One week away, and this young adult novel releases! My interview with Darren Cools posts on June 23. A profound debut novel with science fiction, magical realism, and fantasy woven throughout. Buckle up for a wild ride until the final stunning conclusion. @darrencools.bsky.social

Somebody publish Shemaiah’s review so we can all read it! 😋 (she’s not on Bluesky, but you can find her here: www.shemaiahgonzalez.com) I wouldn’t mind if you preordered the book, too. 😎 Order from your local bookstore! Online alternatives: darrencools.com #booksky @slantbooks.bsky.social

Did you know I have a Substack? Here’s my post from today: darrencools.substack.com/p/grey-friday #FridayReads

@ala-booklist.bsky.social reviewed Light in the Canyon!!! Full review in the June 2026 issue, mailed, and live online June 3. More about my book: slantbooks.org/books/light-... 😊📚💃 #booklist #booksky #michiganauthors #yafiction #youngadult #childrensliterature #kidlit #sff #scifi

“... this artful novel demonstrates the power of community and empathy as it moves across three decades to restore faith and heal wounded hearts. Contemplative storytelling for teens looking for something off the beaten path.” —Booklist 😍 @slantbooks.bsky.social #booksky #yafiction #kidlit #sff

Local to southeast Michigan, or feel like traveling? Come celebrate with me! All ages invited (teens especially) and the event is free! June 25, 6:30 p.m. @ Corner Brewery in #Ypsilanti. #booksky #yafiction #youngadultfiction #youngadult #childrensliterature #kidlit #sff #scifi #debutnovel

If you happen to be in the Ypsi/A2 area this weekend, join me for the YpsiWrites Anthology celebration at @ypsilibrary.org! There’ll be lots of wonderful people there and readings from local writers (including me!). www.ypsiwrites.com/events/launc...

Sometimes I pick the ARC of my book and just look at it. I’m dazed that many dozens of other people now also have ARCs... It’s hard to articulate how it feels to realize this powerful, life-shaping dream... Excited to see how it’s received. Hoping you love it, of course. #yafiction #sff #booksky

I wrote about why I quit my job, and how weird and tiring tech feels these days.

Pre-orders are now available! Indie Bound: bookshop.org/p/books/ligh... Barnes & Noble: www.barnesandnoble.com/w/light-in-t... Amazon (physical formats will populate soon): www.amazon.com/Light-Canyon...

Philosophical and theological wonder? I treasure these words. Proud to have @bryanbliss.bsky.social, @slantbooks.bsky.social, and @gregorywolfe.bsky.social as my champions. Thank you. #youngadult #fiction #sff #yafiction #scifi #booksky #books #literature #literary #author #writer

😍 😍 😍

WOW. You want to talk about AI and the design industry? This: “We are attempting to build precision software with the most imprecise tool available: natural language.” www.linkedin.com/pulse/detach...

It‘s humbling (and wonderful!) to have such nice things said about my book. Thank you @slantbooks.bsky.social and Patrick Flores-Scott! #booksky #yafiction #youngadultfiction #youngadult #childrensliterature #kidlit #sff #scifi #novel #debutnovel #literaryfiction #fiction #author #debutauthor

New designs on Cotton Bureau, just for fun. cottonbureau.com/people/darre...

My wife recommends a lot of books to me. I read most of them (she has great taste). Yesterday I offered to return the favor. (I have great taste too...) “No thanks,” she said. “I’m not into ghost girl YA.” I opened my mouth to protest... and shut it. 👻 👩‍🦰 🕶️ Can I get a t-shirt of this please?

New excerpt from my book on Substack! substack.com/profile/6389... #booksky #yafiction #youngadultfiction #youngadult #childrensliterature #kidlit #sff #scifi #novel #literaryfiction #fiction #author #debutauthor

A rare luxury: I spent the weekend #writing and plotting my next #book. Grateful and excited! Crossing my fingers that you all buy my #debut #novel so I can spend most of my time crafting new ones instead of squeezing writing in after everything else. 😉 #yafiction #youngadult #sff #scifi #booksky

Like the inside cover of an old paperback... A teaser from my book: “A shadow fell across the inside of the entryway. Someone (or something) was on the other side of the doors, inside the darkened library. The shadow stopped, still half in the glass. Then it began to move closer. Jamie fled.”

So amazing to finally hold a physical copy of my book in my hands. I've dreamed of this moment since I was a child... Thanks @slantbooks.bsky.social for bring my vision to life! #youngadult #YA #novel #fiction #yafiction #scifi #sff #yanovel #booksky

From now until my book launch in June, I’ll be posting occasional (very brief) teasers from my novel, as well as refections on writing, life, and creativity. Check out my Substack to follow along: substack.com/@darrencools #booksky #youngadult #fiction #scifi #sff #YAfiction #kitlit

New post up on Substack (it’s free!) open.substack.com/pub/darrenco...

Goals. “Rest in the forest and grow calm.” —Anne Frank, ‘The Fairy’

A winter #haiku under a blanket inside, sky and sidewalk white outside, aching cold

We are now in the final days of our Annual Appeal! Please donate to help us reach our $15,000 matching goal for 2026. We are SO CLOSE! Please help: slantbooks.org/donate/

Well, I finally pulled trigger: I retired the mostly dead ‘blog’ page on my portfolio website and started a new blog on Substack. Read my first post here: open.substack.com/pub/darrenco...

Writing is hard, but I love it so much. Grateful to be part of the @commonapp.bsky.social #UX team. #EdTech #copywriting #UXwriting

I really want to start a Substack in 2026 (not that I have the time, but still). So what should I write about? I can’t decide.

I’m on the @slantbooks.bsky.social homepage! ❤️ #youngadult #teenreads #scifi #fiction #novel #BookSky 💙📚 #booksky #writers #authors #readers #booklovers #writingcommunity #skybooks

Got a plant for the office. It looks like it’s comforting another plant.

Excited, too! Such. A. Great. Book. (For teenagers everywhere and the teenager in you.)

I’m so excited to share this with you at last... The lovely cover of my debut YA novel, Light in the Canyon! A wonderful collaborative effort with @gregorywolfe.bsky.social Visit Slant Books for a plot teaser: slantbooks.org/books/light-... #youngadult #scifi #novel #bookky #coverreveal

In less than 24 hours I'll show you what @slantbooks.bsky.social and I made together. Collaboration makes everything better. If we've done our job well, it'll make you want to read my book even more than you already do. 😎 Check back tomorrow for the #coverreveal of my #youngadult #scifi #booksky

It’s almost here — the cover reveal for my #debut #YoungAdult #novel, Light in the Canyon, coming this Friday afternoon! 📗 👀 I can hardy sit still... @slantbooks.bsky.social #booksky #books

I was interviewed about writing and creativity...🤓 www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiyF...

Will 2026 be the best year ever? Seems promising... #booksky Here’s a brief reflection some good things that have happened for me and my family in the last 12 months... it’s been a LOT. darrencools.com/on-lists Happy New Year! Wishing you all the magic and possibility you’ve ever dared dream of.

Working on my #solarpunk novel tonight... and man, there's noting quite like falling ever deeper in love with weird, flawed characters I'll eventually get to know so well they'll invade my dreams... #amwriting #amwritingfiction #yafiction #booksky

While I bite my nails waiting for next steps on my debut #YAfiction launch plans, tonight I'm working on my next #novel. A disillusioned young bike mechanic and an insomniac obsessed with Henry Darger get tangled up with a messy rebel gang in a near future midwest... #solarpunk #booksky #amwriting

A teaser from Part III of my book — #booksky #yanovel #ya #youngadult #scifi #yafiction #fiction #novel #amwriting

Are you considering a tax-deductible #donation in 2025? Please support @slantbooks.bsky.social! Slant publishes books that matter — thoughtful, meaningful work reflecting the beauty and complexity of this weird, wonderful life. (And my #debut #youngadult #novel!) slantbooks.org/close-readin...

Yesterday, @slantbooks.bsky.social and I finalized a cover design for my debut novel, Light in the Canyon. I can't show you just yet, but I'm in love 😍

If you haven't read this before, you need to: www.commonwealmagazine.org/why-i-came

"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...

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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