The shortlisted works across all 13 categories of the British Fantasy Awards have been announced! Find out who’s in the mix over on our blog. Winners announced at Fantasycon in October.
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Announcement:
Meet Mark Kielty
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:
Mark Kielty (he/him)
Which region are you based in?
Dublin, Ireland
If you write, which genre:
Sci-fi, fantasy and superhero stories
Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres?
I prefer urban fantasy / paranormal but have read a couple of cosies and liking them so far.
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 didn’t become an avid reader until my 20s; books like Michael Grant’s Gone series, Brandon Sanderson’s Steel Heart, and books by Marie Lu and Marissa Meyer got me excited to start writing my own stories. I then discovered there are so many Irish authors writing the kinds of stories l like, such as Peadar Ó Guilín, Ruth Frances Long and Oisín McGann. I think the reason I’m so drawn to YA, and sometimes middle-grade, is because I feel like I’m making up for lost time. I always wished I read more in secondary school but I’m glad I picked up reading later and I have my wife to thank for that. I remember borrowing her Hunger Games books and devouring them.
How does that early influence show up for you (in life/writing/agenting/publishing/editing/reading) now?
One of the reasons why I was drawn to Brandon Sanderson is because l like how clear and easy his writing is to read—and as someone who wasn’t an avid reader growing up, I can see how this style would help encourage young people to read. I try to emulate this where I can and write stories in a way l would’ve loved as a teenager.
I find that there’s a big gap between middle-grade and YA, for example Percy Jackson to Hunger Games, and I like to pitch a lot of my books and stories at the 13- to 16-year-old range because I think they’re often forgotten. I think Lockwood and Co. by Jonathan Stroud hits this age group perfectly and I love those books. In saying that, people of almost any age group can enjoy many of my stories—and given that I’m looking at the self publishing route, I’ll more than likely be relying on older readers to enjoy my books.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?
At the moment I’m really into Irish folklore and mythology, and often I’d find inspiration in these old stories. Ireland has a lot of folklore, or local stories from a particular town or rural area, and I think these are a great source of inspiration. You can read a short 4-page comic I wrote for free which is inspired by local ghost lore in South Dublin entitled The Widow Gamble.
Who do you look to as a genre hero? Why?
I find it difficult to pick out one hero, so my elevator might look a bit crowded. I like Brandon Sanderson for his writing style and imagination; one of my favourite books is The Rithmatist which ticks all the boxes for me. I also like Oisín McGann, who has been quite prolific as a children’s writer in Ireland for decades. I think Cut Off at the Throat, one of his more recent books, makes for a really interesting narrative which I hadn’t seen before and I recommend people check it out.
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 write YA fantasy that’s fun, often draws on some kind of folklore or mythology, and has an adventurous feel to it—whether I’m writing short comics, novelettes, or full length novels.
What are you working on right now?
I have two ongoing projects at the moment.
I’m hoping to self-publish a YA fantasy book later this year where instead of following the normal novel format, it’s divided into five parts; each part is a novelette, which is part of an overarching plot. So if we think of novels as the written form of movies, then this book will feel like a TV series.
Studies have shown that less young people, both in the UK and Ireland, are reading for pleasure and I believe offering readers more choice and flexibility on how books are presented could help with this. Because the internet and short-form videos present content quickly and immediately to young people, it’s no wonder novels can appear long and daunting. I feel like authors and publishers should do more to meet the needs and challenges of young people.
So you can read this book all at once or read a part, take a break, and come back to it later. Like an issue of a comic series or an episode of a TV series, each part is a story in itself. I think books of this format could help build young people’s reading stamina and make reading novels later less daunting. I believe something like this might have turned me onto reading at a younger age.
The second project is a YA Fantasy novel inspired by Irish mythology. What if the Fomorians came back and ruled Ireland? The novel explores not just Irish legends but also Irish culture, like the complex relationship we have with our language. It also has positive representation of characters with Down Syndrome, inspired by my volunteer work as a basketball coach with a Special Olympics club.
I’m excited about both projects, the second of which I would love to have published traditionally (one can dream), but right now I’m really lucky to be availing of the BFS mentoring programme.
Thinking about all the stories/work you’ve done, what sticks out most in your mind? Why?
I was lucky to have the opportunity to write a short comic for an anthology entitled Turning Roads, a collection of stories inspired by Irish myths and folklore. I found the whole experience of writing comics really interesting, and working with an artist who can bring the stories in your head to life is really satisfying. I remember getting the initial art back from Jason Browne thinking how cool is this! He turned the fuzzy pictures in my head into something awesome. The book went on to be listed in the best Irish Times Graphic Novels of 2021 which the editor, Paul Carroll, should be really proud of. Also seeing copies of it at Forbidden Planet in Dublin was also cool, seeing something I was a part of in a bookshop. Hopefully I’ll experience seeing a book I created in a bookshop again.
Where and when do you create/are you at your most creative?
I have a three month old daughter so whenever I have a minute. I’m filling out part of this form on the tram to work on my phone. I have no idea when I’m most creative but I should probably figure that out. It’s usually when I have something more pressing coming up. Like if I’m doing a college course and I have an impending exam, that’s when my brain starts telling me to write stories.
What’s the best advice you’ve received about creativity?
Writing casually and writing for you is just as legitimate as going for a run or meeting up with friends to play 5-a-side football. Sometimes people ask writers when they think they’ll be published but if you play recreational basketball once a week, nobody asks when you think you’ll be drafted into the NBA. Don’t let people put pressure on you and write because you love it and because it’s good for you.
What’s your writing soundtrack?
I don’t listen to music too often when writing but the last time I did I listened to The Subways. Love that band; can’t remember getting a lot of writing done though.
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?
Bestseller
Fiction or non-fiction?
Fiction
Poetry or prose?
Prose
Plotter or pantser?
Can I say plantser?
Reading or listening?
Reading
Notebook or computer?
Computer
Favourite SFFH book of all time?
The Rithmatist by Brandon Sanderson
Last book you read?
Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson
Any SFFH author on auto-buy?
I’ve actually become a big David Green fan and have read a good chunk of his books. He’s become one of my favourite authors now and I’m looking forward to the next Greton book. You can read all my reviews of his books on my blog.
Favourite podcast?
Fireside by HeadStuff Podcasts is about Irish folklore and mythology and it, in a modern kind of way, keeps alive the art of oral story telling—an important part of Irish culture that I think needs more preservation. It also covers other kinds of folklore as well which I find really interesting.
The Home Stretch
What’s the best thing about being part of the SFFH community?
I think how supportive it is and how people are willing to help and mentor each other. I used to play in a band years ago and I wasn’t aware of any mentoring or knowledge sharing opportunities about songwriting or music management. And though there were other members of the band, I felt like we were left to figure everything out on our own. That’s not to say those opportunities didn’t exist; I just hadn’t come across anything like that.
Time to plug your stuff! Where can we find you and your work? What have you got coming up? Consider this your advertising space.
Firstly, if you want to stay up to date with my news, please sign up to my newsletter. I won’t send more than one email a month and when I have it finalised, there will be a free story for those who register.
Coming (hopefully) in 2026: Magical Bounty Hunters
When 16-year-old Cassie gets kicked out of the Flitterbick School of Magic, she’s sentenced to work as a Magical Bounty Hunter for two years. Sure, they call it an internship, but it’s a punishment rather than a job opportunity. With the help of her Scottish mentor, Victor, Cassie is launched into the life of a Chaser to reap the magic of criminals—but these aren’t your average magical lawbreakers. From a little old lady on Dublin’s Moore Street to a mob boss from 1920s New York, none of Cassie’s targets are what they seem.
Magical Bounty Hunters includes a series of five YA novelettes taking a teen witch across the world on death-defying missions while she discovers who she is along the way.
Cover to be revealed later this year.
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