Who is this Mark Stay person, anyway? A quick hello/introduction to any news followers after that libraries vid went a bit popular…
Category: authors
Authors Get Money When You Use the Library
Did you know that every time someone borrows a book from a library in the UK or Ireland that the author gets money?! Guess who just got his PLR statement!
Which Mark Stay Am I?
There are two authors named Mark Stay on Amazon and Goodreads. Which one am I?
TRANSCRIPT
Hello folks, I’m Mark Stay… Or am I?
If you pop on to Amazon or Goodreads you’ll see that there are two authors with the name Mark Stay. It’s not much bothered me before, but the other day I noticed that the other Mark Stay had a one-star review for their latest novel, On the Leaden Shore, and I thought I’d have a look and I discovered that the poor guy had received a not great review because he wasn’t me… That hardly seems fair on the other Mark, so, to be clear, this is me: if there’s magic and witches and, occasionally robots and spaceships, it’s probably me.
This other Mark is from the suburban Midwest of the USA and in his bio says he comes from a large religious family and he does seem to write about supernatural stuff, but from a Christian perspective. Here are his books…
Me? Well, I’m from London and no fan of religion so I guess that makes me the Anti-Mark Stay.
So, once again (and this time, demonstrated via the medium of these socks that my daughter bought me a few Christmases ago): dragons and wizards and shit: me.
Christian stuff: that’s the other Mark.
Me…
Not me…
Me…
Not me…
I hope that’s clear. Always read the author bio. And happy reading.
Tracy Buchanan on the Creative Differences Livestream
Join me with bestselling author Tracy Buchanan on the livestream that looks at the little things that make a big differences to writers.
Tracy writes gripping thrillers that delve into the darkest corners of family, psychology and forensic investigation. Her books explore secrets, lies and the dangerous choices people make when pushed to the edge.
And, as a child, she crafted stories using cut-outs from her mum’s Littlewoods catalogues! She also runs one of the best writers’ groups on Facebook and is a brilliant advocate for authors. It’s going to be a really lively one, so pop the date in your diaries now!
TUESDAY 22ND APRIL, 2025, 8PM BST
Or on Youtube…
Should Authors be on a Salary?
Should authors be on a salary?
TRANSCRIPT:
I was thinking about Chappel Roan at the Grammies asking the record companies to pay their musicians a living wage and it got me thinking… if a publisher — one of the big five, say — started offering authors a monthly salary instead of an advance, would you take it?
A monthly salary, with a pension plan, health care (very important for our US cousins) paid holidays, maybe even expenses?
You could be on a fixed contract: 3 years or 5, but you have to deliver a book a year. Oh, and you have to write what the publisher wants (which, arguably, is happening more and more in traditional publishing), and you don’t retain copyright or get any royalties (which is kind of what happens in TV). Maybe you get a bonus for hitting sales targets? Would you do it?
Is anyone doing it already? I doubt it as the current system is very much weighed in the favour of the publishers… but if you’re an author, would you be tempted by a monthly salary with all the benefits and strings attached?
Creative Differences Episode 6 with Nicola May: “Persistence over Resistance”
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
Balancing serious themes with heartwarming fiction
And much more!
LINKS
Kinky Boots Musical UK Tour 2025
Paul Mescal in A Streetcar Named Desire
Katherine Priddy and Simon Armitage
Edit by Kai Newton
Production assistance by Emily Stay
Jingle by Dom Currie
Join Nicola May on the Creative Differences livestream
We kick off 2025 with a brilliant special guest! Nicola May is a hugely successful bestselling author renowned for her heartwarming and humorous …
Join Nicola May on the Creative Differences livestream
GB Ralph on Starting a First Draft
This month’s special guest GB Ralph reveals when he’s ready to start writing a draft…
TRANSCRIPT
MARK: What’s the thing that makes you think you’re ready to start writing on a project?
GB RALPH: When I back-calculate from my deadline and find that I’m already behind schedule. (laughs) I don’t know, where is even the start line? Is it jotting down ideas, sketching them out? Plotting? Is it start writing, ‘It was a dark and stormy night.’? I’m ready to start drafting my next book now. Like, as in, chapter one, scene one as of this week. I have a victim. I have a handful of suspects, each with their potential motives, and that’s about it. But I have I have about two novels’ worth of content and that I want to fit into one novel. So we’re bursting at the seams, and I need to start writing to see what ideas are actually smaller than I thought they were. Ones that don’t fit in at all. Ones that are maybe bigger than I had originally thought and will spark more ideas.
Or watch the whole show on Youtube…
What’s Bringing us Joy now…?
My special guest GB Ralph and I reveal the things that are bringing us joy this month, including books, TV and games. See below for a full list of links…
LINKS
GB Ralph’s website
Everyone this Christmas has a Secret
The Holly King by Mark Stay
Only Murders in the Building
Arcane
Mini Metro game
Allie X Last Christmas
Altego Music’s Wham/Chappel Roan mash-up
The Penguin
Beyond the Throne by Kristian Nairn
Rosalie Cunningham, To Shoot Another Day
December will be Magic Again by Kate Bush
Christmas at the Airport by Nick Lowe
Edit by Kai Newton
Production assistance by Emily Stay
Jingle by Dom Currie
Or watch it on Youtube…
Mike Shackle and the Squeaky Toy of Doom
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 artwork!
And we’re also joined by Buddy. Who has a squeaky toy that has an urgent message for the world…
WATCH ON YOUTUBE
LINKS
THE LAST WAR TRILOGY
THE WITCHFINDER CHRONICLES
MICHAEL DYLAN’S DI SIMON WISE THRILLERS
MIKE SHACKLE’S ART
REBECCA MILLAR EDITORIAL
ANDREW CHAPMAN (REMEMBER HIS NAME)
PRIMAL SCREAM: COME AHEAD
FURY OF THE GODS BY JOHN GWYNNE
DAY OF THE JACKAL ON SKY UK
NAUTILUS on Amazon Prime UK
THE PALIN DIARIES 1999-2009
BOBBY DAZZLE
Edit by Kai Newton
Production assistance by Emily Stay
Jingle by Dom Currie
Visit https://markstaycreativedifferences.com/
Join The Green Room: https://ko-fi.com/markstaywriter/tiers
Buy my books here: https://witchesofwoodville.com/#bookshop
And there’s more about me at: https://markstaywrites.com/
Mark Stay Writes 