J.S.Watts is a British poet and novelist who weaves the fantastical and the literary with other vibrant strands to create glowing, multi-faceted and frequently cross-genre writing. 

To date, she has had nine books published. J.S.’s poetry collections, “Cats and Other Myths”, “Years Ago You Coloured Me” and “Underword”, plus her multi-award nominated poetry pamphlet, “Songs of Steelyard Sue”, are published by Lapwing Publications. Her poetry pamphlet, “The Submerged Sea”, is published by Dempsey & Windle. Her novels, “A Darker Moon” – dark fiction, “Witchlight”, “Old Light” and “Elderlight” – three urban fantasy novels forming the “Witchlight Trilogy”, are published by Vagabondage Press.

J.S’s work also appears in a range of anthologies, both literary and speculative, as well as in magazines and online. Over the years she has also edited a number of them. In addition, she has contributed non-fiction essays on the craft of writing, and reviews of others’ books, to magazines, blogs and anthologies.

J.S. has performed her poetry (and sometimes her prose) across England, Wales and Scotland, including at the Edinburgh Fringe. Sadly, her only readings in Ireland (so far) have been via video link.

She has run a wide range of adhoc and, Pre-Covid, regular writing workshops and classes. Similarly, she has given talks on her work and all things writing to libraries, the W.I., at festivals and on the radio.

J.S. has been invited to judge both poetry and prose competitions. In 2023/24, she was honoured to judge the Cygnature Story Prize for the international Bedford Competition

In terms of her own engagement with competitions as an entrant, J.S. has lost many and won a few, though none so high profile that she wants to make a big thing of it. She is chuffed, however, at having been shortlisted for the Bridport Prize (amongst others) and being a runner up in the Mslexia Poetry Competition.