LILY BASTOCK
Lily Bastock daylights as an editor, twilights as a writer, and moonlights as a book goblin. Her writing often walks somewhere between eighteenth century piracy and an enchanted wood. Putting her bachelors and masters degrees in Creative Writing to use, she’s grateful to have been a Finalist for the Fabuly Writing Challenge, the Runner-Up for The Plentitudes Prize for Short Fiction, and shortlisted for the Bridport Prize for Short Fiction. Her unpublished novel Unnatural Tides recently won Ready Chapter One’s Survivor Stories. Publications include Elegant Literature, DripLit, Iron Faerie, Vellichor, the Fabuly App, and more.
A little about me…
Hi, I’m Lily. I’m a mid-twenties neurodiverse writer living in London, and a first-generation university graduate. Following my bachelors in Literature and Creative Writing and my masters in Creative Writing, I found work in editorial project management at a London university.
I inherited my love of literature from my grandparents; my nan is an avid fantasy reader, and my late great-grandfather, who spent his life as a bookbinder, always encouraged me to pursue writing. I’m also grateful for my late grandad, whose vast banks of knowledge and hand-built model ships are an anchor for my interest in sailing ships and pirate history. Other influences for my writing include mycology, herbalism, and botanical history.
You’ll find high fantasy and high seas in plenty of my reading and writing; naturally, Robin Hobb’s The Liveship Traders, which has both, is one of my favourite series.
PUBLICATIONS
- (upcoming) The Last Jar of the Name Keeper – Iron Faerie
- The Bitter Fairies – Elegant Literature
- The Atomic Boot – DripLit
- The Borrowing – Compassiviste
- The Sacred Revenge – Elegant Literature
- The Wasp – Fabuly App
- Vinegar – Vellichor Literary
- Matchbox Heart – Vellichor Literary (collaborative issue with Luxury Literary, Jardin Zine, and The Chartium)
- The Borrowing – Luxury Literary (collaborative issue with Vellichor Literary, Jardin Zine, and The Chartium)
PLACED/FINALIST
Novel:
– WINNER (1st): Unnatural Tides – The Survivor Stories Challenge, 2025
Short Story:
– RUNNER-UP: The Wasp – The Plentitudes Prize for Short Fiction, 2025
– FINALIST: The Wasp – Fabuly Writing Challenge, 2025
Microfiction
– WINNER (1st) [Round 3]: The Borrowing – Twisted Tournament, 2025
SHORTLISTS
Short Story:
– The Wasp – Bridport Prize for Short Fiction, 2025
Flash Fiction:
– The Sacred Revenge – Elegant Literature Award, 2025
Misc:
– [overall contest placement] –Twisted Tournament, 2025
LONGLISTS
Short Story:
– The Sacred Revenge – Scratch A4, 2025
– The Botanist – Elegant Literature, 2025
Flash Fiction:
– I Don’t Belong Here – Globe Soup Paranormal Challenge, 2025
– Clay Sails – Writing Battle, 2025
Microfiction:
– Waltz in Smoke – Tadpole Prize for 100 word stories, 2025
– Blind Dates & Booby Traps – Writing Battle, Spring Micro, 2025
– The Last Jar of a Dead Witch – Tadpole Prize for 100 word stories, 2024
WIP Novel: Unnatural Tides
Unnatural Tides is a historical fiction set in the twilight of the Golden Age of Piracy.
After being shipwrecked on a haunted island, an apothecary and a pirate are forced to work together to survive – and as their minds unravel, their hearts collide.
Genres:Historical fiction, Horror, Romance
Themes, Topics, and Tones: Classism, racism, and feminism; piracy and herbalism; love, hate and the mess of human relationships; isolation and survival; prejudice as the poison of propaganda; the crushing boot of capitalism, and the horror of being stalked by something ancient.
Currently, Unnatural Tides is unagented.
Please feel welcome to reach out to me to discuss my work, opportunities, representation, or anything else writing-related, using the form on the contact page.
LILY BASTOCK 