Mark Stay's Creative Differences

Elwood Flynn, author of Pulp Western Hot Lead, insists that he doesn't know where the brutal violence in his books comes from and that he's a perfectly nice person really. WE DISCUSS: Launching a new series with multiple formats including a gift box set How he once wrote a book in a day And how being a fan of Westerns can be politically challenging... And much more! LINKS Elwood Flynn ht...

Michael S Jackson, author of the epic Ringlander fantasy series, reveals how he lets the first draft storytelling flow in order to leave himself material that he can use in edits and rewrites. He also shares details of his new Kickstarter campaign! WE DISCUSS: The balance between story, magic and worldbuilding The importance of cover art and creating beautiful books And the important of the Rubik&...

Karen Storey, award-winning author of the brilliant debut novel THE APPROVAL OF SHEEP, reveals how her stories let her know when they're ready to be written. WE DISCUSS: A brilliant tip for writing award-winning short stories Why you need to get a website and newsletter right now And why her cat gets more fan mail that she does... And much more! LINKS Karen's website: https://karenstorey...

Kathleen Whyman, author of the MOTHER OF ALL COMEBACKS, reveals how her brilliantly funny novels are a combination of real life, invention and her imagination... WE DISCUSS: Receiving her first publisher rejection, aged 10! How an encounter in the loo led to her debut Balancing writing with marketing and PR... And much more! LINKS Kathleen's website   Kathleen's Unboxing Video The Julie...

I speak to Julie Wassmer, author of the Whitstable Pearl Mysteries and screenwriter on shows like Eastenders in a special episode, recorded LIVE at the Staines Library Hub as part of the Escalate Arts Festival. We Discuss: How Julie's TV experience affected the Whitstable Pearl Mysteries Using dictation and writing by hand The role that libraries played in Julie's writing journey And muc...

Jeremy Szal tells us how he has grown as a writer while creating the Common Trilogy, an epic space opera with 'messy, difficult emotional conflicts'. WE ALSO DISCUSS: Tips for writing short stories And his experiences of Worldcon in China And much more! LINKS: Jeremy's website: https://jeremyszal.com Tickets for the live show with Julie Wassmer: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/escala...

Ellis Blackwood is the author of the brilliant Samuel Pepys Mysteries and had a previous career writing about his love of Doctor Who, David Bowie and once made a very strange video with me on Youtube (we were young and needed the money)... WE ALSO DISCUSS... Rapid Publishing & Series arcs Historical accuracy versus story And why he hates plotting (but does it anyway)... LINKS Ellis Blackwood&a...

Caimh McDonnell is the author of the Bunny McGarry trilogy (not a trilogy) and the Stranger Times series (definitely a series) and his latest RING THE BELLS is one of my favourite books of the year. In this festive special, we discuss: How travel triggers story ideas The value of short stories Why calling something a trilogy is a bad idea And why it's crucial to take note of when you're...

Gavin G Smith writes gripping science fiction and his latest is ALIEN CULT, a terrific murder mystery noir set in the ALIENS universe. We Discuss: Writing for other people's IP, including games and film novelisations The crucial difference between a consistent universe and fan service Why he might enjoy research too much And why it's more important than ever for authors to value their wo...

Jeevani Charika writes award nominated romantic women’s fiction and romcoms. She’s written books on how to write romcoms, and sustaining a career as a writer and she also has an amazing YouTube channel teaching authors how to use Canva to make marketing graphics Her latest book How Can I Resist You is out now! We Discuss: What she's learned from her love of Korean dramas How 'writing tig...

Pernille Hughes is the author of TEN YEARS, PROBABLY THE BEST KISS IN THE WORLD and PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE; novels brimming with warmth, wit and unforgettable characters. And now she's back with her new novel A COPENHAGEN SNOWMANCE, which is here to herald in Christmas. Yes, I said the C-word! What of it?? WE DISCUSS: Discovering your voice Hygge Hero drafts Finding your tribe Writing on HRT and wh...

Lucy Strange is an award-winning children’s author whose books feel like classic children’s literature, but are written in a style that is engaging and accessible for today’s younger readers. Most recently she’s collaborated with artist Pam Smy on their spooky, funny new series Lockett & Wilde’s Dreadfully Haunting Mysteries! Often inspired by folklore and fairy tales, Lucy combines historical...

GD Wright is the author of the bestselling AFTER THE STORM and INTO THE FIRE, and he’s genuinely one of the nicest guys in the business with an extraordinary tale to tell: he was a copper, then due to health issues had to retire aged 30, and if you know Gary at all you’ll know that he’s had a few challenges this year… but he’s come through and was an amazing guest on the livestream. He talks frank...

Bestselling and award-winning author Rowan Coleman joined me to discuss her new book Never Tear Us Apart, revealing how a family photo inspired her to research in Malta, why she wrote her next book, The Good Boy, under a pen name, then there was something about quantum physics, and ultimately she asks the question we all want an answer to in any situation: What would Charlotte Brontë do? This was...

I had a wonderful time chatting to Nicola Whyte the debut writer of 10 Marchfield Square about how she was inspired by the nooks of London and Douglas Adams's whodunnits. We also discuss planning the middle of a novel, "soft boiled crime", designing author websites, and we get nostalgic about the Ottakars book chain and much, much more! LINKS NICOLA'S WEBSITE: http://nicolawhyt...

I chat with Sarah Pinborough, the bestselling and award-winning author of Behind Her Eyes about her new thriller We Live Here Now, spooky houses, her method of 'triple writing', going on tour and the lies we tell each other... LINKS The book links are affiliate links and I earn a wee bit of commission if you buy from them. WE LIVE HERE NOW: https://amzn.to/44IfsJg  LAUNCH AT WATERSTONES...

Tracy Buchanan is the bestselling author of the Dr Vanessa Marwood thrillers and she runs one of the best author groups on Facebook and is a brilliant advocate for authors. We discuss: Which comes first: research or plot? If authors can still earn a living from writing Growing maggots for research purposes And much more! My apologies for the quality of my mic for this episode. I had a dodgy connec...

Nadine Matheson is the bestselling author of the DI Henley crime thrillers and presenter of the Conversation Podcast. We discuss:  Writing as a planner Nadine's great tip for finishing first drafts Why not reading the small print was great for her career We have a fun rant about META and book piracy And much more! Edit by Kai Newton Production assistance by Emily Stay Jingle by Dom Currie LIN...

Award-winning author Gareth L Powell takes us into the future with his latest science fiction novel Future's Edge. We discuss: Writing SF in an era when fact is in danger of overtaking fiction Running the Stars and Sabers imprint with Jendia Gammon Why most authors now need a second job The importance of tea in the creative process And much more! Edit by Kai Newton Production assistance by Em...

Nicola May is the author of heartwarming and funny romantic comedies, including the hugely successful Ferry Lane and Cockleberry Bay series, she’s a great champion for indie authors and she’s here to kick off 2025 with another bestseller ‘How Do I Tell You?’ We discuss: Tips for writing romcoms The key differences between self publishing, traditional publishing and digital-first publishers Balanci...

In this special festive edition of the podcast I welcome GB Ralph, author of the cozy Milverton Mysteries series! We discuss: Slow burn romance Writing in scenes and converting them to chapters Chapter word count analysis (it gets nerdy!) Tips for book launches Tips for writing on your commute and how Gavin wrote his debut novel on his phone What he learned from switching from romcoms to cozy myst...

I'm joined by Mike Shackle, author of the epic LAST WAR fantasy trilogy, and he also writes thrillers under the name Michael Dylan: we talk about the perils of writing epic fantasy when publishers are imposing word limits, the pros and cons of self publishing and traditional publishing, writing cop thriller fiction, setting a mission statement for each book, and Michael creating his own artwo...

Zoë is the author of Garden of Her Heart, and host of the podcast, Write Damn It! An experienced coach with more than 35 years working on mindset, Zoë shares a ton of practical advice for writers including how to deal with self-doubt and rejection. WE DISCUSS... How stand up comedy helped Zoë's writing How to rethink your attitude to resilience Great tips for writing a synopsis Writers'...

My special guest on the podcast this month is LJ Shepherd, author of the stunning debut novel The Trials of Lila Dalton. We discuss first lines and opening pages, the benefits of attending festivals, the book that inspired her to choose her agent, and we get sneak peek into the notebook where she first jotted down her ideas for the novel that would become her debut. Oh, and her cat Coral pops in t...

Welcome to the first episode of Creative Differences with my special guest SC Gowland. We discuss curating the short story anthology The Law of Consequences, how to write a short story, and Steve reveals the little things that have made a big difference to his writing career. I also launch the GREEN ROOM: twice-monthly live Zoom sessions with me, exclusive for Green Room members on my Kofi page. L...