About
About Stephen
Stephen has been an avid reader for as long as he can remember, and reading has shaped his writing and creative influences. Though crime fiction features prominently in his work, his literary interests are wide-ranging, and writing brings its own challenges.
The Crime Fiction Landscape
Crime fiction is hugely popular, attracting established authors and celebrities. Yet breaking in as a new or independent writer can be daunting.
Stephen wrote his debut, Blind Murder, without formal writing training but with a clear aim: to create something different. Originality, however, does not guarantee an agent or publishing deal.
Many fictional detectives are deeply flawed, facing alcoholism, loss, or troubled relationships. Though these struggles reflect real challenges in policing, such characters are often composites rather than portraits of one officer. In Blind Murder, Stephen takes a different approach. His protagonist is a road policing officer who becomes entangled in a high-stakes investigation, making choices that will change his life. The story continues in Driving Dead, published in January 2019.
Looking Ahead
Stephen’s MA in Crime Fiction at the University of East Anglia strengthened his understanding of plot, character, structure, and perspective, and showed him that storytelling takes more than putting words on a page. His work paid off when *Driving Dead*, the second Jordan & Kingsfield novel, reached the 2021 Page Turner Awards final.
Blind Murder is now developed as a screen adaptation, and Stephen hopes a production company will bring it to life. The novel is available as an audiobook narrated by Stewart Magrath on Audible.
Troubador Publishing’s Matador imprint published his MA thesis novel, Crimson Dragon, and is available at www.books.by/stephencollier, Amazon, and this site.
Reviving a Lost Story
In 2023, Stephen edited and published Let the Grass Grow Green, a novel his late aunt wrote in the 1950s. He also discovered several of her other works. To honour her legacy, he revised the novel and brought it to new readers. It is available in print and eBook formats on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
Stephen continues to develop ideas across crime fiction, screenwriting, and rediscovered literature. His passion for storytelling remains strong, and he looks forward to sharing more work.
Book release update
The third and final Jordan & Kingsfield novel, In A Forest Full of Bones, is now available. This dark tale follows multiple homicides spanning decades, uncovered after a road collision. .
Stephen is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, the Society of Authors, the Crime Writers’ Association, the International Screenwriters’ Association, and the Association of Self-Published Authors.
