Young-adult Stories

Tyler is being hunted by the Grinning Man and flees to Marble Springs, where he teams up with Serling and Price, real estate agents who sell haunted houses. ***** After his brother disappears and a burial mound explodes, high school student Tyler Graves starts having strange visions. His brother warns him that something is coming for him. Soon, Tyler's entire family is slaughtered, and he's being hunted by an otherworldly entity known as The Grinning Man. Fleeing to Marble Springs, he meets Serling and Price, real estate agents who specialize in selling haunted houses. It's up to this unlikely trio to stop a madman from destroying the world - by literally unleashing Hell on Earth! (Sequel to Apartment 239.) [[word count: 100,000-150,000 words]]

|| Featured FREE story with exclusive paid chapters - previously a paid story || When Haley discovers the truth behind Xavier, whose silence holds a deeper meaning, she sets her mind on making his life better one small step at a time. ***** Haley Rosamond is happy with her simple life, content under the wing of her father. Well-protected, she has no idea of the darkness surrounding Xavier Hunt, with his all-black attire and infrequent presence in school-accompanied by his bruises and scars. That is, until Haley catches a glimpse of Xavier's reality and is made to question everything she knows about family and life in general. The truth, she realizes, couldn't be more different from everything she has heard. Supported by her father, Haley sets her mind on helping Xavier any way she can, and what begins with tutoring sessions, free food, and random acts of kindness blooms into friendship and something a little more. But when Haley's admission into her dream college and another tragedy in Xavier's life threaten to undo everything she has worked for, Haley needs to decide if she'll stick by Xavier or simply be another person in his life that disappears. [[word count: 80,000-90,000 words]] Cover designed by Holly Thurston

FREE STORY WITH EXCLUSIVE CONTENT. This is *not* a Paid Story. Eighteen-year-old hockey prodigy Elliot Wexler has three goals for senior year. One: somehow graduate with a 3.5 GPA. Two: hide his bipolar disorder from his peers. And three: make it into the NHL with no scandals. Piece of cake. What he doesn't expect is to find Lucy, a homeless girl, hiding from the winter frost in his dad's shed. Elliot's busy, complicated life doesn't permit room for error, and falling in love with a girl from a totally different world sounds like the opposite of a good idea. But Elliot can't help but be drawn to Lucy and her elusive ways--even when she seems to vanish from his life non-stop, each time leaving him with a bigger hole in his heart. But Elliot is determined to break down Lucy's barriers. And when he does, he discovers that her life is more complicated--and dangerous--than he could have imagined. With drafting season approaching, and Elliot's fragile mental health deteriorating, he's forced to face a difficult question: Is first love supposed to hurt so much? *** PLEASE DO NOT ADD THIS STORY TO GOODREADS.

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION You do magic once, and it sticks to you like glitter glue... When Johnny and his best friend, Alison, pass their summer holidays dabbling in magic, they never expect it to have consequences. Sure, it'd be great if they could banish bullies or change their lives for the better, and what harm could come from lighting a few candles and chanting a few spells? They get their answer in the form of an earthquake unleashed at their behest, which draws the attention of the Marduk Institute, an age-old organization dedicated to fostering the talents of young wizards. Whisked away to the institute and told they can never return to their old lives, Johnny and Alison must quickly adapt to a new world shimmering with monsters, fraternities, and cute boys like Hunter and Blake. But when they're pulled into a dark, supernatural fight that could cost them their lives, they'll have to find strength they never knew they had as they battle for love, acceptance, and their own happy endings -- all with the help of a little bit of magic.

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. Love is a chemical reaction. When Jordan Hughes arrives at Pinecrest High School, Elliot Goldman's graduating year suddenly gets a lot more interesting. Smart, good looking and charming, Jordan isn't exactly the kind of person Elliot's used to having as a lab partner. But when they start acing their assignments, life is suddenly about more than boring lectures, bad cafeteria nachos, or relentless bullying, and for the first time ever, Elliot can't wait to get to chemistry class. As they start spending more time together outside of school, Elliot realizes he's never met anyone quite like Jordan. And then everything changes one night when Jordan kisses him, making Elliot question everything about their relationship and about himself. The butterflies start to make sense-the trouble is, right now, nothing else does. Love was the last thing on Elliot's mind. But as he begins to figure out how he really feels about Jordan, he realizes that sometimes the last thing you are looking for is the one thing you need the most.

Some bonds are chosen. Others are carved into your soul. Vivienne Minthe thought escaping Manna City meant reclaiming the quiet life she once knew but fate isn't done with her yet. After rescuing Blake Thorne, the dangerously alluring vampire she once knew as a boy, Vivienne is thrust back into a world of oaths, ancient powers, and enemies lurking in every shadow. Their bond is mysterious, forbidden, and stronger than she understands-pulls her closer to Blake even as her heart urges her to run. Home is no refuge. Her family abandons her, demons stalk the city, and Vivienne's childhood fears begin to awaken in terrifying, uncontrollable ways. As she struggles to uncover the truth behind her past, Vivienne must confront a rising darkness-and the seductive, unpredictable vampire tied to her by destiny. When an old female friend, Allison Devon, returns carrying secrets and scars, Vivienne becomes trapped between loyalty, love, and survival. The monsters of Manna City were only the beginning... and the new horrors stalking her want more than her blood-they want her soul. [[word count: 150,000-200,000 words]] Cover designed by Anastasia Wright

Hunter, a street kid turned FBI agent, is ordered to befriend Calvin Black. But as they grow closer, she realizes Calvin cares more about her than the FBI. Hunter Ashley was taken off the streets as a teen and brought into a highly secret FBI program that's turned her into a full-fledged agent. She is assigned, alongside the brooding agent Micah, to befriend Calvin Black, the son of the notorious Christopher Black. Hunter does her best to hide her survival training inside a typical high school, only she's developing feelings for Calvin, and it looks like Micah is starting to crush on her. In a world where a single mistake can prove fatal, Hunter has to figure out who she can trust, or she'll end up back on the streets. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION When a summer of fun turns upside down, Olivia must figure out whether her paranoid imagination is playing tricks on her or if she's being followed - and by who. ***** It's been years since Olivia nearly drowned in Caldwell Beach, and after moving away, she's back for the summer to reconnect with old friends. However, not everything-or everyone-is the same. Her childhood best friend, Miles, is still sweet and carefree, but his older brother West is not. Disowned and working at the local garage, he's distanced himself from everyone, until Olivia accidentally uncovers the reason why. But as the two grow closer, strange things begin happening to Olivia. She can't stop seeing shadows and hearing voices, but as she slips into a downward spiral of obsessiveness and paranoia, she must fight to uncover the truth behind who is after her, and why. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]

FIRST CAME THE DRAGONS When scientists brought everyone's favorite fairytale creature to life, people flocked to see them, including 17-year-old Zelda Rissland. THEN CAME THE PARASITE But scientists created more than just dragons-they created a deadly parasite. Wyrmrot, they later called it. First, it ate your brain, and then it made you eat other people's brains. NOW ZELDA MUST SURVIVE THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE Separated from her family, the only person Zelda has left from her former life is her childhood friend turned boyfriend, Cooper Marotta. Together they've carved out a safe place for themselves in a world turned upside down, but when a zombie horde decimates their survivor group, they face a choice: attempt to rebuild or follow the mysterious coordinates that appeared on a construction sign. Zelda still hopes her family is out there somewhere and believes the coordinates might lead her to them. Cooper, however, thinks the coordinates will only bring trouble. When the remaining survivors vote to undertake the perilous cross-country journey, he attempts to deter them every step of the way. What Zelda discovers at their destination will test her loyalties and change everything she thought she knew about the apocalypse. Wyrmrot is a heart-stopping Young Adult Apocalyptic novel told in dual timelines. "Jurassic Park meets Resident Evil." This fast-paced tale of survival, secrets, and betrayal features dragons, zombies, and a touch of romance. Perfect for fans of Erin Bowman's Contagion or Emily Suvada's This Mortal Coil. Cover design and illustration by Jeff Brown (www.jeffbrowngraphics.com) Available on Amazon in paperback, eBook, and Kindle Unlimited.

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. The past always resurfaces . . . Five years after almost drowning, Olivia Cathart returns home to Caldwell Beach determined to face her fears and take some risks-not just by swimming but by opening her heart. Hoping to rekindle her friendships, she's excited about a carefree summer with her best friends Keely and Miles. But life in the sleepy town has changed, and no one and nothing is as it seems. When a series of startling crimes threaten Olivia's fragile state, she is plunged into a terrifying game of cat and mouse. Her only solace from the chaos is West, Miles's disowned and ruggedly handsome brother, but even he can't answer the question on everyone's minds-is Olivia really in danger or is it simply all in her head?

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION Bringing us into a world of unrelenting suspense, Olivia Harvard's astonishing debut explores the ravages of grief and betrayal through the eyes of a teenage boy coping with a heartbreaking loss and its revelations . . . The unthinkable has happened: Colton Crest is dead. And Elliot, Colton's best friend, is the one who finds him brutally murdered. As Elliot struggles to put the pieces of his shattered life back together, Colton's funeral only brings more confusion and heartbreak. Someone has placed a note in Elliot's pocket claiming to be Colton's killer. And in a sickening twist, they offer to provide a series of clues that will help Elliot find out their identity. Consumed with rage and grief, Elliot has no choice but to follow where the confessions lead. But with each new revelation, it becomes clear that Colton had a strange and secret other life. Elliot isn't sure of anything anymore. Is he tracking down the killer? Or is the killer tracking him? In his search for the truth, Elliot vows to see this sick game to the end, no matter the cost.

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION Griffin Tomlin is dead. And Clara's sister killed him . . . Four months after the murder, the entire town of Shiloh is still in shock. For Clara Porterfield, the normal world has crumbled around her in a million chaotic pieces. Now Clara lives in a new reality, where her sister awaits trial for murder, her mother obsessively digs in a dead, frozen garden, and her father lives and breathes denial. At school, Clara is haunted by her classmates' morbid curiosity-and all of the unspoken questions they won't ask. But none of them knows what she knows . . . Now Clara's sister wants something from her-the one thing in all of this that Clara isn't ready to face: the truth about what really happened that night. Because this story didn't die with Griffin Tomlin. There's another story that needs to be told. And sometimes, the lies we're told are nowhere near as deadly as the lies we tell ourselves . . .

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION. There are some friends you never forget. It's the summer of 1955. For Ethan Harper, a biracial kid raised mostly by his white father, race has always been a distant conversation. When he's sent to spend the summer with his aunt and uncle in small-town Alabama, his blackness is suddenly front and center, and no one is shy about making it known he's not welcome there. Enter Juniper Jones. The town's resident oddball and free spirit, she's everything the townspeople aren't-open, kind, and accepting. Armed with two bikes and an unlimited supply of root beer floats, Ethan and Juniper set out to find their place in a town that's bent on rejecting them. As Ethan is confronted for the first time by what it means to be black in America, Juniper tries to help him see the beauty in even the ugliest reality, and that even the darkest days can give rise to an invincible summer . . .

STAINED REPUTATION abraham, only eleven and from the wrong side of the tracks, knows what it's like to be invisible. But when a privileged classmate is found involved in drugs, abraham suddenly becomes the most visible boy in colony-accused of being the bad influence, the scapegoat the upper class needs. The world is ready to crush his future. Only his English teacher, Ms. reetu sees the rot beneath the gilded surface and starts a desperate investigation. But abraham real ally is the most unlikely person of all: Ms. reetu's younger sister. Violet is gothic, dyed-hair, and notorious for keeping the world at bay. Yet, in a quiet corner of chaos, she offers Abraham something no one else can: genuine consolation and the fierce, silent support he needs to survive the public trial that threatens to stain his reputation forever.

A genetically unique but emotionally lost teenager must figure out who she is within her mixed-up, warring world of Shifters and Wolfstalkers. ***** It wasn't Maddie's choice to be born a half-breed, half Shifter, half Wolfstalker -- a hunter of Shifters -- and it wasn't her choice to keep her identity a secret. But after trying to attend high school like any normal sixteen-year-old, things quickly spiral south when her Stalker uncle finds out about her and catapults her out of anonymity and into the awareness--or possibly the crosshairs--of The Order of the Wolfstalker. Maddie must think fast and figure out a way to keep herself and her family safe, or risk losing everything. Including her life. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION The Bro Code says to leave no bro behind... But what happens when you have to choose between love and friendship? ***** Nick Maguire would never betray his best friends, Carter and Austin, by breaking The Bro Code, and he knows they'd never do that either. They've got each other's backs. That is, until Carter's sister, Eliza, returns from Australia. Unfortunately, Eliza is basically incredible, and Nick almost immediately falls head over heels. The two begin to form an undeniable bond that crackles with electricity - and spells a whole lot of trouble. Nick is about to find out that codes are made to be broken. [[word count: 60,000-70,000 words]]

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION Finished high school, Emma's forced to spend her summer at a camp. But a striking counsellor, Vivian, changes her plans from escape to together forever. ***** Seventeen-year-old Emma Lane usually lives with her dad, but she's once again being forced to spend the summer with her homophobic mom. This time, however, instead of spending a summer on the beach, her mom drops her off at Camp Mapplewood while she heads off on a cruise with her new husband. Emma hates the camp and tries to escape, but she is caught by a camp counsellor Vivian. She's drawn to Vivian's voice and her charm, while Vivian is fascinated by Emma's instinct to protect others and to feel with her whole heart. The two grow close, but the end of the summer looms. Can they find a way to stay together when they have to return to their normal lives? (Has a sequel: My Pretend Summer.) [[word count: 50,000-100,000 words]]

WATTPAD ORIGINAL EDITION The nightmare continues when Ryan, the gay wizard, comes face to face with the most unexpected nemeses yet. He will have to figure out if love truly is the most powerful magic of all. ***** After the events of I'M A GAY WIZARD, Ryan wakes up to a startling scene--his father is driving him to begin a brand new life in a small, idyllic town called Misthaven. The dream-like memory of being trapped at the Marduk Institute relentlessly haunts Ryan's new life. In the night, Ryan comes face to face with a nightmarish force who warns him that he and his friends are, in fact, trapped in a magical dream prison created by the Institute to quell its most troublesome wizards. Ryan and his friends must immediately escape this prison for a chance at survival. Little do they know that this is only the beginning of a harrowing adventure where the limits of love and friendship will be tested and the age-old question will return--is love truly the greatest magic of all? [This is the sequel to I'm A Gay Wizard, the Wattpad Original edition.] Content and/or Trigger Warning: This book contains scenes depicting self-harm and violence, which may be triggering for some readers. [[word count: 70,000-80,000 words]]

WATTPAD BOOKS EDITION Everest is the most popular boy in school. He's handsome, wealthy, and captain of the football team-he has the world at his fingertips, but he's desperately unhappy. And when those feelings become too much to bear, he tries to take his own life. On the surface, Beverly's different from Everest in every possible way. She's quiet, shy, hard working, and keeps to herself on campus, focusing on her schoolwork and her part-time job, distracting herself from her less-than-perfect upbringing. When Everest returns to school after his attempt, he's in more pain than ever. Discarded by his friends, he draws little empathy and too much attention from those who surround him. But when Beverly and Everest meet unexpectedly in a dusty corner of the old library, they discover together just how rich life can be when given the freedom to just be yourself.