Ren Brenner
Hi, I'm Ren (they/them)! I'm a 22 year old writer and artist from Maine, currently working my two-part novel The Life You Gave Me--a passion project that's been in progress since January 2021 and in concept since February 2020. As of November 2023 the third draft is in the early progress stages. Publishing in 2025 is the goal!
After a storm, young pirate captain Araevin Siannodel (he/they) docks in the small fishing town of Halsron. There he meets street kid Maddy Cecil (he/him), who promptly tries to cause trouble. Out of the kindness of his heart, Araevin hires Cecil into his crew and gives him an opportunity for a new life that he can't pass up. Cecil finds that aboard the ship he can live the life he's always wanted, by the side of someone who cares for him. He starts going by Maddy. Maddy and Araevin soon fall in love.After five years sailing with Araevin's crew, Maddy disappears, leaving only a vague note in his place.In the time that follows, Araevin loses his passion for sailing and abandons his pirate crew, later joining a party of adventurers to try something new. He even gets a new boyfriend. After five years of Maddy's absense, Araevin has slowly pieced his life back together....Until Maddy shows up again.
The Life You Gave Me is a fantasy romance novel exploring the relationship of a noble pirate and a troublemaker as they get to know each other and realize they're not so insufferable to each other as they thought. By the time they get comfortable in their relationship they're separated for five years. Running back into each other only causes tension and mixed feelings. With time and proper communication, can they find their way back to how things used to be?
The Life You Gave Me
What's the status?
So, the first draft is done, the second draft is done enough that I can work off of it, and the third draft is now in the early stages of progress, and is currently sitting at 20 thousand words. I'm intending to work on it pretty steadily for the next however long so I can get as much progress done as possible--the third draft should be the final one!Apologies for not updating this site as regularly as I probably should, but progress is back on, and my break is over!
How long is it?
At its first draft, TLYGM is 30 chapters (18 in part one, 12 in part two) and 120 thousand words. Trying to convert this to page numbers gives me varying answers so I'm not sure. At its second draft, TLYGM is 32 chapters (17 in part one and 15 in part two) and around 75 thousand words. The third draft is in progress at 20 thousand words so far, 9 chapters into part one.
Two parts?
Yes--my book is split into two parts. Part one, The Life You Gave Me, is written from Maddy's point of view as he joins the crew and falls in love with Araevin. Part two, The Life We Made Together, is written from Araevin's point of view five years after Maddy's disappearance, before and after they run into each other.
Who's it for?
TLYGM is adult fiction. There's violence, sexual content, and plenty of cursing. Both main characters are trans men--though them being gay and trans is only one part of who they are! Themes of identity are explored some, but not majorly. In any case, the book is for anyone and everyone interested in a love story in a fantasy setting involving pirates and adventure! Plus there's no major character deaths and a happy ending.
Other things...
Who even are you?
Oh right. Hi! I'm Ren. I'm nonbinary (they/them), 22 years old, and I'm from coastal Maine. I've been writing for as long as I can remember and it's what I love to do more than anything else. Whether or not my book makes bank doesn't matter so much to me as sharing the thing I love with the world!
You're an artist?
That's correct! The art on this site is mine, actually, and you can find the highlights of TLYGM drawings I've done here. I draw mostly digitally on my laptop with a drawing tablet. Definitely consider this more of a hobby to me than writing, but I enjoy it just the same.I've been asked if I'd do TLYGM as a graphic novel since I'm so artistic, but really it works much better in novel-form being as character and narrative driven as it is. I thought about designing the cover and including sketches at the beginning of each chapter, but at this point I think I'm fine not doing these things; what's important to me is the story itself!
Got any other projects?
Oh, for sure. TLYGM may be my first novel, but once it's finished I have a couple other book ideas--both currently untitled. I also have a dystopian short story published on Vocal--titled Family Comes First--that's available for reading now!One of my other book concepts is a series of short stories (potentially in graphic novel form?) in a zombie apocalypse setting telling different people's tales of survival and family (be it by birth or found along the way). The goal is to create zombie stories that AREN'T focused on gore, death for shock-factor, or "humanity is inherently evil" messages to put into the world. I want less of the dull and repetitive stuff like, say, for example, The Walking Dead.
Keep me updated?!
Okay, I still have no idea how to set up a newsletter, and have not looked into it yet, but that is something I'm thinking about. In the meantime, go here and submit your email to let me know you'd like updates! I'd be happy to send out progress emails! :]
