Center For Fiction First Novel Prize

Fake it 'til you make it has been the motto I live by since my mother died. I'm also doing a really bad job at the making it part. The night we met, I was at my lowest. But you gave me a reason to feel happy again. For the first time in over a year, I was optimistic. You and I? We're the same. Don't form attachments. Follow the rules. Don't dream of a future. Too bad our hearts wouldn't listen. And this storm we're going through? The one that threatens to rip us apart? It doesn't care that I'm falling for you. Falling for You is created by Jennifer Van Wyk, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

Three years ago, Moon-Lake Pack — once a proud member of Lupus Celestial, the central pack alliance — lost everything in a brutal defeat to the Rogue Packs that had long plagued us. The Lycan King believed my father — the Alpha of Moon-Lake — had conspired with the Rogues, and our pack paid the price. My father and I were enslaved and cast out, becoming the laughingstock of all the packs. Even my mate, Chase, turned his back on me. But three years later, I was sent back to Lupus Celestial by Chase’s order — just as he was preparing to bond with his future Luna. Everyone assumed I had returned to sabotage the ceremony. “Taryn, do you still think you stand a chance of becoming his Luna?” “Chase never liked you. He’s always adored Wynette.” “Why would you show up now — just before he bonds with his mate?” Warnings, veiled threats, and even silent beatings made one thing painfully clear: I was not welcome. And Chase — the one I had once believed was my fated mate, the one I’d felt an unexplainable pull toward — stood by, cold and detached, watching it all in silence. His eyes held nothing but loathing. “You still think you can live freely outside Lupus Celestial after betraying us time and again? What exactly are you plotting at my bonding ceremony?” I let out a bitter laugh and wiped the blood from my lips. He didn’t know my wolf had been gravely wounded by a silver dagger — and I didn’t have much time left. “Don’t worry. If I hadn’t been dragged back, I’d never have returned. And if I truly wanted to cause trouble, I’d have killed myself first.” Chase didn’t respond. He just scoffed. But when I walked away — from his pack, from his world — he was the one who crumbled. He begged me to return, as if losing me shattered something deep inside him.

After being humiliated and abused for years, Vittoria fears meeting her creator as she gets sold by her tyrannical owners to settle a family’s debt towards the boss of another territory. But faith finally smiles her way as her new ‘father’ discovers her potential. instead of having her serve in his house like a beast, he trains her and gives her the chances she deserves. In just a few years, Vittoria rises from the ashes and takes up a position as the second-in-command of her new family. As there is an issue on her old territory, she is ready to do her part, knowing that the one she will help out might be one of her ex-bullies. When she sees Domenico again after all this time, she has a hard time at not having her jaw hit the floor. But it’s not going to be like this. Not this time. Because to save his fortune and territory, he will have to crawl at her feet. “Now… be a good boy and kneel for me.” ⚠️ TW: explicit and foul language, steamy and explicit sex scenes, abuse, heavy violence, SA ⚠️

Amara seeks to flee from a past she did not choose in order to have some peace, however, when she arrives at the famous boarding school in the United States her life changes. One: She will have no peace. Two: She will begin to experience supernatural things along with her new classmates. Elder William is in charge there, he is a sexy werewolf who is used to do what he wants and to be obeyed. Amara is not one to follow orders. When Amara starts noticing strange things happening and sudden deaths, she begins to investigate on her own. She knows that Elder William and his group are hiding something. Elder William is the Aplha of one of the most important packs in the place and she, a prey.

As my blade pierces the base of his neck, the silver sizzles against his skin. His cold blue eyes open wide. The grim reality of his situation sets in. He gulps hard and shakes his head in fear. "I repent." He squeaks like the coward he is. "Forgive my crimes. Let me face the Council." "You'll find no mercy here, Sin." Blood gushes down his bare chest freely. "You will be judged by the Goddess." His expression quickly changes to one of anger, exposing his ruse. "I see you in the Palace of the Goddess, I will kill you again." I growl. "And if she casts me out, I will meet you on the edge of the River Styx and kill you in Purgatory over and over until the Ferryman come to collect us. And if Hades allows, I will continue to kill you in the Underworld until the end of time." "I underestimated you." He chokes. "Everyone does." I whisper as I lay my full weight against the pommel.

"I've got a proposal for you," he responds. "What proposal?" I ask, raising an eyebrow. He gazes at me silently, as if weighing his words. Then, with confidence, he closes the distance between us and says, "Marry me." Sarah was faced with the opportunity of finally saving her mother's life from the shackles of death, but it came at the cost of marrying a man she was not in love with. She had to believe that John had good intentions. But as she spent time with John, she found out that he was a ruthless and arrogant man, a sadist as well. But Sarah could not go back from her decision. It was too late.

In the third year of our marriage, my wife’s ex-boyfriend of eight years suddenly posted a picture on social media showing off a multi-million-dollar wedding house. His caption read: “Wow, got myself a huge villa, I’m the master of charming women!” I stared in shock at the picture, which showed my wife swiping her card at a sales office, and left a single comment: "?" A second later, my wife called to scold me. “I was just fulfilling a promise I made to him back when we were dating, buying him a house. Why are you getting mad at him?” “What? Are you really going to be so vicious as to force me to break my word?” That evening, her ex showed off another lavish post, this time flaunting a renovation bill worth hundreds of thousands. I knew it was a gift from my wife to please him. But by then, I no longer cared.

Salvatore Greco is genius and monster. As the right hand man and brother of the Capo of the D’Angelo, his lack of feelings is a blessing, not a curse – until his brother asks him to marry for the sake of the D’Angelo. Celestina Romano, cousin of the Capo of the New York Famiglia, is chosen to marry Salvatore Greco to prevent war with the D’Angelo, but what she hears about Las Vegas makes her veins pulse with terror. After her father betrayed his Capo and paid with his life, her family thinks marriage is her only chance to bring honor to her name; but only Celestina knows she’s a faulty prize given in return for peace.

As the youngest daughter of the powerful mafia family, the Blythes, I was spoiled the moment I was born. I had three older brothers who adored me. When I turned eighteen, our father was killed in a turf fight. The shock sent our mother into a rapid decline, and she passed away less than a week later. To avenge our father, my three brothers waged war against our enemies for three days. Though they emerged victorious, all three were critically wounded. My eldest brother, Damon Blythe, suffered a ruptured liver and was on the brink of death. Matt Blythe, my second brother, had severe kidney damage. Chris Blythe had lost too much blood and went into heart failure. I spent a fortune hiring the world’s top surgeons. They transplanted half of my liver to Damon, a kidney to Matt, and even gave my heart to Chris, replacing mine with a mechanical one. Thanks to the doctors’ skill, all three survived and went on to take over the Blythes’ empire. Five years later, they became infatuated with Sophia Foster, a poor but strong-willed intern. They even forced me to give up my last kidney to her. It was only after I had died on the operating table that they regretted what they had done.

__________________ Ivy Reed, a twenty year old with a haunting past. Ace Romano, the Italian mafia boss and also Ivy's brother's best friend who instantly takes a liking in Ivy when he first sees her.