Author | Lightnews

Reposted by Darren Cools

Gregory Wolfe @gregorywolfe.bsky.social · 2d

"The key to hacking your way through the current thicket of literary noise ... is the same as the cultivation of other kinds of wisdom: paying attention to the disciplines of truthful friends, the embodied motions of prayer, the humility of the unexpected." slantbooks.substack.com/p/a-way-thro...

A Way Through the Literary Forest

How does one discern what’s actually worthwhile?

slantbooks.substack.com

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Sep 25

Once in a while I read a book that does something similar to a piece of fiction I’m working on. I love these moments. They invariably go in directions I’d never thought of, or wouldn't chose in my own work, and that’s refreshing. It energizes me to push my own a bit further, get a bit more daring.

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Sep 18

Switching from DM'ing to playing a character for this fall season. This is one of my favorite moments of the game: thinking about the who/what/why of my brand new character. I love deciding who I'm going to become... The possibilities are effectively infinite. 🤩

#DungeonsandDragons #DnD #trpg

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Sep 10

Please sign up for my newsletter! I'll send out semi-regular updates on the process, offer sneak peeks, and share important dates (like cover reveal and when it's available for sale). I promise I won't spam you, but I'd love to keep you in the loop.

darrencools.com/about

Contact Darren Cools | Darren Cools

Contact Darren Cools for illustrations, graphic design, and young adult fiction and children's picture books

darrencools.com

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Sep 10

I'm several hours into a new phase of editing on my #youngadult #novel, Light in the Canyon, guided by the shrewd insight of @gregorywolfe.bsky.social. I'm beyond thrilled to be under contract with @slantbooks.bsky.social. I can't wait to get my book into your hands.

#ya #booksky #amwritingfiction

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Sep 8

It's cozy season. #illustration #watercolor #fromthearchives

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Jul 15

Well, I said I was too busy to write, but I had a moment of creative compulsion today and squeezed in the last the #digitalpainting on this drawing I started long ago.

Have I ever told you how much I love her?

#art #illustration #inkdrawing #joanofarc

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Jul 15

I’m too busy to work on my new #solarpunk #novel at the moment — we’re about to move and I start grad school next month — so here’s an old #DnD drawing I made...

#illustration #dungeonsanddragons #art #characterdesign #trpg

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Jun 23

Working but I want to be writing.

Boo hoo.

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Jun 9

I’m pretty sporadic around here sometimes. And that’s ok. I’ve been outside a lot, and I’m also working on my next novel.

A new character has been prodding me to give them a place in my story, and I think I’m convinced, but... who are they?

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Apr 29

Tonight is #dungeonsanddragons, so here’s another one from long ago when I used to draw for campaigns.

#trpg #dnd #illustration

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 31

As I wait on query replies, I’m writing Ch 5 of a new #YAnovel — first of a near-future #solarpunk trilogy, featuring secret bike messengers, the twilight between life/death, a boy obsessed with #HenryDarger, and a girl mechanic. (And some fine gym abs.)

SolarPunk? » www.re-des.org/es/a-solarpu...

A Solarpunk Manifesto (English) – ReDes – Regenerative Design

www.re-des.org

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 22

New post up on LinkedIn (hint: it's a ghost story): www.linkedin.com/posts/darren...

Tangled Head | Darren Cools | Darren Cools

Here’s a question that regularly plagues me: I write primarily because I want to (need to?), and I don’t really think too hard about financial returns, at…

www.linkedin.com

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 21

Kinda weird that I'm starting to notice what authors do to seed certain ideas and how they do it as I read.

The veil is pulled back more and more, a little at a time, and it's fun to see.

Does that mean I'm getting better at my craft? I hope so...

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 19

Sometimes writing feels like the gym — dreaming of big, noticeable results, eager, hopeful, impatient for success, for crossing that next threshold. But reality is usually quieter, subtler, and takes unimaginably longer than we ever think. And yet, we shoulder the load and head back to it.

Reposted by Darren Cools

Brent Toderian @brenttoderian.bsky.social · Mar 9

“Someone with a 1-hr car commute needs to earn 40% more to be as happy as someone with a short walk to work. On the other hand, if someone shifts from a long commute to a walk, their happiness increases as much as if they’d fallen in love.” #CityMakingMath

50 reasons to want more walkable streets.

50 Reasons Why Everyone Should Want More Walkable Streets

From making you live longer to making cities more resilient: If you want a reason to make your city more walkable, it's in here.

www.fastcompany.com

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 9

I love writing while surrounded by noise and people...

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 7

Thank you!

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 7

#querying is hard. It can feel pretty dark and hopeless, getting nothing but form rejections day after day.

But today's my birthday and I'm in #NYC for the first time in 21 years.

And I believe there's someone out there who'll read my pitch and think, maybe there's something here...

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Reposted by Darren Cools

Kelly Van Sant @agentkellyvansant.bsky.social · Mar 5

Here's why querying writers should always shoot their shot if they think an agent is a good fit: I stayed up all night reading a requested MS and sent out an offer first thing this morning for a project I had NO idea I wanted.

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 5

It’s been really hard to find time to draw and I really miss it... so here’s an old favorite.

#illustration #inkdrawing #ghoststory #ghost #art #digitalcolor

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Mar 2

Sounds incredible!

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Feb 28

Pitch:

Halley and Jamie have never met, but when a science experiment fills her with light from outer space and turns him into a girl, they find themselves in a lonely farmhouse at the bottom of a canyon, where identities are mistaken and secrets spanning decades might finally be revealed.

Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Feb 28

I’m diligently #querying for my #speculative #YA novel. If you’re looking for something unusual, quirky, and genre-blending — light #sci-fi #mystery #paranormal #literary — I’d love to hear from you.

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Darren Cools @darrencools.bsky.social · Feb 19

Today's the day.

I've finished revising my novel.

Let the querying begin.

Wish me luck, I really believe in this book.

#amquerying #writingcommunity #yafiction #speculativefiction #booksky

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