Chris Newton
York, UK
Folk Horror, Historical Horror, Supernatural Horror, Horror Non-Fiction
Chris Newton is a northern horror writer whose work draws on folklore, witchcraft, regional history and the darker corners of British culture.
Biography
Born and raised in Lancashire, Chris grew up steeped in stories of witches, boggarts and local folklore — influences that continue to shape their fiction and non-fiction.
Their novel The Fylde Witch was originally published by Safety Pin Publishing in 2021 and is now represented by Dark House. Their short fiction has also appeared in horror anthologies including Shadow of Pendle, The Bleak Midwinter and Tales of the Seasons. Chris’s short play The Crimes of Mab Gallows was shortlisted for the Lancaster Playwriting Prize and performed at The Dukes Theatre in 2025.
Their first non-fiction book, The Legacy of Dracula: From Page to Screen, is due from White Owl Books in 2027, and they are currently writing a history of the Pendle Witch Trials for Pen & Sword Books.
Alongside their fiction and non-fiction work, Chris co-hosts the literary horror podcast From Page to Scream.
Represented Work
The Fylde Witch
Folk Horror, Historical Horror, Supernatural Horror, Occult Horror
Represented
Meg Shelton grows up on the Fylde Coast among wise women, old beliefs and whispered stories of witchcraft. When her grandmother reveals the family’s darkest secret, Meg inherits not only her knowledge, but a far more dangerous responsibility: guarding the Devil, who has been imprisoned beneath their cottage for decades.
As Meg comes of age, love, betrayal and grief draw her ever closer to the prisoner below. What begins as a story of local folklore and forbidden romance becomes a battle over power, freedom and the price of making a bargain with something ancient and malevolent.
Set against the turbulence of seventeenth-century Lancashire, The Fylde Witch reimagines regional legend through a dark tale of witchcraft, temptation and survival.
Selected Publications
The Bleak Midwinter
Safety Pin Publishing
2021
The Legacy of Dracula: From Page to Screen
White Owl Books
2027
Tales of the Seasons
Rogue Animal
2025
Shadow of Pendle
Dark Sheep Books
2019
Recognition & Credentials
• Shortlisted for the Lancaster Playwriting Prize for The Crimes of Mab Gallows
• The Crimes of Mab Gallows performed at The Dukes Theatre, Lancaster, in March 2025
Writing & Research
Chris Newton writes across folk horror, historical horror and supernatural fiction, with a particular interest in northern folklore, witchcraft and regional history.
Alongside their fiction, they regularly write about dark folklore and horror cinema for Spooky Isles and are currently researching a history of the Pendle Witch Trials for Pen & Sword Books.
Media & Events
Chris Newton is the co-host of the literary horror podcast From Page to Scream and the host and producer of Morningside FM, a podcast dedicated to the Phantasm films. They have appeared as a guest on horror podcasts including The Evolution of Horror and have spoken at live events and screenings covering films such as Phantasm, Shaun of the Dead and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.