The Indispensable Elizabeth Berry
Elizabeth Berry (at left),
Executive Director for Thrillerfest, sat down with me to answer a few
questions.Jeff: How did you get involved in the
International Thriller Writers Organization?
Elizabeth: ThrillerFest is a
major undertaking. The Board realized they needed someone full-time on
the job, and lucky me got drafted. I had the time, and really wanted to do it,
so I think it's worked out great for everyone.
What exactly does your position of
Executive Director entail?
It involves 6-8
hours every day, usually 6 days a week, overseeing committee chairs and
volunteers. We have superb people working on this year's ThrillerFest - who
by-the-way do the vast majority of the work - I'm simply the point person.
Together, we plan and execute every detail. There's a lot that goes into putting on ThrillerFest. I
didn't realize how much, but after getting ThrillerFest 2008 under my belt, I now understand.
The old cliche is true - the devil is in the details. Absolutely.
What was one of your most memorable conference moments?
Late one afternoon, a fan came to me and asked
if I'd seen Barry Eisler - he had missed the earlier signing, and wanted his
books signed. I went down to the bar, and found Barry visiting with a group of
friends. I quietly told him about the fan, and he didn't hesitate. He literally
ran to the bookstore and made the fan feel like a million dollars. The best
part is that I now know that each and every author that I've met would have
done the very same thing. Impressive.
ThrillerFest
ITW's annual celebration of the thriller world is the largest event of its kind, a meeting place for authors, readers, budding writers, and publishing industry professionals.
For 2010, we’ll be back in the heart of New York in July with the ThrillerFest conference including CraftFest and AgentFest.
ThrillerFest V will be held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City.
The dates will be July 7-10, 2010. You must register for the conference prior to making hotel reservations. Call the Hyatt at 1-800-233-1234 or 212-883-1234. Ask for the ThrillerFest or International Thriller Writers rate of $199. If you prefer, use the direct online reservation link by clicking here. Conference rates apply July 6-11, 2010. If your stay is longer, please call the hotel to make your reservations.
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