Center For Fiction First Novel Prize

Celeste is trying to navigate life after an accident changes her plans for the future. Just trying to find peace and figure out her next step she never imagined meeting Trevor. Their pull towards each other is anything but ordinary. Through the many ups and downs of Celeste’s past will Trevor be able to break down those walls?

Being a billionaire, I've had a fair share of women in my life. But the first time I laid eyes on her, I couldn't help but have her in my arms. I knew what had to be done, I needed to make her MINE. But that wasn't an easy task, considering how resilient she can be. The more I got to know her, the more I realized what a different and strong woman she was. I wanted to give her everything but trust? that had to be earned and she had done nothing but hid from me since the beginning. She was ruining everything we had just to protect a single secret, she didn't trust me enough for it. "It's better this way" she said, but was it really?

My brother-in-law started making a fuss about wanting to spend Christmas vacation at the beach, so I decided we'd make it a family trip. When my husband's adoptive sister got wind of it, she insisted on tagging along with her kid. Without a second thought, my husband went ahead and booked plane tickets for everyone—except me. He expected me to drive there with all the luggage. I thought at least someone in the family would speak up for me, but no, they all sided with him. Fine. If that's how they want it, then we'll go our separate ways—what's theirs is theirs, and what's mine is mine. But the moment I took that stance, the whole family suddenly started panicking…

𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒘𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔—𝒔𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. I chose him. I was forced to. But I never expected Mateo Marcelli to be battling his demons. Known as the most ruthless consigliere, he seals every deal—whether his enemies agree or not. The world fears him. The underground bows to him. And now, I’m bound to him. His presence is demanding—dangerous, all-consuming. I should run, I should fear him before he consumes me too. But something about his glare when his eyes look at me, it sets me ablaze. Twisting fear into desire. My heart whispers a truth my mind refuses to accept: Mateo Marcelli will never hurt me. Even when he offers me an escape... 𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆.

Vanessa could not further her education after graduating high school as a result of her late father's illness. She has been fired from her former job and hence, seeks for a job as a cleaner in a big company. But halfway to the venue, she is almost killed and later saves a little girl. Who knew that this would send her into the bad hands of her CEO daddy? He tricks her into babysitting his little girl. After magical mysterious secrets are unraveled and misunderstandings cleared up, love glues them together forever.

"Get this woman out of here; I don't want to see her face ever again!" With those words, the warmth I once saw in my husband's eyes has gone. ***** Faking her death, Clara decided to escape her city while pregnant. She chooses to leave everything about her billionaire husband, James Morgan, behind after realizing that the man she thought would eventually love her was only growing to hate her even more. But, what if fate reunites them again? Clara with her new successful life and James with his ex-lover who is now his wife. Strangely, seeing Clara with another man sparked jealousy he never knew he had, and James wanted her back. But will Clara be willing to return to his arms after all the pain he gave? And after being faced with the option to choose James' brother instead?

Adina Daugherty became pregnant after being framed and gave birth to quadruplets. Her younger sister stole two of those children to tie herself to the Winters family, while Adina faced death to escape with the other two children. Five years later, Adina returned triumphantly. Since her sister loved pretending to be pure despite her rotten heart, she would torment her. As for her other two children? She would snatch them back! Duke Winters pinned her against the bed and said, “Why don’t you steal me as well?”Adina sneered. “Dream on!”But right after saying it, she puked. “So… how many children this time?” Duke asked.

Emma is living every fangirl's dream: her new CEO is her celebrity crush, and she'll be working with her favourite K-pop idols as a designer. Her new CEO, Park Hyun Bin, is a former K-pop idol with a controversial past and now founder of an entertainment company. Emma ends up in his bed, and what was meant to be a one night stand turns into more. But as a long-term fangirl, Emma knows fooling around with a popular ex-idol could spell doom for her if the fandoms and media catch wind of what's going on. Will the unexpected feelings that bloom between them survive when scandal after scandal—and furious fans and antis alike —threaten to tear them apart?

I need a wife. Now. It doesn’t have to do with love and living the good life. This is all about getting the money my billionaire father left to me. And I’m running out of time. But who proposes to a stranger after the first date? Me. That’s who. As if I have another choice. Luck is on my side though, and a beautiful model shows up in my office. Single? Gorgeous? Funny? All of the above. Our first date goes so well that I feel unsure about my decision to do this thing with her—you know, fake it. I put it off and decide to do it later, to ask for her help after we get to know each other better. But I like her more and more each time we meet, and eventually, offering her a ring isn’t for my dad’s money—it’s because I want her more than anything else in the world. Besides, who’s going to know if it’s fake or real? And does it really matter? Yeah. It does. To her…

A paranormal romance novel inspired by the children's poem In a Dark Dark Wood Leslie Sherman is a YouTube famous paranormal investigator who finds herself in the care and company of a captivating, attractive and mysterious man, Walker R. Blackwood, who lives alone in what she thought was an abandoned manor she stumbles on after becoming stranded and injured deep in the woods of Acadia National Park while out on a solo hike. As a single twenty three year old woman who’s still grappling with the turbulent breakup from her high school sweetheart, Randy Turner, nearly two years ago, Leslie struggles with the loss and regret of what they had together. Desperate for affection and love, Leslie becomes intimately drawn to the seductive yet brooding Walker Blackwood, who's formally prestigious reputation is tainted by the mysterious deaths of Mr. Blackwood's three female employees. Torn by her growing feelings towards Walker Blackwood, Leslie grows suspicious of him the more she learns about him and the more he refuses to disclose his past to her.