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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