Here are 7 Author Shoutouts for this week, authors we love to recommend. Find your favorite author or discover an author whose work you’ve not yet read.
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This Week’s Author Shoutouts
Catriona Ward
An Author Shoutout to Catriona Ward, an American-born British novelist who is a leading voice in contemporary literary dark fiction and horror. She writes intricate, psychologically complex plots and uses the Gothic tradition.
Ward holds the unique distinction of being the only woman to win the August Derleth Award for Best Horror Novel (part of the British Fantasy Awards) three times, for her novels Rawblood, Little Eve (which also won the Shirley Jackson Award), and her international bestseller, The Last House on Needless Street. Her work, including Sundial and Looking Glass Sound, is consistently praised for blurring the line between illusion and reality.
Her unique perspective is informed by a childhood spent growing up all over the world, including in Kenya, Yemen, and Morocco, a nomadic background she says influenced the sense of isolation often found in her protagonists. She studied English at Oxford and previously worked as an actor and for a human rights foundation.
Ward views horror as a structured way to process and explore complex themes of memory, trauma, and the human capacity for both empathy and monstrosity. With a distinctive voice and a consistent record of critical acclaim, Catriona Ward remains an essential figure in modern speculative fiction.
Jeannie Wycherley
An Author Shoutout to Jeannie Wycherley, a prolific British author known for her versatility across the horror, supernatural thriller, and cozy mystery genres. Her narratives successfully blend magic, whimsy, and dark themes.
With a PhD in History and a background as a university lecturer, Wycherley brings an intellectual curiosity to her storytelling. She began writing seriously after leaving academia, finding inspiration in the tangled forests and misty coasts of her home in East Devon, UK. Her strong connection to the local landscape influenced her debut, the dark supernatural thriller Crone, which won an Indie Brag Award.
Wycherley is perhaps most recognized for her lighter, more prolific series, which often combine magic and mystery. This includes the long-running Wonky Inn series and The Spellbound Hound series, featuring the death-smelling dog, Toby. These books are known for their gentle humor and engaging paranormal cozy plots.
A multi-talented individual, Wycherley is a self-described “word witch” who runs a seaside gift shop that sells teddy bears—a contrast to her darker fiction. Her ability to hop between chilling horror and charming cozy mystery has earned her a dedicated following, showcasing a creative range informed by her unique academic and personal background.
Adrienne Young
An Author Shoutout to Adrienne Young, an American author of highly atmospheric young adult and adult fantasy novels. Her work is characterized by strong female protagonists and a deep, visceral connection to the sea and coastal life.
Young first gained prominence with her Viking-inspired young adult duology, Sky in the Deep. She cemented her success with The Fable Duology, a nautical fantasy with immersive setting and a slow-burn romance set in a cutthroat world of maritime traders. More recently, she made her adult fiction debut with Spells for Forgetting, a magical realism/gothic fantasy set on an isolated Washington State island that blends mystery with a second-chance romance.
A native of the Pacific Northwest, Young’s personal connection to the sea heavily influences her novels. She has previously worked in education as a librarian and elementary school teacher. She is a self-proclaimed pantser, meaning she starts with the atmosphere and a vague idea, allowing the characters to drive the plot forward organically.
Her books have been selected as Reese’s Book Club picks, reflecting her broad appeal and commercial success. Her writing consistently explores themes of identity, grief, and the power of nature, appealing to readers who value deeply textured settings and strong emotional narratives.
Alix E. Harrow
An Author Shoutout to Alix E. Harrow, an American author of fantasy and science fiction who writes lyrical prose, feminist retellings, and bridges literary and genre fiction. She holds a PhD in History, a background that deeply informs her intricate world-building and narratives.
Harrow achieved immediate acclaim with her debut novel, The Ten Thousand Doors of January (2019), a literary fantasy about the power of storytelling that won the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Novel. She followed this success with The Once and Future Witches (2020), a historical fantasy set during the suffragist movement that reimagines women’s rights as a movement to reclaim lost witchcraft, for which she won the Locus Award.
A frequent Hugo Award winner for her short fiction as well, Harrow’s work consistently explores themes of motherhood, domesticity, and the hidden power of women. Her historical research, particularly in 19th-century social movements, lends an authentic texture to her fantasy.
Though she starts her drafts as a self-described pantser (writing without an outline), she relies on her historian’s rigor for the complex revision process. Harrow’s ability to weave profound social critique into beautiful, inventive narratives makes her a standout voice in contemporary speculative fiction.
Stephen Blackmoore
An Author Shoutout to Stephen Blackmoore, an American author of fast-paced, gritty urban fantasy and noir fiction. His writing has a razor-sharp style and blends dark magic with the fatalistic realism of hard-boiled crime stories.
Blackmoore is the author of the Eric Carter Series, which begins with Dead Things (2013). The series is set in a supernaturally charged version of modern-day Los Angeles, a city that features as a vivid, often seedy character in his work. It follows Eric Carter, a deeply flawed necromancer and anti-hero who deals with dark magic, gods of death, and the consequences of his morally gray choices. The books are consistently praised for their cinematic action and Chandleresque prose.
A native of Los Angeles, Blackmoore channels an early, edgy energy into his writing, creating narratives that blur the lines between urban fantasy, crime noir, and horror. He has written across various genres, including a standalone novel featuring a zombie anti-hero and numerous tie-in novels for video games and television.
His ability to fuse the darkness of mythology and magic with the gritty despair of a crime thriller makes him a distinct and compelling voice in genre fiction, offering readers an intense and visceral reading experience.
John Marrs
An Author Shoutout to John Marrs, a British author who specializes in psychological thrillers and high-concept speculative fiction. His novels are fast-paced, and have character-driven narratives that explore the darker sides of human nature and futuristic ethical dilemmas.
Marrs’ career trajectory is a testament to the power of perseverance. After his debut novel was rejected by 80 agents and publishers, he successfully self-published his early work, including his global breakout hit, The One. This book, which centers on a world where a DNA test guarantees a perfect partner, was adapted into a Netflix original series.
Before becoming a full-time author in 2018, Marrs spent 25 years as a freelance showbiz journalist in London, interviewing celebrities for major publications. This background gave him a unique perspective on public facades and hidden lives, which informs the suspense in his books. Notably, he wrote his first five novels almost entirely on trains during his daily commute.
Whether writing speculative thrillers like The One and The Passengers, or grounded psychological suspense like What Lies Between Us, Marrs delivers compelling, dystopian-tinged stories that prompt readers to question the morality of future technology and the dark truths of domestic life.
Claire North
An Author Shoutout to Claire North, the pseudonym for the highly acclaimed British author Catherine Webb, a writer of speculative fiction that blends high-concept ideas with philosophical and deeply human themes. She is a multi-award-winning novelist whose work has established her as one of the most inventive voices in the genre.
North holds numerous prestigious accolades, including the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for her breakout novel, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August (2014), and the World Fantasy Award for The Sudden Appearance of Hope (2016). Her novels often explore thought-provoking concepts like repeated lives, instant forgettability, and the ethics of a money-driven society, as seen in her work 84K. More recently, she has released historical fantasies like the Songs of Penelope series.
Her career began remarkably early: she completed her debut novel under her real name, Catherine Webb, at the age of 14. She also writes urban fantasy for adults under the pen name Kate Griffin.
In addition to her literary work, North has a diverse background that includes studying International History and graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), where she trained in Technical Theatre. She has worked professionally as a lighting technician and live music lighting designer, a detail that reflects her deep understanding of performance and dramatic structure.
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