TL:DR I’m the London based British writer of fantastical works, Stephen Cox, Our Child of The Stars, Our Child of Two Worlds, and the Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder books. Not to be confused with the two American authors of a similar name.
Biography
My grandmother told me I read too much. I remember walking in the garden when I was small, telling myself stories. It was over thirty years of wanting to be a novelist before I tried… and succeeded.
I started writing novels on holiday in 2012. Our Child of the Stars began as a short story I wrote for Halloween in 2013. My writing group were impressed, and I became obsessed with Gene and Molly, and Cory, the little boy from the stars that they adopt, under such challenging circumstances. The book got lovely reviews and is available on both sides of the Atlantic.
Our Child of Two Worlds, delayed by the pandemic, raised the stakes and won similar praise. The two books conclude the story originally conceived although the universe of the books. – “the Coryverse” just might have more tales to tell.
The Crooked Medium’s Guide to Murder arose because I wanted to write about Britishness and specifically about Englishness; about our complex relationship with the past; I wanted leads who were morally grayer but still capable of kindness. I write about queerness a lot, and it was time for a novel with queer leads. And in quite desperate times of austerity, pandemic, and climate crisis, I needed to write something with some uplift. But really, Mrs Ashton and Braddie appeared, and over several years brewed in the back of my head. Maisie turned up very quickly when I started to write… The second book is out Autumn 2026 (fingers crossed.) It’s a loose series with possible sidequest works.
I read widely and enjoy both speculative and non-speculative works. When it comes to writing, I usually include something different from our world, to help us see ourselves from a different angle. I hope my work is accessible and bridges audiences.
I spent nearly all my childhood in Bristol, and I’m now an adoptive Londoner. I live with my partner, and two adult children come back from time to time. I’m a professional communicator, a science PhD dropout, a recovering poet, bi, and a Quaker. I’ve worked for various people including a failing health regulator and two well known hospitals, the second during the pandemic.
I write about my experience as an author not in the belief I have unique insight, but just to help other people and give a bit of the flavour of how it was for me. Hence the backstage tag for posts. I also talk, mentor, critique and do other stuff to pay bills or because I want to.
Name buddies
I’m Stephen (Peter) Cox, British author, not the sculptor, the American Libertarian and expert on Jane Austen, or the guy who wrote a book about the Munchkins.
There’s a page for sorting us all out.
I’m certainly not anyone who spells Stephen with a ‘v’ or chooses to be called Steve. Your mileage on that may vary.
Policies
All text and design (c) 2017-2025. Photos are either my copyright or credited.
My printers comply with the newish EU directive on sustainability.