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 Yen Ooi
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:
Yen Ooi (she/her)
Which region are you based in?
London
If you write, which genre:
Sci-fi & fantasy
If you don’t write, what do you do?
I also research sci-fi and fantasy!
Are you drawn to any specific SFFH sub-genres?
At the moment, I am deep into Zoefuturism!
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 was probably around eight when I watched The Neverending Story and The Beastmaster. Though I can’t say I remember the stories or the plots much, so much of the imagery remained with me even today.
How does that early influence show up for you (in life/writing/agenting/publishing/editing/reading) now?
SFFH remains my genre of choice for all forms of media, especially when writers are able to evoke incredible vivid imagery! When I find myself in a reading and/or writing lull, I like to read something with strong imagination to just get the back into it.
Where do you draw your creative inspiration from?
Books, movies, and games. I find that I write best when I read from the same genre!
Who do you look to as a genre hero? Why?
At the moment, I would say Becky Chambers. I’m in love with the Monk and Robot series—her worldbuilding is so full that she is able to draw out a simple story about life in two short books that are the most satisfying to read.
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.
Looking at the futurism of life, I’m currently obsessing over stories that reflect how everything is relation to everything else and is constantly becoming (and not still). I’m working on developing stories that reflect this in as many ways as possible.
What are you working on right now?
I’ve just finished working on a game called Tales of Seikyu. It’s a cosy life sim that is set in a 1980s world of yokai with beautiful Ghibli-style illustrations. The game is currently available in Early Access and will be launched on 11 June!
Thinking about all the stories/work you’ve done, what sticks out most in your mind? Why?
My first novel, Sun: Queens of Earth. After so many years, it is reassuring to read it again and see that the themes that I am passionate about have remained consistent, while my writing and knowledge have grown.
Where and when do you create/are you at your most creative?
At my desk at home, which is in my kitchen, after 11pm.
What’s the best advice you’ve received about creativity?
All the ebbs and flows are a part of our creativity, even when we’re not creating, we’re thinking about it and it feeds it. Being self-aware will help us make the most out of the different phases and be comfortable with it.
What’s your writing soundtrack?
Lo-fi game music—Undertale, Hollow Knight, and Minecraft.
The Quick-Fire Round
Sci-fi, fantasy or horror?
Sci-fi!
Quiet or loud?
Quiet.
Dark or light?
Light.
Strict lines or genre blend?
BLEND!
Awards or bestseller?
Bestseller.
Fiction or non-fiction?
Both!
Poetry or prose?
Prose.
Plotter or pantser?
Pantser.
Reading or listening?
Reading.
Notebook or computer?
Computer.
Favourite SFFH book of all time?
Dune by Frank Herbert.
Last book you read?
Vanishing World by Sayaka Murata.
Any SFFH author on auto-buy?
Not at the moment!
Favourite podcast?
The Spawn Chunks – A Minecraft Podcast.
The Home Stretch
What’s the best thing about being part of the SFFH community?
It is a warm and caring community!
Time to plug your stuff! Where can we find you and your work? What have you got coming up? Consider this your advertising space.
Play Tales of Seikyu on Steam! Available on Early Access now with 1.0 launch on 11 June!
My latest book is The Zen Parent, out now through Hachette. The blurb: “Zen philosophy has largely been associated with finding peace within ourselves, but in this brilliant new book, East Asian scholar Dr Yen Ooi shows how ancient Zen wisdom can be used to explore how we can practice Zen while being a parent by improving our relationships with our children and finding harmony within parenting.”
Follow me on Substack.
(Pictured: Yen’s shelf of bragging)
