OnceUponALily

✨ Hello everyone! Huge congratulations to everyone participating in ONC 2026. Just getting your storylines down is the real victory, so be proud of your progress. 
          	Good luck to the entrants! I decided NOT to enter this year. Instead, I'm just writing for fun and challenging myself to work on four stories based on the prompts. I combined several of them in each story. I usually start strong and quit before Round 3, but this time I'm focusing on enjoying the writing process. Here's to finally crossing that finish line and having a blast doing it! ✨

OnceUponALily

@romanceismyjam- Thanks a lot. I just wanted to do something different this year. I write all of my stories for fun, and I don't enter contests or awards very often. I'm hoping to finish all of my ONC books, as well as the rewrite of my trilogy and two incomplete WLW books, soon. I'm just happy that Tethered Souls is going exactly the way I imagined it would years ago. I only had to read a few hundred published novels written in omniscient to get the hang of that writing style and work on my plot. I'm even writing two ONCs in the same style, so it's been fun to include points of view from all the characters. :D
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romanceismyjam-

@OnceUponALily Wowww! Your stories are great. The prompts you picked for each story were interesting. I can't even choose a favorite. I love how you handled this ONC year. I'm sure there are a lot of people who want to win. That can make writing less fun when people are trying to win the contest. You're doing good. I look forward to your updates!
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junehokshi

Hi Lily, thank you so much for reading and leaving such a lovely comment! Your profile has such heartfelt, polished, “you clearly know what you’re doing” energy, so it means a lot that you took the time to stop by my story. I’d be happy to check out your work too and return the kindness <3

OnceUponALily

@junehokshi Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate it. :)
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ataliass

hi ! i checked out your works and really liked them, would you like to be reading partners and do an r4r long term ? i write mainly romance, if it’s something you might be open to, let me know ! :) 

OnceUponALily

@ataliass Of course. I'm open to most books. My trilogy is placed inside one book and titled "The Tethered Trilogy." I have a rough draft of the same series that are placed in one book as well. That draft has 176 chapters and is how I used to write. Once I finished the last chapter of Book 3 in 2023, I started reading more published books and researched into how to make my trilogy better and shorter. It took me a few years, but I finally wrote a draft that I'm happy with. The first book had 70 chapters, but the new version has 35 chapters. I've rewritten this series so many times through the years. The rough draft is just that: a rough draft that is poorly writte. Haha. Forgive me, I'm rambling here. Read at your own pace. I'm doing the same. I usually read one or two chapters and wait for my partner. I'm sure I'll enjoy your stories. :) 
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ataliass

That’d be lovely ! I do love stories with romance and paranormal elements so i’m excited to give it a read. I’ll add your Tethered Trilogy books to my reading list and make my way through them (i’m a slow reader don’t mind me but rest assured that I will be reading your book ). Thank for you being open to the idea ! Happy reading :) 
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OnceUponALily

@ataliass Oh, I'm fine with reading main characters of all ages. The leading characters in my books, Shadow Song, Shadowbound, and Waves of Bliss, are all university age, so they're new adults. I still have many WIPs to finish, but I plan to do so before June is here so that I can update my other stories that will have main characters who are 18 - 23 and attend universities. I'm used to writing romance stories with adult characters that are already in the middle of their lives when they meet. I'd be happy to read your stories while you read mine. I'm working on finishing the rewritten version of The Tethered Trilogy, which is a multicultural paranormal romance. It is not a supernatural theme, but my characters connect via telepathy, which is considered paranormal. I'm very close to being done with Book 1 offline. I have two other versions of this plot on my account, and all of them have a different writing style, from first-person POV to third person limited. I changed my style to omniscient, which has greatly enhanced the overall storyline. It would be great if you could give it a try for the first few chapters and let me know what you think. ✨
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Shadowedheart_writes

v4v ?

Shadowedheart_writes

@OnceUponALily of course ! I would really love that :)
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OnceUponALily

@Shadowedheart_writes Hi. Respectfully, I do not do V4V. But I wouldn't mind becoming reading partners and do C4C gradually. I have not been online much this week but can make time to read one of your stories. Up to you.
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OnceUponALily

✨ Hello everyone! Huge congratulations to everyone participating in ONC 2026. Just getting your storylines down is the real victory, so be proud of your progress. 
          Good luck to the entrants! I decided NOT to enter this year. Instead, I'm just writing for fun and challenging myself to work on four stories based on the prompts. I combined several of them in each story. I usually start strong and quit before Round 3, but this time I'm focusing on enjoying the writing process. Here's to finally crossing that finish line and having a blast doing it! ✨

OnceUponALily

@romanceismyjam- Thanks a lot. I just wanted to do something different this year. I write all of my stories for fun, and I don't enter contests or awards very often. I'm hoping to finish all of my ONC books, as well as the rewrite of my trilogy and two incomplete WLW books, soon. I'm just happy that Tethered Souls is going exactly the way I imagined it would years ago. I only had to read a few hundred published novels written in omniscient to get the hang of that writing style and work on my plot. I'm even writing two ONCs in the same style, so it's been fun to include points of view from all the characters. :D
Reply

romanceismyjam-

@OnceUponALily Wowww! Your stories are great. The prompts you picked for each story were interesting. I can't even choose a favorite. I love how you handled this ONC year. I'm sure there are a lot of people who want to win. That can make writing less fun when people are trying to win the contest. You're doing good. I look forward to your updates!
Reply

pattuck418

Decided to come back for another try. The Christian rock band has been put on hold and I need something to do when taking a break from playing praise music.

OnceUponALily

@pattuck418 Yay! I noticed! I'm happy for you. You continue to enjoy music and praise our Lord for the blessings He bestows upon us. God is good! ✨
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