"My best moment came just before the first ThrillerFest in Phoenix - I arrived from Europe a day early because of airline issues and decided to spend the time in the Arizona Biltmore's famous spa ... so there I was, lounging around in nothing but a (very small) towel ... and in walks Libby Hellman, also wearing nothing but a (very small) towel ... we became friends fast and now when we meet we always say, sorry, didn't recognize you with your clothes on." ~ Lee Child



"For me, one of the greatest thrills of last year's ThrillerFest was interviewing Clive Cussler. He's been a literary hero of mine going back to Junior High when I first read Raise the Titanic. He was charming, witty, and gracious. It was both an honor and a thrill to share the stage with this literary giant." ~ James Rollins




"I was at a ThrillerFest reception and suddenly realized how many authors I admired were in every direction around me.  The experience reminded me of what MGM used to say about having more stars than there were in the sky." ~ David Morrell






"Talking to Lee Child and discovering, from his chapter in The Chopin Manuscript, that he's even more of an audio geek than I am (as his chapter in Chopin proves)." ~ David Hewson





A Toast to ThrillerFest by M.J. Rose

I was sitting at the signing table on Sunday of ThrillerFest when a gentleman approached with a copy of my latest novel, The Venus Fix and a copy of the ITW anthology Thriller, and asked me to sign both. Of course, I said. I asked him his name and proceeded to inscribe both books. I'm  slightly in awe when someone asks me to do this - of all the things that make me "feel like a writer" it's this moment and I love the chance to stop and talk to readers: find out what they like, what they're tired of, what else they read, anything -- I'd be happy to talk to readers all day.

I handed him back both books and he proceeded to hand me a bottle of wine. A gift he said, for me, and explained that authors give him so much pleasure that he likes to give them something back as a thank you.

The "thank you" I told him is buying the book - but wine too? It was his pleasure he assured me.

I was tired, it was the last day of the conference, it had been a lot of fun and work for those of us who were involved in the event and when this man gave me this gift out of the blue, I was not only blown away, I was speechless.

The cost of ThrillerFest - $300 plus
The cost of the two books - $32.00
The cost of the bottle of wine - $15
The moment: Priceless


Friendships sometimes vanish.  Too little time and too much distance are often the culprits, and one mourns for what might have been.  How are they now?  Who are they now?

We knew the first ThrillerFest was going to be special.  After all, no one had ever created an international gathering to celebrate the field.  But there were other remarkable bonuses in store....

As I was walking past the Biltmore bar (why do so many interesting moments erupt in or near bars?) when I heard a woman call my name.  I spun, and there was Jean Jenkins's beautiful face.  She's a wonderful writer from San Diego.  I'm from Santa Barbara, and here we'd met in Phoenix - at ThrillerFest.  I hadn't known she'd changed directions and was writing in the field.  We sat together and caught up on that and five years of life. So beware ... it's not only new friendships one finds at ThrillerFest, but old cherished ones. ~ Gayle Lynds


At the first Thrillerfest, in Phoenix, I got to do a wonderful panel with John Lescroat and MJ Rose, moderated by Steve Berry, called "Sex in Thrillers:  With Booze."  To get the audience in the mood, so to speak, we made Screaming Orgasms in pitchers and poured as people entered (damn, you really can't discuss this stuff without becoming self conscious about word choice, can you?  Or at least I can't) the room.  As one woman walked in, I approached with my standard line -- "Can I offer you a Screaming Orgasm?" -- to which she, with a satisfied smile, replied, "No thanks, I just had one." I imagine that for her, the panel was anticlimactic... ~ Barry Eisler

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