“A Version of Everything” by Kristen Valentine

We decided that one thing we could do with the money is buy a house, so we looked at some houses and it was weird and to offset the weird we got tattoos . . .

“Hold Me Closer” by Zacc Dukowitz

After the ceremony she wanted to go back to the room for a moment before the reception, which was going to be held in the master ballroom. She needed to freshen up, she said. Just go ahead with out me. But he had his suspicions so he trailed along after her, against all of her protests . . .

“White Noise” by Jason Bertucci

I don’t understand cocaine
philosophically . . .

“Eve” by Vincent Poturica

Breathing hard, Eve unlaces her shoes. She knocks them together and watches the sand fall onto the wooden stairs. She stretches her legs and watches the black waves. Eve runs every morning before sunrise, past the jetty and all the way to the sea caves. She feels better when she’s exhausted . . .

“Fuck the Celebrities” by Sheila Mannix

He was talking too much; either he had unstable nerves or he was wasted. I asked what he was on.

“Blow,” he said. “Want some?”

I smiled like I felt sorry for him having to ask such a question. He handed me a bag under the table.

“Enjoy,” he said . . .

“From the Crossroads of Crack and Rap” by Jason Reynolds

To celebrate the release of our two new Black Sheep titles — Changers Book Two: Oryon by T Cooper and Allison Glock-Cooper and The Shark Curtain by Chris Scofield — we’re thrilled to present a guest post from Jason Reynolds, award-winning author of When I Was the Greatest and The Boy in the Black Suit, on the need for diversity in young people’s literature.

“West End Boy” by Robin Hall

After the meal we headed back to the Groucho Club. We were a few drinks in now. We went upstairs and had some cocaine in the restroom . . .

“Choice” by Narween Otto

“No one else ever needs to know about this . . .”