Ownvoices Stories

🏆 Watty Award Winner (2022) This updated edition includes revised chapters and new scenes. Trans guy Collin makes a bet with his coworker that he can land a date with the hot new barista across the street. It should be easy. Except the more time he spends with her, the more the bet starts to feel like the worst idea he's ever had. ### It's 2003 in Santa Cruz, and 21-year-old Collin thought transitioning would be the hard part. But now that he's on hormones and passing with ease, he's still stuck wondering who he is and where he belongs. It doesn't help that his girlfriend of six years just dumped him. So when his coworker challenges him to prove he's still got game, Collin agrees to a stupid bet: get a date with Heather, the cute new barista who just started working at the café across the street. With some unexpected help from his roommate Sam, getting close to her might be easier than Collin expected. But what starts as a harmless distraction quickly turns into something real. And when the truth behind the bet finally comes out, Collin will have to decide whether risking his heart again is worth it... or if he's about to lose the best thing that's happened to him since the breakup. A nostalgic beach-town rom-com about bets, baristas, and what happens when pretending turns into something real. ☕ Tropes: friends-to-lovers vibes, a very bad bet, coffee shop flirting, early-2000s nostalgia, and learning who you are while falling in love. NEW CHAPTERS EVERY TUESAY & FRIDAY

I was paid to translate. Not to interpret. Not to judge. Kira Khine arrives in Portugal with a passport missing an entry stamp, a revoked university admission, and €23,000 she refuses to touch. She didn't come for romance. She came to survive. But survival gets complicated when her landlord turns out to be Rodrigo Costa-tech billionaire, single father, and the quietest, most unreadable face in northern Portugal. He offers her a deal: translate contracts in Burmese. In exchange, he'll teach her to hack. She takes it. Then she translates Clause 12.4. IMEI numbers. Geolocation data. Unrestricted real-time access-disguised as "urban planning." The kind of data you use to hunt people. The kind of people who disappear in Myanmar every day. Kira has a choice: look away and cash the cheque. Or learn everything Rodrigo can teach her-and use it to burn his empire to the ground. He's falling for her. She's collecting evidence. And somewhere in the vineyard, a seven-year-old girl named Sofia is waiting for her friend Kiki to come to her birthday party. I trust me. She did. She does. A slow-burn geopolitical thriller about translation and betrayal, Clause 12.4 asks: when the contract is written in your own language, how do you plead?

Some things are easier to write than say. Unsaid Words is a collection of raw, honest thoughts on fear, feeling stuck, escapism, loving differently than everyone else, and self-discovery in a world that keeps moving when you can't. These are not polished answers, these are the real questions; the ones I kept to myself for too long. Welcome to everything I never said.

America was built on discrimination, hate, and hypocrisy, The very land we stand on is soaked in blood. It's been 250 years and we're owed an apology, Yet the violence still flows like a flash flood. They put our pain among archetypes, And paint over our scars. But I will always bleed stripes; Even if all I see is stars.

Some love stories are about finding each other. This one is about choosing each other, every single time. December Solis has dedicated most of her life to learning how to stand on her own. Love was never something she expected to hold onto. That is, until she met River Sato. With him, everything shifts feeling more stable, even if she's not entirely sure she can trust that steadiness. He is present in ways that matter, despite parts of his world sometimes falling apart around him. Together, they start building something real. Not perfect, or certain, but genuine. A life crafted from small moments, quiet promises, and a connection that doesn't depend on everything falling perfectly into place. As they draw closer to what feels like home, they're forced to confront what it truly means to hold onto love when their future remains uncertain. This is a story about connection, memory, and the courage to stay even when staying is the hardest thing to do. - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

​"He has too much atmosphere." ​Kian has a flawless, data-driven plan for his Master's degree: graduate with distinction, speak to a grand total of zero people, and secure a job interacting exclusively with algorithms. Humans are messy. Humans leave bad tastes in your mouth. ​Then came Arjun Mehra. ​Arjun ruins things the way weather does. Casually and without permission. He shows up late, argues thoughtfully with professors, drinks aggressive amounts of coffee, and leaves yellow Post-it notes that haunt Kian's thoughts for twelve days straight. Kian is determined to find him deeply, permanently insufferable. ​But when a mandatory semester group project forces them into an accidental partnership, Kian's tightly color-coded world starts to blur. ​Arjun is a chaotic variable Kian didn't account for. And the hardest part about data? You can't calculate your way out of catching feelings. ​✨ WHAT TO EXPECT: 🛋️ Forced Proximity (The dreaded group project) 🤫 Grumpy x Charming / Academic Rivals-ish ☕ High-tension banter & slow-burn yearning 📉 A main character who is an expert at lying to himself ​An OwnVoices South Asian New Adult BL Romance. Updates every [Day of the week]!

The world wanted quiet. It got a riot instead. The school called it policy. They called it war. One boy is trapped in a mind that has betrayed him. The other is an artist who stopped sketching and started swinging. But if the world will label them as villains, they might as well give them a reason to be afraid.

The story uncovers the life of a Royal Princess Meera Singh and her love story with a Thai actress. "Love knows no borders. Not even royal ones."

One man is her family's dream. The other could be her undoing. Suraiya Rao has never quite belonged. She's not white enough for society, not brown enough for her family... not enough for anyone. She's spent her life walking a tightrope between British reality and Indian expectation, doing everything by the book, no matter the cost. Then one chance encounter changes everything. Haydn Ellis Clarke isn't part of the plan. He's rich, ridiculously handsome, and absolutely not the man her family has chosen for her. But he sees her - not the dutiful daughter or the girl buried beneath generations of pressure, but the version of herself she's never dared to be. Mendhi My Heart is a story of identity, belonging, and choosing love, even when it means breaking every rule. Because love doesn't always arrive in the "suitable" package. Sometimes, it wears torn jeans... and gives your grandmother a heart attack.

[This is the translated version of my original Indonesian story. To support me or read the Bahasa Indonesia version, visit my profile] In an alternate version of the 2000s, where technology surges forward and magic-once revered-is hunted to the edge of extinction, lives a young man named Hans. By day, he is a quiet bartender, blending drinks for patrons who never suspect the truth: buried deep within him lies a power passed down from his mother, a healer and sorceress, and his father, a drunken gambler entangled in the shadows of the criminal underworld. For years, Hans has lived in silence-choosing solitude not for peace, but to shield himself from the scars of his past and the shame that clings to him like a second skin. He hides his power, not out of cowardice, but out of pain. That is, until a stranger walks into his bar. A dark-skinned man from the southern isles, the stranger calls himself Kaelani-or Kaelan. But he is no ordinary guest. He carries with him a sorrow deeper than grief, the remnants of a lost homeland-Maluʻia-an archipelago laid to ruin by the very technology that now rules the world. Like Hans, Kaelan is a mage, a guardian of protective magic betrayed by the one he loved. That betrayal cost him his people, his purpose, and nearly his soul. Their meeting is no coincidence. Two fractured souls, exiled from the destinies they were meant to fulfill, begin to find flickers of hope in each other's quiet company. But beyond the whispered conversations and the soft hum of city nights, the world stirs once more. Magic is awakening-and Hans may be the key that time itself has tried to forget.

A story of what occurs after the ending. A planet, nearly stripped of life, left to fester, or prosper, equally. A child, thrown out at 16, whisked away from home, from earth, to learn magic. A set of twins, who've survived despite all the odds. Join Onyekachi, a trans-woman, as she embarks on new journey, forms a new family, and discovers secrets about the planet she's called home for the past nine years.

这本诗集并非儿戏，而是对人类脆弱性及其他复杂而深刻主题的见证。 鉴于涉及的主题及其复杂性，建议14岁以上读者阅读。警告：内容涉及敏感话题。

Is unconditional adoration really too much to ask? Lucius sold his soul to change the world for the better. Of course, the definition of 'better' may have twisted over the years, but how is that his fault? After being torn away from the (one and ONLY, by the way) love of his life, some retaliation should be expected if not strictly required, and after finding the corpse of his dead friend walking around, shouldn't some crowbar-related maiming be forgiven? Oh, and after housing a parasitic vein infestation in his chest, shouldn't at least one tiny, horribly unethical blood ritual or two be justified? Apparently some would disagree, which seems strange to Lucius and the second Lucius inside Lucius' head. This is the third book in the Eternity series.

Memories of him, but he's not really dead.

Seven Fires Seven young warriors are called by Country when the land, sea, and sky fall under threat from those who seek to exploit it. Each carries a gift: tracker, healer, storyteller, diplomat, hunter, weaver, and seer, and together they must learn to walk the old ways while facing new dangers. From the deserts of Uluru to the whale-song of the coast, from burning mountains to city streets wired with surveillance, the Seven fight not just enemies, but the stories that twist truth into fear. Guided by their Elders, their memories, and the spirits of Country, they discover that survival is more than strength; it is balance, story, and fire. But their names are now known. Their faces are broadcast. And the net is closing.

Closeted high-school jock Troy Allstar needs the last lake-weekend of summer to be perfect because it sets the tone for the school year to come. Instead, he grapples with his non-binary sibling's out-and-proud lip syncs, an inability to shake off his beta status amongst the other jocks, an ex-girlfriend who is now dating his BFF Jesse, a growing desire for said BFF as well as for hottie cheerleader Chad, all while a mysterious shadow sets loose DNA-spliced experiments that give Troy strange powers that make it impossible to control his emotions. What's a fella to do??? Hi all, I wrote the original Queeroes novels more than a decade ago. What a time! I've grown a lot as a person and as a writer; I've realized I'm on the autism spectrum (my superpower!) and been officially assessed. I've learned about how I've masked and hidden my autistic traits (with mixed success) and I now see that the character of Troy in Queeroes is following the same strategy and is also on the spectrum (all the clues are there in the original Queeroes books!). In this reimagined version Wattpad edition of Queeroes, it's been really liberating to reflect Troy's autism more intentionally (even though Troy hasn't figured out yet :). It's also been a joy to include diversity in ways that reflect this wondrous world. Chad's Latinx (and just as sassy as ever), Troy's younger sibling, Gabi, is adopted from the First Nation neighboring the small town of Nuffim, is non-binary, and way more brash and confident than in the original books. Now, Gabi often steals the show. Like the original Queeroes novels, the Wattpad edition is Smallville meets Buffy with odes of Queers As Folk and American Horror story as a group of small town queer teens get powers and face a villainous shadow that forces them to face their darkest fears to become their truest selves! Xena warrior cry!

My daughter and I are both autistic, and over the years I have compiled a list (read: Pinterest board) of many great references and helpful articles, which just occurred to me to share here. This book will include info about all aspects of the autism spectrum, as well as sensory disorders, anxiety, ocd, giftedness, twice exceptional people, overexcitabilities, and more. I will also add many of my own thoughts and our experiences living with all of the above so be prepared for my random personal thoughts. If you are autistic or love someone who is, or just want to know more, please enjoy and feel free to ask respectful questions!

Seventeen-year-old Bailey has endured brutal years, battling not only the relentless tics of Tourette Syndrome but also the cruel misunderstandings of people. Escaping New York for the sun-drenched shores of Florida feels like a miracle. For the first time, she finds acceptance, belonging, and a connection she never expected-a love that sees beyond her tics and into the heart of a vibrant, courageous girl. "Second Sunrise" is a story of resilience, self-discovery, and the transformative power of love, proving that even in the darkest of times, a new dawn is always possible.

All through university, my friend, Rubee would pick me up and bring me to her home to chill whenever studies got too much for me. Long before I even turned up, Rubee befriended and cared for international students like me and she still does. This is her secret life. By day she is a medical lab scientist but in the evenings and weekends she makes sure the students under her care are well looked after. She has so many tales about her adventures with them buried deep within her heart. This book is an attempt to collate some of them. If you remember an instance or story and would like it included in this book, please message or facebook me. :) If you recognise the story and would like to tell it from your perspective get in touch.

An anthology centered on the power, strength, weaknesses, fears, hopes, ambitious, prejudices, thoughts, secrets, and dreams of Filipino women from all walks of life.