Kelly Hatley
Author – Founder of Creative Hats Press – Producer and Educator
Kelly Hatley is a UK-based author and the creative force behind Creative Hats Press – a unique independent publishing business dedicated to amplifying bold voices and delivering stories that stay with you long after the last page is turned.
About Kelly
Kelly champions diverse authors and innovative storytelling formats that support community writers and passionate readers.
As the proprietor of Creative Hats Press, Kelly’s mission is to educate, publish and promote compelling writing and writers. This is predominantly carried out through the press’s celebrated Grab Book series – pocket-sized compact books designed for immersive reading on the go.
Kelly is active online and engages with readers and writers through social media, workshops and creative communities.
Kelly’s work is characterised by its emotional depth, dark imagination, and fearless exploration of humanity’s edges. Her stories probe psychological complexity, moral ambiguity and the hidden corners of lived experience. She likes to challenge readers to question what they think they know.
Kelly’s active research area is within the field of horror and humour blending.
Early Work
Tales of the Rejected
A haunting collection of fourteen short stories, Tales of the Rejected showcases Kelly’s ability to wrestle with unsettling themes and eerie situations. From explorations of toxic masculinity to surreal journeys into lost voices and unexpected horror markers, this anthology is crafted to linger – and to make readers rethink what they know about narrative and the human psyche.
Early Work
Causeway
In Causeway, Kelly turns her lens toward isolation, connection and family. The novella follows Ian Wickford, a man drawn to birds and solitude, whose life on a remote nature reserve is upended when tragedy pulls him back into the care of his children. A story rich in atmosphere and emotional tension, Causeway weaves together themes of grief, survival and the profound complexity of human relationships.
About Creative Hats Press
Founded by Kelly Hatley, Creative Hats Press is the home of the original Grab Book – compact, accessible books that bring fresh ideas to life. Designed to be read in 2-4 hours, Grab Books make literature portable and approachable while elevating independent voices and supporting creative communities.
Below meet our team of first published writers who created and continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the publishing business that is Creative Hats Press. We are grateful to every single person who chooses to collaborate with us. We are thankful for all the connections we make whether you bring new talent, join our courses, follow and support our socials, carry out guest lectures/talks or supply us services and projects.
Thank You
The Ego Effect
L J Green
Haunted
Bob Bootman
The Wind Blew Fiercely
Martyn Kempson
Blots, Plots and Scribbles
Paul Clark
Woods, Words and Whimsy
Mina Mah
Rolling Pumpkin
Joe McDermott
The Phantom Fables
Kelly Hatley teaches our community and educational writing workshops throughout Herts, Beds and Bucks UK. Creative Hats Press works in schools, colleges, universities, social groups and local venues.
