#indiewrites

[galaxy-lilies]

for the kiss prompt! maybe a scarian and a good morning kiss 👉👈

Grian woke up with a sneeze. Now normally this wouldn’t be too strange. Living in a household with a cat has led to many mornings where he woke up with Jellie’s tail all up in his face. She had started to make it a habit to rest on his chest while he slept, though this time around he didn’t sense her familiar presence. He curiously cracked open an eye, half expecting to see her peering down at him but instead a translucent, feathery wing was what met his sight.

“Scar, what did we say about personal space.” Scar startled at his voice, his wings fluttering in surprise earning Grian another faceful of feathers. “Oh my gosh Gri, I’m so sorry-, but look! My wings are growing bigger! Soon we’ll be able to fly together like old times, it’ll be absolutely amazin’.” 

Grian let out a huff as he batted Scar’s wing away though a soft smile graced his lips seeing his earnestness. “I think we can make a date out of it. But first, I think you’re forgetting something.” Scar let out a confused hum, shuffling around their bed to face Grian. “Forgetting something? I don’t have anything planned for the day and I already fed Jellie. Plus none of the other hermits asked for a favor…” He glanced over at Grian. “Maybe you can give me a reminder?”

Grian grinned as he leaned forward, capturing Scar’s lips in a kiss. Scar let out a noise between a squeak and a surprised hum though he eventually sank into the kiss.

Grian’s the first to pull away, a mischievous grin still on his face as Scar recovered. “Was that enough of a reminder that you didn’t give me my morning kiss?” Grian teased and Scar let out a breathless laugh. “More than enough,” he said, pressing an apologetic kiss to Grian’s cheek. 

[diastrefo]

A measly FOUR DAYS remain until IMMOLATION launches! 🔥

Add the book on Goodreads

[haru-kuneko]

♦️ BIG UPDATES! Only 9 days left before ‘AMANDI’ drops ♦️

I do apologize if the images look kinda crap as I had downloaded these images from Wattpad (via desktop browser) and try enhancing the colors a bit.

P.S. If any of my posts or works are too upsetting for you, you're within your right to click away. The book drops on July 21st, 06:00 (GMT+8).

[Huh?! Amandi has taken over the MSG Sphere in Vegas, too?]

[Translation inside the MSG Sphere: Who is Amandi?]

[chaoskirin]

Meadow lives on Possum House Ln. It's inhabited by aura possums, which are just lil guys that change color based on what your aura is. meadow's is yellow.

This QotD is the first lines from chapter 1!

[okyo-girl]

-grace crnojević, Intimates, 2023.

Purchase on Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

[thewordsmithsdesk]

Something that popped into my brain for no reason. Feel free to use it as a writing prompt. As always, stay tuned til next time! #authorsofinstagram #author #indieauthor #writersofinstagram #writing #writer #indiewriter #creative #creativewriting #fiction #fictionwriter https://www.instagram.com/p/Con6wcTJjcU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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[authorsprocess]

2- Forgetting doesn’t help

Bill choked and took a sip of water.

“I never thought I’d live long enough to scare Aurora Thompson’s great-grandson.

Bill swallowed and stuck out his hand. “Pleasure to meet you, sir. Please sit and enjoy some food with me before you go.”

“You didn’t scare me, I was surprised. I had assumed that you were either long gone or in jail, or –” Bill stopped himself from finishing.

“Or I was dead?”

Bill hedged his response “Well yes. No offense intended.”

“None taken,” Gaff said through the hint of a smile.

“So what do you say about it? You up for a little adventure?” Gaff asked his smile as wide as a shark’s now.

“Adventuring isn’t in my blood sir,” Bill said quietly while looking anywhere but Gaff’s pale blue eyes.

“Sure it is, how do you think I know Aurora? She was one of the best datacrackers of her age.”

“She was?”

“She absolutely was, and her father before that saved the whole neighborhood you call home. Died doing it, but still, he saved everyone.”

“I never knew that.”

“I’m sure there are lots you don’t know, but we can get you caught up if you want.”

“I think I’d like that.”

“Good, I’ll see you later tonight.”

“--O - Okay.” Bill said

Gaff only smiled and then took a fat-tipped marker out of his pocket. He marked a symbol that almost looked like a “7” above the doorway but it had a horizontal line running through it.

“What’s that?” Bill asked

“Oh just something so I know which house is yours.” Gaff answered and walked away without saying goodbye.

“What a strange man.” Bill said out loud. He even thought to himself that it wouldn’t be the worst thing if Gaff never came back to visit.

The sun went down and the street lights started to cast their amber light on the streets and walls of The Brambles. Finally, cool enough to go inside. Bill was more than a little intoxicated. So like a reasonable citizen of the Brambles  Bill packed everything up and headed inside. He turned on his viewscreen. It chimed to life, and he mentally digested what happened. The viewscreen talked about the latest up-and-coming lies. Whether it be the government or the corps each story pushed its own agenda.     If they weren't trying to push an agenda they were trying to sell you something you didn't need. All for a price you couldn't afford. What a world. Bill thought to himself and sat down on his sofa. The darkness of sleep fell over him. He was comfortable there. Safe. He always fell asleep on the couch faster than he did in bed.     It wasn’t more comfortable, but something about it lulled him to sleep. In what felt like moments, early morning sunlight beamed in through the metal shutters. Busted and broken metal security shutters that no longer closed completely. Instead they let razorblades of light enter into what passed for a livingroom. He stretched and this day passed like any other. Then the next day passed too.     So many days passed that Bill started to forget about the strange encounter with Gaff. He forgot about the threat of adventure and all the rest. Then one night when he was cooking dinner he heard a knock on the door. He thought to himself “who can be knocking on my door at this hour?” He opened the door and two people stood in front of him a tall slim woman in all white looked Bill up and down. Her companion was a tall man in brown and black. He was even taller than she was, his head shave and beard long. He said nothing. Luckily she spoke up finally. She sucked her teeth and asked“So we’re the first ones here then?” “First of who?” Bill was barely able to get out before they both walked in and hung their jackets on the hooks next to the door.

“I could go for a beer if you have it.” The man said, his voice deep and humbling.

“I’m sorry but who are you?” Bill asked.

“I’m Keeley, and that’s Dwayne.” Gaff told us to meet him here.

“Gaff? I don’t know anything about–” Bill was interrupted by another knock at the door.

Bill swung the door open and was presented with a short man with a cybernetic arm and leg. One side of his face marred. Bill thought some sort of horrible accident had befallen him. His eyes were bright and were the golden color that some cats have. The pupils also looked cat like as well. He seemed too happy to of had an accident. Bill banished the thought, because anyone could be happy even after bad things happen. Everyone knows that.

“Good evening Bill!” he said much louder than Bill expected and then made his way through the door bumping into Bill on the way.

“You have any olive oil? The joints are acting up” He announced to the hallway. “I do, just one moment.” Bill ran off to get the olive oil, all the while trying to process just what was happening. “How many people are coming?” he thought to himself. Just as he found the olive oil he heard a pounding at the door and rushed to answer it. Bill opened the door to four people standing there, all of them must have been brothers and one sister. Or related in some other fashion. “Pleased to meet you!” The smallest one announced “I’m Dorian.” He did a sort of bow, then inclined his head towards the only woman in the group. “This is Sloan.” She nodded her head. “This hulking beast here is Phil.” Phil smiled a wolfish smile.” “This is Gabe or Gabriel, if you’re angry at him.” Dorian flared. “No one gets angry at me.” Gabe said and reached out his massive hand and shook Bills hand. Gabe was a massive man, round and with a smile that you could feel the joy in him. Bill stood in the doorway stunned at what he was seeing. More people coming to his house. He had never had so many people inside his home before. Gabe asked as he squeezed inside “What time is dinner going to be ready? I’m starved!” “Dinner?” “Gaff told us we’d be having dinner here.” Sloan said, her voice dry. “Of course, I wasn’t expecting so many people.” Bill apologized. “Well then you need to get going.” Phil said while the sounds of the newcomers greeting the others erupted from the other room. Bill turned to leave and as his back was to the door a loud banging came again. Bill sputtered and spun flinging the door open. “Listen we’re all full here!--” and then the words caught in his throat. It was Gaff, and his eyes were glowing white in the darkness of the night. Gaff wasn’t dressed as he was the other day. Tonight he was wearing a white and silver suit that only made him appear more ghostly and ethereal. “You have plenty of room still Bill Wilson.” Gaff said with a smile, “but before long it will be full.” “What is all this?” Bill asked while inviting Gaff inside. “These gentlemen need your help.” Gaff said while removing his jacket and vest.

[andileighwrites]

We Ran and Found Home - Chapter 2 | Carolyn (May 1957) BOOK PREVIEW

A young woman sat at the writing desk in her bedroom. She fidgeted while she tried her best to remain calm. Tomorrow was the day that her family would send her away. Though not permanently, she knew that it would be at least a year before she would see her family again. She wasn't as distraught over not seeing her parents as much as she was for her younger sisters. She loved them dearly and the two girls didn't quite understand why their big sister was leaving but they were excited for her regardless. Their parents made everything sound so glamorous. Carolyn had turned eighteen the week prior and her family always discussed her future with her; especially planning for after she turned eighteen. That was when the real planning would begin. During Carolyn's eighteenth birthday party, a black-tie event, her parents were excited to surprise her. She didn't know that they were planning a party for her, she also didn't know that the entire family would be there, and she especially didn't know that her parents would invite suitors that they handpicked, hoping that Carolyn would make a decision right then and there. She did not.

"Carolyn!" her father exclaimed when he saw her at the bottom of the stairs. She had come down after her mother had woken her up and told her to meet in the parlor. Her mother gave her a magnificent dress to put on; one that she had made by hand. When Carolyn went down the stairs and saw the crowd all gathered for her, for her eighteenth birthday, she was struck frozen.

"You look wonderful, darling," her father said while pulling her into a hug.

"What is all of this?"

"They're all here for you, darling! It is a special day after all."

Carolyn did not know what to say. She couldn't speak out against the party, oh no, her parents worked too hard for it. Her mother and father were never quite on the wealthy side, though they certainly liked to appear that they came from money. Her father was a factory foreman and her mother was a schoolteacher. They made decent wages but were often stifled by debt repayments. Her parents had a habit of showing off to their friends and neighbors, so when they wanted to flaunt their fictitious lifestyle, Carolyn and her younger sisters were to play along. They played their parts even if it meant supper would have limited options for the next week or two.

Strangers were coming up to Carolyn during the party, congratulating her for this most special milestone in a young woman's life. She didn't know what to say to these people that were invaders in her childhood home, so she would smile and nod, hoping they wouldn't ask her anything invasive. They always did.

"Oh, Carolyn dear!" a strange woman pinched her cheek. "I am so happy for you, sweet girl. What a beautiful young woman! And it is about time for you to pick a man for yourself, isn't it? Your mother told me you haven't a man on your mind!" The woman was old and Carolyn suspected her to be a cousin on her mother's side of the family. She smelled of strong floral perfume and sweat. Carolyn did her best to control her breathing; she was quite close to snapping at this old woman.

"No, no. Not a man on my mind in the slightest. Possibly later." Carolyn smiled and shrugged. Her cousin on her mother's side didn't accept this as a proper answer.

"Dear," she said sternly, "now you must not dawdle. You surely don't want to end up a spinster. That would be terribly out of sorts."

Carolyn smiled, gritting her teeth. She nodded.

The party went on and Carolyn grew tired of talking to one strange person after the next. She decided to grab a glass of sparkling wine and sat in the parlor on the sofa. She sipped on the drink knowing that her mother would disapprove, but it was her party after all. Carolyn wanted to enjoy one little thing, even if it was frowned upon by her mother. She watched the people standing around her, all in little groups of two or three, chattering away nonsense that she either found gauche or incredibly self-absorbed.

"I've got that Ford Skyliner. It's parked out front if you want to see it."

"My son Eric, the dear boy, is attending Princeton in the fall."

"Harry proposed at dinner. You must simply just guess what the ring cost!"

Carolyn couldn't help but roll her eyes. Everything seemed so meaningless. Everything except for the sparkling drink that fizzed in Carolyn's glass.

When Carolyn turned her head, she saw her father enter the parlor with a group of young men. There were four of them radiating confidence. She wanted to sink down into the sofa. She knew what was coming.

"Dear!" Her father waddled over to her with the men trailing behind him.

"Darling, I want you to meet some fellows." Her father introduced the young men one by one. There was Charles who was an aspiring lawyer. Then there was Gary who recently landed a job in finance. Next was Eric, the dear boy that would be starting Princeton in the fall. He wanted to become a professor. And finally, there was Scott. He was a wealthy gallery owner. Her father left her to indulge in conversation with the suitors but Carolyn was filled with white-hot rage. She finished her drink and excused herself from the group conversation; going upstairs to her room while she waited for everyone to leave. About another hour had passed before anyone realized that Carolyn had left her own party. Her parents were devastated.

Sometime that night, between the scolding, her parents dropped the news that she would be leaving in one week to attend a prestigious finishing school. The program would be a year-long endeavor and would teach her how to be a thriving wife to her future husband. Her parents made it clear just how much money they had to scrape and save to be able to afford this opportunity for her. All Carolyn could do was nod while she held back tears.

...

Copyright ©️ Andi Leigh, 2023

...

Chapter 3 will be posted tomorrow! Thank you for reading!

[bluesstorycorner]

Just some oc stuff. I wanna post here more often but idk how to even gain an audience here lol, so I might be on and off trying to figure things out. I also have ARC applications and pre-orders for my book, so I'll probably post about those soon.

[edgeofheavenshortnovel]

Introduction

“Rough day?” Bill, the janitor asked Andy as he swept the floors of the office.

“Could be better,”

“Well, at least you can come home to a lovely house, a hearty dinner that your fiancée prepared, and relax for the rest of the evening.” Bill chuckled at Andy.

“Yeah… hearty dinner.”

“What is wrong with this?” Andy sighs to himself as he sifts through the codes trying to figure out where they went wrong. He stares at his screen in vain, trying to figure out whether or not the bug was organically developed; or if it was planted on purpose in a ruse to sabotage the project, and eventually his career. 

It was just yesterday when Andy first stepped foot in GoSEO as a telemarketer. Back then, Andy made fewer sales. He knew that no matter how hard he tried to market, he knew he couldn’t sell something that didn’t function like it was supposed to. He was ambitious. He wanted more.

“If I could just create something that works…” he constantly mumbled to himself. He stares bitterly at the software developers that pass by him, “...yeah sure take all the money. Your software doesn’t even work.,” Andy rolls his eyes in utter contempt. 

“Hey, drinks are on me!”

“Ayeeee!! What’s the occasion?”

“Closed a deal with a new client!” “Yoooooo!!!”

“Call the others! Let’s celebrate! I’m talking about fine dining and the most expensive cocktails!”

“Great. Now I have to figure out how to market the damn thing…” Andy sighs under his breath as they exit the elevator.

Ding. 

“Finally.” he sighed silently as they reached the ground floor. He shuffled along the elevator exit as the bunch hyper-actively continued bragging to each other about their triumph. 

He decided he wanted to learn the world of IT and hopefully get into an IT position in this company he had loathed. 

“And maybe if I get in the IT Department, I can start making gradual changes about how this company develops their technology.”

He was on a grind. He studied and took several courses to learn about software engineering. 

When he was young, he never wanted to be a computer engineer. He wanted to get into clinical psychology. He thought it was noble work. He was inspired by his father who worked as a shrink. He often discussed with his family his wins at the dinner table after a long day at work about how some of his worst clients have improved. Of course, he never told the family any specific and crucial details about his patients, just the successful outcome of his day-to-day meetings with these people. 

The look on his father’s face when talking about how he had helped these troubled people had always made him so proud. 

He remembered this one time when he met one of his father’s patients at a resort in Thailand during a family vacation. He didn’t seem like he had trouble in his mind. That’s because his therapy sessions worked and he had been better for a couple of years now.

“I tell you, my boy, your father had done great work in my brain. I had not been depressed for two years and counting. And I am no longer addicted to alcohol and substances. He changed my life!” This happy man said in a praising manner toward his father.

“No, Peter. It was a team effort. If you had not done your part, nothing that I would have done would have worked.” his father said humbly.

Andy had never felt so inspired to become like his father before. He knew from that day that he needed to discover the realms of psychology for himself.

Andy decided he was done with his work for the day. “I’ll just figure this out first thing in the morning tomorrow.” he sighed as he shut down his work computer.

He grabbed his lunch bag and returned his seat to his desk, and said goodbye to Bill.

As he was walking to his black Subaru Ascent, he felt this utter dismay at coming home to his fiancée, Patrice. 

Yes, he loved her. But he was no longer happy. Coming home to her felt to him like more stress. 

He used to be so happy coming home to their new home from work. Patrice had just started to venture into writing and illustrating children’s books. She was hopeful. 

Although she had a large competition of authors for the genre, she was determined that she was going to make it big one day. It was her passion after all. She always believed that passion over monetary gain is all that matters.

She always loved children. And she hoped to have some of her own with Andy someday when they get married. 

The thought of marrying Patrice the following year gave Andy’s stomach a hurl.

“How am I supposed to marry someone I am no longer happy with?” he thought to himself as he situated himself in the driver’s seat.

He buckled up and started the engine. 

“She’s all I ever wanted, but how come I am no longer happy with her?” his thoughts trained as he exited the basement parking. 

He continued to capitulate into his thoughts as he was driving home.

“I should just be honest with her. Tell her how I feel…”

“But she will be so upset and it’ll drive her nuts for sure.”

“But I can’t keep lying to her and pretend everything is fine.”

“It’s not like I am cheating on her or anything, I am just tired.”

“She can be overly melodramatic. She’s not going to like it.”

“I wonder if she suspects that I am no longer happy with her.”

“I still love her. And we can always get back together after I breathe for a few months, right?”

All these thoughts riled up his mind as he was making his way into the gated subdivision where their five-acre three-story house stood.

“Alright, Andy. Just be honest,” he said under a heavy breath as he drove into the driveway.

“I don’t think she suspects anything. She’s always happy around me. This will really crush her soul.” Andy continues to think as he was parking his SUV in the garage.

Andy got out of his vehicle and closed the garage door. He nervously walked into the front porch and the front door.

He got in and his strain started to swell up even more, “Strange,”  he thought.

“She usually greets me the moment I walk in.”

He continued to walk into the home and went to the kitchen. He saw a dinner plate on the counter with bolognese pasta on it. And there beside the dish was the usual pink sticky note she writes a love note on for him with a red pen.

“Why do you have to be sweet?” He thought. “You make it so much harder.”

“Trizzy, I’m home,” he yells from the kitchen thinking she might just be upstairs in the bedroom doing something.

This was a strange evening. Patrice always comes to greet him the moment he walks in the front door, she always sets the dinner plate on the dinner table along with the love note, and there is only one dinner plate filled with pasta as well. 

“Has Trizzy suspected that I am planning to leave her and she has decided to leave me before I do?” this thought ran through his head.

He ran up the stairs to their bedroom, and into the closet. “Hmm. Her clothes are still here. Then she’s not leaving me.” 

“Where are you, babe?” Andy yelled again hoping that this was just one of Patrice’s pranks. 

She loved pulling random pranks on him. This must be one of those pranks where she is hiding somewhere in the house and when he gets near to where she is hiding, she would jump on him with a camera to catch his reaction. She would always play it again and again and laugh hysterically.

Andy was not in the mood for pranks. He just wanted to get what he feels off his chest to Patrice so they can go on over the next steps and move on.

“She must just be hiding in her writing room.” He thought.

“Trizzy?” he called for her as he was heading toward the writing room, staying vigilant that she might also just jump behind him to scare him.

He slowly opened the door to the writing room and called out to her again, “Trizzy?”

He slowly walked into the writing room, “I am not in the mood for pranks right now, Trizzy. I need to talk to you about something very impor-”

As he entered the room, his eyes immediately met the dangling body of his fiancée. Suspended by a rope on the neck. His eyes widened in shock, and he stood by the entrance, frozen.

Trizzy’s lifeless body swayed slowly from left to right. The skin on her face was pale purple from the rope’s grasp.

It took him almost a couple of minutes to process what was in front of him. Tears started forming in his eyes.

A teardrop rolled down his right cheek, and then he walked, “TRIZZY!”

He let out a burst of tears and continued to cry his fiancée’s name, “Trizzy! No! Trizzy! Trizzy!”

He stumbled down to the floor sobbing uncontrollably for several minutes.

And as he was kneeling below his dead fiancée’s body, he composed himself and shuffled through his pocket for his phone. He dialed the emergency number and called for help. 

[teaguedelaplaine]

Latest podcast is live. www.storyslinger.co #storyslinger #writersofinstagram #indiewriters https://www.instagram.com/p/CouZZiWrPLn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[diastrefo]

IMMOLATION: Volume I is available now! 🔥

Add the book on Goodreads

[justinadelmann]

[chaoskirin]

SHADECURSED IS IMMINENT

Tonight (at midnight your time) it shall be released unto the world!

Join Meadow, Benji, Ptery, and Luka on a trek across the continent to track down the reason behind a goddess' disappearance. Discover a deadly Shade and its minions--a pack of gnolls who will stop at nothing to annihilate their quarry.

Are you brave, Little Speck?

Get Shadecursed on Amazon TOMORROW, December 19, 2023.

[okyo-girl]

-grace crnojević, Intimates, 2023.

Purchase on Barnes & Noble or Amazon.