Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Darren DeSmeaux grew up in a middle-class suburb of Minneapolis with his older brother and sister. In his youth, he led an active life, often times outdoors, playing most any sport he could. Eventually, his passion turned to hockey, where he spent countless hours playing games or practicing on the outdoor Minnesota rinks.
He played high school hockey, then Junior A hockey, and went on to play Division-III hockey after that. He was voted All-American as a defenseman three of his four years in college, then played a year of minor league hockey after graduation. Once his short flirtation with the professional hockey ranks ran its course, he retired and moved back to Minnesota.
Darren’s early retirement was short-lived, as he began his business career shortly thereafter as an inside sales representative. After six months of phone sales, he moved into finance, where he has filled various roles for about the past 9 years. He received his Master of Business Administration degree while he worked full-time.
His first role in finance was working for a medical device manufacturing company, and after two years, he took a different role at a large grocery retailer and distributor. Two years later, he was presented with a great opportunity to work for a small, rapidly-growing telecommunications retailer that had just relocated from another state. Darren spent the next five years working directly for the CFO and hand-in-hand with the private equity ownership group.
The company grew from just over 100 retail locations to over 1,200 locations in a span of four years, which included fourteen separate acquisitions and a large merger. The entire company was then sold to another much larger private equity group. Darren DeSmeaux left the company in early 2017 to take a career break and pursue a freelance writing career, although he remained on as a consultant through October 2017 while the company transitioned its headquarters away from Minnesota.
Darren has written two books (only one of which has been published) and is currently working on two more; Bipolar Man – Anxiety Andy and the Investment, which is the second installment of the ongoing comic series, and The Adventures of Baby Doll and Chi-Chi, a children’s book based on the real-life adventures of his two daughters.
He is an agreeable, sarcastic, and analytical person who is very easy to get along with and is amongst the most honest and genuine a person there is. He loves sports, especially golfing and hockey, and he enjoys many various activities such as writing, SCUBA diving, being a father, watching movies, and reading about science and outer space.
He has also recently tried to become involved in helping fight against the stigma of mental health ailments. Along with that, Darren has expanded his knowledge of consciousness, reality, existence, Buddhism, meditation, spiritual awakenings, the afterlife, and many more somewhat related topics. He is also beginning to delve into the realm of Quantum Mechanics to try to understand how the building blocks of life interact.
He currently lives in a suburb of Minneapolis with his wife and two daughters.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
I published Bipolar Man! – The Introduction to Existential Erica in April 2018, and am currently working on the second installment of Bipolar Man! – Anxiety Andy and the Investment.
My inspiration came from real-life events, my own life specifically, and some of the details come through in my books. I’ll leave it up to your imagination to determine what’s real and what’s not.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I write after I meditate…it lets my creativity come through most effectively.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The Alchemist, and anything written by Eckhart Tolle.
What are you working on now?
The second Bipolar Man! book, and a supernatural thriller that should read mysteriously.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m still trying to figure that out.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write, even when you’re stuck, you can always come back and polish it, or change it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
The only things you’ll regret in life are the decisions you didn’t make, and the chances you didn’t take.
What are you reading now?
Nothing…I’m spending all my free time writing at the moment.
What’s next for you as a writer?
It depends. I’d like to continue the Bipolar Man! Comedic Adventures for a long time.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
The Alchemist, A New World and The Power of Now, and Molecular Consciousness.
Author Websites and Profiles
Darren DeSmeaux Amazon Profile
Darren DeSmeaux’s Social Media Links
Twitter Account