Hey reader!

I was so glad to be back for the 2026 Open Novella Contest. This story started with a simple prompt about a socialite becoming a nobody and it just kept needling my brain. What if magic was tied to your bank account?

That question led me down a long road of thinking. But sometimes the story you start isn't the story you end up finishing. I walked into this with the plan to write a light romantic comedy but Press had other plans. The more I wrote the darker the world became, and as I approached the 40,000 word mark I had a decision to make. Do I keep it small or do I let it grow?

I decided to expand the world and present Press's story in a much bigger way. So, I'm moving beyond the original prompts and digging into a larger mystery. Because of that I'll be removing my story from ONC consideration. I'll also be taking some chapters down for a bit so I can include more backstory and subplots. I'm sorry to those of you who were already reading but I promise the story is much richer now that I have a clear direction.

Bad Magic is my commentary on wealth inequality and influencer culture. It is a BxB New Adult mystery thriller with romance woven through it. Think Ace of Spades meets One of Us Is Lying with the dark magic of The Magicians. I'm leaning into my own history as a content creator to show what it's like when the world tells you that you are worthless without money or fame (spoiler alert: they don't know what they're talking about.).

Thank you for your patience while I make this story great. Let me know your honest feedback in the comments and tell me if Press and Mateo are worth shipping!

Happy reading!