Ownvoices Stories

"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.

🏆 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

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.

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...

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.

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 :)

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 #iwriteincolor campaign allows you to push yourself to write diversely. This means main characters who are of color. This could be BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic), this could be biracial or some combination. It can mean Native and/or First Nations. The point is to create a story from the perspective of characters of color so they can be the star and not the side-kick. This DOES NOT mean that the story has to center around race. In fact, the judges (myself and my writer's club) would prefer that the story focuses on the character's and the amazing situations they encounter. You'll need to use an approved #iwriteincolor prompt. You can choose one from below OR you can sign up for my newsletter and get the full 30 days of prompts and choose from those. They run from Horror to Romance and more. Prompts: Priya gazed up at the sky and saw it fall, like the night had lost an earring. After the third she knew the sky is falling. Chiwetel watched as the last slavers' throat was cut. All eyes were on him and he realized too late he had no idea how to steer a ship. The old auntie handed the girl a reeking pouch of herbs and the girl handed over every cent she had to her name. It was worth it. "But Josefina, isn't garlic supposed to repel vampires?" The altar boys at Our Lady of Mercy were known for their voices but when they sprouted wings things got interesting. You can get more by signing up for the newsletter here: www.eepurl.com/cdHHhH Rules: 1. 500 words or less. 2. Must be original work. 3. Must use one of the prompts provided and include the wording of the prompt somewhere in the text. Prize: Winner will receive an 8GB Kindle Fire HD ready to load with all your favorite titles. I'll ship to Canada and the US only. Deadline: November 2, 2016

{ranked #17 in cultural] Freshly graduated from med school, and freshly over from her life, Sara Afridi is already defeated. Haunted by the death of her beloved father, and the past that he always had seemed on the edge of telling but never did, she decides to go back to her home nation and face those questions about her identity herself. When the past of her father collides with her present, and she has to ask questions about what she had believed to be true, and what is her false beliefs. Her identity becomes a question, and she has to find out to survive, is science really the answer to every question? Or is there something greater above even the science itself? Set in the backdrop of a small city in the Himalayas, this is the story of an atheist girl, finding the spiritual self inside and the self that's guarding her around herself.

From the universe of RECONSTRUCTING JADA CHANNING comes a holiday read, "The Gift of You," featuring a Southern business analyst and a British noble. When Clara Lawrence spreads a little holiday cheer by purchasing coffee orders for the people behind her, Braxton Roberts, the Earl of Yaleton, wants to know more about her. Both are usually pragmatic, practical people, but something about the beginning of the new year and the possibilities therein have them both leaving the solid ground of convention and taking a leap of faith into romance. Can Clara and Braxton land on their feet or will they stumble as they fall?

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.

A teenager gets falsely accused of murder in a future megacity where your personal data is the primary evidence used to convict in lieu of hard evidence. She joins up with an employee of the large corporation that owns most of the city to try and clear her name before she's arrested by the city guard, sending them both on a journey of self discovery that leads to dark truths and deeper mysteries about not just themselves but the city they call home. I've been working on this book for the past couple of years and have recently finished the latest draft. This is the first and second chapter of the book.

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.

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.

Four princesses from the districts of Brown Town are accepted at the prestigious Brown Queen University, the only remaining university in the country to train princesses into the official royal family. Of course, there's a catch. The selected Brown Queen must be the epitome of what it means to be the most socially accepted and desired brown girl in all of Brown Town. Who will the next queen be? Or more interestingly, who will the next queen NOT be?

Prom. It's a time for goodbyes and new beginnings. One magical night for every high school senior - Everyone except for Estela. An introvert who would rather dance with the literal stars than some cheaply made cardboard ones. With the presence of her two least favorite things, Estela couldn't think of anything worse than Prom night. Worst of all? Her mom wants nothing more than for her to have a normal high school experience. But, slow dancing in the middle of the school gym wouldn't change the fact that she wasn't interested. Things like prom, and dating were never on Estela's radar. She'd rather be at home, sitting on her rooftop looking at the stars; feeling free from the pressure of her mother and everyone else around her. - A Open Novella Contest 2021 Entry - Prompt(s) 28) You're never without your playlist so much so that it dictates every asset of your life. 85) "This prom is not my cup of tea, I would rather be up on my roof watching the stars."( main) Edited by Ahseya Aye Cover by me

Tyler is about to go on his first date since transitioning. He's finally feeling confident and ready to move forward in life. He's met a girl on Tinder as you do these days, what could go wrong? Only problem is he hasn't told her he's a trans guy. He wants to be normal for once. Will it work out? Will he fall in love? At what point will Tyler have to tell his date his secret? Written by an own voice author, lets explore this topic together.

The enigmatic Uncle is known for his ability to suck out the stories of others and use them as a deep medicine to cleanse the person's life. One dark night he takes in the stories of Tomtom's upbringing on the Reservation and lets them swirl around and around in a cold spiral that reaches throughout the boy's memory and pulls from the spiral those moments Thomas needs to face. Uncle's chapters released every Tuesday and TomTom's chapters released every Friday. Intertwined events in one boy's life explore a magical realist modern day fantasy. Kirkus Review https://ourorchard.co/2018/07/05/kirkus-review-for-old-ndn/ Purchase Book https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1979748357/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=dandan054-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1979748357&linkId=cb3d1ba6b22112cab8f4381edb2e935d

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