[Watty's 2014 entry] One girl’s pursuit of happiness beyond her barricaded settlement turns into a battle to endure the harsh realities that wait on the other side. Mila knew once sneaking outside the Safe Zone, she would never go back. A chance to leave a radioactive Earth is a risk worth taking, or so she thinks. No longer will she stargaze high up top her roof wishing it was her chosen as an Outrider to the savior planet, Juno. Instead, she leaves behind foster siblings to run away with her boyfriend, Chase. Together, they’ll leave it all behind to win a flight in the Draw, hidden someplace inside Steel City – a city more dangerous then she has ever imagined. Mila realizes getting off the planet is only half the battle.

Cassie loves her high school football team as much as she secretly loves Matty, the star quarterback. What he doesn't know won’t hurt, right? So when she volunteered in becoming their personal water girl, her senior year spirals out of control when her true feelings are exposed. To make matters worse, the cheer squad wants her head, her best friend Simon confesses to a forbidden love, and her dad happens to be the football coach. The ups and downs, first love and heartbreaks must happen for a reason. And in Cassie’s eyes? She’s more than a water girl.

Seffie, a girl hidden from her past, would soon discover she was more than what meets the eye. Her unexplainable obsession with the lighthouse at the edge of the beach drew her to it daily. The melody that played in the distant, by a mysterious figure, was too beautiful, and too sad, she couldn't ignore its pull on her heart. What Seffie didn't know, is that melody would stick with her for eternity.

Mila is to be collected by the Gatherer. She is to become an Outrider, one of many young teens sent to space, chosen to test the conditions on a new planet, Nibiru. In the process, she may lose her first love, but ultimately gain another.

Amber Frost, 22, finally earned her college degree in photojournalism, that led her straight into the career path of becoming one of the paparazzi. Living in the Big Apple was all she had ever wanted since childhood. She dreamt of skyscrapers, celebrities, and flashing cameras which ultimately landed her into the city life. Turns out, it hasn't been the life she expected after all, but with her best friend Samuel at her side, they make a living...out of the car, stalking the rich and famous, and waiting for that one perfect photo to make the front cover of Hot Shot. But who could skyrocket her career? The notorious Damien Wolfe. Known for dodging the paparazzi, Damien will become Amber's number one target, and possibly her number one enemy. His famous and infamous ways could take her to the top of the paparazzi world, or shatter her dreams of making it big, forever.

The virus has been reversed and those that were Turned seem to be cured. Now away from the turmoil created by the ACES, the non-infected humans seek refuge in Las Vegas, known as The Scourge. Lara is locked away in a prison with the others who once were Turned. Under close watch, she and the rest are closely monitored for their strange behavior. Just when she thought the worst had passed, it has only begun.

Six months has passed since Sylas escaped, along with him, his puppet and advocate, Julian. The threat is gone, but the chance of them returning to the desert city Arid is looming. Irissa was used to not feeling emotions, due to her being one of the first prototypes of the Seraphim race. But as a defective creation, her emotions came crashing in waves. Her DNA is synthetic, however, her heart and mind couldn't be more human. Especially since Finn, her first love, and Kyler, the second prototype came into her life. Irissa and the Syndicates overtook PURE and freed the Seraphim. Now with the outsiders from the In-between wanting to form an alliance will they have a chance of tracking down Sylas and Julian and ending their reign once and for all?

[WARNING] This story contains profanity, alcohol, and substance abuse.

Marlowe “Lo” Jacobs always knew her first love would be in uniform. Growing up in Sierra Vista, Arizona, neighboring Fort Huachuca, seeing uniformed men and women was normal. Her dad, a veteran of the Army, is a good man at heart. But years after serving in Desert Storm, he continues to grieve from post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism it’s led to. Lo never would have thought she would suffer the same way her mom has all these years. Rhys is the epitome of a “bad boy” wrapped in an Army uniform. Lo has known him since grade school, and even at one point despised him – until he grew up, becoming charming and sexy. When the relationship became official, Lo thought her dreams had come true – until he returns home from a year deployment in Afghanistan. Rhys fought the war. What Lo didn’t realize is that the war still resides inside his mind and heart. Now the battle is against their relationship – can love mend him, or will the pain of returning home from a traumatic event lead to its destruction? Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is growing up – James A. Baldwin.

Lara’s family has vanished. Her love, her soldier, Erik went missing. It began with an outbreak, a supernatural force that changed the living to the undead. Humans, loved ones even, suddenly turned - morphed into blood seeking creatures. To find other humans, she leaves her home. Gathering allies along the way, she journeys toward the next safe haven, a military base, but many obstacles threaten their very survival. Is there room for love in a world where everyone is out to get you? Follow Lara and Erik on their adventure. This is the pulsating first installment of the ‘Turned Trilogy’. Do you have the grit to survive it?

**NOVEL REWRITE**CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT** Lara’s family has vanished. Her love, her soldier, Erik went missing. It began with an outbreak, a supernatural force that changed the living to the undead. Humans, loved ones even, suddenly turned - morphed into blood seeking creatures. To find other humans, she leaves her home. Gathering allies along the way, she journeys toward the next safe haven, a military base, but many obstacles threaten their very survival. Is there room for love in a world where everyone is out to get you? Follow Lara on her adventure. This is the pulsating first installment of the ‘Turned Trilogy’. Do you have the grit to survive it?

Entry #3 [Final Round] A short story about an angel who becomes a Fallen.

Book #1 in the 'Enhance Me' series. Maddox is an Adorn - a special human in the highly advanced city of Variegate who can afford the luxury of enhancing sight, sound, strength, and telepathy. Her abilities, however, have yet to surface, and the pressure from her brother and father is only making her push further away from her duties, back to a past event she's told isn’t real. She discovered a third Mirror Earth, and the brief moment when she was thrust to this foreign place, her visit has been unforgettable. Two boys with strange clothes and weapons walking through a thicket of vegetation silently, two boys that made eye contact with her before being thrust back into her own reality. Since then, lies stack upon lies. Her father says that there is only one true Mirror Earth, the one that raged war against them years ago that took her mother’s life. The Apparatuses: half human – half machine. Since the portal has been permantly close and heavily guarded, there is no longer a link between the Mirror Earths. But Maddox’s curiosity can’t be put to rest. Will her curiosity and stubbornness open old wounds, expose forbidden love, and ignite a new war among the Mirror Earths?

2134, known for the year that brought hope to the dying human race. Mila, an eighteen year old girl, wanted to be free from the unknown element seeping up from the core of the planet, decimating everything. She finally had a chance when she volunteered to become an Outrider- a person sent into space to travel to their savior planet, Juno, "Queen of Heaven". But first, she has to go on dangerous excursions within the Inner City, fight off bottom-feeders, battle feelings from first love, and struggle with leaving behind her family. Will Mila get the ultimate ticket to Juno? Find out in this fast-paced sci-fi story about love, sacrifice, and selflessness.