I had a great time at this weekend’s Canterbury Gaming Convention and I asked the good people who bought my books what was the last book they read and loved…
Tag: Fantasy
Michael S Jackson: Leaving Gifts for my Future Self | Mark Stay’s Creative Differences ep24
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’s Cube to his state of mind…
And much more!
Or watch it on Youtube…
LINKS
Michael’s website: https://mjackson.co.uk/
Michael’s Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/mikestepjack/ringlander-the-path-and-the-way-tome-edition/
Michael’s Author Interviews: https://authorinterviews.co.uk
The Miro app: https://miro.com
Modern Family: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Family
Karnivool: https://www.karnivool.com
This is How You Lose The Time War – by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone (this is an affiliate link and I earn pennies if you order using this link): https://amzn.to/4amdYGk
Widow’s Bay on Apple TV: https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/widows-bay/umc.cmc.1zzly0vah46bnvnwf0qkrjhh2
King Sorrow by Joe Hill (another affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4a8yREV
Unwelcome on Netflix! https://www.netflix.com/title/81552865
Craig Mazin’s How To Write a Movie talk… https://youtu.be/i27IKil-LXw?si=jpYDSH2xSlQ1CO3m
Thanks to:
Dom Currie for the jingle
Emily Stay-Newton and Kai Stay-Newton for the edit
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/
The End of Gods Unboxing Video
It’s here! THE END OF GODS is out today! And what better way to celebrate its publication, than a simple unboxing video. One in which I use actual magic!
Here are all the buy links…
Video Credits:
No Ai was used in the making of this video.
Camera, Sound, Edit & VFX: Kai Newton-Stay
Assistant Director: Emily Newton-Stay
Author’s Unfortunate Helper: George Stay
Music: Dom Currie
Staff crafted by Merlin Boorman
End of Gods cover art by Alejandro Colucci
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
MARK: I’ve done a few book unboxing videos in my time, but this is the first one where I’ll be using actual magic.
I commissioned this magical staff — a replica of one used by Rosheen Katell in THE END OF MAGIC — it was made by a man called Merlin…
Yes, really — who has only just now revealed to me that it actually works…
George!
(George drops the box with the books)
Merlin told me that the staff opens portals to magical experiences and that includes boxes with books. He’s given me a ritual which I am now going to recite from a safe distance.
EdWil… sonSim… onSpan…
TonLi… saRog… ersJu…
lianBarr-i… AnSains… buryAle… jandro…
Colucci!!
(George coughs)
I guess we’ll just have to put a graphic up…
Anyway, The End of Gods is available from all good bookstores, of course, if you want a signed copy you can come to my online store… the address will be scrolling across the bottom there…
GEORGE: Dad…
MARK: Yes?
GEORGE: I can’t see…
MARK: Thumbs up. You’ll have to wait for the audiobook…
The End of Gods is here! … sort of…
It’s here! It’s done! The End of Gods is ready to read… sort of.
First of all, my apologies for the lack of news and delays. If you follow me on social media, you’ll know that I’ve had an odd few months. My mum died suddenly and my daughter got married in close succession. My life was a low-budget Richard Curtis romcom (one wedding, one funeral) and it created what Faye Bright might call, ‘A right bloody palaver!’
But the good news is that The End of Gods is ready!
The bad news is that it’s Christmas.
Does that make me Scrooge? Not exactly, but it does mean that the Royal Mail is struggling to deliver parcels on time, and book printers are rushing to get books from major publishers into the bookshops.
There could not be a worse time to publish a paperback novel. I would not want to publish it now and promise delivery for Christmas. It’s just too stressful for all concerned.
So here’s what I’m going to do…
The paperback of The End of Gods will be officially published on 8th January.
‘Boo!’ I hear you cry. ‘Hiss! Down with this sort of thing!’
Hang on a minute, because here’s the good bit…
The eBook version is available right now.
‘Hmm, okay,’ you say, narrowing your eyes. ‘But I really wanted a paperback.’
So, here’s the deal…
If you pre-order the paperback of The End of Gods from me, you will receive the eBook version for FREE!
‘Ooh, how does that work?’ you might ask, not unreasonably.
Simply pre-order the paperback edition of The End of Gods (or the whole trilogy) from my online store, and you will receive a link to download the eBook version. You will be able to choose from a Kindle version, an ePub version (for Kobo, Apple etc) or a print PDF version.
Here are the terms and conditions, it might help if you say it in that sped-up voice that they use on podcast and radio ads…
Offer only applies to orders for The End of Gods paperback (or the End of Magic trilogy paperback bundle) – either signed and unsigned editions – made via the Witches of Woodville online store only. Not applicable to orders made via any other retailers. The customer will be sent a link to download an ebook file of The End of Gods (or the whole trilogy if they order the paperback bundle). They will be able to select from Kindle, ePub (Apple, Kobo, Google etc) or a print-ready PDF.
Offer expires at 23:59 GMT, 1st January 2026.
How does that sound? There are buttons below that will take you directly to my store where you can pre-order the books. From me. Exclusively (I’m not putting anything up on Amazon etc till January because they don’t like authors giving stuff away for free unless they can, too).
Hope that all makes sense and thank you all for your patience.
Happy reading,
Mark Stay
Readers in the USA🇺🇸 and Europe🇪🇺: because of Trump’s tariffs and Brexit (neither of which I voted for!) shipping physical products is challenging. If you’re desperate for a signed copy, please reply to this email and I’ll see if we can figure something out.
PRE-ORDER BUTTONS…
Fancy Some Magical Mischief?
I’ve got a (sort of) short story in this excellent new collection of short stories from the listeners of the Bestseller Experiment podcast (click on the image to get your hands on a copy)…
Why only sort of? Here’s my authors’ note from the collection…
Author’s Note (and excuse)
What you’re about to read is not exactly a short story. I did start one — honest, guv! — and it was a belter, all set in the world of my Witches of Woodville series. It started in the 1920s and ended in the 1970s*… which is where the problems started. As I began jotting down ideas for the story it soon became clear that I wasn’t about to squeeze it all into the allotted five thousand words. No, it soon became clear that this was going to be a whopper, perhaps even a novel all of its own. And things happen in the story that, at first, I thought I didn’t want to rush. Then it occurred to me that the real reason that I didn’t want to rush it was that, actually, I might not be ready to write them yet, as it meant saying a final farewell to certain characters. So I’ve popped that story back into a drawer at the back of my mind and will wait till the time is right to go back and see if I’m ready to finally [REDACTED] to poor old [REDACTED].
And if that wasn’t enough of a tease, then what you’re about to read is the first chapter of a thing that might never happen. It’s a new story, set in the world of the Witches of Woodville, and I’m still wondering where it might go, if anywhere. But I had great fun writing this opening chapter and I think it almost works as its own little standalone moment. So, in the spirit of mischief, I offer you The Canary Girls…
Happy reading, and please send all complaints to Miss Araminta Cranberry at the Woodville Village Library,
Mark Stay
*If you’ve ever wondered why the Woodville Village motto is ‘Witch-free since 1973’ this story was going to reveal all
So there you have it… and don’t forget, the anthology is packed with terrific stories from amazing authors, including (deep breath) W. J. Grupe, Jr, Rosie Stirling, Phil Oddy, Jeevani Charika, Jan Carr, Eva St. John, Dylan Blake, Anne Woodward, Angela C Nurse, Andrea Corzatt, BR Dexter, ZA Gowland, WA Leggatt, Trey Montague, Tommy Wills, Morgan Delaney, Kate Baker, Karen Storey, Julian Barr, Jocelyn Sordoni, GM White, GB Ralph, Gareth Lewis, Emmanuella Dekonor, Andrew Guile, Andrew Chapman, Alex Weight, SC Gowland.
Treat yourself…
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/
In Conversation with Ben Aaronovitch and other Dates for your Diary…
MCM COMIC CON, LONDON, 25-27TH OCTOBER
I’ll be at the MCM Comic Con in London for all three days, selling and signing my books and I’ll also be on the “Building Worlds” panel on Sunday 27th at 11am on the Writers’ Block Stage.
Aside from me, there’s a ton of amazing authors to see over the weekend!
IN CONVERSATION WITH FMA DIXON
01 Nov 2024, 18:30 – 20:00
The Pier Ceylon, 163 Station Rd, Herne Bay CT6 5NE, UK
I’ll be chatting with Herne Bay author FMA Dixon about his sequel to The House on Everywhere Street (which I loved!).
IN CONVERSATION WITH BEN AARONOVITCH
TUESDAY 26TH NOVEMBER, 6.30-8PM
OXTED LIBRARY
I’ll be chatting to the legend that is Ben Aaronovitch about his latest Rivers of London novel, and there will be books for sale and to be signed!
I’ll be at Fort Amherst Fantasy Festival, Easter 2024
Easter Sunday, 31st March and Easter Monday 1st April, 10am-4pm
Delighted to confirm that I’ll be at the Fort Amherst Fantasy Festival on Easter Sunday/Monday! I’ll be seeing and signing books and hopefully not getting lost in the tunnels. Grab your early bird tickets here.
Fort Amherst Family Fantasy Festival
On Easter Sunday and Monday, the historic tunnels of Fort Amherst will be transformed into a child-friendly fantasy world of make believe and science fiction. The tunnels will be home to a spectacle of fairies and goblins, Star Wars characters, Pirates of the Caribbean, Doctor Who players, Fantasy Creatures and Dragons, and other exciting characters.
Joining the fun will be the amazing wacky performers of the Kentspectations Steam Punk Group bringing a Victorian science fiction element to the festival. Alongside them will be the sinister figures of the Vader’s Raiders cosplay group including a special appearance of the legendary Chewbacca.
In the Cave Yard Captain Jack Sparrow will enthral you with his Black Pearl ship display and piratical activities. Little pirates will be able to brush-up on their buccaneering skills with sword fighting and lessons in talking like a Pirate!
There will be a number of other engaging activities such as children’s activities, storytelling, and more. Also check out the ‘science fiction and fantasy worlds’ trade stands.
Children are encouraged to join in with the fun by dressing up as their favourite fantasy characters.
Around every corner you will encounter creatures galore, all of whom will provide the perfect photo opportunity for the young and at heart.
The End of Magic is available to pre-order now…
- Support your local bookshop and order via Hive
- Waterstones
- Amazon
- The Book Depository
- Apple Books
- Kobo
- Google Play
- WH Smith (link to follow soon)
And the most amazing people have been saying very nice things about the book…
- Support your local bookshop and order via Hive
- Waterstones
- Amazon
- The Book Depository
- Apple Books
- Kobo
- Google Play
- WH Smith (link to follow soon)
Just a couple of pledges away from 75%
Hi everyone – the three-quarters funded marker is just a couple of pledges away and it’s kind of crept up on me. Again, massive thanks to everyone who’s pledged so far, and do please continue to spread the word (send them here!). In the meantime, here’s a little quiz you can share with anyone who’s not yet pledged…
Till next week!
Mark
Mark Stay Writes 