Stephanie Carty

Stephanie Carty is a UK-based writer and consultant clinical psychologist whose work ranges from psychological thrillers and short stories to craft guides for writers. She discovered her passion for writing in her late 30s, starting with a piece of flash fiction that sparked a love of storytelling. Her short stories were shortlisted for or won prestigious competitions, including the Bristol Short Story Prize and the Bath Short Story Award.

Her novella-in-flash, Three Sisters of Stone, won best at the 2019 Saboteur Awards. Carty explores three siblings' lives over two decades in this work, combining intricate storytelling with psychological depth. Her short story collection, The Peculiarities of Yearning, showcased her most distinctive flash fiction and short stories, united by themes of desire and self-sabotage, and won its category in the Eyelands Book Prize.

Carty's debut psychological thriller, Shattered (2023), marked her entry into full-length fiction. Published by Bloodhound Books, it tells the gripping story of a therapist whose sessions reveal disturbing truths about her clients and herself.

Her latest novel, A Safe Place (2024), is a suspenseful exploration of secrets, guilt and the fragility of trust in a remote mother-daughter relationship. Set in an isolated village, the story unravels years of deception and the psychological impact of choices made in the name of protection.

The novel was a finalist in the TLC Pen Factor competition and longlisted for the Cinnamon Literature Award.

Beyond fiction, Carty brings her expertise as a clinical psychologist to her writing. Her craft book, Inside Fictional Minds (2021), teaches writers how to create psychologically rich characters, offering practical exercises from her professional background. In 2024, she published The Writing Mirror, a guide for writers to reflect on their emotional landscapes through the stories they create.

Photo credit: X @tiredpsych