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J.S. Watts

Goodreads Author

Born

in London, The United Kingdom

Website

https://www.jswatts.co.uk

Genre

Poetry, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Member Since

March 2013

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J.S. Watts is a British poet, novelist and short story writer.

Born in London, she now lives and writes in East Anglia. In between, she read English at Somerville College, Oxford and spent many years working in the UK education sector.

Her poetry, short stories and non-fiction appear in publications in Britain, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the States and have been broadcast on BBC and independent Radio. She has edited assorted magazines and anthologies.

Her poetry collections, "Cats and Other Myths", "Years Ago You Coloured Me" and "Underword", plus the multi-award nominated poetry pamphlet, "Songs of Steelyard Sue" are published by Lapwing Publications. Her poetry pamphlet, "The Submerged Sea", is published by Dempsey & Windl ...more

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J.S. Watts’s books

Average rating: 4.3 · 241 ratings · 71 reviews · 30 distinct works • Similar authors

	Witchlight 4.16 avg rating — 44 ratings — published 2015 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ink Stains, Volume 6 by J.S. Watts (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Christopher Locke (Contributor), Monica Carter (Contributor) 4.63 avg rating — 16 ratings — published 2017 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	A Darker Moon 4.43 avg rating — 14 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Old Light 4.50 avg rating — 8 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Submerged Sea 4.67 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Elderlight it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Songs of Steelyard Sue 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2012	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Years Ago You Coloured Me 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cats and Other Myths it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2011	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Underword it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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J.S. Watts's Blog

Ten Years of Witchlight

So, last week saw the tenth anniversary of Witchlight, as you may have gathered if you've visited my website, Facebook page or BlueSky stream recently ( I may have been a bit of an over-sharer). I also managed a photoblog post and a bit a celebratory cake (photographic, of course) https://wouldbephotography.blogspot.c...

The cake post is linked to a previous photoblog post I made with photos of the Read more of this blog post »

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Published on May 26, 2025 04:29 • Tags: fantasy, magic, urban-fantasy, witchcraft, witches, witchlight

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J.S. is Currently Reading

J.S. Watts is currently reading

Incompletion

by Oliver Dixon (Goodreads Author)

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Jan 10, 2026 03:51AM

J.S. Watts is currently reading

A Lover's Litanies and Other Poems

by Eric Mackay

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Dec 14, 2025 06:11AM

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J.S. Watts is now friends with Campbell Ben
Jan 25, 2026 04:21AM · like
J.S. Watts is currently reading Incompletion by Oliver Dixon (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Jan 08, 2026 06:15AM · like
J.S. Watts made a comment in the group Goodreads Librarians Group — Trying to add 1111 by Mario Petrucci topic " Eline wrote: "We need a webpage showing the ISBN/ASIN and other book data to validate the info and if available we need it for the cover image. It sho ...more "
Jan 08, 2026 06:13AM
J.S. Watts made a comment in the group Literary Horror — Introductions topic " Hi Theodora, welcome to this group, which focuses on horror and horror-related dark fiction. I hope that's one of your interests, alongside fantasy. ...more "
Jan 04, 2026 03:25AM
J.S. Watts is currently reading A Lover's Litanies and Other Poems by Eric Mackay	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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J.S. Watts rated a book really liked it Leaves Borrowed From Human Flesh by Abigail Ardelle Zammit	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 27, 2025 03:14AM · like
J.S. Watts rated a book really liked it The Rose Field (The Book of Dust, #3) by Philip Pullman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Excellent story, but I remain perplexed by the ending. While I can identify a number of reasons, intellectually, why it should end as it did, it was a less than satisfying ending for the reader and appeared to contradict some of the storyline present ...more
Nov 06, 2025 02:20AM · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Rose Field by Philip Pullman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Rose Field by Philip Pullman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
J.S. Watts rated a book liked it Ale City: St Albans’ Beer History and Remarkable Pubs by Roger Protz	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
An interesting summary of brewing in St. Albans and an excellent resource for residents (and former residents) of St. Albans, members of CAMERA and anyone contemplating a pub crawl of the city.
Oct 13, 2025 06:29AM · like · see review
J.S. Watts is currently reading Leaves Borrowed From Human Flesh by Abigail Ardelle Zammit	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
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Quotes by J.S. Watts (?)

“What you cannot lay to rest
Must therefore be laid aside”
― J.S. Watts, Cats and Other Myths

tags: endings, laying-to-rest, moors-child, poetry, poetry-quotations, poetry-quote, resignation

3 likes

“These are amongst the last memories I shall relinquish to the page, though I am hanging onto them for now and for as long as I can. When they are gone, will there be anything left of me? Am I nothing but memory?”
― J.S. Watts, A Darker Moon

tags: dark-fantasy

2 likes

“Holly girl, you are all too human, I can assure you. Prickly and awkward and human, because that's what witches are - human, that is, not necessarily the prickly and annoying bit. That's just you.”
― J.S. Watts, Witchlight

tags: human-nature, humour, witch, witchcraft, witches

2 likes

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Goodreads Authors...: * Author List	7794	21284	20 hours, 48 min ago

J.S.’s Quotes

“The heart's optimism always
conquers reality”
― J.S. Watts, Songs of Steelyard Sue

tags: morning-song-poetry

2 likes

tags: dark-fantasy

2 likes

“You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.”
― Ray Bradbury

tags: culture, reading

11728 likes

“I am the dreamer and not the dream”
― J.S. Watts, Cats and Other Myths

tags: poetry

2 likes

“Literature is a textually transmitted disease, normally contracted in childhood.”
― Jane Yolen, Touch Magic: Fantasy, Faerie & Folklore in the Literature of Childhood

tags: childhood, disease, literature

2597 likes

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J.S.’s Groups

Poetry Readers Challenge — 649 members — last activity Jan 08, 2026 06:18AM
Let's talk about poetry books. This group's members read poetry collections, with the goal of reviewing twenty in a year. C'mon. Do it. It's good for ...more

Literary Horror — 2054 members — last activity 8 hours, 3 min ago
A group for fans of literary horror. We will be discussing all things horrible and literary but especially those horrible volumes that either aspire t ...more

Literary Darkness — 4724 members — last activity 4 hours, 0 min ago
This group is dedicated to an appreciation of important works of literature, both classic and contemporary... that happen to fall into the category of ...more

Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Addicts — 14295 members — last activity 2 hours, 46 min ago
The Best Place for PNR & UF Junkies ► A group for everyone who loves paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and related sub-genres like vampires, dragon ...more

Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy — 24361 members — last activity Jan 25, 2026 03:59PM
Welcome to Paranormal Romance! This group is for the discussion and recommendation of paranormal romances and paranormal erotic romance, along with ur ...more

Constant Reader — 5994 members — last activity 2 hours, 37 min ago
A forum for friendly discussion of classics, literary fiction, nonfiction, poetry and short stories. We also love movies and art. Don't ask to join th ...more

Goodreads Authors/Readers — 55936 members — last activity 2 hours, 41 min ago
This group is dedicated to connecting readers with Goodreads authors. It is divided by genres, and includes folders for writing resources, book websit ...more

¡ POETRY ! — 22567 members — last activity Jan 26, 2026 02:43PM
No pretensions: just poetry. Stop by, recommend books, offer up poems (excerpted), tempt us, taunt us, tell us what to read and where to go (to read No pretensions: just poetry. Stop by, recommend books, offer up poems (excerpted), tempt us, taunt us, tell us what to read and where to go (to read it!) Goodreads honors wordsmiths: poets and poetry promoted and prompted here. ~~~ "Poetry is the synthesis of hyacinths and biscuits." -- Carl Sandburg “God has a brown voice, as soft and full as beer.” —Anne Sexton On Clouds – “…what primitive tastes the ancients must have had if their poets were inspired by those absurd, untidy clumps of mist, idiotically jostling one another about…” —Yevgeny Zamyatin “If the poet wants to be a poet, the poet must force the poet to revise. If the poet doesn’t wish to revise, let the poet abandon poetry and take up stamp-collecting or real estate.” —Donald Hall “Poetry is a rich, full-bodied whistle, cracked ice crunching in pails, the night that numbs the leaf, the duel of two nightingales, the sweet pea that has run wild, Creation’s tears in shoulder blades.” —Boris Pasternak “Wanted: a needle swift enough to sew this poem into a blanket.” —Charles Simic “Language is a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, while all the time we long to move the stars to pity.” —Gustave Flaubert “Poetry is not an expression of the party line. It’s that time of night, lying in bed, thinking what you really think, making the private world public, that’s what the poet does.” —Allen Ginsberg. ~~~~~ Amy King, Moderator Amy King is the recipient of the 2015 Winner of the WNBA Award (Women’s National Book Association). Her latest collection, The Missing Museum, is a winner of the 2015 Tarpaulin Sky Book Prize. She serves on the executive board of VIDA: Women in Literary Arts and is co-editing with Heidi Lynn Staples the anthology, Big Energy Poets of the Anthropocene: When Ecopoets Think Climate Change. She is also co-editing the anthology, Bettering American Poetry 2015, and is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing at SUNY Nassau Community College. ...more

Into the Forest — 2118 members — last activity 26 minutes ago
A group to discuss the fairy and folk tales, world mythologies, mythic fiction, magical realism fiction, and monsters. Of course, we also discuss rete ...more

Goodreads Librarians Group — 310251 members — last activity 2 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more

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J.S.’s Friend Comments

Comments (showing 1-2) post a comment »

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message 2: by J.S.

Aug 15, 2014 11:21AM

Over on The Cult of Me blogspot, J S Watts provides this week's Friday Poem entitled 'Musing on Mushrooms'. You can discover the poem and why she wrote it below.

http://thecultofme.blogspot.co.uk/201...

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message 1: by J.S.

Jul 05, 2014 11:16AM

Technically, M.R. James Collected Ghost Stories is a re-read, as I have read it many years ago, but it is the monthly read for the Literary Horror Group and I can never resist the opportunity to pick up up a good book again.

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