Onc2023 Stories

WATTYS 2023 SHORTLIST | WATTYS 2023 FANS CHOICE AWARDS NOMINEE Initially looking for nothing more than a feelings-free summer fling before college, reckless Harris McCammon and anxious Seb Krause might have stumbled into more than they bargained for. --------------------------------- When a graduation party takes a risky turn, Harrison McCammon finds himself in the passenger seat of Sebastian Krause's truck. When the two virtual strangers agree to begin a friends with benefits kind of situation, neither expect anything more than maybe a fun situationship before they leave for college. But as their casual entanglement turns into something slightly more, the two of them are forced to push down their real thoughts on this non-relationship. Add in sketchy ex-boyfriends, concerned parents, and a small dash of existential dread, there's no such thing as no strings attached. TW: underaged substance abuse; mentions of/attempted SA; (fade to black/non-explicit) sex; homophobic figures/abandonment; hospitalisation ^that sounds like a lot, wow, i'm sorry, it's ... it's mainly fluff ---ONC Ambassadors Round 2 Pick, 2023---

** The horror slumbers buried under many meters of rubble and desert sand. Nameless cartouches, desecrated relics, and a sarcophagus containing an ancient riddle. ** "Ancient lands lost in time. Storms of sand, walls of lime Surround this mask of death that I wear Awakened by invading souls The curse of Pharaoh upon you Who dares to invade his holy ground The gods rise to destroy you." - Symphony X - When young student and photography enthusiast Arabella Redcliffe visits her uncle at an excavation site in Egypt anno 1922, ancient secrets are uncovered that should have remained hidden forever. The men and women of the archaeological excavation stumble upon a still-sealed burial chamber. But not only its condition and location raise questions. Who was buried here, why was his name erased from all records and reliefs, and why were many grave goods wantonly desecrated? Together, Arabella and the dashing archaeological assistant Miles Thornton try to get to the bottom of the mysteries. But then, inexplicable and terrible events begin to take their course. If they don't figure out what's going on in this cursed place fast enough, this tomb could become theirs, too. ***** My entry for the Open Novella Contest 2023 Cover by Me ***** 🥇TheGemstoneBooksAwards - Mystery 🥇 1st Place The Aster Awards - Paranormal 🥇 1st Place Rose Book Award - Mystery 🥇 1st Place Crown Awards - Mystery 🥇 1st Place Luminous Award - Best Title 🥇 1st Place Starlight Mini Awards - Best Prologue 🥇 Grad Prize Starlight Mini Awards 🥇 1st Categories Awards 2023 - Best Cover 🥇 1st Place Astania Awards - Mystery 🥈 2nd Place Starlight Mini Awards - Best Cover 🥈 2nd Place Megawatt Awards - Paranormal/Horror 🥈 2nd Categories Awards 2023 - Best Blurb 🥈 2nd Place Dazzle Awards - Thriller/Horror *****

**In the Jim Crow South, two star-crossed lovers will change the trajectory of their nation's history forever.** Harriet is clearing out her grandmother's attic when she uncovers the truth: a love story marked by scandal, desperation, and a nation torn between a troubled past and a hopeful future. Harriet learns that at the heart of a great American victory is her family. Marked by legacy, this whirlwind romance proves that love isn't always black and white - and that changing the world comes at a cost. - ** ONC 2023, PROMPT #7

~ONC 2023 Shortlister~ An embezzlement, two murders and a series of suspicious deaths that follow- with a bloodthirsty murderer on the loose, Gabriel must race against time to defeat a powerful nemesis with no regard for law or life. Armed with an amateur for an assistant, next to no evidence and an old walkie talkie, Private Detective Gabriel Bedford sets out to uncover the deaths of Detective Katherine Wright and her lover from twenty years ago. How does the dormant walkie talkie seem to come to life at midnight? Who is the supposed ally who works in the shadows to help the detective when he is at his wits' end? Moreover, who is the unknown adversary who seems to know his every move and is always one step ahead? ~Can be found on the mystery, humor, adultfiction and MysteryThrillerIN profile reading lists~

Round One Ambassador Pick. Emily Hollyford fell in love with Oscar Trentham, Earl of Riverstoke, when she was just thirteen years old. All she wanted in life was to marry her prince charming in front of the most important people in her life-her parents. Oscar, on the other hand, only saw an annoying child who pestered him day and night while he was trying to enjoy his visits with his cousin Henry. Due to a series of devastating events, their paths don't cross again till many years later and Oscar can't help wondering what happened to the outgoing and vibrant Emily? Overshadowed by her cousin Cecily and treated horribly by her mother's brother and his wife, Emily is a shell of her former self. But with Oscar back in her life, can she overcome the hurts of her past and find herself again? And more importantly, can she still get her happily ever after? Prompt 33 They had their arrow aimed at their target's back, a perfect shot despite the crowded ballroom. Taking a deep, steading breath, they pulled the bowstring taught and prepared to let the arrow fly. But then their target turned and looked directly at them, finding them in the eaves as if they'd known they were there all along. The target winked.

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Jade Snow by day, Sapphire Bullseye by night. Sandshore. A place of beauty and disaster. She is one of the top assassins in the underworld. Sent out to kill and steal. Nothing is too challenging for this woman but what happens when she is sent on a mission to Frostbourne to assassinate the Prince. Secrets will be revealed. Fights will break out and those they loved will die in the crossfire. Cover by @-DeeIsDead--

When a grandmother is declared the Chosen One, she abandons her rocking chair to challenge the Dark Lord who plots to destroy the world. -- Formerly a single mother, now a devoted grandma, Granny Thayer has never left her hometown before, let alone slayed a demon. But she'd better learn fast; she's just been selected as the Chosen One, the only hero who can defeat the nefarious Dark Lord of Devnia and avert a zombie apocalypse. Accompanied by a devastatingly handsome prince, a failed bard, and a werewolf with a dangerous secret, Granny Thayer embarks on a quest full of intrigue and love triangles to save her grandson. This is a collaboration for ONC 2022/2023, written by SophieKestrel and Spelunkadunk. Prompt: "It's always what/who you least expected that blows your mind away."

[ 3x FEATURED ] How long can she be a secret admirer of your class representative? A teenager who had once been bullied finally decided to change her final year of high school and date her crush. Aurora Hexion is a calm, mediocre girl who happens to be an omega of a middle-class family. Being average in everything including grades, appearance, and status made her an average girl in a high-class academy. With little hope of ever fitting in and high hopes of capturing the attention of the class' hottest representative. Noel Von Parschel is a confident, soft-spoken prime alpha who values class and comes from a wealthy family. Raised as a popular model, pianist, and excellent student often attracted the praises of various people. Having faked a personality his entire life and hidden an illness from the general public, what happens when he falls for the average girl in class and fails to keep up the act anymore? "If this is imperfection, then I'm attracted to it." FEATURED ON AMBASSADORS AF PROFILE IN JUNE. FEATURED ON THE OFFICIAL WATTPAD BULLY PREVENTION FEATURED ON STORIES UNDISCOVERED WATTPAD -JULY ( started February, 2023 ) ONC 2023 Highest ranking no. 1/ 1.44k stories - #existential 24/05/2023 no.1 / 1k+ stories - #figures 08/05/2023

Elizabeth-Annebelle lived her life on the family farm. She gathered the animals for breakfast, helped clean and feed them, and reported any deaths or weird behaviors. One day, when she goes to report a death, she finds out that she's become a ghost. When trying to find out what to do, she finds two doors. Opening one, she releases many w into the living world. Now her and the Grim Reaper have to work together to return the souls.

When Ethan Johnson wakes up with a dead body next to him and a duffel bag full of money, he has no memory of how he got there. As he tries to uncover the truth about his past, he discovers that he possesses an alien artifact, a key that operates a gate to the various 'memory storehouses' in the galaxy. With the help of his fellow Team Agent, Sharon Michaels, Ethan must follow through with a dangerous mission to save the Earth or all of humanity's memories will be harvested and lost forever.

When the Universe gives you a wild chance at love, do you take it? *** Eloise Carter has dreamed of finding the perfect relationship since she was a little girl. But after a particularly horrible date, she swore off dating. That was seven months ago. When her best friend insists on setting her up on a blind date, she reluctantly agrees - with very low hopes. Alice Edwards is hopelessly in love with her ex-girlfriend/roommate and is trying - and failing - to get over her. It's not working. And on top of that, her Mom is sick, and she and her brother are doing their best to take care of her. When the two of them meet while Eloise is on her (failing) blind date, they have to decide whether to walk away or embrace the gravity pulling them together. COMPLETE ONC 2023 Prompt #39: On a blind date with a complete mismatch, you're increasingly uncomfortable but too polite to leave. Then an attractive stranger comes over and gives you an out.

CIA black ops assassin Apollo Fox awakens to find a dead body and a duffel bag of money with a pelican case next to him in a room in the safe house. The only thing he has is no memory of who he was or ended up here. Unable to trust his handler. And anyone he must unravel the deadly conspiracy to find out who was he and the. dead bead body is? based on prompt 32

2023 Leighyeann A. Mies All rights are reserved An entry for the Open Novella Contest 2023 (prompts #15, #63 and #75) [COMPLETED ON 28/4/2023] *** Three women. Three secrets. Three tangled lives... Jenny Lesko doesn't want to marry Hunter Hyde. She only has eyes for her only love, Alex Hills, but her aunt and uncle have different plans for her. She will do everything in her power to get what she wants, but the price to pay isn't cheap... Bella Hennings is torn. She doesn't know how to get out of the rut she got herself into. Being two different men's number one target means she's forced to make a decision, something she has only done a few times in her life. Beth Kuhlmann is done. She no longer wants to be anyone's third wheel. For once in her life, she wants to be the first choice. How can she pursue her goal when anything she earns is disappointment? The three women know that, in order to succeed, have to trust the right people, or prepare themselves from a major twist in their lives...

For 11 years, Lydie Abbott has been followed by snakes. She's also been framed for murder by a pantheon of storied gods, chased by mobs crying witchcraft in the streets, and stalked by monstrosities made of stardust. And yet it always comes back to snakes. She never considered that that is what would be the biggest drawback of making a dark deal with a fallen god. Twelve lives in twelve years. That was the agreement she made with the Medicine Man the night she fled from the constellations. The night the Ecliptic known as the Wishgranter was murdered and Lydie was the one holding the poison goblet. The night she lost all hope in the gods that raised her and the mortals that refused to accept her. She doesn't know what she gave to the Medicine Man in exchange for revenge against the Ecliptic, but she knows that without meeting the love of her life she wouldn't have stopped killing when she did. And without the death of her wife she wouldn't have left it all behind. Now all Lydie wants is to retire and redeem herself for the life of darkness she lived before. That was what Gastown was supposed to be; a haven for demi-humans and mythical creatures lost between worlds. But trouble just seems to follow her like a slithering serpent, as the land she's built for herself is taken from underneath her feet by a devout and jaded man willing to do anything to uphold his beliefs. Trapped from all sides, a kind-hearted girl named Mae convinces Lydie to stop running and face her past. To clear her name once and for all and uncover who truly killed the Wishgranter all those years ago. Of course, neither one of them knew this would mean summoning an Ecliptic to earth; a haunting and unearthly creature known as Moonchild. ✧ ♒︎ ✧ † ✧ ☾ ✧ The murder of a god gone unsolved, a pact made with a harbinger of the apocalypse, and a town built on superstition on the verge of collapsing. Welcome mortals, to Moonchild.

Three women, who have never met. Three secrets, never meant to be known. Three lives, tangled together in horrific ways, as fate plays with the strings. * * * * * Rani Altario has a secret. A threat to her life and her country leaves her with little choice but to flee, hiding herself behind a new identity for protection. But make no mistake; Rani isn't running. She's waiting, struggling to keep her flame lit. And it is all too simple for even a small fire to turn into an inferno. Maliha Sarrow has a secret. By day, she's the breathtaking young maiden, whose hand is wanted by what feels like every man in her hometown (never mind that she doesn't want any of them). The ultimate prize to be won. But by night, she's someone - something - different, darker. Something Maliha never wanted to be. But for the people she loves, there's no limit to what she'd become. Rija Nazari has a secret. Injured and betrayed, she leaves behind everything she's ever known for a nation that won't welcome her. It's a risk - scratch that, it's a suicide mission - but Rija is alone, afraid, and out of options. But will leaving truly save her? * * * * * Originally written for the Open Novella Contest 2023! Prompt #15 (MAIN): Three women. Three secrets. Three tangled lives. Prompt #49 (SECONDARY): "Master the rules of the game until you can play it better than they can." Michael Scott, "The Sorceress."

Prompt #9: There's an urban legend that's been circulating for years about a taxi cab that doesn't take you where you want to go, but where you need to go. One night, you stepped into this cab. An entry for the Open Novella Contest 2023.

In their dreams, they are always children. The Garden, around them, trees and foliage covering their heads like woodland crowns, and the sweet scent of ripened fruit dangling on the reaching branches smeared all over their cheeks. Garlands of laughter strung among the grasses; the picnics, the golden, sunny skies, the winds of wonder and delight. In their dreams, they are still there, always, waiting. But dreams have consequences, and someday they must wake up.

A Curse crawls inexorably across the Elysium Realm, turning everything it touches to lifeless stone. Anara, a powerful young witch, vows to stop it, but became herself infected and disfigured. After his mother goes missing, Micah, an unaware college student, finds himself drawn into an alternate world where magic rules. A world with more connections to him than he realizes. Together, Anara and Micah face a curse that may ultimately consume both worlds. But the political leadership fears their manipulation, and shadowy forces exist that do not wish them to succeed. **** 2024 Ambys Top Pick ****