In Hamelin, power sings a deadly tune, and Rowena 'Aster' Craft is caught in its melody. Born under a legacy of forbidden magic, Aster has spent her life hiding in the shadows of Hamelin, a kingdom where secrets fester and power is sung through ancient music. Controlled by her cruel stepmother, the head mage, Aster longs for freedom, unaware her caged magic is both her greatest strength and deadliest curse. When she's thrust into a secret academy where music bends reality, Aster discovers she is the key to an ancient prophecy-one tied to a lost panpipe rumored to command souls and a legacy that could bring Hamelin to its knees. Aster must navigate a deadly dance of deception in a world of sorcery; where deceit lurks in every note, and the academy's halls burn with ambition, betrayal, and whispered threats. The bastard prince, his smirk a veil for secrets darker than the shadows he walks, becomes an unexpected player in her fate. Drawn to each other by secrets neither can afford to share, they must navigate a world where love is as treacherous as magic. Haunted by visions of the dead and those who fear her power, Aster must unravel the truth of her lineage before the Piper's curse consumes her. In Hamelin, every sacrifice demands a song: Aster must choose if she will be its instrument or its dissonance. #1 Readers Pick of Fantasy Pitch Wars by @Fantasy 🏅 #1 in sword and sorcery 🏅 #1 in epic fantasy 🏅 #2 in magic 🏅 #2 in sacrifice

For 12 years, Ethan Fletcher has been the annoying, chaotic boy next door and brother to Kira's best friend... and she hated him... at least, she thought she did. This story is about becoming friends and falling in love one fond memory at a time... and having loads of fun along the way. Friendly Dating - Ethan is written from Ethan's point of view and can be read before, during or after this one, but they do contain some spoilers for each other. Excerpt: Ethan spills through the gap between my curtains and lands on my floor with a soft grunt. "You shouldn't leave your window open like that, Kicks," he huffs, getting to his feet. "Something weird could get into your room." "So I see," I blink at him. Genre: Teenage Romance/New Adult Romance This is a work of fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. I reserve all rights as @MaggieOHighley. Please do not copy or use my work anywhere without my permission. Thank you.

Alice Barlowe doesn't remember where she came from. The only remnants of her past is a burn mark under her ear, and the power to summon fire. Raised by the couple who found her the night she was abandoned, Alice never had any desire to find her biological parents. Until, strange creatures begin to stalk and attack her. At the age of twenty-two (and a half), Alice must embark on a dangerous journey across the United States to return home. She is joined by her best friend: who has a talent for marksmanship, her friends from college: who say they know where she came from and know who her biological parents are, and her cat: who is fifteen years old and defying all odds of what exactly a cat should be. Follow along as Alice struggles for survival as she tries to discover her past.

A young sorceress, sworn to protect life at all costs, must choose whether to sacrifice her humanity or let an invading dragon army destroy her homeland. ***** Sorceress Liselle Alta has decided to put her troubled past behind her, and her first year at university has offered her the perfect chance to start with a clean slate. But after a terrorist attack on Induction Day, Liselle's dreams of having a normal life soon fall apart, and she must make a choice: Should she uphold her sacred Healer oath to protect life at all costs? Or should she fight in the upcoming war to help the Fireborn protect her homeland? With the invading dragon army on the march, Liselle has to decide before it's too late. [Fiction Awards Winner] #1 in love | 5 August 2022 #1 in action-adventure | 11 August 2022

Livy barely escaped a war he never wanted, only to stumble into a secret that could unravel everything, his past, his identity, and the fragile peace he fought for. A hidden chamber, a cryptic riddle, and a syndicate that wants him dead. The deeper he digs, the clearer it becomes: his bloodline is not what he was told, and someone went to great lengths to keep it buried. Now, every step toward the truth threatens to expose him, and the wrong move won't just cost him his life, it will set the world on fire. After all, some legacies aren't meant to be inherited.

Summary In The Curse of the Forgotten Lords, Ewan Macrae, a seasoned gamekeeper in Glen Nant National Forest, investigates a series of brutal sheep killings that point to something far more sinister than local predators. Rumors of mysterious black cats haunting the Highlands resurface, but Ewan soon discovers these creatures are not mere legends-they are ancient shapeshifters, once powerful lords of the land, cursed by witches to remain trapped in their animal forms. As Ewan seeks answers, he turns to Morag, a local seer who reveals the truth: the curse is weakening, and if it breaks, the Black Clans will rise again. However, the witches, who still hold sway in the shadows, will do anything to prevent this from happening. As the balance of power shifts, Ewan is drawn deeper into a world where magic, betrayal, and ancient grudges collide. To protect the Highlands and uncover the truth, Ewan must confront the forces that seek to keep the Black Clans imprisoned-and discover if the prophecy can truly be fulfilled before the witches strike again.

Randomly receiving a piece of parchment with a road-map and an "X" to mark the spot, Landry has travelled for so long that even his boots gave up. His journey brought him to Pollard's Grove, a generally unknown and quiet lumber village on the outskirts of the Wyrmwood, a densely packed forest with gargantuan trees at the centre of Lake Laga. There, he meets a friend he hasn't seen in years, a black-haired elf by the name of Maliah who is uncharacteristically concerned as to why she summoned him. With magical threads of light, how far could the story lead beyond the Grove? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The story takes place within my world, called Aurum. The known world is split into two continents, the 'Twin Continents.' The West Continent is home to Cleonth, Zalafold, The Northern Kingdoms and the remnants of Larune. The East Continent is made up of Elduira, Zanokar, Adraskia, The Huinan Empire and more. (Names may change.) The sea that separates the two is known as the Meridean Sea, and none can leave the Twins and return due to the surrounding boundless oceans, known as the Vast Blue. Many thanks to my friends Imp, Zero and Morgz for their invaluable feedback :)

Being embarrassing isn't a choice. It's a full-time job. Meet Aanya, a 6th grader with too much confidence and absolutely no control over her own disasters. Whether it's mispronouncing words in front of the whole class, tripping over air, or getting betrayed by a banana, life has made one thing very clear-she was born to be a professional embarrassment. Armed with a stolen-I mean, "borrowed"-diary and a delusional belief that she can improve, Aanya records her daily humiliations, ridiculous life lessons, and failed attempts at being normal. Will she ever escape the cringe? (Spoiler: No.) Welcome to The Diary of a Professional Embarrassment, where every day is a new disaster, and the only thing Aanya can do is laugh, cry, and pretend she never meant to do that.

JUDGING Broken Illusion Writing Contest Unleash your creativity in Broken Illusion, a unique writing contest with five imaginative categories. From silent stories to surreal dreams, reverse timelines to new genres-this challenge invites you to break the rules and push your limits. Are you ready to create something extraordinary? Join the contest and let your imagination run wild!

My name is Kaitlin Reid. I'm simple-minded, boring, and a little less than capable of dealing with stressful situations. When I witnessed my best friend being murdered, I did all that I knew how to do, and I called the cops. They captured the murderer and put him in prison, and for a while, I felt safe. I had the cops on my side and just enough strength left in me to try to get my life back in order. But of course, as the story goes, that illusion of 'safety' was short-handed. The murderer escaped a high security prison. I know I am the top of his hit list. And I'm not sure when he will find me, or how he will do it, but he is after me. And my limited time is running out.