Looking For Hope

Looking For Hope

4,496 939 23

After major coastal cities sink to the bottom of the ocean at the end of the twenty-first century, the richest inhabitants of Earth escape the planet to build new colonies in a distant solar system. Thirty six light years away from the Milky Way galaxy, centuries have passed and humanity is well established. Among the most notable establishments is a prestigious university for the study of alien biology. Moira, a girl with a pervasive developmental disorder, but a talented student nonetheless, navigates the challenge of interplanetary university life as she researches a rare and endangered species. When a deeper threat emerges that challenges the existence of these creatures, she must team up with her classmates and find a solution to a problem much bigger than they could ever hope to be. *****Credits: The cover is courtesy of the brilliant @vertigo_moon from The Vertigo Graphics while the line editing/proofreading/grammar check was done with a lot of input from Halyn Bleiz a.k.a vin_elend from the Floret community and Katie Marie from the Coven of Bookworms community. They have my gratitude.The blurb was written with some help from @RowanCarver and I am thankful for her feedbacks.…

Dreams Upon A Silver Pine Branch

Dreams Upon A Silver Pine Branch

874 138 33

The Kinoya family, one of the most financially well-to-do families on their home planet Silver Pine, seems like they have everything they could ask for. But behind the closed doors of their huge traditional Japanese dojo, three members of the family struggle with various personal issues. Lee Kinoya, the head of the household, is taking care of his sickly wife. Meanwhile, his adolescent daughter, Akira, is dealing with uncertainties as she questions what and who she wants to be: should she follow her father's footsteps, her mother's, or carve her own path? Last but not least, there is the soft-spoken Kenta, who is bullied at school for being deaf and is also at risk of having his sexual orientation revealed without his consent. In the middle of everyone's inner battle, a teenager from another planet unexpectedly brings a much needed spark of joy. Is he for real or is he, too, nothing but a fleeting piece of happiness?…

The Blue Orchid Years

The Blue Orchid Years

1,130 196 46

How do you stay happy when the source of your happiness is fading?Nardho used to think that he has it all: wonderful friends, caring siblings, a happy family, and a beautiful wife he adores. Life, however, does not always go according to plan. When he is faced with the reality of his wife's disease, he is forced to asses his options: accept gracefully that there are things he can't change or succumb to his depression. While evaluating his options, he is recording voice notes to chronicle the good times he used to have. He tries his best to re-tell what it was like to champion disability rights and promote the protection of a vulnerable species. You are invited to dive into Nardho's head as he wrestles his emotions to remember the best moments of his and his wife's teenage years while also dealing with mental health issues. Told in two alternating timelines, this book continues the saga of a group of youngsters who fight for environmental and social justice. Now, however, you have a chance to also see the story filtered through the eyes of an adult.****Cover credits: Shreya Goswamy (Shreya_VA)…

The Torrential Outpouring of Love

The Torrential Outpouring of Love

192 27 7

Asahi Rivera-Sakamoto lives with an auditory cortex abnormality. As a kid, he was a loner. That all changed when Carossio Ricardo moved to Asahi's village and saw past his disability. The two of them soon was joined by Ushio Minamoto, a girl from the neighboring village.The trio of friends grew up together and were inseparable. Unfortunately, a tragedy Asahi had a feeling would happen but had no way of proving could happen was always lurking in the background. Follow their adventures as they learned the meaning of unconditional acceptance, overcame insecurities, and came to the conclusion that an enduring love can heal trauma.…

An Anthology of Frenzied Ruminations

An Anthology of Frenzied Ruminations

533 140 19

Kenta is certain of three things: 1) he does not fit heteronormative ideals 2) he is ready to find a partner 3) his crush might not like his moves. Johan is uncertain of three things: 1) if he will ever reveal his true self to the world 2) if he will ever feel belong 3) if he will be able to react accordingly if that one guy who has been making advances on him pushes it further.When the two finally cross paths their sophomore year of university, what types of lessons will they learn? The feelings are mutual, but can they survive? ---This collection of poems is intended as a spin-off or a companion book to "Looking for Hope" but can also be a stand-alone work. Cover art credits: @OmeletteDanish --- A relationship Untamed raw feelings unleashed Blooming in silence A young adult writes Yet constrained by rigid rules Three lines per stanza Erratic musings Make up a whole creation A full narrative It's a chronicle Of tears and laughter so real In dusty pages…

A Plethora of Frantic Messages

A Plethora of Frantic Messages

70 30 10

Tony is frustrated at his roommate and partner in crime Nardho, who has been turning into an angst-ridden recluse due to a combination of hormonal fluctuation, pressure to be perfect in college, and existential crisis. Wanting so badly to lend a hand but being met with his best friend's stubborn refusal of well-intentioned help, he retreats to writing down his apprehensions as a litany of sonnet-like verses. Why does his once fun friendship have to turn sour like this all of a sudden? Most importantly, would he be able to coax his pigheaded pal into seeking help? -----The poems in this collection are meant to accompany Chapters 11-19 of The Blue Orchid Years but you can also read them separately. Reader's discretion is strongly advised. Frequent mentions of passive and active suicidal ideation, allusions to mental illnesses, and unprofessional opinions regarding how to deal with loved ones who may pose danger to themselves.…

From the Corn Fields to the Mountains

From the Corn Fields to the Mountains

77 11 5

When Rinjani Pratiwi, an overseas student, has to leave her undergraduate program, she has two choices: try again to get her American Dream or settle down permanently in Indonesia. The only questions: settle down with whom and, if she does not, how can she gain the courage not to be put off by her academic failure?Despite having unresolved feelings for her childhood friend, Goenawan Bhoemipoetra, love is certainly the last thing on Rinjani's mind. Fate, however, brings her to a mountainous region of Southern USA, where she meets Franco Coleman. Rinjani's walls of defense starts to crumble when she learns Franco has a past that rivals hers. As she finds herself tempted to trust him not to ruin the future she's working hard for, to which extent would she be willing to risk everything in exchange of an avalanche of uncertainties?…

Mencari Harapan

Mencari Harapan

318 30 22

The translated Indonesian version of "Looking for Hope"(Versi terjemahan Bahasa Indonesia dari novel pertama saya)Setelah kota-kota besar tenggelam ke dasar lautan di akhir abad 21, para penghuni Bumi yang terkaya kabur dan mendirikan koloni-koloni baru di suatu tata surya sejauh 36 tahun cahaya dari galaksi Bima Sakti. Berabad-abad kemudian, salah satu dari belasan koloni tersebut membangun universitas bergengsi untuk para mahasiswa yang ingin mempelajari biologi spesies asing. Moira, seorang remaja perempuan dengan gangguan perkembangan, didorong oleh sepupu kesayangannya untuk mendaftarkan diri ke beasiswa kompetitif yang dikelola oleh seorang dosen yang sedang mempelajari suatu spesies yang terancam punah. Tertantang untuk membuktikan bahwa dia mampu belajar di universitas dengan segala kekurangannya, Moira menerima tawaran sepupunya. Tapi ternyata, menyelamatkan suatu spesies terancam punah terbukti tidak semudah tinggal mengikuti beberapa kelas akademik. Moira bertemu teman-teman yang sehati dengannya, lalu mereka melakukan studi lapangan dengan para dosen mereka ke habitat spesies yang terancam punah itu, namun ada suatu petualangan besar yang sudah menunggu mereka karena mereka akhirnya berhadapan dengan perusahaan pertambangan raksasa yang kalau dibiarkan bisa semakin merusak habitat spesies yang terancam punah. Apa yang bisa Moira dan para sahabatnya lakukan untuk mengubah pikiran sang pemilik perusahaan tambang?Sampul adalah karya Tammy Nwanne atau _greyxkalopsia_…