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Ahead of the publication of Through Despair, Kelly has written a standalone prequel story titled Dead Air. It’s free to every reader who joins the community — a complete supernatural thriller novella that takes place six months before the events of the novel. Join the mailing list to receive your copy instantly.

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It was a night to remember. Through Despair took top honours at the Leeds Writing Festival 2025, beating entries from across the UK. The award recognises outstanding debut fiction and is judged by a panel of industry professionals. Kelly collected the prize in person and gave a short reading from the opening chapter to a packed audience.

Kelly’s opening pages for Through Despair reached the final shortlist of the prestigious Jericho Writers First 500 competition, which assesses debut manuscripts on the strength of their opening five hundred words. Judges praised the ‘immediate and atmospheric dread’ of the submission. The competition attracted thousands of entries from writers across the globe.