Conversations with Fionn Kelly

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fionn Kelly

Hi Fionn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2022, Eleanor Rose, Chase St. Clare, August Oliver, and I, Fionn Kelly, along with a few colleagues, including movie and TV star Erin Carere, founded Finch Benson. Previously, Eleanor, Chase, August, and I had been working with a literary agent but grew disillusioned with the state of the traditional publishing industry. We were particularly concerned by the numerous mergers, unethical practices among major publishers, and the mistreatment of authors by prominent figures in the industry. This led us to transform our ghostwriting business and self-written books into an independent publishing house. With contributions from friends in the book community, including Chase St. Clare as our graphic designer and Asher Benson as our editor, we built a cooperative model where everyone is fairly compensated for their work. Finch Benson has since grown into a 14-person team, dedicated to creating engaging literature outside the constraints of traditional publishing.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I would say some of the biggest challenges we’ve experienced include people not knowing who we are and having to fund all of our endeavors out of pocket, as we aren’t backed by a large publisher. We’re not an imprint, which, for those unfamiliar with the publishing industry, is essentially a smaller press owned by a big name. This means everything we do is self-funded, and in the publishing world, success often depends on how much money you can invest. We’ve been very fortunate to have many skilled and talented people who can create outstanding books, but when it comes to advertising and marketing, we are definitely limited to what we can afford out of our own pockets.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
As of today, Finch Benson has published 17 novels since its inception. We also run a thriving ghostwriting business. We are pioneering a new face of publishing by operating as a co-op model, where everyone is admitted based on the special skills they bring to the table. We all thrive through joint advertising on social media. What am I most proud of? I would say it’s the fact that all the people involved are wonderful human beings who come together to create something wholly unique and new. We are excited about branching out into other genres, but currently, we have written books in the fantasy, contemporary romance, and thriller genres. We strive to represent dynamic social issues like mental health, equality, and diversity in our works and within our company itself.

One thing we’re really looking forward to is a HUGE line up of festivals and conventions we’ve been invited to next year all across the country!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I would say that good and bad luck are wholly irrelevant to our business. I like to say I’m the Taylor Swift of the book world in that I have had to rebuild myself so many times that it has become part of who I am. The process of rebuilding, rebranding, and coming back from setbacks is like Swift’s lyrics in “Look What You Made Me Do” and “Willow,” where she talks about coming back stronger than a ’90s trend. Throughout my career as an author and book maker, I’ve faced numerous situations that required starting back at ground zero, and each time, we keep rising. That’s not luck; that’s pure skill and drive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://finchbenson.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finchbensonbooks/

Image Credits
Erin Carere, Chase St. Clare, Elizabeth Clydesdale, and Nick Starling