I’ll be chatting to Julie Wassmer, author of the brilliant Whitstable Pearl series, and screenwriter for shows likes EastEnders about her incredible career live and in person at the Staines Library Hub on Saturday 14th March from 3pm!
If you want to know about writing for TV, writing a series that gets made into a TV series (surely the Holy Grail for every novelist!) then join us before the tickets sell out! Like, now!! Click on the big picture below…
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
Stand-offs with copy editors
And his experiences of Worldcon in China
And much more!
Or watch it on Youtube…
LINKS
Jeremy’s website
Tickets for the live show with Julie Wassmer
Ghost of Yotei
Stardew Valley
Attack on Titan
Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Marty Supreme
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Eyes of the Void by Adrian Tchaikovsky (this is an affiliate link and I can earn commission if you use it)
Strength of the Few by James Islington (this is an affiliate link and I can earn commission if you use it)
Beastars (manga) (this is an affiliate link and I can earn commission if you use it)
Mono (band)
Sigur Ros (band)
Oasis (band)
Small Prophets
SPECTATORS BY Brian K Vaughan and artist Niko Henrichon
A huge thanks to Emily Stay-Newton for production assistance, to Kai Stay-Newton for the edit, and Dominic Currie for the jingle.
Support the show:
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/
Join me and Jeremy Szal, who was born in the outback of Australia and raised by wild dingos (it says here!). He is the author of the Common trilogy, a dark space opera, and was a guest of honour at the 81st Worldcon in China. We’ll be discussing writing epic science fiction, forging a career as a writer in an uncertain world and much more!
Join in the conversation live on TUESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY, 8PM GMT
Or join us on Youtube…
This promises to be fun! I’ll be chatting to Ben Aaronovitch about Stone Sky at the actual British Library on 30th March. Get your tickets here.
As part of the Escalate Arts Literature Festival, I’m going to be interviewing bestselling author and screenwriter JULIE WASSMER at the Staines Library Hub on Saturday 14th March, 2026 from 3-4pm… and we’re recording it for the Creative Differences podcast! And you can join us live!
Julie wrote for Eastenders for over 20 years and is the author of Whitstable Pearl mysteries, which is now a hit TV series starring Kerry Godliman, and I can tell you from past experience that Julie is a brilliant guest, so generous with advice and very funny: you don’t want to miss this!
Join us in person…
Who is this Mark Stay person, anyway? A quick hello/introduction to any news followers after that libraries vid went a bit popular…
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!
Here’s a tour of my “live” notebooks…
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 writing good stuff, and much more!
Or watch it on Youtube…
LINKS
Caimh’s website
Pre-Order The End of Gods paperback
Joe Abercrombie backlist
Down Cemetery Road
Raye: Where is my husband?
Scriptnotes book
Death by Lightning
Wish You Were Here 50th Anniversary
A huge thanks to Emily Stay-Newton for production assistance, to Kai Stay-Newton for the edit, and Dominic Currie for the jingle.
Support the show:
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/
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 work…
Or watch it on Youtube…
Gavin’s website
Pre-Order The End of Gods paperback
Mark’s comic con playlist
WHAT’S GIVING US JOY
Baldur’s Gate 3
Where Eagles Dare
Bond
Paddington
The Holiday
Die Hard
Young Sherlock Holmes
Roofworld: (I earn commission if you buy via this link)
A huge thanks to Emily Stay-Newton for production assistance, to Kai Stay-Newton for the edit, and Dominic Currie for the va-jingle.
Mark Stay Writes 