Every Friday, we meet a member of the BFS and peer deep into their soul (or, at least, a form they filled out). Want to be featured? Email us: online@britishfantasysociety.org
Name:
Ben S. Eaton (he/him)
Which region are you based in?
North West
If you write, which genre:
Fantasy
Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres?
Epic and lit-fantasy is my go-to.
Your influences
Tell us about the book/film/thing that got you into SFFH: What was it? How old were you? What impact did it have on you?
I read The Lord of the Rings when I was about nine. It took me three years, and serendipitously the Peter Jackson movies released right as I finished. Those were my hyperfocus for the next twenty years and my earliest inspiration for worldbuilding and writing. But I would have never picked up Fellowship if I hadn’t already fallen in love with the critters of Redwall.
How does that early influence show up for you (in life/writing/agenting/publishing/editing/reading) now?
I suppose I’ll pick up anything with an anthropomorphic knight/mouse on the cover. If anybody fancies a game of Root, I’m down. My writing is very different to that of Jacques and Tolkien, but I suppose both have instilled in me the importance of small acts of heroism, and small heroes who act.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?
Other books, video games, movies, the world around me. My WIP, The Fortune-Teller’s Son, was inspired in part by a walk around Liverpool’s Albert Dock, and a desire to see more red bricks in fantasy settings.
Who do you look to as a genre hero? Why?
Two come to mind: Robin Hobb (pictured) and Ursula K. Le Guin. Getting my copy of Assassin’s Fate signed by Hobb was the only time in my life I’ve been well and truly speechless. Those stories were so formative. I didn’t read Left Hand of Darkness or Earthsea until relatively recently, but her prose and no-nonsense approach to craft are an absolute gift to the genre.
Your Work
You’re stuck in an elevator for 60 seconds with that hero, and they want you to describe your work. Give us the pitch.
How do you stop a war when both sides think you’re their secret weapon? A guilt-ridden seer is caught in the crossfire when a desperate bid to atone for the family tragedy he failed to predict goes horribly wrong. The Fortune-Teller’s Son is a standalone epic fantasy for adults and older YA readers combining the prophetic intrigue of Dune with the street-level grit of Arcane: League of Legends.
What are you working on right now?
I’m in the final weeks of revising The Fortune-Teller’s Son before heading into the query trenches, but I’ve got a lot of “shiny new things” vying for the attention of my magpie brain. One is a murder mystery inspired by One Night Ultimate Werewolf, the other is a portal fantasy about a journalist from our world investigating the fall of the dark lord in another.
(Pictured: Ben’s desk with WIP on screen)
Thinking about all the stories/work you’ve done, what sticks out most in your mind? Why?
The first story I ever finished was a behemoth. About 250,000 words of sword and sorcery. I threw the kitchen sink at that thing and loved every second. It was before I knew anything about craft, publishing, marketing, etc. Before it all—necessarily—became work. But it’s also the first thing I ever finished, the first book I wrote that someone not only read but loved, to the point she still mentions it to this day.
Where and when do you create/are you at your most creative?
I try to treat my writing like a job and get most work done at my desk. Some of my best writing sprints have been done out in coffee shops, but those are unreliable fits of inspiration that strike like lightning. If I want to get things done, I can’t wait for those to strike. That said, most of my ideas percolate and come together while I’m walking the dog.
What’s the best advice you’ve received about creativity?
Do it for you, not anybody else. At least the first time through. Compromise later. Create whatever the hell you want now.
What’s your writing soundtrack?
Generally movie scores. Hans Zimmer, Ludwig Göransson, Max Richter. Basically, if could appear in a Christoper Nolan movie or a series of This Is England, it’s probably on my writing soundtrack.
The Quick-Fire Round
Sci-fi, fantasy or horror?
Fantasy
Quiet or loud?
Loud
Dark or light?
Dark
Strict lines or genre blend?
Blend
Awards or bestseller?
Awards
Fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction
Poetry or prose?
Prose
Plotter or pantser?
Split
Reading or listening?
Reading
Notebook or computer?
Computer
Favourite SFFH book of all time?
Royal Assassin
Last book you read?
The Devils by Joe Abercrombie
Any SFFH author on auto-buy?
No
Favourite podcast?
Dungeons and Daddies
The Home Stretch
What’s the best thing about being part of the SFFH community?
The validation of geekhood.
Time to plug your stuff! Where can we find you and your work? What have you got coming up? Consider this your advertising space.
I’m @therealbenseaton on Instagram and Threads, semi-active on those platforms but hope to ramp up in the future. I also write the odd fantasy blog on my own website and am kicking off a newsletter in the near future. All links are available at: benseaton.beehiiv.com.
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