Writing Challenges 2023

Synopsis: Trapped with a Ruthless Billionaire Leila Carter never expected to find herself trapped in a fake engagement with the most ruthless man she’s ever met—Adrian Blackwell, a billionaire known for his cold efficiency and ruthless control over everything in his life. But when a shared enemy threatens both of them, Adrian offers her an irresistible deal: pretend to be his fiancée and in return, he’ll ensure her safety. Adrian has built an empire by playing the long game, and this arrangement is just another calculated move. Leila is a means to an end, a pawn in a game of power and deception. Or at least, that’s what he tells himself. But the more time they spend together, the more she pushes back, challenges him, tempts him in ways he never saw coming. As their dangerous charade drags them deeper into a web of lies, betrayal, and simmering tension, their biggest threat isn’t just their enemies—it’s the undeniable pull between them. Because pretending to love someone is easy. Not falling for them? That’s the real challenge.

Shantali Mae Cross, a security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Ancient Arts, encounters an impossible phenomenon during her night shift—smoke from the heating vents coalesces into the form of a cobra near ancient Egyptian canopic jars, showing her visions of possible futures. She sees herself accepting a promotion, arguing with a dark-haired man in a hospital, wearing a wedding dress, and standing at a graveside in autumn. Shaken by the experience, Shantali becomes obsessed with understanding what she witnessed, diving into research about serpent smoke divination practices. Her investigation reveals that others throughout history have experienced similar visions at crucial crossroads in their lives, but those who became consumed with interpreting and controlling their prophetic glimpses inevitably destroyed the very relationships and opportunities the visions had shown them. As Shantali spirals deeper into her research, she begins shutting out her boyfriend David, a fellow security guard who loves her deeply. When David witnesses the cobra phenomenon himself, he helps ground her in reality rather than obsession. Through her studies, particularly the warnings left by Dr. Amelia Thorne—a researcher who died alone after chasing similar mysteries—Shantali realizes the cobra's true message: choose love over fear, presence over obsession. The visions weren't warnings of tragedy but glimpses of a life fully lived with all its ordinary struggles and profound connections. When David proposes, Shantali chooses their real relationship over her pursuit of supernatural answers. She completes her research by writing a fictional novel about her experience, transforming obsession into art while helping future cobra witnesses understand that some mysteries are meant to guide rather than be solved. The story explores themes of choice versus destiny, the danger of sacrificing present love for future certainty, and the wisdom of embracing life's uncertainties alongside those who love us.

Sage Casey Ember-Brooks, who goes by Casey, is a fast-food worker and aspiring fantasy novelist whose ordinary life crumbles when mysterious strangers ask cryptic questions about her dragon series. Her recurring dreams of golden coins suddenly make terrifying sense when Marcus Chen—a businessman with eyes that flash gold—reveals that dragons are real, living hidden among humans for centuries. Casey's unnaturally accurate fantasy writing stems from awakening genetic memories. She's a rare "Convergence" bloodline capable of harmonising opposing elemental forces. The revelation comes at a critical time: a new cryptocurrency called DragonCoin, featuring symbols identical to her dreams, creates magical interference that weakens concealment spells protecting dragon society. At the Crossroads shopping complex where she works, disruptions cause dragons to flicker between human and true forms in full view of witnesses. Caught between Marcus (a traditionalist who wants to hide her with the Dragon Council) and the enigmatic Xaihuang (who advocates ending the masquerade entirely), Casey discovers an underground chamber housing ancient dragon artifacts. When she touches a magical coin, visions reveal three futures: chaotic revelation leading to war, continued concealment resulting in magical extinction, or a mysterious third path of integration. Casey realises DragonCoin wasn't created to expose dragons, but by another awakening hybrid like herself—someone in Seattle whose unconscious dragon heritage channels ancient power through modern technology. As magical concealment fails worldwide and dragons begin manifesting publicly, Casey must race across the country to find this unknown programmer before the interference between magic and technology tears reality apart. The story explores themes of identity, integration versus assimilation, and the collision between ancient power and digital-age innovation. With her awakening abilities growing stronger and the masquerade crumbling around her, Casey faces a choice that will determine her fate and the future relationship between the hidden magical world and human civilisation.

I was already halfway across the room before I knew what I was doing. What kind of people had she been surrounding herself with if she thought that she wasn't attractive? Hell, she was gorgeous, delicious, downright perfect in every way. I needed to show her what I saw. What she was in my eyes. I couldn't help myself. I had Genevieve up against the wall in a blink of an eye, a growl escaping my throat and mixing with her surprised gasp. Her hands still clung to the robe, trying to make herself seem smaller. I slipped one hand underneath, along her collarbone, while the other slid along her neck, to the back of her head where I gripped her loose bun and pulled it taught. "Babygirl, you're more than just attractive. You have my c*ck aching every time I set my eyes on you.” My voice was a distorted growl, but I know she understood every word I said. I leaned my body in against hers to accentuate my point, and Genevieve's adorable mouth widened with a surprised gasp. I took that opportunity to claim what I'd been dreaming off since the moment I set my eyes on her. I dipped my head and locked my lips on hers, and realized in that sweet, blissful moment, that I had f*cked up. *** Genevieve Blake was a well-known, erotic romance author. She enjoyed meeting her fans and writing stories that made even her blush. What she hadn't planned on, though, was for a stalker to come out from the shadows and threaten her life. When the police can't do anything, she turns to Grim Security to protect her against the deranged lunatic. But who's going to protect her heart, and her body, from the intensity of Raphael Bard?

Olivia is a werewolf. Written as if you are Olivia. Olivia is trying to grasp her senior year. Olivia learns she's a werewolf from her brother. Her father died when she was younger, and she lost her best friend at the same time. Her father was brutally attacked when she was younger by another Alpha, leaving her mother a single mum. Olivia falls in love with her brothers best friend Zack. Zack breaks her heart when they both attend a college party. Her arch enemy, Nate and Alpha has to pick up the pieces much to brother Sam's hatred. Olivia faces challenges along the way she's kidnapped, hurt, threatened, loses her parents and falls in love which is a forbidden love. she's separated from the one she loves and she's rescued. this story has everything from best friends to lovers to a werewolf romance,

Does life have to be so complicated? Zoey didn't think so, that is, until she received a certain letter. When Zoey initiated her first shift on her 18th birthday, her life took a bizarre turn for what seemed like the better and the worst. She learnt something about herself that had been dangling over her head all her life, but she never understood until that moment. She vowed to learn the whole truth but, she couldn't do it all alone, which left her at a dead end once again. Coincidentally not long after, she learns that her mate was the Alpha of the Truemoon Pack, who automatically took a promiscuous adoration towards her. Niall helps his lost mate through all possible challenges and mountains, just so she could find those missing fragments about herself and be happy. But when she finds out the truth, will she be?

As Aki becomes an integral part of Kaye’s life, a remarkable bond forms between her and Dylan, one that challenges his feelings of loyalty. Dylan finds himself drawn to Aki’s resilience and spirit, igniting a conflict within him. Caught between the obligation to Kaye and a burgeoning love for Aki, Dylan wrestles with emotions he never anticipated. But when a night of passion unravels the careful balance, Dylan confesses his feelings to Aki, leading to an explosive encounter that changes everything. Aki’s pregnancy sends shockwaves through their lives, and Dylan is faced with an impossible choice. Kaye, unable to cope with the betrayal, vows to destroy Aki, fueling a fire of jealousy and rage that threatens to consume them all.In a world where love intertwines with betrayal, Dylan must confront the consequences of his actions. Will he remain shackled to a life devoid of true love with Kaye, or will he embrace the profound connection he shares with Aki, the woman who unexpectedly captured his heart?

As a small omega, Jazz has faced numerous challenges throughout her life. It had never occurred to her that things could turn for the foreseeable future in an instant. A moment of happiness abruptly turns into a terrifying nightmare as she is thrown into the forest like unwanted litter. In order to survive independently, Jazz has to start from scratch. In the world of werewolves, Alpha Lex is king, with a mission to protect and locate mistreated pack members all over the world. Despite having the most powerful pack, he still lacks one thing — a mate. Little does he know that the moon goddess has something special in mind for him. When he meets a mysterious woman, he instantly knows she's the one. Does she have the capacity to overcome her feral instincts and try to overcome the tragedy that awaits her? Will he accept what the moon goddess has given him, or will he throw her away like everyone else?

Blurb: Tasyra is a twenty year old werewolf who does not know her identity, only that she was born and bred in captivity. Following the death of her mother, she becomes a servant at the young age of ten. She undergoes a lot of hardships and is constantly humiliated by the Luna who hates her for reason she did not know. Finding out she is mated to the Alpha of the pack she works in, Tasyra finds herself soaked in more humiliation and suffering as she gets rejected by her mate after sharing a night in his bed and his mother and Luna-to-be makes life extremely hellish for her. Will she be able to overcome these challenges and fight her way out of it? Will she endure to the end and protect her unborn babies? Or will there be a new path for her, a string of hope to hold and pull through and discover who she truly is meant to be? Will be her mate bond with the Alpha bring them both joy or will they remain separated by the evil machinations of those against their happiness?

My name is Ella Grace Johnson. I'm just an ordinary girl, living an ordinary life of an artist, until cancer forces me into an extraordinary situation. Desperate for medical treatment, I find myself in a fake marriage with Adrian Charles Montgomery, a billionaire CEO with a hidden struggle - sex addiction. It's supposed to be a simple arrangement, a means to an end. But life has a funny way of complicating things. Adrian is nothing like I expected. Behind his CEO persona, he's caring, considerate, and surprisingly understanding. But his addiction brings a new set of challenges to our relationship. As we go through this deception, I find myself drawn to him. But our secret is exposed, and I'm sent away, leaving my heart with Adrian. Now, I'm not just fighting for my life, but also for a love that was never supposed to happen. Can we turn our fake marriage into a real one? Or will our love story end before it even begins?