September 2007 Archives

A 43 Light Street book. When Luke McMillan opens an ancient box that arrived in a shipment of stolen antiques, the spirit of an ancient warrior comes roaring out and possesses him. He’s in trouble and so is Sidney Weston, the art expert who asked him to repair her computer. The warrior forces Luke and Sidney to return the box to its rightful owners, the Moon Priests. But ruthless thugs will stop at nothing to get the box back.

" ...a captivating additon to the 43 Light street series...York's characters are solidly believable in this extraordinary story of good, evil and the chances men take for both."-- Romantic Times BOOKreviews Magazine

“Rebecca York delivers page-turning suspense."-- Nora Roberts

Ever since she can remember, Rebecca York (aka Ruth Glick) has loved making up stories full of adventure, romance and suspense. As a child she corralled her friends into adventure games or acted out romantic suspense stories with a cast of dolls. A USA Today best-selling novelist, Ruth is the author of over one hundred books   She has authored or co-authored more than 45 romantic suspense novels and 20 romances, many with paranormal elements.  Her many awards include two RITA finalist books, two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times, four NJRW Golden Leaf Awards and the Barclay Gold Award.

Guilt, broken families, people dealing with shame?

In Derek Nikitas’s debut novel, Pyres, three women’s lives converge when a folklore Professor is found dead—fatally shot in his car in a college town outside of Rochester, NY. From diverse backgrounds, the three women: the professor’s daughter, fifteen year old Lucia Luc Moberg; the detective, Greta Hurd, who is facing her own family’s collapse; and Tanya, the pregnant, former-junkie girlfriend of the killer, are entangled by tragedy and pain.

Throw in a gang who lights fires for thrills and you’ve got a combustible combination of small town dynamics: high-brow academia and working class townies vying for revenge and redemption.

Says Nikitas, “I like to explore what it means to be part of a family and what happens when families are torn apart."

Derek Nikitas has published stories in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, The Ontario Review, and Chelsea. Originally from New Hampshire, he has traveled to Prague, Sweden, England and Costa Rica and is currently pursuing his PhD in Creative Writing at Georgia State University. He is also a member of Killer Year, a website devoted to debut suspense writers.

“I was surprised by how modern the sexual relationships were—people having affairs, getting pregnant—all this going on all the time,” says Tasha Alexander of her experience writing: Elizabeth: The Golden Age, the companion novel to the film starring Cate Blanchett.

During her reign as Queen of England (1558 - 1603) the so-called Virgin queen had a close relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh. “Everyone has a gut reaction to Raleigh," says Alexander. "He was the one who colonized Virginia but he was a much deeper person. He opened the new world. He was a poet and a scientist, and a member of a secret society for new scientific ideas.”

Raleigh’s relationship with Elizabeth fell apart when the Queen learned that he secretly impregnated and married one of her Ladies In Waiting.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, made a conscious decision not to marry. “That was a very difficult and unique choice to make at that time,” says Alexander. “The time period was not at all what you would have expected to find. There were a lot of strong women in the Renaissance period.”

During Queen Elizabeth’s spectacular reign, the arts prospered. But so did political intrigues and assassination attempts. The most controversial was the plot against her life involving her cousin, Queen Mary. Plots and counterplots ensued. Finally, Queen Elizabeth had Mary beheaded in 1587.

Despite her enormous power and the duties that went with it, Queen Elizabeth made a point of reading three hours a day, every day, says Alexander. “She stopped everything to do this—despite her duties as Queen.”

Tasha Alexander is a graduate of Notre Dame University. She has written three novels and lives with her family in Tennessee. Read an excerpt of Elizabeth: The Golden Age here.

“I’m very interested in what’s below the surface,” says Tim Maleeny, whose latest thriller, Beating the Babushka, takes on the collision of seemingly opposing worlds: San Francisco’s film industry and the Russian mafia.

“There’s usually the tourist side of a city and the way it looks to inhabitants, and then there’s the way it transforms at night,” says Maleeny. “What happens in the back alleys and hidden neighborhoods? Where does crime take place?”

In this case, a movie producer takes a fatal plunge off the Golden Gate Bridge. The death looks like suicide until you add two million dollars to the picture. A colleague thinks it’s murder. The police aren't impressed and ignore her story. The colleague turns to private detective Cape Weathers, who listens. Sort of.

But he’s all ears when two Russian gangsters show up at his door and suggest he drop the case or die.

As Weathers, who works with a trained assassin, pursues the case one Russian gangster provides a key to the investigation by the story he tells about his grandmother or Babushka. The Babushka story symbolizes the crook’s philosophy and how he approaches life, says Maleeny.

“There are colorful, quirky people in the industry,” Maleeny says. “Lots of money and loose accounting practices are a good set up for crime.”

Tim Maleeny graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in computer science, then worked in advertising before he started writing thrillers. Beating the Babushka is the second book in his Cape Weathers series. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two daughters.

“Fear is the most dangerous thing there is!” says Tara Taylor Quinn whose Behind Closed Doors deals with the brutal rape of Laura Elizabeth Clark.  Clark is a white woman married to Harry, an African-American who is forced to watch this heinous crime against his wife from his own bedroom.

The police believe the rape is a random act of violence. Harry is convinced it is the targeted act of a white supremacist group. That group, Ivory Nation, is led by Bobby Donahue. 

Yet nothing is at it seems in Behind Close Doors. Donahue is a religious man abused by his father who gains love and acceptance from the church, yet he does vile things, says Quinn.  “I hate what he does but I like him because he sacrifices so much of himself to raise his young son alone, whom he adores.”

To get behind the White Supremacist façade Quinn did a massive amount of research.  She also met with an undercover detective in Arizona where she says these groups are huge partly because of border control issues.

Quinn was amazed at how these white supremacist groups preyed on young men in their late high school years.  “They approach them at a time when these kids are pulling away from their parents yet are still vulnerable. The group gives them strength and a cause and convinces these kids that they are doing God’s work,” says Quinn. 

In fact she based Ivory Nation on a combination of a local Arizona group and an international White Supremacist Organization. “The talk is often the same as religious groups: family values, women at home…And it’s all about being pure white. But how can you be that?” Quinn asks. “We all come from somewhere else. This stuff twists your brain and makes everyone crazy.”

Writing about hate crimes has become a personal mission for Quinn. “There’s a lot of danger in it but I’m compelled to put this out there,” she says.  “I’m much more afraid of what isn’t said and revealed. We all need to know about this so we can feel safer.”

Tara Taylor Quinn has written more than 40 novels, and has published in more than twenty languages. She is a USA Today bestselling author with more than five million copies sold. Behind Closed Doors is the second book in a trilogy about hate crimes.  She lived in Arizona for eighteen years.

Five years after destroying ECHELON, the word’s first total surveillance system, Ryan Laing isn’t quite living happily ever after.  Sarah Peters, the love of his life, has left him and Ryan has receded from the chaotic reality of a world without “Big Brother.”  But when Sarah is blamed for a series of terrorist attacks, Ryan must plunge back into a world he wanted only to forget. Could Sarah have gone rogue or is she a pawn in a larger game? The answer lies with EMPYRE, a new power at the center of the chaos gripping the globe. Ryan’s only hope is to uncover EMPYRE’s secret before it’s too late…

"Raw kinetic energy and blistering pace . . . a thriller for the new millennium." -- James Rollins, author of Map of Bones

"Intricate plot lines and breakneck pacing make this cyberpunk/espionage hybrid a highly entertaining read." -- Publishers Weekly

Josh Conviser grew up in Aspen, Colorado, graduated from Princeton with a degree in anthropology, and  has lived in Europe and the Far East. An avid mountaineer, he climbed in ranges around the world, including the Himalayas, before giving up the mountains for the jungles of Hollywood to pursue a career in screenwriting.  He is the executive consultant on HBO’s hit series Rome and has several films in development. His first novel, an info-tech spy thriller titled, "Echelon," was published last summer by Random House.  His second novel, "Empyre," comes out in October.

Scottish author Peter May's "China Thrillers" land him in jail in France.

Scottish author Peter May will be taken from his home in South West France to Poitou-Charentes jail on October 19.  May's crime?  His book "Snakehead" is one of French prisoners' favourite books this year. 

May was handed down the jail sentence when he made it through to the final stage of France’s most unusual literary award.

The Prix Intramuros - literally, “within the walls” - is decided by juries made up of inmates in French penitentiaries.  The seven shortlisted authors for the prize face a day in jail and 12 hours of interrogations by panels of prisoners.  It is the third year of the prize, and the winner will be announced during Cognac's annual Festival of Crime Writing, "Polar & Co", on October 20.

May has owned a house in France for 20 years and has lived there full-time since 2003.  Although he speaks French, he has concerns about being fluent enough to get through the interrogations.  However, he has a plan to divert attention away from any grammatical errors, “As a Scotsman, I’m going to be wearing my national dress of the kilt,” he said, “I’m hoping it’ll make a lasting impression on the juries of inmates.”

This is the second time that May's books have been honored in his adopted home of France.  Elle Magazine shortlisted the first of his China Thrillers series, "The Firemaker" for their "Grand Prix" of Literature two years ago.

"Snakehead" is the fourth in the series.  The story involves bio-terrorism and opens in southern Texas with the macabre discovery of truck full of dead Chinese immigrants.  Whilst researching the book in the USA, Peter May visited prisons in Huntsville TX, including the infamous death row of the Walls Unit.  May's China Thrillers are published in the USA by St Martin's Press, with "The Killing Room" due out there in February 2008.

May is currently writing a new series of thrillers set in France.  The first of which, “Extraordinary People” was described as “Intelligent, involved, ingenious” by New York Times best-selling author Steve Berry.  The second in this series, "The Critic", will be published in November this year by Poisoned Pen Press (USA).  The story takes the reader to the vineyards of South West France, on an investigation into the killing of a famous American wine critic.

Peter May will visit the USA in February/March 2008 for a book-signing and wine-tasting tour - if he gets out of jail in time...

Sorry folks but our poll on where Thrillerfest should be staged in 2009 has had to be taken offline after someone or something decided to try load the results by voting around the admittedly primitive measures we had in place against double voting. The figures you saw over the last few days, in which more than 300 votes appeared to be cast for one particular location, were, sadly, not a reflection of the general feelings on this matter.

Sorry about this but it is easier to take the thing offline rather than leave it open to abuse. This was very much an exercise to gauge opinion. There are many factors to take into account before a location for 2009, and the genuine feelings expressed in the poll - which we can gauge from the figures before it got attacked - are among them.

In Erica Spindler’s The Last Victim, hurricane Katrina’s devastation takes on psychotic dimensions when disembodied hands are found in an abandoned refrigerator in New Orleans’ refrigerator graveyards.

 

Who would commit this sick act?  All signs point to the murderous work of a serial killer dubbed The Handyman.  

 

In an already decimated police force, finding the killer becomes personal for embittered Captain Patti O’Shay, whose husband, another captain in the same department, was killed during the storm by looters.  And now, two years after the storm, her husband's badge and handless remains have been found in a shallow grave.

 

Question is: is the Handyman still active? Or even alive?  Was he lost or killed in the storm? Or was he relocated? 

Spindler, who has spent much of her adult life in New Orleans, became fascinated by the refrigerator graveyards that erupted after the storm. “When we left, our refrigerators were fully stocked. But when the power went out, the food went bad and people came home from the storm weeks later to these refrigerator nightmares,” she says.

 Most people duck-taped them shut and rolled them out to the street but the appliances were considered environmental hazards because of the Freon.

 

“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took the refrigerators to dump sites and lined them up like tombstones,” says Spindler.  “They cleaned them out one by one. One dump site had 30,000 refrigerators.”

 

“I started to imagine,” says Spindler.  “What if they opened one up and found the unimaginable—severed hands—the result of a serial killer.”

Erica Spindler has written a dozen thrillers and twenty-five books.  She is a New York Times, USA Today, Waldenbooks and Amazon.com bestselling author. The Last Victim is her first novel set in post-Katrina New Orleans and features some of the characters that appeared in Killer Takes All.  Click here for The Last Victim casebook file give-away and other Spindler goodies.

What was it like to take part in the world's first audio serial thriller? We asked some of the participants. First Jeffery Deaver talks about why he agreed to participate in this project and his thoughts on writing the first and closing chapters of the audiobook as opposed to resuming the storyline somewhere in the middle.

Question: What intrigued you about this project when you were approached about it?  

Jeffery Deaver: First, the pro-bono aspect of helping out the International Thriller Writers. Second, the idea of doing an audiobook. I'm very interested in the sonic quality of words, and I thought it would allow me to explore a few different stylistic elements in my writing. Third, it hadn't been done before, as far as I knew, and that always appeals to me.

Q: What drew you to write a plot centered on a music manuscript?   

JD: I've had the idea of doing something with a manuscript for some time --- either a forgery or a stolen one. I was on book tour in Poland last year and decided to set the opening chapter there. Whom better to pick than Chopin?   

Q: When you penned your first chapter, did you purposely develop challenges for your fellow collaborators?    

JD: Well, I like to think I developed "opportunities." I left it quite open-ended so that my comrades could go where they wished.  

Q: Beyond writing the first chapter, did you give any instructions to the authors along the way?    

JD: None whatsoever. I was hoping that no one would write a chapter involving alien spacecraft from the plant Zantar --- as my co-writer John Gilstrap jokingly threatened. But I gave no direction at all.  

Q: Did you see the manuscript along the way?    

JD: No. Jim Fusilli --- who by the way did a masterful job of shepherding and editing the project --- sent me synopses, but I didn't want to see the manuscript itself until the end. I didn't want to project a storyline that wasn't reflected in later chapters.  

Q: When you got the manuscript back to write the closing chapters, what were your first thoughts?   

JD: I was blown away by the quality of the writing and the imagination of my fellow authors. As you might know from my books, twists and surprise endings are what excite me most about thriller writing, and the book was filled with wonderful plot reversals. As for the ending, I did come up with a double twist, which was possible only because of the great storylines everyone created.  

Q: As this was conceived as an audiobook-only project, did you give any special consideration to that as you were developing your plot and characters?  

JD: I was particularly cognizant of aiming for realistic dialogue and sharp description, rather than internal contemplation and mood.  

Q: Do you listen to music as you write? If so, what do you listen to?    

JD: I do listen to music, though instrumental only. (Words, of course, might distract.) I listen to jazz, Celtic traditional music and classical (yes, Chopin).  

Q: You are known for being a meticulous self-editor. How tough was it for you to write something and then put it out there for others to meddle with?  

JD: There was actually very little editing of each other's chapters, and that was done largely for continuity (making sure types of weapons, for instance, remained consistent) or to flesh out or adjust a scene that would later pay off in a certain way. Besides, what a great arrangement: I got to come up with a story and not have to write the middle of the book --- which any author will tell you can be a real pain!  

Jim Fusilli, Project Editor and Contributor discusses how he was able to assemble such an impressive group of authors to make this collaborative creation possible and the chapters of the audiobook that especially stood out for him.

Question: How did you come to this project as editor?

Jim Fusilli: M.J. Rose of the International Thriller Writers (ITW) asked me. I said yes right away --- I like what the ITW is doing for writers, and I’m an M.J. Rose fan.

Q: How did you pull these authors together? 

JF: Jeffery Deaver was the first author we asked, and then we asked David Hewson.  M.J. invited Erica Spindler and Lisa Scottoline, and I asked S.J. Rozan, Peter Spiegelman and Ralph Pezzullo --- I’ve spent a lot of time with those three writers during the past few years. Jeff invited John Gilstrap and John Ramsey Miller. From then, it became a matter of what the story needed. When I saw that we were going to move the characters to Washington, D.C., I thought of James Grady, who wrote SIX DAYS OF THE CONDOR. I know David Corbett from various writers’ conferences, and I thought he’d be great. Same for P.J. Parrish and Joe Finder --- I like them and their work. I think we all wanted Lee Child --- like Jeff, he epitomizes the best in contemporary crime writing. 

Q: How did you assign the authors to each chapter?

JF: I asked them if they wanted to be in act one, two or three, which allowed me to gauge their availability as well as what they think their strengths are. But once the story was underway, I started to deploy them where I thought they’d be best for the story. Putting Lee and Lisa back-to-back worked really well. Peter and Ralph too. Having James, John Gilstrap and John Ramsey Miller --- three writers who know Washington really well --- gave us a lot of flexibility. 

Q: Did any one chapter surprise you?

JF: To be honest, Jeff’s first chapter was so strong that I felt guilty accepting it for the project. I’m sure he could’ve used it for one of his books. But I think S.J.’s chapter surprised me the most. She was a bit hesitant to join the project --- she doesn’t consider herself a thriller writer. I knew she’d do well, but her chapter is flawless and her choices are just great. I paid her a little tribute by picking up her thread when it was my turn to write. Also, Lisa Scottoline made a surprising choice. I love what she did. And I should mention Joe Finder. He’s the master of action in his novels, but for THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT, he did something quiet and introspective – which is exactly what the story needed when his turn came.

Q: Did you make any suggestions to the authors?

JF: Not really. I mean, what can you tell these guys about writing a thriller? I sent them a synopsis and the chapter that preceded the one they were writing. One of the joys for me during the project was opening the files each author sent me and then having the pleasure of enjoying what they’d written. 

Q: How long did each author have to work on his or her chapter?

JF: About two weeks. We wanted to keep the project moving. 

Q: How long was the project from start to finish?

JF: We started in January and ended in mid-July.  

Q: You are the pop and rock music critic for The Wall Street Journal, thus the theme of music must have been interesting for you to explore in this work. Peppered within the writing are numerous references to many classical and popular pieces of music. Did the depth and breadth of your colleagues’ knowledge of music surprise or impress you? 

JF: Yes, but it shouldn’t have. Creative people tend to be creative in many ways. I knew Jeff was a musician, but I didn’t realize that Lee was, or Kristy Montee of P.J. Parrish. David Corbett knows music too, and so does S.J. Ralph plays guitar. We play together whenever I’m in L.A.

Q: Have the authors seen the completed work yet?

JF: Yes. 

Q: Did you edit the content along the way?

JF: Not much. I did establish some guidelines for consistency in grammar and style. But I didn’t want to impose a heavy editing hand on the contributors. I thought of my job as corralling the copy, meeting the deadline --- and writing a chapter that could stand with these terrific writers.
 
Roundtable Interview with Contributing Authors: David Corbett, John Gilstrap, James Grady, John Ramsey Miller, Ralph Pezzullo, S.J. Rozan, Peter Spiegelman and Erica Spindler

Eight contributing authors of THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT --- David Corbett, John Gilstrap, James Grady, John Ramsey Miller, Ralph Pezzullo, S.J. Rozan, Peter Spiegelman and Erica Spindler --- explain how they were drawn to this unique collaboration and the challenges they faced when writing their portion of the book. 

Question: Each of you was a contributor to THE CHOPIN MANUSCRIPT. What was it that intrigued you about working on this unique collaboration?

David Corbett: The concept alone intrigued me, and I'm never one to turn down an invitation to be clever.

John Gilstrap: I think that first and foremost was my deep respect for all of the other authors who were involved. Also, there was something very intriguing about writing a segment of a story without knowing where it was going to go. In short, I thought it would be a lot of fun, and it was.

James Grady: Writers tend to live in worlds of their own imagination and work solo. This project gave me a chance to work with colleagues who I admire, to come out of my own vision, use what was handed to me, and try to blaze a story forward that others could use and that readers could enjoy. Besides, it gave me a chance to help the ITW.

John Ramsey Miller: Who could turn down the opportunity to work with Jeff Deaver? That would be like, if you were a drummer in a garage band and Eric Clapton asked you to record with him. I was flattered, and given the esteemed company, I just hoped I wouldn’t embarrass myself.

Ralph Pezzullo: I trust Jim Fusilli. He's a man of good taste, sound judgment, a Jets fan, etc. We both like interesting challenges. He said this would be unlike anything I'd done before and he was right.

S.J. Rozan: The chance to write together with such a great group of writers! And the idea of a serial novel -- I'd never been involved in one before.

Peter Spiegelman: There were a lot of appealing things about the project. One was that it was such a unique venture --- a collaboratively written audio thriller was a definite change of pace from the short story anthologies I’d contributed to in the past. Of course, the chance to work with such a distinguished and talented group of story-tellers was also a huge draw. With that group, and Jim Fusilli as editor, I had every confidence that the quality would be high. And I admire ITW as an organization, so I was happy to have an opportunity to contribute to the group.  

Erica Spindler: The opportunity to work with such varied and talented authors and to be a part of something so unique drew me to the project. I was delighted to be a part of it.

Question: Were you well-versed on the work of your fellow collaborators before you started writing your chapter? 

David Corbett: A few: Jeff Deaver, S.J. Rozan, David Hewson, Lee Child, Peter Speigelman. The others have been a joyful surprise to meet, at least on the page, except perhaps for YOU KNOW WHO.

John Gilstrap: I'm sorry to say that I had not read works by all of the other collaborators, but certainly I'd read the vast majority.

James Grady: I've been a fan of these guys for years, and lucky enough to call a few of them friends. 

John Ramsey Miller: I’ve read one of more works of all of the other authors. Most authors have, or certainly should have. 

Ralph Pezzullo: First of all, I consider it a privilege to be included in this very talented group of writers. S.J., Peter, Jim and I are all friends from New York. I know and admire their work. Some of the others, I'm familiar with, too. Jeffery Deaver, of course. We're represented by the same agency. Lee Child is great. But these days I read mostly nonfiction. 

S.J. Rozan: Yes. I read most of them regularly.

Peter Spiegelman: I knew the work of many --- though not all --- of my fellow collaborators quite well before this project. I’d read and enjoyed Jeff Deaver’s books, as I had James Grady’s, Lee Child’s, S.J. Rozan’s, David Corbett’s, Jim Fusilli’s, Lisa Scottoline’s, Ralph Pezzullo’s, P.J. Parrish’s and Joe Finder’s. But I hadn’t had a chance to read David Hewson, Erica Spindler, John Ramsey Miller or John Gilstrap before. I have some catching up to do!

Erica Spindler: I don't know that I'd say well-versed, but I was certainly familiar with all the contributors' work --- and a big fan of several.

Question: What was your first thought when you read the manuscript up to the point that you would be adding your chapter?

James Grady: I was chapter number 3, so the story had just begun when it came to me. My first thought after reading up to where I was supposed to start writing was, "Are you nuts?" I had no idea where to go, and then it hit me: if you don't know where, work on how. I decided to get things moving fast and furious, and one thing I know about writing fiction is how to pull a trigger.

John Ramsey Miller: Jeff, you friggin’ world traveler, why didn’t you set this in the Mississippi Delta, or North Carolina? Thanks to Mr. Grady, my chapter takes place in Washington, DC. Luckily I’ve been there a few times.

John Gilstrap: At that juncture, I was both impressed and surprised by the scope of the story, and a little worried about whether or not I could keep it going at the breakneck pace that was set by my predecessors.

Ralph Pezzullo: Oh my God, what have I gotten myself into?!

Peter Spiegelman: The PG version would be “Holy cow,” followed closely by “Now what?” It was immediately clear that Jeff had given us some very fertile ground to work, and that he’d set the bar quite high in his opening chapter. The writers who’d come after had kept to Jeff’s high standard and put a lot of balls in the air, and I knew I had quite a challenge in front of me.

S.J. Rozan: I was excited by the possibilities! So many directions available to head in, so many threads already created to be woven together or separated into individual lines.
Erica Spindler: “Oh, man. What am I going to write? This is nothing like I do!” Frankly, I panicked. Once I’d taken a deep breath and reminded myself that the whole point of the collaboration was to feature the unique writing personalities of each author, I calmed down. I jumped on the part of the story that called to me.

David Corbett: Candidly? "Hey, wait a minute --- that doesn't make sense." I had to retrace the hero's steps and correct a plot point rather than just barrel ahead. I'll say no more.

Question: As you were writing, were you envisioning what future collaborators might do with your plot? 

James Grady (Chapter 3): What I wanted to do was open up options for the writers who were to follow me while I was moving the plot forward to only they would know. I created two new characters who I loved, then tossed them out there for others to do with as they willed. The last thing I wanted to do was paint any of my shadow crew into a corner --- though man, for the beast in me it was tempting to leave them a big mess to clean up, mostly in order to watch how those pros work.

S.J. Rozan (Chapter 4): Yes, I couldn't help it, though I was sure nothing I had in mind would turn out to make sense. (And I was right about that.)

Erica Spindler (Chapter 5): Definitely. In fact, with my own panicky moment in mind, I tried to lay threads for the others to pick up. I know John (Ramsey Miller) from when he lived in New Orleans and specifically brought New Orleans in, thinking of him. It was fun wondering who would pick up what thread and what they might do with it.

John Ramsey Miller (Chapter 6): Not really. I mean who could begin to imagine what these minds would come up with? All of the chapters ahead of me introduced characters and fast action, and I decided (and Jim agreed) that somebody had to pull some of it together and do some work on the back story. So I saw my chapter as the elbow behind the flying fists.

David Corbett (Chapter 7): Not in the least. My feeling was: Acts 2 and 3 are for suckers. And as I'd already been given a wild left turn to correct, I was fresh out of pity.

John Gilstrap (Chapter 8): Actually, I had a very strong sense of where I would take the story after my chapter. In my head, there were some twists in terms of who would be the good guy and who would be bad, but in the end, the story ended very differently. I think that was the coolest part of this entire project: to see what comes from the collective imaginations of 15 writers. I'm very pleased with the result.

Peter Spiegelman (Chapter 11): I was. I knew my chapter was at the start of the third act, so I felt the need to begin to tie off some loose ends --- or at least to edge us in that direction by bringing some disparate strands together. Ralph Pezzullo (who wrote the chapter that follows mine) is a good friend of mine, and he and I talked about what might happen.

Ralph Pezzullo (Chapter 12): I had a general idea of where they could go with it, but, of course, they surprised me, which is the delight of a book like this.

Question: What was the biggest challenge to you in writing your portion of the book?

John Gilstrap: When it was my time to contribute, the story had taken us all around the world, it seemed, and back again. There were a lot of characters getting into all kinds of trouble, and by the time I sat down to write I felt a bit overwhelmed initially. None of the plot lines had begun to turn a corner yet. So, I decided to concentrate on the character who I thought had the most potential to make the story really compelling. I wanted to work on the heart for a while, as well as on the action, so I decided to concentrate on Felicia and the loss of her uncle. But first, I had to get her away from Faust for a while in a way that would resonate as organic to the story that had been told to that point. Frankly, the exercise was more difficult than I had expected it to be. 

James Grady: The biggest challenge for a serial writer --- whether in a novel like this or, oddly, on a TV show --- is to give up your ego, your loves and hates, embrace the work you've been given, and dance with it like a loving pro.

Peter Spiegelman: It was definitely dealing with the lack of control. When you’re writing your own book, you’re in complete charge of the characters, the setting, the action --- everything. With CHOPIN, I had to work within an established framework --- although that framework itself was subject to some interpretation. I felt very much as if I’d walked into a movie midway through, and for me the first order of business was to figure out what was going on. I actually wrote a little backstory for myself that explained what had happened in the book to that point --- why people were doing what they were doing --- and kept that context in mind as I wrote my chapter. It really was a unique experience.

Erica Spindler: Waiting to do it. I had already started writing my chapter before I read the preceding chapter --- I had to completely toss what I’d done. That was okay, though. I really like where it went.

David Corbett: Providing something unique without deviating from the stylistic tone of the book up to that point, especially making sure that, despite my giving the protagonist an increasingly desperate willingness to use violence to achieve his ends, that he didn't become Peter Lorre --- though he did fear something terrible was happening to him. (I've been made to understand that some feared this led poor Harry to become a bit too extreme for a mainstream thriller protagonist, and this needed to be righted. Sheesh. What a gaggle of sissies.)

John Ramsey Miller: I did my work on the villains. Trying to come up with Balkanish names was hard. I failed, because I did Polish names that had to be changed.

Ralph Pezzullo: Pulling together all the different plot threads and characters and trying to make sense of the different characters' motives.

S.J. Rozan: Keeping my own voice, but blending in with the chapters already written and those to come. 

Question: As this is an audiobook, did you think about this as a format when you were writing? If so, how did you alter your typical writing style to adapt to an audio-only experience?

James Grady: Any good prose should resonate when it's read aloud. That's also as much of a test for prose as it is for poetry; probably more so, since poetry is a more personal voice, and reading it aloud is not always a good indicator of how good the poem is. I didn't know this was destined to be an audiobook. If I had, I would have written it exactly as it is.

Ralph Pezzullo: I started as a playwright, have also written radio dramas and I'm currently spending a lot of time writing screenplays, so I'm used to working with actors and hearing my words read out loud. As a playwright and former journalist, I like to keep things strong and lean. To my way of thinking, this keeps the listener's imagination engaged. They fill in the blanks, so the telling and listening process becomes a collaboration. An actor of Alfred Molina's prodigious talent brings added dimensions of drama and character to the experience of hearing the story.

S.J. Rozan: I did think about it. I wasn't aware of altering my style for the audio format --- all my books are available in unabridged audio --- but I was aware of trying to write as much for the senses as I could. That is, to try to make sure the reader could see, feel, hear, smell my setting and my action.

Peter Spiegelman: I didn’t give it much thought. I’m always very concerned with how my writing sounds when read aloud (it comes from being a poet). My first approach to editing is to read the work aloud, so in that respect, CHOPIN wasn’t a big adjustment.

John Ramsey Miller: What? It’s an audiobook? Now you tell me. Who's singing it?

Erica Spindler: I didn’t.

David Corbett: I wrote it in Braille. 

John Gilstrap: Trust confessions time: I probably should have read my invitation letter more carefully, because I was not aware as I was writing my contribution that it was going to be part of an audiobook; I thought it was going to be a print edition.  The fact that it is coming out in audio form is very exciting. That said, for my chapter anyway, what you hear is the way I write for the page.

Question: How long did it take you to write your chapter? 

John Ramsey Miller: It took me longer to read the chapters that were written before mine and think about how to address what was coming at me, than to write the chapter. I suppose the writing took a couple of hours, and then I polished it for a couple more. Once I know what I am going to write, it comes out in a stream. A stream of fury…well, of words of fury. 

David Corbett: It came to me in a dream, word for word, and I wrote it down by memory in a matter of hours upon waking. Then I cut out all the parts about Xanadu.

S.J. Rozan: As long as my writing usually takes me. I do approximately 1,000 words a day; then I revise, rewrite, etc. So the chapter took me about a week.

Erica Spindler: A good week, including preparation.

John Gilstrap: Well, there's writing as in thinking and writing as in actually sitting at the keyboard and writing. Combined, it was probably a week, but in terms of butt-time in the chair, I think I pounded out my chapter in six or seven hours.

James Grady: For this work, the writing fell into two stages: my submission, and working with the editor to then make my style fit the overall tone. Writing the story was also working against a weird kind of deadline. Every minute I took up meant that those who came behind me had less time. I charged this story, did it in about a week, and spent about a day's worth of emailing with the editor to get the final draft.

Ralph Pezzullo: I work fast. Once I figure out the shape of the story in my head, the words flow and the characters speak.

Peter Spiegelman: It took about 2 weeks.

Question: Have you read the final work? If so, can you comment on how your chapter played into the total story?

Ralph Pezzullo: It's fascinating really. So many unexpected twists and turns. At the point where I took over, Jim was concerned about moving events to a surprising but credible conclusion. So it was my job to reveal the "big" conspiracy at the center of all the elements that had been developed up to that point. I could never have anticipated how the story played out after my chapter. Kudos to all!

Peter Spiegelman: I have, and I think my chapter fits nicely. It begins to gather some plot strands, but I was pleased to see that there are plenty of thrills and unexpected twists right up to the end. And Jeff did a wonderful job of bringing everything to a satisfying resolution.

John Gilstrap: I have read the whole thing, and I'm very pleased that my chapter plays what I think is a key role in the story. I couldn't be more pleased.

James Grady: You know, it's funny, but I have not read the final work. For this one, I wanted to wait and get it on audio how and when the audience does.

John Ramsey Miller: Well, it didn’t sink the book, did it? I’m serious. I don’t know. I hope not. Truthfully, it’s an amazing book and working on it was a gas and an honor. 

S.J. Rozan: I picked up on a thread that had been suggested but not used before me. Although used subsequently, it remained a subplot; but actually, I think there's another book in that subplot...

David Corbett: I've not read the whole book because I didn't want to spoil the enjoyment of the audio version. I'm looking forward to it, I think.

Erica Spindler: I haven’t. I’m probably the only one, too. My Apple computer had a translation problem, then I hit my own book deadline. I do know my chapter was significantly altered by a decision of one of the late-chapter authors. At this point, I’m looking forward to listening to it --- the way the readers will be.  

Scottish author Peter May's "China Thrillers" land him in jail in his adopted home of France.

Scottish author Peter May will be taken from his home in South West France to Poitou-Charentes jail on October 19.  May's crime?  His book "Snakehead" is one of French prisoners' favourite books this year.

May was handed down the jail sentence when he made it through to the final stage of France’s most unusual literary award.

The Prix Intramuros - literally, “within the walls” - is decided by juries made up of inmates in French penitentiaries.  The seven shortlisted authors for the prize face a day in jail and 12 hours of interrogations by panels of prisoners.  It is the third year of the prize, and the winner will be announced during Cognac's annual Festival of Crime Writing, "Polar & Co", on October 20.

May has owned a house in France for 20 years and has lived there full-time since 2003.  Although he speaks French, he has concerns about being fluent enough to get through the interrogations.  However, he has a plan to divert attention away from any grammatical errors, “As a Scotsman, I’m going to be wearing my national dress of the kilt,” he said, “I’m hoping it’ll make a lasting impression on the juries of inmates.”

This is the second time that May's books have been honored in his adopted home of France.  Elle Magazine shortlisted the first of his China Thrillers series, "The Firemaker" for their "Grand Prix" of Literature two years ago.

"Snakehead" is the fourth in the series.  The story involves bio-terrorism and opens in southern Texas with the macabre discovery of truck full of dead Chinese immigrants.  Whilst researching the book in the USA, Peter May visited prisons in Huntsville TX, including the infamous death row of the Walls Unit.  May's China Thrillers are published in the USA by St Martin's Press, with "The Killing Room" due out there in February 2008.

May is currently writing a new series of thrillers set in France.  The first of which, “Extraordinary People” was described as “Intelligent, involved, ingenious” by New York Times best-selling author Steve Berry.  The second in this series, "The Critic", will be published in November this year by Poisoned Pen Press (USA).  The story takes the reader to the vineyards of South West France, on an investigation into the killing of a famous American wine critic.

Peter May will visit the USA in February/March 2008 for a book-signing and wine-tasting tour - if he gets out of jail in time...

For 25 years Cynthia Archer has wondered what happened to her family. One morning she woke up to find her mother, father, and brother had disappeared without a trace sometime in the night. Now, she's about to find out what happened. She may not want to know.

"Begins as an intriguing mystery then shifts with a sinister grace into a race-against-time thriller that begs to be read in a single sitting." -- David Hewson, author of The Lizard’s Bite

"No Time For Goodbye just flies off the page. It’s a one-sit thriller. You sit down with this book and you won’t get up until you’ve turned the last page." -- Michael Connelly, author of Echo Park and The Overlook

Linwood Barclay is also the author of the critically acclaimed Zack Walker novels, including Stone Rain and Lone Wolf. He's a staff columnist for the Toronto Star and lives in Burlington, Ontario.

British crime writers getting in touch with their inner child, Rankin "retiring" Rebus and a slew of new crime and thriller releases. Our correspondent from the UK book trade, Russel McLean, reports in the first of his new monthly columns

I’m still not sure I can define what a “thriller” is, although I know greater than me have tried. I heard someone mention that it’s a book that makes you turn the pages, but of course, I think any book should be making you do that. Otherwise, what’s the point?

Anyway, with the blessing of David Hewson telling me that “it’s not cosy” I feel I can comfortably cover a whole range of crime writers in this monthly column looking at thriller writers in the UK (and occasionally beyond, because… well, its my column!).

Summer’s over, and that means the literary festivals are slowing down… for the winter period, we can hope that newspapers will find something other than alleged “gender disputes” (Val McDermid and Ian Rankin) or spats between traditional crime writers and their modern thriller counterparts (David Roberts and Mark Billingham, whose debate from Harrogate was aired on Radio 4 here in the UK) to fill their literary columns.

From the point of view of a crime bookseller, of course, these things do little to quell the tide of sales. Most book buyers barely seem to pay attention to such things in store, simply looking out for the book that appeals to them.

And that’s always a good thing.

Quercus Folk
Great news that independent publisher Quercus is adding a new paperback wing to its operation. These guys have already made me a happy boy by bringing out Wambaugh and Stark’s latest in handsome UK editions, and while they seem to have an odd affinity for Australian writers (Peter Temple, Will Elliot et al) they have a supreme eye for quality. I haven’t read the British thriller, Die For Me by Elena Forbes yet, but a fellow bookseller informs me that it is very good indeed. Great, another one to add to the mountain of must-reads… (like I’d ever complain about that). The paperback wing, run by Ron Beard, will be releasing 70 titles in its first year. As a bookseller, I

You know… for kids…
With Colin Bateman (Sorry, its just Bateman, now, with first names seemingly quite uncool) having dabbled (more than a few times) in the genre, another excellent thriller writer is turning his attention to kids books. Mark Billingham is releasing Triskellion – which sounds like a kind of fantasy/horror along the lines of Horrowitz’s power of five series – later this year. Have to admit, I’m jazzed to read this and have been promised an ARC by our children’s bookseller, who is currently whizzing through the pages. She loved Bateman’s last effort for the kids, so its going to be interesting to see what she makes of Billingham, who I rate as one of the best British crime writers currently working. It is to be published under a pseudonym (Will Petersen), but sadly not the author’s original choice of “Nosferatu Blyton”.

It wouldn’t be a thriller column without…
…mentioning the fact that Ian Rankin’s Rebus series (allegedly) came to an end this month with Exit Music. I say allegedly, because every newspaper – and everyone’s granny – seems to have a different story on what Rankin will be doing post-Rebus. I’ve yet to read the book, so don’t try and tell me what happens. Or I’ll rip your legs off.

Rankin himself didn’t even spoil the outcome during his recent trip to Dundee, where he came over as an entertaining and thoroughly genuine guy. He was also unfazed by the large queues that had us booksellers running around in a blind panic.

As ever, hints were dropped that despite Exit Music being the last Rebus book where he’s a cop, we may see him again. But these were only tantalising and unfounded hints. And with Rankin's talk of writing an operetta, I found myself wondering, can we expect to see Rebus: The Musical hit the stage sometime soon?
 
Brits Unleashed…
Some new British thrillers coming out in September and October…

Chameleon’s Shadow By Minette Walters will no doubt be as unsettling – and as popular – as ever!

Name to a Face by Robert Goddard looks a very ambitious novel covering a huge time scale and should be boosted by his appearance on this year’s Theakston’s Longlist.

The Killing Ground by Jack Higgins means that the venerable master of the action thriller will be starting to take up another shelf in section. With an extremely loyal fan base dedicated to his series character Sean Dillon, this should do nicely and satisfy those adrenaline junkies.

In the Frame by John Francome sees yet another old hand return, with more horse-racing thrills and deception.

Faces by Martina Cole is going to be hard to keep on the shelf. Each new book by the Mistress of the (fictional) London Underworld seems more popular than the last. No doubt Hodder will be pushing her latest hard to make sure none of her army of fans miss this slice of Underworld drama.

The Gilded Seal by James Twining is probably one of the newest authors to get an October release, but his name is one getting more and more acclaim, so now is the time to get onboard. Art Heists, thieves and FBI agents meet in what sounds like one hell of a ride.

The Last Word…
This column will no doubt undergo changes and tweaks as the months progress. The remit is very wide, all things considered, but I intend to keep an eye on the British thriller scene as best I can. So if you have any news, comments, queries or even just want to say hello, feel free to contact me at: russelmclean@thrillerwriters.org. I can’t promise to get back to you immediately, but rest assured, I’ll be touched that you took the time to write…

Russel McLean is a Scottish bookseller who specialises in crime and mystery fiction. He has had short stories published in a variety of markets, has run an online fanzine dedicated to crime fiction and tends to lurk near the bar at as many crime conventions as he can attend. Visit his review/interview hub at www.crimescenescotland.com or contact him at russelmclean@thrillerwriters.org.
 

Iraq war hero, Nolen Martin works to out wit the son of Osama bin Laden who steals nuclear weapons out of Russia and threatens to destroy millions of people in Europe and America.

"Gold Fire presents an engaging premise, ripped from tomorrow’s headlines, with ample suspense and action to satisfy fans of the genre.” -- Michael Newton, author of The Executioner and Mack Bolan action adventure series and the best selling Armed and Dangerous.

“If you want to get any closer to the battle lines on the War on Terrorism — enlist!”  -- Colonel (Ret) S. F. Baker, U.S. Army. Commander, Task Force 5-16, Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm

National award winning author, Ed Mitchell is a former Airborne Infantry Ranger, aerospace engineer, and consultant to the National Missile Defense Program and Department of Homeland Security, as well as a founding member of the International Thriller Writers Organization. His contemporary thrillers, Gold Lust, Gold Raid, and Gold Fire have won multiple book awards. Ed's thrillers about an Iraq war hero and his family span settings from California to Costa Rica, Mongolia and Nigeria, as well as spy satellite technology, nerve gas poisoning and syndromes that threaten new born children.

Nobody does the Blues like Chicago. This stunning collection of dark stories, from the best of today’s Chicago crime fiction authors, captures the depths to which people sink when they have the Blues. The emptiness and pain spawned by revenge. The violence—and occasionally, the bittersweet redemption—that springs from deceit, desperation, or love gone bad. Contributors include Sara Paretsky, Stuart Kaminski, Barbara D’Amato, Max Allan Collins, Marcus Sakey, Sean Chercover, Michael Black, JA Konrath, Libby Fischer Hellmann, and others. With an introduction by Rick Kogan.

"Chicago:  the urban electric blues were born here, and John Dillinger died here.  Between these two towers arc great sparks of life, art, madness and soul.  Libby Fischer Hellmann has managed to gather superstars and hungry young turks to craft a monument in words to this funky, mysterious and eternal American city.  The echoes of backbeats and bullets roll across the haunted inland sea of Lake Michigan, and they'll rock you long after you finish reading this fine collection." -- Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The Hummingbird's Daughter

"Each [story] has a restless energy and gritty style, like the city itself... This excellent book of short stories has my highest recommendation." -- Midwest Book Review

“Classy… this impressive volume has soul, grit, and plenty of high notes…” -- Publishers Weekly

“Twenty-one  excellent reasons to stay out of the Windy City…” -- Kirkus Reviews

“An impressive group of stories… an amazing group of authors…” -- Crimespree Magazine

“If you want a sample of… big city noir, this one is a winner. A keeper.” Carl Brookins of Reviewing the Evidence

Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of the award-winning Chicago based Ellie Foreman series is the editor of Chicago Blues. Originally from Washington DC, Libby has lived in Chicago for 30 years, and finds the contrast between the beautiful and the profane in that city a crime writer’s paradise. When not writing fiction, she conducts executive training programs in presentation skills, speech delivery, and media interviews. Libby lives on the North Shore of Chicago with her family and a Beagle, shamelessly named Shiloh.

At 10 a.m. yesterday morning 25-year-old Michael Bennett entered the AdventureLand theme park with his beloved five-year-old nephew, Justin. At 12:05, Justin was rendered unconscious and stolen away. As the prime suspect in the boy's disappearance, Michael has now been forced into an uneasy alliance with enigmatic Washington, D.C. policewoman Gloria Towson, who believes that her supervisor, Louis D'Amecourt, played a roll in the abduction. Yet Michael - an openly gay, former teacher - may not be as innocent as he appears. He and D'Amecourt share a terrifying secret, and it's been exactly five years since his first nephew, Benjaman, disappeared in a similar crime.

"With a child in jeopardy, a suspect with secrets, and a killer shadowing every move, Double Abduction has it all in a fast-paced thriller." -- Robert K. Tanenbaum, New York Times bestselling author of Fury, Malice and Counterplay

"If you're looking for a fast, smart thriller, you can't go wrong with Chris Beakey's debut novel, Double Abduction. It's a tense, emotionally charged book . . . and the surprises just keep on coming." -- Alex Award winner Bart Yates, author of The Brothers Bishop and Leave Myself Behind

"Double Abduction is a creepy living nightmare that will be hard for readers to shake off." -- Edgar Award winner Peter Blauner, author of Slipping into Darkness and Slow Motion Riot

Chris Beakey is a former resident of Washington, D.C., where he worked as a tutor and mentor. His essays and articles have appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers.

With his first novel Honor Due, D.H. Brown delves into the life of the Major whose past has come back to bite him as he follows a trail that leads far beyond murder, into the darkest corners of men's hearts. In Honor Due, the Major is an ex-Special Forces 'Nam Vet who worked covertly until by the 90's, diabetic and bone-tired of the life, knowing his handlers weren't taking terrorism seriously, he walked away into the Pacific Northwest and lost himself. Now a young SpecOps shark has him in the crosshairs, and the Major is forced to resume hunting, in the old way. Then he finds his old Montagnard War Brother, tortured and killed, and his friend's daughter hiding in his forest. The Major's new mission is to unearth what happened 35 years ago, as South Vietnam was falling, that has triggered the current pursuit, and take the vengeance owed his fallen brother and family.

"D.H. Brown has written a pulse pounding story with a strong unique voice, an unforgettable character, and a mesmerizingly clever plot." -- David H. Dun, National Bestselling Author, Necessary Evil and The Black Silent

"A tense thriller painted on a dark palette, suffused with the heavy, cedary incense of the rugged northwest forests. D.H.Brown's tight plotting and vivid characters continued to haunt me long after I had closed the book." -- Michael Curtis Ford -- National Bestselling Author The Ten Thousand, The Sword Of Attila and The Fall Of Rome

D. H. Brown has worked as a Logistics and Weapons Specialist in Vietnam; day laborer; Director of Security; Armored Car Driver; Police Officer; Professional Hunting Guide; Trapper; Dog Sledder; Homesteader; Truck Driver; General Contractor; Minister; Editor; Writer; Speaker; Restaurateur; Movie Producer; Antique Restoration Specialist; Personal Care Worker; PC Repair Specialist; Computer Instructor; Webmaster and Web Designer. "I write about what I know." He lives deep in the Pacific Northwest rainforest with his wife, author and editor Rebecca and Buddy Dog, working on his next book.

When Jordan Sandor resigned from active service with the Central Intelligence Agency, it was before Nine-Eleven, before the fall of Saddam Hussein, before the world had so dramatically changed. Now he finds himself reluctantly drawn back into action, when a series of violent events leads him on a worldwide search to uncover a new al-Qaeda conspiracy intended to launch a wave of deadly nerve gas attacks around the world. Sandor follows the trail from New York to Florida to Paris and, ultimately, to the small town of Portofino on the Italian Riviera. When Sandor discovers that a rogue agent is behind the plot, he realizes that he is the one man who can prevent the catastrophe.

“Jeff Stephens is a writer to watch.  His first book, The Portofino Deception, is a very solid, fast paced thriller that carries the reader on a globe-trotting adventure into the world of counter-terrorism.  We will want more of CIA agent Jordan Sandor.” -- Robert K. Tanenbaum,  Bestselling author of Malice, Counterplay, Fury

 “A thriller that grabs your attention from the first page, then takes you on a suspenseful ride as ex-CIA agent Jordan Sandor races against time to prevent a world-wide terrorist plot.” -- Howard Kaminsky, Bestselling author of The Glow, The Storyteller, Talent

“From the opening line, Stephens weaves an intricate, suspense-filled plot that propels the reader to the final page.” --Jean Stone, Author of Trust Fund Babies, Good Little Wives, Three Times a Charm

Jeffrey S. Stephens was born in raised in New York City, has had a successful career in law, but has been writing forever.  Now, weaving his experiences into his stories, he has deceided to pursue his work as a novelist in earnest.  Jeff, and his wife Nancy, live in Connecticut, near their sons Graham and Trevor.  They have traveled extensively as a family ver the years, skiing, playing golf and visiting Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and, of course, Portofino.

CIA Forensic Scientist Dr. Christine Myers works alongside a team of Navy SEALs, as they investigate a derelict Korean submarine that has mysteriously floated into U.S. waters. The entire crew of the Dragon is found dead and mutilated, and the SEALs start dying one by one. Now the survivors must band together against an unseen and lethal enemy!

“A top-notch thriller from a young writer of immense promise.” -- Charles Dickinson, author of A Shortcut in Time

Gerry Doyle graduated from the University of Kansas with degrees in journalism and philosophy. His short stories have been published internationally, and Doyle is a member author at International Thriller Writers, Inc. He works as an editor for the Chicago Tribune's Metro section. He lives in the Chicago area.

A remote and affluent Maine community, Corpus Christi was untouched by the environmental catastrophe that destroyed the neighboring blue-collar town of Bedford. But all that will change in a heartbeat . . . The nightmare is awakened when third-grade schoolteacher Lois Larkin takes the children on a field trip to Bedford. There in the abandoned woods, a small, cruel boy unearths an ancient horror—a contagious plague that transforms its victims into something violent, hungry . . . and inhuman.  The long, dark night is just beginning. And all hope must die as the contagion feeds—for the malevolence will not rest until it has devoured every living soul in Corpus Christi . . . and beyond.

"…a genuine creepfest that recalls, in the best way possible, the early work of Stephen King… Langan has the control of a pro, parsing just enough horrific details to allow the truly gruesome scenes to play out unbound in the imagination; this solid sophomore effort proves that the uncanny ability of The Keeper to burrow into readers’ heads and stay there was no fluke." -- Starred Review, Publisher’s Weekly

"Langan has a sharp eye for the small, vivid details of American life, and her characters are utterly believable." -- Lisa Tuttle, The Times of London

"Reads like any of the superior works of King, McCammon, or Barker." --Craig Davis, Hellnotes

"An outstanding page-turner that sidesteps the more dogged cliches while celebrating others with grandeur gore." -- Starburst

Sarah Langan is the author of The Keeper (September, 2006), a New York Time's Editors' Choice and BramStoker first novel nominee. Its sequel The Missing (October, 2007) has garnered praised from Publisher's Weekly (starred review), The Times of London, Starburst, Shivers, etc. Langan's stories are forthcoming from The Best Horror, 2007, “Cemetery Dance,” Shivers, and Darkness on the Edge: Stories inspired by Springsteen Songs. She has an MFA infiction from Columbia University, and is now pursuing her MS in Environmental Toxicology. She lives in Brooklyn, where she is at work on her third novel, Audrey's Door.

In her grittiest, heart-stopping third installment of the Kay Delaney series, Kay and her partner Detective Danny Finnerty are faced with a terrifying case that hits far too close to home: the abduction of a young detective by what appears to be a serial rapist. In the midst of the biggest crime wave ever to hit the city and with little to go on, their full-out investigation leads them down a horrifying path that uncovers twenty years of brutal rapes, torture and murders.

And as the clock ticks on their fellow officer’s life, their hunt takes them from the seedy streets of Baltimore to the deep backwoods of the Catoctin Mountains in western Maryland, directly into the clutches of a sadistic killer who defies everything Kay thought she knew about the most twisted side of human nature.

"[Haus} shows a veteran's skill." -- Baltimore Sun

"An impressive new voice in crime fiction." -- Ed McBain

Illona Haus announced her arrival in the world of crime fiction in the spring of 2005 with her acclaimed debut Blue Mercy – a gritty, edge-of-your-seat psychological-thriller featuring tough and savvy Homicide detective Kay Delaney. Set in Baltimore, Maryland, Haus’s novels are populated with compelling characters, made genuine by her personal connections and experience with the city’s Homicide Unit over many years.

It is Haus’s bold and unique voice, her unflinching eye for detail, and her cutting-edge research, that make the Kay Delaney series a world that is both intensely authentic and horrifyingly dark.

Cara Salinas is a Texas sheriff who has led her werewolf pack since she was thirteen. Adam Mueller is a Minneapolis beat cop who broke the Sazi's single greatest rule--he allowed humans to see their kind. Adam and his people have been exiled to Cara's lands, but she doesn't know it yet. Despite their differences, they must come together to defeat a threat to their kind and the humans. Vicious Sazi raptors are feeding on the public, and they have to find a way to stop them.

"Rich with layers of complexity and characterization, these amazing books make for the ultimate in reading pleasure." -- RT BOOKreviews

"Solid and well managed . . . if you enjoy this particular brand of paranormal adventure, then you're not likely to find a better recent example." -- Science Fiction Book Club

C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp are USA Today bestselling authors of both the Sazi books and the Kate Reilly/Touch of Evil series through Tor Books Paranormal Romance line.

International lawyer John Cann could never defend a war criminal. But when a trusted friend and colleague needs his help, Cann must make an impossible choice. As he forges ahead, never far from Cann’s mind is Janie Reston, a young girl beaten and left for dead all because of her connection to him. But Janie is in grave danger. Will an unscrupulous psychiatrist succeed in exploiting her to further misguided theories of repressed memory? In the dark places where past, present and future collide, memory can transform – or destroy.

"Deeply textured and extraordinarily intense, A Grave Breach brims with raw emotion. Grisham and Turow move over; there's a new legal thriller writer on the scene.  James Macomber's A Grave Breach has the right mix of America's legal system against the backdrop of an international incident that threatens to spin out of control.  First rate!" -- David Hagberg (Sean Flannery), Bestselling author of Allah’s Scorpion, Assassin, White House, Joshua’s Hammer and many more

"I was privileged to read--and, eventually, to know--the late, great Ross Thomas, the novelist who rightly enjoyed the nickname 'master of crime in the suites.' A Grave Breach wonderfully returns us to Thomas territory. The 'lawyers' at Loring, Matsen & Gould are technically attorneys but more accurately secret agents, and their story is spun beautifully from James Macomber's literary loom. A hard-boiled thriller that becomes more credible--and inevitable--with the turning of every page." -- Jeremiah Healy, author of Turnabout and Invasion of Privacy

An attorney who worked in a private general practice and concurrently engaged in a parallel career of contract investigator for a number of federal agencies, James Macomber is creator of the John Cann series of international legal thrillers.

This somewhat feminist, historical mystery/suspense novel takes place in 1861 in New Mexico Territory, where the Civil War is about to have a startling impact on a woman who calls herself Matty Summerhayes.

Matty is struggling to develop a horse ranch to make enough money to return to the East. A stranger dies in her barn, whispers tell of a lost gold mine on her land, and soon someone is trying to run her off her ranch. Her closest friend, a one-time slave, is accused of practicing voodoo and  barely escapes stoning. But Matty herself is arrested for murder and with her land up for bail, she must find the real killer or lose everything. She unmasks a spy and murderer, but celebration is cut short when an officer comes calling, intending to claim his rights to not only her land but to Matty herself.

"Occasionally one of the thousands of books published each year just grabs the reader and won’t let go. This is one of those rare finds...this novel set in southern New Mexico during the Civil War is entertaining, informative, and beautifully written. ....The author could easily have turned this book into propaganda for women’s rights, but she has carefully avoided that... Be prepared to forget meals and stay up all night when you start reading this book. Matty’s word-pictures and unorthodox civil disobedience will hold your attention until the last page." -- Betty Parker, Southwest Book Views

“The pages turn themselves and the reader is unable to stop them... well written, researched, and edited...." -- Evelyn Muegge, All About Murder

"...vividly recreates the dangers of life in New Mexico Territory during the Civil War, and one woman's triumph over adversity. Penny Rudolph is a great story teller..." -- Timeless Tales

"Rudolph tells a wonderful story set in New Mexico at the beginning of the Civil War. From authentic sounding dialogue to historical accuracy, she creates an unforgettable treat, with  characters you cry with." -- Western Writers of America Magazine

Penny Rudolph is the author of the contemporary mystery Thicker Than Blood and its sequel Lifeblood, as well as the historical mystery/thriller Listen to the Mockingbird. She has worked as a bartender, truck driver, chili picker, musician, science writer, and medical writer. She’s taught high school English, as well as journalism at New Mexico State University. A finalist or winner in five  national fiction competitions, she has won more than 50 national non-fiction writing/editing awards, including an international Gold Quill. Penny has lived most of her life in New Mexico, with detours to the East and West coasts.

Health care scams and a plot to steal a Presidential election. A detective has a stroke, his rehab partner is murdered, and his wife joins him in the investigation.  They pursue, and are pursued by, mobsters and undercover government operatives with hidden agendas.

"From Naples, Florida, to Chicago, Illinois, conspiracies abound in FINAL STROKE.  Author Michael Beres terrifyingly captures the paralysis and helplessness the infirm must deal with every day of their lives.  Scary stuff." -- Julie Hyzy, author of Deadly Blessings and Deadly Interest.



"Michael Beres skillfully leads us into the fragmented, frustrating world of the injured brain, giving us an engrossing story that blends violence with compassion, and an outcome that suggests hope is something worth clinging to." -- David J. Walker, Edgar-nominated author of many novels, including the Wild Onion, Ltd.

Michael Beres' experiences during the Cold War and his interest in the environment have shaped his novels.  With degrees in computer science, math, and literature, he worked for the government, holding a top-secret security clearance, and in the private sector, documenting analytical software.  His fiction reflects our age of environmental uncertainty and political treachery. 

When Phylly Worth, a former Las Vegas showgirl with a tangled past, goes on the run from a stone killer, the daughter she adopted and the son she abandoned come together--reluctantly--to save her.

". . . dark, intense and suspensful thriller . . . Fear and tension leap off the pages."  -- Romantic Times BOOKclub

EC Sheedy lives and works in a coastal community in the Pacific Northwest, just a short ferry ride from the beautiful cities Vancouver, BC and Seattle, Washington. Critics call her work fast paced and intense. EC calls it a compulsion.

Don't miss your chance to be immortalized in the next thriller by Rick Mofina, an ITW Award finalist. 

For exclusive details go to one of the world's leading authorities on crime fiction, SHOTShttp//www.shotsmag.uk/).   (Go to the ticking clock on the bottom right.)  Please note the deadline for entries is October 20, 2007.

Former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton possesses a priceless, previously-unknown manuscript by Frederic Chopin. Within the notes of this work, which was originally found and hidden by the Nazis during World War II, lies a secret that has left death in its wake – and could kill tens of thousands more.

The Chopin Manuscript is a unique collaboration among 15 distinguished international thriller writers who came together to create a single audiobook with each author contributing a chapter to the ongoing story. The book is serialized and is hailed as the first-ever audio serial book.
 
Jeffery Deaver conceived the characters and the setting and put the plot in motion with the first chapter. From there the story was turned over to fourteen authors – including Lee Child, Lisa Scottoline, Joseph Finder, David Hewson, S. J. Rozan, and P. J. Parrish – who each wrote a chapter that propelled the story along. Along the way the plot took twists and turns as each author lent his or her own imprint on the tale. Characters were added as the action moved around the world --- and the stakes got higher and higher. The book wrapped with Deaver writing the final two chapters bringing The Chopin Manuscript to its explosive conclusion.
 
The plot unfolds like this: Former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton possesses a priceless, previously-unknown manuscript by Frederic Chopin. Within the notes of this work, which was originally found and hidden by the Nazis during World War II, lies a secret that has left death in its wake – and could kill tens of thousands more. As Middleton races to unlock the mystery of the manuscript, he is accused of murder, pursued by federal agents and targeted by assassins. But the greatest threat comes from a man known only as Faust - a shadowy figure from Middleton’s past.
 
The Chopin Manuscript is being delivered serially. Readers will receive a new installment of 2-3 chapters every Tuesday, beginning September 25th. Those who purchase the book after October 2nd will receive all the previous chapters, then get new chapters the following Tuesdays. The final, thrilling installment will be delivered on Tuesday, November 13th.
 

The creator of the Morgan Snow sex therapist series has added a new string to her bow. Here she talks about her latest work, which ranges from ancient Rome to the modern day.



M.J., you’ve had an interesting career in the publishing world. In fact, you’ve broken a lot of the rules—yet you’ve made being a rebel work for you. Let’s talk about your big new book that all of New York is buzzing, and then I want to talk a little about the past.

    

Your latest novel, THE REINCARNATIONIST, which goes on sale Aug. 28, was one of the big buzz books at BEA recently. It’s a break from your former books.

Question: Tell us what the story is about.

THE REINCARNATIONIST is equal parts modern-day thriller, historical fiction and love story.  With one foot in present-day Rome and New York and another in Rome some 1,600 years ago. Photojournalist Josh Ryder survives a terrorist’s bomb, only to be haunted by near hallucinatory memories of a past life in Rome as a pagan priest. Memories descend on Josh at will, pulling him to an ancient yet strangely familiar Roman burial chamber harboring the remains of a woman clutching a wooden box. A trail of present-day murders takes him deeper into a labyrinth at whose heart lies the enigma of a collection of “memory tools” whose origins trace back to both ancient Egypt and India.  The stones’ promise to “assist the wearer in reaching his next incarnation” sets the ancient and modern worlds on a collision course.

Josh, like most of my readers, is a skeptic. And the book is his search to understand what is happening to him. The questions of who we are cannot be asked without first asking who we were. And I’ve tried to answer that using my own research into reincarnation theory - as well as the tenets and writings of those who have studied and believed in reincarnation over thousands of years.

Question: Is this the first in a series of books?

Yes, there are three planned so far.

Question: What prompted this novel? What was the seed of inspiration for this story?

It’s an idea I’ve been working on since my mother died ten years ago this summer… and at the same time most of my life.

As the family story goes, when I was three years old I told my great grandfather specifics about the home he’d left in Russia and he claimed there was no way I could have known those things unless I’d been there in a past life.

He was convinced and convinced my mother, that I was reincarnated.

She became interested in the subject, eventually transferred that interest to me and I’ve studied the subject off and on for most of my adult life.

In my research I discovered we were in good company: Reincarnationists throughout history include: Carl Jung, Rudyard Kipling, Einstein, Ben Franklin, Napoleon, Mark Twain, General George Patton, Louisa May Alcott, Tolstoy, Henry Ford, Goethe, the Baal Shem Tov, Nietzsche, Gandhi, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Albert Schweitzer, Walt Whitman, Wordsworth, Levi ibn Habib (the Ralbah), Rumi, Thoreau, Socrates, Jesus Christ in the Gnostic Gospels, Voltaire, Josephus, Balzac, Gauguin, Pythagoras, Kabbalists, Hindus, Buddhists and Christians

In fact there currently over 26 million people who are believers.

I’ve even created a blog as a hub for "reincarnationists" to find news related to reincarnation, read reviews of books on the subject, and discover links to other blogs and websites on reincarnation and related intriguing topics.

www.reincarnationist.org/wordpress/{mospagebreak}

Question: Do you write in both third person and first? Do you have a preference? If so, which and why?

The choice depends on the book. In some of my previous novels, first offered an intimacy I felt the book needed. With this novel, crossing centuries and continents, I needed a bigger voice and third offered that.

Question: In doing the research for this book, you’ve spoken with some top dogs in related fields such as past life regression. Tell us a little about the research you did. Got any good anecdotes?

Well, I “found out” my ex-husband had me buried alive with him – apparently I was his slave in Egypt in a past live. And there’s no question about it, in this life he was definitely trying to bury me alive with him again.

Question:  Your past series featuring sex therapist Dr. Morgan Snow has been lauded for your handling of sensual material. Reviewers have praised the way you write “sensuality, passion, intimacy, and the erotic.” These elements played a major role in these books. What drew you into this terrain?

To me character and plot are intertwined. The same way that sex and the rest of your life is intertwined. So if I’m true to the characters I’m writing about, I explore their sexuality as well as the other parts of their personalities and psychology.

In some novels – like the Snow series -  sexuality played a greater role because Morgan is a sex therapist. In THE REINCARNATIONIST, sex doesn’t play a big role at all. 

Question: Your first book, LIP SERVICE, was self-published, and went on to be the first self-published novel sold to the Literary Guild/Doubleday Book Club. It was also the first novel sold and marketed on the internet and the first novel that started as an e-book to be picked up by a mainstream publisher. What drove you to self –publish?

I had an agent –the wonderful Loretta Barrett who is still my agent - but she’d been unable to place my first two novels. While there were editors who loved the writing and the characters, both books crossed too many genres for marketing departments to be comfortable with them.

But I was in advertising and I didn’t agree the cross genre issue was an issue at all.

I never intended to “self-publish”, what I did was to go online and market one of the books for a few months in an effort to test market it and prove that the cross genre issue wasn’t really a problem.

Just as I was wrapping up the test and getting results for  Loretta to take back to editors, the Double Book Club/Literary Guild called and made an offer. It was really an amazing time.{mospagebreak}

Question: You’ve had a very successful career in big-time advertising. You were creative director of Rosenfeld Sirowitz and Lawson. What made you give up the glitz, glamour and steady paycheck of advertising for the lonely job of writing?

Give it up? You’re kidding. A friend of mine jokes that my getting published was like becoming a Russian Princess on the eve of the Russian Revolution. I left advertising to write fiction full time only to discover that to stay alive as a novelist I had to get back into advertising and learn about marketing my novels. Which is what led to me starting a marketing company for authors – the first – AuthorBuzz.com

Question: What role does theme play in your books?

I can’t write with out a carefully identified theme. I may never tell anyone what it is, but I need to know it even before I know the plot.  I want my novels to entertain first and foremost but it important for me to leave the reader with questions to think about, with something that haunts them after they’ve turned the last page.

Question: Who do you read for pleasure? Who do you read to learn from?

The first time I read every book it’s for pleasure. When I want to learn something, I read the books I loved reading over again to figure out why.

To keep this from turning into a four page list of names, I’ll stick to the mystery/suspense genre. I’ve loved and learned (sounds like a song) from H. Rider Haggard, David Morrell, Lee Child, Carol O’Connell, Daphne Du Maurier, Ruth Rendell, P.D. James, Doug Preston & Lincoln Child, Jeff Deaver, Edgar Allan Poe, Wilke Collins, Katherine Neville, Robert Goddard… and on and on and on. I hate mentioning so few. My bookshelves are bursting. I can’t leave out Laura Lippman whose character development is stellar and Barry Eisler who writes about place as well as any one out there. (Not to mention his sex scenes.)

Question: What words of wisdom from a writer have stuck with you through the years?

When I was 18 years old I met Ayn Rand after a lecture she gave at Sarah Lawrence college. I told her she’d inspired me to become a writer.

“Good,” she said, “become a writer. But first become a thinker.”

Question: And finally, what do the initials M.J. stand for?

My real name is Melisse. Rhymes with police. It’s a French herb. The problem with it is no one knows how to pronounce it and when people see it written they assume it’s misspelled and correct it to Melissa. Which is a nice name but not my name. When I published LIP SERVICE, I didn’t want to deal with the mispronunciation thing or the misspelling thing. A friend told me if I was going to pick a pen name chose one that had some meaning, that would “feel” right.

My mom had been the one person who believed that I really would get published one day but by the time that day came she’d died. So I took the J from her name, Jacqueline and the M from my name and  became M.J. Much easier to spell. And I like that her name is on the cover of all my books. Which brings us back to reincarnation in a way, doesn’t it?

Carolyn Haines is the author of PENUMBRA, named one of the top 5 mysteries of 2006 by LIBRARY JOURNAL; and this summer, HAM BONES, a Mississippi Delta Mystery, and REVENANT, a new thriller set on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Can an ancient weapon—the Spear of Destiny—change the fate of the world? Advance Internet terrorism? The answer depends on who possesses this powerful artifact--good or evil?  God’s warriors or Satan’s minions?

In The Hades Project, the newest Cotten Stone thriller by international bestselling co-authors, Lynn Sholes and Joe Moore, evil forces need the Holy Lance to launch their darkest project yet, one that will dismantle humankind.

Not if Cotten Stone can get there first.  A senior investigative correspondent for the Satellite News Network, Stone zigzags across the globe to find the ancient relic. “Though Cotten is Nephilim, who are notoriously evil,” says Moore, “she is on the good side and one of God’s warriors.”  On the eternally dark side is her mortal enemy, the Son of Dawn, familiarly known as Satan. 

“One of the trademarks of our thrillers is mixing cutting edge science with ancient religious beliefs, and having each verify the other,” says Sholes.  The Spear of Destiny is an actual relic, and resides in the Hapsburg Museum

in Vienna, Austria.

Working together on the good side, co-authors Sholes and Moore met in early 1990s at a writers group.  When Sholes mentioned her idea for a book based upon the attempted cloning of Christ from DNA found preserved in the Holy Grail, Moore says he was “blown away with the premise and encouraged her to write it.”

“Many years later,” says Moore, “I finally got tired of her reluctance and threatened her that if she didn’t write the book, I would write it myself. To avoid bloodshed, we compromised. The result was THE GRAIL CONSPIRACY (the first Cotten Stone thriller), which became an international bestseller, was named Book Of The Year by ForeWord Magazine, and has been translated into 21 languages.”

Lynn Sholes leads fiction workshops and trains educators in teaching writing. THE HADES PROJECT is her ninth novel.
Joe Moore is a former marketing executive and two-time EMMY® Award winner. THE HADES PROJECT is his third novel. Click to read an excerpt.