BFS Online: Power in SFFH – Readings

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We have six readings from a range of authors – fantasy, science fiction and horror – to help you find your next book (or add to that beautiful TBR pile). Bring your favourite tipple and enjoy some first-rate readings from the SFFH community.

Readings: Myrddin Young, Alex Cochran, Melanie Bell, Mel Reynard, BrightFlame, and Valeriya Salt. Find out more about them below.

Myrddin Young (he/him): Despite the connection between his first name and that of Merlin, Myrddin has had to reluctantly accept that he is neither a wizard nor a magician. He does, however, harbour a deep love of fantastical tales, and if imbued with a twist of sinister, macabre darkness then so much the better. Myrddin Young lives in Hampshire, UK, with his wife, teenage son, a rather demented dog and an overactive imagination. When not writing, he tries to manage a tempestuous relationship with guitar playing which stretches back over many years. Find out more about Myrddin on his website or follow him on Instagram. Get Myrddin’s book here.

Alex Cochran (he/him): Author of the science fiction novel The Pollutant Speaks, editor of Byron and Bob: Lord Byron’s Relationship with Robert Southey, script writer for short and animated films, lapsed physicist and book hugger. Nowadays Alex focuses on crafting and conceiving fiction, with all the pain and joys involved. He has written screenplays for short films including Insider (2018), CopyCats (2020) and McPherson’s Toys (see IMDB) and short fiction in magazines and anthologies. Alex has an MA in Science Fiction to go with his near-mint-conditon-unused BSc in Astrophysics. He regularly narrates for Tales To Terrify podcast. The Pollutant Speaks is his first novel, published by Bee Orchid Press. Find out more about Alex on his website. Or connect with him on Bluesky, Instagram, or Twitter. Get his book here.

Melanie Bell (she/her): Melanie Bell is the author of four books, including a collection of mostly SFF short stories, Dream Signs, and most recently a poetry collection called The Heart Decided to Move. Her work has appeared onstage and in publications such as Cossmass Infinities, Contrary, and The Fiddlehead. A Canadian living in the UK, she loves art, music, wondering, and wandering. Find out more about Melanie on her website. Or follow her on Substack, Instagram or Facebook. Get Melanie’s book here.

Mel Reynard (she/her): Mel Reynard is a Lancashire-born writer of science fiction and fantasy, who has been shortlisted for the Future Worlds Prize 2023, RevPit 2025, longlisted for WriteMentor and Top 100 Ascent Novel Prize 2025. By day, she dabbles in the arts of planting design and social media for a landscaping company; by night, she conjures fantastical realms with words. She lives in Surrey with her young family and a neurotic cat. Check out all Mel’s details on Linktree.

BrightFlame (she/they): BrightFlame writes, teaches, and makes magic for bright futures. In addition to her witchy, solarpunk, contemporary fantasy novel, The Working, her climate fiction is featured in Bright Green Futures, Solarpunk Creatures, Bioluminescent, Solarpunk Magazine, and elsewhere. Her acclaimed workshops for magical and mainstream audiences foster interconnection and resilience. She co-founded the Center for Sustainable Futures at Columbia University and is a member of SFWA, the Climate Fiction Writers League, and Brooklyn Speculative Fiction Writers. She lives on Lenape territory (Turtle Island/US) with a human, a forest, turtles, fungi, and other nonhumans. Find out more on BrightFlame’s website. Or follow them on Bluesky, Mastodon, Facebook and Instagram. Get The Working.

Valeriya Salt (she/her): Valeriya Salt is a sci-fi and thriller author from the United Kingdom. She studied history and earned her Master’s degree in Art Expertise at St. Petersburg University of Culture and Arts. Born in Belarus, she lived for many years in different corners of Eastern Europe before settling down in the north of England. Her short stories and essays have appeared in anthologies and magazines, and won an Honourable Mention in the Writers of the Future Contest in 2022. Her debut novel Dive Beyond Eternity was published by Northodox Press in 2023 and was short-listed for the Eyelands International Book Award 2025. Find out more on Valeriya’s website. Or connect with her on Facebook or Instagram. Get her book here.