Fantasycon 2026 Participants – The British Fantasy Society

Marve Michael Anson is an award-winning filmmaker and writer of over ten years. Her debut fantasy novel, ‘Firstborn of the Sun’, releases with Penguin in October 2025. She self-published the acclaimed ‘His Dark Reflection’, was a Future Worlds Prize finalist, and is a serial hobbyist obsessed with myths, history, and Christmas.

ABS is a creative technologist, event manager, game designer, producer and writer. With a video games background including on games like GTA and RDR to rearranging words and pictures on a page mostly in service of genre fiction/psychogeography and Tabletop Role Playing Games he also is Secretary of the Board of Cymera Festival.

Adrian Tchaikovsky is the author of various SF and fantasy novels, most recently Tyrant Philosophers fantasy series and Children of… SF series

Alasdair Stuart is a professional enthusiast, pop culture analyst, writer and voice actor. He serves on the board of the Escape Artists Foundation and hosts their weekly horror fiction podcast, PseudoPod. Alasdair is an Audioverse Award winner, a Hugo and BFA finalist, and has won the Karl Edward Wagner award twice. He writes the award-nominated free weekly pop culture newsletter THE FULL LID. Follow him on Bluesky for daily writing exercises, podcast and movie recommendations, and photos of his cat.

Alex Hormann is a reviewer of science fiction, owner of At Boundary’s Edge blog, and all round SF addict.

Ayula OneOne is an independent author of strange fiction with an enduring interest in the ways that weird erotica can intersect with science fiction, fantasy and horror.

Alexandra Beaumont is a fantasy author with a passion for folklore, playing musical instruments and exploring the wilds of the UK. Her most known work, Dissonance of Bird Song, is praised for being a “visceral and lyrical” page turner with “praiseworthy worldbuilding” and is an Indie Ink Award Finalist for Best Setting. Specialising in gothic and folkloric literature, Alexandra’s lyrical books weave together myth, magic and intrigue.

Ali Baker is a lecturer at University of East London in initial teacher education and a researcher in children’s fantasy fiction. She has published on girls’ horror comics, stepfamilies in Diana Wynne Jones’ novels and social class in Harry Potter and hosts the podcast Fantasy Book Swap. She lives in Brighton with her husband, stepson and cat.

Allen Ashley is a British Fantasy Award winner; ex-President of the BFS; author, editor, critical reader, event host, cultural commentator, creative writing tutor; over 200 short stories published; over 100 poems published; founder of advanced SFF group Clockhouse London Writers.

Dr. Allen Stroud is a researcher at Coventry University who works with defence and security organisations, including the Ministry of Defence. He has worked on computer games, roleplaying games, novels, short stories and scripts.
Stroud’s Fractal series of sixteen books is science fiction set in the 22nd century, published by Flame Tree Press.

A.M Croll is a fantasy writer from London, former Foyle Young Poet of the Year and graduate of Goldsmiths, University of London and the University of Cambridge.

The disabled and queer representation in their novels reflect their own experiences. They are represented by Maddy Belton of Madeline Milburn Literary Agency.

Amy de la Force is the author of A KISS OF HAMMER AND FLAME and A CROWN OF BLOOD AND MAGICK, Books 1 and 2 in the Fated for Hael fantasy romance series from Canelo (DK, Penguin Random House). A bi writer and Aussie expat, Amy lives in London. Find her on socials at @amydelaforce.

Amy Jane Stewart is an award-winning writer living in the Scottish Borders with her husband and son. Her debut novel, Hex House – a horror-soaked contemporary fairytale – came out with Titan Books in April 2026. She is represented by Marilia Savvides and is currently working on her second novel.

Andy J. Hodges is a cultural anthropologist turned fiction editor, translator, and writer. Their work explores ecological themes and the poetics and politics of myths and mythmaking, queer experience, violence, and masculinities.

Andrew Knighton is the author of the Forged For Destiny trilogy as well as assorted short stories, comics, novellas, and murder mystery games. You can find more of him at andrewknighton.com .

Andrew Wallace‘s novels include Celebrity Werewolf (NewCon Press) & Dread & the Broken Witch (Luna Press). Performer at Virtual Futures, Edinburgh Festival, etc. First solo SF theatre show was Deviant Database at EasterCon Reclamation. First SF poetry show, My Flesh is False, premiered at Iridescence with the launch of poetry collection A.D.H.DAYS.

Andy Ryan is Co-director of Future Worlds Prize for SFF Writers of Colour, SFF editor, and Keeper of Ben Aaronovitch’s Bible

Angela Cleland is a Scottish novelist, poet, educator and audiobook narrator. She has published two novels as Cleland Smith: science-fiction novel “Sequela”, and historical fantasy “Black Doe”. As Angela Cleland, she has published four books of poetry, most recently “Real Cute Danger”.

Growing up in East Germany on a steady diet of Grimms and Russian Fairy Tales until falling under the thrall of Tolkien and Pratchett in her teens, it is little surprising that Ann Landmann is now the founder and director of Cymera: Scotland’s Festival of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Writing. Some might say it’s a cunning ploy to feed her addiction to those genres. In her spare time she sells books for one of Scotland’s publishers and moonlights at other people’s book festivals.

Anna Smith Spark is the author of the folk horror high fantasy series A Sword of Bronze and Ashes and A Sword of Gold and Ruin and the grimdark epic fantasy series The Court of Broken Knives, The Tower of Living and Dying, The House of Sacrifice, A Woman of the Sword.

Anna Stephens is the author of the epic fantasy GODBLIND and SONGS OF THE DROWNED trilogies. The ridiculous fantasy heist, AN HONESTY OF THIEVES, will be published in March 2027.
As a black belt in Shotokan Karate and a once upon a time historical fencer, Anna’s no stranger to the feeling of being hit in the face, which is more help than you would expect when writing fight scenes.

Annabel Campbell writes fantasy with fierce female characters and disaster wizards, and believes everything is improved by dragons. She is the author of THE OUTCAST MAGE (The Shattered Lands book 1) and its sequel THE VOID DRAGON (coming in October 2026). She has a PhD in cardiovascular science, and when not making things up for a living, she works as a Medical Writer. Her other joys are red wine, playing games, and showing you too many pictures of her cat.

Annie Summerlee lives in Catalonia with her partner, two cats, and a rescue dog with huge ears. She is the author of The Callisto Chronicles, a sapphic paranormal fantasy romance, which kicked off with The Book of Blood and Roses. She has a degree in History of Art and likes to draw in her free time.

Bav is the chair of Bristolcon and a general lover of science fiction and fantasy

Ben Unsworth is a horror writer as well as a reviewer/article writer for Ginger Nuts of Horror, We Belong Dead, and Phantasmagoria Magazine among others, although my writing has an emphasis on the weird and psychological. My debut solo collection, Into Wrack and Ruin, was published in September of last year by Phantasmagoria Books.

Benedict Anning is a Surrey-born author living near Edinburgh with his wonderful cat, Penny. An artist at heart and fan of all things eerie, Ben has a special love for twisty horror fiction where the setting is a principal character. His debut, Atomic Coffin, was published in 2026.

Benjamin Langley is a writer, a printmaker and a puzzle designer. His works span the genres of quiet horror, historical horror and parody. With LinocutHorror he creates horror inspired prints. Much of his work is inspired by the folklore of the Cambridgeshire Fens. For more information visit benjaminlangley.co.uk

Berna Hudson is author of the Hand of Reason fantasy series and the coming Circles of Meyan duology. When not in her local bookshop writing her next book or editing to death, Berna roams parks and streets with her trusty sidekick, Echo, the greatest of Danes.

Dr Brigid Lowe writes folk horror and mythic retellings with an ecological and feminist emphasis. The Bloody Branch was published by Vintage in 2026. She draws on the Celtic oral traditions that surrounded her growing up on an island in remote rural Wales, and on the stranger and darker side of the natural world.

C.C. Adams is the horror/dark fiction author behind books such as Misery and Other Lines and Downwind, Alice. A London native and member of the Horror Writers Association, he looks for the perfect quote to set off the next dark delicacy. Visit him at www.ccadams.com, or on Twitter – @MrAdamsWrites

A Co-Founder of Bona Books, C.L. McCartney is the Fiction & Poetry Editor for Fantabulosa! magazine. His edited anthologies include BFA finalist “I Want That Twink Obliterated!” and he is the co-author of “The Machines are Coming for your Masthead: Small Press Publishing in the Age of AI”.

Cameron Johnston is a Scottish writer of fantasy and lives in the city of Glasgow. He is a student of Historical European Martial Arts, loves archaeology, history, folklore and mythology, exploring ancient sites and spooky places, and camping out under the stars with a roaring fire.

Carl Bayley moved to Scotland in 1997 and fell in love with its landscape and history. The country ignited his creative passion and a desire to tell timeless stories. He has channelled that passion into a series of fantasy novels unlike any other: The Souls Series (for more information see www.bayleytheauthor.com).

Cassidy Ellis Salter is the author of These Shattered Spires, the first instalment in the gothic Wyrdos trilogy. These Hollow Ruins and These Violent Ends will be published in 2027 and 2028 respectively.

Catherine Cavendish is the author of over twenty gothic, haunted house and folk horror novels and novellas, including The Stones of Landane, Those Who Dwell in Mordenhyrst Hall, The Haunting of Henderson Close and The Nemesis of the Gods trilogy. Cat’s short stories have been published in a number of anthologies and her own collection – The Crow Witch and Other Conjurings

Catriona Silvey was born in Glasgow and grew up in Scotland and England. After collecting an unreasonable number of degrees from various universities in the UK and the US, she moved to Edinburgh where she lives with her husband and children. She writes character-driven science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

Cheryl Morgan is a writer, editor, and publisher. She has won four Hugo Awards and owns Wizard’s Tower Press. She will be spending most of the convention in the Dealers’ Room.

Chiara Bullen is a Scottish writer and academic living in Glasgow. She spends most of her days researching literature and her evenings writing novels. When she isn’t exploring hills across Scotland, she can be found wandering the fictional mountains of D&D with her party.

Miles Cameron is a Canadian writer who lives in Toronto. He has more than fifty published novels and his latest,fanatasy, ‘Soulstealer,’ is out 8 October 2026.

Christopher Caldwell is a queer, Black British-American who lives in Glasgow, Scotland. He is a recipient of the Octavia E. Butler Memorial Scholarship, and an alumnus of Clarion West. His work has appeared in publications such as Apex Magazine, Strange Horizons, and Fiyah Literary Magazine, and Uncanny Magazine as well as the anthologies New Suns 2, Trouble the Waters, and Glitter and Ashes, among others. His debut collection of short stories Call and Response: Stories of the Fantastic is published by Neon Hemlock Press and won the IAFA Crawford Award.

CL Hellisen lives in Scotland, and their work has appeared in Strange Horizons, Giganotosaurus and others, and been shortlisted for multiple awards. Their latest novel The Shape of Monsters is a dark, gothic fantasy where two siblings are slowly corrupted by the magic they think will save them.

Claire Schultz was born and raised in New Jersey, moved to the UK to study children’s literature, and now happily calls Scotland home. Her debut adult horror novel, Even Your Bones Would Do, will be published by Berkley Books and Daphne Press in January 2027. As Claire Rose, she is the author of the young adult horror novel The Cove, published May 2026 by Wednesday Books. A PhD student by day, she lives in Edinburgh with her haunted cats.

Colleen Anderson’s writing has appeared in such places as Cemetery Dance, Weird Tales, and Shadowplays. Her poem, “Machine (r)Evolution” won the Rhysling Award. She has authored collections Embers Amongst the Fallen, and A Body of Work, and four poetry collections, including Vellum Leaves and Lettered Skins with To the Last Ion coming in 2026.

Corinne Pollard is a disabled horror writer and poet from West Yorkshire, UK and has been published in over 40 indie anthologies such as with Black Hare Press, Carnage House Publishing, Inky Bones Press, Graveside Press, Three Cousins Publishing, The Ravens Quoth Press, Raven Tale Publishing, A Coup of Owls Press, and The Stygian Lepus. Corinne writes reviews and the weekly newsletter for The Horror Tree. Aside from writing, Corinne enjoys metal music, visiting graveyards, and shopping for books. Follow her dark world on: https://linktr.ee/corinnepollard

Damien Kelly is a lecturer and author from the northwest of Ireland. His short fiction has appeared in publications from The British Fantasy Society, Flame Tree Press, Jurassic London, Pelgrane/Stone Skin Press, and Lethe Press in the US. His debut novella will release on PS Publishing’s Absinthe imprint in 2026.

Dan Coxon has won a World Fantasy Award (Heartwood: A Mythago Wood Anthology) and two British Fantasy Awards (Writing the Uncanny and Writing the Future). His anthology Unquiet Guests was published by Dead Ink Books. His second short story collection, Come Sing for the Harrowing, was reissued in April 2026.

Dan Hanly is a Welsh author of Dark fantasy and Mystery. He has a passion for telling stories in the Fantasy, Mystery and Psychological Thriller genres, and any opportunity to combine those genres is the prime place to find his works.

His latest work is the Children of Inauron series, which kicks off with THE GREAT LEAP, and is followed by STONE COLD BLOOD.

Dan Walsh is an American novelist and a former newspaper reporter and poet. He writes science fiction and fantasy thrillers along with more literary short fiction. He lives in the UK near Cambridge.

Dave Brzeski is a publisher at Cathaven Press. Co-editor and publisher of Occult Detective Magazine.

Dave Rudden is the author of the Sunday Times-bestselling epic fantasy SISTER WAKE, as well as the dark fantasy YA KNIGHTS OF THE BORROWED DARK and multiple works in the universe of Doctor Who.

David.A.Streek is an author of Epic Fantasy Fiction. He is currently working on the Chronicles of Denvarik Series. His work is influenced by Raymond E.Feist, Janny Wurts, and Brian Jacques. When he’s not writing he can be found playing video games, travelling or reading a book.

David Bamford is a big fan of all things fantasy and horror. Special interests include Steven Universe, Stephen King’s Dark Tower series and the novels of China Miéville. He is co-chairing Unconfined, the 2027 Eastercon, in Glasgow with his husband, Alan Fleming.

David Cartwright was born in 1981, and raised in a Golden Age of Saturday morning cartoons.
David has been a Jack of many trades, but so far, a master of none, working in manufacturing whilst studying in Media and Counselling.
Since taking to writing full time David has found himself writing for several TTRG titles.
He lives in Hampshire, England with his family, home media library and growing collection of flannel shirts.

David Green is a neurodivergent writer of the epic and the urban, the fantastical, the cosy and the mysterious.

With his character-driven dark fantasy series Empire Of Ruin, or urban fantasy noir Hell In Haven, David takes readers on emotional, action-packed thrill rides.

Hailing from the north-west of England, David now lives in County Galway on the west coast of Ireland with his wife and Godzilla-obsessed son.

When not writing, David can be found wondering why he chooses to live in places where it constantly rains.

David’s Path Of War was nominated for Best Novel at the 2023 BFS Awards and Beyond Sundered Seas and At Eternity’s Gates were both nominated for best novel in 2024. He is repped by Laura Bennett of LLA.

D.A Lascelles is a clinical scientist turned healthcare science teacher who is a photographer, digital artist and writer.

David Thomas Moore is the Hugo Award- and World Fantasy Award-nominated Editorial Director of Solaris. A lifelong fan of science fiction and fantasy, David is an avid LRPer and tabletop gamer with strong feelings about the word “literally.” Born in Australia, he lives in Reading, UK with his wife and daughter.

David Wragg is the author of the Articles of Faith series and the Tales of the Plains trilogy. He lives in Hertfordshire, UK, with his family and an decreasing number of animals, and bumps his head on low doorways.

Devin Martin is a mass of uncooperative cells who co-edits PodCastle, where he previously worked as an Audio Producer and first reader. He’s narrated for Escape Pod, Strange Horizons, PodCastle, and Far Fetched Fables. He lives in Cardiff with a brilliant scientist and he has a wide range of disturbing cackles.

Donna Morgan grew up in Cornwall, spending more time reading Anne McCaffrey and Terry Pratchett than doing her actual homework. Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder at the age of forty-one, she is busy reframing her life experiences through the correct lens, and finding enjoyment in her new freedom.

Northampton‑based writer and editor Donna Scott, founder of The Slab Press, won the BSFA Best Collection Award for Best of British Science Fiction 2023 and works across fiction editing, training design, podcasting, and literary event coordination. She is the host of The Good Book Life podcast and is a member of Northampton Science Fiction Writers Group and Northampton Arts Lab.

Alys Einion is Welsh, neurodivergent queer novelist, academic and creative writing teacher with a passion for fiction and creative non-fiction. Her books can be found at www.honno.co.uk and www.demeterpress.org.

Frazer Lee is an Edgar Allan Poe Gothic Filmmaker Award winning screenwriter/director (On Edge, Panic Button, The Stay), Bram Stoker Award nominated novelist (The Lamplighters), and Reader in Creative Writing at Brunel University of London. He resides just across the cemetery from the actual Hammer House of Horror. Website: www.frazerlee.com

Besides creating the Wisteraverse fantasy book series, Shida Ketzer is a polyglot, scientist, informatics Ph.D., freelance English teacher, & the emotional support human to fluffy cats, residing at the borders of Germany, France, & Luxembourg. Wisteraverse is the fruit of endless writing, revising, existential crisis, & a million cups of bergamot black tea.

E A Alderdice is an artist, writer, and disability activist based in North East Scotland. They are usually to be found burning weird pictures into random bits of wood (and sometimes, accidentally, themselves) or pottering in their garden, from which they draw a lot of inspiration.

E.D.E. Bell (she/her or e/em) is a writer, global editor, and anti-censorship organizer in Ferndale, Michigan. Eir works are quiet and queer and often explore conceptions of identity and community, including themes of friendship, family, and connection. You can follow Emily’s adventures at edebell.com.

E.L. Hark’s debut novel, Little Bird, was a labour of love and passion. The story was conceived during the final years of her PhD. Once her time in academia ended, she decided to develop the story and world fulltime. Along with her wife, and business partner, she founded superforest ltd, a new independent creative studio making video games and books. She lives in Edinburgh.

E.M. Faulds is an BFA and BSFA-winning short story writer. Her work has been published in Strange Horizons, PodCastle, and ParSec magazines, and anthologies like Best of British Science Fiction 2025. She is a proud member of the Glasgow SF Writers’ Circle.

Ed Fortune is a writer, broadcaster and journalist who has written for magazines as diverse as Time Out and The Fortean Times. He judges books professionally and is Starburst Magazine’s Literary Editor. He also writes the board gaming / ttrpg column, Roll For Damage.

Eddie Robson is the author of SF novels The Heist Of Hollow London, Drunk On All Your Strange New Words, Hearts Of Oak and Tomorrow Never Knows. He’s also a scriptwriter (the BBC Radio sitcom Welcome To Our Village, Please Invade Carefully, Doctor Who audios, and strips for 2000AD) and journalist.

El McInerney is an epic fantasy author of The Unraveling series. PhD in Literature, History, and Politics. Bag puncher. Wine lover.

Eleanor Pender (she/her) is a writer, lecturer, and artist. She has chaired in-person and online events at Cymera Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Forbidden Planet and Waterstones bookshops and more. Eleanor has had stories published by Jurassic London and other anthologies, and she is currently working on her second novel.

Elian J Morgan is a queer Netherlands-born British author. They studied bones, folklore, history, and death at universities around the world, and worked as an English language teacher in Japan. They live by the sea with their partner and dog, and their epic fantasy debut PRINCEWEAVER releases in April 2026.

Eliza Chan is a Scottish-born speculative fiction author who writes about East Asian mythology, British folklore and reclaiming the dragon lady. Her debut fantasy novel FATHOMFOLK, published in 2024, was an instant Sunday Times bestseller. Her short fiction has featured in various magazines and anthologies including The Secret Romantic’s Book of Magic and The Best of British Fantasy.

Elizabeth Train-Brown (they/them) is a PhD researcher specialising in deaf representation in fantasy novels, fantasy sign language conlangs, and ecology-inspired worldbuilding. Author of fantasy poetry collection, salmacis: becoming not quite a woman (Renard Press, 2022), and co-editor for the upcoming Fantastika: An Anthology of SFF Poetry (Hay Press, 2027).

E. Saxey is a queer Londoner. Their novel Unquiet (Titan) was set in Gothic Victorian London, with excursions to the folk horror countryside. Their weird short fiction was collected in Lost in the Archives (Lethe Press) and has since appeared in Giganotosaurus, Blood in the Bricks (Newcon Press) and The Crawling Moon (Neon Hemlock).

Emma Grundy-Haigh has spent nineteen years working with Man Booker Prize shortlisters, dazzling debuts and bestselling authors across major and independent publishers, including Joffe and Avon. I am a Bookseller Rising Star and was shortlisted for Editor of the Year 2024. I’m now at Boldwood Books where I’m seeking all things romantasy, from delectable cosies to sparkling courtly fae, spicy mash-ups to fairytale retellings, and anything that furthers #OwnVoices representation.

Emma L. Adams spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy novels. When she’s not immersed in her own fictional universes, Emma can be found with her head in a book or travelling the world in search of adventure.

A Canadian fantasy author, Erika Leigh Agnew released her debut novel Dragonsown, in 2020. The first installment of her Young Adult Fantasy series, introducing readers to a world rich with dragons, mythical creatures, and immersive storytelling.
Agnew followed up with a prequel, The Besieged Unicorn Army of Ryk in 2023. She is now working on the third book, a sequel, Dragonsown – Surge, set to release in 2026. When not writing adventures, Erika is busy embarking on her own, with an intense love for travel, nature, and wildlife conservation. Erika lives in Toronto, Canada with her extended family, human, and animal.

Erin Hardee writes under the pen name MK Hardy along with her co-writer and partner Morag. Based in Scotland, they are both communications specialists working in higher education. Their debut novel The Needfire came out in July 2025 from Solaris Books, with two more to follow in 2026.

F D. Lee is the author of the internationally bestselling fantasy series, The Pathways Tree,
and the award-winning SF novel, In the Slip. A lifelong SFF fan, Faith has been featured in
The Independent, appeared on BBC Radio 4, and has given a mini-TED talk on why stories
matter.

Farah Mendlesohn is an sf critic and Co runner. Their most recent books have been on Robert Heinlein, Joanna Russ and on the English Civil War/War of the Three Kingdoms because why not? They are currently a judge for the Historical Dagger award.

Finn McLellan (they/he) is an autistic disabled transmasc butch fantasy writer, hailing from the wilds of the northern UK.

When they’re not writing they’re busy immersing themselves in a variety of ridiculous hobbies, most of which also involve disappearing into fantasy worlds and/or waving swords at people.

Fiona Moore is a BSFA Award winning writer, academic and critic, author of Management Lessons from Game of Thrones, Project Management Lessons from Rogue One, and the Morag and Seamus series of cozy post-apocalyptic stories set in Wales. I also make miniatures and run a blog where I make food from franchise tie-in cookbooks.

Frances White is the award winning and internationally bestselling author of Voyage of the Damned, a magical queer fantasy murder mystery. A Nottingham resident, Frances is a creative writing graduate from Royal Holloway University of London. When not writing, Frances can be found sewing costumes or researching obscure historical facts.

Francesca T Barbini is the founder and director of Luna Press Publishing. She is an award-winning editor, and a translator, born and raised in Rome, Italy. After years of volunteer work around the world, she completed a MA Honours in Religious Studies at New College, Edinburgh University, focusing on the Ancient Near East and the Dead Sea Scrolls, followed by a PGDE at Edinburgh University. She is currently completing a PhD in Publishing at Edinburgh Napier University.

G. J. Dunn writes from Leyland, UK. His short fiction can be found in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, Fission Magazine, and 99 Fleeting Fantasies. When not writing, he develops gene therapies, runs half marathons, and attempts to tire out his border collie, Belle. He’s only succeeded with the first two.

G. V. Anderson’s short fiction has won a World Fantasy Award, a British Fantasy Award, and been nominated for a Nebula. Her work has been published in venues such as Strange Horizons, Reactor and The Deadlands, as well as selected for anthologies like The Year’s Best Dark Fantasy & Horror.

Gabrielle Steele lives in Essex with her husband, children, and cat. She writes epic fantasy and published her debut novel, Reborn in Ash, in 2025. When not writing, Gabrielle cruises along on her mobility scooter, fashionably dressed in a rain poncho whenever the British weather decides to become her villain origin story.

Gareth Wood is a working-class writer of horror and fantasy, born in Birmingham, UK, published multiple times, including two current novels, as well as previous works, which have included both novels, and a short story collection. He predominantly writes in a genre he likes to think of as ‘Urban Folk Horror,’ incorporating both traditional horror, as well as fantasy aspects.

Gary Couzens has had short fiction published in F & SF, Interzone, Best of British SF 2021 and others and regularly reviews for Cine Outsider and elsewhere. The TV That Made Us series is available on the BFS website. Garywas BFS Chair 2000-2003.

Gavin Smith is the author and co/author of 17 books, a fist full of novellas and multiple short stories. His books include (but are not limited to) Veteran and its sequel War in Heaven, the Age of Scorpio Trilogy, the Bastard Legion Series and Spec Ops Z. As well as having written for Black Library, Gavin wrote the novelisation of Marvel’s Original Sin and Alien: Cult.

Within the games industry he has worked with Yoozoo, Ubisoft, DPS Games and CCP.

Geoff Holder is a Non-fiction author, screenwriter, novelist, short story writer, curmudgeonly old git.

Geoff Ryman is the author of WAS, HIM, AIR and others. He won a World Fantasy Award for his first long short story ‘The Unconquered Country’ and has won The Arthur C Clarke Award twice, three BSFA Awards and the Canadian Sunburst twice along with a Nebula for his Nigeria set novelet ‘What We Found’.

Georgia Summers is a half-British, half-Trinidadian writer, who spent most of her life living across the world. She currently lives in London, but dreams of one day living in a haunted château with a ghost that cleans. She is the author of The City of Stardust and The Bookshop Below.

Gwen Frazer is an avid fantasy and horror enthusiast with a lifelong love of reading and exploring the furthest reaches of the literary imagination. A seasoned convention-goer, she has travelled widely to connect with fellow fans and has built a reputation for the warmth and energy she brings to every event she attends. She is passionate about creating lively, inclusive discussions that invite everyone into the conversation.

Hannah Kaner is the Author of #1 Sunday Times Bestsellers Godkiller, Sunbringer and Faithbreaker.

She has been shortlisted for the Hugos, Locus, British Book Awards and British Fantasy Awards, as well as Longlisted for the Glass Bell award. Her work has been published in 16 languages.

Heather Palmer is a Scottish writer with a passion for exploring nature and the stories of the long-
dead or undying. They love writing queer characters, unpicking the status quo and making people
laugh. Their first novel, DEATHBOUND, is an Audible Original sapphic romantasy.

Heather Valentine is a queer Scottish writer. Her short fiction has been published in anthologies and magazines including Unspeakable: A Queer Gothic Anthology, Shoreline of Infinity and The Pink Hydra. She has worked in education administration for ten years, and her interests include knitting, roleplaying games and weird movies.

Helen Glynn Jones writes fantasy and romantasy. Her vampire novel, The Last Raven, was the first book in the Locked Library’s Forbidden Wing subscription box. Book two, The Raven’s Court, released November 2025, with book three coming in 2026. She is editing a romantasy anthology with Stars & Sabres Publishing in 2026.

Helen Grant writes Gothic novels and supernatural short stories. Her recent work includes Steal Me (Absinthe Books 2026), a novella about a haunted bookshop. Joyce Carol Oates described her as ‘a brilliant chronicler of the uncanny as only those who dwell in places of dripping, gray-lit beauty can be.’

H.R. Owen creates queer and cosy audio fiction. Their first podcast was Monstrous Agonies, a late-night radio advice show for monsters which won the 2022 British Fantasy Award for Best Audio. They are currently releasing Travelling Light, an epistolary science fantasy about exploring the galaxy and celebrating difference.

Born and raised in Southampton, Hesper Leveret now lives in Liverpool with her family and chronic pain. She writes fiction about beauty and heartbreak, magic and imagined mythology. Her stories have appeared in venues including Fireside, Interzone, Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, and Luna Station Quarterly. Her interests include reading books and escaping rooms.

Holly Race is a history nerd who also likes magical creatures. Her Tudor fantasy retelling, Six Wild Crowns, hit the Sunday Times bestseller list. The second book in the trilogy, Six Savage Thrones, came out in June 2026. She spent ten years working in TV and film before becoming an author and is a Royal Literary Fund fellow.

Ian Green is a writer from Northern Scotland with a PhD in epigenetics. His biopunk eco-terrorism thriller Extremophile was one of Financial Times’ Best Science Fiction Books of 2024 and was shortlisted for the Arthur C. Clarke Award and Dragon Awards. His debut fantasy trilogy The Rotstorm began with the Sunday Times bestseller The Gauntlet and the First Beneath. His short fiction has been widely published and he won the BBC Radio 4 Opening Lines competition, the Futurebook Future Fiction Prize, and was shortlisted for Best Newcomer at the British Fantasy Awards.

Ian Hunter is a Scottish prize-winning writer of children’s novels, short stories, poems, and book reviews, as well as being an anthology editor and small press publisher.

Ian Whates is the author of 8 novels, 2 novellas, and 80-odd short stories. He has edited more than 40 anthologies and is the editor of ParSec digital magazine. In 2019 he received the Karl Edward Wagner Award from the BFS. He founded independent publisher NewCon Press in 2006 by accident.

Ida Keogh is a BSFA Award and British Fantasy Award winning author and was highly commended in the 2025 Pen to Print Awards. Her novella ‘Fish!’ was published in 2021 (NewCon Press) and collection ‘Taste: Speculative Stories to Devour and Relish’ is forthcoming from Flame Tree Press in April 2027.

IOANNA PAPADOPOULOU is a Greek fantasy and speculative fiction author, based in Scotland. Her writing often sits between genres and is heavily infused with mythology and folklore elements. Her debut novel, Winter Harvest, was published in 2023. Her most recent publication is the novella The Castaway and the Witch, a reimaging of Circe’s mythical prison island.

J.J. Unthank is a fantasy author and former videogame programmer whose fantasy, murder mystery novel “Any More Questions For The Corpse?” comes out in the U.S. in Fall 2026.

By day, Jan Foster juggles consultancy work with her family, but by night she sneaks off, into the past. Her penchant for sprinkling history with magic is fueled by coffee and Cadburys. When not writing, Jan takes her dogs and small monsters into the countryside, especially if there is a castle or historic building there with a cosy coffee shop in which to escape the rain of Manchester, England.

Janet Forbes is a published author and game writer, the founder of the award-winning worldbuilding and novel writing software, World Anvil (https://www.worldanvil.com), and has been building worlds since she was knee-high to an orc. She is represented by Laura Bennett of the Liverpool Literary Agency. Find more at janetforbes.com.

Jim P. Ballard has been crafting characters and stories as a role player and games master for over forty years. He loves experiencing new worlds through the eyes of personalities wildly different from his own.
Once asked when he planned to grow up, he replied, “Why would I want to?”

Jo de-Lancey is an award-winning fantasy writer from the UK. She blends the swashbuckling, quest, epic and heroic sides of the genre together in a unique way, then ages them in oak barrels, with a hefty dose of magic and mystery.

Joanna Corrance is a lawyer and author from the Scottish Highlands. She writes horror, weird fiction and science fiction; her publications include “John’s Eyes” (Luna Press Publishing), “The Gingerbread Men” (Haunt Publishing) and “The Hamlet” (NewCon Press). Her work also features in the urban folklore anthology “Blood in the Bricks”.

Johannes T. Evans is a gay trans man from the South of Wales, now living in Yorkshire, and predominantly crafts fantasy, romance, and erotic works featuring complex and layered characters, especially those who are queer and trans, and he has a particular affection for writing disabled, chronically ill, and neurodivergent characters like himself.

John French is an award winning script writer, novelist, and games designer. He has written over twenty books over a decades-long career, notably in the dystopian far future of Warhammer 40,000, and seven novels in the New York Times Bestselling The Horus Heresy series.

John Nassari is a London-based photographer and epic fantasy author. His debut novel, The Dream Traveller: Dark Rising, has won six indie awards, and the audio edition is read by Peter Kenny. He writes immersive, character-driven fantasy exploring dreams, destiny, and the thin veil between worlds.

Jonathan Walker is the author of a horror novel, The Angels of L19, and a fantasy, Five Wounds, along with two other books. His website is: www.jonathanwalkerwriter.uk

Joseph Elliott-Coleman was born in Oxford, Carterton and lives in Croydon, London. A graduate of Solent and Burnell Universities with graduate and post graduate degrees in Illustration and creative writing respectively he’s been published by Rebellion Books, 2000AD, and Newcon Press.

He is also the founder of Red Socks Press, the UK’s first black owned science fiction and fantasy self-publisher.

He spends far too much money on artbooks, comics, manga, bande dessinée, as well as novels and hopes the sales of his books will allow him to feed his habit.

He wishes you all well.

Joyce Chng lives in Singapore. They have written urban fantasy books, space opera with werewolves, and YA fantasy. Likewise, they write kidlit with two picturebooks under their belt.

Julia Ember is an acclaimed sapphic fantasy writer and a speculative poet. She is the author of young adult fantasy novels Ruinsong and The Seafarer’s Kiss duology, with two further books coming from Sourcebooks in 2027.

Juliet E McKenna’s debut novel, The Thief’s Gamble, was the first of fifteen epic fantasy adventures in 1999. In 2018 The Green Man’s Heir began her ongoing contemporary fantasy series inspired by British folklore, ancient and modern. Her shorter fiction includes dark fantasy, steampunk, science fiction and shared world projects.

Juliet Mushens is a Literary agent at Mushens Entertainment and BFS President

Justin Lee Anderson was a professional writer and editor for 15 years before his debut novel, Carpet Diem, was published, going on to win the 2018 Audie award for Humour. His second novel, The Lost War, won the 2020 SPFBO award, leading to a four-book deal with Orbit for The Eidyn Saga.

Karin J. Robinson is an agented author of Science Fiction and Fantasy whose stories have appeared in anthologies from Flame Tree, Space Wizard and Iron Fang presses, and in magazines such as Metastellar, Horror Tree and 100 Foot Crow. She lives in London with her husband, daughter and two very spoiled cats.

Kat Day is a PhD chemist who was once a teacher and is now a professional editor and writer. She became Co-Editor at the oldest short-fiction horror podcast, PseudoPod, in 2025. She lives in Oxfordshire with her ever-patient husband, two amazing daughters and a cheeky ginger cat. The best place to find her is on Bluesky, @chronicleflask.katday.com, and you can read her regular flash fiction offerings at thefictionphial.wordpress.com

Katie Bruce is a writer and Virtual Assistant to authors, based in Yorkshire. Her writing is mostly fantasy based, often featuring the wonderful moors and hills that decorate her home county, and she can usually be found at conventions with a bag full of baked goods.

Keith W. Dickinson is an author of steampunk detective novels featuring talking mechanical cats, cosy fantasy featuring witches that would make Pratchett proud, and a solarpunk tale, In The Valley Of the Wind, coming soon to a bookshop near you.

Kev McVeigh is a long time reviewer and commentator on SFF with a focus on some writers and subgenres that get less attention. I edited Vector for the BSFA and have judged various awards including the Clarke and BFS.

Kim Curran is the Irish-Times-Bestselling author of mythological retellings and Irish folklore. She was born in Dublin and grew up in London and holds a degree in Philosophy and Literature from the University of Sussex. She is also a Royal Literary Fund Fellow.

Kit Whitfield is a Folk fantasy novelist, World Fantasy Award shortlister. Most recently the Gyrford series; next year, ‘The Snakestone Girls’ – fossils, feminism and found family. Also reviews for Ginger Nuts of Horror.

Laura Bennett is a literary agent specialising in SFF.

Lauren (LJ) McMenemy writes gothic, occult and folk horror stories while also leading the BFS’s blog and curating her Writing the Occult events series. You’ll find her haunting south London, where she lives with her Doctor Who-obsessed husband, the ghost of their house rabbit, and the entity that lives in the walls.

By day, Laurence J.R. Nix is a research engineer studying novel particle acceleration techniques. By night, he writes books that blend absurd humour and surreal whimsy with heartfelt down-to-earth character journeys. He is currently in the process of submitting his debut to agents and small presses.

Born and raised in London, with a detour to the University of York to earn a BA in English and Philosophy, Lexy Hudson is an author who adores writing (and reading) lyrical, genre-blending novels about ordinary people in extraordinary situations.

Lidia Molina Whyte writes interactive fiction, traditional fiction and comics about magic, myths and monsters. She has developed narrative games for Hearts’ Choice and Questo, and her work has been featured in the V&A Dundee, Frisson Comics, Shoreline of Infinity and more.

A conservation scientist and third-culture Scot, Lorraine Wilson lives by the sea writing speculative fiction influenced by folklore and the wilderness. She is the multi-award winning author of several books, most recently the connected science fantasies We Are All Ghosts In The Forest and The Salt Oracle.

Lucy Holland is the author of Sistersong and Song of the Huntress, published by Tor UK. She co-hosts the award-winning podcast, ‘Breaking the Glass Slipper’ and is a course tutor with Curtis Brown Creative. She works in the mythic space, re-situating the stories of queer people in early medieval Britain.

Lucy A. McLaren is a fantasy author and professional counsellor, passionate about writing dark fantasy stories that include a realistic representation and exploration of mental health issues. She is a lifelong fan of fantasy stories, and enjoys reading, writing, watching and playing (okay, cheesing her way through) them.

Lyndsey Croal is a Scottish author published in 100+ magazines and anthologies, including Apex, Analog, Weird Tales, and Mslexia’s Best Women’s Short Fiction. She’s a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awardee, Shirley Jackson Award and British Fantasy Award Finalist, and former Hawthornden Fellow. Her longer works include Limelight and Other Stories (Shortwave) and Dark Crescent (Luna Press).

M E Rodman writes LGBT+ fantasy with a darker edge. Their debut novel, Blood and Thorn, came out in 2020 and their novella, Clockwork Sister (2021) was longlisted for the BSFA award for Best Novella. They have a MA in Writing Genre Fiction from Edinburgh Napier University.

M. H. Ayinde is the Sunday Times bestselling author of epic fantasy novel A SONG OF LEGENDS LOST. Her short fiction has appeared in FIYAH Literary Magazine, Fantasy Magazine, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, and elsewhere, and she was the 2021 winner of the Future Worlds Prize.

M V Melcer is the author of science fiction novels Refractions, and Inversions. Her critically acclaimed short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, GigaNotoSurus, Daily Science Fiction, Nature, and others. Born in Poland, M V has lived in the USA, the Netherlands and Belgium before settling in the United Kingdom, where she now lives with her husband and a not-very-smart tabby cat. When not writing, she is pursuing a degree in astronomy. You can find her on https://mvmelcer.com.

M.E.Moirin is the pen name for the author of The Girl Who Cheated the Wind (previously published as Threadbound), a Slavic folklore tale set in the Ottoman Empire. In her day job, she works in research. Though she’s lived here and there, she’s now found a permanent home in the UK where she also finds inspiration for her stories.

Marco Michelutto is an Italian author of fantasy novels and Dungeons&Dragons modules. He made his way to England more than a decade ago, and decided to write in his adoptive language because publishing a novel is not hard enough on its own.

Margaret Eve is a British author of short horror fiction with publications in Scare Street, Midnight Street Press, Piker Press, and Horror Tree. Outside of writing she works as a biomedical scientist and lives in South East England with her husband, daughter, and cat.

Marguerite Kenner is a dual-national American living in the UK. She’s the President and CEO of the Escape Artists Foundation, a US nonprofit bringing free and accessible audio short fiction to a global audience. A practicing lawyer, Marguerite loves performing in audio dramas and podcasts, community organizing, and teaching legal and business skills to independent creatives.

Marie Anne Cope is an award-nominated author with a passion for exploring the supernatural, horror, thriller, and contemporary fiction genres. Her works include the Bonds, Ellie Lawrence, Tales From a Scarygirl and Potters Hole series. Her goal? To create tales that stay with you long after the last page is turned.

Marisa Linton is a historian turned prize-winning novelist. She’s the author of The Binding Spell, a YA folk horror, ‘This Country’ meets ‘The Wicker Man’. Also Circle of Shadows, and its sequel, Domain of Darkness, about a young woman in 1904 who becomes an occult detective. Sherlock Holmes meets Dennis Wheatley.

Storytelling is something M. Vixen has done since she was old enough to speak. As a child she would retell stories she had heard until she was old enough to create her own. Living in Scotland with the love of her life, her overly active imagination combined with the beauty of Scotland’s wild nature now feeds her passion for romantic fantasy.

Marko Hautala is a Finnish writer whose novels and short stories have been translated into eight languages. He has won the Tiiliskivi and Kalevi Jäntti Awards and has been nominated for several awards in his native country. Internationally, his novelette “Pale Toes” was nominated for the Shirley Jackson Award in 2020.

Matthew Hawn is a creative technologist and game master whose career spans interactive storytelling platforms with Aardman Studios, over two decades of tabletop game mastering, and — most recently — designing ambient LARPs for VoidSpace Live in London, including The Stolen Child and Bound Allegiance.

Matthew Palmer lives in the northwest, juggling writing with raising his children and having far too many hobbies. His his debut novel, Lost Talent, released in April. He can be found on @matthewspalmer.bsky.social and im-writing-fantasies.ghost.io. He has also written for the BFS Blog.

Megan Bontrager is an author of SFF and Horror. She received her MA from Johns Hopkins and BFA from the University of Central Florida. Her indie debut, Eye of the Ouroboros, was released with Quill & Crow in 2024, and her traditional debut, The Sea Hides Its Dead, was released in July 2026 with. When she isn’t frantically scribbling down her next big idea, Megan enjoys playing TTRPGs. She is responsible for two furry children, and hopes to support their lavish lifestyles with her books.

Megan Leigh is a founder of Breaking the Glass Slipper, an intersectional feminist podcast focused on science fiction, fantasy and horror. If she’s not got her nose in a book, you will likely find her tending her oversized garden with at least one of her five cat masters.

Meghan Ellis is an entertainment journalist exploring gaming, anime, music, and SFF. Outside of writing for publications like The Guardian, BBC Scotland, IGN and All the Anime, she reviews TTRPGs for Tabletop Bookshelf, and books for Shoreline of Infinity. Meghan is also a member of the Glasgow SF Writers’ Circle.

Melanie Atkinson is a horror writer living on the south coast. She is the author of one novel ‘The Last Night In Amsterdam’ and two short story collections ‘The Woods Are Full of Eels’ and ‘Our Lives Are Full of Spectres’. You can often find her enjoying a large cup of tea in her vegetable garden while coming up with horrible little stories to write.

Melanie Reynard works in landscape design and social media. Her writing has been shortlisted for the Future Worlds Prize and in the Top 100 for the Ascent Novel Prize. Her writing was published in The Magical Unicorn Society: Dark Hearts and The Blazing Book of Dragons, both by Buster Books.

Michael Ireland is a disabled, award-winning audio director, writer, and producer. He is the showrunner of The Secret of St Kilda and a department editor for the Hugo Award-winning Strange Horizons fiction podcast. He loves sci-fi, folklore, and collaborative storytelling through different mediums.

Hailing from Scotland’s wet and wild west coast, Michael R Miller enjoys writing stories as sweeping in scope as the ancient landscapes he grew up in. His writing is known for rich character arcs, tight pacing, and layered magic systems, creating an epic tale that all ages can enjoy. To date, he’s sold over 750,000 books.

Mike Brooks. That Audible-bestselling, British Fantasy Award-losing SFF author with very tall hair. Queer, partially deaf, singer/songwriter in a punk band, fifteen years working for a homelessness charity, DJs wherever anyone will tolerate him.

Michael J. Hollows was born in London in 1986, and moved to Liverpool in 2010 to lecture in Audio Engineering. With a keen interest in history, music, and science, he has told stories since he was little. Goodbye for Now, published in Oct 2018, was his first novel, which he started as part of his MA in Writing from Liverpool John Moores University, graduating in 2015. The German Nurse, his second historical novel, was a top ten Globe & Mail bestseller. Michael has also written for Black Library and other games tie-in publishers, as well as other science fiction and fantasy short stories. His PhD in English Studies and Creative Writing form LJMU was on the impact of the second world war on science fiction, and he wrote an SF novel as the practice part of the PhD. He tutors creative writing at University of Cambridge, The Professional Writing Academy, and Edge Hill University.

Mina Ikemoto Ghosh is the British-Japanese author-illustrator of the Hyo books (Scholastic).

Molly Ker Hawn is a literary agent and director at David Higham Associates, representing sff for adults, young adults and children. Clients include Frances Hardinge, Stephanie Burgis, Alwyn Hamilton, Louie Stowell, Martin Stewart and more.

Morag Hannah cowrites with her wife Erin under the penname MK Hardy. With backgrounds ranging from higher education to science communication to ghost tours, they are devoted to storytelling in every aspect of their lives and work. Works: The Needfire (Solaris, 2025), The Haunting of Avis Lovelock (Solaris, 2026), Splasher (as Billie Host, Penguin 2026).

Nadia El-Fassi is the author of Best Hex Ever and Love at First Fright. They have written for Critical Role and the Roots of My Fears horror anthology. They are an Ex-Senior Commissioning Editor of fantasy, romance and horror.

Naomi Gibson is an author based in Glasgow, Scotland. Her young adult books have been translated into 11 languages and been optioned for film & TV. Her debut dark academia adult novel, MAN, MUSE, MONSTER, releases in April 2026.

Neil Williamson is a writer and editor from Glasgow, Scotland. His latest books are The Packet (NewCon Press) and Hand-Me-Downs (PS Publishing).

Nikita Andester is an oil painter and author living in Toulouse, France. Her fiction has appeared in “Bourbon Penn,” “The New Orleans Review,” and others, and her surrealist portraiture has showcased in local places around Toulouse and at the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.

Writing as Noor A Jahangir, the author of The Changeling King (2011) and The Adventures of Some Kid (2014). He hails from Lancashire, England and hosts a podcast on YouTube and Substack called Fantasy & Faith, exploring the themes of writing fantasy fiction as a person of faith.

Oliver Gerlach is a writer and doctor of Classics from Edinburgh. His graphic novel debut, The Restaurant at the Edge of the World, blending cooking competitions, power discourse, and fantasy, was published by Faber & Faber in 2025. Previous credits include 2000AD, Red Sonja, and the multi-award winning anthology Young Men In Love.

Otto Redman’s fascination with horror started from a young age with series such as the Addam’s Family, the Munsters and the Twilight Zone before developing a love for the classic Hammer Horror and B-movies of the 1960s and 1970s. During the COVID pandemic he wrote his first novel The Vampire of Portsmouth followed by the epic folk horror Sarah’s Cats in 2024 and The Old Forest in 2025. Otto lives near Portsmouth with his numerous cats.

P.S.C. Willis is a queer author whose stories allow others to believe in good people/magic/both. Their short fiction has appeared in DreamForge, Tales and Feathers, and multiple anthologies. Their debut novel ‘Crying Out for Magic’ was published by Space Wizard in 2025.

Find out more at pscwillis.com

Paul Frankl is a queer vegan with a filmmaking background who has written his debut fantasy novel.

Pete W Sutton is a writer and editor. His two short story collections – A Tiding of Magpies and The Museum for Forgetting – were shortlisted for Best Collection in the British Fantasy Awards in 2017 & 2022 respectively. His novel – Seven Deadly Swords – was published by Grimbold Books. He has edited several short story anthologies and is the editor for the British Fantasy Society Horizons fiction magazine.

Philip A. Suggars has a single yellow eye in the middle of his forehead and a collection of vintage binoculars. His debut novel The Lighthouse at the End of the World was selected by Barnes and Noble as their speculative fiction pick for April 2026. Previously, his work has appeared in Strange Horizons, The Guardian and Interzone and featured in the Best of British Science Fiction anthologies.

PS Livingstone writes epic romance fantasy while also working as a ghostwriter and editor. She’s the Event Co-ordinator for the BFS and a member of the Glasgow Science Fiction Writers’ Circle, SoA, and the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders. Pamela lives in Glasgow with her partner and three cats.

Q. C. Terence is an indie author of very little renown. His works include the fantasy noir Broken Wands & Loaded Guns, and assorted short stories across several anthologies. He has been nominated for no awards whatsoever. He is a lifelong gamer, and thinks monster costumes are superior to CGI.

Author of the supernatural Seer of York series and cyberfae novel Legend of the Bard. Thea Lyons writes science-fantasy, dark-fantasy, dystopias, and folklore, with soft spots for found family, hopeless romance, and non-human characters. Ze lives in Manchester with zir family, a cacophony of instruments, and a lifetime’s worth of tea.

RAFAEL TORRUBIA is the author of The Shipwright and the Shroudweaver (Gollancz), the first novel in an epic fantasy series of murdered gods and stolen magic. When not writing, they can be found lost in a peaty whisky, a muddy allotment, or by a wide, dark river somewhere in Perthshire.

The Oxford Companion to English Literature calls Ramsey Campbell “Britain’s most respected living horror writer”. In 2015 he was made an Honorary Fellow of Liverpool John Moores University for outstanding services to literature. Phantasmagorical Stories collects sixty years of his short fiction. His latest novel is Ancestral from Flame Tree Press, who publish many of his novels.

Raven Dane is an award winning writer of dark fantasy, science fiction, post apocalyptic, grimdark, steampunk, folk horror, a Victorian ghost story collection, alternative history novels and novellas. She has many short stories published in international horror anthologies including one celebrating the 40th anniversary of the British Fantasy Society.

A proud Dundonian, Rebecca Brown is an English and Creative Writing alumna and co-founder of the charity Folklore Scotland. Armed with an obscene number of folklore books, she and her husband strive to preserve the tales of the past for a new generation by digitising stories, recording podcasts, and of course, hunting for fairies. Her debut Scottish-inspired fantasy novel, Song of the Stag won the Frederick Forsyth People’s Book Prize 2024/5

Rhiannon A Grist is an award-winning Welsh writer of weird, dark and speculative fiction. Her Welsh folk horror novella THE QUEEN OF THE HIGH FIELDS won Best Novella at the 2023 British Fantasy Awards. Her debut novel HOME SICK is coming out with Solaris in 2026. She lives in Edinburgh with her partner and far too many plants.

Richard Sparks’s credits include: the Rowan Atkinson Schoolmaster sketch (The Secret Policeman’s Ball); libretti for the LA Opera; TV, radio and film; his New Rock fantasy adventure series; graphic novels, song lyrics for talents as diverse as Dom de Luise, Eric Idle, Vanessa Williams, Plácido Domingo and Hello Kitty.

RJ Barker is a critically acclaimed, award-winning author. He won the 2020 British Fantasy Society (BFS) Robert Holdstock award for Best Novel and the 2024 Premio Italia Award for Best International Novel
RJ’s next series, The Trials of Irody Hasp, will begin with Mortedant’s Peril, May 2026.

Rob Gillham is a British author of dark speculative fiction who does all his writing in the margins of the day, where it competes for his time with playing double bass in an obscure gothic rockabilly band. His work has appeared in Clarkesworld, Escape Pod, and Cosmic Horror Monthly amongst others.

Robin CM Duncan is BFS editorial officer, Horizons editor, and co-hosts/produces BFS podcast Long Story Short. He has three novels published: The Mandroid Murders, The Carborundum Conundrum and The Rigel Redemption, and stories in Space Wizard’s Worlds Apart anthologies, The Sapphics Strike Back, Gallus, The Tiny Bookcase, and SF Caledonia.

Roger Keen is the author of several works of fiction and non-fiction, including The Empty Chair, The Mad Artist, Literary Stalker and Triskaidekaphobia, plus numerous short stories, articles and reviews. He also heads Darkness Visible Publishing, an independent publisher specialising in noir fiction and non-fiction, which has recently put out the Blood Crazy Series.

Russell Smith is a historian researching a PhD at Glasgow University. He writes fantasy and urban fantasy in between this and also for RPGs including Call of Cthulhu and the Deadlands universe. He is a keen gamer, be them board games or video games and has several plushie guardians.

Ruth EJ Booth is a multiple award-winning author, critic and editor based in Glasgow, Scotland. Alongside her lauded short fiction, Ruth’s column for Shoreline of Infinity has won the British Fantasy Award for Best Non-Fiction. She is currently completing a PhD in Creative Writing exploring postfeminist fandoms and popularism.

Sam K Horton is a Cornwall-based author. His first book, Gorse, is a story of magic and murder in an imagined 18th Century Cornwall where folklore is real—and deadly. Its sequel, Ragwort, was published in October 2025. He is interested in folklore, historical fantasy and costume.

Samantha Lee Howe is a USA Today bestselling author and a multi-award winning screenwriter. As Samantha Lee Howe she writes thrillers, crime and spy espionage titles but is also known as S L Howe and Sam Stone for Horror, fantasy and supernatural fiction. www.samanthaleehowe.co.uk

Sarah Doyle is a poet, workshop leader and mentor. The Pre-Raphaelite Society’s Poet-in-Residence, she is widely published in journals and anthologies, and has won several poetry competitions, being placed in many more. Sarah’s second pamphlet, ‘(m)othersongs’, was published by V. Press in 2023. More at: sarahdoyle.co.uk

Sarah J. Daley is an award-nominated fantasy writer from Chicago, IL. Her debut novel, Obsidian was a finalist for the 2023 Compton Crook Award for Best New Fantasy Novel. She has published with Warhammer’s Black Library and is also the author of Wings of Steel and Fury and The Violently Departed. She worked as a chef before starting her writing career and is now putting all of her creativity onto the page instead of the plate.

Shannon K. English is a new author whose debut fantasy book Endless Blue Beneath is making waves. Mermaids and sirens are her bread and butter. Her writing is inspired by mythology, fantasy of every kind, and powerful narratives about characters struggling with terrible choices. Her favourite writers include Ursula K. Le Guin, Shannon Hale and Jack London.

SHAUNA LAWLESS is an avid reader of the mythology, folklore and history of Ireland. Her love for all these things inspired her to write the Gael Song, a historical fantasy series chronicling some of the most turbulent wars of medieval Ireland. Her critically acclaimed debut novel in the Gael Song series, The Children of Gods and Fighting Men, was nominated for Best Debut at the British Fantasy Awards. Shauna has also been awarded the Chrysalis Award by the European Science Fiction Society.

Shellie Horst is a UK journalist, writing tutor, and writer of award nominated SFF fiction. Never far from a castle, or a decent cuppa, Shellie has facilitated social events for readers and authors in East Yorkshire for over ten years. She contributes to SFFWorld, and the British Science Fiction Association’s Review publication.

Siân O’Hara is a queer, neurodivergent cis woman who has long been an avid reader of SFFH. Siân lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and two daughters and has a career in earth observation and climate services. Inspired by Fantasycon, Siân returned to writing and sharing it with others.

Blue Fox Publishing is a Scottish publisher of comics, graphic novels, gamebooks and more across a range of speculative genres. Founded in 2015 by Simon Birks and Marielle Bouleau, Blue Fox have grown to become a trusted publisher.

Simon Clark’s novels include Blood Crazy, Vampyrrhic, The Night of the Triffids. He has also written scripts for Big Finish audio dramas. 2025 saw the release of The Protos Experiment feature film, which he co-scripted with Brian Avenet-Bradley.

Simon Kurt Unsworth. Award-nominated author of two novels, seven short story collection and one play that deal with ghosts, demons and a world that tilted to just the wrong angles..

Simon McCall is a contemporary author and artist in digital/new media whose work is deeply rooted in the landscapes and legends of Northern England. Living and working in Cumbria, his creative process is a constant dialogue between the written word and visual expression.

Combining the disciplines of art and writing, Simon’s literary works often possess a cinematic quality, painting vivid pictures of the human condition against the backdrop of the wild Cumbrian fells and Scottish Highlands. His novels explore themes of isolation, heritage, and the thin veil between reality and folklore.

Titles include the ‘Mac Versus Monsters’ series: ‘The Cumbrian Chronicles’ and ‘The Clan Chronicles’, and ‘A Monster Hunter’s Journal’.

Siobhán F. Murphy is a Belfast-based writer and editor. The first book in The Hedgefall Chronicles published in 2025, with two sequels to follow in 2026. She writes fantasy and dystopian fiction, and educational materials. She has written for BBC Ulster and has a degree in English Literature and Spanish.

SJ Groenewegen is the author of numerous works, most recently The Disinformation War (GoldSF, 2023/24) and Lethbridge-Stewart: A Most Haunted Man (Candy Jar Books, 2022). SJ appears often as a panellist at Eastercons and Worldcons, and has given talks and readings at literature festivals. SJ’s 20-year career in criminal justice in Australia and the UK earned them a British Empire Medal for services to LGBTQIA people.

Sophie Jarrell is an emerging writer with a handful of short stories to her name. Currently working on her debut Sophie specialises in Horror, Fantasy and romantic subplots. Her favourite authors are T Kingfisher and Alix E Harrow. When she’s not writing she enjoys long walks along the South Coast.

Sophie Jonas-Hill is an award winning fantasy illustrator, author and writing coach. She works in traditional media, pen and ink on paper and words made up entirely in her own head.

Sophie Walker is a UK-based published writer in Video Games, comics, and fiction; specializing in immersive experiences inspired by dark fantasy, sci fi, and TTRPGs. She moonlights as a very enthusiastic Dungeon Master, inflicting homebrew D&D campaigns on friends. She spends non-writing time shredding 80s rock on her electric guitar.

Stephanie Ellis writes dark speculative prose and poetry and is based in Wrexham. Her most recent books include A Fragile Thing, Harrowfield and Rat-She. Her short stories have been published in a variety of magazines and anthologies, and have appeared in Ellen Datlow’s Best of Horror Recommended Reading List.

Stephen Cox .Author The Crooked Medium series with new book out at FCon, loathe AI, hybrid author

Stephen McGowan is an award-winning author, editor, and reviewer. He is membership officer for the BSFA and has a BA and MA in Creative Writing.

Steve J Shaw is a World Fantasy Award-winning editor, publisher, typesetter and designer based in the depths of rural Kent. He is the proprietor of the multi-time BFA-nominated press Black Shuck Books, and editor of the ongoing Something Peculiar series of anthologies.

Steve Toase lives in the Frankenwald, Germany. His stories have appeared in Best Horror of the Year, and Year’s Best Dark Fantasy and Horror.
Steve’s collection ‘To Drown in Dark Water’ is published by Undertow. Dirt Upon My Skin was shortlisted for the British Fantasy Award 2025 Best Collection. ‘Crawl Space’ came out from JournalStone in 2026.

Steven McKinnon is an indie author based in Glasgow who specialises in epic, action-packed fantasy adventures. My debut fantasy novel, Symphony of the Wind, was a Finalist in SPFBO 2018.

Susan J. Morris is a fantasy author best known for her Harker & Moriarty novels, including Strange Beasts and its sequel, Wayward Souls.

Tasha Suri is the bestselling author of fantasy novels including The Isle in the Silver Sea and The Burning Kingdoms Trilogy. Once a librarian, she is now a part-time writing tutor and a full-time cat and rabbit wrangler. She lives with her family in a mildly haunted house in London.

Tej Turner is an SFF author and travel-blogger. His debut novel The Janus Cycle was published by Elsewhen Press in 2015 and its sequel Dinnusos Rises was released in 2017. He has since embarked on an epic fantasy series that begins with Bloodsworn and has also had various stories published in anthologies.

Thomas D. Lee is a Sunday Times bestselling author. His first novel PERILOUS TIMES was published in 2023, and the prequel THE KNIGHT WATCH was published in 2026. He is a lecturer of Creative Writing and recently completed his PhD specialising in queer retellings of the Arthurian mythos.

Tiffani Angus (PhD) is the multi-award-finalist author of Threading the Labyrinth and (as co-author with Val Nolan) of Spec Fic for Newbies: A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Subgenres of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Vols. 1, 2, and 3. She’s also an editor and runs a book-formatting company.

TIINA HAUTALA is a Finnish publisher and a non-fiction writer who specialises in ghost stories. Her passion for ghost stories is present in all her work, also in her publishing company Haamu. She has received Kuiskaus award for the significant work in the Finnish horror culture. In autumn, she turns into a ghost tour guide.

Todd S. Jordan (he, him) is a writer of literary horror from Brighton, UK. Fascinated by monsters hiding in plain sight, he draws inspiration from the British landscape and secrets that fester behind closed doors. His debut horror novel, The Flesh I Want, is due for release in February 2027 from Titan Books.

Tom Johnstone writes horror and mows lawns. His short fiction has appeared in various publications, including Black Static, Nightscript, Gavagai, Nightmare Abbey and Best Horror of the Year, with others awaiting publication in Extremely Weird Splatter and Through a Glass Darkly: An Anthology of Occult Investigations. Find out more at tomjohnstone.wordpress.com.

Tori Bovalino (she/her) writes fantasy and horror fiction for adults and young people. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she now lives in the UK with her partner and their pets. Tori loves scary stories, obscure academic book facts, and impractical, oversized sweaters. She can be found online as @toribovalino.

Trip Galey is a writer, a doctor of the academic persuasion, and a researcher of all things pursuant to bargains, exchanges, and compacts of a faery nature. It is inadvisable to attempt to make a deal with him. He’s 1/2 of multiple writing partnerships, 1/3 of the founding triumvirate of Bona Books, and 100% geek.

Tristan Gray is a dark fantasy author based in Edinburgh. He writes tales inspired by celtic folklore and mythology, and released his debut novel, Call of the Black Wing, in 2024. Outside writing he’s a software engineer and LGBTQ+ rights activist.

Trudie Skies is a non-binary author based in North East England, though they have been living inside fantasy worlds ever since they discovered books and refuse to return to reality. They write gaslamp fantasy described as obnoxiously British and best read with a cup of tea.

V.Castro is a two time Bram Stoker Award nominated Mexican American writer from San Antonio, Texas now residing in the UK. She writes horror, erotic horror, and science fiction. Her books include Immortal Pleasures, The Haunting of Alejandra, Alien: Vasquez, Mestiza Blood, The Queen of the Cicadas, Out of Aztlan, Las Posadas, Rebel Moon (official Netflix film novelization), The pink Agave Motel, and Goddess of Filth.

Connect with Violet via Instagram and Twitter @vlatinalondon or www.vcastrostories.com. She can also be found on Blue Sky, Goodreads and Amazon. TikTok@vcastrobooks Pinterest @V.C astro

Vanessa Knipe is a Malaysian-born writer based in Scotland. With a background in biochemistry and forensic science, she writes fantasy and speculative fiction that brings together folklore, history, science and the uncanny.

Vera Brook is a neuroscientist turned speculative fiction author. Her short fiction has appeared in Analog, Escape Pod, Cast of Wonders, Utopia SF, and Factor Four Magazine, among other places. She also has four self-published novels. She is into climate & environmental themes, hopeful narratives, and the heroine’s journey. When you see her, ask her about her debut short fiction collection, APARTMENT WARS AND OTHER STORIES, out in September 2026!

Victor de Almeida is a British fantasy author and filmmaker, and the creator of Birth of Chaos, an epic fantasy series blending political intrigue, mythic history, and moral ambiguity. His work explores faith, power, and survival in fractured empires, with a cinematic sensibility shaped by his background in film and storytelling.

Zhui Ning Chang is a Malaysian editor, translator and anthologist based in London, UK. They are editor-in-chief at IGNYTE-winning and Hugo-nominated khōréō magazine, where they acquire and edit speculative fiction by immigrant and diaspora writers. They have also worked in various freelance editorial capacities for Big 5 and indie publishers.

Zoë Badowska is a self-confessed nerd who enjoys sneaking elements of real-world science into her stories. She writes speculative fiction as Zed Badowska and her debut novel, The Ennead, is due for publication in late 2026. Zoë is also a freelance editor of fiction and non-fiction, and has edited over 1400 scientific journal articles for a major open-access publisher.

Zoe Cunningham is a filmmaker, actor, technologist and writer. Zoe’s feature film, Voidance, starring James Cosmo, releases May 25th 2026 on Amazon, Rakuten, Apple TV and YouTube.

Zoe’s acting credits include Michael Winterbottom’s The Look of Love and she has published three books. She enjoys making Pokémon out of nanoblocks.

George Sandison is an editor and writer based in London. He heads up the Titan Books fiction list, working with authors such as V. E. Schwab, Stephen Graham Jones, Caitlin Rozakis and H. M. Long. He writes horror fiction with weird twists. His publications include Agency, a Tor Original, and Hinterlands from Black Shuck Books.

Fangorn (a.k.a. Chris Baker) artwork has produced a myriad artwork within the fields of Fantasy and Science Fiction. His work has appeared in gaming, on book covers, book illustration, graphic novels plus an extensive career designing and storyboarding for feature films and television. He is also a printmaker and sculptor.

Peter F. Hamilton was born in Rutland in 1960. He began writing in 1987, and sold his first short story to FEAR Magazine in 1988. His first novel, a near-future thriller set in Rutland, Mindstar Rising, featuring the psychic detective Greg Mandel was published in 1993. He published another two Mandel novels, before writing the rather large Night’s Dawn trilogy. In total he’s written over thirty novels, the majority of which are firmly in the space opera genre. Although the three Queen Of Dreams books are a children’s magical fantasy series, and the new Arkship trilogy probably falls under the YA label. In 2019 his short story Sonnie’s Edge was adapted for the Love Death + Robots series on Netflix. Most recently he was a consultant for the Exodus video game, due for release in early 2027. As well as contributing to the game’s worldbuilding, he wrote two novels ,The Archimedes Engine and The Helium Sea, set in the Exodus universe. This year he’s written Heavy Light, a stand-along SF spy thriller, which will be published in 2027.

Barbara Stevenson. Scottish fantasy author. Books include Where the Ocean Meets the Sky, an anthology of fantasy stories ; The Dalliances of Monsieur D’Haricot, a fantasy novel and The Kirk, The Deil and the Grue Atween a non-fiction exploration of Scottish Gothic fiction.