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 Steven Patchett
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: content@britishfantasysociety.org
Name, including preferred pronouns:
Steven Patchett (he/him)
Which region are you based in?
The beautiful county of Northumberland
If you write, which genre:
SciFi, fantasy, horror, literary
Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres?
I’m a big fan of weird, cosmic and folk horror, as well as epic fantasy. But I’ll happily read anything that finds its way in front of me.
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?
It would have to be The Wizard of Earthsea. I was probably no older than 8 or 9 when I first read it, and it gave me a hunger for other books like that, The Hobbit, the works of Fritz Lieber.
How does that early influence show up for you (in life/writing/agenting/publishing/editing/reading) now?
It taught me that using the familiar in the strange works. So long as your reader can ground themselves on something, you can make the situation as unusual as you want.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?
Everywhere. My brain makes connections and throws up ideas like intrusive thoughts. I just make sure I write them down. Sitting down with a blank page never works; washing the dishes or going for a drive works.
Who do you look to as a genre hero? Why?
The writers of the new renaissance of British folk horror—Andrew Michael Hurley, Adam Nevill, Catriona Ward, David Barnett (pictured)—are my current heroes.
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 blend cosmic, folk and weird horror, but keep the characters as grounded as possible.
What are you working on right now?
A supernatural noir as a journalist tries to rescue his kidnapped wife.
Where and when do you create/are you at your most creative?
In the evenings, when I don’t have to think about work, I more or less release that side of me for play time.
What’s the best advice you’ve received about creativity?
Don’t force it. Writer’s block is just your mind telling you it’s temporarily run dry. Go and do something else for a while, and your mind will work out how to get back.
Also, persistence is everything, and don’t take rejections personally.
What’s your writing soundtrack?
Nothing, I prefer silence.
(Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash)
The Quick Fire Round
Sci-fi, fantasy or horror?
Horror
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?
Plantser (I make waypoints to where I want to go, but pants everything in between)
Reading or listening?
Reading
Notebook or computer?
Both
Favourite SFFH book of all time?
Swan Song by Robert McCammon
Last book you read?
Help! I Can’t Stop Sh*tting Snakes by Michael Bettendorf
Any SFFH author on auto-buy?
Adam Nevill
Favourite podcast?
Talking Scared
The Home Stretch
What’s the best thing about being part of the SFFH community?
Knowing that I’m not the only person doing this madness.
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 have my debut novella coming out from Tenebrous Press in Summer 2027—Flock for a Dead God is a cosmic/folk horror blend about families and their dark history.
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