Showing results by author "A. D. Herrick" in All Categories

Lenny “Take the record deal,” Makayla urges me. “Don’t worry about us. We’ll be here after your contract is up.” She promises. Neither of us knew the shitstorm that would come from our decision. My name’s Lenny Demark, you may know me as Lenz, LA’s hottest new artist with chart-topping songs on every station across the nation. I was given the opportunity of a lifetime to fulfill my dreams as a rap artist. One catch… I had to sign a contract that required me to give up my girl back home and date the producer’s daughter of the record company signing me for five years. That...

They see the rockstar. They don’t see the fight. Nik Von has spent his life center stage—loud, untouchable, and larger than life. But when throat cancer threatens the one thing that defines him, he hides behind a lie. Laryngitis. Simple. Safe. Until the truth comes crashing down. Evie Brook never planned to fall for a rock god. As a journalist, she’s seen the ugly side of fame. But Nik is different—raw, vulnerable, and fighting to stay standing. When past betrayals collide with a very public reckoning, Nik must decide if he’s ready to stop running—from his illness, his fears, ...

Amidst a society that demands perfection, my heart is constantly plagued by self-doubt and relentlessly tormented by my insecurities. The weight of my doubts drags me down as I push myself to the limit in the gym, striving to be a fierce powerlifter. But beneath the sheen of sweat and the clang of steel, I am still haunted by the nagging voice inside my head that tells me I am not good enough. Jack has become an unexpected beacon of light in my dark world. A compassionate trainer who sees beyond my physical strength and into the depths of my true essence. He embraces all of me - ...

One stubborn mechanic. One runaway prodigy. One hell of a second chance. Delaney Monroe was never supposed to come back. Not to the small town that never fit. Not to the cabin she swore she’d leave behind. And definitely not to Haywood Tucker—the infuriating, bull-headed mechanic who’s been under her skin since high school. But life has a funny way of rerouting your best-laid plans. Accused of a crime she didn’t commit, burned out and battle-scarred, Delaney finds herself right back where she started—with a For Sale sign on her family’s cabin and nothing left to lose. Haywood ...

Ginger had seen enough violence in her life to know she didn't want to fight. After her father beat her mother for the last time, Ginger sought refuge in the gym, never dreaming that one day it would be her salvation. Chaos always had a soft spot for the petite brunette. Even from an early age, he acted as her protector. Chaos has never failed Ginger before, and he will be damned if he does this time. Fate steps in and throws them a curve they never expected. Ginger has no option, its fight or die. Will Chaos be able to save her from the fight for her life?

I was never the girl who needed saving. I rebuilt myself with ink-stained fingers and a needle in my hand—each line etched into skin a promise: never again. My shop became my sanctuary. My rules. My silence. Until the threats started showing up like ghosts—matchbooks, charms, whispers from a past I buried in blood and ash. And then there was him. Quinn is the kind of danger you don’t outrun. Quiet. Controlled. A man with war in his bones and loyalty wired into every scar. He didn’t flinch at my walls—he climbed them. Didn’t ask for trust—he earned it. Slowly. Relentlessly. ...

Candy is trying to make a name for herself as a Pastry chef with her own bakery. After months of hard work, she has finally been approved for her loan and things are starting to look good for her. When her best friend Tasha invites her to have lunch with her to share some exciting news, Candy comes face to face with the Celebrity Food critic of her dreams. Patton Blake is a world renown Food Critic that absolutely hates Miami. When his best friend Milo asks him to come back for a two-month visit, Patton has no choice but to come. When things blow up at a lunch with his Friend, Milo, and his...

With Katinka due any day, the guys of Slava Pasha have finished their tour and are ready to come home. When Damon, the drummer of the band calls Katinka the worst name you could ever call a pregnant woman. She decides not to get mad, but to get even. Katinka has challenged Damon to go Celibate. One to never break a promise, Damon decides to give it a chance. Katinka was generous enough to give him an out. He has to date a woman and develop an honest genuine relationship with her before he can even think about getting into her skivvies. To make matters worse, Katinka has to give her own seal...

Seal Dana was once a thriving surfside town — until the recession stole its future and scattered its families. When Haven Gray’s father left and her mother spiraled into alcoholism, Haven was left behind to scrape together a life from the pieces they abandoned. With the steady kindness of her neighbor Ms. Grace and a fierce determination to escape, Haven clung to one dream: leave Seal Dana behind forever and start over with her best friend, Sam. But when Sam takes a summer opportunity in New York, Haven finds herself stuck in the town she promised herself she'd outrun — skating ...

Shelby Krause has reached the pentacle of her life. Having graduated from Harvard at the top of her class. The young Linguist gets a shot at working at one of the most premier corporations in the world. Realizing that she is alone in her celebration, she grasps for anything that will bring back memories of him, the one she lost. diving deep into her past, picking up the one habit she swore to herself that she would never do, Shelby tries to remember, Brittan, her one true love. Klaus Wolf has finally reached a point in which his father is ready to hand over the reigns to the multi-billion ...

Happily, ever after can mean so many things. Being broken is like standing outside, your face turned to the sun, it’s the brightest day of the year only I it’s dark. The sky is dark. The house is dark. Everywhere you look – dark. Broken, that’s what I am. That’s all I ever will be. Don’t feel bad for me. I was always destined to be this way. It’s all I’ve ever known. I’ve learned to accept it, embrace it. I am the child nobody wanted. The one left to play alone, like a forgotten plant wilting away. A stranger to my family from as far back as I can remember, a smudge on the...

A small town girl with a heart full of dreams, Ella finds out Hollywood is not the glitz and glam she thought it was. Tinseltown is paved with the broken hearts and shattered dreams of those who came before her. Refusing to sacrifice her morals in lieu of a bit part on the big screen, Ella takes up a job waitressing, making just enough to scrape by. When Ella’s roommate, Heather, receives a job offer in Miami she can’t refuse, she brings Ella along with her. Miami is a stark contrast to the LA living Ella is used to. When Heather’s job keeps her away more often than not, Ella is left ...

Sasha Grant's life as a passionate social worker had always been fulfilling. She painstakingly squirreled away her meager earnings, secretly investing in parcels of land, lands she had no intentions of ever visiting. But her world takes a terrifying turn when she extends a helping hand to an abused victim, thrusting herself into a heart-pounding life-or-death ordeal. Following her boyfriend's advice, she narrowly escapes the clutches of a maniac. Determined to vanish beyond anyone's reach, she seeks refuge in the desolate expanse of the Nevada desert. Just when she thinks her situation ...

Alexa is the typical girl next door, more comfortable in jeans and t-shirts than dresses and heels. Her best friend, Jessa, believes a girl should be fully dressed at all times. Relationships aren't something they excel at - and their catch phrase of 'Hooker Please' lets the other know all is well. When they decide to chuck everything to the side and go on an all-expenses paid trip to faraway places, documenting their journey and travels, both women have no clue what is in store for them. Three weeks into the six-month trip, the groups are split up and each woman is left to find herself. ...

As Valentine's Day approaches, the bustling Midtown is painted in red and white, brimming with love and romance. But for Isai Channing, it only accentuates her loneliness. Her boss, Ryker Kane, CEO of Kane Holdings and Midtown's most eligible bachelor, has been lingering around the office, stirring her desires beyond control. Isai can't concentrate on her work anymore, so she turns to a dating app that promises to fulfill her wildest fantasies. The longing for something unattainable consumes every woman's soul, and Isai is no exception. She yearns for Ryker, the epitome of her every fantasy...

Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures for Heavy Metal Rocker, Kiev Alexeev. With the whole band moving on with their lives, getting married and having babies. Kiev is really starting to feel the green bug of envy. Every day spent with Karina and Dominik make him even more desperate for a baby of his own. Once his bandmates and family find out, Kiev’s parents take matters into their own hands. Nothing says true love like an arranged marriage. That is unless your betrothed is an old childhood friend who also happens to be in a relationship with some other man. Near ...

Ryker Kane is a man on the edge, fighting to keep his demons at bay. But when he meets Isai Channing, everything changes. She's a one-night stand, a temporary fix for his pain. But from the moment he touches her, he knows he's addicted. Isai is like a drug, a siren call that he can't resist. As Ryker falls deeper into his obsession with Isai, he feels the jealousy rise in him. He can't bear the thought of anyone else touching her, of anyone else having what he wants so desperately. He knows he shouldn't feel this way, that it's wrong to want to possess her so completely. But the more he ...

I didn’t expect to fall in love with Nina Mikhailov. I didn’t expect the quiet timid girl that used to follow us around like a lost puppy, while we were visiting family in Russia, to have changed from an ugly duckling into such a magnificent swan, to steal my heart fully and completely. I had no way of anticipating her coming into my life and snatching my heart straight out of my chest. I had no way of foretelling any of this, but somehow, it happened. I was a mega star rocker traveling the world, a different girl in every town, with no intentions of sticking around for more than a good...

Welcome to The Purple Pawedcast, where we unpack the complexities of gender, identity, and what it truly means to be human—without the academic jargon (okay, maybe just a little, but only the fun kind). Curated by Amethysta Herrick. Ph.D., this pod is where science, philosophy, and lived experience collide to challenge assumptions and spark new perspectives. Whether you’re here to explore your own identity, stay informed on the latest research, or just enjoy a deep dive into the human experience, we deliver thoughtful, engaging, and refreshingly honest discussions. No fluff. No gatekeeping...

What's a little bondage between strangers? When life gets you down you just pack up and leave right? Well, that's what I did. Now I work at Secrets. Some would call it prostitution. I call it opportunity, freedom, and a damn good time. When the opportunity of a lifetime is thrown in your lap, what do you do? You take it! I was offered big money to spend 3 months in an undisclosed location with virtual strangers. I couldn't pass it up. Trust me, I tried. Five Million is a hard deal to say no to. Again, I tried. But what happens when it all becomes too much? When enemies you didn't even know ...