Welcome

Hello. Thank you for stopping by. I'm happy you're here.

My name is Wren Valentino. I'm an actor, entrepreneur, film producer, movie critic, workshop instructor, and writer. I write in multiple genres, primarily romance, thriller, young adult, and horror. In addition, I'm a playwright, poet, and screnwriter. 

As an actor, I can be seen (and heard) in thirty films, including many horror movies. Currently, I play fashionista Velvet Vane on the popular web series Horror Hound Bites with Mary Kate (Forever Entertainment). Check out the Acting section for more info. 

If you'd like to learn more about me and my life, the About section offers more details. For more intimate access, I invite you to subscribe to my free OnlyFans.

The Links page is a great list of writing resources and links to the individual webpages of the members of my collective creative team. There, you will also find links to places you can connect with me online, as well as where you can read some of my work.

I've created a series of workshops for writers of all levels of experience, genres, and form. Visit Workshops with Wren for more information.

Visit Fantastic Classics for film reviews I write about classic films of all eras and all genres.

All of my titles are published by Blue Dasher Press. 

My most recent project is a short story about magic, romance, a black cat, and Halloween called Bells and Spells. 

Don't forget to check out the Giveaways page where you can find information on when the Kindle Unlimited editions of my books and short stories are available free every month. 

Please send all professional inquiries via the contact form. A member of my creative team will be happy to help you. 

Again, thank you for being here. As always, thank you for your support!💙

New Release from Blue Dasher Press: Mind Fields by Wren Valentino

Blue Dasher Press is thrilled to announce the exclusive Kindle Unlimited release of Mind Fields, a gripping and sensual new M/M romance novel by bestselling author Wren Valentino. A paperback edition will be available soon.

Set against the seductive backdrop of wealth and power, Mind Fields follows struggling college student Adam Parsh as he takes a job tutoring for one of the world’s most influential families. What begins as a chance to make ends meet quickly spirals into a dangerous entanglement with Dario Vassalos—a magnetic Greek tycoon and his married employer. As Adam is pulled deeper into a world of luxury, lust, and manipulation, his heart begins to lean toward someone else entirely: his loyal best friend, Victor Maldonado.

Caught between temptation and true connection, Adam must navigate a storm of secrets, lies, and impossible choices. Sometimes love can blow you away—and sometimes it can save you.

In speaking about his creative process, Wren Valentino shared:

“Mind Fields explores the emotional minefield of what money, power, and greed can do to people—and what happens when someone who’s never had any of those things still manages to hold onto his goodness. Adam’s story is deeply personal to me. He knows grief, he knows loneliness, and yet he still chooses love over corruption. That’s the kind of hero I believe in.”

This is a must-read for fans of emotional tension, forbidden romance, and characters who refuse to lose themselves in the shadows of others.

Mind Fields is now available exclusively through Kindle Unlimited. Don’t miss your chance to experience this haunting, provocative novel from one of today’s most distinctive voices in LGBTQ+ romance.

Read the Kindle Unlimited edition now. 

Paperback coming soon.

New Release from Blue Dasher Press: Swimming to Chicago by Wren Valentino

Blue Dasher Press is thrilled to announce the release of the young adult novel Swimming to Chicago by bestselling author Wren Valentino. Now available in paperback and ebook formats, this powerful coming-of-age story explores grief, identity, and the kind of friendships that shape us forever.

About the Book:

Reeling from his mother’s suicide, seventeen-year-old Alex Bainbridge isolates himself from the world—often escaping to a secluded island behind his house. As an Armenian teen growing up in a small Southern town, Alex struggles to feel seen. His fierce friendship with the outspoken Jillian Dambro is his lifeline—until he meets Robby LaMont, a quiet new student who understands Alex in ways no one else ever has.

As their final year of high school unfolds and the adults in their lives spin out of control, Alex, Jillian, and Robby form an unbreakable bond. United by love and loyalty, the three make a bold decision to chart their own future—one that will test their courage and change their lives forever.

Author’s Inspiration:

In a note about his creative process, Wren Valentino shares:

“Swimming to Chicago was born out of music, memory, and emotion. I listened to a lot of Garbage and Metric while writing this book—those songs became a kind of emotional map for the characters. Their lyrics helped me tap into the rawness of Alex’s grief and the hope that emerges when you find people who truly see you. Both bands are mentioned in the book because their influence was so deeply felt during the writing process.”

Poignant, poetic, and ultimately hopeful, Swimming to Chicago is a must-read for fans of emotionally honest YA fiction.

Available Now:

Swimming to Chicago is now available in paperback and ebook through major retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and indie bookstores.

For more news on upcoming releases and behind-the-scenes insights, stay connected with Blue Dasher Press.

Balancing Art and Commerce: The Strange Dance of Creativity and the Writing Business

There’s a curious rhythm to being a working writer—a rhythm that often feels more like a clash than a collaboration. On one side, there’s the quiet, personal world of creativity: the hours spent dreaming, drafting, revising, reimagining. On the other side, there’s the business: contracts, royalties, marketing strategies, website analytics, tax forms, and branding.

Some days, the two sides harmonize beautifully. Other days, it feels like trying to waltz while one foot is stuck in molasses.

I’ve long believed that writing, at its best, is an act of deep emotional and intellectual surrender. When I’m immersed in the creative process, I’m not thinking about profit margins or metadata optimization. I’m thinking about character motivations, dialogue rhythms, the color of a sky that doesn’t exist but feels real to me. I’m chasing emotional truth.

But then I look at the calendar and realize a quarterly tax payment is due, or that I need to finalize a contract, or pitch a workshop, or post something coherent on social media that isn’t just “I made words today, I think?” And suddenly the spell is broken.

This is the strange juxtaposition so many writers wrestle with. You must protect the tenderness of your creative spirit while also developing a sharp, clear-eyed understanding of the industry you’re part of. The modern writer—especially the independent or hybrid one—must be both artist and entrepreneur. That duality can be exhausting, but it can also be empowering.

Here’s what I’ve learned, and am still learning:

• Creativity needs boundaries—but not bars. Deadlines can be useful motivators, but they shouldn't strangle the story. I try to set schedules that honor my creative cycles while also meeting business realities.

• The business side deserves creativity too. Marketing doesn’t have to be soulless. A newsletter can be an extension of your voice. A book launch can be a celebration, not a chore.

• Outsourcing is not failure. It’s okay to get help with the parts that drain you—be it accounting, formatting, or promotion. Your energy is a finite resource; spend it wisely.

• You’re allowed to step away. Sometimes the best thing you can do for your writing—and your business—is to unplug, take a walk, or do something entirely unrelated. The well has to be refilled.

At the end of the day, I remind myself that the business side of writing exists because of the creative work. It exists to support it—not to replace it. The trick is learning to let those two parts of yourself talk to each other, instead of fight for dominance.

Some days, that conversation is clumsy. Other days, it's downright poetic.

And on the rare, golden days—it’s a dance.

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Have you struggled with this balancing act too? What helps you blend your creative process with the business demands of writing?

Wren Valentino