Tag: novels

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…

Get a Signed paperBACK direct from me
GET THE EBOOK DIRECT FROM ME (KINDLE, APPLE, KOBO ETC)
THE GREAT BRITISH BOOKSHOP
I GUESS THERE’S ALWAYS AMAZON…
AND THOSE BIG EBOOK RETAILERS: APPLE, KOBO ETC
BUT REALLY, IT WOULD BE SO MUCH NICER IF YOU GOT THOSE FROM ME…

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…

Caimh McDonnell: Notice When You’re Doing Your Best Writing | Mark Stay’s Creative Differences Ep 18

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!

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

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: Know Your Own Worth | Mark Stay’s Creative Differences Episode 17

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…

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

Or watch it on Youtube…

LINKS

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)

The Holly King by Kate Rusby

The Holdovers

The Beatles Anthology

A huge thanks to Emily Stay-Newton for production assistance, to Kai Stay-Newton for the edit, and Dominic Currie for the va-jingle.

Support the show:

Join The Green Room

Buy my books here

And there’s more about me here

Gavin G Smith on the Creative Differences Livestream

Gavin Smith is the author and co/author of 14 books, a couple of novellas and multiple short stories. His books include (but are not limited to) Veteran and its sequel War in Heaven, the Age of Scorpio Trilogy, the Bastard Legion Series and Spec Ops Z. As well as having written for Black Library, Gavin wrote the novelisation of the Sony Pictures Bloodshot movie and Marvel’s Original Sin series.

Within the games industry he has worked with Yoozoo, Ubisoft, DPS Games and CCP. In addition, he has optioned several film scripts.

And his new book ALIEN CULT is murder mystery noir set in the ALIENS universe and I can’t wait to discuss it with him!

Join us live: TUESDAY 9TH DECEMBER, 8PM GMT

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Or on Youtube…

I Love Editing… Am I Weird?

I’m in the depths of edits of THE END OF GODS and I’m loving it… Does that make me a weirdo?

Bookmarked Interview

There are some fun questions (and answers!) in this Q&A that I did for that most-excellent thriller writer Max Elwood on his blog. To find out what book I think should be adapted as a movie, how I organise my bookshelves, and why I think Amazon is both the best and worst thing to happen to publishing, click on the image below…

Rowan Coleman on the Creative Differences Livestream, Thursday 24th July 8pm BST

Rowan Coleman is the internationally bestselling and award winning author and screenwriter of many novels including THE MEMORY BOOK, THE SUMMER OF IMPOSSIBLE THINGS and THE GIRL AT THE WINDOW.

Her latest novel NEVER TEAR US APART is out now, and under the name Stella Hayward she’ll be publishing THE GOOD BOY in September (about a dog who turns into a man)…

Do please join us live as you’ll have the opportunity to ask Rowan questions on the night (we’ve also written on a number of projects together, and we’ll definitely be chatting about that!). It’s going to be so much fun. Thursday 24th July 8pm BST.

A reminder: the live show is just that, live and raw and things can go wrong including stuff that gets edited out of the final podcast, but… it’s also your opportunity to ask questions of the guests. So if you have a question for Rowan, join us and get involved.

Join us on Youtube…

Or join us on facebook

What’s the Most Non-Writery Thing I Do?

I was delighted to be featured on the Author Interviews site for an all-new batch of questions. I reveal my favourite writing tools, the most non-writery thing I do, and my favourite scene from The Corn Bride and more. Click on my grinning mug below for the whole interview…

Are you a Writer? Want answers?

Twice a month, I run online sessions for writers called the Green Room.  You can ask me questions about the craft of writing, your WIP, or the business of publishing. The sessions are fun and informal and chatty. You can send me questions in advance. They’re recorded live and saved on Kofi for exclusive access to Green Room supporters. Recent topics for the Q&A sessions include…

‘Show, don’t tell’

Writing for children

Dealing with feedback

Happy endings

Writing historical fiction around real events

And much, much more!

And once a month we have a 200 Word Workshop, where you can send me 200 words from your current project and I give it a critique.

I’m running this via Kofi, where you can join by clicking on the Green Room membership tier for £20 a month.

There’s no long term commitment. With Kofi, you can support for just a month, or for as long as you like. 

My goal is to be able to give supporters advice that will make a real difference to their writing and career, because the way I see it: having worked in this industry as a salesperson, bookseller and author for over 30 years, I’ve made every mistake, so you don’t have to.

The next session is Thursday 12th June, 8pm BST…

FIND OUT MORE BY CLICKING ON THIS BRIGHT GREEN BUTTON!

And here are the international timings…

TIMEZONE INFO

THURSDAY 12th JUNE, 2025, 8PM BST

9PM CEST

12 NOON PDT

1PM MDT

2PM CDT

3PM EDT

FRIDAY 13TH, 5AM AEST

FRIDAY 13TH, 7AM NZST

Sarah Pinborough: “I Triple Write.”

This month’s special guest bestselling author Sarah Pinborough reveals when she knows that’s she finished a draft and how she ‘triple writes’ her books…

LISTEN TO THE WHOLE PODCAST

Or watch it on Youtube…

TRANSCRIPT

MARK: How do you know when you’re done?

SARAH: Well, Mark, invariably, I am skating in the last knockings of the deadline. So when I write the end, I literally think ‘I’m going to scan through this and I’m sending this fucker off,’ so… But, because I do triple write, as it were, like I plan in a notebook, then I rough write into Scrivener, then I copy it over into Word, tidy it in Word. I do it in like 8000 word chunks. I’ve kind of… if it’s not untidy and it’s not…. You know, it’s probably most people’s second draft, when I hand it in. And I kind of think… I mean obviously this would be different if it was on spec, but I’m like; they’ve paid for it. Let’s see if it’s holding, you know, because if it’s not holding, it doesn’t matter how pretty I make it. (If) there’s a massive structural problem, let’s get to that. You know, so I kind of figure that’s the way.