Merlin's Curse

[8X FEATURED] Merlin is the greatest-eleven-year-old nerd the world doesn't know because his name has cursed him--he's all parts nerd and zero parts magic and all he wants is to be cool.

When Merlin hacks a new encryption code designed to protect online banks, he receives a full scholarship to Code-X Academy and wins a new enemy who trolls him online as @WizardSlayer666, ruining all his plans for coolness.

Merlin discovers new powers and deadly secrets at the academy--but can he figure out how to control his abilities in time to unravel the clues before someone else dies? To do so, he may need to learn that the best kind of cool is to just be yourself.

1st Place in the Hallow's Eve Astania Awards 10/31/2023
Featured by @SpeculativeFiction 9/13/2023
3rd Place in The Book Awards 9/6/2023
Featured by @lowfantasy 7/2/2023
WINNER ONC 2023 Spirit Awards: Against All Odds 6/30/2023
Featured by @WattpadWitches on 6/15/2023
Featured by @WattpaddDisney on 6/12/2023
Hit 2,000 reads! 5/31/2023
ONC 2023 Shortlister!! 5/31/2023
ONC 2023 Longlister!! 5/19/2023
No.8 Rank on "lowfantasy" tag 5/10/2023
No.1 Rank on "fittingin" tag 5/8/2023
No.1 Rank on "nerdy" tag 5/4/2023
No.24 Rank on "middleschool" tag 5/4/2023
Completed!!! 4/26/2023
ONC 2023 Round 3 Qualifier!! 4/19/2023
No.1 Rank on "middlegrade" tag 4/5/2023
ONC 2023 Round 2 Qualifier!! 3/21/2023
No.1 Rank on "speculative" tag 3/20/2023
No.4 Rank on "witty" tag 2/27/2023
No.3 Rank "ONC2023" tag 2/23/2023
Started 2/5/2023

WARNING: This middlegrade book touches on topics of cyber bullying, death, murder, identity, and has LGBTQ characters. PG Rating.

The story is based on ONC 2023 contest prompt No. 47: You had a dispute with a cyberbully/keyboard warrior on social media. So you decided to step up and track down the account to confront. But you were shocked when you discovered who the person(s) is/are.

BOOK COVER: I created the cover using Canva + staryai to create image of Merlin