iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Anyone going to Colorado Gold this weekend? Would love to connect! #writingcommunity

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Brushed up against 4,000 words yesterday across two projects! Narrowing my drafting focus to my main WIP today: a romantasy with a female Tony Soprano falling in love in fantasy Mykonos #amwriting #amquerying #writingcommunity

250

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

The perfect start to a writing session: a bowl of ice cream while reading over yesterday’s work. Yes, it’s 9:30 am. Why do you ask? #amwriting #writingcommunity

020

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

“For mine own good, all causes shall give way.” Every triumph demands its due. Aurealia will kill every version of herself that cannot pay. She knows she can win the crown, but what version of her will remain to wear it? MACBETH x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR x THE POET EMPRESS #DVpit #A #F

100

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

To claim an empire, a crafty diplomat must become a ruthless warlord. As it turns out, she’s as skilled at winning wars as she is at ending them. All she has to do is violently conquer her oldest friends, sacrifice her most intimate relationships, & put on a damn good show. Easy. #DVpit #A #F

000

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Love is a battlefield. (Unfortunately.) Aurealia wants to rule the empire. Caspian wants to dismantle it. Neither can survive the other. Neither can swing the sword. Enemies (with a literal body count) to lovers (derogatory) THE RAVEN SCHOLAR x THE POET EMPRESS #DVpit #A #F

000

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

THE GLORY OF EMPIRE (114k words) Aurealia has three goals: 1. Win the crown. 2. Defeat childhood companions without killing them.* 3. Don’t let appetite for power ruin all relationships.** * Negotiable ** Also negotiable MACBETH x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR x THE POET EMPRESS #DVpit #A #F

200

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Military prowess is only half the battle. (Literally.) The vicious succession war will be televised, and Aurealia has star power. Charm the audience. Win the patronages. Seize the throne. MACBETH x THE TRAITORS x THE RAVEN SCHOLAR #DVpit #A #F

100

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

There’s nothing reluctant about Aurealia’s pursuit of the throne, and none of her reasons are so pedestrian as altruism. Heavy is the head that wears the crown? She doubts it. She only needs to conquer her childhood friends first. THE RAVEN SCHOLAR x THE POET EMPRESS #DVpit #A #F

100

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Query war room today before my second batch of agents. Rewriting my query letter, finalizing pitches for DVpit, making sure the synopsis is tight. How is this harder than actually writing the 114k word novel??? #amquerying #amwriting #writingcommunity

051

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

WIP: Cold Dagger, Warm Blood The Sopranos X Romeo & Juliet “Blood made them enemies. Choice made them something more dangerous.” #DVparty #amwriting #writingcommunity #A #F #CI #MH

1171

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

My protagonist’s character development is going great, thanks The Glory of Empire — The Will of the Many x The Poet Empress x The Raven Scholar #DVparty #amquerying #writingcommunity

0130

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Working on my in-person pitch for a writing conference this weekend. First time so I’m nervous! Any tips? #amquerying #writingcommunity

140

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Final word count for today: 4,871 There is nothing better than settling into the flow. #amwriting #writingcommunity

160

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

My second novel is off to such a great start, and it’s really obvious how much I’ve grown since starting my first. Now I feel insecure about the one I’m querying because the craft jump is so enormous. Typical writer experience? #amwriting #amquerying #writingcommunity

170

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I feel like my best writing happens when I’ve been creative in other ways. Legos, art, even coloring with my kids… #amwriting #writingcommunity

040

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

My son is out of school today, but I’m excited to make time to work on Cold Dagger, Warm Blood this afternoon! Writing the first ensemble scene of the novel which is challenging for me but I’m excited to hang out with my characters. #amwriting #writingcommunity #fantasywriter

040

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Writing day closing out with: another 3,942 words added to my WIP, another query sent, another day of successfully avoiding logging in to QueryTracker #amwriting #amquerying

040

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

New manuscript vibes: Tony Soprano and William Shakespeare reaching across time to kiss each other on the cheek #amwriting

120

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Damn, querying is kicking me in the TEETH! But I wrote 4,000 words today between two new projects and that’s where the love is. #amwriting #amquerying

020

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I thought I would never love writing another novel like I loved my first, but I am so beyond excited to start drafting my second in truth today! Have the voices down, outline completed. All that’s left to do now is start. No word count goals. Only passion. #amwriting

010

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Big writing progress today! Did an in-depth outline of my second novel’s Act I. Wrote 3,000 words of exploratory drafts. Line-edited one of the last chapters of my first novel. My biggest achievement though? Not checking QueryTracker. #amquerying #amwriting

5120

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Oof. Got my first ever rejection. I was prepared for it and it stung anyway. I’m opening Scrivener. I missed the ball this time. Throw it again. #amquerying

010

Leslie Cook (✨ is querying ✨) @lbcookwrites.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

My favorite way to beat writer’s block lately is to put all the characters from my Macbeth-inspired fantasy novel into a Love Island villa for a few thousand words. #amwriting

050