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arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
arlen ren ✨
@arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
1.1K followers 710 following 3.5K posts
writer of queer paranormal, fantasy & horror ✍🏻 Trekkie 🖖🏻 X-Phile 👽 forever pup parent to Rufus 🐶🪽 he/they 🏳️‍⚧️ www.arlenren.co.uk NO AI 🚫 🇺🇦🇵🇸✊🏻
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arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
DESPICABLE
a screenshot of a weather app showing clear weather with a temperature of -2°C but feels like -6°C
November 20, 2025 at 5:48 AM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
just finished reading Candy Cain Kills by Brian McAuley...what a book!!! a bloody, gutsy slasher with heart 🫀 and some very creative deaths, one of which had me like...
a meme of a stick person leaning so far away from their computer screen with a disturbed look on their face that their neck is five times as long as their body
November 18, 2025 at 10:48 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
Enby teen Sam is supposed to put cryptids & conspiracies behind them. But when bestie Katie starts acting weird, Sam knows the cult on the edge of town is to blame. The only one who'll help them prove it is Casper, who's from the cult himself. Can Sam trust him to save Katie?

#QuestPit #YA #W #H
The words "A Guide to The Langley Conspiracy by Arlen Ren" over a background of a gap in a chain link fence in a woodland. a silhouette of a UFO hovers in a gap in the trees. Non-binary teen Sam is on their last warning. Their bully has been excluded from school, but they're having to resit the year. They're separated from their best friend, Katie - but she's barely spoken to them all summer, anyway. Back at St. Jean's Catholic High School, Sam finds out why. While Sam was ditching classes, kids from the commune on the edge of town joined the school, forming the mysterious "Astral Club" whose badge is pinned to Katie's lapel. Sam knows that Katie's weird behaviour must be linked to this "club", but no-one else seems to think there's a problem. No-one apart from Casper, the boy from the commune who's set on helping Sam investigate the conspiracy at the heart of St. Jean's. character art of a white-haired boy with light brown skin drinking from a straw, and a disgruntled-looking white enby with pink hair. under the white-haired boy (Casper) are the words "what does he want?!", and above the picture of the pink-haired enby (Sam) are the words "hi, I'm Sam". themes are listed on the page: YA Paranormal, non-binary MC, "I want to believe", friendship breakup, queer refusal to conform. a moodboard alluding to UFOs, disappearances, conspiracy maps, with two inspiration pieces of media linked to it via arrows: the X-Files and Twilight (yes, Twilight. I know. I KNOW.)
November 5, 2025 at 9:33 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
Foundling Finn has a secret: he's terrified of sharks. When raiders attack his shark-loving community, he's the last person who can help. But when a terrifying-looking sand tiger shark shares its bond with him, he must venture across the Aedenic Ocean to reunite his shoal.

#QuestPit #YA #W #F 🦈✨
a picture of a blåhaj pasted over a photo of the ocean, with the words "the complete guide to Sharkfinn by Arlen Ren" and "a YA eco-fantasy" with yellow sparkles Pitch: When 15yo foundling Finn skips the age-old threshing ceremony, the resulting shark bite costs him his future as an atlaesi, protector of the shoal. But when raiders attack his home and its sharks, Finn must team up with fellow survivors Makina - and the terrifying-looking sand tiger shark whose anima he now apparently shares - to reunite their community and save their sharks. As they venture across the vast beauty of the Nation of the Waves, they discover that the raiders' reign of terror extends far beyond their own tiny shoal, and that if they are to stop them, they must go to depths none would ever have believed possible. Excerpt: The gentle waves lapped at the lone raftway that stuck out from all the others, right at the edge of the shoal's outer structures. At its end was the threshing pool. Finn's heart beat harder as he approached it, his legs starting to wobble. The sea lurched on either side of him, the water night-black and infinitely deep, the moonlight reduced to a glimmering sheen that gilded it. The submerged pool stretched to beyond where he could see its borders, with even the closest of its posts barely visible at all. As if in response to Finn's presence, several fins broke the water. Read if you like...The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, The Neptune Project by Polly Holyoke and Exodus by Julie Bertagna; animal companions, the magic of nature, epic adventure and eco fantasy. YA for younger teens!
November 5, 2025 at 6:54 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
Twins Kyra and Kaden don't talk about what happened over the summer. But as their classmates disappear into the Pines, they have to start facing up to their problems before they're next. The issue is, they don't know who to trust—not even each other.

Not even themselves.

#QuestPit #YA #W #H
a photo of pine trees surrounding a river, with the writing "a guide to The Killer of Canderley Creek by Arlen Ren" over it Kyra and Kaden Hawkins have had the summer from Hell. Kicked out by their mum, they've rejoined their dad in the town they grew up in, Canderley Creek, where two neighbourhoods straddle the estuary: the prosperous Pines and downtrodden Tides. Nothing has changed. Except for the twins. Now, as their classmates disappear into the woods, they have no-one to turn to, no-one to trust. Not even each other. Not even themselves. YA Horror WIP two chibi portraits of the main characters: a white gay trans boy with white hair with black bangs, and a white bi cis girl with black hair in bunches with white bangs. over a background of pine needles are the following themes: dual POV, horror whodunit, unreliable narrators, finding literal monsters instead of facing your problems, small town setting, there's something lurking beneath the earth Comp titles and themes: Fear Street by RL Stone, Good Girls Die First by Kathryn Foxfield, Bad Creek by Peyton June. Ancient malignant entities! Horror where you don't know who you can trust! Creepy forest/creek settings!
November 5, 2025 at 3:37 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
He's the only thing standing between college students and certain death. Unfortunately, teen monster hunter Daniel is responsible for more civilian deaths than monster kills, and unless he can find the key to a power he doesn't believe in, his new friends will pay the price...

#QuestPit #YA #Q #UF
a picture of two teenage monster hunters - a white boy with white hair and an Asian girl with black and blonde hair - by artist iLiibra, next to the title "An Agent's Guide to The Tithe That Binds by Arlen Ren" YA. Paranormal. 78k. When an inept teen monster hunter is sent undercover to a prestigious college, he's horrified to discover that he's the only thing standing between its students and certain death. Failing to find his power, he instead finds a girl with powers she shouldn't have...who he shouldn't be falling for. Longlisted in the 2024 Times Chicken House competition. It was crouched on the edge of the building, instantly recognisable by its ashen skin and lipless mouth, eyeless sockets and gleaming fangs. Vampire. For fans of Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy, The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski, and First Kill by V.E. Schwab. Shared themes are monsters drawn to hunters, forbidden feelings, action-packed fight sequences and a secret monster-hunting society.
November 5, 2025 at 12:40 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
When an inept teen monster hunter goes undercover to a prestigious college, he's horrified at how he's the only thing between its students and death. Failing to find his power, he instead finds an ally in a girl with powers she shouldn't have...who he shouldn't be falling for.

#GhostPit #Q #YA #PN
a moodboard showing: a white boy with dyed white hair looking moody and mysterious; a red thread bisecting a white throat; a hand holding a wooden stake aloft; a brown-skinned girl with glowing amber eyes looking upwards; a hazy rendering of a classical painting with the words WE ARE NOT DESCENDANTS OF FEARFUL MEN overlaid; a skeletal snarling vampire
October 30, 2025 at 6:42 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
first thing I did when I woke up this morning was sync my Kindle and there it was 😎

cannot wait to sink my teeth into it!
a screenshot of a Kindle showing the book Familiar by Cara Nox
October 28, 2025 at 5:01 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
Creek WIP has two MCs, Kaden (left, he/him) and Kyra (right, she/her) - the incredible character art is by @iliibra.bsky.social ✨

they're twins who've had the summer from hell, kicked out by their mum and rejoining their dad in their childhood town of Canderley Creek... (1/2)

#LGBTQWriteAThon
a chibi portrait of a white boy on a green background. he has dyed white hair in a wolf cut, with the lower layers and bangs undyed black. he has a silver septum piercing and black stud earrings, and is wearing a black hoodie. a chibi portrait of a white girl on a green background. she has short black hair tied in bunches and white bangs framing her face. she has a silver nose ring and large silver hoop earrings, and is wearing a fluffy jumper over a mesh top. she wears a black choker around her neck.
October 14, 2025 at 11:33 AM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
😎
the words THE FINAL GIRL in all white caps over a black and red background
October 13, 2025 at 9:56 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
I skipped this prompt yesterday because I'd used my one good mention of the weather in an earlier prompt reply...but then I wrote something that just about fits this theme this morning, so I thought, why not share 🤷🏻

#LGBTQWriteAThon
a snippet against a dark background of trees with a scratchy effect. the snippet reads: "The wind picked up, freeing loose strands from around Kyra's face, and suddenly she was in the dark again, pine needles brushing her skin, something sharp on the air. She blinked, the weak light of the overcast day blinding to her. She dropped her face to the ground."
October 13, 2025 at 7:20 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
LITERALLY 🫠
an emoji of the world on fire
October 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
for me, "something that makes you happy" can be one of only two things: dogs, or nature. I don't have a dog at the moment (🫠) so here are some photos that I've taken lately (and one my sister took of my new friend 🐸)

I hope everyone gets to enjoy nature where they are 🍂🍃✨

#LGBTQWriteAThon
a moodboard of photos from nature: a ladybird on an autumn leaf, crocuses growing from leaf litter, a crochet froggy peeking out of a black bag, a bee landing on some blue flowers, green leaves turning golden behind a tree, willow trees framing a pond, a muntjac deer on a path
October 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
I made soooo many iterations of this before finally making one I was happy with 😅

I was going to include more characters but realised that would result in spoilers 👀 so I stuck with the POV characters - twins Kaden (left, gay trans boy) and Kyra (right, bi cis girl) ✨🩷💜💙✨🩵🩷🤍🩷🩵✨

#LGBTQWriteAThon
a moodboard with some gloomy pine trees in the middle. to the left are images of graffiti saying "transgender people have always existed", cans of monster in the trans flag colours and the black and white hair of a white boy. go the right are images of the black and white hair of a white girl, a snowy street lined with pine trees lit in bisexual lighting, and a girl with painted lips holding a lighter to her tongue in purple lighting. the moodboard has a scratched effect over it.
October 9, 2025 at 4:17 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
I'm going with "autumn" instead of "fall" because I've only written 5 chapters so far and all the instances of "fall" were falling, fallen, footfalls etc.

this is actually from the opening of the story! it needs a LOT of work 🙃 but it's something I didn't completely hate! 🤪

#LGBTQWriteAThon
a paragraph of text set over a dark, woodsy moodboard: A chill wild rolled off the Cander Estuary, sending dry leaves skittering around Kyra Hawkins' feet. She pulled her oversized hoodie more tightly around herself as she looked out over the water. It was an overcast, misty morning, the weak autumn sunlight rendering the estuary a flat, uninteresting grey. Kyra tiptoed as far from the road as she dared, wet, sandy soil crunching beneath her secondhand Mary Janes as she crept to the very edge of the slipway. Opposite were the rotting boards that feebly encircled what remained of the Canderley Fair, but to the left was the wide, watery expanse that separated the two neighbourhoods of Canderley Creek—the Tides and the Pines—and, beyond that, she could just about make out the white slip of sand that had been so busy over summer. Now, all was still, like the whole world was holding its breath.
October 6, 2025 at 9:39 AM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
the project I'm working on this month is Creek WIP 🌲, a YA horror whodunit where troubled twins are the only witnesses to bloody happenings in the build up to a Halloween party to die for. shunned by their town, they don't know who to trust, not even each other...or themselves 🔪

#LGBTQWriteAThon
a moodboard showing the following images: a pale, bruised hand among twigs; a blurry picture of a white girl with black hair, the front dyed white and framing her face; a skull embedded in moss; a hollow in a tree with roots leading ominously inside; a pair of glowing eyes looking out from a mossy bank; a photo of a white boy with black and white hair; mushrooms growing out of moss
October 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
tentacles crossed!
an emoji of an orange octopus raising its tentacles and sparkling
September 24, 2025 at 12:20 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
a peaceful Mabon to all who celebrate...taking a moment to find balance, put the disappointment of the last six months behind me and look forward to what is to come. I have to believe that things will get better.
an underlit wooden stag, its neck adorned with leaf carvings, overlooks a lit pumpkin-shaped candle. in the background, dried flowers are in a ceramic bowl. beside a lit pumpkin-shaped candle, the wooden candle lid had been turned upright to make a makeshift altar. upon the altar, a paw-shaped Golden Healer crystal has been placed.
September 22, 2025 at 6:32 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
quote with your favourite animal crossing villager ✨
Sasha the non-binary mint-coloured rabbit, who has a blond fringe and large eyes with small lashes. he wears a dark blue varsity jacket with white sleeves and black trim. he has a white muzzle, white paws and white tips of his ears, and a blond bob tail.
September 19, 2025 at 7:26 AM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
I made a pumpkin pie 🥧🎃

(yes, I need to get a deep pie dish 🫣)

first time using a new recipe (no condensed milk) and pairing with torched meringue - I will definitely be making this again...hopefully soon 🤤
a close up of a thin pumpkin pie with torched meringue on top a top-down photo of a thin pumpkin pie with torched meringue on top a slice of pumpkin pie with torched meringue in a bowl with ice cream
September 15, 2025 at 1:58 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
a few "unlikely"-s in Tithe, but I tend to avoid snippets from later on in the WIP...and this one is from the first page!

art of Daniel is by the amazing @iliibra.bsky.social 🗡️✨

#queerwriters
a snippet: "He was alert. Focused. Not one bit distracted. Okay. Maybe he was a little bit distracted. Not twenty minutes from where he stalked was a campsite. It was unlikely that anyone from the site would be out at this time of the evening, but still the proximity to civilians made Daniel’s skin crawl in a way that had nothing to do with the chill. Don’t think about them. He slowed, testing his footing on a portion of the bank that was thick with reeds, craning his neck to peer over them. His eyes found the woman in the water." the background is artwork of the character in question: a white teenage boy with bleached white hair and dark grey eyes, wearing grey and black and wielding a dagger
September 14, 2025 at 3:50 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
I've (re)plotted the first two chapters of Creek WIP. it's dual POV, and I'm finding the second POV harder to connect to - this was the problem I ran into last time I tried writing this story, too.

back to the drawing board as I try to figure out what this character WANTS and how I can get there.
a dark, deep green notebook with an engraved 1920s design and gold embossing. a black biro lies atop the notebook.
September 14, 2025 at 2:24 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
some pumpkin goodies I've made recently to usher in autumn...

pumpkin cookies, which I hope to make more of today 🎃 and pumpkin spiced latte, minus maple syrup and vanilla because coffee is one of the few things I don't like sweet.
puffy, soft golden cookies on a baking tray coffee with lots of foam in a clear glass mug with pumpkin, mushroom and fern decals on it
September 13, 2025 at 11:29 AM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
the eternal struggle of trying to photograph framed art without your reflection covering the artwork 😅

thank you @theweeowl.bsky.social for my beautiful painting! autumn is my favourite season and you've captured the colours perfectly 🍂
a painting of aspen trees in full autumn colour, framed inside a dark wood-effect frame. the painting captures the rich hues of autumn.
September 10, 2025 at 1:12 PM
arlenrenwrites.bsky.social
Happy X-Files Day everyone! 🛸

(pumpkin was last Halloween's project 🎃)
a pumpkin with a UFO carved into it, with the X for the X-Files in the UFO's tractor beam. the pumpkin sits atop the book "You Can't Tell The People" by Georgina Bruno, and Funko Pops of Mulder and Scully flank the scene.
September 10, 2025 at 8:20 AM