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: 
Fi Phillips (she/her)

Which region are you based in? 
North Wales, just over the border from Chester

If you write, which genre: 
Fantasy

Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres? 
When it comes to fantasy, I prefer stories set in the modern world or future. I also read plenty of horror and sci fi.

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 think it probably began with the fairy tales and mythology stories I read (a lot) as a child. After that, it would be novels by Roald Dahl, especially Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This was a different, often darker take on childhood stories featuring magic or unusual happenings. All of these made me look at life, people, and the world around with me with eyes in search of magic.

How does that early influence show up in your work now?

I write fantasy novels and short stories. I’m three books into a YA futuristic fantasy series – think magic and robots. You’ll find a lot of folklore and mythology references in my writing, even if they’re only obvious to me.

Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?

Everywhere. I still enjoy reading about folklore and mythology, but I’m also interested in witchcraft. Having spent over 20 years writing murder mystery plays, I have an ear for dialogue. This means that sometimes conversations I hear will spark an idea. It might just as easily be something I see out on my travels, like an unusual doorway (such as the one pictured), the behaviour of a passerby, or a feeling I get when I enter a building. News stories, especially about developments in science, will often give me an idea too.

Who do you look to as a genre hero? Why?

In fantasy, there are so many. Sheri S Tepper is a favourite. Then there’s Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Terry Pratchett, Mark Stay, and Terry Brooks. I loved the Dark Tower series by Stephen King, too. All of these authors have their own take on fantasy, creating novels that I can easily lose myself in.

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.

If I was pitching my debut novel, Haven Wakes, this is what I’d say:

Steve Haven is a normal schoolboy living in a technologically-advanced world. After his uncle dies and he inherits a mysterious artefact, Steve finds himself plunged into a hidden underbelly of magic. On the run from unknown villains, he must solve the mystery of his uncle’s murder and keep the artefact safe.

What are you working on right now?

I’m just planning the fourth novel in my YA fantasy series. It’s the continuation of Steve Haven’s adventure and it’s going to be a fair bit longer than the other books. With each novel, Steve has travelled further and discovered more about himself and his family. In this novel, there’s even more to discover and at stake. I’m also bringing back several well-loved characters from earlier in the series.

Thinking about all the stories/work you’ve done, what sticks out most in your mind? Why?

What sticks out most is that the one character who will tie all my books together, the YA series and future novels I plan to write for grown-ups, isn’t the main character. He’s a mentor figure whom I immensely enjoy writing. Think of Hartley Keg as, well, if Brian Blessed had played Doctor Who.

Where and when do you create/are you at your most creative?

I work as a freelance copywriter, so I have a home office. That’s where I also write my books. Sometimes I’m at my most creative there, but when I’m struggling to get the words down, I’ll take my Kindle Scribe to the lounge and write by hand.

Like most writers, I’m often at my most creative when I haven’t got anything to hand to write with: in the shower, just before I drop off to sleep, or out walking the dog. Thank goodness for the note app on my mobile phone.

(Photo by Jay Alexander on Unsplash. This is not Fi’s dog but they’re a cutie!)

What’s the best advice you’ve received about creativity?

Take a break to kickstart your imagination. This applies to my work as a copywriter too. If I’m struggling to get the words down, often the best thing I can do is leave my desk and head out for a walk with the dog or do the washing up. Even gardening will help. The mundanity of the task means that I’ll generally return to my desk ready to write and with plenty of ideas.

What’s your writing soundtrack?

I don’t have one. I need silence to write, or at least reasonable hush. I share an office with my husband so silence isn’t always possible. 

The Quick-fire Round

Sci-fi, fantasy or horror?
Fantasy.

Quiet or loud? 
Quiet.

Dark or light? 
Dark, no, light, no… It depends if I have my glasses on.

Strict lines or genre blend? 
Blend.

Awards or bestseller? 
Bestseller.

Fiction or non-fiction? 
Fiction.

Poetry or prose? 
Prose.

Plotter or pantser? 
Flexible plotter.

Reading or listening? 
Reading. I’m too easily distracted to listen to a book.

Notebook or computer? 
Computer.

Favourite SFFH book of all time? 
This is a hard question. It’s either Frankenstein by Mary Shelley or The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Last book you read?
Voodoo and Veils by Bella Colby. It’s a witchy cosy mystery. Does that count as SFFH?

Any SFFH author on auto-buy?
In the past I would have said yes, but I have such a towering to-be-read pile that I’m limiting my book buy at the moment (or trying to).

Favourite podcast?
I’ve just started listening to Mark Stay’s Creative Differences podcast. It’s quite new but I’m enjoying it immensely.

The Home Stretch

What’s the best thing about being part of the SFFH community?

Feeling understood. It’s wonderful to be part of a community that gets my enthusiasm for speculative fiction. So many of my friends don’t share my reading and viewing tastes. 

Time to plug your stuff! Where can we find you and your work? What have you got coming up? Consider this your advertising space.

You can find me on my website, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and Kofi. The third book in my YA futuristic fantasy series came out in November so I’m plugging the series up to this point (three books so far, two more to come). If you’d like to keep up with my news and books, blog posts, and recommended reads, you can sign up for my newsletter here. You’ll receive a free short fantasy story to say thanks.