Andrew Peterson: September 2010 Archives

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.

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.