EP419: SJ Bennett — “A Relentlessly Positive Attitude”
SJ Bennett had a successful career writing award-winning books for teenagers, but after a change in the market and a life-changing diagnosis, she decided to completely change tack and began a brand new crime series, Her Majesty the Queen Investigates, which became an international smash, selling over 100,000 copies. With the latest book in the […]
Continue readingEP417: Harriet Tyce — “Trying to Outdo Myself.”
Harriet Tyce tells us about her brilliant new thriller It Ends at Midnight, how the amazing reception to her debut Blood Orange made her wonder if she could do it again, and how she gets herself into trouble by trying to outdo what she’s written before. And in the extended version for Academy members and […]
Continue readingEP416: Alan Gorevan — “Write Something and Release It”
Alan Gorevan is an Irish thriller writer and winner of the Irish Writers’ Centre Novel Fair competition. Alan was preparing his debut novel for submission when the 2020 lockdown came along, and he thought his dream was over before it had even started. But then Alan decided he wasn’t going to sit around and wait […]
Continue readingEP415: Tracey Lien — “You’re Digging for Clay”
Tracey Lien’s debut All That’s Left Unsaid was sold in a nine-way auction and she tells us why it was important that a book that deals with heavy issues needed to be a fun read. Tracey tells us the most important lesson she learned about readers while writing for the LA Times, how she found […]
Continue readingEP412: Ed McDonald — “Do Everything Now”
Ed McDonald returns to the podcast with a new fantasy series, The Redwinter Chronicles, and we discuss how the fantasy genre has changed in the short time since we last spoke. Ed also discusses a life-threatening illness that has given him a new perspective on his writing. . . And in the extended version for […]
Continue readingEP410: Jenny Ashcroft — “Self-Perpetuating Support.”
Jenny Ashcroft has always been fascinated with the past and how extraordinary events can change the lives of ordinary people. With her new novel, The Echoes of Love, Jenny takes us to Crete in 1936, and she reveals her best resources for researching and writing historical fiction. And Jenny talks about finding your writing peers […]
Continue readingEP409: Sixth Birthday Special — How to Make a Podcast
The two Marks celebrate six years of the podcast by giving their listeners a peek behind the scenes to see how a weekly podcast is made, and our editors Dave and JD offer tips for anyone who’s thinking of starting their own podcast, and they spill the beans on what doesn’t make it into the […]
Continue readingEP407: CL Taylor — “Trust Your Gut”
We welcome Sunday Times bestselling author CL Taylor back to the podcast with her new novel The Guilty Couple. In an interview packed with amazing advice, she takes us step-by-step through her creative process, from first idea to finished novel. And in the extended version for Patreons and Academates, the two Marks discuss wants, needs […]
Continue readingEP406: Scott Turow — “Plot is a Species of Character.”
Scott Turow is a master of suspense fiction. He returns with his new thriller, Suspect, and tells us about the challenges of taking a minor character from a previous novel and putting them front and centre of their own story. He also describes how he uses plot to test and reveal his characters. Scott also […]
Continue readingEP404: Aggie Blum Thompson — “I Had No Plan B”
Aggie Blum Thompson sent us an email in 2019 detailing her dream to see her book on a table in a bookstore. Aggie’s second novel, ALL THE DIRTY SECRETS, is out now and she tells us how she made that dream a reality. This is a hugely entertaining interview and Aggie reveals how she bounced […]
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