October 2008 Archives

A religious cult has taken over Dunshiffin Castle on the outer Hebridean island of West Uist. The focus of their attention as the summer solstice approaches seems to be the ancient stone circle known as The Hoolish Stones. Finlay McNeil the local museum curator believes that there is something sinister going on, and he makes the fatal mistake of challenging them on Scottish TV. Inspector Torquil McKinnon soon finds that there is a serial killer on his island.

A cracking book from the first page to the last. I see a movie or a TV sereies coming! watch out Rebus... here comes teh bagpipe-playing McKinnon! -- Darren Stevens, The Wakefield Express

Keith Souter, writing as Keith Moray, is a doctor, medical writer and novelist working in three genres. He has written nine medical books and ten novels. In 2006 he won the Fish Historical One-Page Prize for a short story entitled, A Villain's Tale. He lives within arrowshot of one of England's historic castles, the setting for two of his historical thrillers. He is a member of the Society of Authors and the Crime Writers' Association. He is married to Rachel and has three grown up children and a granddaughter.

The ROYAL STAR, the world's most exclusive cruise ship, has just set sail from Miami on its inaugural voyage. For the hundred or so notable and well-heeled passengers, including Zack Chasteen and his wife, Barbara, the itinerary is a secret and the week ahead promises to be an ultra-indulgent tropical sojourn. But just an hour out of port, gunmen take over the ROYAL STAR, killing most of the officers and sequestering passengers throughout the ship. Maybe it's a simple kidnap/extortion plot. Or maybe the hijackers are bent on more devious ends -- using the ROYAL STAR as a giant torpedo to blow up another cruise ship.

"Likable characters and an evocative setting...a book to be taken seriously." -- David Montgomery, Chicago Sun Times

"...gets its heft from crackling dialogue and Zack's equal-footed and realistic relationship with his paramour ... a series that will bring Morris even more fans with subsequent installments." -- Sarah Weinmann, Baltimore Sun

A former newspaper columnist and magazine editor, Bob Morris is author of A DEADLY SILVER SEA (2008), BERMUDA SCHWARTZ (2007), JAMAICA ME DEAD (2005) and BAHAMARAMA (2004) which was an Edgar finalist for best first novel. He lives in Florida.

This Halloween, I was lucky enough to interview New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham and discuss her frightening new trilogy available in stores this fall.  The Flynn Brothers Trilogy (Deadly Night, Deadly Harvest, and Deadly Gift) are the latest offerings from this incredibly prolific author.  Writing across various genres, Graham has penned over one hundred books (she also writes under the name Shannon Drake). This latest trilogy may be her most thrilling yet!

What's your favorite thing about being a writer?
My favorite thing about being a writer is meeting other authors--and discovering the different paths authors take to get to where they are--and where they're going.

Describe your path to publication.
I majored in theater in USF, got out of school, got some commercial work, did a lot of bar tending, worked children's theater, and then dinner theater at a club owned by local entertainers. When I was lucky, I could make an extra ten dollars a day for singing back-up on their albums. Usually, I worked about a million hours a day, and, since Miami was non-union, made about seventy-five dollars a week.

By the time I was having my third child, I literally couldn't afford to go to work anymore. I was missing my kids because of the hours, and though our parents and families were great, it was still horribly expensive. I stayed home, and became the absolute world's worst housekeeper. I loved reading, I had taken a fair amount of play writing, and wanted to write a book. Dennis (my husband) brought home a typewriter that his place of business was going to chuck, and I started out--it was missing the "E" key. I would fill in the Es by hand. I bought Writer's Digest, Writer's Market and started sending out to Black Cat, Twilight Zone Magazine, and the Miami News.

Then I found that there had been an explosion in category romance, so I tried my hand at that. I went through the long process of mail and rejection. I sold stories, but sadly, like my theater career, I made about fifteen dollars a story. When I sold the first book, I was ecstatic. This is probably fairly insane, but I didn't actually realize how important genre was--I was just writing. I learned. I'll never forget selling the first book, though. No email back then, and no cell phones. (Not in the mainstream!) When I didn't hear back from the editor for several weeks, my family was convinced that someone had played a trick on me. I finally got up the nerve to call the editor, and she said they'd been at sales convention and the contract was coming. I was majorly relieved!

Hotshot pilot John Hardin has a dark history. He and his beautiful Cherokee girlfriend, Kitty Birdsong, are enjoying life in the Great Smokies when Nolan Rader, a former BATF agent, emerges from John's violent past with an ultimatim. John must help Rader rescue his younger brother Clint from the impending vengeance of an outlaw motorcycle gang called the Satan's Ghosts, or face exposure for past deeds. As time and events close in, can John find a way to infiltrate the gang and save Clint?

"Good, solid, fast-paced adventure fiction from a guy who knows how to write it." -- Stephen Coonts.

Phil Bowie has published 300 articles and short stories in magazines. This is his third novel in the John Hardin series. GUNS, endorsed by Lee Child, was his debut, followed by DIAMONDBACK. Phil is a light plane pilot, water quality researcher, and country fiddler. He lives in a cottage he restored by the Neuse River in eastern North Carolina.

Jennie Bentley's debut novel, Fatal Fixer-Upper, hits the shelves November 4. I've had the pleasure of indulging in many long, long lunches with Jennie, an extremely talented writer who is articulate, charming, and more than a little fun....

What has most surprised you about being a writer?
 
I'm not sure if it's the most surprising thing, but it's what came to mind first...
 
The fellowship in the writing community is really awesome. After coming out of other, more cut-throat pursuits, it's been amazing to see how supportive and helpful writers are of one another. Everyone--at least everyone I've been privileged to meet--has been super-nice and always willing to lend a hand or an ear. Everyone's happy for you when something good happens, and everyone does their level best to cheer you up and buy you a real or virtual drink when you're down. It's been an incredible experience so far, and I feel so privileged to be a part of it!     
 
What is the hardest part of writing a book?
 
Editing. Coming up with the idea and the plot and the characters is fun, and writing the first draft isn't bad either. But once it's all written down and I know how the story goes, and all that's left is polishing the grammar and plugging all the gaping holes, suddenly it feels a lot more like work.

The strife between Sano Ichiro, the samurai detective who has risen to power in the shogun's court, and his enemies has escalated to the brink of war. Called away from the crisis by the shogun's orders to investigate a mysterious skeleton Sano and his wife, Reiko, must confront dangerous, long buried secrets. What was Sano's own mother doing on the night when a burning kimono ignited a blaze that destroyed the city of Edo? The shogun gives Sano and Reiko just three days to find out--or risk losing not only their position at court but their families lives as well.

"Sano may carry a sword and wear a kimono, but you'll immediately recognize him as an ancestor of Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade." -- The Denver Post

Laura Joh Rowland is the author of the mystery series set in 17th c. Japan that features samurai detective Sano Ichiro. Her work has been published in 13 foreign countries and nominated for the Anthony Award and the Hammett Prize. She is also the author of The Secret Adventures of Charlotte Bronte. Laura lives in New Orleans with her husband Marty and their two cats.

Contributing editor Clare Langley-Hawthorne, caught up with Karen Olsen to discuss her latest novel, Shot Girl

Tell us a bit about Shot Girl

Shot Girl is the fourth Annie Seymour mystery. Annie is a police reporter in New Haven, and in this book, her ex-husband is found dead outside a local club while she's inside at a bachelorette party with her colleagues. Annie has to face a lot of ghosts from her past in Shot Girl and also come to grips with her current relationship with private detective Vinny DeLucia.

How has your character Annie Seymour evolved since the first book, Sacred Cows, came out?

Annie has evolved emotionally, in that she's connecting to a man in her life and making a commitment for the first time in a long time. She's also more accepting of Dick Whitfield, boy reporter, who has been threatening her job. Unfortunately, she's a bit rigid in many ways and evolution is difficult for her.

Ex-journalist Carole Nelson Douglas is the award-winning author of 55 novels. Her novel Good Night, Mr. Holmes, which introduced diva-detective Irene Adler as the only woman to outwit Sherlock Holmes, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. She also created contemporary Las Vegas P.I. Midnight Louie ("Sam Spade with hairballs"), the part-time feline narrator of 21 novels. Her newest series, featuring Delilah Street, Paranormal Investigator, got off to a successful start when Publisher's Weekly gave the first installment, Dancing with Werewolves, a starred review. And now she's done it again with Brimstone Kiss, the second novel in the series: another starred review from Publisher's Weekly!

Contributing editor Julie Compton spoke to Carole about Brimstone Kiss, being released October 29, 2008.

Delilah's strong, quirky personality jumps out at the reader from the first page of Brimstone Kiss. How did you come up with her character?
 
My college majors were English Lit and Theater, so various "voices" come to me instinctively. Delilah's voice is noir first-person female with a twist of sophisticated chick lit. She's tough, with a vulnerable past as an unadopted orphan who hates the death-pale Snow White coloring that forced her to fight off half-vamp punks out for "blood and booty" in the group homes. Her history in attracting only vampires is why she's a 24-year-old virgin in Dancing with Werewolves, but not for long - not after she hits Vegas and meets an attractive ex-FBI agent with a gift for finding dead bodies. Delilah doesn't remember chunks of her past, and she's now developing affinities for mirrors and anything silver, to the point where some think she's a silver medium. I look for protagonists who have journeys to make and mysteries in their personal history. My main characters are survivors with inner and outer battles to fight and win, but not so badly damaged that their stories are casebooks of psychoanalysis.

With snow-filled wind whispering at Christmas' door, the corpse of 15 year old Angela Cashell is found on the Tyrone-Donegal border, between the North and South of Ireland, in an area known as the Borderlands. Having identified the victim as a local, Garda Inspector Benedict Devlin wins jurisdiction of the case, and with his partner, Detective Sergeant Caroline Williams, investigates the case. The investigation links to a 25-year old unsolved killing and provokes unfavorable tension with his superiors because some clues may implicate one of his own colleagues.

Borderlands is an exciting new novel by Brian McGilloway. It was short-listed for a Crime Writer's Association Dagger award and has recently been released in the United States. Contributing editor Ace Hall asked Brian a few questions about his debut novel.

When you step back and look at Borderlands, what pleases you the most about the story?

When I set out to write the book, the character of Devlin and the character of the Borderlands themselves were the two things I really wanted to nail. Looking back, I hope that I've managed to convey both in the manner I wanted. Beyond that, I guess I'm just amazed it managed to hang together.

Let's begin with a brief synopsis of Cody McFadyen's new release: The Darker Side:

A lie.  A long-ago affair.  A dark desire.  Everyone keeps secrets they take to the grave.  No one knows this better than FBI Special Agent Smoky Barrett.  But what secret did a reclusive, young woman hold that led her to public murder?  And what kind of killer is so driven and so brazenly daring that he'd take the woman's life on a commercial airliner thirty thousand feet in midair and leave nothing behind but a small souvenir?  

Sound intriguing?  I'd buy this book from that teaser -- and did.

Writing about serial killers is inherently dark in nature and few authors can pull it off.  Cody McFadyen's in that exclusive group.  Serials are perhaps the most frightening people walking the Earth.  Many of them are devoids -- people who feel little or no emotion.  For whatever reason, they didn't develop what we all take for granted; elation, sadness, love, anger.  In devoids, all of those vital emotions are missing, or more accurately stated, short circuited.  They kill, often kill gruesomely, just so they can feel even the smallest spark of emotion.    

It's not difficult to imagine the types of questions McFadyen must receive from his readers about his research.  I can envision McFadyen replying with something like:  "Well, it's bit violent and bloody, but you get used to it."  In all seriousness, there's a wealth of information about serial killers out there, but to be a successful novelist in this specialized genre, the writing has to be passionate and come from within.

Come from within?  Yes, from within.  There's a dark streak inside all of us, the trick is tapping into it without getting lost.  Cody McFadyen walks that fine every day, and walks it tall.

In Martha Powers' cozy romantic thriller, Conspiracy of Silence, Clare Prentice was a happy bride-to-be, living in Chicago, and looking to her future...until the day she learned her entire life was a lie.

Not only does Clare discover she was adopted, but there is no record that she or her adoptive mother ever existed. The only clue is her adopted mother's class ring from Grand Rapids Senior High School, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota. But unraveling the mystery is like trying to sculpt fog-until the first piece of the puzzle unexpectedly drops into place: Clare's birth mother, Lily Gundersen, was murdered in Grand Rapids.  Lily's murder was one of the most talked-about events in the town's history, but no one is talking now. Clare still hasn't learned the whole story about her early life - and someone intends to keep it that way.

Robin Burcell launches a new series by catapulting her new heroine, FBI agent Sydney Fitzpatrick, into a murderous conspiracy thick with blackmail and government corruption. The novel is Face Of A Killer (Poisoned Pen Press), where Fitzpatrick uses her skills as a forensic artist and investigator to remove a killer from death row--a man accused of murdering her father--even as the task pulls her down a path that reveals ugly family secrets and cover-ups by the military and the CIA.

Burcell weaves a tight story, as what you'd expect from an Anthony award-winning author (Deadly Legacy - 2003).  After penning four Kate Gillespie novels, Burcell decided to leave her fictional world in the San Francisco PD and start over with Sydney Fitzpatrick in the FBI. Burcell did this to expand her story world and besides, as the author notes, the FBI has, "a way bigger budget."  Meaning more gadgets to play with and a larger jurisdiction to mine for intrigue.

Retired from more than 20 years in law enforcement (as a patrol cop, detective, forensic artist, and hostage negotiator), Burcell now writes full-time. But her career switch was preceded by a car crash (the second one in her career as a cop) and a long and painful convalescence.  Ever the optimist, Burcell worked to put the crash behind her.  he returned to writing refreshed, her mind rested, and produced Face Of A Killer.

David Angsten says that in many ways, the spark that ignited the ideas in his latest book, Night Of The Furies, occurred decades ago in a grade school named after a martyred saint.

"Eight years steeped in that Catholic mythology--the saints, the Devil, heaven, hell, the life and death of Jesus--all those stories and the fabulous artwork helped shape my imagination," Angsten said. "The ancient Greeks had a very different, but equally rich mythology."

And Greece is where Furies, released in October by Thomas Dunne Books, unfolds. A sequel to his debut novel, Dark Gold, the book follows Jack and Dan Duran as they sift through ancient rituals. But as they encounter a cult of Dionysus' worshipers, the Bacchae, they quickly learn that the old gods can incite modern peril--including murder.
Angsten said the fiction touches on vital real-world ideas.

"My novel is a kind of fugue on freedom. Political freedom. Individual freedom. Sexual freedom. The boundaries and dangers and anxieties of freedom. And why certain cultures are afraid of it."

These themes, he notes, have been present throughout recorded history. Every society has a different take on how to embrace--or not--these questions and fears. One example is the ritual of the orgy, he tells us.

Any description of Wrath James White makes him sound like a character from one of his own thrillers: He's a huge, tough-as-nails Ultimate Fighting Champion who writes supernatural thrillers heavy on religious themes, ultra-violence and erotica.  Find two people like that.

His new book, Succulent Prey (Leisure) hits bookstores in November and it isn't the kind of book you browse lightly.  The book is as scary and complex as the author himself.

Contributing editor Jonathan Maberry chatted with the new tough guy of visceral horror.

Succulent Prey deals with a serial killer virus.  Tell us about the book and its fascinating concept.
 
Succulent Prey is about a man who was attacked by a serial child murderer when he was just a boy. Now he's a college sophomore with an increasing appetite for human flesh that he can't control. He believes that the murderer who attacked him as a boy passed a virus on to him that is slowly turning him into a serial killer and that he must find a cure for the disease before he kills the woman he loves who is chained to a bed in his apartment. 

I originally wanted to write a werewolf novel but I wanted something that would be believable based on real medical science. Once I started researching the brain and the amygdale in particular, the area of the brain that controls the rage and the sex drive, and realized how closely related they were, I saw that I could write something more than your typical werewolf novel and much more than a serial killer novel.

Talk about the religious themes that often appear in your stories.

I do write a lot about God and nature. As I mention in the book, I believe that the best way to know the creator is to look at the creation and when you examine nature you get a picture of a creator much different than the one most religions would have you believe in. Any objective study of nature would lead to the conclusion that God is either non-existent or a complete madman. I explore both possibilities in my stories.

Arriving in Texas from Mexico to work and meet her brother, Carlos, who has disappeared without a trace, Eleana's Spanish eyes capture an artist who volunteers his and the sheriff's help to find Carlos. Eleana must walk a tightrope of fear and deceit between her love, her family and the authorities.

"Immigration red tape, distrust, and a series of disappearances pose problems for two young lovers and a local sheriff. The romance and suspense in Spanish Eyes will keep you turning pages right up to the action-packed climax." -- M. L. Holland, The North Shelby Times, Memphis Tennessee

Jackie Griffey writes in several fiction genres but cozy mystery and romance/suspense are her favorites. She lives in Arkansas where she is working on another cozy mystery.

A few years back, Robert Devereaux shook up the worlds of the overly sensitive with Santa Steps Our: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups. Now, Santa, the Easter Bunny, and their nemesis the Tooth Fairy return in Santa Claus Conquers The Homophobes, available at the best online bookstores and via Ingram's from brick-and-mortar stores. Santa Claus and his stepdaughter Wendy strive to remake the world in compassion and generosity, preventing one child's fated suicide by winning over his worst tormentors, then attempting, with the Easter Bunny's help, to eradicate homophobia worldwide in one magical night. The perfect holiday gift!

If you haven't read Santa Steps Out, of which this is a sequel, run out and get it. It is bizarre and strange and depraved--and those are all compliments. This book continues the story, although knowledge of the first book is not necessarily required. This is its own tale, building from the first. There is less sex in this one, but what we have is a very exciting and engrossing read with a wonderfully positive message. While I do feel Devereaux at times gets a little heavy-handed in getting that message across, that does not take away from the overall enjoyment of the book. His melding of ancient mythology, Christian mythology, and childhood icons is nothing short of the product of a brilliant mind, and the story crafted is totally unique and bold. The characters, despite mostly being larger-than-life icons, are totally relatable, and he creates one of the most vicious and nasty villains around. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is tired of reading the same old tired formulas and plots and wants something startlingly original. -- Mark A. Gunnells on Amazon

Robert Devereaux has made his reputation in the horror and fantasy genres, with Deadweight and Walking Wounded for Dell Abyss, and Santa Steps Out and Caliban and Other Tales for Leisure Books. His has been shortlisted for both the World Fantasy and Bram Stoker Awards. Robert makes his home in northern Colorado and, as always, continues to work on his next book.

James Robertson, a local farmer, finds his estranged brother's corpse hanging from a tree. The police claim suicide. But private investigator, J McNee is about to uncover the disturbing truth behind the death...

"...the most exciting, and gripping, Scottish crime fiction debut of recent years." -- John Connolly

"Scottish crime fictrion is entering a new era and Russel McLean is at vanguard." -- Tony Black

Russel D McLean writes for Crime Spree Magazine, The Big Thrill and Crime Scene Scotland. His short fiction has been published in crime fiction magazines worldwide.

On the very day the free world sees a change in leadership, thriller fans will see a new entry from a leader in political thrillers when Rick Robinson's Sniper Bid hits bookstores.

An Election Day release makes sense for this follow-up to The Maximum Contribution. This time Freshman Congressman Richard Thompson is thrust into the national spotlight on a major issue - performance enhancing drugs in professional sports.

Rick Robinson knows how to write like a political insider. His thirty years in politics and law include a stint on Capitol Hill as Legislative Director and Chief Counsel to then-Congressman Jim Bunning. Robinson ran for Congress himself in 1998.

In Sniper Bid, Richard Thompson presses Congress for new standards on the use and abuse of steroids. Someone wants him to stop, but don't assume the title means Thompson is in danger from a gunman on a grassy knoll.

"Sniper Bid is a term used by people who buy on eBay," Robinson explains.  "It's used to describe a bid placed on an item at the very last moment in order to shut out other bidders."

It comes up because one of the characters in Sniper Bid is obsessed with collecting baseball cards on eBay, and one of the players whose cards he's chasing is alleged to have a steroid problem. It's a great hook for a plot, and it's impressive that Robinson was writing this one well before the Roger Clemens scandal surfaced. Robinson says it was just the right idea at the right time.

The Y2K bug was a ticking time bomb that threatened to affect computer software and firmware and grind major industries to a halt. For Matthew Dunn, the Y2K bug had the opposite effect. In 1998, Dunn wrote an article about the Y2K bug for a business journal, and the writing bug bit him.

Contributing editor Janice Gable Bashman chats with Matthew Dunn about his new thriller, The Tiananmen Square Effect. Dunn is the author of five other novels, including Erased, an IPPY award-winner.

Tell us about The Tiananmen Square Effect

Like all good thrillers, Tiananmen weaves a life-and-death plot using a handful of colorful, and seemingly unrelated, characters. Filled with twists and turns, murder and mayhem, the real fun is in watching the male characters - men who are used to getting what they want - pursue their own agendas while unwittingly assisting the central character, a beautiful, but revenge-obsessed, woman named Azar, to create an inspiring moment reminiscent of the diminutive Chinese man blocking the advance of a line of military tanks to prevent the potential slaughter of protesting students.

The majority of the story takes place in modern-day Iran. The Iranians are on the verge of nuclear capability, while the United States scrambles to prevent it. Racing against time to beat them both to the punch, Azar willingly places herself in the middle while praying that the whole world will take notice of her actions and react. 

In December 2001, CIA paramilitary operative Matt Garrett is mysteriously pulled from Pakistan as he closes in for the kill of Al Qaeda senior leadership and is reassigned to a low-profile mission in the Philippines. But as he sifts through the wreckage of a downed C-130 in the tangled jungle, he finds a dead U.S. Special Forces paratrooper who is not supposed to be there and is thrown into a contest of wits and resiliency in the uncharted rainforests of Mindanao.

Manipulated by the secret plans of a powerful quartet of upper-echelon Rolling Stones groupies in Washington, DC, Garrett and U.S. Armed Forces establish their bona fides as true patriots on the cutting edge of freedom as they struggle for survival against the rising tide of Islamic extremism and the reemergence of the Empire of the Sun in the ever-expanding Global War on Terror.

In the stunning prequel to his award-winning novel Rogue Threat, A.J. Tata creates an uncanny sense of presence on and off the battlefield in Sudden Threat, a novel rife with conspiracy, diplomatic double-talk, betrayal, loyalty, valor and honor.

"One of my favorite authors, A.J. Tata is the new Tom Clancy. Only someone who has actually operated in the deadly netherworld of international military intrigue could write a book this gripping. Sudden Threat is electrifying." -- Brad Thor, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Patriot

"Tata takes intrigue and re-shapes it for the post 9-11 era. He's the new Tom Clancy." -- Stel Pavlou, international bestselling author of Decipher and Gene

"A chilling glance into the dark heart of fundamentalism, A.J. Tata captures perfectly the new paranoia of our time. The threat is huge, the action exhilarating. Tata stands at the forefront of the new breed of thriller writers. This is the stuff our fears are made of. Brilliant." -- Steven Savile, international bestselling author of Primeval: Shadow of the Jaguar

"Every military thriller writer wants to be compared to Tom Clancy, but to be called better? That's what A.J. Tata is hearing about his first work... ...his books, filled with terrorist tales, are very realistic." -- Paul Bedard, US News & World Report on Rogue Threat

A.J. Tata graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1981 and currently serves as a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army. He has commanded a paratrooper battalion in the 82nd Airborne Division and an air assault brigade in the 101st Airborne Division. Most recently he was the deputy commanding general of the 10th Mountain Division and Combined /Joint Task Force-76 in Afghanistan. BG Tata has deployed on combat missions and operations in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bosnia, Panama and the Philippines. He has been awarded the Combat Action Badge and Bronze Star, is a Master Parachutist and graduate of the U.S. Army's Ranger School. Tony served as a National Security Fellow at Harvard University's JFK School of Government and has an M.A. in International Relations from the Catholic University of America. Previously published under the pseudonym Aiden Rocke, Tony is married and currently lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

Aberdeen is panicking. It's been eighteen years since Grampian Police caught the Flesher -- the notorious serial killer who butchered people all over the UK -- and seven years since he was released from Peterhead prison, his conviction overturned on appeal. But when a container full of joints of human meat turns up at Aberdeen Harbour, it kicks off the largest man hunt in Aberdeen's history. Ken Wiseman is on the run and looking for revenge. Twenty years of secrets and lies are being dragged into the light.And the only thing that's certain is Aberdeen will never be the same again.

"... superbly unsettling ... a crackling thriller." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"MacBride deftly blends a suspenseful storyline and subversive wit. . . . a cast of irrepressible characters whose banter is bawdy and crime-solving talents sublime." -- Booklist (starred review) on Bloodshot

"Fierce, unflinching and shot through with the blackest of humour; this is crime fiction of the highest order by a writer whose dark star is most definitely on the rise" -- Mark Billingham

"Ferocious and funny, this is tartan noir at its best" -- Val McDermid

Stuart MacBride has gone from asking people if they 'want fries with that' to project managing vast IT projects for the oil industry. His first novel, COLD GRANITE was published in 2005, his second, DYING LIGHT became an instant Sunday Times bestseller, as did the third, BROKEN SKIN and forth: FLESH HOUSE. To everyone's surprise he won a Barry in 2005, the CWA's Dagger In The Library in 2007, the ITV3 Breakthrough Author in 2008, and been shortlisted for a bunch of other stuff. He also has a beard.

Chanette Paul is no newcomer when it comes to writing fiction. Fortuin is her thirty-first novel. As a native of South Africa, where she is well known for her work, Paul writes her novels in Afrikaans. She describes Fortuin (meaning "fortune") as a "story about the warring forces of good and evil, love and hate, the choice between blindly suffering or bravely conquering our pain and the fine balance that we tread between these extremes." And she delivers her heartfelt plot with a sense of humor.

Xanthe Tredoux, the novel's protagonist, is a freelance journalist who arrives at Paradise Gorge, a mystical healing retreat, to expose Eva van Eden, its owner, as a charlatan. The secluded estate, only accessible by air, is peculiar enough--but some of guests and inhabitants are downright strange. Events take an eerie turn when Xanthe finds two guests have died under suspicious circumstances and begins to suspect she might be next in line to die at the hand of 'mother nature'. The unconventional detective, Gys Niemand, knows something is seriously amiss at Paradise Gorge, but has to unravel the puzzle miles away from the almost impenetrable estate whilst fighting his personal battles too.

Like his protagonist, Charlie Noble, author Clyde Ford has navigated many waters.   He's excelled in a number of fields--as a teacher, a psychologist, a chiropractor, and a computer programmer. While doing all of that he has also found time to write several well-received nonfiction books on topics ranging from ending racism to green boating. But his latest book is a maritime thriller starring a former Coast Guard officer turned maritime investigator named Charlie Noble. When a boating couple pulls up a body on their anchor, Charlie investigates. His investigation uncovers a marine dumping ground for murdered young women. Now Charlie must sail into the treacherous waters of drug trafficking and human prostitution to keep more women from sharing their fate.

Precious Cargo has a strong sense of place. What is it about the Pacific Northwest that draws a character like Charlie Noble there?

The majesty of the place. Towering mountains, lording over an endless kingdom of water and islands. Stunning wildlife. A strong sense of native culture. The Pacific Northwest is the gateway, the threshold to one of the world's greatest nautical adventures--a voyage up the Inside Passage to Alaska--taken annually by mariners as a test of seamanship, courage, and discovery. The Inside Passage with its vast splendor and great challenges looms somewhere in the consciousness of ever mariner like Charlie who boats in the waters of the Pacific Northwest. Around every point of land, over every horizon there's something unique to be discovered, some new challenge presented by water and weather to overcome, some indescribable vista to behold. 

Harry Shannon has a resume that that many novelists will probably recognize immediately--actor, singer, songwriter, music publisher, film studio executive, screenwriter and now counselor in private practice in L.A. "Yes," writers nod in recognition, "sounds like either a writer or an actor." Shannon says, "A number of my clients come from the creative industries, because they know I 'get it.' I'm a husband, and the father of a nine-year-old girl. I haven't been in a fight in many years, but there are parts of Mick that are closer to my truth than I'd care to admit."

Mick, in this case, is Mick Callahan, in his third adventure, One Of The Wicked. Shannon describes Mick as "knowledgeable yet clueless, gentle with a hot temper, educated as a psychologist and yet at heart he's still just a country boy from Nevada. He's sober, also a radio talk show host."

Mick does a favor for an old friend from the Navy SEALs named Bud "Bone" Stone. Bone wants Mick to keep an eye on his girlfriend while Bone raises money to pay off a mob debt. "Naturally," says Shannon, "there's more to it, and Mick gets tangled up with the Russian Mafia. Pretty soon Callahan and his friends are also on the run from the bad guys and the law."

New York Times bestselling author and Mary Higgins Clark Award winner Karen Harper knows the importance of doing her homework.  She was an English instructor at Ohio State University and understands that one of the reasons why thriller novels attract readers is the bonus of learning new things.

Harper's latest thriller, The Hiding Place (Mira, November), involved researching a variety of subjects, but the work paid off.  Even Publishers Weekly noticed, saying, "The story is rich with depictions of mountain biking, organ playing and dog training, and the tension steadily escalates to a pulse-pounding climax."

Contributing editor CJ Lyons talks with Karen Harper about the research that went on behind the scenes as she was writing The Hiding Place.

What was your inspiration for the setting of The Hiding Place?

Unlike most writers who begin with character or plot, I usually get hooked on a setting first, one that chooses me.  In this case, when we visited our niece and nephew's home in Conifer CO, (at 9000 feet their house looks down on Denver!), I knew I had to set a story in that rugged, sometimes isolated terrain, so most of the story takes place in the Rockies.  

The thing about columns, even monthly columns, is that they come around so quickly.  You put one together, you send it off to The Big Thrill and you think, Won't have to worry about that for a month.  And then what seems like two and a half hours later it's time to write the next one.  So you check back to see what's been happening on the thriller scene.

You find - in this order so that you understand where my priorities lie - that there are still whales in the bay, that the south-easter hasn't stopped howling for four days which means summer will be blown in shortly.  You also find that there's been a palace coup and you now have a new president and cabinet.  What's so thrilling about this is that the only blood spilt was metaphoric and we're congratulating ourselves that we can play dirty politics without guns.  I've heard it said that's a pretty good definition for democracy.

In Dead Ringer, Michael A. Black and Julie Hyzy take collaboration a step farther than most writing pairs.  Both authors of successful series, they teamed up their respective protagonists - Mike with private eye Ron Shade and Julie with amateur sleuth, Alex St. James - to uncover a grisly conspiracy stretching from Chicago to Las Vegas.  

Mike and Julie have been critique partners for eight years, but combining their characters in a single novel, they faced challenges of balancing vision, speed, and two first-person voices.

What made you decide to bring your hero and heroine together?

Mike: We actually planned it for a long time. Since both series are set in our home town of Chicago, we had the two characters meet at the end of our preceding novels in our respective series. I always wanted Ron to meet Alex.  

Julie: Mike and I had been trading pages and critiquing one another long before we embarked on this project. We'd gotten very familiar with one another's styles, and we'd grown comfortable working together--often suggesting very big changes to one another's work. Working together on a single novel seemed like a natural evolution. And a challenge. We both love a challenge.

A potential breakthrough discovery to reverse global warming . . . a series of unexplained sudden deaths in British Colombia . . . a rash of international incidents between the United States and one of its closest allies that threatens to erupt into an actual shooting war . . . NUMA director Dirk Pitt and his children, Dirk Jr. and Summer, have reason to believe there's a connection somewhere, but they also know they have very little time to find it before events escalate out of control. Their only real clue might just be a mysterious silvery mineral traced to a long-ago expedition to find the fabled Northwest Passage. But no one survived that doomed mission, captain and crew perished to a man--and if Pitt and his colleague Al Giordino aren't careful, the very same fate may await them.

That's the summary of Clive Cussler's newest  Dirk Pitt adventure, Arctic Drift. Contributing editor, Keith Raffel, got a chance to ask a few quick questions to a very busy Clive Cussler.

Global warming plays a big part in Arctic Drift then.  What does the book's hero, Dirk Pitt, think  caused it: humans,  natural phenomenon, or left-wing hoax?

Pitt believes global warming, though increased by human endeavors, is mostly caused by natural phenomena.

How much do you worry about the believability of your Dirk Pitt books?  Are they meant to be escapist entertainments or insights into real challenges facing our society?

The Pitt adventure tales are strictly entertaining stories. Believability takes a back seat.

Contributing editor Karen Harper recently chatted with Reed Coleman about his new thriller The Fourth Victim written under the pen name Tony Spinosa.

Publisher's Weekly magazine says of your writing, "The author makes us care about his characters and what happens to them."  Can you give other authors a tip or two about how to achieve this in their writing?

Instead of thinking of characters as fictional characters, I try to think of them as real, as living beyond the page and free of my mind. If they feel real to me, they feel real to the reader. Once you've accepted a character as real, your writing a description of what he or she does instead of inventing everything they might do.

The Fourth Victim features Joe Serpe, a disgraced NYPD detective turned truck driver.  In what ways is your real-life bio reflected in this character's interests or endeavors?

Although I've never been a law enforcement officer, disgraced or otherwise, I did deliver home heating oil on Long Island for seven years.  What I noticed was that deliverymen are invisible. Or as I like to put it, people know more about their mailbox than their mailman. This seemed like an interesting concept to explore, especially from the point of view of a former narcotics detective. As a deliveryman, I was privy to all sorts of things people would normally never let a stranger be witness to: drug use, violence, people in all manner of undress. It was amazing.  And time in the truck alone gave me a lot of valuable space to think about my work.

Here's what was featured in the November Edition of the Big Thrill

Hot Off The Press

• THE GOOD SON by Russel McLean
• ONE OF THE WICKED by Harry Shannon
• THE FIRE KIMONO by Laura Joh Rowland
• SUCCULENT PREY by Wrath James White
• THE MEMORIST by MJ Rose
• THE SPY WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS by David Morrell
• THE HIDING PLACE by Karen Harper
• ARCTIC DRIFT by Clive & Dirk Cussler
• FATAL FIXER-UPPER by Jennie Bentley
• KLLRS by Phil Bowie
• DEADLY HARVEST by Heather Graham
• COLD PURSUIT by Carla Neggers
• CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE by Martha Powers
• THE DARKER SIDE by Cody McFadyen
• A DEADLY SILVER SEA by Bob Morris
• NIGHT OF THE FURIES by David Angsten
• FORTUIN by Chanette Paul
• SHOT GIRL by Karen Olson
• SNIPER BID by Rick Robinson
• FACE OF A KILLER by Robin Burcell
• BRIMSTONE KISS by Carole Nelson Douglas
• THE FOURTH VICTIM by Tony Spinosa
• THE TIANANMEN SQUARE EFFECT by Matthew Dunn
• DEAD RINGER by Michael Black & Julie Hyzy
• BORDERLANDS by Brian McGilloway
• PRECIOUS CARGO by Clyde Ford
• FLESH HOUSE by Stuart MacBride
• SUDDEN THREAT by A.J. Tata
• SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE HOMOPHOBES by Robert Devereaux
• SPANISH EYES by Jackie Griffey
• MURDER SOLSTICE by Keith Moray
• There's also South African news from Mike Nicol and UK news from Russel McLean
• Plus Between The Lines interviews with bestselling authors M.J. Rose and David Morrell

Monthly Book Giveaway

Congratulations to Wes Brummer, the winner of this month's BIG THRILL giveaway. Wes will receive an assorment of signed thrillers including The Archangel Project by C.S. Graham, The Hiding Place by Karen Harper, Freezing Point by Karen Dionne, Immortal Laws by Jim Michael Hansen, Johnny Gruesome by Gregory Lamberson, Recipe for Trouble by Jackie Griffey, Borderlands by Brian McGilloway, The Frailty of Flesh by Sandra Ruttan, Fortuin by Chanette Paul, Murder Solstice by Keith Moray, House of Dark Shadows by Robert Liparulo, Deadfall by Robert Liparulo, and Night of the Furies by David Angsten.

All subscribers to THE BIG THRILL webzine are automatically eligible for the monthly drawing. Click here to subscribe to the BIG THRILL email.

The sharp eyed among you will notice the conspicuous absence of your International column last month in The Big Thrill. This was due to a number of factors, not least of which being that your host was hurtling over the Atlantic ocean in a tin can with wings trying not to scream with agony at being made to endure the recent Get Smart remake in an even more truly bastardized form than even the original cut of the movie (ie, all the violence and rude jokes - all that made it bearable - were edited out).

In part, I was on my way to Baltimore for this year's Bouchercon, run by the magnificent Ruth Jordan of Crime Spree Magazine and her equally splendid co-chair, Judy Bobalik. All told, it was one of the most packed con's I've attended and the first time I found myself unable to sneak away and recharge midway through the festivities.

Let me say that the convention was absolutely wonderful with some very strong panels and an excellent British toastmaster in the form of Mr Mark Billingham.

Here's what was featured in the December Edition of the Big Thrill

Hot Off The Press

• Deadly Gift by Heather Graham
• King of Swords by Nick Stone
• The Reach by Nate Kenyon
• Hail to the Chef by Julie Hyzy
• Blood Island by H.Terrell Griffin
• The Charlemagne Pursuit by Steve Berry
• Lily Dale: Connecting by Wendy Corsi Staub
• There's also South African news from Mike Nicol
• Plus Between The Lines in-depth interviews with bestselling authors Stephen Coonts and Steve Berry.
  

Monthly Book Giveaway

Congratulations to Al Fuller, the winner of this month's BIG THRILL giveaway. Al will received an assortment of signed thrillers including Fatal Fixer-Upper by Jennie Bentley, Cheap Scares! by Gregory Lamberson, Zombie CSU by Jonathan Maberry, Flesh House by Stuart MacBride, Brimstone Kiss by Carole Nelson Douglas, The Fourth Victim by Tony Spinosa, and KLLERS by Phil Bowie.

All subscribers to THE BIG THRILL webzine are automatically eligible for the monthly drawing. Click here to subscribe to the BIG THRILL email.

All of us at International Thriller Writers, Inc., are deeply saddened by the death of one of our members, Elaine Flinn, who succumbed on Saturday, October 25, to pneumonia after a long battle with lung cancer. Aside from being an early, valued and effective member of ITW, Elaine was the author of four excellent mystery novels featuring her much-beloved antique-dealing sleuth Molly Doyle. The most recent, Deadly Vintage, was published by Perserverance Press last year to outstanding reviews and a solid five star rating by her readers on Amazon.com.

-- The Board and Membership of ITW


Elaine Flinn
An appreciation by Gregg Hurwitz

When ITW was in its incipient stage, I was elected to oversee the committee to determine which awards we'd have (Best Smile, Most Likely To Improve), and how we'd arrive at said awards (Dartboard, Drinking Contest). Volunteers were scarce; it is thankless work, and everyone has deadlines, tours, children, and dogs to attend to. One email arrived right away, however, from Elaine Flinn, volunteering her services.  

I met her first over the phone and she was all husky voice and loud laughter, a great big personality. But what was immediately apparent was her warmth. And in all the time I knew her, I never heard her speak poorly about or dish on other writers (even those who deserved it). She took enormous pleasure in the success of others, and in fact, did much to promote her colleagues through her blog and website. She was generous of spirit and funny as hell, prone to healthy irreverence. I called her Evil E, a sobriquet under which she conducted many mischievous interviews (also helping promote other writers). Quick to help, first to laugh, devoid of schadenfreude, she was a gracious woman, a talented writer, and a true friend. I will miss that hearty chuckle.

While the rest of the country is still wallowing in the muck of this election season, International Thriller Writers, Inc., is happy to report it held its elections successfully and calmly, without mudslinging and negative advertising. We are pleased to announce the results.

Steve Berry was elected as Co-President. One of the founders of ITW, he has already served as managing editor of Thriller. He remains head of ITW's Publications Committee and also served as Executive Vice President. He's the best-selling author of six novels, the latest of which is The Venetian Betrayal.

Also serving as Co-President this year is James Rollins, another ITW founder, who is the author of numerous bestselling thrillers including The Judas Strain and the novelization of the recent blockbuster movie, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He is a veterinarian in his "real" life.

Now through the end of October, thriller authors David Morrell, Gayle Lynds, Barry Eisler, and Karen Dionne offer their thoughts on the literary fiction/thriller divide at LitPark, Susan Henderson's popular site for literary fiction writers. It's a thoughtful, intelligent discussion that wants your input.

http://litpark.com/2008/10/08/thriller-writers-dionne-eisler-lynds-morrell/

Magma Films has optioned award-winning author Ken Bruen's Jack Taylor novel THE GUARDS for a feature-length film, to be developed with Germany's RTL.

The film is earmarked as a pilot for a Jack Taylor series. This is the third of Bruen's book to be slated for dramatization, along with BLITZ and LONDON BOULEVARD.

For more information on Bruen and his award-winning series, visit his website.

Congratulations to bestselling author Douglas Preston. According to a recent announcement in Variety, Tom Cruise and United Artists have acquired rights to Preston's serial-killer thriller The Monster of Florence. "It's the biggest movie deal in my life," said Preston. His previous thriller Relic was also made into a major motion picture.

The Monster of Florence case on which Preston based his book had previously inspired the Thomas Harris sequel Hannibal.

Click to read additional details and the full Variety article.

Douglas Preston began his writing career at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. He taught nonfiction writing at Princeton University. He has published 21 books, both fiction and nonfiction, many co-authored with Lincoln Child. He occasionally writes pieces for The New Yorker magazine and the Atlantic Monthly. He is a founding sponsor of ITW and a board member of the Authors Guild.

PRECIOUS CARGO (Vanguard Press, $24.95), nautical thriller writer Clyde Ford's second installment of his Charlie Noble thriller series, has garnered attention from major media with a revolutionary new tool: high-tech tie-ins to the novel.

Ford, a former software engineer, developed an application called OnScene, which allows readers to be transported to the locations of his novel using Google Earth and Microsoft's Virtual Earth. They can learn more about the geology and history of the locale, hear Ford reading pertinent passages, and even view live webcams. In addition, the author created a twenty-minute video on the book, narrated by Morgan Freeman with passages read by Ruby Dee and Roscoe Orman.

Media outlets from Publishers Weekly to the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Time have written about Clyde's high-tech enhancements, heralding his breakout use of technology as an example of how the publishing industry must evolve.

Ford has been a guest on Oprah and NPR, and lives in Bellingham, Washington, a port from which he sails the Inside Passage (the setting of his novels) on a thirty foot trawler.  For more information on Clyde, PRECIOUS CARGO or OnScene, visit the PRECIOUS CARGO website.