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.

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.

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.

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.

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.