TEN | Original Universes

Is fate a shield against the agony of choice or a force that suffocates free will?

From diverse walks of life and different corners of the globe, ten strangers are being brought together. Prejudice, fallen dreams, loss, and trauma have plagued each of their lives . . . until they find each other, and for once it seems serendipity may heal their collective pain.

But behind these fated meetings lurks a sinister agenda.

Terrible and elusive beings have endowed the ten with supernatural abilities. Far from a gift, some are losing their minds to these overwhelming new powers, forcing the ten into a deadly game with humanity's future at stake.

What does fate permit us to do? Are we a product of choice or design? In this urban fantasy adventure, the ten must resist the will of destiny if they wish to carve their own paths. Armed only with camaraderie, they will discover if the strength of their choice is enough to prevent the looming, catastrophic future thrust upon them.

The battle for free will begins here.

“What I feel is the strongest and easily most enjoyable element is the diversity of the characters at play. LGBTQ+ representation isn’t linked to a single token figure, nor is it the primary trait of said characters. It allows the interplay and relationships of the protagonists to develop authentically.”

Sam Jowett, author of Cynthia Silver

“An amazing book with so many lovable characters. I was afraid with so many characters some might get lost in the shuffle but every character is awesome. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.“

Zane Desjarlais

“TEN: Part 1 is one of those books that will blow you away. [It] was a fantastic read with a great plotline and characters that blew my socks off. ☆☆☆☆☆”

Jolie, Read With Me Blog

“[The book] rather reads like poetry than prose, weaving in gorgeous and haunting imageries of darkness and of gloom and of morbidity but also of light and of vibrancy and of laughter; Sin Ribbon experiments with and subverts language in imaginative, revolutionary ways and does it so expertly.”

Nadia Gerassimenko, editor of Moonchild Magazine

“The characters are well developed, the story is gripping, and the relationships they develop are dynamic and interesting. Sin Ribbon has done her research to make the characters believable and varied.“

Erik Runkel

“TEN: Part 1 is an utterly intriguing novel. While the narrative at large sets up the stage for a grand and fantastical conflict between the various members of the cast […], it also explores the much more personal and human conflict of trauma.”

Harrison Donellan

“[The characters] have wonderful chemistry and voices that I can’t get enough of! If you like urban fantasy with dashes of horror and darkness, then you’ll love this book, too.”

Cheyenne Bramwell

“The characters are swiftly introduced and not overwhelming, and the book is a quick page-turner. Looking forward to seeing more from author and incredible artist Sin Ribbon.”

Leah Rachel, While Reading and Walking Blog

“Really enjoyed this book. Took it with me on vacation and couldn’t put it down till I was done. Very interesting characters, plot keeps you hooked, and can’t wait for more.”

Michael O’Brien

An old soul looking for his place in his universe. A fiery spirit that never goes out. A willful outcast following her heart. Two British brothers avoiding responsibility. A trans runaway searching for hope. A wandering orphan with a secret. A disillusioned journalist studying the supernatural. A Botswanan minister with hidden knowledge. And a mysterious fortune teller hiding behind an innocent smile.

Centered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, TEN is an urban fantasy tale of mystical intrigue, destiny and choice, and a found family carving their place in the world. It explores the philosophical concepts of free will and determinism.

de·ter·min·ism the doctrine that all events, including human action, are ultimately determined by causes external to the will

I grew up reading manga and playing RPGs, especially Final Fantasy, so I take a lot of inspiration from that style of storytelling. TEN came about after asking myself, "Why would characters that receive supernatural powers easily accept them? What if destiny forced them to take a path they didn't want?" Stories like Narnia and X/1999 got me thinking about that, and so TEN was born.

However, the focus of this story lies in its characters. I created a wide, diverse cast because it seemed appropriate that people deciding the fate of humanity should come from all over. Different identities and cultures offer unique perspectives. Ten characters is a lot to juggle, but making these characters memorable and individualistic has been my central goal. So much of my soul went into giving them voice and making them grounded and relatable. I wanted to share the struggle of overcoming trauma while providing hope in healing. I'm sure among these ten characters, you'll find someone you resonate with.

TEN is planned to be a tetralogy with the goal to release TEN: Part 2 by the end of 2019, and Part 3 and Part 4 slated for 2020. I hope you'll give this story a chance to speak to you; it may take you on a journey to a place in your soul you didn't know existed.

Genres:
Urban Fantasy, Epic Fantasy, Action & Adventure, New Adult, LGBT, elements of Thriller and Romance

Content Warning:
TEN: Part 1 is suitable for most readers aged 13 and up (using the ESRB rating system as reference). It contains adult situations, infrequent strong language, and mild violence.

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