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

"He's teaching her how to hack his empire. She's collecting the evidence to burn it down." 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-a 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. Now, Kira has a choice: look away and cash the cheque. Or learn everything Rodrigo can teach her, and use it to destroy him. An impossible attraction. A dangerous game of secrets. He's letting his guard down around her-and she's collecting the evidence to burn his empire to the ground. 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, cyber warfare, and ultimate betrayal.

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.

When mysterious secrets begin to surface in the small town of Willowbrook, sisters Zoe and Nola Blue discover their lives are connected to an ancient magical legacy. Together, they must uncover the truth about their family, their powers, and the darkness lurking just beyond sight.

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.

A missing past, boundless secrets, and a secret weapon that threatens the boundary between the mortal and spirit realm... Fire mage Esmeralda has always struggled with her missing memories ever since she woke up from her coma two years ago, but Esme had her quiet life in Atonaco and her best friend and spirit mage Dacio by her side to keep her internal conflict at bay. Everything begins to crumble when Dacio is accused of a crime they couldn't have committed, and is taken south to the Wei Empire for judgement. With the help of a mysterious mutual friend, Esme embarks on a quest to prove Dacio's innocence. However, things down south are not as they seem, as ominous and powerful beings lurk in the shadows and she begins to develop magical abilities that are linked to her lost history. As she begins to piece together the mystery of her past, she stumbles upon a sinister plan that threatens the fate of the mortal realm...

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.

Santosh and Ibrahim are two individuals brought together through violence in the Kashmir Valley. With both nursing broken hearts and shattered dreams, it will take a lot to trust each other and move on to realize their true potential. This is a story about discovering ourselves, finding what matters to us most and staying on that course. Updates every Saturday! Cover made by the wonderfully talented @Azanthiel :)

Mickey and Dax have been best friends since middle school. They met online when Dax replied to Mickey's Instagram story, however that's all their relationship has been. Everything changes when they finally decide to meet up in person for the first time! However, Mickey doesn't know that Dax has been keeping a big secret from her. When the paparazzi find them together, Mickey finds out her best friend is actually Prince Daxton from Floavania. With pictures of the two of them leaked online, it becomes a big scandal because Dax is betrothed to a princess from a neighbouring country. To unravel this scandal, Mickey visits Flovania and agrees to fake date Dax's brother to prove to the public that nothing romantic is going on between her and Dax however, as the summer comes to a close, it only gets harder for Dax to imagine marrying the princess when he may have fallen for someone he can never be with.

Dandara está grávida do namorado. Ela o ama, mas um cara branco às vezes parece não falar sua língua. Durante um ultrassom, ela tem coragem de pedir que ele se retire pela primeira vez. Isso porque sua melhor amiga de infância reapareceu. Talvez tenham se perdido uma da outra apenas porque os estudos apertaram para Simone, tão determinada a se tornar uma médica e ajudar com as contas da casa que abandonou sua vida afetiva e qualquer tipo de diversão. Juntas outra vez, cada qual com seu silencioso pedido de socorro, elas percebem que precisam de muito, mas também têm um tanto a oferecer. Uma para enfrentar questões difíceis sobre seu relacionamento e a chegada do bebê. Outra para lembrar que a melhor forma de lutar pelo futuro não está na solidão, mas na abertura de espaço para a amizade e, quem sabe, o amor. _ ATENÇÃO! Esta é uma degustação do título "Você por aqui?" das autoras Ana Rosa e Wlange Keindé, que faz parte da série Melhores Amigas do Clube P.S.: em 2020. O livro é impresso em tiragem limitada por pré-venda e assinaturas, disponíveis até 7 de janeiro. Não haverá exemplares extras ou e-book da obra. Veja os pacotes e garanta o seu em http://psdoispontos.com/clube-literario/

In a small Indiana town, a teenage girl hasn't been seen for months, and her brother Reed is sketchy on the details. But seventeen-year-old Mayuri Krishnan doesn't know any of this-not yet. For her, Reed is the boy of her daydreams, the name she scribbles in her notebook, and the starring role of her online cliche mafia romance. When he stumbles upon her secrets, she first thinks Reed's claims to be from an Albanian crime family are lies intended to trick her. Soon, Mayuri begins to question the thin line between fiction and reality. Threats are made, daggers are drawn, and near-misses come too close for comfort. With Reed's promise to keep her safe from those who want her dead, and her growing belief that he may be lying about it all, Mayuri chooses to keep the dangerous part of her life a secret from her cop father. Things come to a head when she teams up with Reed's ex-girlfriend and best friend to uncover his secrets, leading to a night when a knife and a gun determine all their futures. She didn't mean to run away from a murder. She didn't have a choice. Abducted by someone she trusted, Mayuri must use all her wiles to save herself. The true lies that drew Reed and Mayuri together-and the false truths they discover along the way-could drive them apart forever.

Who uploaded the viral video that tanked Bette Porter's mayoral campaign? Powerful, charismatic Bette Porter is poised to become the next mayor of L.A., with the help of ambitious P.R. exec Dani Nunez. But the fundraising gala on Saturday night is a disaster. Instead of polishing Bette's image while the money pours in, a gala participant catches Bette in the middle of a raging temper tantrum and uploads a video that goes instantly viral. At brunch the following day, Bette's friends strategize about how to repair the damage. But what if some damage can't be repaired?

When Amira Bashir almost dies from hydrogen peroxide poisoning, PI Anjali Dayal must figure out who wants the president dead. Only 6 people could've spiked the glass, and with all of them having strong motives and shaky alibis, the case proves quite difficult to crack. Link to google slides with names, titles, and pictures of the characters: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1_jqfuxyQ8sv7cvA08jUhTNsAO9UxaE4oF6IQyrut17Y/edit?usp=sharing

When the sun shines brightest and the drums begin to beat, Melody and her magical cat, Kitty Paws, are swept into a dazzling celebration unlike any other - The Great Melanin Parade! From cocoa to caramel, bronze to ebony, children from all over the world gather to celebrate the beautiful shades of their skin. Dressed in vibrant prints, shimmering beads, and big bold smiles, Melody joins the joyful march through a magical land where every hue is honored and every child shines. With music, laughter, and magical moments at every turn, Melody learns that melanin is more than just skin - it's heritage, power, and pride. And when it's her turn to shine on the float of courage, she discovers that her voice, her hair, her dreams - all are perfect, just as they are. A radiant tale of self-love, cultural pride, and unity, Melody and the Great Melanin Parade is a joyful tribute to every child who deserves to feel seen, celebrated, and magical in their own skin.

Patrick Lee didn't want to become a super-villain. As far he's concerned, he's actually a pretty cool guy. A thrill-seeker and a dork, he spends most of his time fooling around with friends and working in a church nursery. That is, until a botched murder attempt from his handsome soon-to-be nemesis thrusts him into a world of magic and not-so-heroic superheroes. Vowing to use his powers only for good, Patrick finds himself on the wrong side of both the law and powerful superheroes. But the magician who tried to murder Pat is still hunting him down, and while other parts of his identity threaten to leave him jobless and broke, Patrick can't help but get himself wound up in cults, revolutions, and sinister plots that shake his views on good and evil. Patrick didn't want to become a supervillain, but sometimes, to do the right thing, you have to play with a little dark magic. *** COMPLETE Beautiful cover by @foxinscreamingcolor!

SPOILER: Neurologist, Dr. Kaya Jerito, finds out her patients are dying from an alien killer, not injuries or disease, but she's too late to save her own family. In the midst of falling for an undercover humanoid alien posing as a co-worker, Kaya's family is attacked. Now she must seek revenge against the ET killer that destroyed her patients' lives and her own. A family secret will expose her to the untapped abilities she needs to embrace in order to enact revenge. She grows powerful but risks her humanity and all that she stands for when her abilities cloud her judgment. A hybrid of reality and fiction, ancient alien theology meets alien abductions in a story driven by interdimensional love! Even super-powered aliens cannot stop a determined parent from saving their child, learning to use latent psychic powers, and finding the strength to love again.

Laura just wanted to know the time. The wrong question, asked to the wrong person, at the wrong moment - and the world never quite came back. Now the clock reads 00:00. The neighbor waters flowers with a dry hose. And the voice echoing in her head isn't only hers anymore. The Endless Cycle is a quiet descent into a fragmenting mind - one that isn't sure it wants to be put back together.

Anakin's world falls apart when her friend Brooks takes his own life. What follows is a raw dive into grief - the kind that makes you forget to eat, ignore your phone, and watch the holidays pass by from your bed. As she drowns in guilt and unanswered questions, Anakin becomes a ghost of herself, just going through the motions of living. But when spring arrives, something unexpected starts happening that might just give her a reason to keep going. This is a story about loss, the messy reality of healing, and discovering that love doesn't end with death.

Arlie Becker and his best friend, Sawyer, start having stalker like issues when pictures of them cuddling end up all over their school. To find out who did it, the boys must overcome their internal struggles and learn to help each other to be the happiest that they can be. Follow Arlie and Sawyer as they fight out their differences to find common ground on who and what they want to be together. :) *Warning: mentions of homophobia, unsupportive adults, and the fa word, also some language.* Don't steal, repost, record, translate, or otherwise distribute this book even if you credit me. I've spent long hard hours on this book and would appreciate if you passed on the link only. Don't steal and don't repost thank you :) Total amount of words: 15,176 Sawyer- means cuts wood Sealey- means from the happy meadow Sawyer Sealey Actor Portrayal: Lucas Till ~~~ Arlie- means from the hare's meadow. Becker- means to bake bread or user/maker of pickaxes Arlie Becker Actor Portrayal: Colin Ford

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