Stephen Jaques

Steve Jaques is a Newport-based author who writes literary fiction about overlooked people in overlooked places. A former carpenter and joiner, he became an "accidental author" after the death of his wife Tracey in 2022, turning to writing as a way to process grief and reclaim a sense of purpose.

His debut novel, BONKAS (2024), is a dark psychological exploration of grief and institutional failure, following an unreliable narrator in supported housing. The themes—loss, betrayal, and the complexity of moral choices—came directly from his own experiences with loss and powerlessness.

His second novel, THE BARN DOOR STAYED CLOSED (2026), examines childhood trauma in rural farming communities, exploring how external pressures can fracture families and destroy young lives.

Steve's work brings authentic working-class British voices to contemporary fiction, telling stories that don't often make it into mainstream literature. He is currently working on his third novel.