The Bestseller Experiment

RJ Barker combines the page-turning thrills of a whodunnit crime thriller and the world-building of fantasy in his Wounded Kingdom series, the first of which was written in just six weeks! RJ tells us why he gets explosions of joy while writing, and this is the only episode of the podcast to cover the important issues of antlers and stuffed weasels. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.c...

Sherrilyn Kenyon's first book was published when she was still in college, since then she has had more than 80 novels on the New York Times list, and more than 70 million books in print. We talk to Sherrilyn about her rise from childhood poverty to eBook pioneer and a bestselling phenomenon.  To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestseller...

Sherrilyn Kenyon's first book was published when she was still in college, since then she has had more than 80 novels on the New York Times list, and more than 70 million books in print. We talk to Sherrilyn about her rise from childhood poverty to eBook pioneer and a bestselling phenomenon.  To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestseller...

An essential guide to bloggers and blog tours with Gollancz's Publicity Manager Stevie Finegan. You will discover how to find bloggers, how to work with them, how to create a campaign, top tips for blogger content, and we discuss the dos and don'ts of a blog tour. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

Mr. Stay overcomes his suspicion of writing retreats and joins award-winning author Marcus Sedgwick on his retreat in the Alps and, in a podcast first, interviews him in a hot tub! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

A special episode where we talk to Clare Christian from RedDoor Publishing about their hybrid model of publishing where  the authors underwrite the production costs, but also have great control over every aspect of the process and take the lion's share of commercial returns. So yes, the author pays up front! But it's not vanity publishing and has resulted in brilliant books. Hear more at http://be...

We speak to bestselling author Rowan Coleman about why she heckled Mr. Stay at the RNA conference, how to make readers cry, how copy editors can save your life, how a chance encounter at a supermarket checkout led to a hit novel, we play backlist bingo and Rowan's teenage daughter makes a cameo, and more! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out n...

Mr. Stay reports from YALC, the Young Adult Literature Convention in London and speaks to author Dhonielle Clayton about her book The Belles and how it all started with a conversation overheard in a shopping mall, and how every kid can be the hero of their own story. To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreali...

Mark Desvaux rejoins the show and discusses his absence.   To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

In these highlights from our YouTube Live show with Gollancz's Marcus Gipps and Stevie Finnegan we look into the world of conventions, comic cons and other bookish events. AND we have some exclusive news about GollanczFest! To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Lisa Cutts works for Kent Police as a full-time detective constable, but when she's not solving murders and other serious crimes she writes bestselling crime fiction. We caught up with Lisa on the hottest day of the year after an event at Harbour Books in Whitstable and discovered how Lisa's experience gives her crime fiction added authenticity... To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com...

Miranda Dickinson is a Sunday Times bestselling author, shortlisted twice for the RNA Novel of the Year, and has sold over half a million books. Her story is one of determination, rejection, grief and triumph. In this episode you will discover… Why Doctor Who fans can make for brilliant beta readers (and a great publication community) How a cool opening line can lead to a fully-fledged bestseller...

In this Deep Dive we explore newsletters with digital marketing consultant Julia Pidduck who brings years of experience working with indie authors and bestselling giants like Ian Rankin. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

John McGhie has been an investigative journalist for the BBC and Channel 4 News and was the Observer's political correspondent, and his debut novel White Highlands looks at the Mau Mau and a dark period in history. In this episode you will discover… - The pros and cons of adapting recent history into fiction - The challenges writing a story set in two time periods - The essential resources for wri...

Love is in the air at the Romantic Novelists' Association conference! I was invited to talk about the podcast and was introduced by Julie Cohen, heckled by Rowan Coleman, and I got to speak to Rhoda Baxter, Nicola Cornick and Sheila Crighton about all kinds of love...

Mark Stay and Julian Barr, author of The Way Home, discuss Joseph Campell's Hero's Journey in the second of a three-part epic Deep Dive trilogy! Using examples from Star Wars, Jaws, The Godfather, The Notebook and more they look at The Road Back, Resurrection, Return with the Elixir, and they discuss how you can apply the lessons learned to your writing.   Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment....

Pernille Hughes brings the funny with her debut novel Sweatpants at Tiffanie's. To add to the joy, Pernille is one of our listeners and we trace her journey from sharing a photocopier with a Teletubbie to a deal with Harper Impulse.   To support the show go to bestsellerexperiment.com/support Our novel Back To Reality is out now bestsellerexperiment.com/backtoreality

Mark Stay and Julian Barr, author of The Way Home, discuss Joseph Campell's Hero's Journey in the second of a three-part epic Deep Dive trilogy! Using examples from Star Wars, Jaws, The Godfather, The Notebook and more they look at Tests, Allies, Enemies, Approaching the Inmost Cave, Ordeal, Death & Rebirth, Reward, Seizing the Sword, and they discuss how you can apply the lessons learned to your...

Sam Missingham fell in love with the quirks of the publishing industry when she started working at The Bookseller over a decade ago. Since then she has worked at HarperCollins as head of audience development, and now runs The Lounge, a marketing resource for writers. With an outsider's perspective, she has been a pioneer of change in how publishers view digital sales and marketing... In this episo...

This week's Deep Dive is a discussion with Julian Barr about the Hero's Journey. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

In t his week's Deep Dive is a discussion, Mr. Stay discusses Romcoms with literary agent and romcom devotee Federica Leonardis in this special Deep Dive. Hear more at http://bestsellerexperiment.com/support

This is not the usual 'How do you get an agent?' show, instead we talk about money, author's earnings, shrinking advances, publishers' profits, and that letter from the Society of Authors to the Publishing Association (and we get sidetracked into a conversation about socks)… In this episode you will discover… - How the income from a typical book sale breaks down between retailer, publisher, agent...

You may know CL Taylor as the Sunday Times bestselling author of psychological thrillers The Lie, The Accident, The Fear and more… but it wasn't always that way. As Cally Taylor she wrote romcoms, and has a career with more than her fair share of ups and downs that might have made a lesser mortal give up. But not Cally! Get inspired with a fun trip through an incredible career... In this episode y...

Veronica Henry is a Sunday Times bestselling novelist who started out as a writer on BBC radio's The Archers after being kicked out of university, and then went on to win the RNA novel of the year award for her book A Night on the Orient Express. When we caught up with her, she had been indulging in cake and champagne… and we find out why... In this episode you will discover… - How a recipe book i...

Steve Cavanagh is the author of the Eddie Flynn legal thrillers The Defence, The Plea, The Liar and now, with his new book Thirteen, he is on the verge of a bestselling breakthrough. Steve brings his legal expertise to his writing and creates compelling characters and nail-biting thrillers, and co-presents the Two Crime Writers And A Microphone podcast… Which we're not going to plug on the show. N...