September 2010 Archives

ITW member Mary Kennedy never met Lt. Col. Lisa Schieferstein, yet she was intrigued by her story.

Mary knew Lisa was half a world away, doing a tough job in a gritty, remote location. As the garrison commander of the 389th "Renegades" division in Iraq, Lisa was stationed at a desert outpost, with 90 soldiers under her command. The heat was appalling, the conditions were rugged, and danger was ever present.

Even though Mary's life, in her own words, "is incredibly cushy by comparison (a nice psychology practice in Delaware, a second career as a mystery novelist)," when she saw a photo of Lisa--in full body armor--visiting a one-room Iraqi schoolhouse to bring books to the children, Mary knew right away they had something in common: a love of books.

To date, Mary and her author friends have sent more than 200 pounds of home-baked sweets and books to Iraq. Mary says, "I wish everyone reading this piece could adopt a soldier and send books, candy, snacks, and, sure, homemade cookies or brownies. It's easy to do and it really means the world to our brave men and women in the military forces. As Janet Evanovich told me, "If Stephanie Plum could meet the Renegades, she'd give them a high-five and say, 'Well done!'"

Read the full story at Publishers Weekly.

If the soul of a volunteer is golden, then Karen Dionne is worth millions.  Simply stated, you'd have to look hard to find a more dedicated and hardworking author who is more generous with her time.   

Not everyone featured in ITW's Between the Lines interview needs to be a megastar.  Karen doesn't have millions of books in print and her work has been translated into just two, and not dozens of languages.  She's a charter ITW Debut Author--class of 2008-2009.  But her debut status is about to change.  Her second environmental thriller from Berkley, BOILING POINT, will publish in January 2011.

I met Karen in person at the first annual ITW Debut Author's party held during ThrillerFest at Pershing Square Restaurant across from Grand Central Station.  Being the kindhearted volunteer she is, Karen helped set up the event.  We pulled a bunch of tables together and formed a long gauntlet of hungry, lighthearted, and  green authors who shared a truly memorable moment in time.  Rip Gerber played the ukulele while we all sang a tribute to then Debut Author leader C.J. Lyons to the tune of "YMCA."  "C-J-Ly-ons..." And yes, our singing was pretty hard on the ears, but I'm happy to say no heads of cabbage were thrown at us.

During our first year of the Debut Author's program, we'd all been sharing our experiences--the good, bad, and the ugly--inside the online forum, but seeing Karen meeting everyone in person brought a smile.  Hugs were exchanged and the gathering soon had the feel of a family reunion.  In many ways, we are family.  Lifelong friendships were forged that night.

Karen is now managing editor of The Big Thrill, and because of that, she was reluctant to be featured in a Between the Lines interview. But I have a different take on it.  She's more than earned it!  As you read her interview, you'll see the depth of her commitment to the ITW organization.   So thank you, Karen!  You don't hear those words enough.

In Tom Harper's The Lazarus Vault, deep in the heart of London, the Monsalvat Bank is small, secretive and fabulously wealthy. When Ellie Stanton, an impoverished graduate student, is unexpectedly invited to join the firm, the privileged world they offer looks too good to turn down.

But soon Ellie realises that her life belongs to her employers - and they're watching her every move. Buried in their medieval vaults lies a closely-guarded treasure of immeasurable power - one inextricably bound up with Ellie's own history.

Now Ellie's only hope is to unearth the secret hidden in the vault. But getting in is only the beginning...

'Ironclad narrative skills with some of the most elegantly understated writing in the field.' Barry Forshaw, Crime Time

'In the tradition of The Da Vinci Code, a page-turner of a novel. Like Dan Brown, Tom Harper knows how to ratchet up the tension.' Choice

Tom Harper is Chair of the UK Crime Writers' Association. He was born in Germany and studied history at Oxford University. He's written nine novels including Lost Temple and The Book of Secrets. He lives in York with his wife and two sons.

The Underbelly is a mystery novella by Gary Phillips in which a semi-homeless Vietnam vet named Magrady searches for a disabled friend who has disappeared from L.A.'s Skid Row. The flashback-prone protagonist must deal with the impact of gentrification; take-no-prisoners community organizers; an unflinching cop from his past in Vietnam; an elderly sexpot out for his bones; a lusted-after magical skull; chronic-lovin' knuckleheads; and the perils of chili cheese fries at midnight.

Combining action, humor and a gritty street level point-of-view, The Underbelly was originally written in serial form on www.fourstory.org but has been expanded upon and re-written for this hardcopy version.

"The Underbelly is a swift, hard punch to the gut. An attention getter and definitely meaningful. Phillips is a writer who can keep you nailed to the page." --Edgar winner John Lutz

"Honesty, distinctive characters, absurdity and good writing -- are here in Phillips's work." --The Washington Post

In addition to The Underbelly, Gary Phillips is the editor and contributor to the bestselling Orange County Noir anthology, and his short story, "Blazin' on Broadway," from Phoenix Noir, has been nominated for a Shamus by the Private Eye Writers of America.

Seth Harwood spotlights a character from his other novel, Jack Wakes Up, in his latest, Young Junius.  He talked to ITW about his new novel and how the Internet helped him with his career.

Why write and why teach writing?

Why write? I'd probably stop if I could. But I can't. Fact is, I love it and I think this is the best thing I'm geared to do. Teaching is great because it gets me out and around folks, I love my students, and it pays better than probably any other part-time job I could get. It gives me the ability to structure my own time and the schedule to write.

What sparked the idea for Young Junius?

After writing and podcasting Jack Wakes Up (Three Rivers Press, 2009), a lot of my online fans were calling for more about one of the secondary characters, Junius Ponds. I'd been falling in love madly with The Wire around that time and a lot of my fiction before Jack Wakes Up had been based in Boston and Cambridge (MA). So I got the idea to do an origin story for Junius Ponds, set in Cambridge in the late 80s, around the time I was growing up there and in a period I know well. I guess that part of my life has always interested me, as far as my fiction is concerned.

  Summer's over, the kids are in school - now it's time to reward yourself with a big stack of new books! This month, we're showcasing 39 terrific new thrillers from ITW members, including 7 novels from first-time authors Hilary Davidson, Ben Coes, Gary Corby, Allison Leotta, Todd Ritter, Antoinette van Heugten, and M. E. Harrigan. Which of these new authors will be the future mega-bestsellers? You'll just have to read all of their books to find out! 

Print the Big Thrill list and head on down to your favorite bookstore, or download your selections to your electronic e-reader, and enjoy a month's worth of great reading from your friends at the International Thriller Writers.

Hot off the press:
Click on a book title to read the feature story

• FEAR: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror edited by R.L. Stine
• Worth Dying For by Lee Child
• Law of Attraction by Allison Leotta
• Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
• Mister X by John Lutz
• Innocent Monster by Reed Farrel Coleman
• Death Notice by Todd Ritter
• Dark Prophecy by Anthony E. Zuiker and Duane Swierczynksi
• 9800 Savage Road by M. E. Harrigan
• The Naked Edge by David Morrell
• The Pericles Commission Gary Corby
• Power Down by Ben Coes
• American Assassin by Vince Flynn
• The Immortals by JT Ellison
• Grim Reaper: End of Days by Steve Alten
• Saving Max by Antoinette van Heugten
• Fatal Error by F. Paul Wilson
• The Lazarus Vault by Tom Harper
• Girl, Stolen by April Henry
• Black Sun by Graham Brown
• iDrakula by Bekka Black
• Detour to Murder by Jeff Sherratt
• Harvest Hunting by Yasmine Galenorn
• The Underbelly by Gary Phillips
• Don't Blink by James Patterson, Howard Roughan
• Velocity by Alan Jacobson
• The Gentleman Poet by Kathryn Johnson
• Loose Ends Kill by Bob Doerr
• Silver Serenade by Nancy J. Cohen
• Desperate Souls by Gregory Lamberson
• A Cup of Jo by Sandra Balzo
• Messages by Weyman Jones
• Cowboy Swagger by Joanna Wayne
• Next Time You See Me by Katia Lief
• The Second Lie by Tara Taylor Quinn
• Young Junius by Seth Harwood
• Disappeared by Gary Alexander
• Gemini Night by Bonnie Hearn Hill
• The Damage Done by Hilary Davidson
• The Templar Salvation by Raymond Khoury
• A Between the Lines interview with Karen Dionne
• International News from Mike Nicol

Coming next month: a Between the Lines interview with Christopher Reich, and the latest thrillers from Stefan Petrucha, Joe McKinney, Jim Michael Hansen, Caridad Pineiro, Tara Taylor Quinn, James Robert Smith, David Baldacci, James Patterson, Clive Cussler, Dirk Cussler, TJ Waters, Roxanne St. Claire, Miles Corwin, Kate Carlisle, Jim Fusilli and more. It's gonna be a thriller!

Just in time for Halloween: FEAR: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror

Turn the pages if you dare. . . . 13 amazing stories from thirteen true masters of suspense: ITW members R.L. Stine, Meg Cabot (#1 New York Times bestselling author of THE PRINCESS DIARIES), F. Paul Wilson, Heather Graham, Tim Maleeny, Ryan Brown, Suzanne Weyn, Heather Brewer (New York Times bestselling author of the Vladimir Todd series) and James Rollins - PLUS Jennifer Allison, Alane Ferguson, Peg Kehret, and Walter Sorrells.

Edited by none other than R. L. Stine, in this brand-new anthology of scary stories, nothing is what it seems. From cannibalistic children, to an unwitting date with a vampire, to a crush on a boy who just might be a werewolf, no scary stone is left unturned. A must-have for thriller fans of any age! Read more

"Thirteen highly suspenseful short stories, well selected by none other than R. L. Stine, who contributes the first tale, have the power to attract and delight many stouthearted young readers. The man behind the Goosebumps and Fear Street megaseries enlists some of the best in the business, such as Meg Cabot and F. Paul Wilson, Walter Sorrells and James Rollins, who offer plenty of heart-throbbing supernatural horror, crime suspense, shockers and sometimes a mixture of all three." -- Kirkus Reviews

ITW Publications: The Big Thrillers

The list of ITW publications is growing! Now you can find information about all of ITW's terrific anthologies, audio books, and serial novels in one place - Thriller, Thriller2, Watchlist, The Chopin Manuscript, The Copper Bracelet, First Thrills, and Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads. 

Check it out! www.thebigthrillers.com

ThrillerFest VI - Registration Now Open!

Registration is now open for ThrillerFest VI, to be held July 6 - 9, 2011, again at The Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.

Special guests include 2011 ThrillerMaster R.L. Stine, 2010 ThrillerMaster Ken Follett, and special guests Robert Crais, John Lescroart, and Diana Gabaldon.

Register now for great discounts! More at www.thrillerfest.com

Hardcover Mysteries on The Discover Channel

Featuring some of America's most popular writers of thrillers and whodunits, Investigation Discovery's HARDCOVER MYSTERIES explores the crossover from fact to fiction. In this exciting new eight-part series, New York Times best-selling authors discuss the real-life cases that compelled their fascination and inspired their page-turners. Authors David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Harlan Coben, Linda Fairstein, Sara Paretsky, Kathy Reichs, Lisa Scottoline and Joseph Wambaugh offer their unique perspectives on real-life mysteries, honed by their skills as master storytellers and keen observers of human nature. Across their careers as best-selling novelists, the authors featured in HARDCOVER MYSTERIES have combined to sell hundreds of millions of books worldwide.

HARDCOVER MYSTERIES launches on Monday, October 11 at 9 PM ET on Investigation Discovery.

And if you're in the New York City area, ITW members David Baldacci, Sandra Brown and Harlan Coben will be at the Barnes & Noble in Tribeca on Tuesday, Oct 5 for a public panel in connection with this new series!

In debut author Todd Ritter's Death Notice, a small-town police chief teams up with a state police detective and an obituary writer to stop a killer who is sending the local newspaper death notices of his victims -- before they're killed. For Chief Kat Campbell, the crimes threaten her town, her family and her very life. For State Police Lt. Nick Donnelly, the case changes everything he thought he knew about the criminal mind. And for obituary writer Henry Goll, the link between police and killer, it becomes clear that the last death notice he receives could be his own.

"Unusually interesting people encounter unusually ghastly murders in New Jersey journalist Ritter's engaging debut." -- Publishers Weekly

"DEATH NOTICE is a tense and twisty whodunnit from a fresh new voice in fiction." -- Lisa Unger, author of FRAGILE

"Ritter has conceived a mystery that will remain in your memory long after you finish the book. Just don't read it when you're alone." -- Linda Castillo, author of PRAY FOR SILENCE

Todd Ritter was born in rural Pennsylvania to a book-loving mother and a father who dabbled in taxidermy. With that upbringing, it is no surprise he is now a mystery writer. An editor and journalist for more than 15 years, Todd began his career as a film critic while attending Penn State University. Currently, he lives in suburban New Jersey, where he is hard at work on the next Kat Campbell mystery.

Reed Farrel Coleman didn't want to write--he had to write. "When you grow up in a household of people who scream, eventually nobody hears anything. As a kid, I searched for a voice to be heard." Through the inspiration and encouragement of Mr. Isaacs, his seventh grade teacher, Coleman found it in poetry. And that sustained him until fate, or more accurately the scheduler of night classes at Brooklyn College, intervened.

"I had a very good job working as a freight forwarder. Basically, I was a travel agent for inanimate objects," Coleman explained. "Poetry had taken me about as far as I was going to go. So, I decided to take a night class. There was one class that fit my schedule--American Detective Fiction."

That was fourteen novels ago. In October 2010, the decorated author and former executive vice president of the Mystery Writers of America, launches his fifteenth novel, Innocent Monster, which is the sixth in his Moe Prager series.

Crime fiction and books on true crime I tend to see as two very different things, especially in a country such as South Africa where crime is in our faces much of the time.  But there is a tendency at local book fair discussion groups to lump the two together.  Invariably we end up at the same table.

This happened at the Cape Town Book Fair this year, it happened at a conference in Johannesburg last year that was ostensibly about true crime, and it happen last month at the Mail & Guardian Literary Festival in Johannesburg.  Which is unfortunate as I don't believe our true crime scene has anything to do with our fantasy world of crime fiction.

Nor is it a response to the crime situation, although this has been suggested by some critics.  As I've said before, our crime fiction is about the normalization of a society that was deformed for decades by apartheid and before that by colonialism.  We have finally given ourselves permission to write commercial fiction.

by Gary Corby

Back in 461BC, in a city called Athens, the people decided that they could do a better job of running things than any group of privileged wealthy.  So they started a system where everyone got a vote.  It was the world's first democracy, and at that moment, western civilization began.

There are other dates you could argue for, but it's hard to go past this one: a sovereign state with one man one vote, free speech for every citizen, written laws and equality before the law, with open courts and trial by jury.

It all sounds terribly modern, doesn't it?  That's because our civilization is based on this one crucial moment in history.  This is the period we know today as the Golden Age of Athens, fifty years of astounding invention.

In the 80's and 90's, Gary Alexander wrote a bunch (eight, to be exact) of successful and well-received detective novels published by top name houses like St. Martin's and Doubleday. Things change, and his protagonists Bamsan Kiet, a police chief in the fictional Southeast Asian country of Luong, and Luis Balam, a shop keeper cum tourist guide cum private investigator in Cancun, gave way to such a whole new genre, hard-boiled female PI's such as Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone and Sara Peretsky's V.I. Warshawsky. Short of a sex-change operation, Bamsan and Luis were out of luck.

Now Gary's back, with as improbable a protagonist as I can remember - a stand-up comedian who gets himself entangled in the just-as-improbable career of his neighbor - virtual mob hits. Now picture this, you're a mob hit man, a profession more precarious than an epileptic tight-rope walker. Pays well, but I'm guessing the health care benefits are expensive. So maybe it needs to pay better. And then there is the messy factor. Dead bodies, midnight runs to the incinerator, blood back splatter if you're standing too close. The dry-cleaning bill alone must be outrageous.

So, what does he do? He doesn't actually kill them, just offers them the chance to disappear into a new life. For a fee, of course. Sort of a witless protection program. But it works for a while, but then the dead start to rise and Ted Snowe, the non-hit man, has, in the immortal words of Desi Arnaz, some 'splainin' to do.

By Gregory Lamberson

Medallion Press publishes Desperate Souls, the second volume in my horror thriller series "The Jake Helman Files," as a trade paperback on October 15th.  The series began with Jake Helman's origin story, Personal Demons, which won the IPPY Gold Medal for Horror, and continues with Cosmic Forces in 2010 and Tortured Spirits in 2012.  Audible.com recently acquired the audio book rights to both Personal Demons and Desperate Souls. I've plotted a total of six novels in the series, but hope to continue writing Jake Helman chillers for a long time to come.  This project started for me two decades ago.

I'm not just a novelist, I'm also a filmmaker, best known for my 1988 cult horror film SLIME CITY, which has been released several times on VHS and DVD, and its new sequel, SLIME CITY MASSACRE, which is currently playing at horror conventions and film festivals around the country.  My films and novels are very different; the films are meant to be fun and goofy, almost campy, while my novels enable me to eschew budgetary restrictions and tell big stories with large scale action sequences.  Novels also allow me to get deeper into my characters' heads, so my goal is always to achieve a deeper emotional resonance.

Anthony E. Zuiker is known to millions of fans as the creator of the CSI franchise. His show and its wildly successful spin-offs, CSI Miami and CSI New York, have won six Emmys and a host of other national and international awards and have a worldwide audience estimated at more than 75 million viewers. The show has spawned a generation of imitators, revived and recast the police procedural and become a brand recognized around the world.

Anthony Zuiker recently took time to tell us about his latest endeavor, a series of thrillers he's developed with the help of veteran crime writer and ITW member Duane Swierczynski, author of the hit novels The Blonde, Severance Package, and this year's standout, Expiration Date.

The books are a new form Anthony calls digi-novels, which read like traditional novels but offer readers enhanced content such as online communities, IPhone apps and codes that can be entered online to reveal harrowing filmed episodes. The first, Level 26: Dark Origins, was an international bestseller, and the follow up, Level 26: Dark Prophecy is out October 14th from Dutton.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child follows the electrifying 61 Hours with his latest Reacher thriller, Worth Dying For--a story that hits the ground running and then accelerates all the way to a colossal showdown.

There's deadly trouble in the corn country of Nebraska . . . and Jack Reacher walks right into it. First he falls foul of the Duncans, a local clan that has terrified an entire county into submission. But it's the unsolved case of a missing child, already decades-old, that Reacher can't let go.
The Duncans want Reacher gone--and it's not just past secrets they're trying to hide. They're awaiting a secret shipment that's already late--and they have the kind of customers no one can afford to annoy. For as dangerous as the Duncans are, they're just the bottom of a criminal food chain stretching halfway around the world.

For Reacher, it would have made much more sense to keep on going, to put some distance between himself and the hard-core trouble that's bearing down on him.
For Reacher, that was also impossible.
 
Worth Dying For is the kind of explosive thriller only Lee Child could write and only Jack Reacher could survive--a heart-racing page-turner no suspense fan will want to miss.

"Jack Reacher is the coolest continuing series character now on offer."--Stephen King, in Entertainment Weekly

Lee Child is the author of thirteen Jack Reacher thrillers, including the New York Times bestsellers Persuader, The Enemy, One Shot, The Hard Way, and #1 bestsellers Bad Luck and Trouble and Nothing to Lose. His debut, Killing Floor, won both the Anthony and the Barry awards for Best First Mystery, and The Enemy won both the Barry and Nero awards for Best Novel. Foreign rights in the Jack Reacher series have sold in forty territories. All titles have been optioned for major motion pictures.

From bestselling, award-winning author, Thrillermaster, and "father of the modern action novel" David Morrell comes a brand new, never-before-published gripping international thriller -- exclusive to Amazon Kindle. Contains a special Afterword, and a photo insert displaying the knives of The Naked Edge.

Once they were boyhood best friends, playing in the woods near their homes, pretending to be soldiers surviving behind enemy lines. Grownup, they belonged to Delta Force and later worked as protectors for the world's best security company. Now their lives have taken drastically different paths, pitting them against one another, forcing them to play their boyhood game again, this time to learn who dies.

The survival of a great city hangs in the balance as two friends-turned-enemies hunt one another and discover that there's a line between predators and prey, a line that's called The Naked Edge. From Rambo-creator David Morrell, the father of the modern action novel, comes a gripping international thriller that you won't want to end.

David Morrell is the author of FIRST BLOOD, the award-winning novel in which Rambo was created. He holds a Ph.D. in American literature from the Pennsylvania State University and taught in the English department at the University of Iowa until he gave up his tenure to write full time. "The mild-mannered professor with the bloody-minded visions," as one reviewer described him, Morrell is the co-founder (with Gayle Lynds) of the International Thriller Writers organization. His numerous bestsellers include THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE ROSE (the basis for a top-rated NBC miniseries broadcast after the Super Bowl), THE FRATERNITY OF THE STONE, THE FIFTH PROFESSION, and EXTREME DENIAL (set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lives). He is also the author of THE SUCCESSFUL NOVELIST: A LIFETIME OF LESSONS ABOUT WRITING AND PUBLISHING. His latest is THE SPY WHO CAME FOR CHRISTMAS, a holiday action thriller. Please visit him at www.davidmorrell.net.

In Thrillermaster James Patterson's newest, Don't Blink, written with Howard Roughan, New York s Lombardo s Steak House is famous for three reasons the menu, the clientele, and now, the gruesome murder of an infamous mob lawyer. Effortlessly, the assassin slips through the police s fingers, and his absence sparks a blaze of accusations about who ordered the hit.

Seated at a nearby table, reporter Nick Daniels is conducting a once-in-a-lifetime interview with a legendary baseball bad boy. In the chaos, he accidentally captures a key piece of evidence that lands him in the middle of an all-out war between Italian and Russian mafia forces. NYPD captains, district attorneys, mayoral candidates, media kingpins, and one shockingly beautiful magazine editor are all pushing their own agendas on both sides of the law.

Back off or die is the clear message Nick receives as he investigates for a story of his own. Heedless, and perhaps in love with his beautiful editor, Nick endures humiliation, threats, violence, and worse in a thriller that overturns every expectation and finishes with the kind of flourish only James Patterson knows.

"Patterson's novels are sleek entertainment machines, the Porsches of commercial fiction, expertly engineered and lightning fast." -- Publishers Weekly

Not making any bones about his bid for success, James Patterson once declared he wanted to be known as the king of the page-turners. While that may seem like a pretty grand ambition, Patterson is as worthy of that title as any author working today.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Vince Flynn returns with yet another explosive thriller, American Assassin, introducing the young Mitch Rapp, as he takes on his first assignment.

Before he was considered a CIA superagent, before he was thought of as a terrorist's worst nightmare, and before he was both loathed and admired by the politicians on Capitol Hill, Mitch Rapp was a gifted college athlete without a care in the world . . . and then tragedy struck.

Two decades of cutthroat, partisan politics has left the CIA and the country in an increasingly vulnerable position. Cold War veteran and CIA Operations Director Thomas Stansfield knows he must prepare his people for the next war. The rise of Islamic terrorism is coming, and it needs to be met abroad before it reaches America's shores. Stansfield directs his protÉgÉe, Irene Kennedy, and his old Cold War colleague, Stan Hurley, to form a new group of clandestine operatives who will work outside the normal chain of command--men who do not exist.

What type of man is willing to kill for his country without putting on a uniform? Kennedy finds him in the wake of the Pan Am Lockerbie terrorist attack. Two-hundred and seventy souls perished that cold December night, and thousands of family and friends were left searching for comfort. Mitch Rapp was one of them, but he was not interested in comfort. He wanted retribution.

Six months of intense training has prepared him to bring the war to the enemy's doorstep, and he does so with brutal efficiency. Rapp starts in Istanbul, where he assassinates the Turkish arms dealer who sold the explosives used in the Pan Am attack. Rapp then moves onto Hamburg with his team and across Europe, leaving a trail of bodies. All roads lead to Beirut, though, and what Rapp doesn't know is that the enemy is aware of his existence and has prepared a trap. The hunter is about to become the hunted, and Rapp will need every ounce of skill and cunning if he is to survive the war-ravaged city and its various terrorist factions.

As action-packed, fast-paced, and brutally realistic as it gets, Flynn's latest page-turner shows readers how it all began. Behind the steely gaze of the nation's ultimate hero is a young man primed to become an American Assassin.

Vince Flynn is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of nine previous thrillers, including Consent to Kill, Act of Treason, and Protect and Defend. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and three children. Visit his website at www.vinceflynn.com

In Thrillermaster Ken Follett's highly anticipated new novel, Fall of Giants, thirteen-year-old Billy Williams enters a man's world in the Welsh mining pits...Gus Dewar, an American law student rejected in love, finds a surprising new career in Woodrow Wilson's White House...two orphaned Russian brothers, Grigori and Lev Peshkov, embark on radically different paths half a world apart when their plan to emigrate to America falls afoul of war, conscription, and revolution...Billy's sister, Ethel, a housekeeper for the aristocratic Fitzherberts, takes a fateful step above her station, while Lady Maud Fitzherbert herself crosses deep into forbidden territory when she falls in love with Walter von Ulrich, a spy at the German embassy in London...

These characters and many others find their lives inextricably entangled as, in a saga of unfolding drama and intriguing complexity, Fall of Giants moves seamlessly from Washington to St. Petersburg, from the dirt and danger of a coal mine to the glittering chandeliers of a palace, from the corridors of power to the bedrooms of the mighty. As always with Ken Follett, the historical background is brilliantly researched and rendered, the action fast-moving, the characters rich in nuance and emotion. It is destined to be a new classic.
In future volumes of The Century Trilogy, subsequent generations of the same families will travel through the great events of the rest of the twentieth century, changing themselves-and the century itself. With passion and the hand of a master, Follett brings us into a world we thought we knew, but now will never seem the same again.

"Follett takes you to a time long past with brio and razor-sharp storytelling. An epic tale in which you will lose yourself." -The Denver Post on World Without End

Ken Follett's World Without End was a global phenomenon, a work of grand historical sweep, beloved by millions of readers and acclaimed by critics as "well-researched, beautifully detailed [with] a terrifically compelling plot" (The Washington Post) and "wonderful history wrapped around a gripping story" (St. Louis Post- Dispatch)

Fall of Giants is his magnificent new historical epic. The first novel in The Century Trilogy, it follows the fates of five interrelated families-American, German, Russian, English, and Welsh-as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage.

Known around the world for his string of smash-hit spy thrillers touched off by 1978's Eye of the Needle, Ken Follett's taut tales -- spiked with more than a dash of sex appeal -- have earned this author (and sometime blues guitarist) a reputation as a master of international intrigue.

In April Henry's newest, Girl, Stolen, while waiting in the car for her stepmother, 16-year-old Cheyenne is accidentally kidnapped by Griffin, a dropout who steals the family's Escalade. When he realizes Cheyenne is blind, Griffin plans on letting her go. Then his father finds out her family is rich. Even if Cheyenne's father pays a ransom, will they ever let her go?

"Henry spins a captivating tale that shifts between Cheyenne's and Griffin's thoughts. Both are well-built, complex characters, trapped in their own ways by life's circumstances, which--paired with a relentlessly fast pace--ensures a tense read." - Publisher's Weekly

"This can't-put-it-down crime thriller unfolds through the viewpoints of both victim and criminal. ... Constantly interesting and suspenseful." - Kirkus

April Henry is the author of mysteries and thrillers for adults and teens. Girl, Stolen is her 10th book.

    In Bob Doerr's latest, Loose Ends Kill, once again a call from an old friend draws Jim West into the middle of a murder investigation. This time the police believe they already have the murderer in jail - Jim's old friend. When Jim discovers that even his friend's lawyers believe he is quilty, he knows he will have to go it alone. In doing so, he soon attracts the ire of the police, the defence attorneys, and, eventually, the killer. A fast paced thriller to the end!

"Loose Ends Kill is a great read! Reminds me of a Mickey Spillane effort and Jim West could be the next Mike Hammer. Definitely a great book for the armchair crime fighters out there. Loose Ends Kill is a keeper! Jim West is going to be busy! You'll see him again - I look forward to his next book. This is "Real Life Stuff" and Bob Doerr's been there!" - J. Al Cannon Jr., Sheriff of Charleston County, SC.

"Doerr does it again! Loose Ends Kill is another fantastic Jim West novel! His personal experiences in law enforcement have shaped another gritty murder mystery that keeps you turning pages... from cover to cover... until you reach the exciting end!" - Mike Angley, award winning author of Child Finder and Child Finder Redemption

Bob Doerr graduated from the Air Force Academy and had a twenty eight year career in the Air Force. It was a life style that exposed him to the people and cultures of numerous countries in Asia, Europe and to most of these United States. Bob specialized in criminal investigations and counterintelligence gaining significant insight to the worlds of crime, espionage and terrorism. His field work brought him into close contact with the investigative agencies of many countries and with the FBI and CIA. This background has helped Bob develop the fictional plots and characters in his books. Bob is now a full time author, with two mystery/thrillers already published. His book Cold Winter's Kill was a finalist for the 2010 Eric Hoffer Award.

In Nancy J. Cohen's latest, Silver Seranade, ace pilot Jace Vernon is forced to flee his home world after being framed for murder. He seeks justice, but S.I.N. agent Silver Malloy gets in his way. The platinum-haired beauty counters his every move in the quest to clear his name. As he makes it his mission to break down her defenses, he doesn't count on the personal consequences of success.

Silver refuses to abort her deadly mission even if it means killing the one man Jace needs alive to prove his innocence. Her resolve wavers when Jace's charms melt the barriers around her heart. Can she help him win his case, even if it means betraying her family and ruining her career?

"From start to finish, Silver Serenade throws an action packed thrill ride. It's fun and adventurous, and left me begging for more!" 5 Siren Stones, Siren Book Reviews

"A fun, entertaining, out of this world read!" Cheryl's Book Nook

"This fantasy erotic romance has a strong, sexy hero and an even stronger, sexier heroine...Fans of Nathan Fillion and Firefly are sure to enjoy this futuristic romantic fantasy."
4 cups, Coffee Time Romance & More

"A fun romantic science fiction thriller." The Romantic Post

"Amazing heroine, sexy hero, lovable sub-characters...This is an exceptional, fast-paced, futuristic book that takes you to different worlds and introduces you to a whole new outlook on this genre of writing." Babes in Bookland

"Silver Serenade is strangely captivating and oddly intriguing in an exciting, first-rate way." 4.25 Shoes, Final Cut Editing

Nancy J. Cohen is a multi-published author who writes romance and mysteries. She began her career writing futuristic romances as Nancy Cane. Her first title, CIRCLE OF LIGHT, won the HOLT Medallion Award. After four books in this genre, she switched to mysteries to write the popular Bad Hair Day series featuring hairdresser Marla Shore, who solves crimes with wit and style under the sultry Florida sun. Several of these titles made the IMBA bestseller list. PERISH BY PEDICURE and KILLER KNOTS are the latest books in this humorous series. Active in the writing community and a featured speaker at libraries and conferences, Nancy is listed in Contemporary Authors, Poets & Writers, and Who's Who in U.S. Writers, Editors & Poets. Nancy's new release, SILVER SERENADE, is a sexy space adventure and her fifteenth title. 

In F. Paul Wilson's latest Repairman Jack novel, Fatal Error, Munir Habib's life has become a nightmare. His American wife and son have been taken hostage and he must perform cruel acts of self-debasement to keep them alive. His tormentor, who seems to want nothing more than to humiliate him, has warned him not to go to the police or his family will pay a terrible price. But a friend tells him of a guy who hires out to fix situations like this.

A guy known as Repairman Jack...

But is it just a kidnapping? Could it be related to a plot to bring down the Internet and bring an eternal shadow war to a head?

"One of the all-time great characters in one of the all-time great series." --Lee Child

"Repairman Jack is one of my favorite characters -- I'm full of happy anticipation every time I hold a new RJ novel in my hands." --Charlaine Harris, creator of True Blood

"F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack is a cultural icon. If you haven't crossed paths with him you're out of the loop. Get with the program." --David Morrell

"Repairman Jack is one of the greatest fictional characters created by any thriller writer in the past half century. If you haven't discovered him and his world yet, what a fabulous, extraordinary, and electric reading experience awaits you." --Douglas Preston

"I'm a Repairman Jack addict. Be warned: Read one book and you'll become one, too. If you've got an impossible problem to solve, he's the one guy you want in your corner: flawed, conflicted, and oh-so-wonderfully brutal. Each book is a sweet hit of pure adrenaline. Pick up a copy and get hooked today." --James Rollins

F. PAUL WILSON is a NY Times bestselling author who has won the Stoker, Inkpot, Porgie, and Prometheus Awards. His work spans science fiction, horror, adventure, medical thrillers, and virtually everything between. He has written for the stage, screen, and interactive media as well, and has been translated into 24 languages. His latest thrillers, GROUND ZERO and FATAL ERROR, star his urban mercenary, Repairman Jack. JACK: SECRET CIRCLES is the latest in a young-adult series starring a fourteen-year-old Jack. Paul resides at the Jersey Shore and can be found on the Web at www.repairmanjack.com.

In Graham Brown's newest, Black Sun, in the heart of the Amazon, NRI operative Danielle Laidlaw makes an incredible discovery: a translucent Mayan stone generating massive waves of energy while counting down toward the infamous apocalyptic date: December 21, 2012. And somewhere, there are three more just like it.

What power will be unleashed if all four stones come together? Who created them--and who has them now? Using a cryptic Mayan map and a prophecy that points to the end of the world, Danielle and her team race toward answers. But one staggering question remains: Were these artifacts meant to save us--or to destroy us once and for all?

"Sizzles with tension and twists." --Steve Berry, author of The Paris Vendetta, on Black Rain

"A terrific read . . . smart, intelligent, and poised to shake up the whole thriller community. I loved it." --Linwood Barclay, author of Never Look Away

"Armchair travel for the adrenaline set . . . Brown infuses nonstop action with spiritual, scientific, and ideological elements without ever pausing for breath." --Sophie Littlefield, author of A Bad Day for Sorry

Graham Brown went to college in Arizona, earning a degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona and went on to get a law degree from Arizona State College of Law in Tempe.

A former pilot and lawyer and later part of a start up health care firm, Graham decided he hadn't had enough different careers yet and decided to become a writer.

Now under contract for a third book with Random House, Graham currently resides with his wife in Tucson, AZ.

The first pairing of FBI Agent Sean Reilly and archaeologist Tess Chaykin in Raymond Khoury's The Last Templar spent 11 weeks on the hardcover New York Times Bestseller list and was a Number 1 bestseller overseas.  It has been translated into thirty-eight languages, published in over forty countries, and became the basis for a television mini-series.

It's now been four years since we've shared an adventure with Tess Chaykin and Sean Reilly, but they're back for a triumphant return in The Templar Salvation, a new adventure that has been described as "every bit as nail-biting, cinematic, and thought-provoking as its predecessor."

Constantinople, 1203: As the rapacious armies of the Fourth Crusade lay siege to the city, a secretive band of Templars infiltrate the imperial library. Their target: a cache of documents that must not be allowed to fall into the hands of the Doge of Venice. They escape with three heavy chests, filled with explosive secrets that these men will not live long enough to learn.

Award-winning author Weyman Jones took a roundabout route to writing thrillers, as many of us do. After serving in the Navy, he worked in corporate communications for years. He began writing fiction for magazines and published three books for young readers, including The Edge of Two Worlds, which won the Lewis Carroll Shelf and the Western Heritage Awards and was selected as one of the best books of the year by both the School Library Journal and Book World. His thrillers include The Doublooner, Broken Glass, The Unexpected and the newly released Messages. I chatted recently with Weyman Jones about Messages and his writing process.

Tell us about Messages and why it's such an interesting read.

A thriller introduces us to interesting people doing exciting things. Messages also raises some questions about animal rights and other ethical issues. But the most important thing is what happens inside the characters' heads. If I can make you understand why a character or two behave as they do, you'll begin to care about what happens to them. Then I've got you.

Joanna Wayne's bestselling novels have been praised for being "on the cutting edge of romantic suspense" and have gained her many male as well as female readers. She has published more than 40 books since her debut novel in 1994. Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, she attended her first writing class after marrying and moving to New Orleans. Joanna now lives in a small community near Houston, Texas, and has set her latest series in that part of the country. Cowboy Swagger was released in September. The second book in the series, Genuine Cowboy, comes out in December, followed by OK Cowboy next March. Joanna recently talked about her work in an interview.

Tell us about your new series.

Joanna Wayne: Cowboy Swagger introduces the 5-book Sons of Troy Ledger series. The setting is the fictional town of Mustang Run in the Texas Hill Country. The series centers around the character of Troy Ledger, a rancher wrongly convicted of killing his wife eighteen years before the series opens. In Cowboy Swagger, Troy has been released from prison on a technicality. He returns to the ranch obsessed with finding his wife's killer and hopeful of reuniting with his sons. But the years in prison have hardened Troy and made him suspicious and edgy, a man to be reckoned with. Each book will feature one of the five sons in a mystery and romance of their own, each connected and each moving Troy closer to finding the real killer of his wife.

  Recently, I sat down with M.E. Harrigan, author of 9800 Savage Road.

You've received wonderful reviews for 9800 Savage Road, your first novel. General Michael Hayden, who was Director of the NSA from 1995-2005 says you "put a human face on one of America's most secret--and most valuable--intelligence organizations." How did the book come about, and were you surprised at the very positive reviews from your colleagues?

I actually wrote the book to honor the memory of my father, a newspaper editor who taught me the value and wonder of words. The subject I knew most about was NSA, so that's what a decided to write about. I was thrilled to receive such a glowing review from General Hayden--and Nelson DeMille and all the others.

I noticed that you've worked for the NSA in a variety of positions, including Somali linguist, technical editor, missile system analyst and manager of Elite engineers and projects. How does your own work experience at NSA compare with that of Alexandra O'Malley, your protagonist?

Recently I sat down with Allison Leotta to discuss her debut legal thriller, Law of Attraction.

Please tell us a bit about your novel.

I'm a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., specializing in sex crimes and domestic violence.  "Law of Attraction" is about  - surprise! - a federal prosecutor in D.C. specializing in sex crimes and domestic violence.  The book is part courtroom drama, part love story, and part murder mystery.  My heroine investigates a mysogynistic  killer, while her own boyfriend, a public defender, represents the accused.  As her love life collides with her professional life, she learns she may be just as vulnerable as the victims she works to protect.

In writing Law of Attraction, I tried to create the type of story I like to read myself: a fast-paced tale of crime and punishment, infused with authentic detail, which will give the reader an inside glimpse into how our criminal justice system really handles the most intimate crimes.

A parent's worst fear is at the heart of this harrowing debut thriller by Antoinette van Heugten. When single mother Danielle Parkman learns that her autistic teenager, Max, is accused of murder while confined to a psychiatric hospital for assessment, Danielle is forced to find the killer in order to absolve her son. Although she knows first hand about her son's violent writings and drawings and she's nursed more than a few bruises from his outbursts, she believes in her heart that he's incapable of murder. But as the pressures of investigating mount, including her own arrest as an accessory, and a killer who wants her to back off, Danielle is forced to reexamine what it means to be a mother and what lengths she'll go to in order to save Max.

I caught up with this busy attorney from Texas, who is the mother and step-mother of three children, two of whom are autistic, to talk about her very first thriller:

Obviously, you know of whence you speak when it comes to autistic children. Did you have to do any research at all to write parts of the book?

From the delightful mysteries of Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series to the brooding love affair of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, vampires have taken over the literary world in recent years, especially the young adult market. Why do these creatures fascinate us? Is the fangs? The immortality? The youth?  And where did it all begin?

As a writer of vampire novels, I've often pondered these questions and know they're probably best left to the realm of scholars. However, I do enjoy discussing the topic with fellow writers and I recently had an opportunity to do just that, as well as ferret out some details on her new novel, iDrakula, with my good friend Bekka Black, aka Rebecca Cantrell.

Hey, Bekka. I'm glad you could take time from your busy schedule to answer a few questions. I'm really excited about your new book. iDrakula is a re-imagining of the classic Bram Stoker novel, Dracula, and is written using e-mails, text messages, web browsers, and search screens. How did the idea for retelling Stoker's tale through these modern forms of communication begin?

I was in a LA on my book tour for my novel, A Trace of Smoke, when I noticed tables of teenagers sitting silently next to each other. Intrigued, I asked one teen what they were doing. He rolled his eyes, but did look up at me long enough to say, "I'm texting her." He jerked his head to the side. I looked at him in shock and said, "But she's right next to you." He gave me that pitying look I used to give adults and went back to his work.

by Sandra Balzo

"A mime is a terrible thing to waste. But damned if we shouldn't take a machine gun to this one." --Sarah Kingston in A Cup of Jo

Okay, I admit it. It's a line I've been dying to use for years and my newest book, A CUP OF JO, finally gave me the chance. And as the opening, no less.

Not that I have anything against mimes. In fact . . . oh, hell --f course I hate mimes. Who doesn't? And clowns . . .

But I digress.

A Cup of Jo is the sixth book in my Maggy Thorsen Mystery Series. The books revolve around "Uncommon Grounds," a gourmet coffeehouse serving the fictional Brookhills, Wisconsin. In the first book, one of the partners financing Maggy's new coffee venture is found dead in a pool of skim milk, having been electrocuted by the espresso machine's frothing wand. (I'd have included a spoiler warning, but is there another way to kill by espresso machine?)

By book six, Maggy has lost yet another partner -- this time to natural attrition -- as well as the store itself. A freak May snowstorm literally "razed" the roof of the strip mall where the original Uncommon Grounds stood.

With over 50 original novels, published in more than twenty languages, Tara Taylor Quinn is a USA Today bestselling author with more than six million copies sold. This fall, she is releasing four new titles in four consecutive months: The First Wife (Sept 2010), The Second Lie (Oct 2010), The Third Secret (Nov 2010), and The Fourth Victim (Dec 2010). Tara was pleased to share some of this experience with The Big Thrill.

Hi, Tara. Can you tell us about The Second Lie?

The Second Lie is the story of mid-America small town life. It's a story that is larger than life, but gripped in realism. It's the second book in The Chapman Files, a series of books centered around expert witness psychologist, Kelly Chapman. Each of the Chapman Files is one of her cases. The Second Lie is more than a case to Kelly. It involves one of her clients, fourteen-year-old Maggie Winston, who Kelly fears is on the verge of a relationship with a possible pedophile. And it involves a woman Kelly grew up with, Sheriff's Deputy Samantha Jones. The Second Lie involves Kelly's hometown, Chandler, Ohio. Samantha suspects that someone is running a meth superlab in Chandler. Samantha's peers think she's lost her edge. Samantha believes that there's a connection between Maggie's activities, the meth lab, and the man Samantha is sleeping with. Kelly hopes her friend is wrong. But one thing is clear... someone in Chandler is lying.

In Bonnie Hearn Hill's Gemini Night, third in the young adult Star Crossed series, high school junior Logan McRae wants to be the teen astrologer for CRUSH, the San Francisco-based magazine where she is an intern. All she has to do is figure out the astrological chart of one of the celebrity guests who will be attending the magazine's Halloween launch party. The mystery celebrity--a Gemini--is in trouble, and Logan must try to stop the costume party before it is too late.

A former newspaper editor, Bonnie Hearn Hill is the author of six thrillers for MIRA Books and numerous short stories and nonfiction articles/books. Aries Rising and Taurus Eyes also published this year with Running Press/Perseus Books.

Author Alan Jacobson has written a new thriller in his popular Karen Vail series.  Beginning with The Seventh Victim and continuing through its follow up Crush, the series features Vail, a rough and ready FBI profiler who has battled everything from serial killers to her own personal demons.  Now she is back in Velocity, a novel which Library Journal calls "....essential for anyone who craves nonstop action, danger, and a gutsy heroine."

A new killer is on the loose, seemingly related to the one she encountered in Crush. But this killer turns out to be like quicksand, pulling her deeper into a world she's never before experienced...forcing her to face off against foes more dangerous than any she's ever encountered.

Those looking for more can rest easy.  Mr. Jacobson doesn't disappoint.

There is a truly wonderful feeling that all serious readers know. The discovery of a new author. And better still is the discovery that  somehow, up till now, this author has escaped your attention and he or she has a few books all ready and waiting for you. I love this feeling and my eyes light up when I see the list of the books I can add to my 'must have' list. There is, of course, a downside as well. My list is very long at this time and author John Lutz isn't helping me either. He has a seriously impressive 42 other books, and far too many short stories to even begin to count, that have just been added to my list. Oh well, I wasn't doing anything for the next year anyway.

Of course many of you will wonder how such a prolific author can have escaped my attention. Good question. Especially when you consider John Lutz has received an Edgar Award and the Shamus Award twice, and his novel Single White Female was the basis for the 1992 film starring Bridget Fonda. Well, somehow, it did escape my notice, but no longer. John sent me the proof of his latest work and I put it straight onto my Kindle and began reading. My plans for the day went to hell and I spent the day reading.

Ben Coe's powerful debut thriller, Power Down, imagines a series of tightly constructed attacks on America's energy-producing capacity.  Under the direction of the brutal and brilliant Alexander Fortuna, terrorists manage to blow up a major hydroelectric dam.  But when they target the mammoth Capitana platform off the coast of Colombia--slaughtering most of the crew and destroying the oil field--they encounter a formidable challenge to their campaign of terror.  As crew chief of the platform, Dewey Andreas survives the attack, overcomes the terrorist team, and rescues as many of his men as possible.  Drawing upon his long-dormant training as a soldier, Andreas begins a one-man battle against terrorists and operatives as he races to stop them before they can execute the next stage of increasingly deadly assaults.

Several first-rank thriller writers have praised Coes and Power Down.  Stephen Coonts calls it "A ripping thriller from an exciting new novelist....Lots of action, a terrific hero, and a slimy villain--thrillers don't get any better," and Vince Flynn writes, "Power Down is terrific! With a gripping story, compelling characters, a relentless pace and nerve-wracking suspense, Power Down is one of the must-read thrillers of the year."

Fans of Jeff Sherratt's mystery series have come to expect certain things from his novels. Jimmy O'Brien books are clever, gripping, and addictive. Known for their multi-layered suspense, Sherratt's novels immerse the reader in the politics, society, and industry of Los Angeles in the 1970s, all the while maintaining a style more reminiscent of 1940s who-dunnit narratives than anything else. They're classy, surprising, and endearing - in a murder mystery kind of way.

Sherratt's newest book, Detour to Murder, is all of this and more. When Jimmy O'Brien goes to represent a man accused of murder some thirty years before, the parole hearing doesn't go as planned. How can it, when the man who once confessed to the crime now claims his innocence? So starts a rollicking edge-of-your-seat investigation into a cold case come frightfully alive. O'Brien's search takes him from a run-down Hollywood motel to a luxurious Santa Barbara estate, from the cells of a Los Angeles prison to the ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire. Several characters are recognizable, from obscure film icons to political figures. There's a surprise of one kind or another on nearly every page.

In Next Time You See Me, the sequel to Katia Lief's You Are Next, it is three years after Karin Schaeffer's harrowing escape from the serial killer who took the lives of her husband and daughter, and Karin is married to her former partner Mac MacLeary. Just when their new life together has settled in, Mac vanishes, unearthing secrets and dangers that force Karin into a face-off with a deadly Mexican queenpin whose son has an agenda of his own.

"Mesmerizing." (Lisa Gardner)
"A new force to reckon with in...suspense." (Donna Anders)
"Suspense at a high level." (Midwest Book Review)
"Taut, clean storytelling." (Publishers Weekly)

The first thing I ever wrote that received any notice was a one page story for my third grade English teacher. I don't recall what the assignment was, but I somehow found myself writing about a woman at a dinner party who suddenly realizes her teeth are invisible. She sits there, wedged between two chattering guests, wondering how she will eat, how she will talk, and generally how she will get out of the situation without having to open her mouth and reveal her dilemma. My teacher showed the story to my parents with a note to this effect: Katia could be a writer.

What if her note had instead encouraged me to be a dentist?

But it didn't. And so here I am.

Recently I had the opportunity to interview JT Ellison, the best-selling author of the Taylor Jackson series and Nashville Scene's "Best Mystery/Thriller Writer of 2008" about her new novel The Immortals.  JT is also a columnist at the Anthony Award nominated blog Murderati and a member of several professional writing organizations, including International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and Romance Writers of America. You can follow JT on Twitter under the name @Thrillerchick, visit JT at her Facebook community or get more information at www.jtellison.com.

Prior to your writing career, you've worked as a White House staffer and as a financial director and marketing analyst for several defense and aerospace contractors.  What made you make the jump into the world of mysteries and thrillers?

A move, an inability to find a job, and a stray cat. We moved to Tennessee in late 1998, and there weren't a lot of jobs in my field. To get out of the house, I went to work for the vet that saved my 5-week-old adopted pound cat from being put down. On the third day I  picked up a Golden retriever and ruptured a disc in my back, had to have surgery, and while recovering, discovered the books of John Sandford. I was three books into the Prey series when I realized I wanted to try it for myself. I've always been interested in crime and forensics, so it was a natural extension of my interests at the time.

Hilary Davidson smiles like an angel, but she broke into fiction with short stories that are as dark and twisted as they come. After being published in e-zines like Thuglit, Beat to a Pulp, and Crimefactory, she finally fulfilled her lifelong dream and wrote her first full-length crime novel. The Damage Done, called a "razor-sharp debut" by Publishers Weekly, features Lily Moore, a travel writer determined to resolve the disappearance of her troubled sister.

"I don't have a sister," Davidson says, "but this story springs from wanting one and being jealous of people who have those tightly bonded relationships." Davidson does fully identify with her character's profession--the life of travel writer. Before turning to fiction, she wrote 17 travel guidebooks for Frommer's and had nonfiction features published in magazines such as Martha Stewart Weddings, Executive Travel, and American Archaeology. Davidson also published numerous short stories and won the 2010 Spinetingler Award for Best Short Story for Insatiable.

New York Times bestselling author Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy for Berkley--both the bestselling Otherworld/Sisters of the Moon Series for Berkley and the upcoming Indigo Court urban fantasy series. According to Romantic Times Magazine, "Galenorn's thrilling supernatural series is gritty and dangerous, but it's the tumultuous relationships between all the various characters that give it depth and heart. Vivid, sexy and mesmerizing..."

Recently, The Big Thrill contributing editor, Christine Goff, was filled in by Delilah D'Artigo on what Harvest Hunting is all about.

"We're the D'Artigo sisters: sexy, savvy operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But being half-human, half-Fae means our supernatural talents can go haywire at any time. My sister Camille is a wicked good witch whose life recently took a drastic turn. Menolly's a vampire who's still getting the hang of being undead. And me? I'm a werecat with a very interesting love life. But life isn't all fun and games. We're on the trail of the demon general who has decided that we've become quite a nuisance...

Bestselling thriller author Steve Alten  has his own remarkable personal journey to tell. Signed to a first-contract mega-deal for his novel MEG, which was promptly sold to Disney as a blockbuster movie in the making, Alten seemed to be living the dream of all aspiring authors. Indeed, MEG hit the bestseller lists all over the world, and spawned a number of sequels. But the movie became caught up in Hollywood "development hell," and Alten's relationship with his first publisher soured after it was bought by another company.

Still, he persevered, continuing to build his fan base with his trademark blend of well-researched, high-octane thrillers and founding his well-known Adopt an Author Program to encourage teen literacy--until four years ago, when a tragedy of another kind struck: a doctor diagnosed him with Parkinson's disease.

Rather than allowing this news to destroy his confidence, Alten described the diagnosis as one of life's "speed bumps," and began writing his newest thriller, GRIM REAPER: END OF DAYS, which he describes as his best novel, and into which he poured much of his own struggles and triumphs.

The Gentleman Poet: A Novel of Love, Danger, and Shakespeare's "The Tempest" by multi-published author Kathryn Johnson has garnered rave reviews:

"The Gentleman Poet is the best kind of historical novel--well researched, beautifully written, and wildly entertaining." Daniel Stashower, Author of The Beautiful Cigar Girl

"A marvelously original story that combines history, adventure...a rich atmospheric tale." Mary Jo Putney, NY Times best-selling author

Recently, I talked with Kathryn about her new novel.

As a Shakespeare fan myself, I love the premise of your book, tell us how you came up with this intriguing premise and what inspired you to write The Gentleman Poet: A Novel of Love, Danger, and Shakespeare's "The Tempest".

New York Times bestselling author David Morrell is releasing  a new, never-before-published, full-length thriller, The Naked Edge, along with nine of his previously published books, in electronic book format exclusively in the Kindle Store.  This is the first time any of these titles have been available electronically.  These Kindle editions will offer additional content for many of the books, including new introductions and photographs that reveal insights into the making of these modern classics.   All 10 of these Morrell books are available starting today for download exclusively from the Kindle Store.

"Publishing these 10 books in the Kindle Store is a great opportunity to explore how electronic publishing enables me to give my readers additional, unique content," said Morrell. "Available at $9.99 or less, I hope that my fans will be able to rediscover their favorite titles, and that new readers will have the chance to enjoy my books on their Kindles.  I'm especially excited about publishing my new thriller, 'The Naked Edge' in digital format, exclusively for Kindle."

Morrell is the co-founder of the International Thriller Writers organization, a three-time Bram Stoker award- winner, and recipient of ITW's ThrillerMaster award in recognition of his legendary career and outstanding contributions to the thriller genre. His first novel "First Blood," still in print after 38 years, became the successful Rambo film franchise.  

"It's exciting to be able to make the work of an accomplished author like David Morrell available to the millions of Kindle readers around the world," said Russ Grandinetti, Vice President of Kindle Content. "Both his longtime fans and new readers alike will enjoy these 10 books, now available exclusively in the Kindle Store."

These 10 Morrell books will be electronically available exclusively in the Kindle Store for one year:

• "The Naked Edge" (a new, never published, high-action thriller with numerous photo inserts)
• "First Blood"
• "Blood Oath" (with a new Introduction)
• "The Brotherhood of the Rose"
• "The Fraternity of the Stone" 
• "The Covenant of the Flame" (with a new Introduction and photo inserts)
• "The Totem" " (both the markedly different U.S. and U.K. versions available together for the first time)
• "The Protector"
• "Last Reveille"
• "Fireflies"

Available for download exclusively from the Kindle Store.

Audible.com has acquired the audio book rights to the first two novels in Gregory Lamberson's "The Jake Helman Files" series of supernatural thrillers, PERSONAL DEMONS and DESPERATE SOULS. The novels, published by Medallion Press, focus on Jake Helman, a fallen-from-grace ex-cop who finds himself embroiled in supernatural exploits, sometimes with spiritual overtones.

"I'm thrilled to see Jake Helman entering other media," says Lamberson, who also wrote JOHNNY GRUESOME, winner of the 2008 IPPY Gold Medal for Horror, and the police procedural werewolf novel THE FRENZY WAY, which was published in June. "I've been developing these stories for years, and it's rewarding to see them reaching as wide of an audience as possible. Audible.com has a great track record for downloadable audio books, and I can't wait to see who they choose to read my novels."

PERSONAL DEMONS won the 2009 IPPY Gold Medal for Horror, and is available as a mass market paperback, anf Medallion publishes DESPERATE SOULS as a trade paperback on October 15th. In PERSONAL DEMONS, Helman tangles with a reclusive billionaire, a serial killer who steals the souls of his victims, and the biblical Cain and Abel. In DESPERATE SOULS, he takes on drug lords who use a street narcotic called Black Magic to create an army of voodoo-style zombies.

"Audible doesn't typically do horror," explains Lamberson, "but The Jake Helman Files are cross-genre pieces that mix the supernatural, crime drama, and noir. I think the action and surprises are what appealed to them, and Jake Helman isn't your typical series lead - I make him suffer in terrible ways, which makes him sympathetic despite his flaws. He's a hero in the making, as likely to run from a monstrous enemy as he is to save the day."

Audible.com has not announced a release date for either audio book, but Medallion Press will publish COSMIC FORCES, Book 3 in the series, in October 2011, and the fourth book, TORTURED SPIRITS, in October 2012.

Who is the man with the infectious smile, charming personality, and overflowing generosity?  The answer can be found within ourselves.  Ridley Pearson represents the best humanity has to offer.  His love of life and the intricate balance it seeks is plainly evident in the stories he crafts.

Although he's quite modest about it, Ridley Pearson is a household name in more than 70 countries.  With over 12 million copies sold worldwide, his 38-plus books have been translated into 22 languages. 

Ridley's novels resonate with his readers because there's passion behind the words.  Simply stated, he loves to tell stories.  If he'd lived 15,000 years ago, he would've been the hunter sitting at the campfire recalling the day's hunt to a captive audience.   

Not many authors can take credit for helping the police solve a real-life homicide case.  Ridley's research for UNDERCURRENTS (1988) did just that.  Since then, Ridley has contributed to active police task force investigations on both the city and federal level.  His knowledge and understanding of police procedures adds realism and true-to-life color to his novels.  If he hadn't become an author, I think it's fair to say Ridley would've made a great detective.

by Charlie Charters

I have a very unusual relationship with the events of 9/11.

You see our house is one of the very few where we actually celebrate when that date falls, because that was the day our daughter was born. Our first girl and second child. September 11 2001.

Yes, that day.

It so happened that we were in Fiji at the time and so approximately 16 hours ahead of New York, but it nonetheless colours everything that happens in our household in the lead-in to that momentous day.

If you've ever had a young daughter, granddaughter or niece you'll know that it is flatout impossible to try to get them to see a particular day, their birthday, as anything other than an opportunity to scream, hyperventilate, screech, bounce off the walls, and generally dominate proceedings.