Without any budget to speak of, recreating the novel's wild characters and varied historical settings would be impossible.  There'd be no way to recreate the meager plot in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, where Puritan colonist Nathan Fall digs up an undead creature that turns him, his wife, and their son Jeremiah into vampire-like monsters, no way to film the way Nathan's father, Atticus, kills Nathan and Mary, but lets young Jeremiah live, hoping he can be saved from rank bestiality by the depth of his intellect and insatiable curiosity; no way to get across the 150 year quest that followed as Jeremiah obsessively seeks a way to regain his humanity, a journey that takes him to Napoleon's Egypt, the rocky coasts of Brittany, and the gates of Eden.

Rather than even try to be literal, Petrucha collected a series of licensed clips, combining them in unique ways in an effort to match Wild's thrumming beat, screeching guitar and wailing vocals and get across the book's scope and feel.  Initial viewers put the results head and shoulders above the usual promo-video fare.  The Blood Prophecy video, audio track and a book excerpt are now available.

Stefan Petrucha will be autographing copies of Blood Prophecy at the New York Comic Convention Sunday, October 10, from 2:00 -3:00 at the Hachette Book Group Booth, #2315.

"[Jeremiah Fall] travels to the shores of Egypt, the rocky coast of Brittany, and the gates of Eden itself in a quest for understanding and redemption that will thrill fans of biblical horror and historical detail." -- Publisher's Weekly STARRED REVIEW

"A must read... a classy, fun spin on the vampire tale." -- Ryan Buell, host of A&E's Paranormal State

You can read more about Stefan and Blood Prophecy at his website. 

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.

First off, what a generous introduction, Andy. And yes, those informal Debut Author gatherings during ThrillerFest are a blast. If anyone reading this thinks they qualify for ITW's Debut Author program, but hasn't yet gotten involved, I urge you to apply right away! Or, as soon as you finish reading this interview, that is. It's a great way to meet new people and make lasting friends, and we do have a lot of fun - even if the rest of the patrons at Pershing Square don't necessarily appreciate our singing!

Now on to your questions . . .

Pursuing publication with no guarantee of success is definitely an act of faith.  I do believe that novelists have to pay their dues.  For some, that means years of writing novel after novel without hitting a major marker, like getting an agent, or winning a contest and catching the eye of an editor - some sort of outside validation from an industry professional that tells them they're on the right track. 

Family members and other non-writers don't always understand what drives writers to keep going in the face of such daunting odds, which is one of the reasons writers join organizations like ITW and seek out other writers on the Internet.  If you rant about the latest rejection to your non-writing spouse, you're likely to hear, "Then don't do it if it makes you that upset." Rant to another writer, and they understand exactly where you're coming from and what you're up against.

It might sound cheeky to say this, but I knew from the day I began writing novels that one day, I'd place a book with a major publisher.  I didn't know how long it would take (which in hindsight was probably just as well), but I was absolutely convinced that if I stuck with it and constantly improved my storytelling and my craft, I'd get there.

Why are you so driven?

Now there's a loaded question - why indeed? Since I don't have a shrink, I guess I'll have to figure this one out myself.  Looking deep into my psyche, I see two things that drive me.  The first is that I'm a praise junkie.  I realize an excessive need for praise might seem counterintuitive for a novelist because the road to publication can be so difficult, even brutal. But the strokes I get from my own successes and from helping others must feed some intrinsic need within me, because I can never get enough.   (Was that a good answer?)

The other thing that drives me is I love the feeling I get when something I've said or done has helped someone else reach their publishing goals.  I'm definitely the kind of person who wants to be the star of her own show, but I also get a great deal of satisfaction from helping others. 

You volunteer for many ITW projects and for other writers conferences as well.  Why do you feel that's so important? 

Volunteering is incredibly important because ITW is an organization of volunteers.  Without them, we wouldn't exist.  Everything - the website, The Big Thrill newsletter, our anthologies and other publications which support our no-dues-for-author-members policy, our annual convention, our Debut Authors program, the USO Tour - all of these cool and amazing things happen because a vast number of members - members who are at the same time deeply involved with their own writing careers - have seen something worthwhile in the organization and have stepped up to the plate.

For myself, I've wanted to be in the thick middle of ITW ever since I first heard about the organization.  I have many ideas, and by getting involved, I'm able to see some of them become a reality.  For instance, as Website Chair, I'm tremendously excited to be working on a major redesign of the ITW website that will split our current website into three: a stand-alone website for ThrillerFest which is already up and running, and two others which will be unveiled in the near future: an official organization website, and a new website for our online ezine, The Big Thrill.

What I think is extraordinary about ITW is that you don't have to be a brand name to get involved.  When I first expressed an interest in serving on the Board of Directors, I didn't yet have a contract for my second novel.  I mentioned that to then co-president Steve Berry as a factor that might disqualify me, and he said, "Doesn't matter.  You're a member." As a board nominee, I was invited to sit in on the board meeting at ThrillerFest last July - a pinch-me moment if ever there was one.  Picture me, a new author with one book published in mass market paperback, sitting at a table with Douglas Preston, David Morrell, Gayle Lynds, Steve Berry, Peter James, David Hewson and others, listening to these thriller luminaries discuss the organization's needs and goals and tossing in my occasional two cents.  Amazing.

Can you tell us about your own conference, Backspace?  What inspired you to start it?  And where do you see it in ten years? 

Christopher Graham and I started the Backspace writers organization in the spring of 2004.  ITW's first official organizational meeting took place at Bouchercon that fall, so Backspace and ITW have grown up side by side.  The two share many of the same objectives, and David Morrell, Gayle Lynds, and Lee Child were early Backspace supporters because they understood that Chris and I were trying to create an online environment in which aspiring and published writers could help one another succeed. All three have been guest speakers at the Backspace discussion forums and served on the faculty of our Backspace conferences not just once, but multiple times.  I can't overstate how indebted Backspace is to them for their help and support.

Backspace has now grown to 1,400 members in a dozen countries.  A third of our members are agented and/or published, and around two dozen are New York Times bestselling authors.  Of the original 110 members, 53 have sold their projects to major publishers, and 6 have become New York Times bestsellers - a "extraordinary hit rate," as Lee puts it, that would be the envy of any MFA program in the country!

Backspace's mission statement is "writers helping writers," which is why, in addition to the online forums, we began sponsoring real-world writers conferences.  Now we hold two events in New York City every year: the Backspace Writers Conference at the end of May with literary agents, editors, bestselling authors, and other publishing professionals on the program, and an Agent-Author Seminar in November for aspiring authors with only literary agents on the faculty.   Attendance at the November seminar is limited to 150, and with 25 literary agents on the program, the ratio is definitely author-friendly.  We also offer small-group workshops at the November event in addition to agent panels so authors can get feedback from agents on their query letters and opening pages to find out what's working, and what isn't.

As for where I see Backspace in ten years, let's just say that Chris and I both believe that if you're going to do something, you should aim high.

How long were you writing before you sold FREEZING POINT?  Was there a time where you felt it was hopeless and you'd never be published?  Did your family support your crazy idea to become an author?

I started writing with a view to publication in the spring of 1998. FREEZING POINT sold to Berkley 9 years later.  As you might imagine, over that span, there were many times when I felt like giving up.

I give my family, and particularly my husband, a lot of credit for sticking it out with me.  Because writing happens inside the author's head, there's no way for a spouse or other family member to know if we have a snowball's chance of success or not.  It's difficult enough for writers to keep the faith; I can only imagine what it's like for those who care about us to stand back and watch and wait.

You must be a master at managing your time.  You're a mother of 4 children.  An author, a Backspace Writers Conference director, you oversee the Backspace Writers forums, oversee the entire ITW website and manage the Big Thrill newsletter, and now you've just joined ITW's Board of Directors as Vice President, Technology.  How do you do all these things and maintain any sense of sanity?

I think only a crazy person would take all of that on.  Who is this woman? Someone should have her committed.

Seriously, no one's holding a gun to my head.  I love talking to writers, and I love helping them succeed, so whatever I do to that end rarely feels like work.  Like any busy person, I just keep juggling and praying that the balls won't fall.

As a pioneer with ITW's Debut Authors program, what do you see for its future?  We're both charter members, but do you feel the newer arrivals should take a more active role in keeping the program going?  Carla Buckley is a gem, don't you wish you had 5 more of her?

You don't really want to get me going about volunteering again, do you?

I love the Debut Authors program.  It's where you and I and a bunch of other new authors met and became lasting friends.  It's also one of the stars in the ITW crown.  Not only does the program nurture first-time authors by helping them get through that critical first year, ultimately, the whole organization benefits.  Because they get involved with ITW from the beginning, many of the debut authors continue to be active throughout the organization, serving as contributing editors to The Big Thrill, as ThrillerFest volunteers, and on our various committees.  One debut author was the managing editor for the ITW short story anthology FIRST THRILLS.  Another is the coordinator for the Thriller awards this year. Another debut author, Andy Harp, conceived and organized the upcoming USO Tour.  Another (you) writes the monthly Between the Lines feature articles for The Big Thrill. And on October 15, one debut author (me) will begin serving on the board of directors . . .

As for Carla, she's fabulous.  I'm still working on that cloning thing.

BOILING POINT is finished and will soon be released.  Can you give us a snapshot?

BOILING POINT is my second environmental thriller, and will publish from Berkley in January 2011.  The novel brings back two characters from FREEZING POINT, and features an erupting volcano, a missing researcher, and a radical scheme to end global warming. 

The novel was a lot of fun to write - the book has a 40-page climax that takes place in the caldera of an erupting volcano - and even more fun to research, since I traveled to Chaitén Volcano in Northern Patagonia, Chile in order to write the book.  I stayed in Chaitén town at the base of the volcano, even though the town was ruined by a mud and ash flow during the eruption and remains evacuated and is without electricity and running water. I also hiked to within one mile of the new lava dome, where I saw steam vents, heard explosions coming from the caldera, and felt a small earthquake.  It was an amazing and inspiring trip that definitely informed the novel.

Are you going to continue with the "point" brand?  I think it's a terrific word for book titles.  Do have a title for your third book? 

I'd love to continue to write Point books.  Other possibilities: Pressure Point, Breaking Point, Tipping Point, Melting Point, Sticking Point, Point of No Return, Point/Counterpoint, and my personal favorites: What's the Point? and Pointless. (Karen gave me a good laugh here!)

If you could only use three words to describe your hero from FREEZING POINT, Ben Maki, what would they be?

Committed.  Altruistic.  Misguided.

Same question for your style of writing?

Spare.  Tense.  Fun.

We were both released in mass-market paperback format.  It seems like the vast majority of aspiring authors want a hardcover release.  What are your thoughts on that?

I think an initial release in mass market paperback is a great place for a new writer.  It's true that mass market paperbacks don't get as much review attention as hardcovers, but thanks to the mass market format, my first novel was everywhere - bookstores, grocery stores, drugstores, airports, bus stations, train stations, and even a few of the big box stores.  That kind of exposure goes a long way toward creating a following for a new author, and would never have happened if I had published in hardcover.

Who or what is the most influential force working in your writing life?

Without a doubt, it's my agent, Jeff Kleinman, of Folio Literary Management.  Jeff and I have been together for a dozen years, and for a lot of reasons (which you can read about in detail in my personal essay about my road to publication in Writer's Digest Books' 2011 Guide to Literary Agents) my journey from aspiring novelist to internationally published thriller author wouldn't have happened if not for him.  Jeff has always been my first editor and career counselor, and over the years, he's also become a good friend.  His standards are incredibly high, and by striving to exceed them and impress him, I've grown immeasurably as a writer.

When did you know for certain you wanted to be a novelist? 

I won creative writing awards when I was in high school, but it wasn't until my son was in high school and I was encouraging him to enter some of the same contests I had that I thought, "What about me? I used to be a pretty good writer." A classic midlife crisis, but here I am!

What piece of advice do you give to aspiring authors who have yet to find an agent and break into this incredibly difficult and often exclusive world? 

I have two.  First, it's important that writers who are still struggling to break in understand that writers are not in competition with one another.  The more books that are sold, the stronger the industry becomes, and we all reap the benefits.  Every time a reader buys a book by a bestselling thriller author, they're also helping me, because they're helping to create a market for the kind of books I write. So don't ever be jealous of another author's success. There's room at the table for both of you.

The second is: Write the right book.  It takes a year or more to write a novel.  Don't settle for a good story idea, or an excellent story idea, or even a great one.  Write an AMAZING novel - the kind that generates multiple agent offers, and has publishers falling all over themselves in their rush to purchase.  It's not as impossible as it sounds; at the Backspace forums, I see first-time authors hit this sweet spot over and over again.  If none of your novel ideas have that blow-'em-out-of-the-water wow factor, don't write one until it does.  Stretch.  Reach.  Don't settle.

Can I just add that I'm absolutely thrilled and delighted to be featured?  A Between the Lines interview with ME?  Amazing.  Thanks, Andy!

As you might've surmised, Karen has a good sense of humor.  It goes without saying that a debut author needs one.  One of our discussions inside the Debut Authors' online forum dealt with the various horrible reviews we'd received.  Some of them were downright nasty. Karen had the honor of taking 5th place for the Worst Amazon Review Award at ThrillerFest this past year.  Needless to say, there were many laughs from the audience over her bad review.  If she didn't have such a well-developed sense of humor, she wouldn't have submitted the review for consideration.  Karen's in good company; some really big names have been recipients over the years, including Lee Child.  His winning review went something like this:  "This was so awful, I wish I could unread this book."  Lee took it in stride, like a true gentleman.

Although this feature doesn't focus on marketing and promotion, it's fair to say that when it comes to trying new ideas, Karen's at the forefront.  In a writerunboxed.com interview from October 2008, Karen had this to say about marketing: "Don't be afraid to try something new. Don't just step outside the box, destroy it."

Her online launch party for FREEZING POINT was a huge success--thanks to some help from special friends who happen to be some of the biggest names in the thriller industry:

Lee Child
Douglas Preston
David Morrell
John Lescroart
Gayle Lynds
James Rollins

That's quite a New York Times bestseller lineup.  Preston, Morrell, Lynds, and Rollins recorded special video welcomes for Karen's launch.  Her party website received more than 2,700 visitors in 3 days, with over 400 people leaving comments in the guest book. 

So what is an environmental thriller?  The simplest answer is a story with a global environmental issue at the root of the problem.  In FREEZING POINT, the story is crafted around an issue concerning drinkable water.  I read this book when it first launched and reread it just prior to writing this feature.  It's a great read, even the second time through!  Without ruining the story, I can say it's got an imaginative scientific solution for turning iceberg ice into drinking water using the Earth's most abundant energy source: the sun. 

Sounds simple, right?  Use the sun to melt Antarctic ice into potable water.  It's pure, there's lots of it, and it's just a supertanker ride away.  Ah, but when is anything ever that easy?  FREEZING POINT is packed full of twists and turns that keep you guessing until the last page.  It's a Michael Crichton type of story, which Karen likes to describe as "Jurassic Park on Ice."

Because Karen held Crichton in such high esteem (and because David Morrell, after reading FREEZING POINT, christened Karen "the new Michael Crichton"), upon Crichton's passing, Writers Digest Magazine asked her to share what she'd learned from the literary giant as a tribute.  You can read her comments here.

Karen believes in the classic "what if?" question.  Those two words can be the building blocks of great fiction.  There are no limits to stretching the imagination.  None of us pick up a thriller expecting to read something ho-hum or dull.  We want action, high drama, and suspense.

So if you're looking for a new voice in the thriller genre, Karen Dionne delivers the goods.  BOILING POINT centers on geoengineering, or "geohacking" - deliberately altering Earth's atmosphere to counteract the effects of global warming.  A megalomanical villain who takes it upon himself to permanently reshape the planet? I can't wait to read it!

* * *

Detroit native Karen Dionne attended the University of Michigan in the 1970s before moving to Michigan's Upper Peninsula wilderness with her husband and infant daughter as part of the back-to-the-land movement.  During the next thirty winters, her indoor creative pursuits included stained glass, weaving, constructing N-scale model train layouts, and three more children.  Eventually, her creative interests turned to writing.  Karen and her husband now live in Detroit's northern suburbs.  When she isn't writing, she's thinking about writing. Visit her website at www.karendionne.net

Andrew Peterson is working on the next novel in a planned series featuring Nathan McBride, a former Marine Corps sniper and ex-CIA operative. Born and raised in San Diego, California, Andrew attended La Jolla High School before enrolling at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned a B.S. Degree in Architecture. Andrew and his wife Carla, live in Central California.

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

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.

Wow. I wouldn't be here now if I hadn't started giving my work away as free audiobooks (podcasts) and serializing my work online. Being able to do this and create my own audience, a real fan base of "Palms Daddies and Palms Mommas" has just made me so much happier because I became able to really defend myself as a writer to myself and in my head. Once I had readers, it just made everything so much more fun for me. Now there was a real purpose to the writing and the marketing came right along with that. I was preaching to a (relative) choir. From there, the books started coming out, the online fans snapped them up, and one thing's led to another. This year we even pre-sold a high-end special edition of Young Junius that helped to fund the book's full print run and promotion!

You mentioned releasing Young Junius as a free audio podcast.  Could you talk a bit more about that?

Basically the only way I see to get traction on the web is to consistently give people something that they want, something they'll keep coming back for. With podcasting, it's even better because folks can subscribe and then all the content comes right to them. I podcasted three Jack Palms Crime novels, two short story collection and then Young Junius, all before Jack Wakes Up hit shelves. It was a way for me to continue that level of contact with my fans: giving them great stories to enjoy and also talking to them on the front and back ends. It's been a total two-way street: they get something they like from my hard work and I get the sails of my writing ship lifted and carried up by all the great responses, artwork, contributions of time, and word-spreading that the fans do.

Young Junius has been a part of establishing that. Also, since I was serializing it as I wrote it, the audio podcast really drove me through the writing process of the novel. Now, the print version is much revised and updated, but that initial draft was all driven by the week-to-week need to put out a show.

What's next? 

All this month (October), I'll be podcasting a Jack Palms novella called "Triad Death Match" at my site, http://sethharwood.com and on http://crimewav.com. I'll also be serializing the text version of Young Junius as free PDFs of the chapters on my site and Scribd.com. Folks wanting to know more should find me on Facebook and Twitter.

Jeff Ayers is the author of VOYAGES OF IMAGINATION: THE STAR TREK FICTION COMPANION Pocket Books-November 2006. He frequently reviews thrillers for Library Journal and regularly interviews authors for LJ, the Seattle Post-Intellgencer, and Writer Magazine.

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!

"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

"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.

"Moe is such a good vehicle (for philosophical exploration). That's what's engaged me about him," Coleman said, noting why his protagonist is a great series character to write. Coleman added that unlike many authors, Moe Prager is not a complete autobiographical sketch. "He always just sees himself as a poor schmuck from Brooklyn. He'll always see himself as a cop, though he only worked ten years and only in uniform." As a result, Innocent Monster is a novel that is set in the upper echelons of high society but ultimately plays out at the street level.

In Innocent Monster, readers will find, as they have in his other novels, a poetic influence on the page and in the story structure. "At first, I didn't recognize that it was there," Coleman explained. "People, and even critics who didn't like my books, noted the rhythmic language." The novel itself sprung from its simple two-word title.

While many authors are great at hooking readers with murders, dead bodies, or ticking time bombs; Coleman's hook of choice is poignancy. "One of things I love about Lee Child's writing is that his books all start with different situations, but they all grab you by the collar. The first page of Innocent Monster is a discussion of post-9/11 New York and how Moe compares his state of being to (New York's)."

In fact, Coleman fans will find that poignancy abounds in the seventh of the Moe Prager series, Hurt Machine. "Moe has to deal with the toughest thing he's ever had to face--his own mortality."
 
Reed Coleman has published under his own name, under his pen name Tony Spinosa, and in partnership with award-winning Irish author Ken Bruen. His books have been translated into seven languages. Coleman is a three-time winner of the Shamus Award for Best Detective Novel of the Year. He has also received the Barry and Anthony Awards, and has been twice nominated for the Edgar® Award. Learn more about him at www.reedcoleman.com.

Dan Levy works from his Lincoln, Nebraska home as a freelance writer for the aviation and financial industries. His first novel, THE BLOWDOWN LIMIT, is an aviation-thriller winging its way in search of representation and publication. Bestselling author Jon Land noted, "Dan Levy's THE BLOWDOWN LIMIT reminded me of Michael Crichton's AIRFRAME and Thomas Block's MAYDAY in all the right ways. Levy pilots his tale in a smooth and seasoned fashion that will make this the next book to make people think twice before flying the friendly skies."

Monthly Book Giveaway

Congratulations to Steve d'Adolf, the winner of this month's BIG THRILL giveaway. Steve will receive an assortment of signed thrillers including Wanna Get Lucky? by Deborah Coonts, Street Clairvoyance by Ryan A. Span, American Devil by Oliver Stark, The Immortals by J.T. Ellison, Mister X by John Lutz, The Ocean Dark by Jack Rogan, Scared Stiff by Annelise Ryan, Trail of Blood by Lisa Black, Blond Run by Jim Michael Hansen, Colby Velocity by Debra Webb, and The 2nd Lie by Tara Taylor Quinn.

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

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.

However, one of the fascinating conundrums about crime fiction is that it's entertainment and critique simultaneously.  Of course, it is first and foremost escapist.  Reading it is about going along for the thrill.  But then it has this secondary function in that it does reflect its society.  Perhaps it's because in South Africa we have not yet learnt how to talk about crime fiction that the true crime situation becomes the default discussion.  I'm sure that once we've moved beyond the standard lit crit approach to characters and plots we'll be into far more interesting terrain.

Until then, if you want an insight into the variety of crime fiction that's appeared on our shelves in the last two months take a read of these interviews, which originally appeared on my blog Crime Beat.  They're with two novelists who already have a following in the US and UK, Roger Smith and Wessel Ebersohn, and a new writer, Sifiso Mzobe, who brings a fresh perspective to life in the townships.

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.

There's a good reason to begin a murder mystery series at this auspicious date: The Pericles Commission is based on the real,  historical murder of a statesman called Ephialtes.  He's largely forgotten today, but this man created the democracy, and mere days later was assassinated for his trouble.  The men behind the historical killing were never found.

But if Ephialtes was murdered to stifle the new system, then the plot failed, because when they killed Ephialtes they replaced a great statesman with a political genius.  Ephialtes had a lieutenant, a rising young politician by the name of Pericles.  And of course, today it's Pericles we remember as the great statesman of the age.

Pericles held it together.  Somehow.  It must have been a challenge even for him, but Athens kept its shiny new democracy.  One of the things Pericles did to save Athens in its moment of crisis was to commission a young man named Nicolaos to uncover the killers, and that's the point where my fiction emerges from reality.

I had enormous fun weaving fiction into the fabric of truth.  I wrote The Pericles Commission from the viewpoint of Nicolaos, the ambitious son of a minor sculptor.  Nicolaos didn't exist, but his irritiating younger brother did: a lad by the name of Socrates.  The series opens when Socrates was twelve.  Socrates had no known full siblings, and yet, Nicolaos would not be not impossible.  The fact that Nicolaos doesn't show up in the historical record is no objection.  The period is poorly documented and even some quite prominent men have only a few lines in the histories. When you throw in the fact that Nicolaos is doing discreet investigation...of course no one has heard of him until now.

Nicolaos begins his adventures right at the start of the Golden Age.  It was a period packed with tales of adventure, war, conspiracy, lust, love, corruption, power politics, assassination . . . you name it and it happened.  If Nicolaos can survive his highly hazardous missions, he'll live to see the founding of western civilization.

This is what I love about historical mysteries, and inspired me to write my own.  The fun of solving the mystery, plus an exotic locale so strange it could come from an epic fantasy, plus the knowledge that it really happened.  All right, maybe it didn't happen exactly as I wrote it, and I supplied my own devious solution, but even so, in how many other genres can you get all this wrapped into one?

Gary Corby has long been fascinated by ancient history, finding it more exciting and bizarre than any modern thriller. He's combined the ancient world with his love of whodunits, to create an historical mystery series set in classical Greece. Gary lives in Sydney, Australia, with his wife and two daughters. He blogs at A Dead Man Fell from the Sky, on all things ancient, Athenian, and mysterious. More information is at GaryCorby.com.