Mark Waddell: Decide What “Success” Means for You
In this interview, author Mark Waddell discusses the process of deepening the fictional world of his new novel, Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World.
Mark Waddell grew up on the cold, windswept prairies of western Canada and later earned a Ph.D. in the history of science, medicine, and technology from the Johns Hopkins University. After teaching at Michigan State University for 15 years, he and his husband moved to Vancouver Island. When not writing, he plays the viola in the Civic Orchestra of Victoria, walks his dogs on the beach, and slays fearsome monsters in Dungeons & Dragons. Follow him on Instagram and Bluesky.
In this interview, Mark discusses the process of deepening the fictional world of his new novel, Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World, his hope for readers, and more.
Name: Mark Waddell
Literary agent: Melissa Edwards, Stonesong Literary Agency
Book title: Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World
Publisher: Berkley/Ace
Release date: October 7, 2025
Genre/category: Contemporary fantasy
Previous titles: The Body in the Back Garden
Elevator pitch: Colin Harris is a lowly data analyst in Dark Enterprises, the world’s oldest and most sinister company. Desperate for a promotion, he strikes a deal with a mysterious entity and accidentally brings about the end of the world.
What prompted you to write this book?
Years ago, I had the idea to write a fantasy story told from the POV of a supposed villain—specifically, the hapless apprentice to an “evil” wizard murdered by a gang of state-sponsored “heroes.” It seemed like a fun way to turn the genre on its head while exploring a nuanced and complicated character. Eventually, that transitioned to a contemporary setting in a globe-spanning corporation called Dark Enterprises. I hit on an idea for a character who worked in a really weird and disturbing version of a Human Resources department, and things took off from there.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
I started this story sometime in 2019…I think? It’s a little blurry. I went through a period in which I was plotting and writing roughly 14,000 books at the same time, and this was one of them. I hopped back and forth between ideas for a while before my life went through a lot of upheaval—first there was the pandemic, and then I retired from academia, started writing full-time, and published my first novel, which was a cozy mystery. But through all of that, I kept coming back to this particular book, and every time I did, the world of the story deepened and became more interesting to me. I decided to hammer it into something approaching a first draft before sending it to my agent to see what she thought, and with her help I got it to a place where we were able to sell it just a couple of months after my mystery novel came out in 2023.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
Traditional publishing can be pretty mysterious, so I’m always learning new things. With Colin Gets Promoted and Dooms the World, I’ve been so impressed time and again with the creativity and dedication of the people working to get this book out into the world. You don’t fully appreciate the effort that goes into publishing until you see it in action, and I’m incredibly fortunate that this particular team has my back.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
Writing this book over a period of several years showed me how chaotic my process tends to be. I have a habit of jumping all over the place, putting random ideas on the page as the story develops in my head, and then I have to stitch it all together into something resembling a coherent plot. It’s worked for me, mostly, but it could use some refinement. Fortunately, I’ve worked with some wonderful editors on this book and I’ve become a stronger writer as a result.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Laughter, mainly. I hope readers laugh at this dark, demented world I’ve created so that when they go back to the real world, it feels a little less dark and a little less demented by comparison.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
Decide what “success” means for you—not for anyone else, including your publisher!—and make that your goal. Never forget that comparison is the thief of joy.
