Jeff Phelps’s stories and poetry have been widely published, notably in London Magazine and in Critical Quarterly. In 1991 he was overall winner of the Mail on Sunday Novel Competition. Fay Weldon described his story as ‘an intensely attractive piece of writing’.

In 2000 he won second prize in the Stand Open Poetry Competition with his poem, River Passage. It was published as a booklet in 2002 with illustrations by Jayne Gaze and produced as a CD with piano music by Dan Phelps in 2010 as one of the first productions by Offa’s Press. In 2017 it was produced as a downloadable app.

His first novel, Painter Man, described by Booker shortlisted novelist Clare Morrall as ‘intelligent and impressive’, was published in May 2005. His second, Box of Tricks with its ‘Seaside theatricals in all their seedy, flamboyant, tawdry, extravagant, innocent and heartbreaking glory’ (Robert Edric) came out in July 2009. Shropshire Review commended its ‘Chekhovian ability to create an internal world where the lives of everyday people are as important and compelling as those of the heroes, the captains and the kings’. Both novels are published by Tindal Street Press.

His poetry pamphlet, Wolverhampton Madonna was published by Offa’s Press in October 2016.

His play Sea View, co-written with Nick Daws, was staged in Stellenbosch, South Africa in January 2010.  For  two years from 1988 – 1990 he was co-editor with the poet Roger Pearson of the literary magazine, Nutshell.

Jeff has made many appearances reading and discussing his fiction and poetry. Bridgnorth Writers’ Group, which remains one of the most active and creative groups in the region was founded by him in 1991. He has been running workshops and courses since 1990. He is married with two grown-up children and lives in Wiltshire.

Dan Phelps: http://www.phelpsmusic.com/

Jayne Gaze: http://artinminds.org.uk/

Offa’s Press: http://www.offaspress.co.uk/

Nick Daws: http://www.entrepreneurwriter.net

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