Features: June 2010 Archives
This month it's my pleasure to feature one of the industry's most amazing talents--Heather Graham. She's classy, multi-talented, prolific, and endearing. The list of compliments could on and on. Loyal. Hard-working. Generous. Dare I say--beautiful?
Yes, I'll make that statement: Heather Graham is beautiful!
I first met Heather at the 2008 ThrillerFest. I'd read many of her books, but to discover the person behind the pages was so charming and personable, took me by surprise. After all, Heather has written over 150 novels and novellas, has 75 million books in print, and her stories have been translated into 25 different languages. Yet she talked to me as a peer. Now admittedly, I'm a small fish in a big pond--I have no illusions about it--but at that moment in time, it sure didn't feel like it.
Later that night when I met her husband, Dennis, the feeling returned. They're both down-to-Earth, genuine people who share a profound love of the profession. What impressed me the most was how approachable they are at conferences. Heather goes out of her way to interact with fans and authors alike. She even hangs with Joe Konrath, but we won't hold that against her!
Special to the Big Thrill by Hank Wagner.
The much-heralded ITW project THRILLERS: 100 MUST-READS is scheduled to be published by Oceanview this July, debuting at ThrillerFest. To whet your appetite for this essential book, we're going to feature a series of short interviews with various essayists in upcoming issues. This interview is with the delightful Christine Kling, who contributed a piece on Erskine Childer's The Riddle of the Sands.
Christine, you wrote about The Riddle of the Sands, by Erskine Childers. Was it your first choice to write about? If so, why? Does it fulfill your personal definition of a "must read"?
Childers' The Riddle of the Sands was absolutely my first choice. In fact, at a ThrillerFest cocktail party, I wasn't above begging David Morrell to give me a shot at it. My definition of a "must read" is a book that was a game changer, and in that regard, Childers' book fits the bill perfectly. There are many who call it the first international spy novel, but to me, it was the first techno-thriller. You might wonder how I can say that about a sailing novel that
was written in 1903, but technology doesn't have to mean this idea we have of electronic gear. Technology is 'how stuff works' and we have come to love our thrillers today that give us so many details about worlds we might never visit outside the pages of a book. Childers didn't flinch at using complex nautical terminology or geographical accuracy. Books like Hunt for Red October and The Andromeda Strain are direct descendants.
The most riveting reads in history meet today's biggest thriller writers in Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads.
Edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads examines 100 seminal works of suspense through essays contributed by such esteemed modern thriller writers as: David Baldacci, Steve Berry, Sandra Brown, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, Heather Graham, John Lescroart, Gayle Lynds, Katherine Neville, Michael Palmer, James Rollins, R. L. Stine, and many more.
Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads features 100 works - from Beowulf to The Bourne Identity, Dracula to Deliverance, Heart of Darkness to The Hunt for Red October - deemed must-reads by the International Thriller Writers organization.
Much more than an anthology, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads goes deep inside the most notable thrillers published over the centuries. Through lively, spirited, and thoughtful essays that examine each work's significance, impact, and influence, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads provides both historical and personal perspective on those spellbinding works that have kept readers on the edge of their seats for centuries.
"This fun and fact filled epic view of the genre is itself a must read." - Kathy Reichs, New York Times best-selling author of Spider Bones
"This fascinating book is essential for anyone who loves thrillers, fans and authors alike." - Joseph Finder, New York Times best-selling author of Vanished
"The ultimate thriller resource. This wealth of information about classic thrillers is destined to be a classic on its own." - Brad Thor, New York Times best-selling author of The Apostle
"It reminds us all of the sheer excitement and dazzling scope of the genre. A treasure!" - Christopher Reich, New York Times best-selling author of Rules of Deception
Additional reviews and interviews:
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads - An Interview with Christine Kling
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads - An Interview with James O. Born
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads - An Interview with Gayle Lynds
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads - An interview with Tess Gerritsen
Thrillers: 100 Must Reads - An interview with Douglas Preston
Brad Thor brings back his hero, Scot Harvath, in another gripping and pulse-pounding thriller. Hopefully there is someone like Harvath protecting our country from our enemies. Brad talked about his latest thriller to ITW.
What sparked the idea for Foreign Influence?
The idea for Foreign Influence actually came from conversations with two different friends.
The first was a conversation I had with Glenn Beck. We were discussing turmoil in other nations and how we send operatives over to tip things one way or another. Glenn asked me how many nations I thought were sending operatives here to America to do exactly the same thing right now.
The second conversation was with my friend, Barrett Moore - the founder of the private military corporation, Triple Canopy. We talked about a white paper published by a nation hostile to America that detailed how they could absolutely crush us without ever meeting us on the conventional battlefield. The plan involved co-opting Islamic terror groups to do their bidding in a first wave of attacks. Once the terrorists were unleashed on America and American interests abroad, a whole series of incredibly unconventional attacks would begin in areas we had never before considered. It was terrifying and made even more so by the fact that this plot actually exists and is fact, not fiction.
I love research.
I think this love of research stems from my tendency to procrastinate. In school, I was really good at cramming at the last minute--back then, it was hitting the library the day before a major paper was due, reading everything I could on the subject, then writing all night. The last-minute projects inevitably garnered me a B+ or A- (which, had I spent more time researching, editing, and revising would have been an A--but we work we our natural talents, right?)
Last week I finished writing one book; this week I started the next. I realized real quick that my knowledge of modern private investigators was slim, and the books on my shelf were woefully outdated. The book I have on Missing Persons was printed in 1993--before Facebook, before MySpace, and before Google. Needless to say, useless.
I emailed a P.I. friend of mine asking for two books she'd recommend on modern P.I. techniques, and wondered if there was a P.I. ride-along program . . .
We are truly blessed writers to have so many resources at our fingertips. In the past twelve months, I've participated in two SWAT training exercises, toured the FBI Academy at Quantico, visited FBI Headquarters in D.C., toured Folsom State Prison (with fellow ITW author James Rollins), and took a second trip to the Sacramento County Morgue to learn how they preserve evidence. If you really twist my arm, I'll admit being a non-ambulatory victim during SWAT training was probably the most fun I've had in a long, long time . . . which shows you what a boring life I lead!
To fans of romantic thrillers, best-selling author Debra Webb needs no introduction. Her enormously popular Colby Agency series is one of Harlequin Intrigue's most-read series, and she's written dozens of novels in the series, which is still going strong. In July, Colby Control, the latest book in the series, hits the bookstores.
I recently caught up with the busy author, wife, and mother, and she was gracious enough to chat with me about her writing career, her passion for suspense, and more.
DEBRA WEBB, born in Alabama, wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. However, it wasn't until she spent three years working for the military behind the Iron Curtain--and a five-year stint with NASA--that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set.
Author Blake Crouch headed north for his new novel Snowbound.
For Will Innis and his daughter, Devlin, the loss was catastrophic. Every day for the past five years, they wonder where she is, if she is--Will's wife, Devlin's mother--because Rachael Innis vanished one night during an electrical storm on a lonely desert highway, and suspected of her death, Will took his daughter and fled.
Now, Will and Devlin live under different names in another town, having carved out a new life for themselves as they struggle to maintain some semblance of a family.
When one night, a beautiful, hard-edged FBI agent appears on their doorstep, they fear the worst, but she hasn't come to arrest Will. "I know you're innocent," she tells him, "because Rachael wasn't the first...or the last."
Gregg Hurwitz's latest novel involves a struggling scriptwriter who "wants the limelight a little too badly and gets the attention in a way he doesn't anticipate." In the novel, They're Watching, Patrick Davis walks to out his porch, picks up his morning newspaper and a package containing an unmarked DVD slides out. When he watches it, he discovers that he and his wife are being filmed, that someone is stalking them and recording them inside their house using hidden cameras. And it's just the first of many DVDs he will receive.
Hurwitz says, "It turns into a chess match, where he tries to spy on the people spying on him, but they're always set up one step further ahead. It becomes a really dangerous game. In the middle of this, his marriage, which was already on the rocks, comes under terrible strain. Soon it becomes a matter of life and death."
Dangerous Desires is the second in Dee Davis's series of A-Tac adventures. A-Tac is the American Tactical Intelligence Command, an elite CIA unit masquerading as faculty at an Ivy League college. Brilliant, badass, and seemingly bulletproof, the members of A-Tac are assigned to the riskiest missions and the most elusive targets.
Dangerous Desires is the story of extraction expert Drake Flynn. Flynn knows how to survive behind enemy lines. But he's about to meet one adversary he can't subdue . . . or resist.
Stranded in the Colombian jungle after a mission goes bad, Drake has only one objective: evade the mercenaries hot on his trail and deliver "the package" to U.S. officials. But "the package" has a mind of her own, and she has no intention of trading one set of captors for another.
In our discussion, Dee was charming while talking about her feelings about writing, favorite writers, and her characters.
In The Cabal, David Hagberg's fourteenth installment of his Kirk McGarvey series, a Washington Post investigative reporter has uncovered strong evidence that a powerful lobbyist has formed a shadowy group. They call themselves the Friday Club, a cabal whose members include high-ranking men inside the government: a White House adviser, a three star general at the Pentagon, deputy secretaries at the State Department, Homeland Security, the FBI and even the CIA.
That afternoon CIA operative Todd Van Buren--son-in-law to the legendary spy Kirk McGarvey--is brutally gunned down. That same evening the reporter and his family are killed, all traces of the shadow group erased.
A grief-stricken McGarvey is drawn into the most far-reaching and dangerous investigation of his career, the stakes of which could destabilize the U.S. government, and shake the foundations of the world financial order.
One of the main reasons for Hagberg's continued success is his passion for science and research. "For as long as I can remember, since I was a little kid, I've been torn two ways--being a scientist (actually I wanted to be a theoretical astrophysicist), and becoming a writer, especially a novelist.
Caroline Carver has just released her latest novel, The Honest Assassin, third in the series featuring Jay McCauley, the ex Army Captain who works for TRACE, specialising in finding missing persons. The Honest Assassin is published by Severn House and is Caroline's seventh thriller.
When Jay's friend, MI5 agent Mac Blake is arrested for murder, she launches and investigation that soon turns ugly. Her old boss is assassinated and her family threatened, but Jay is gutsy and isn't going to give up without a fight. As she begins to uncover a sinister secret, Jay is unaware that something worse lies ahead; an assassin has been set on her trail.
I caught up with Caroline today and spent a pleasant forty-five minutes chatting with her about all those things that writers love to talk about (besides themselves): writing. One of the questions I asked Caroline was what kind of books she likes to read. She told me her favourites were thrillers and adventure; real life adventure. If you log on to Caroline's website www.cjcarver.com you will understand why; thrills and adventure are part of Caroline's DNA. I put it to her that she would make a good example of how to characterise Lara Croft in a thriller. Caroline told me she was no good at tying knots, so would fail at being that kind of heroine. But she couldn't deny the love of travel and adventure that forms part of her life.
Author Dan Fesperman is no stranger to international intrigue.
An accomplished journalist, he has worked for the Fayetteville (N.C.) Times, the Durham Morning Herald, the Charlotte News, the Miami Herald, and The Sun and Evening Sun of Baltimore. During his career he has been front row center for many history making conflicts, including his coverage of the Gulf War from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait; his running of The Sun's Europe bureau during the Yugoslav civil wars in Croatia and Bosnia; as well as his reporting of events in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the wake of 9-11. Through this work he has experienced his fair share of adventure, which includes accepting the surrender, along with a colleague, of ten Iraqi soldiers in the Kuwait desert in 1991, as well as surviving a fatal ambush on a convoy of journalists traveling through Afghanistan in November of 2001.
Considering this impressive résumé, it was only a matter of time before Mr. Fesperman would parley his skills into the realm of thriller fiction. The author of six earlier novels, he has won the Dashiell Hammett award and two British Dagger awards. Alan Cheuse of the Dallas Morning News put it best when he said, "Fesperman has over the past few years been building his reputation as one of the country's most informed and entertaining thriller writers."
With their forty-eighth novel titled People of the Longhouse, Kathleen and Michael Gear introduce the new "Iroquois series," following New York Times bestselling People of the Thunder, of which Booklist said the "bestselling authors continue their superbly researched and rendered North America's Forgotten Past series." Morning River was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, and the National Book Award. Michael and Kathleen are currently writing another prehistory novel set at Moundville, Alabama in the 1300s.
Set in 1400 in what is now New England amongst five warring Iroquois nations, youngsters Odion and his sister Tutelo fear that Yellowtail Village will be attacked. Prophetically, that day arrives and they are spirited away into slavery. Odion's only hope is that his parents will rescue them. They try, but War Chief Koracoo and Deputy Gonda think they are tracking an ordinary war party herding captives back to enemy villages. Instead, they closely track a legendary evil--an old witch-woman named Gannajero, who captures children, sort of a Hansel-and-Gretel syndrome. "Longhouse" chronicles the lives of those in American prehistory [a/k/a "Indian" by the politically incorrect], based on the lives of real people not commonly known. A teaser to read the book, to learn who?
Internationally best-selling author Lorenzo Carcaterra's latest novel, Midnight Angels, doesn't hit the bookshelves until July 6, but it's already gone into its second printing based on pre-orders.
And if the reviews of the swift-moving thriller set in Florence, Italy, are any indication, readers are in for a treat.
"This superior religious artifact quest thriller from Carcaterra (the author of Sleepers) careens through the streets of Florence with quick stops at various museums and galleries for interesting sidebars on the life and work of Michelangelo," according to the rave review in Publishers Weekly.
Carcaterra's previous novels, including Sleepers, which has sales in excess of 1.4 million copies and was made into a feature film starring Brad Pitt, Robert DeNiro, Dustin Hoffman, and Kevin Bacon, have all won international acclaim, and several have made the New York Times bestseller list. They've also been set mainly in New York, featuring complex tales of crime and justice, so Midnight Angels comes across as something of a departure - it features a female art history student in Florence, Italy, who discovers a trio of lost Michaelangelo sculptures and soon finds herself on the run from a monstrous villain.
It has happened to all of us. You've read hundreds of thrillers and finally you decide you could write one as good as that last one. You're ready to try your hand at creating a bestseller, but you don't know where to start. The answer may be to pick up a copy of the newly-published second edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing a Novel by Tom Monteleone.
This book is perfect for the first time novelist because it covers all the basic elements of the novel, plus the various tactics and processes to make it happen. And when it comes to writing what sells, Monteleone knows what he's talking about. He's published more than 100 short stories and 25 novels, including The Blood of the Lamb which was both a bestseller and a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
"Regardless of how many novels writers produce, the real barometer is whether people like reading them," Monteleone says. "As far as that goes, I've had my share of rave reviews and dedicated fans over the years so, yeah, I'd say I've been doing the job well enough to qualify to write an Idiot's Guide."
Recently, I sat down with Melanie Jackson, author of The Ghost and Miss Demure to talk about her new release, where she finds her inspiration and her lifelong love of history.
On your website, you invite readers to take a walk on the Wildside, visit the past and explore new worlds. Are you drawn to any particular genre as your "first love" or do all genres attract you?
I'm a voracious reader of most genres and also non-fiction, but the first adult books I read were Gone With The Wind and Conan The Barbarian. They kind of wedged themselves in the subconscious and an awful lot of the stuff I've written is some weird hybrid of the two.
Can you tell us about the inspiration for The Ghost and Miss Demure?
Ghosts are not my usual material, but since I'm both Celt and also have family in the deep south, it was probably inevitable that I would end up writing about ghosts eventually. Hugh Vellacourt, the main haunt, is a fictional character, but the supporting cast of haunts and eerie experiences are courtesy of my cousin, Richard Magruder, and assorted family legends told around the fire on winter nights.
In 1979, a scientific study tested whether psychics could actually "remote-view" the location of Cleopatra's lost palace. Amazingly, they succeeded.
Inspired by this incredible true story, David Sakmyster created The Morpheus Initiative, an exciting new team of psychic archaeologists who seek out the world's most enduring historical mysteries and mystical artifacts. The first book in a new series, The Pharos Objective, has the team pursuing the fabled treasure of Alexander the Great beneath the ruins of the Pharos Lighthouse, while contending with diabolical traps and an ancient society called "The Keepers".
You can view the newly released book trailer for The Pharos Objective on YouTube at the following location: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smiHvvuIjU0
Best-selling author Kevin J. Anderson calls The Pharos Objective, "Indiana Jones meets the X-Files -- an archaeologist adventurer with psychic powers of remote viewing who can see the past, ancient treasures, historical mysteries, action and adventure that crosses the world, and a damned good story."
Recently, I sat down with Shiloh Walker to talk about her newest novel, The Missing.
You talk about your background as a nurse on your blog, but I would like to hear more about it and how it has influenced your writing.
I've been in nursing for close to fifteen years--I do keep my license active and I do still work a few times a month. Writing isn't the most stable business and nursing isn't the sort of career you can go back to at the drop of a hat. So I keep my hand in...but as to whether it's influenced my writing directly? I'm not really sure. In nursing, we have 'objectivity' drilled into our heads, so maybe that comes through. The few times I've used a nurse or doctor as a character, the nursing has made it easier to build that character's background. But nursing was basically my back-up plan-writing was my goal. Nursing was how I planned on supporting myself.
You mention that you work harder as a writer than you ever did as a nurse. I was wondering if there were any skills that you feel are common to both. Also, is there anything you learned doing hospital work (most of my work has been either in offices or nursing homes) working as a nurse that you've found useful in your writing?
With a family military history that reaches all the way back to the Civil War, and has Golemons on the battlefields of every American war through Vietnam, it's easy to understand David Golemon's love of history and its importance in his previous four novels. The same hold true for latest release--Primeval--An Event Group Thriller.
What may not be as easy to grasp is the way this thriller writer feels about war. "To me, it's the most disgusting thing mankind has ever come up with," said Golemon. That means while other thriller writers are using war or violence to kick off their novels or fire up the tension, Golemon is holding off as long as he can. "I was an Edgar Rice Burroughs fan growing up. I finally caught on that every time his story was lagging, he always had somebody get captured--and it's always survival, escape, and innovation--with no meaning. I try to limit the violence, but ramp up the action scenes to make it believable."
Golemon adds to his believability by showing the real face of the military, "There's probably more humanity in the military than any other corner of society. If you talk to soldiers today, their opinion hasn't changed in over 200 years. They'd rather be out defending women and children and feeding people." Golemon's novels have been recognized for their true reflection of soldiers' attitudes and the real price of war. In that regard, he's been compared to Tom Clancy.
Jonathan "Digger" Grave is a free lance hostage rescue operative. When two teenage boys are inexplicably kidnapped from a Virginia residential school for children of incarcerated parents, Grave and his crew set out to locate the victims and apprehend the abductors.
When Hostage Zero by John Gilstrap came into my mailbox I wondered if I would have the time to read it all in time for this article. Hostage negotiation novels are not my first choice usually so I began it with a little trepidation. This novel was nothing like any hostage negotiation I have ever read before. In fact there was no negotiation at all, only blistering action and a taut plot that keeps you turning the pages. Two days later, and suffering from lack of sleep, I finished the book and immediately ordered the first one in this series, No Mercy. Hostage Zero was nothing like I had expected. The pace is frantic, the characters believable and you will end up shouting encouragement to the good guys as they dole out well-deserved punishment to the bad guys.
Hostage Zero is the second book featuring John Gilstrap's operative. As John explains below Jonathan Grave is a man who applies his own set of rules to protect the innocent in a country that offers too much protection to the criminals. This regularly leaves him on the wrong side of the law so our hero is often pitted against both sides as he strives to protect the innocent. Hostage Zero can easily be read as a stand-alone novel but, for completists like myself, it is worth starting with No Mercy as this will introduce the characters.
Robert Masello, whose latest thriller is Blood and Ice (Bantam Dell Edition, July 2010) is an award-winning journalist, television writer, and the bestselling author of many novels and nonfiction books.
Blood and Ice has received starred reviews from such major review sources as Publishers Weekly and Booklist. The novel is a supernatural thriller ranging from the battlefields of the Crimean War to the frozen wastes of the present-day Antarctic, where a deeply conflicted, heroic photo-journalist encounters worlds beyond imagination.
Robert's previous novels include The Spirit Wood, Black Horizon, Private Demons, Bestiary, and the USA Today bestseller Vigil. His books have been translated into ten languages, and have garnered raves from many top reviewers, including the Times of London, which trumpeted about his new book, "The ingredients of vampirism, doomed romance, and Antarctic adventure are too seductive to resist. Masello has written a winner, made for Hollywood."
Today, we have the opportunity to interview Robert Masello about Blood and Ice, and many other fascinating aspects of his writing career.
Jeannie Holmes is a native of southwest Mississippi. Before receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of South Alabama, she worked in a variety of interesting fields, including medical records, independent auction houses, and owned a small handcrafted jewelry business. In addition to working on the sequel to Blood Law, she received her Master of Arts degree in English in December 2008 and lives in Mobile, AL with her husband and four neurotic cats.
Amid all of the excitement of gearing up for the release of her first novel, Jeannie took a few minutes to chat with Big Thrill contributing editor Jonathan Maberry about Blood Law.
Jeannie....Blood Lawis your first novel. Give us some backstory on how you broke into the publishing biz.
How I broke into the publishing biz is a sordid tale full of sex, lies, blackmail, and murder. Okay, not really, but that would be a far more entertaining tale because I've been very fortunate up to this point.
I've always made up stories, even when I was a kid in rural Mississippi. My siblings are older and often my mother and I were the only two at home so I would entertain myself with the stories I created. After high school and the first round of college, I worked in the medical field for a number of years, mostly in the administrative side, before going back to finish my BA degree in English at the University of South Alabama.
Reader to Reader Reviews calls award-winning author Leslie Parrish "a romantic suspense genius." Her latest novel, Cold Sight, is the first in her eXtrasensory Agent series.
After being made a scapegoat in a botched investigation that led to a child's death, Aidan McConnell became a recluse. Still, as a favor to an old friend, Aidan will help on the occasional XI case. But under his handsome, rugged facade, he keeps his emotions in check--for fear of being burned again.
Reporter Lexie Nolan has a nose for news--and she believes a serial killer has been targeting teen girls around Savannah. But no one believes her. So she turns to the new paranormal detective agency and the sexy, mysterious Aidan for help.
Just as the two begin forging a relationship, the case turns eerily personal for Lexie--and Aidan discovers that maybe he hasn't lost the ability to feel after all.
When it comes to writing thrillers, Ronie Kendig shoots right for the heart. Nightshade, the first book in the Discarded Hero series, tackles combat-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the toll it takes on the soldier, and the courage he must muster to respond to the call of duty as part of a covert operation. Contributing editor Janice Gable Bashman chats with Ronie about Nightshade and her writing process.
Give us the scoop on Nightshade and its "in-your-face" protagonist Max Jacobs.
Soldiers across the globe are returning home to their families after brutal tours of duty. They are discharged from the service. . .and on their own. Meet Max Jacobs, one of these discarded heroes, as he faces a wall of failure--in his career, his friendships, and his marriage. Failing again--this time to end his life--he is offered a thread of hope. Are covert operations the answer for him, or will they only bring more danger and dissension upon his broken family? Will Max yield to a force greater than himself--love?
Recently I sat down with Chris Kizneski to talk about his latest novel, The Prophecy.Part of your writer's journey is quite similar to mine in that I too regaled my classmates at a young age with my stories. I'm curious as to whether you put your aspirations to become a published author aside while toiling away at a "real" job? Or were the stories playing out all along in the private theater of your incredible mind?
Although I've been writing for as long as I can remember, it never dawned on me that I could write books for a living until I was in college. And even then, it didn't seem very realistic. That's why I majored in journalism instead of creative writing. I knew the odds of getting a job at the local newspaper were a lot better than getting a book deal from a publisher. Unfortunately, it didn't take long to realize that journalism wasn't for me. Anytime I interviewed someone, I'd get frustrated when they didn't give me the perfect quote. I always used to think, if they had only said this, my story would've been so much better. Obviously, that's dangerous ground for a journalist. I figured, if I'm going to put words in people's mouths, they should probably be fictional characters.
"Are you saying I look like a bear?"
That was the question Bill Gagliani asked me in response to an ill-conceived statement I'd made which he might have misunderstood.
"No, no. Of course not. Why, you remind me more of, uh, George Clooney than a bear."
What else would you expect me to say to a rather large man who studies exotic weapons and writes books with 'blood-drenched finales'?
These finales are included in the books of his self-proclaimed "North Woods noir" genre, a fairly narrow niche which, when pressed for definition, he describes as The Wolf-Man meets No Way to Treat a Lady by way of Deliverance with a nod to Body Double. I picture Jack Nicholson saying, "Herrrrrre's Johnny" through an ax-hole in a door. Gagliani takes us to the scene after he'd used the ax on, well, someone.
Narrow or not, he's a master at it. Don't believe me? Deborah LeBlanc, bestselling author of Water Witch, says "Gagliani takes a rehashed theme and breathes new life into it with a cast of memorable characters and relentless suspense. He masterfully weaves sensuality and horror throughout the story, taking the reader on a journey that redefines 'love at all costs.' "
Keith Raffel and Rick Mofina met at BEA in 2009. Rick was just launching Vengeance Road which has since been nominated for a 2010 Thriller Award. They got together again to discuss Rick's latest book, The Panic Zone.Dean Koontz calls The Panic Zone, your latest, "a headlong rush toward Armageddon." Whew! Would you give us a sneak preview?
The Panic Zone tells the story of Emma Lane, an anguished mother from Wyoming who refuses to believe her baby died in a tragic car crash. Jack Gannon, a wire service reporter from New York, joins her in the hunt for a perfect killer whose trail leads around the world in a race against time.
The Panic Zone is the second in your Jack Gannon series after your Thriller Award nominee Vengeance Road. How does Jack compare with the protagonists in your other two series?
Suspense-thriller writer Avery Aames has not sold one of her novels yet she has a book coming out in early July. How did that happen?
According to Avery, an agent who liked her work knew about this work-for-hire series. "A Cheese Shop Mystery," she said. "Think you can write it?"
Seems like Avery could.
She auditioned and got the job. "I'm truly lucky. I couldn't be more passionate about a topic. Life is great; cheese makes it better!"
Actually the series seems tailor-made for Avery. She took Berkley Prime Crime's idea for a cheese shop in an Ohio town and not only embraced the idea but made it her own. She draws on her restaurant and catering experience that is further enriched by the fact she is a gourmet cook. Because she was an actress, she is able to better understand (and write about) the grandmother who runs the local theater. She also added a character (the niece) who needs to follow a gluten-free diet just like she does.
With all this expertise, Avery still does research. As she puts it, "So many cheeses, so little time. I had no idea how many cheeses are in the world." As she learns about a new cheese, she creates recipes and tries them out on her husband before they are included in the Cheese Shop Mysteries or on the Mystery Lovers Kitchen website.
In his debut novel The Ocean Dark, Jack Rogan writes a novel so thrilling that a Who's Who of thriller writers made the following comments:"The Ocean Dark by Jack Rogan is gale-force-ten of a thriller, blending furious suspense with brilliantly speculative science to create a riveting story of violence and mayhem on the high seas. Wow!" -- Douglas Preston, co-author of Relic and Cemetery Dance.
"Jack Rogan's, The Ocean Dark, demands to be devoured in one sitting. A bloody, brilliant thriller centered on a horror rising from the darkest myths and legends. Read it with all the lights on in the house. You've been warned." -- James Rollins, New York Times bestselling author of The last Oracle.
"A masterful thriller, Rogan's The Ocean Dark is a big, sprawling tale filled with smart plotting and flesh-and-blood characters. It races from start to finish like an unstoppable vessel steaming full speed ahead." -- Jeffery Deaver, New York Times bestselling author of The Bone Collector and Roadside Crosses.
One of the nice things about being an editor for ITW is featuring some of the publishing industry's biggest names, and Janet Evanovich is no exception. Her Stephanie Plum books have been translated into 27 languages and distributed to at least three times that many countries. How many of us could even name that many languages? Janet's not sure how many books have been sold, but it's somewhere between 70 and 100 million!
I'll try to put that in perspective. Let's average the two numbers and use 85 million for the tally. Let's also assume the average reader needs around 24 hours to read one of her books. Some people will read faster, others slower, but 24 hours sounds about right. Doing the math produces a truly astonishing number. I ran the calculation twice to be sure I had it right.
With 85,000,000 books sold, Janet Evanovich has (cumulatively) provided the world's readers with 9,703 years entertainment! That's a boatload of time. 97 centuries ago, wooly mammoths were still roaming North America. And no, Janet wasn't around back then!
The Stephanie Plum character is nothing short of iconic. Plum is so well known, she's actually mentioned in the Wikipedia article on bounty hunters. Plum is alluring, charming, magnetic, and funny--the list could go on and on; she sounds a lot like her creator. It's why readers find Plum's lighthearted nature appealing, especially because of her dangerous profession; bounty hunting.
For those of you not familiar with exactly what a bounty hunter does, here's a quick snapshot:
A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a reward, usually in the form of money.
From The International Thriller Writers:
