all the girls and recognition. This is why he works so hard. His freshman year in college. He led his team to a title. Everyone is expecting him to lead the team there again this year. Callum's whole life has been about football...until he meets LJ.