Arden Coutts

Author Bio: Arden Coutts is a queer, trans author based in Nebraska who writes emotionally driven fiction rooted in grief, resilience, and love. Their work spans romantic suspense, post-apocalyptic fiction, fantasy, and horror, with a strong focus on queer identity and found family. Arden also hosts LGBTQ+ writing retreats through Wandering Creative Life and believes deeply in storytelling as a tool for healing and connection.

Author/Writer Interview:

1.What inspires you most to write?

I'm inspired by a lot of things but mostly it's seeing stories that lack the representation that I want/need in my own life. As a queer author I want to see more queer characters in mainstream...everything. I want folks to see themselves in my work and that greatly inspires me to write more queer stories.

2. What is your favorite genre?

I love Fantasy and Romantasy. I grew up on fantasy and I still love it so much.

3. Who is one author you admire if any and why?

One author I deeply admire is Rachel Reid, because of the way she writes queer love with so much tenderness, longing, and emotional honesty, especially within spaces where queer stories haven’t always been centered. Her work proves that queer romance belongs in the mainstream without being diluted or softened for comfort. She writes intimacy and vulnerability in a way that feels affirming, grounded, and deeply human, and her stories remind me that queer joy and love are worthy of taking up space.

4. How do you overcome blank writing spells?

I have a few go-to ways to pull myself out of a writing slump. One of the most effective ways is to listen to music that evokes the scene’s emotional tone. It helps me drop into the mood and reconnect with the story. I’ll also read a book in the same genre to spark inspiration and remind myself what’s possible on the page.

Just as important, though, is community. I often attend writing sprints or talk with other writers, and there’s something incredibly energizing about hearing someone speak passionately about their current work in progress. That shared creative excitement is contagious, and it often reminds me why I fell in love with storytelling in the first place.

5. What legal publishing advice can you give?

Get an LLC!

One of the most important pieces of legal advice I can offer is to treat your writing like the business it is. If you’re planning to publish, sell books, run retreats, or earn income from your work in any way, forming an LLC can be a smart step. An LLC helps separate your personal finances from your business, offers an extra layer of protection, and makes it easier to manage taxes, contracts, and payments as your career grows.

Beyond that, I strongly encourage writers to read every contract carefully, ask questions, and never be afraid to walk away from something that doesn’t feel right. If you can, consult with a publishing or intellectual property attorney before signing anything, especially when it comes to rights, royalties, and exclusivity clauses.

At the end of the day, protecting your work and yourself legally gives you the freedom to focus on what matters most: telling the stories only you want to tell.

6. How many books have you written, are any a bestseller yet?

I’ve written five (5) books, all of which are part of the Fall Series. My first book, Fall Into Midnight, was number one on Amazon’s Trans LGBTQ+ books for a bit, which was very exciting.

7. If you had the opportunity to rewrite one movie script which would it be, why?

Oh man, this is such a great question. I’m a huge movie buff, and when I was younger, I was absolutely obsessed with Backdraft. I always wanted to be a firefighter as a kid and went through a long, very real firefighting obsession, so that movie lodged itself deep in my brain early on.

I’ve actually already rewritten Backdraft as a sapphic firefighter story, but given the chance, I’d love to fully rewrite the script and really let it burn, especially with all the sapphic yearning it deserves. I think reimagining it with a genderfluid or nonbinary main character alongside a lesbian female lead would be incredible. The intensity, the danger, the found-family elements, it’s already all there. It just needs to be queered up and allowed to breathe emotionally.

For me, it would be the perfect blend of childhood obsession, big cinematic stakes, and the kind of queer representation I always wanted to see on screen.

8. What are some difficulties you've experienced in your writing career; how do you handle book critiques/criticism?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my writing career has been financial. As a self-published author, finding the resources to publish can be difficult. Publishing is far more expensive than many people realize, and those costs can be a real barrier, sometimes even preventing people from getting their stories out into the world at all.

When it comes to critiques and criticism, I try not to center myself too much in reviews. I don’t actively read them, honestly. I appreciate that readers take the time to leave reviews because they play an important role in helping books reach new audiences, but I don’t emotionally attach myself to them. I’ve learned that protecting my peace as a creator matters more than dissecting every opinion.

I also truly believe that everyone brings their own tastes and preferences to reading. My books won’t be for everyone, and that’s okay. The people who are meant to connect with my work will, and that’s what I focus on.

9. What are your best experiences in your writing career?

Going to conventions, markets, and meeting readers in person! Getting to meet other authors, vendors, and readers in person is an experience I don’t even have words to describe.

10. Do you prefer to write in silence and or have some sort sound in the background?

I have to have music or a YouTube video playing. I need the background noise to concentrate. I also rely on music heavily throughout my writing process. It sets the mood for the book. Each of my books even has its own playlist!

11. What are some encouraging words you'd give to another author/writer?

Write the story you want to read. Not the one you think will sell, not the one that feels safest, and not the one you think you should be writing. The stories that come from a place of need, joy, or curiosity are the ones that resonate the most.

Give yourself permission to write badly, slowly, and imperfectly. Progress counts, even when it doesn’t look pretty. Rest is part of the process, not a failure of it.

And don’t do this alone. Find community: writing sprints, critique partners, group chats, anyone who reminds you that you’re not the only one struggling through a draft. Listening to another writer talk about their work in progress can be just as inspiring as writing itself.

Your voice matters. Your stories matter. Someone out there is waiting to see themselves in the work only you can create.

12. How did you decide the pricing of your material; how did you go about promotion/advertising and distribution of your work?

Pricing my work has been a mix of research, experience, and a lot of trial and error. I look at what’s standard in my genre, what other authors with similar experience are charging, and then balance that against what feels accessible for readers while still respecting the time, labor, and money that go into creating and publishing a book. I’ve learned that pricing isn’t static, it’s something you can revisit and adjust as your career grows.

Promotion, advertising, and distribution have largely come down to consistency and community. I use social media, newsletters, Patreon, and platforms like YouTube to talk about my work in a genuine way, not just the finished product, but the process behind it. I’ve found that readers connect most when they feel invested in the journey, not just the release.

For distribution, I focus on making my work as accessible as possible across multiple platforms, whether that’s direct sales, ebooks, or reader-supported spaces. I don’t believe there’s a single “right” way to do it. What matters is finding the mix that works for you, your audience, and your capacity, and being willing to experiment along the way.

13. Why should anyone read your book?

People should read my books if they’re looking for stories that center queer characters in meaningful, unapologetic ways. I write characters who get to be complicated, brave, messy, soft, and deeply human; people who fall in love, survive impossible situations, and find connection even in dark or uncertain moments.

My stories blend emotional depth with tension and heart, whether that’s romantic suspense, found family, or love that persists against the odds. I care a lot about writing characters readers can see themselves in, especially folks who don’t always get that representation in mainstream stories.

At the end of the day, I write books for people who want to feel something; for readers who want queer stories that don’t just exist on the margins, but take up space, burn bright, and stay with you after you turn the last page.

14. Did you have a book coach?

I did. I had a book coach for my first book, Fall Into Midnight, and she assisted with all aspects of the publishing process, which was great!

15. What was your favorite subject in school?

Probably Humanities and English. I loved anything that had to do with Classical Studies.

16. Are you self-published or have an established publishing contract elsewhere?

I am a self-published author.