What does it really take to succeed as an author in today's publishing landscape? Bestselling writer John Marrs doesn't hold back in this refreshingly candid conversation about the realities behind his thirteen-book career journey.

From writing his first five books on trains and during lunch breaks to receiving 80 rejections (some with just "NO" written in red marker), John Marrs demolishes the myth of overnight success and the perfect writing environment. His path from self-publishing to having "The One" adapted for Netflix reveals both the highs and unexpected challenges of reaching a wider audience.

With remarkable honesty, John Marrs discusses the business decisions that shaped his career, including his transition from speculative fiction to psychological thrillers because "you've got to go where the money is." He explains why he still doesn't have a literary agent despite his success, how he approaches marketing and social media promotion, why he prefers Instagram over public appearances and his new novel, You Killed Me First.

You Killed Me First

Three women. Three smouldering secrets. Who will make it out alive?

It’s 5 November, and a woman awakens to a nightmare. Bound and gagged, she lies trapped in the heart of a towering bonfire. As the smoke thickens, panic sets in – she’s moments away from being engulfed in flames. How did it come to this?

Rewind eleven months: Margot, a faded TV star, and her long-suffering friend Anna watch as glamorous Liv and her flawless family move into their street. The three women soon fabricate the perfect pretence of friendship, but each harbours her own deadly secret – and newcomer Liv senses something is terribly wrong beneath the polished exteriors.

As cracks widen in the veneer of perfection and lies escalate out of control, tension ignites. Bonfire Night is approaching and someone is set to burn…But who will it be?

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We all have dreams we've postponed and creative passions set aside while we handle life's practicalities. Award winning author Elissa Soave knows this struggle intimately. Having started law school at just 16, she spent decades in a profession that never quite felt right before finally pursuing her writing dreams in her mid-40s.

"Anybody can say 'not yet, not yet' but at some point you have to say no, I'm actually now going to prioritise what I like to do with my time," Elisa shares in our candid conversation about her journey from law to literature. This powerful sentiment forms the emotional core of our discussion about her new novel "Graffiti Girls" which follows four middle-aged women who decide to break the law by spray-painting feminist messages across their small Scottish town.

Elissa also reflects on representation, deliberately centering working-class characters from small towns because "they are not represented enough in literature." For anyone who's ever thought "someday I'll follow my passion," this episode serves as both inspiration and gentle challenge. Your time is finite. What brings you joy?

Graffiti Girls

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🗳️Vote for my book 'The Kill List' to be on the Theakston’s Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year shortlist!

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"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️! Every contribution helps keep the show going.
https://ko-fi.com/nadinematheson

Don't forget to subscribe, download and review.

You can purchase books by the authors featured in our conversations through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org. By using this link, you’ll be supporting independent bookstores, and I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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In this illuminating conversation with crime author Marnie Riches, we dive deep into the unpredictable world of professional writing and publishing. With remarkable candor, Marnie shares the rollercoaster journey that's taken her from writing children's books under a pseudonym to becoming an award-winning crime novelist with 22 publications to her name.

"Writers are gamblers," Marnie reveals early in our discussion. "Even on days where we don't love writing because it is a grind, there's always the gambler in us thinking next time, next time, the next spin of the wheel." This gambling analogy perfectly captures the persistent hope that keeps authors going through rejection, disappointment, and the countless variables beyond their control.

Our conversation takes fascinating turns as we discuss the politics of book covers, the challenges of switching genres, and how class background shapes risk-taking in creative careers and her latest novel, "The Gardeners Club," a cozy crime mystery that represents yet another pivot in her versatile career.

The Gardeners Club

Gardening is dirty work – but should it be deadly?

When Gill Swanley decides to take up gardening to fight a midlife malaise, she never expected it to become quite such a dangerous hobby.

Pushing herself to 'get out there', Gill picks herself up the secateurs and joins the Bromley Botanists. Here she finds a seven-strong group whose main agenda is how to win the coveted Golden Trowel for best community club of the year.

But when a dead body turns up in the community greenhouse, they suddenly have more serious matters to consider than victory. They must uncover whether their arch-rivals, Croydon, are taking things to another level or whether someone more dangerous is targeting their rag tag group.

Can they dig up the truth before someone else is left pushing up the daisies?

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"Enjoying 'The Conversation'? Support the podcast by buying me a cup of coffee ☕️! Every contribution helps keep the show going.
https://ko-fi.com/nadinematheson

Don't forget to subscribe, download and review.

You can purchase books by the authors featured in our conversations through my affiliate shop on Bookshop.org. By using this link, you’ll be supporting independent bookstores, and I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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www.nadinematheson.com

BlueSky: @nadinematheson.com Substack: @nadinematheson Instagram: @queennads
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