Meet the Author

J. C. Cole is a Pacific Northwest novelist whose stories pulse with the spirit of Seattle and the emotional weight of memory, identity, and belonging. A schoolteacher by profession, he writes with rare empathy and authenticity, creating characters that feel startlingly real.

His memoir-inspired Momentous earned award recognition for its raw honesty, and his young adult novel Ordell's Constellation was named a finalist in three different book awards — marking him as a rising voice in contemporary and speculative fiction. Whether he's tracing the ache of letting go in Leaving Seattle or charting cosmic wonder and self-discovery in Ordell's Constellation, Cole crafts stories that pull readers in and refuse to let go. His work does more than entertain; it resonates, challenges, and stays with you long after the final page.

His newest novel, Lit, traces the quiet yet transformative journey of a simple object as it passes through intertwined lives, illuminating the unseen sparks that connect ordinary moments to extraordinary change.

Cole's writing has been awarded and published in literary magazines and anthologies including Writer's Workshop, Vine Leaves Press, La Piccoletta Barca, Metaworker, the 50 Years of Hip-Hop Anthology, and Instant Noodles.

He lives and writes in Seattle, and is currently at work on his next novel, The Last American.