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xariaseesred · 2 months

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Novel by Xaria Ryu

chapter one

GENESIS

Brief: In the opening chapter of 'Cursed Shores', we're introduced to a world brimming with challenges – a cityscape plagued by the consequences of unchecked super-powers. Keitaro, navigating a hazardous environment, seeks refuge in a bar, surrounded by a populace drowning their sorrows in a daily struggle for survival. As the night grows darker and the rain starts pouring mercilessly, we witness a mysterious encounter, a brief yet intense confrontation, and a glimpse into the Keitaro's internal struggles. We are then taken to a basement filled with aged books, where a complicated dynamic with Haruki, is explored. The chapter ends where stage is set, not with grandeur, but with a quiet intensity, inviting us to a world where survival is an art and secrets lurk in the shadows.

CHAPTER LIST:

chapter two: FLAMES

Chapter starts below the break: keep reading! :)

Monsters, genetically modified plants trying to kill us all, abuse of power that leads to massacres and wars or incurable diseases, would all be perfectly good and logical reasons as to why I am plastered at a bar scanning for someone who might know a way off this island. The people here are nearly all understandably drunk out of their minds, none of them able to live their daily lives for longer than a work day. Children darting between tables without supervision, while lurking hazards stand poised to exploit even the slightest misstep. The place is loud, save for the moments when someone gets too reckless with their curse and gets dragged off the premises. The silence that washes over the room feels like a cold blade threatening to slit your throat. At least to anyone with something to hide. Once that is revealed, you can kiss this hell goodbye and welcome another one right after hours and hours of wishing you were never born.

Gloves hide my curse, but my temper needs more than gloves to be concealed, and it is rising by the second. The alcohol stench and the soldiers posted up in every corner of the place are not helping.

“Fresh meat, huh?” a velvety voice asks in a hushed tone standing next to me.

“Walk along,” I nearly snarl, keeping my head down and not sparing them a glance. Whoever it is does not let up and slides closer to me, alcohol reeking off their person.

“I know what you are,” they go on, voice sounding almost like purring now that we are standing shoulder to shoulder. With swift movements, I have spun them around, grabbed both their hands and pinned them behind their back under the bar’s edge so no unwanted eyes witness what just went down. It is a woman covered in rain protective gear looking a little younger than she sounded. Former military employee I would assume. No one else could get their hands on anything like that. Half my body covers hers and I tighten my grip around her wrists.

“Eager to end up in jail I see,” she laughs. Drunk, I make out of her behavior. I will spare her the questioning and I tell her as much until I have convinced her that she is out of her mind. I let her go, leaving her giggling by the bar as I walk out into the neonate night. Cannot risk someone taking her seriously. I would rather have my trial that is barely two days away than get beaten to death in a jail cell.

With no plan to ever return and risk my identity being outed, I make my way to a place I have learned to love and despise.

♦

The basement, crammed with thousands of books, exudes an icy chill between its shelves covering just a few square meters. I wish slamming the book shut in frustration was enough. Throwing it across the room would be a crime in here. Burning it up into ashes is out of the question, but painfully desired. You cannot win in this dreadful city, let alone the whole Island. Leaving is not an easy feat either.

The flame dancing between my index finger and thumb, dies down gradually, turning a transparent pastel blue as it gets smaller and morphs into faint smoke. Rather than reigniting the flame, I allow the darkness to envelop me, accompanied by a deafening silence. I sit there by my miserable self until I hear indistinct footsteps grow louder and louder evoking a curse from deep in my chest. I don’t have the patience for this right now. I glance towards one of the shelves. It doesn’t take long for the inconvenience to step into my little corner and lean onto one of the coarse wooden shelves sporting a sad smile. Calling him an inconvenience is wrong on my part but not entirely untrue. I try too hard, way too often to avoid him only to have my night end like this.

“You okay in there?” he asks after a heavy sigh. His tone is just light enough to come across as friendly. It has been a skill people have to learn to master around me since they know better than to step out of line with me.

“I’ll need you to keep your mouth shut.” In the weak light that is seeping through the window from a street light, his staple black cap casts a dark shadow across his face at all times so all anyone ever sees is his mouth, which is now shaping a strained line in reaction to my words.

“Always a ray of sunshine, yeah? I’ll need you to leave. Now.” Too pure for his own good.

I am a walking hazard to these preserved books. I should in fact not be here in the first place, is what he should say. He is just too nice to say it.

“Haruki…” I know it is nothing I can say that really helps my case but it is not like me to hold back what I truly feel around anyone either. Be it complaints or hateful remarks. There is not much on the good side of things around this one since his very existence has been a deep sorrow to endure dating back years. The only defense my brain seems to have against that is spite.

“Light this candle, will you. Can’t see shit in here.” My body temperature and temperament is irregular as it is, but right now I can feel the blood sizzling far beyond its boiling point. He knows better than anyone that riling me up could have dire consequences. None that I will ever be proud of. That should also keep him away from me. Why he lets me stick around is beyond my ability to comprehend. Words do not suffice these days, but I’m willing to bet good fortune that unimaginably mean things would come out of my mouth to someone who’s never truly wronged me.

After much inner turmoil I decide to light his candle. Haruki had started getting antsy as well, eyes glowing a terrifying dark red shining through the shadow as if ready to strike any second. People might think he is perfect but even he is not immune to impatience.

“That’s not really your color, Ki,” I tell him under my breath, but still making sure I also don’t cross his boundaries. That nickname is one I gave him when we were just toddlers, playing in the tunnels under the city, both of us, along with a couple dozen other kids, having been strictly told to never show our faces on the surface until we were deemed ready. We were naive souls back then. Not our fault, but we could’ve never guessed what challenges awaited us.

“What on earth did I do to get you actually talking, huh?” Fake smile or not, it could rival the sun in its brightness, teeth gleaming like the most expensive pearls. In the dim light of his candle the sharper angles of his youthful face get the spotlight. No wonder people idolize him the way they do. It’s almost aggravating how beautiful he is. Sometimes I think holding a grudge towards him for that reason would make more sense. That him always turning heads, getting what he wants all the time and people praising him for damn near everything is annoying enough. Him in his whole casual suit and tie get-up should be annoying enough.

“I’ll leave,” I exhale sharply before I make a fool of myself. While I grab my things I see Haruki’s eyes lose their color and disappear behind the shadow, his smile fading back into a strained line.

“Help me put these books back, Keitaro,” he utters firmly and I get the feeling that he could sense I did not want to be around him anymore. “Please?” The place is a mess and it is too late to argue with anyone at this hour.

I sort the books for him to the best of my ability, just to make it easier for him to put them back on the shelf. They are all old and torn. Most of them are missing pages, some have been found under water so the pages are uneven with the black words faded. Haruki finds this aspect of the library-keeping very intriguing. As illegal as it is for him to keep these books here in this region, he would protect them with his life and he has made that much unmistakably clear for me. He knows this place as well as his own bedroom. Down to every nook, secret passage and whatever people back then decided to hide within the books. Even theft is completely out of the question since he would know within a second if a thought like that appeared in someone’s head.

As we inch closer to being done with the books, my thoughts drift deeper into darker territory, further down memory lane and I once again see how close Haruki was to losing everything he ever held dear. Haruki senses the shift in my aura and makes the mistake of looking up and meeting my eyes. His now gleaming a concerned gray. The candle that he had set on the table lights up the rest of his face. Big innocent eyes asking questions I cannot answer and the burn mark I feared making an appearance from his temple down to his cheekbone. Still covered in angry, deep scars. The work of which I caused.

Until now, the anger I held earlier had started to subside. Now it awakened like a tiger held captive for too long, ready to kill anything that moves. I freeze for a second knowing that if it gets too intense, I am totally in the wrong place. I put the last book into Haruki’s cart to dart out of the library and into the night’s thunderstorm. Before Haruki gets completely out of earshot for me, I hear a barely audible “good night” as an overdue apology is stuck, heavy on my tongue.

Heavy raindrops fall against my hair feeling cold everywhere it is parted as I make my way off the streets out toward the fields. The houses there are safer since these thunderstorms are constant. Sometimes accompanied with rain and sometimes not. They destroy more in a matter of minutes than what we can build in years, and that’s not to mention the relentless flooding this city goes through weekly. It has been like this for years and years so it is hard to remember what a normal day was like.

As I approach the coast, a sense of unease washes over me like the tidal wave crashing against the shore. Something is different tonight, as if the air itself is charged with an electric energy that prickles my skin and sets my nerves on edge. It’s eerily quiet and in the distance I hear the whispers of patrol getting closer. Not a good sign.

And then, I see it.

Hovering above a small lonely piece of land on the horizon, a strange craft hangs suspended in the air like a phantom from another world glowing red. Its sleek contours are illuminated by the faint glow of the city lights, casting eerie shadows that dance across the water's surface.

My heart pounds in my chest as I watch in awe and terror, the sound of helicopters cutting through the air like a knife. With trembling hands, I raise my scope to get a better look, my breath catching in my throat as I witness the craft unleash three beams of light that stretch for miles in every direction.

I duck behind a nearby rock, my heart racing as adrenaline courses through my veins. This is no ordinary sighting; this is a warning, a sign that something far more sinister is at play.

As the echoes of the craft's arrival fade into the night, I know that I can no longer ignore the call to action. Whatever awaits me once I am away from this island, I must face it head-on, for the fate of my sister and those I hold dear hangs in the balance. But come hell or high water, I will not rest until I uncover the truth behind this mysterious intrusion and put an end to the chaos that threatens to consume us all...

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jclibanwrites · 2 months

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Happy to announce that the paperback version of A Questionable Greatness is now available!

Grab your copy for a fun fantasy adventure of nostalgia, laughs, and greatness!~

PS: Sorry for the late announcement. Our golden retriever pups needed our full attention yesterday xD

#AQuestionableGreatness #GottaBeBad #bookrelease #paperback #fantasy #fantasybooks #comedy #alternativehistory #newadult #litrpg #kindlebooks #kindleunlimitedfantasy #kindleunlimited #bookstagram #booktok #writersofinstagram #boost #Instagram

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sophilozophy · 1 year

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📚 2023 Book Releases, Part I Here is part I of the releases I'm looking forward to in 2023, including an autobiography–a first for me. I'm sure I'll come across even more as the year progresses–it was hard narrowing down the list already. There is also a stack of books that I already own that I want to enjoy in 2023. ▫️A Ruinous Fate, Kaylie Smith ▫️The Daughters of Izdihar, Hadeer Elsbai ▫️Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute, Talia Hibbert ▫️We Are All So Good at Smiling, Amber McBride ▫️Spare, Prince Harry ▫️Thief of Sorrows, Kristen M. Long ▫️Court of Tricksters, S. L. Prater ▫️Windward Family, Alexis Keir Edit: The release date for Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert is January 3, 2023.

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readingfrenzyreviews · 2 years

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Book Review: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 out of 5 stars)

Review: *I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Raw. Emotional. Funny. Shocking. Eye-Opening. Must Read. With this being a memoir, I do not feel a normal review is needed, as I implore you to read this book to get its full impact. I will say that I stayed up all night reading this book. The emotions I felt were tremendous. The bafflement that I did not know that all of this was happening to Jennette. I am extremely happy that she got to tell her story and wish for nothing but the best for the rest of her life journey. Highly highly recommend.

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heathercauthor · 8 months

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Pt6) 5 times the human (Feng) is protective over the alien +1 time the alien (Diem) protects him

Book 2 is releasing the 29th of August 2023! Excuse me as I scream.

Praise for the series: "Readers may appreciate the many twists and betrayals..." —Kirkus Reviews

"Action-packed, fast-paced sci-fi story bursting with psychological games and manipulations..." —Readers' Favorite

If you like the Last Of Us, the 100, or unlikely allies in the slightest, check out book 1, Earth Sucks, On Amazon, Kobo or Barnes and Noble!

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faecorpspublishing · 1 year

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Book Birthday!!!

Have you ordered your copy yet?

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#bookbirthday #BookRelease #indie poets #National Poetry Month #New Books #NK Xero #poetry community #poetry is not dead

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cinnamonsociety · 10 months

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Willkommen bei der Cinnamon Society!

Die Cinnamon Society ist eine Gruppe von Autorinnen und Autoren, die aus Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz kommen. Wir veröffentlichen jedes Jahr mehrere Kurzgeschichtensammlungen und spenden den Erlös an verschiedene wohltätige Organisationen. Dank unserer bisherigen Bücher »Mittwintertage«, »Frühsommernächte«, »Kaminfeuerabende«, »Zimt und Poesie« und »Sommerregentänze« (die übrigens auch immer noch käuflich erwerbbar sind ;) ) konnten wir jeweils über 600 Euro an die Österreichische Krebshilfe Wien, das Frauenhaus in Regensburg sowie drei weitere wohltätige Organisationen spenden.

x Wie läuft das Projekt ab?

Ein Buchprojekt dauert jeweils 3 1/2 Monate von der Autorensuche bis zum Release. Gerade sind wir wieder mittendrin. Schon im November erscheint unser zweites Adventskalenderbuch, dessen Erlös ebenfalls für einen wohltätigen Zweck gespendet wird. Wir wechseln unsere Spendenziele immer zwischen den drei Ländern, aus denen unsere Autor:innen stammen ab - diesmal ist wieder Deutschland an der Reihe.

Von der Ausschreibung für neue Plätze in der Cinnamon Society an sind 14 Tage Zeit, um sich zu bewerben. Dabei wollen wir wissen, warum du gerne zu uns kommen möchtest und eine kleine Leseprobe haben. Dann kommt die Schreibphase. Je nach Projekt kannst du 1 oder mehrere Geschichten schreiben. Das Maximum geben wir beim Projekt selbst bekannt.

Als nächstes steht die Testlesephase an. Du bekommst einige Geschichten zugeteilt, um diese testzulesen. Außerdem ist genug Zeit, um Extras wie zum Beispiel Rezepte, Bastelideen etc. einzubringen.

Es folgt das Lektorat, das ungefähr zwei bis drei Wochen in Anspruch nimmt. Unsere LektorInnen lesen über alle Geschichten und bessern diese aus.

Innerhalb von ungefähr einer Woche wird das Feedback eingearbeitet. Es ist Zeit für Fragen an die Lektor:innen. Jetzt wird das Buch formatiert, Grafiken und das Inhaltsverzeichnis werden eingefügt. Es folgen der Upload des Buches und Ausfüllen von letzten Daten. Und dann heißt es: "Happy Releaseday!"

Während der ganzen Zeit, aber besonders in den Wochen vor und nach dem Release, sind wir auf Instagram aktiv und werben für das neue Projekt. Auch hier freuen wir uns immer über Unterstützung!

x Und was bekomme ich dafür?

Alle Autor:innen, Grafiker:innen, Lektor:innen, Blogger:innen und andere beteiligte Personen arbeiten komplett ehrenamtlich, da unser gesamter Erlös gespendet wird. Wenn du also Lust hast, dich zu engagieren, bist du genau richtig bei uns.

x Wie kann ich euch unterstützen?

Zunächst einmal kannst du dich in jeder Bewerbungsphase als Autor:in, Lektor:in, Grafiker:in und Blogger:in bewerben. Auch Buchsätzer:innen werden immer gesucht. Wenn du eine andere Idee hast, wie du uns unterstützen kannst, freuen wir uns auch immer über neue Anfragen!

Außerdem würden wir uns natürlich sehr freuen, wenn du unser Buch lesen und ganz vielen Menschen von unserer Gruppe erzählen würdest! Wir teilen auch regelmäßig Templates auf Instagram oder machen Mitmachaktionen wie zum Beispiel #schreibenmitzimt.

Wir freuen uns natürlich auch über Instagrambeiträge und Storys über unsere Gruppe.

Du kannst auch gerne unseren Flyer ausdrucken und überall verteilen z.B. in Supermärkten, Geschäften und an anderen Orten.

Wir haben auch einen Podcast, den du auf Spotify unter “Zimt und Papier” findest.

Jede Unterstützung hilft uns sehr, unser Ziel zu erreichen und immer mehr Menschen von unseren zu Projekten begeistern!

x Wo finde ich euch?

“Mittwintertage” kannst du bei Bookmundo bestellen. Unsere restlichen Bücher findest du bei Books on Demand (BOD). Sie lassen sich aber natürlich auch vor Ort in deiner Buchhandlung, bei Thalia oder Amazon kaufen.

Unsere Homepage kannst du dir hier anschauen: https://www.cinnamonsociety-autoren.com/

Du findest uns auf Instagram unter diesem Link: https://www.instagram.com/cinnamon_society/

Wir sind auch auf Tiktok, Discord und Pinterest aktiv. Die Links findest du im Linktree in unserer Bio auf Instagram. Wenn du sie nicht findest, schick uns einfach eine DM oder eine Nachricht über das Kontaktformular auf der Homepage. Genauso auch bei allen anderen Anliegen.

Wir freuen uns auf dich! Und wer weiß, vielleicht bist du ja schon bald auch ein Teil der Cinnamon Society?

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joannanora · 1 year

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#sam heughan #outlander #waypoints #bookrelease #scotland

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nealshustermanreal · 1 year

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Bring your copy and curiosity because Eric and I will be at Barnes & Nobles today at Clackamas, OR @ bn_clackamas to meet all of you! We're so excited to chat about the book and hear your thoughts!

#IAmTheWalrus #booktour #bookrelease

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thequilledsabre · 2 years

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Mark your calendars, folks! October 21st - The Caterpillar Man! 🐛🧔‍♂️

#new poetry #book #bookrelease #poetry book #the caterpillar man #writeblr #poetblr #artblr #autumn poem

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deanie-dhampir · 1 year

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Thalia and The Leviathan 🐺 Happy release day to Smoke by @author.sarahjaeger!! 🤍 If I could convince you to read any debut book this year, it would be this one. It’s such a fun, unique story and everyone I’ve convinced to sign up for ARCs has loved it. Theres political intrigue, a cheeky/horny werewolf, found family, a sassy redhead and a stubborn alpha male. There’s spice but it in no way takes away from the drama or angst of the plot. All in all, if you’re a sucker for paranormal shifter romances, you will want to read this one!! #sarahjaeger #indieauthor #indieromance #indiebooks #bookrelease #bookreview #bookrecs #bookrecommendations #bookrecommendation #romancebooks #paranormalromance #paranormalromancebooks #shifterromance #werewolfromance #redhead #blackmilkclothing #bmbvstrawberrythieftealhwleggings #bookish #bookstagramromance #bookstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CqJLtZHS5iO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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culturecultpress · 1 year

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Culturecult's first anthology of detective fiction features eighteen short stories and a mystery novella. Edited by @jay_chakravarti88 ---------- Unlock the secrets of nineteen mysteries, each more tantalizing than the other! Throw yourself into the adventure and try to solve each case before the detective, or sit back and let them take you on a hair-raising ride. Journey into a forbidding forest to find a lost boy, track a missing girl months after her disappearance, walk down the eerie alleys of Whitechapel searching for the Ripper, or investigate the murder of a young socialite with all the suspects still in the house! Feel a whirlwind of emotions as you uncover secrets and truths that will set everyone free - except the criminal, of course! Prepare yourself - the mysteries in this book will enthrall and entrap you until you unravel them all! LULU purchase link for Paperback: https://www.lulu.com/shop/jay-chakravarti/the-culturecult-casebook/paperback/product-e9zk2r.html LULU purchase link for Epub: https://www.lulu.com/shop/jay-chakravarti/the-culturecult-casebook/ebook/product-ppvqzq.html POTHI (India Only) purchase link for Paperback: https://store.pothi.com/book/jay-chakravarti-ed-culturecult-casebook/ POTHI (India Only) purchase link for Ebook: https://store.pothi.com/book/ebook-jay-chakravarti-ed-culturecult-casebook/ Featured authors in The CultureCult Casebook: Martin Eastland, Minoti Vaishnav, Robb T. White, Romit Bagchi, Josh Poole, Hidayat Adams, Rollin Jewett, John A. DeLaughter, Nelly Shulman, Robert McDermott, LJ Jacobs, J. Agombar, Albert N. Katz, Maggie D Brace, Frederick Pangbourne, Robert Burns, Dibyasree Nandy, Zelda C. Thorne AND Jay Chakravarti #BookRelease #CoverReveal #detectivestory #Fiction #CultureCult #BookNerd #mysteryauthor #mysterybooks #mysterystories #crimefiction #LoveForReading #ReadersOfInstagram #Biblio #Bibliophile #authorsofinstagram #authorlife #publishinghouse #publisher #firstcontact #cosmicfiction #bookcollecter #bookcollecting #bookclubofinstagram #bookchat #bookcase #bookcasestyling #bookcollectors https://www.instagram.com/p/CpFLROnpqWI/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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