Meet Gabrielle Steele

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: 
Gabrielle Steele (she/her)

Which region are you based in? 
Essex

If you write, which genre:
Fantasy

Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres?
Definitely epic fantasy. What can I say? I love big stakes and the big battles/magic that comes with that, plus the epic creatures like dragons, griffins, leviathans, etc. Not only that, but there’s something special about seeing how characters go from their normal lives to being responsible for the fate of people beyond them and their families. I prefer character-centric works, however, that follow a few characters’ stories rather than use characters to tell the world’s story.

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?

Would saying Tolkien be too boring? Lord of the Rings wasn’t my first fantasy influence (I think Redwall and The Deptford Mice take that prize) but watching The Fellowship of the Ring and then reading the books sent my writing brain into overdrive. I was thirteen and I grew increasingly desperate to create my own massive world and story within it. I even tried making up a language (don’t worry! That didn’t last long). I’d written before this, but it was my first attempt at a novel. I reached around 25k words before teenage life distracted me. That story became the foundation of my book world, and I’ve since rewritten that story (it’ll be out as a trilogy eventually, though barely recognisable). So, you could say Tolkien’s work had a rather large impact on my life. If I hadn’t started my book world back then, I might not have a novel out now.

How does that early influence show up for you (in life/writing/agenting/publishing/editing/reading) now?

These days I’m not so influenced by Tolkien—I don’t write omniscient narratives, and I long ago gave up trying to create a language for my book world. But that world he inspired remains, and all my currently planned novels will be set in it. Like Tolkien, I’ve split my world’s history into eras, and I plan to write stories in them all.

(Pictured: Gabrielle at her first book market)

Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?

I honestly don’t know. When I’m writing, it’s like I’m trying to make notes about the movie that’s playing in my mind. I can’t say I get inspiration from anything like folklore, because I’m no good at remembering things like that and I wasn’t really exposed to much when I grew up (although I will have a kelpie who cameos in a few books because of my love of Cecilia Dart-Thornton’s Bitterbynde trilogy.)

A lot of what recharges my creativity is visual media, particularly anime and K-drama. This is because a combination of brain fog, eye issues, and poor concentration means I can’t read as much or as fast as I would like. I will say though, that without reading heavily when I was younger, my imagination wouldn’t be what it is today, so I am incredibly grateful to all the authors who came before.

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

Robin Hobb (pictured) is an absolute inspiration to me. Not only did she write many series set in the same world, but she managed to get people to crave books that will hurt them. And damn did that last Fitz book hurt. Both of those achievements are what I dream of. And yes, that does mean I want to make readers cry. Their tears will make me write faster.

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.

I’m working on publishing loads of books set in the same fantasy world, starting with a thief who discovers magic has returned and she’s one of the few who can wield it, then a group of mortals must stop an ancient evil even the gods couldn’t kill, followed by the only human without magic must learn to survive in the lands of immortals amidst a war she’s about to become the centre of. And there are more ideas. Too many!

What are you working on right now?

I’m in the middle of post-beta reading dev edits for my next book, Echoes of Chaos. Quite a bit is changing. I’m adding the female lead’s dog-sized-cat to the whole book rather than the first few chapters, and the male lead is getting new opening chapters, complete with pig racing.

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

The trilogy I plan to release after my next series always makes me excited and go off on a lore monologue. There’s a reason I’m waiting to release it. The world is packed with magical creatures during the first era, when the trilogy is set, and I want to make sure my writing skills are up to the task. I really, really want to get this one out though. I love the main character, Bronwyn, because she overcomes so much and becomes flipping epic.

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

Due to my ME/CFS, the vast majority of my writing these days is done in bed, and the rest is on the sofa because I find sitting at desks painful. As to when I’m most creative, that would probably be in the middle of showers. I recently overheard my husband telling his boss about my writing, and he mentioned me running out of showers to find something to write on. My brain is a complete troll in that regard.

(Pictured: Gabrielle and her husband on their 10th wedding anniversary)

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

Perfectionism is the bane of creativity. It’s something I’ve struggled with my whole life, but hearing others talk about how it kills creativity has made me try a lot harder to let go of the idea that something creative can ever be finished/perfected. You can always change words here and there, but at some point, it stops adding value and can even make things worse. You have to pick a point where it’s good enough and cut yourself off from making changes.

What’s your writing soundtrack?

Pretty much anything from movie, anime, and game soundtracks that are epic. I really love Rings of Power season one’s soundtrack, as well as Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns.

The Quick-Fire Round

Sci-fi, fantasy or horror?
Fantasy

Quiet or loud?
Quiet

Dark or light?
Dark

Strict lines or genre blend?
Genre blend

Awards or bestseller?
Awards

Fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction

Poetry or prose?
Prose

Plotter or pantser?
Pantser!

Reading or listening?
Reading

Notebook or computer?
Computer

Favourite SFFH book of all time?
Ngggg don’t make me choose! OK: Sabriel by Garth Nix.

Last book you read?
Fellow BFS member Dan Hanly’s The Revered and the Reviled, which I was lucky enough to beta read. It’s amazing and I hope it finds a home!

Any SFFH author on auto-buy?
Robin Hobb

Favourite podcast?
I’m not a huge podcast listener, but I’ve found Writing Excuses incredibly useful.

The Home Stretch

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

Honestly, everyone is so lovely and tends to have similar interests and political views to me. I really struggle to feel like I belong in “offline” friendships. I just wish we all lived in one place so we could hang out. I was quite quiet at Fantasycon 2024, having fallen victim to my social anxiety, but I’ll try harder to come out of my shell at future events!

(Pictured, says Gabrielle: My first time at Fantasycon in 2024, dressed as Gale (BG3) for the banquet. I missed 2025, but I shall be returning in 2026!)

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

Everything about my writing is on thellian.com, including details about my debut dark epic fantasy Reborn in Ash, which came out in 2025: Magic abandoned humanity millennia ago. Now it returns, bringing ruin to a wanted thief, and her chance for redemption.

On 24 September 2026, I’ll be releasing my second book, Echoes of Chaos: Eryn wants only one thing – to kill the beast that was once the woman she loved. It’s a dual POV epic fantasy that opens my series Elements of the Fallen, which I plan to be six books. Set in the same world as Reborn in Ash, it takes place two hundred years later with an entirely new cast.