Podcasts about thrillerfest

Jennie Nash returns to a #amwriting hot seat with novelist Andrew Perella. Building on prior guidance from ThrillerFest's Samantha Skal, they refine Andrew's thriller outline—especially antagonist Seward's motivation, escalating twists, and clue/red-herring sophistication—while acknowledging outline fatigue and treating it as a living document updated alongside drafted scenes. Andrew adds a new opening murder to raise the early body count without revealing the killer, links the victim to Abby, and explores Seward's conflicted “strategy” to preserve an old-world hierarchy that targets women's and vampires' agency. They also discuss Quince as a privileged, unreliable brother and the need to define Mina's telepathic vampire “magic” so her influence preserves Abby's agency and makes Mina's end offer a harder choice. They plan to review drafted chapters next. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Gregg Hurwitz: gin and tonic Gregg takes us inside the famous NYC Thrillerfest event, offers advice to aspiring writers on how to develop sales momentum for their books and pitfalls to avoid, names one thing that Artificial Intelligence will *never* be able to do, offers thoughts on how to approach a career path in the face of AI, describes the secret squirrel work he's currently doing to detect foreign state-sponsored efforts to foment discord in the United States.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Andrew returns with his latest blueprint for a gothic mystery, and the coaching quickly zeroes in on what will make it work: a clear, compelling villain and twists that truly land. With help from thriller coach and Thrillerfest executive director Samantha Skal, the discussion unpacks the hidden layer of the story—what the villain is actually doing—and how that contrasts with the protagonist's assumptions.As they dig in, it becomes clear that strengthening the mystery means making the murders more personal, introducing a convincing false suspect, and mapping both the visible story and the truth underneath it. By the end, Andrew has a sharper path forward: deepen the villain's motive, raise the stakes earlier, and build each twist so it feels both surprising and inevitable.#AmWriting is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.About Book Coach Sam SkalA fan of the scary, mysterious, and suspenseful, Samantha Skal is the Executive Director of ThrillerFest, the co-founder of Shadows & Secrets writing retreats, and an Author Accelerator-certified book coach who specializes in coaching mystery, thriller, horror, and suspense authors. Sam writes stories that keep her up at night, is a breast cancer survivor, and lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Learn more at www.samanthaskal.com and www.shadowsandsecrets.com. Catch Up on Andrew's Hot Seat Coaching JourneyTranscriptHi, I'm Jennie Nash, and you're listening to the #amwriting podcast, the place where we help writers of all kinds play big in your writing life, love the process, and stick with it long enough to finish what matters most.This is a hot seat coaching episode where we work through a real challenge in real time.And today we're back talking with Andrew Perella, the hashtag am writing podcast producer who has stepped out from behind the mic to work on a novel. And where we left Andrew last time was you'd worked through the whole blueprint and you were tasked with completing. Inside outline. So before we get into our guest and, um, what we're gonna do today, how was that, what was it like for you?Um, I mean, it was, it was, uh, really hard. Uh, but it was, it was, uh, it was really gratifying and it was, it was a lot of fun to do as well. Um. Because I think, um, part of, part of the assignment, you, you, you left for me, [00:01:00] Jenny, was to also beef out certain elements of certain, certain, the presence of certain characters, um, and certain and certain elements of the book.And so I was trying to do that as well as. As, as crafting the outline. Um, and so yeah, it was, it was a long, it was a struggle. It was a struggle, especially to get it to three, to keep it to three, to get it down to three pages. I know, and I'm very strict about that for reasons you are. Um, and. Did you feel a sense of accomplishment when you did it though?Like, oh, this is a book and I'm writing it, or how did that land? Yeah, I mean, like at first I just started writing. I started writing the scene bullets and the, and the points, and just started like, okay, what are all the, what are all the elements that that. I have in my head that I need to get down onto paper and it was like 6, 7, 8 pages.And I was like, okay, now I gotta get this down to three pages. Um, and, and, and I was like, okay, I can combine these two scenes or maybe I don't need this. So I just ended up cutting a lot and cutting a lot [00:02:00] and getting it down. So like, yes, there was a sense of like. Completion. Um, that was certainly gratifying, uh, to get that.And, uh, I had a couple of late nights, um, getting that, getting that squared away, but yeah, it also feels, feels more real now. Um, and it's like, yeah, there's, there's, there's a, there's a there here, which I'm pretty excited about. I'm excited about too, and I'm also excited because we're doing something really cool today.Um, and we have with us Samantha Skull, who I will introduce in a hot second. But hi Samantha. Hi. Thanks so much for having me. I'm so excited to be here. Well, I'm excited too because, um. Sam, as I call her, um, I've known for quite some time. She's one of the OG author, accelerator certified coaches. And Sam, you actually don't know this, but I use you.Probably every day.Oh my God, I'm so flattered as an example of [00:03:00] what a great book coach should do, which is to focus and choose who you're gonna serve and how you're gonna serve them, and to really go deep into what you love and what you wanna do all day. Right? The read books all day and get paid for it thing like do what you love and you.Do that. You've done that just so powerfully and it's so visible on your website, which we'll link to in the show notes so folks can go see, but. Sam loves all the dark and suspenseful and scary mystery, twisty things, which always just cracked me up because I don't, and that's what's so beautiful about book coaching and writing for that matters.Everybody has their own thing and, and that's part of the work of writing Big is. What is your thing? You know? So the reason that I wanted Sam to come is she's built a whole business on this type of work and with, um, another author, [00:04:00] accelerator coach, she runs a really cool, uh, writing retreat that is, um, it's always in Salem.Right. It is in a haunted hotel, which, um, Carrie Savage, who is my co-founder in shadows and secrets, uh, loves being haunted. I do not choose to be haunted, so I choose the non haunted floor. So they have that retreat and they, um, have just started taking it virtual and just all kinds of tools and resources and things for people writing this kind of work.And in addition to that, I. I just am always impressed by your trajectory of having gone from. A volunteer at the Thriller Fest. Well, for a participant at the Thriller Fest conference to being a volunteer, to running the Pitch Fest piece of the thing. And now you're, well then you were co-director, now you're running the whole thing.You're, you're, yes, I am. You're running the entire [00:05:00] Thriller Fest conference, which is how many writers every year. Oh, we have around a thousand and I have a team behind me. Just to be clear. This would not happen without a village, but uh, yes, we have around a thousand thriller authors who come to New York and we, uh, we talk about the dark stuff all week.It's absolutely the, the best time. And it's in two weeks. I can't, I mean, when this comes out, it may have already passed, but yeah, can't wait. No, this is coming out right before, so if anybody wants a quick getaway to New York, they should go. But also just the programming, watch the programming coming out of it and we're so excited.Yeah, it's really good. So, um, I just, I love the career you've built for yourself. It's always just really inspiring to me. And, um, also a recent breast cancer survivor, so we're, uh, always wanna shout out to that. Yes. Get your scans. That's my PSA. Always love it. Same. Love it. Love it. So I wanted Sam to come look at Andrew's inside [00:06:00] outline because I knew that the thing he has to work on is this, what I call in my not totally expertise in this area.I call the twisties of it. That there's a, you know, it's a mystery. It's a murder, it's a gothic, it's horror. It's all the things. And it, those twists have to land. And this is so much Sam's expertise that the whole time I was talking to Andrew about it and guiding him and coaching him, I just kept thinking, we need Sam in here.So, so we got Sam in here. And so, um, Andrew completed his inside outline and Sam very graciously, um, agreed to look through it and to look through his whole blueprint. So before we get into what you saw and what you found, Sam. I just love to hear, I mean, this is so self-serving. I just like nothing more than reading a blueprint.I think it's so fun. Um, just to like, [00:07:00] kind of peel back the, the cover and see what's in there. Did, did you have fun with that? Oh my gosh. So much fun. Andrew. This story is, is so cool. And I love the historical elements and the rethinking of, you know, vampires are running around London and everyone's just like, that's fine.You know, and then how does, how does this all go down? And we have this very agency filled, moxie filled main character who's just a delight and yeah, I loved it. I have, I have so many fun questions to ask you. So Andrew, how does that feel? I mean, it feels great and I, I was reading through, uh, through both of your notes, um, in the, in the, in the outline and like you're asking all of these questions.Um. Some of them that I have not thought of before and like, so I'm, so I'm really excited to kind of dig into these and talk through them. But I'm, I'm, it's really gratifying to hear that this, that this idea is, is, is, is an interesting one. Yeah. I loved it. I a hundred [00:08:00] percent read this book. I'd, I'd see it and be like, yes, I want, I want to be in that world.Cool. Well that's why you're here. Because I would be like, no, too scary. Too scary for me. So, um, I'm gonna let. Sam sort of take it away and, uh, we could talk for days, I'm sure about this, but one of the, the things I love about book coaches who are well trained is they'll hone in on the most important, the most important things.So. What do you think, Sam? What's the most important thing Andrew should be thinking about in his next iteration of this outline? Yeah, so my favorite thing to talk about outta the gate with Mr. Thriller and suspense and gothic horror, depending on how dark you wanna make this, um, is who is the person who's really behind all these murders and why are they committing them?Right? I like to think of MTS mystery full or suspense as the villain's journey as experienced by the [00:09:00] protagonist. Mm-hmm. Right. So we, we must know what's going on beneath the surface in order for those twists to land, because twists are just assumptions about what's going on that the protagonist makes.And when the truth, you know, what's really going on with the villain is revealed, it's twisty because it's unexpected. Mm-hmm. So if we don't, therefore if we don't know who's. Who's behind, who's doing all these villainous things. Um, we struggle to make those twists land and we struggle to get a blueprint that we can actually follow.So tell me your thoughts on who this mastermind murderer is and why they're doing what they're doing. Um, so. So Jack Seward is the, is the, is the Mastermind behind this. And I've been, I've been thinking a lot about it this week since I, since I finished the, since I finished the outline. And a lot of other things have occurred to me about who this gentleman is and how he's doing what he's doing.But I think the why is, um, he is committed to the status quo. He is committed [00:10:00] to, uh, uh, uh, uh, a, you know, uh. He is committed to the manosphere. He is committed to the patriarchy. He has committed to, um, the previous way of doing things. Um. In, in, in society, in politics, in medicine. And so like he's seeing this sea change, um, in all of those areas.Um, with the advent of this, of this, um, medical school for women, uh, with the, with this vote, um, vote, uh, that is happening. Um, and he disapproves and so his goal is to disrupt all of those, um. Disruptions di uh, by pitting them against each other. Got it. So if he can, if he can. Create this illusion that vampires are preying on Suffr jets.They will be too busy fighting each other to try and find any sort of, uh, agency for [00:11:00] themselves. Aha. Very, very well thought out. I love that. As a, as a mastermind villain goal. So here's the other thing, is that mm-hmm. In the genre expectation for any sort of modern mystery, full or suspense, is that we have three twists.We have one at the mid and we can have more. Right. But we have one at the midpoint, which is just the midpoint turn. Like it's, it's a classic story thing, which you already have. You have a great midpoint currently. Mm-hmm. Um, and the climactic twist is the reveal of, uh, as, as Carrie, my co-founder and shadows and secrets likes to say, um, the climactic.Confrontation answers the story question, which is presented in the inciting incident and typically in mysteries, the inciting incident is who's doing the killing? Right? Like, who's behind this dead body that we have early on? And we'll talk about that in just a second. Um, so the climactic answers that question, and then we have a final twist, which is typically the reveal of this gentleman who wants to keep things as is.And he [00:12:00] meanwhile. During the course of the story is going to be taking action to stop, uh, our plucky protagonist from stopping him, right? Mm-hmm. So he's a full antagonist to our protagonist. And in that way we need a fake villain, right? We need someone that he can have set up so that she thinks this is the person behind everything in the climactic scene.And then she gets to the end and is like, oh my gosh, I've. You know, I've conquered, I've brought chaos to order, I've solved this thing, and now, oh my God, now there's somebody else who's actually behind everything. And actually we're still in grave danger and we didn't even know to be worried about this.And that's how you get that like, you know, 85 to 98% just ripping through the pages readers, you know, being so hooked to figure out what happened. Right. Um, so. Tell me a little bit more about who Seward could have set up or manipulated or something [00:13:00] else to commit these murders so that he gets done what he wants to get done, but he also protects himself.And if you don't know the answer, that's okay. We can brainstorm. But if you do, then that's great. So this is, this is kind of part of the, the, the thought, the idea that I've had since I, since I finished the, the, the, uh, the outline is. Because the, the syringe idea mm-hmm. The double-headed syringe idea always felt a little tenuous.Uh, like I, I wasn't quite sure that that was gonna hold, but, so my new thought about this is, is. Because he is, uh, he is the, uh, director of a mental institution. Um, and so, and so, like, that's a whole other politic where he has people who are, uh, who are in his thra essentially. And so is there a way that he can coerce, um, a vampire who needs him to commit these murders on his behalf, thereby kind of insulating himself from the actions.Perfect. And [00:14:00] so I think that could, so the climactic twist would then be. It's a vampire I disco discovering that the, the, this is the vampires committing the murders. But then the, the, the final twist is, oh s**t, he's been doing this at the behest of, of Seward, who's her, you know, kind of Yes, yes. As it were in quotation.Okay. Yes. That sounds amazing. And it also, you know, when we step into this story, um, in your initial scene, we have. Vampires feeding on people and Abby's just like, uh, okay, that's, that's normal. Right? And so is that, did I read that right? Is that the world that we're in? Is that We have vampires existing and Van Helsing, you know, was the one who kept them in check.And we have all that like lore that we're dealing with that the reader brings in. So tell me more about the world I'm walking into here. So, yeah, I think I'm still developing this world. So we're 20 years. Around 20 years after the events of Dracula. Okay. The, the, the novel. And so, and I think, I think people are now aware that [00:15:00] vampires exist.And I think, you know, at this, at the same time, they're being used as like this bogey man or, or, or straw man of like, everything that is wrong with, with British society. Um, but they're also. Not the monsters, right? They're, they're just another, another, um, community that is trying to, uh, eke out, eke out some sort of existence.Um, I love that so much. It's just such a fun, sort of new twist on. Know a story that's so well known and has been in our collective conscience for a hundred years. You know, I don't know when, when Dracula came out. Correct me if I'm wrong, but a long time, right? A little over a hundred years. Yeah. It's been a minute.It's been a minute. Um, and so I, so it's still very much a period of transition as, as you know, London and the world are still trying to figure out what that means, that these things actually exist and live among us. Um, and, uh, and so. There were [00:16:00] some things that didn't make it into the outline like I had.There was this one scene where they're walking down the street and there's someone on the soapbox at speaker's Corner at Hyde Park who's railing against, who's railing against, uh, um, vampires as like a sturge on society and things of that nature. And, and there'll be things in the newspaper. I think that kind of addressed this new, this new politic, um, that, that the characters interact with.And so I'm still feeling out what exactly it means. That vampires exist and are part of the public consciousness. Yeah. So one sort of logical question that comes up for me there is, you know, if we're in society and there's just like monsters living among us who occasionally pick people off on the street, that would create a level of, um, extreme tension.Okay. Right. One might say, right, like, yeah, if I'm wandering down the street and I see a vampire eating somebody that's not just like a, you know, we would be taking steps to protect ourselves because humans are always going to protect themselves, and so yes. You [00:17:00] know what, if you change it where the vampires are only allowed to feed on like livestock or something.Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. You know, something that's like the, nobody's happy, right? Yeah. Like, like most, uh, um, situations where we, we agree on something and we're, we're all giving something up. Yeah. But that allows them to exist in society and live among us. Right? Like the, the veil has been lifted. Vampires are here.But they've agreed to only eat livestock, and then the fact that they're murdering people by eating them then becomes. A huge deal. Right? Because this Deante that we've had with them is now broken. Mm-hmm. Um, something like that, because I think if we, if we have it just being casual that they're, they're eating people in alleys or whatever, it reduces, I mean, that's a fun story, don't get me wrong.Yeah, yeah. But that reduces the impact of the murders that we are seeking to solve with this and Right. You know, you said this was, this was a mystery. And so currently [00:18:00] we don't have a ton of mystery on the page like we have. The midpoint is where, um, she discovers that things might not be what they seem, which I love.But in order for that to have impact, we need something earlier. And that could be, you know, these murders have been happening for a few days. That could be the last year. It could be she sees the first murder. Um. Something along those lines, but we need something early. So we, we understand the tension and we understand the mystery story question because you have a ton of other story questions in here, but if this is mystery first, the mystery story question needs to be who committed, who is committing these murders and why?Yep. Yeah. Does that kind of, that makes sense? Land? Yes. No, absolutely. Absolutely. Okay. Now as a, as as I was, I was rereading the outline, the other, the other, the, the other night. And I was like, I feel, I feel like there needs to be another murder scene. Yeah. Earlier we gotta up the body count in the, the book.Yeah. You know, it's a, it's a, it's a conversation I have every day. [00:19:00] Yeah. Not, not enough dead bodies. Not enough dead. Not enough dead bodies. Yeah. So, you know, and so if she is, if she's really worried about, you know, that's their question is why, why is she so involved in solving these murders? How do we make it personal to her?Mm-hmm. And so could this be a friend? Could this be. You know, um, a sister, could this be an aunt, like some something that's related to her so that this person is taken out. And then that becomes Seward has targeted her because she's the, she's, you know, van sing's niece, right? Yep. Yeah. So she's a public figure that if he takes out by having a vampire.Quote, you know, kill her. Then he will have achieved his goal of disrupting this whole thing and be like, look how dangerous it's for women to be out in the world and you know. Mm-hmm. We should put a stop to this. Like that achieves his goal, but she won't know. Right. Obviously that [00:20:00] that's his goal. Right.But he also needs to create the unrest, so it's not just, you know, she's the one who's murdered. That's going to be the climactic plan and he will have killed other people in the meantime. Right. Okay. Something like that. Like we need to make, yeah. Whatever it is that needs to be personal to her. And if she paint, if she paints a target on her back later on by being a ksky, amateur sleuth, which is classic.Um. That works well as well. But I like, you know, one of the questions I love to ask is, what was your villain doing on the day that their prote, the pro protagonist, decided to ruin their life by deciding to go after and stop them from villain. And so maybe she had nothing to do with any of this and she's researching and becomes a problem.That's the other way you could play it. Mm-hmm. Um. But, you know, if he has this grand plan and he's like, Ooh, Abby would make a great sort of like, figurehead to the end of all these murders, and that's the one that I'm gonna point at it and be like, [00:21:00] look, we can't, you know, I, we can't have these women out here.Right? Something like that could work well. Um, what do you think? What, what's, what's your brain do when I say all those things? Um, it's interesting. I hadn't considered, I hadn't considered that her uncle would be targeting her. One of the things I've been grappling with was like. One of the reasons he targets people around her is to scare her away from med school to scare her away from the cause, okay.Um, and kind of pin her in further to the existing, to the existing, um, um, status quo. Um, and so I hadn't considered him using her. Sacrificing her for his, uh, for his ultimate goals. Yeah. Um, and that's an in, that's an interesting idea. And, and if she were to discover that would certainly up to stakes, um, that would certainly up to stakes for her.It would. And so if you want him to be a little more [00:22:00] empathetic Right. We don't need to go like full dark if you don't want to. Right. Um, he could be trying to protect her. By killing other people, which is misguided. Yeah. But, uh, fun. Right? And then that would make sense. So when she figures out it's actually him, he could be like, I was doing all of this to protect you because I love you.You're in my family. Right? Yeah. That also works. But we need to have whatever his, his plan is for causing, you know, using these murders to achieve his goal. If she's, she needs to be the target of it so that it's very personal to her as she moves through this story. Um, and upping the stakes is always great.It amps the tension, right? Yeah. And again, she's not gonna know any of this until she gets to that final twist. And so one of like the most fine chilling, you know, tingly things that you can do with mysteries is that reveal at the very end. We as through the protagonist, understand how much danger we were in [00:23:00] this entire story, and we had no idea.Right? And that moment is the one that we're seeking with readers and for ourselves, right? It's like, how do we have that moment that reveal have the biggest impact possible? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Something like that. Yeah. I, I see Andrew just grinning, like, what are you, whatcha feeling? He's just like, got his giant grin on his face.I mean, like, and like I said, I've been trying to figure out how, because it, because as I was reading, as I was reading through the outline, it did feel like, like abriana was just kind of like adjacent to mm-hmm. All of the murders. Um, and, and Jenny, you and I had talked about whether there was an active investigation and, and, and Sam, I think you kind of alluded to that in, in the notes, is there, is there an active investigation and like, is she, is, is Abriana being.Is, uh, uh, coroner does a suspect by the, by the investigators. Um, is that, why, is that why she is doing her own investigation? Um, [00:24:00] which is another, which is another way to to, to up the stakes. Mm-hmm. Also, um, I, yeah, I'm, I'm, that's an interest, that's an interesting way though to, that's an interesting take on Seward, who's, um, an avuncular figure.He's not, like, he's not a blood relation. To Abriana, but like he is, he is determined in his goal and like, you know, he would, he probably would stop at nothing to get that done, even if it meant, even if it meant, uh, the daughter of a friend of his got killed. Yeah, I mean, just thinking through, and this is your homework, really, is to think through how dark do you want to make him, right?Because you can have a villain who starts off with. A, uh, a goal and decides to achieve it through very ill-advised means, but still wants to protect the people around them, right? Like they can be both. We don't have to have it be a hundred percent. [00:25:00] This person is so evil and willing to burn it all down, right?And so, but that can also be a series of bad decisions. It's like bad decision one leads to, oh my God, like people are finding out that these aren't really vampires. Now I have to really like double down to make it really seem like vampires, so I don't get caught. Because guess what, if I get caught, my life is ruined.Right? And you know, as Abby gets closer, he realizes. I have to kill her. Right? Yeah. She's, she's gonna ruin everything. Yeah. And that sort of angst and that, you know, that would be very painful for him. That could be the thing that when she confronts him at the end, and there will be a de Ma, right? We're gonna have something where he's like, I did all these things for this reason.And it doesn't have to be Yeah. Pages, but we do have a, that's a classic mystery thing. Mm-hmm. She'll understand if you like this, that you know, he was trying to protect her and then. He'll be like, you did this to yourself. You know, like, right. Yeah. You're the one who got in the way. Um, something like [00:26:00] that.And he's like, mm-hmm. My only choice now is to kill you. And then of course she will not allow that because she's our lucky protagonist and will survive because chaos will be brought to order. That's the other big thing is we wanna wrap this up unless you're going who, in which case. It gets worse at the very end.Um, is, is that, is that, is that allowed? Yeah, we, yeah. Well, to keep chaos on the chaos, absolutely. We just need it genre bending is. So hot right now, right? Um, and it's really fun, right? So you can have both, you can have the main mystery wrapped up, like she can, Abby can figure out, okay, this wasn't actually vampires and someone is posing as a vampire.And so that actually changes your midpoint, by the way. We'll talk about that in a second. But if that's the arc, right? She thinks it's vampires. She is, when she does the climactic confrontation, she's like, it's vampires like someone, you know, what are they doing? Why are they doing this? And then realizes [00:27:00] in that, that it wasn't vampires and it's actually someone else.Um, the chaos will be brought to order in that way, right? Like we have, we have a right, we have figured out that someone was posing as a vampire. But what if you have a final, final twist where you know, there actually are vampires. Killing people as well. Like seaward only admits to three of these murders and then there's someone else doing, you know, and it's just like we end it with like, oh no.You know? Right. Yeah. Or by, maybe there's something mystical with like by imitating a vampire or that, you know, the vampires have been gathering their energy for the last 20 years by feeding on goats and you know, they're ready to, we need a new van Helsing to, to keep them under control or something. And Abby takes up that mantle and, you know.You can, you can totally play it where there's an unanswered. Okay. Oh no, it's worse at the end, but we do need some sort of wrap up of the story. Gotcha. But there does seem to be some cover resolution. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. I see what you're saying. That makes sense. Yeah, that makes sense. So it strikes [00:28:00] me, I'm not sure that you picked this up, Sam, and you might not have, but that there's a.Uh, um, Mina the Vampire. Mina, yeah, yeah, yeah. Is is her mother. Right. I did pick up on that, and that's a question I have. Okay. Yeah. Great. Because it seems like what you're all talking about that could play a really important role in any of these twists and arcs. Right. I. Yes. Yes. Plus one. Yeah. Everything you just said.Um, yeah. So Mina being her mother, fantastic. One of your final twists, right? And particularly if you have Seward being like the final confrontation, final twist person, and then, you know, you have this lovely final scene where she's like, oh my God, it's my mother. Um, yeah. But the logical question there is why would Mina Hyde, what's she after?Why would she not have tried to help Abby? Right? Because you're dealing with reader expectations that mothers will do anything to protect their children. Right? And so you can, we can twist that. Maybe she is trying to protect her from what's coming, right? [00:29:00] Like what's actually going on. Maybe she's the one who's been protecting her the whole time by warding off the vampires that have been attacking her, her friends at medical school.Um. And that's why there's so many mistaken identity things, right? Because you have two where, where Abby's like, whoops. I think that was supposed to be for me. Yeah. Um, and so the reader's gonna wonder why are they so bad at killing her, right? Like, if these were assassin attempts, like why wouldn't what, what's going on?And so that answers that question. If it's Mina stepping in, but you know, we need to understand what Mina's really after and why she didn't step forward sooner. That's a huge question that, you know, yeah. Everyone will have. Yeah, it is a huge question. Like, like where has she been for the last 18 years?Mm-hmm. Why has Aubrianna not seen her since, since, since her birth? Um, and I haven't quite nailed that down yet. Like, is there some sort of like vampire code? I don't like, I don't know. Is it, is it that she's, is that she, that Mina. Knows [00:30:00] Jonathan, her husband too well, and knows that, that he would not allow a vampire, uh, to interact with his children.Like. And so I think there, I think there are a couple of answers to that, but I haven't like, landed on one yet. Um, but I, like, I, I like the idea of Mina working kind of behind the scenes to protect, to actively protect, um. Abriana, which is what that, that opening that, that, that scene in the alley earlier on is about, is like she comes to her aid at that point.Um, and, uh, and, and and physically puts herself between, between Abri and Abriana and the violence, which Abriana misunderstands, uh, and runs away terrified. But I think, I, I think there are ways to incorporate that, as you say. Elsewhere in the, elsewhere in the story. Yeah. Well, I mean she, to make to a fantastic twist would be, she assumes Mina is the one after her, right?Right. Yeah. Like she recalls in this opening scene that Mina was coming at her and is like, Ooh, that's the vampire that wants to kill me. Yeah, yeah. And [00:31:00] you know, sees her around. And so that's her assumption. And this is how you create twists, right? Her assumption is that Nina is the person behind all of this, and why, but.You run the risk of when she starts investigating Mina and figuring out who she is? It would be, we'd figure out we need some very good reason that she couldn't figure out that was that Mina was her mother, right? Yeah. Yes. So in that case, I would suggest having some other vampire be the one that she thinks is behind everything.Um, which leads me to the midpoint. So currently this is where she discovers that these bite marks are not bite marks at all. They are. Other Marks syringes. Right, right. Like the, yeah. Yeah. Um, so if that's the midpoint, which I like, again, that means that she's going to assume that there is a human or a vampire who's lost her teeth.I don't know, um, behind all of this. And the climactic confrontation will be with that, [00:32:00] with that knowledge that this is not a vampire doing these villainous things. Um. So how does that feel? Like do if, do we, is there someone in the cast that we can sort of have her assume is that person that's not Seward.Not, not someone that I've identified yet. Um, okay. But I, I, I, I agree with you. We need, we need someone that she, that she's pursuing and, uh, in, at, in, in that sense. Um, and, and she believed, I, I, I see, I see. Now I see what you're saying. That the, the importance of her making that, that, that incorrect assumption that this is the person who's, who's doing, who's doing the, the killings.And I don't know who that is yet. I don't know if there's someone actively in the, in the cha in the cast that we have, or if I need, if I need a new character. Okay. I mean, you can also play with, you know, so this is the thing about mysteries, it gets very quickly complicated, is on the surface we have all the assumptions which are incorrect.[00:33:00] Right? Right. And so we have to build up that, those plots and make it plausible. Yeah. Because we need, you know, the example I like to give is like, let's say you, you come home and you're expecting that no one else is there and there's an open window and there is a earring back on the counter and a bloody footprint on your.You know, nice white carpet and you know, um, a knocked over plant and then you recall, oh yes, you know the nab I've been babysitting the neighbor's cat, they knocked over the plant. So that's solved. But this bloody footprint is really freaking me out because clearly somebody came in here and made a bloody footprint and that's terrifying.You're focusing on the bloody footprint because that's the most obvious thing, but the earring back is the thing that is the villain clue. Right, and that, that's the person that came in and misled you by putting the bloody footprint on the carpet for reasons, capital R, whatever it is in this story, right?But we have clocked on screen, on the page what the clue is and ignored it. And so yeah, [00:34:00] this is how you can go back in on a revision and you know, you maybe we don't know who this other person is that's actually doing this, but they will have a vested interest in not being caught. Right? Mm-hmm. And so these little clues that we put on the page later are ignored, and then we're following the story that we've already created.Mm-hmm. Um, but keeping track of all these layers feels complicated, which is why Jenny's outline with three pages is so, so useful. Um, right. Because what the, what's on the page is the, is the story that you already, that we're focusing on, right? Mm-hmm. And then what really happened? Mm-hmm. Is the thing beneath the surface that we don't learn until the truth is revealed in one of these twists.Does that make sense? Yeah, yeah. No, that absolutely makes sense. That Absolutely. That also feels like a lot to think about. It is. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't have, I don't have enough red earrings. I don't have enough mis, I don't have enough misdirecting. Misdirecting clues, as it were. Right. Well, those are fun to brainstorm, right?Because we start thinking [00:35:00] about who really, it comes back to Seward. Like what would he be doing to misdirect Abby away from this? Right. To keep her safe, if you like that as a goal. Yeah. And also to make the, make society freak out about how vampires are killing again. Mm-hmm. Um, what would he plant, who would he manipulate?Who would he pay off? You know? Mm-hmm. Maybe there's a vampire who knows about all of this, and. Is trying to kill the person that Seward is hired to do the syringes because Seward's not going around and doing this. Abby would've seen him or you know mm-hmm. Recognized him or something. So he will have paid someone to, or it has someone in his organization who also believes in the cause.Yeah. And is doing this, and maybe that person's a vampire. I don't know. I do love the double syringe. I mean, I hope that stays. Yeah. Yeah. It's good. It's good. Is it? Yeah. I heard you say, I heard you kind of dismiss it, Andrew, but it, to me, that would be a perfect misdirection if [00:36:00] somebody finds that and now there's this whole thread of assumptions about what that means and Yeah, but that it's not really what it is or it's not being used the way we think, or so.Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay. Sam, you mentioned something because I was, I was getting close to like throwing that overboard. No, it's good. No. Okay. Okay. I think it is good. So, so, so, so, but that could still be, that could still be used as a, that could still, I could still use it as a red herring potentially, uh, because it could still be a vampire at Seward's behest committing the murders.But maybe they're doing it with the syringe or maybe they're, and or maybe they're doing it a little bit with their own or Right. Or not. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, to Jenny's point, this could be a total, maybe. Maybe it's not used for what we think. Maybe the double syringe is something completely unrelated and it's like the best way to draw out the.I don't know. I mean, depending on, maybe he is drugging the people in the [00:37:00] asylum, like giving them more drugs than they're supposed to have. Right, right. And, and he devised, I mean, you know, devised a double syringe to deliver it and doesn't want anybody to know that that's what he is doing, you know? Yeah, yeah.Okay. Yeah, yeah. But if you wanna play with the idea that there's also a vampire involved who believes in Seward's? Cause then that, you know. That's very interesting because it's like, well, why? What do they want? You know? Yeah, yeah. Or even just someone who is, is being coerced by him, who does, doesn't necessarily Yes.Believe in the cause, but is perhaps is, has perhaps been assigned to his asylum. Mm-hmm. And he's taking advantage of, I love. Which I think, I think really makes sewer to a, a pretty despicable individual on a number of levels, which I, which I can like, well, I mean, he's already killing people, so, right. You know, slippery slope.But that's what, you know, it's, that's the, [00:38:00] that's the thing is that his, his goals. We need to make logical sense when we get to the end and Right. You know, Abby figures out what's going on, but he, he can also be empathetic. Right? Yeah. Like, why is he so scared of women? Yeah. Being in society, what is, what is that deep fear about?And that's definitely something to explore as well. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yeah, so we could, like I said, talk for days, for days about these things, but, um, it feels like this is a good place to leave Andrew with a whole bunch of work to do. And I'm just laughing because, um, this is such a perfect example of.Why we do a blueprint, right? There's so much to work out. There's so much to think about. There's so many layers and levels to every story. And, uh, you know, we, we heard you today, Andrew, sort of going, well, I don't know. I haven't thought about it. I don't know. I, I'll have to see, you know, that's, that's the work and being in that.[00:39:00] Discomfort and that not knowing mm-hmm. And the, all the possibilities and making your choices. That's, that's a work, right Sam? Like that's, it is, it's so fun. But yeah, it's mysteries are puzzles, right? Yeah. And we wanna guide the reader through the puzzle in a way that gives them maximum impact and maximum joy.For every reveal that we decide to put out there, right? We, we, we don't want to casually have a reveal. Everything is on purpose. Um, and so I was gonna say on, on the inside outline that you have, um, a parallel one, or, you know, if you make it even tighter just to flow the flow of events, you can have a, what really happened?Um, line which tracks what the villain is actually doing. And I do find that that can be really helpful because it does get overwhelming with figuring out, okay, we have assumptions. Yeah. And those assumptions are, you know, lead to action and this is how we get a repulsive plot. But those assumptions are.Not going to be the [00:40:00] actual thing that is the truth. And so we need to track what the truth is and what our villain is doing to stop our protagonist from stopping them because Yeah, forces of opposition, you know, so just for our listeners to clarify that makes sense. What Sam's talking about is a parallel inside outline is, is to literally do.An a three page outline for the, the villain? Yes, yes. Or to put a bullet point or a, a subpoint on the protagonists inside. Outline that. Tracks that, um, sometimes people color code that. Mm-hmm. Yeah. You know, but the, that's why we keep this so tight because if you start making it nine pages or 15 pages and then you layer these things, all of a sudden you have a 30 page outline, and now you've just got one of those giant story grid things that I find to be impossible to, to manipulate.Like we still want this to be manipulatable, right. So that you [00:41:00] can. Hold it in your hands and see it and, and then get to a place where you say, I can write that story. I love this story. I can write this story. That's, so that's what we're going for. So, yeah. Um, Sam, could you maybe just summarize, um, Andrew will take some time to work on this next iteration to show me.Can you give him direction on key thing to think about and me direction on the key thing to look for? Yeah, of course. So the biggest thing is figure out what Seward's really, why he's really doing what he's doing and how it relates directly to Abby. Right. What is, what action can he take that is about her, and that's either protecting her or, you know.Um, killing someone close to her to scare her away, but then why, right? Mm-hmm. So figure out the, figure out what he's really doing, and then look and see what actions, what other actions would he take about who this other person [00:42:00] is that he's framing or manipulating, or blackmailing or whatever. And if that's a vampire, then.You know, why does that work when we, when it's revealed? Like, what else could be going on? That makes sense. Perhaps the vampires don't want women and suffragettes to have this power because it threatens the power that they have in society currently, or something like that, or mm-hmm. Whatever it is. But figure out what, what's really going on.That's your homework, that's your big homework. Mm-hmm. And then, you know, for the next iteration. More murder on the page, right? We need the attention to rise and we need to understand why Abby, as she takes her steps based on assumptions, what are those assumptions? Why is she so personally invested in this?Why doesn't she just give up, right? Because that's the big logical question that I always ask is for both the antagonist and your protagonist, why don't they just walk away? Why do they keep doing this when it gets hard, right? Because when someone's actively trying to [00:43:00] stop you as the protagonist is. For the antagonist, why would the antagonist not just be like, okay, this is too tough, right?Like, I'm, I'm out, uh, this is, my goal isn't going to be achieved. So why do they both keep going? And the answer is usually we're in too deep, right? We can't, the only way out is through, um, which is what the midpoint establishes. Usually. It's like, well, shoot, you know, I can't leave this story. I have to keep going.Right? So the three twists, right? We want the assumptions to be present on the inside outline. So we have a midpoint twist. We have an inciting incident that presents the mystery story question, murder usually. Mm-hmm. And then climactic twist, who is this fake villain? And then final villain, Seward. And then final, final twist.Mina is actually involved, right? And has been protecting her the whole time or whatever, right? Yeah. Okay. So on the page, assumptions is second part of that homework, but you have to figure out what really happened in order to have the assumptions, which are Yeah, not [00:44:00] right. Yeah. So drawing, drawing out those two timelines of the, what, what actually happened, timeline, and then the assumptions, timeline and how they, well, the assumptions are gonna be on the page, right?Those will be on your protagonist inside outline, right? Because it, it informs her actions. And so everything you have about her fighting to go to med school and like all these things, all that works. All we're doing is just tweaking it a little bit so that the mystery is more. Front and center, and she's taking action based on, okay, I have this clue, what do I do?Now I have this clue. What do I do now? What stands in the way of each time I do this? Oops, I'm wrong about that. So what now? You know? Okay. And in the meantime it's clear that her personal stakes are rising and she is becoming a target. There's more attempts on her life and, and you know, then what? Right.Once you have a target on your back, you can't run. Yeah. Yeah. So. Yeah. Make it scarier. That's your homework. Yeah, I do. I do. I have to put her in [00:45:00] peril. I have to put her in peril. Right? You do. Yeah. Yeah. And the final thing I'll mention about this is when you actually get to writing the way that you, even if it's, even if the actions are a little less intense, right?We don't actually have an assassin coming at her every page because we'd get bored with that. So through interiority, through inner thought, she's going to think about what she's scared of throughout the entire book. Mm-hmm. It's not just gonna be, oh, I assume this thing. It's like I assume this thing. And also I'm terrified because you know what, if this is about that, and that's how you create those red herrings too, is because she's going to make assumptions about what's happening, and those assumptions will be based in fear.Right. Love it. Right. That makes sense. Love it. That makes sense. Thank you. My God. You're so welcome. Love this story. Can't wait to read it. Are you still with us, Andrew? You're not. You're not walking away. Right. You're not like, I'm in too deep now. No. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Just past the midpoint. Yeah, I was gonna say good.Good. No, that's why, that's why I'm, that's why I'm grinning so [00:46:00] much. It's like, it's like, ‘cause we're talking about this as if it's an actual, real thing. It's not just, it's not just an idea that I've, I've, I've had and been, I've been telling my wife about this is an actual, this is an actual thing I'm talking with people about.Um, and so this is, this is real. This is. It is real. It's exciting. Um, we will, uh, see how this unfolds for Andrew and Sam, I just wanna thank you so much for joining us and talking about all this. Um, and I'm gonna tell our listeners that if you want this kind of twisty help, um, that's Samantha's website, which is samantha skull.com and that's SKAL.She has a really cool, um, very inexpensive twist. Course, which you can, um, take. It's just awesome. And it's, um, she got some blueprint stuff on there, all kinds of things. And you can learn also about the retreat that she runs with carrieSavage@shadowsandsecrets.com. And you can go to Thriller [00:47:00] Fest and see all of the big work she's doing for this community of writers out in the world.So Sam, thank you for coming on. Oh, thank you so much for having me. And I just wanna say, Jenny, the reason that I focused, I mean, yes, I love this stuff and I have, I've loved it my whole life, but I listened to you. This was your. To focus in on what I love and I did. And it's just the best I get to wake up every day and talk about murder, which sounds like a terrible hobby, but I love it.So here we are. I know. That's why I talk about you all the time. Maybe that's it. ‘cause you listen toI, I, uh, I push people a lot harder now, let's put it that way. Um. Amazing. That's, that is my craft. But thank you Andrew, again, for being so willing to be doing this in public. It's not easy for those listening just to be on the hot seat like this for so long, so often really hard. So, um, you, [00:48:00] huge, huge shout out to Andrew and shout.Um, just for our listeners, thanks for tuning in and let's get back to work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Award-winning author and International Thriller Writers executive director Kimberly Howell pulls back the curtain on how to break into the booming $21 billion thriller genre. From crafting the perfect 30-second pitch to finding your writing routine, Kim shares the insider secrets that separate published authors from aspiring ones. Plus, get the scoop on ThrillerFest,  the ultimate "summer camp for writers" coming to New York City May 5–9. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

#1 New York Times and internationally bestselling author GREGG HURWITZ returns to BOOKSTORM Podcast to discuss ANTIHERO, the latest installment in the bestselling ORPHAN X series! As always with The Nowhere Man, we're thinking about the gray areas of vigilantism. What happens when the legal system fails us? How do we stay on the right side of the law? We discuss other prominent themes throughout this incredible story, including disconnection as a coping mechanism. Do we have a generation of people distracted from reality in some respects? Are we already in dangerous territory with technology? And what a great discussion about ... mercy. Wow, join us for a thoroughly engaging conversation with Gregg!You can find more of your favorite bestselling authors at BOOKSTORM Podcast! We're also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube!

Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about a $50 million fund, Tertulia, and second-hand book threats. Then, stick around for a chat with J. Luke Bennecke! J. Luke Bennecke is a veteran civil engineer with a well-spent career helping people by improving Southern California roadways. He has a civil engineering degree, an MBA, and a private pilot's certificate. Luke is the bestselling and award-winning author of three published novels, Civil Terror: Gridlock, Waterborne and Echo From a Bayou, and has written several other novels and screenplays, a creative process he thoroughly enjoys. He is currently pitching the third Jake Bendel thriller and writing his seventh novel. Luke resides in Southern California with his wife of 34 years and three spunky cats. In his leisure time he enjoys philanthropy, traveling, playing golf, making videos, and voiceover acting. Bennecke is a member of International Thriller Writers and looks forward to attending ThrillerFest every year in New York. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Last year, Sabrina Thatcher (aka Olivia Day Wallce) and Lori Brand shared their experiences at ThrillerFest, and this year, since I got to go for the first time, we all get back together to discuss Thrillerfest 2025! Check Out My Stories Are My Religion SubstackCheck Out Author Social Media PackagesCheck out the Bookwild Community on PatreonCheck out the Imposter Hour Podcast with Liz and GregFollow @imbookwild on InstagramOther Co-hosts On Instagram:Gare Billings @gareindeedreadsSteph Lauer @books.in.badgerlandHalley Sutton @halleysutton25Brian Watson @readingwithbrian

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Send us a textIn this episode of Authors Who Lead, I sit down with Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson, the powerhouse writing duo behind the riveting thriller Dark Rising. Both veterans with storied pasts—Brian, a former submarine officer with business acumen, and Jeffrey, a trauma surgeon and Navy veteran—found common ground far from the battlefield: at a thriller writing conference.Their partnership, as Jeffrey jokes, was born of “stalking” at the International Thriller Writers' ThrillerFest, where their shared backgrounds and values—family, faith, and service—formed a natural foundation for creative collaboration. But it wasn't instant coauthoring. As Jeffrey explains, “Once we decided that we were gonna do this thing, we went into it knowing we're either gonna become better friends or destroy this friendship forever. Let's see." Thankfully, the outcome was a deeper bond and a writing team that has delivered years of explosive storytelling.Timestamp:00:00 Teamwork in writing: military ethos05:05 Balancing writing with distractions09:39 Inspiration cycles for writers13:14 Embracing pantser writing surprises14:23 Characters' voices shape the story17:11 Curiosity and predictability in writing21:46 Teaching writing to nonfiction leaders26:19 Embrace imperfection in writing27:52 Antagonist's two-week mission33:01 Balancing passion and obligations36:33 Supporting veterans in new ventures38:49 Principled characters in chaotic times40:43 Honoring unsung heroes through fictionFull show notesCOMMUNITY PROGRAMS

New York Times bestselling author TESS GERRITSEN returns to BOOKSTORM Podcast to discuss THE SUMMER GUESTS!We love this group of ex-spies who are trying to live a low-key life in Maine – I mean, who doesn't want to join the Martini Club and sample the antipasti!? We talk with Tess about all the fascinating aspects of this thriller, including the mentoring relationship between the town's top cop and this colorful group of retired spies, a character with writer's block who needs to confront his family's dark past, the natural setting for this story and how it highlights the ugliness of what people can do to one another. We discuss the tensions between the haves and the have-nots … the summer guests and the residents. We talk about living with the stigma of past trauma and so much more! Join us!You can find more of your favorite bestselling authors at BOOKSTORM Podcast! We're also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube!

#1 New York Times bestselling author MARSHALL KARP joins BOOKSTORM Podcast to discuss his newest release Don't Tell Me How to Die! Love, betrayal, murder, revenge – we explore it all in our fantastic interview with Marshall. Have you ever thought about what would happen to your spouse if you died? Would you go to the extreme of choosing a replacement? We talk about generational trauma, including a fear a mother instills in her daughters. Is that what drives Maggie to want to control who her husband chooses to marry after Maggie is gone? Maggie's mother told her you're as “sick as your secrets.” Is that true? And what about that powerful force of shame? Does it lead to self-sabotage for some? Marshall shares incredible wisdom about a host of other subjects – we talk about birth order, writing to ourselves and our children, why he was willing to die on the hill of this book … and wait until you hear about his visit to a maximum security prison. We laughed and teared up during this incredible interview with a master storyteller – join us!You can find more of your favorite bestselling authors at BOOKSTORM Podcast! We're also on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube!

Award-winning author Lee Lindauer has a BS in Architectural Engineering and a MS in Civil Engineering and was a principal of a consulting structural engineering firm he founded in Western Colorado. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers, has appeared on author panels at ThrillerFest and has served as co-editor on the Big Thrill magazine. He and his wife Teri divide their time between Colorado and Nevada.

Marjorie (M.M.) DeLuca was born in England, studied at the University of London, then moved to Canada, where she studied Advanced Creative Writing with Pulitzer Prizewinner Dr. Carol Shields. She's the author of five self-published novels and four traditionally published historical and contemporary suspense novels: Amazon bestseller, THE PERFECT FAMILY MAN (Canelo 2021), Bookscan Top 100 bestseller, and Apple Books Top 100 bestseller, THE SECRET SISTER (Canelo 2021), critically acclaimed literary historical suspense, THE SAVAGE INSTINCT (Inkshares 2021). This book received starred reviews from Publishers' Weekly and Booklist as well as being one of Kate Quinn's monthly picks on Instagram. Her newest novel, THE NIGHT SIDE (psychological thriller), was published on December 5th 2023 by Severn House, a division of Canongate Books.She's appeared on author panels at Thrillerfest 2024, and Bouchercon 2024. She's also been featured on the following podcasts: The Thriller Zone, The Poisoned Pen Bookstore, Crime Writers Canada and Killing the Tea. When she's not writing, she's either traveling to get away from the snow in winter or golfing in the summer.Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/marjoriedelucawriterInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mmdelucaauthor/Blue Sky Handle: https://bsky.app/profile/mmdeluca.bsky.socialThreads Handle: @mmdelucaauthorWebsite: https://www.marjoriedeluca.com *****************About SinCSisters in Crime (SinC) was founded in 1986 to promote the ongoing advancement, recognition and professional development of women crime writers. Through advocacy, programming and leadership, SinC empowers and supports all crime writers regardless of genre or place on their career trajectory.www.SistersinCrime.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sincnational/Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/sincnational.bsky.socialThreads: https://www.threads.net/@sincnationalFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/sistersincrimeTikTok:: https://www.tiktok.com/@sincnationalThe SinC Writers' Podcast is produced by Julian Crocamo

“Life's tragedies can light the way to our greatest stories.” — Barbara Nickless On this episode of Uncorking a Story, Mike Carlon welcomes Barbara Nickless, a #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose journey into writing was shaped by a lifetime of adventure and an unshakable resilience. From cave rescues to falconry, Barbara's path to success is as captivating as her novels. She discusses how losing everything in the Waldo Canyon wildfire fueled her passion for storytelling and dives into her latest book, The Drowning Game, an espionage thriller set against the high-stakes world of superyachts and international intrigue. Key Topics: Resilience Through Tragedy: How the Waldo Canyon wildfire became a turning point in Barbara's writing journey. Crafting Complex Characters: Exploring Barbara's character-driven approach to thrillers and espionage stories. The Art of Research: From interviewing CIA experts to studying yacht culture, how Barbara brings authenticity to her work. The Journey to Publication: Barbara's whirlwind experience at ThrillerFest and the serendipitous meeting with her agent. Meditation and Creativity: How Barbara uses mindfulness to combat the pressures of writing under tight deadlines. The World of Espionage: Insights into Barbara's first foray into the spy genre with The Drowning Game. Life Lessons and Detours: Why taking time to live and learn has shaped Barbara's storytelling. Buy The Drowning Game: Amazon: https://amzn.to/40XZDfy Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/a/54587/9781662510014 Connect with Barbara Website: ​​https://barbaranickless.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbara.nickless/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/barbarannickless LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-nickless-81674a50/ Connect with Mike Website: https://uncorkingastory.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSvS4fuG3L1JMZeOyHvfk_g Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uncorkingastory/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uncorkingastory Twitter: https://twitter.com/uncorkingastory Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/uncorkingastory LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uncorking-a-story/ If you like this episode, please share it with a friend. If you have not done so already, please rate and review Uncorking a Story on Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. #UncorkingAStory #BarbaraNickless #TheDrowningGame #EspionageThriller #ThrillerBooks #WritingJourney #CreativeResilience #StorytellingCraft #BookLaunch #CharacterDrivenStories Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

L.K. Bowen's debut novel FOR WORSE was named a "Best Debut Novel" by CrimeReads and follows a wife who is diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa-a diagnoses that author Bowen also has received-and must survive at the hand of her abusive husband while simultaneously learning how to support herself on her own as she quickly loses her vision. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a degenerative eye disease that affects over 2 million people worldwide, slowly causing people to lose their vision over time until they become fully blind. With Pulitzer Prize finalists such as The Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland putting focus on their life with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and celebrities such as Jake Gyllenhaal opening up about legal blindness, there is no better time to champion books by authors and featuring characters who have disabilities as we look ahead to Disability Pride Month (July). Bowen's journey has been a long one: one full of introspection, resilience, and hope. This is a journey that echoes throughout the pages of her debut, with the added intrigue of a psychological thriller reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's Wait Until Dark. Bowen wrote an emotionally wrought, yet hopeful essay for The Nerd Daily about her diagnosis, and recently appeared on a panel at ThrillerFest to discuss her debut novel and her work with RP. Compelled to bring light to her disease, Bowen became dedicated to putting a character like herself at the center of her novel, hoping her story (though fictional in many aspects) would reach people worldwide.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

L.K. Bowen's debut novel FOR WORSE was named a "Best Debut Novel" by CrimeReads and follows a wife who is diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa-a diagnoses that author Bowen also has received-and must survive at the hand of her abusive husband while simultaneously learning how to support herself on her own as she quickly loses her vision. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a degenerative eye disease that affects over 2 million people worldwide, slowly causing people to lose their vision over time until they become fully blind. With Pulitzer Prize finalists such as The Country of the Blind by Andrew Leland putting focus on their life with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and celebrities such as Jake Gyllenhaal opening up about legal blindness, there is no better time to champion books by authors and featuring characters who have disabilities as we look ahead to Disability Pride Month (July). Bowen's journey has been a long one: one full of introspection, resilience, and hope. This is a journey that echoes throughout the pages of her debut, with the added intrigue of a psychological thriller reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn's Wait Until Dark. Bowen wrote an emotionally wrought, yet hopeful essay for The Nerd Daily about her diagnosis, and recently appeared on a panel at ThrillerFest to discuss her debut novel and her work with RP. Compelled to bring light to her disease, Bowen became dedicated to putting a character like herself at the center of her novel, hoping her story (though fictional in many aspects) would reach people worldwide.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-like-it-s-live--4113802/support.

Welcome everyone to today's show where I will be chatting with bestselling author and publicist, Deborah Levison.  Her bestselling first book, THE CRATE, won seven literary awards. Reviewers described it as "heart-wrenching," "harrowing," "lyrical," and "a brilliant story." Jerusalem Post said: "Exquisite. Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the JACK REACHER Series said, “THE CRATE is an impressive and important piece of work."Please enjoy this wide-ranging conversation that takes us to ThrillerFest, her writing, a murder that rocked her family to the core, and her experience as a child of holocaust survivors. In today's episode we discuss:·      Debbie takes us on a guided tour of ThrillerFest.·      Her award winning and bestselling book, The Crate! ·      How she writes with such detail pulling her audience into the experience.·      The heartbreaking family tree story of her youth.·      Growing up as a child of immigrants and not fitting into her new culture.·      The growing antisemitic rhetoric that is gaining steam.·      Her writing process and her newest project.·      The Crime Trio!Please visit Deborah Levison's website to learn more about her and her books.Check out the new Cops and Writers YouTube channel!Check out Field Training (Brew City Blues Book 1)!!Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website. The Breakfast Jury by Ken Humphrey. Pick it up today at http://kenhumphrey.comSupport the Show.

This week, Olivia Day Wallace and Lori Brand join the podcast and tell me all about their experiences at ThrillerFest!  They share their most memorable moments, their favorite panels and new books that grabbed their attention.Books We Talked AboutThe DenSuch a Bad InfluenceA Friend in the DarkThe Drowning WomanSyndicate SpyFor WorseSing Her Down

On today's 183rd episode of The Thriller Zone we've a special treat. If you're a fan of Thriller & Crime Fiction, then you've no doubt heard of The Real Book Spy. Well, today we sit down with Ryan Steck to discuss his latest thriller OUT FOR BLOOD.This latest entry picks up where the last Matthew Redd thriller left off…with one exception. Redd's danger is deeper. And the read is not only longer, but richer in scope. Yeah, it's a good one! On today's show Ryan and I discuss a whole plethora of items like OUT FOR BLOOD, plus his first two thrillers, you'll also hear Ryan and I discuss a few things about New York Times Bestselling Author Jack Carr. We discuss in depth the process of writing substantial thrillers, learn about Ryan's home life which involves no less than 11 mouths to feed, we cover a bit of Thrillerfest, and we hear about how Ryan got his start as The Real Book Spy. All is all, it's a fully-packed hour of all things Thriller Fiction, with Real Book Spy Ryan Steck.Learn more about Ryan and his Real Book Spy World at RyanSteck.comLast thing before I sign off: A reminder that this is our Anniversary Month, and how we're excited to also welcome New York Times Bestselling Author MEG GARDINER on June 10th, where we'll cover her latest in the UNSUB Series, SHADOWHEART!Then, the following week, the 17th to be exact, I'll let you in on a closely held secret. Recall my very first guest…the person who took a chance talking to a then-yet-mostly-unknown podcast host of a little-startup pod called The Thriller Zone? If not, it was May Cobb. Well, she's promised to return to celebrate our THREE YEAR ANNIVERSARY, as we discuss her latest thriller THE HOLLYWOOD ASSISTANT. So, do yourself a favor, and add Meg Gardiner's book SHADOWHEART and May Cobb's HOLLYWOOD ASSISTANT to your Summer Reading lists, as you'll want to devour both of them.Join us again soon for another exciting edition of TheThrillerZone.com … Your Front Row Seat to the Best Thriller Writers in the World.

Book Besties Season 6, Episode 12: Liv Constantine & The Senator's WifeThis Week the Besties are joined by very special Guests writing duo Liv Constantine. Join them as they talk about the writing process, how two people can have the same idea and run with it, and book twists you don't see coming. Things talked about in this episode:Liv Constantine: https://livconstantine.com/L.C. Shaw: http://lcshawauthor.com/Illuminae: https://rss.com/podcasts/bookbesties/802477/ThrillerFest: https://thrillerfest.com/ Meet Molly and April, they bonded over books and became Book Besties. So, what do you do when you find your book bestie? Start a podcast of course. Hang out with April and Molly as they talk about everything they love and hate about books.

Whenever I see a writer on social media incessantly talking about their own work, their own book, and their own launch, the thing that comes to mind is this: “They're not being a good literary citizen.” Being a good literary citizen is, among other things, showing up for the community you are a part of, uplifting other writers, and doing what you can to make sure that all voices are heard. We often think that the time to help others is after you've made it, but in this episode I'm talking to a writer who is doing this in a big way before she herself has made it into the spotlight. For years she has volunteered at the Thrillerfest conference – and this year, she was asked to become a paid co-director of the event. I think you'll find her story inspiring.Links from the Pod:ThrillerfestSamantha Skal, Book CoachTessa Wegert's Shana Merchant series starts with Death in the FamilyDuring the pandemic, there was an explosion of people who wanted to write memoir, and many of those writers are now struggling to make sense of their drafts and figure out how to approach the marketplace. It's a great time to be a book coach who specializes in memoir, and in March 2024, Author Accelerator is launching a certification course to give memoir coaches the skills, tools, and experience to meet writers where they are.Our year-long program is robust and intense. I'm inviting any listeners of this show who are interested in our coaching program to sign up for a one-on-one session with me to strategize about whether or not this course is right for you. Just go to bookcoaches.com/amwriting to sign up for a time that works for you. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

From the moment I read my first Patrick Bowers novel, I've been a huge fan of Steven James' books. Then I met him at ThrillerFest. Since then we've interacted through ACFW and other organizations, and I've come to admire Steven as a master writer and teacher of writing. That's why I'm excited to introduce you to Steven in this episode of Book Talk. In his latest novel, Broker of Lies, Steven has created a hero who isn't an action hero. Unlike Patrick Bowers, who is a profiler in the FBI, Travis Brock is an attorney who is a redactor of FOIA requests for the Pentagon. In Fatal Domain, Brock and the rest of the Red Team are back and on a hunt that leads Travis deeper into a collision with his past. One of the things I love about Steven's books is the way they twist and turn, and this one is no exception. He's showing us what might be possible with tech and taking us to a place where we might feel uncomfortable. In this episode, Steven and I talk about the books, but we also talk about his writing process. For Steven, it's always about the characters first and then the story emerges as he writes. He calls story a collision of desires. What is pursued? and What setbacks and desires occur along the way? What would make an honest response for the character in that situation? I also love how Steven talks about wanting the climax to be a moment where he has written himself into a corner and has to find a way out. He wants to play to readers' expectations and then twist them. These are just a few of the techniques Steven shares with us in this chapter of Book Talk with Cara. I can't wait to hear what you think and if you've read any of his books. Connect with Steven James Facebook | Twitter

Welcome to Episode 26 of Thrillers by the Bookclub Podcast! Join your hosts Chelsea and Olivia as we talk about the latest in thrillers including shout outs for Pub Day and a deep dive into two books we love. Chelsea's Book: THE VILLA by Rachel Hawkins (available now!) - Similar Suggestions: Nice Girls by Catherine Dang, We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz, Her Dark Lies by JT Ellison Olivia's Book: I DIDN'T DO IT by Jaime Lynn Hendricks (out 5.23.23!) - Similar Suggestions: And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, It Could be Anyone by Jaime Lynn Hendricks Christianna's Book: COLD DECIET by Toni Anderson (available now!) - Similar Suggestions: Other books in the Cold Justice series, Concrete Evidence by Rachel Grant, the Killer Instinct series by Cynthia Eden Jeff's Book: DROWNING by T. J. Newman (out 5.30.23!) - Similar Suggestions: 70s disaster movies (Towering Inferno), Falling by T. J. Newman Contact Us! Email: thrillersbythebookclubpod@gmail.com Instagram: Chelsea: ⁠⁠@thrillerbookbabe⁠⁠   Olivia: ⁠⁠@oliviadaywrites⁠⁠     ITW: ⁠⁠⁠@internationalthrillerwriters Happy Pub Day! A CRUEL LIGHT by Cyndi MacMillan BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT by Ella Berman THE SOULMATE by Sally Hepworth YOU SHOULD HAVE KNOWN by Rebecca Keller AFTER HE'S GONE by Katherine Bolger Hyde DIRTY LAUNDRY by Disha Bose Other Entertainment Mentioned: (Twitter)  https://twitter.com/MPaloozaNxt2Die

Gretchen Stelter is a freelance book editor & writer from Madison, Wisconsin. She was diagnosed with breast cancer at 39. She has volunteered with Girls, Inc. for nine years and co-chaired the Safety & Security Committee for ThrillerFest, which is a conference for thriller writers. In this episode, Gretchen reads her piece “Let Me Hear Your Body Talk” from the Wildfire book, “Igniting the Fire Within” and which was originally published in our 2022 “Cancer Culture” issue. Gretchen's essay is about the ways we share our body by choice - or not. April and Gretchen will discuss the ways our bodies are objectified sexually and medically, reconciling receiving unwanted body attention pre-cancer to becoming invisible sometimes after a cancer diagnosis, and the loneliness that can come with breast cancer both inside and outside the cancer community. They will also talk about choosing when to step out of the cancer closet and the possibility of when sharing can backfire. More about Gretchen: https://twitter.com/editorStethttps://www.instagram.com/editorstet/https://www.facebook.com/GretchenSWriterEditor/https://www.gretchenstelter.com/Purchase a copy of the “Cancer Culture” issue of Wildfire Magazine: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shop/printcc22Get the free Wildfire email newsletter: https://www.wildfirecommunity.orgLearn about Wildfire writing workshops: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/workshopsShop Wildfire merch & more: https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/shopSend your voice recording testimonial to editor@wildfirecommunity.org*Free* The Burn Writing Companion: Guided Prompt Journal (Vol. 1): https://www.wildfirecommunity.org/the-burnBuy the Wildfire book “Igniting the Fire Within: Stories of Healing, Hope & Humor, Inside Today's Young Breast Cancer Community”: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJVJ629F?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860

On today's 98th episode of The Thriller Zone, we welcome New York Times Bestselling Author, Riley Sager. Riley is the mastermind behind The House Across The Lake, a thriller with "A Hitchcockian premise that is given an exciting new spin," according to NYT Bestselling author, Alex Michaelides, author of The Silent Patient. On today's show, Riley and I dig deep into what makes a thriller such a page-turner, and--without giving away any secrets--discuss some of the tricks to crafting a novel people will talk about for months after its release. I met Riley at Thrillerfest in New York, where I heard him speak on a panel of authors. He gave solid advice to that crowd, and he shares even more solid advice on today's podcast. My favorite moment comes when Riley shares the nearly fantastical and thoroughly random story of how Stephen King came to read this book, and turn around to write a blurb that Riley says, "literally changed my life overnight." To learn more, visit: https://RileySagerBooks.com (RileySagerBooks.com), and follow him on Twitter @riley_sager. As always, I invite you to join this podcast wherever you enjoy listening to your favorite podcasts, or at https://TheThrillerZone.com (TheThrillerZone.com), and we always appreciate listeners/viewers who SUBSCRIBE to our https://YouTube.com/TheThrillerZone (YouTube.com/TheThrillerZone) Channel. Until next time, keep reading! David Temple, host of TheThrillerZone.com Mentioned in this episode: Warwicks - Meg Gardiner - 081122 Warwick's is one of America's oldest family owned & operated bookstores, and as author Meg Gardiner and I can attest, it's one of the very best & most enjoyable shopping experiences you can have, either in-person or online at Warwicks.com AB-Do Like Me-082522 There was a time when I built my own website. Yeah, that worked out really well. Until it didn't. Talking about hassles. Listen, don't do like the "old me" do like the "new me" and hire AuthorBytes.com for your new website.

What can I say about a gal who is one of the best thriller writers in the world today? I'll tell you: She's done it again. Topped herself, that is. On today's 84th Episode of The Thriller Zone, Meg Gardiner has teamed up with the legendary filmmaker Michael Mann to craft an epic saga that is part prequel, part sequel, and incorporates references to the original Heat, making it one helluva second effort, while standing strong as a stand-alone. You no doubt know Mann's work in Blackhat, Miami Vice, Collateral, Ali, The Insider, HEAT, The Last of the Mohicans, and Thief, to name a few. Meg and I met a few years ago when she was signing books at Warwick's bookstore in La Jolla. She appeared with Don Winslow. I saw her again at Thrillerfest 2019, and along the way, she's appeared on both of my podcasts, The Thriller Zone, and the former Naked Monday. Each time she sits down behind the microphone with me, I sit in wonder at the depth of her amazing talent. And I should mention that I first discovered he work by reading her Caitlin Hendricks UNSUB series, but soon went back and read much of her earlier work. Suffice it to say that if you love page-turning thrillers that educate and enlighten, while scaring the crap out of you, you MUST read Meg Gardiner. On today's show we discuss a good many things: her home fire, her UNSUB Series, writing conferences and more. She shares terrific insights through her writing advice, and we share more than several good laughs. I hope you enjoy the show today; it's soon to be a favorite. Furthermore, I trust you'll read HEAT 2, a truly electrifying novel that'll keep you glued to your seat...or in my case, to my hammock (a favorite reading spot). To learn more about Meg, visit: https://MegGardiner.com (MegGardiner.com), and follow her on Twitter @meggardiner1. As always, please follow us on both Twitter & Instagram @thethrillerzone, and visit our website at https://TheThrillerZone.com (TheThrillerZone.com). Thanks for listening, for watching, for subscribing, and for sharing with your friends. I've got to get back to reading and recording. I'll see you next time on another edition of The Thriller Zone! -David, https://bio.link/davidtemple (bio.link/davidtemple)

Cathi and Christie continue their conversation about their experiences in NYC at ThrillerFest 2022. 

On today's show, I'm honored to bring back Retired F.B.I Special Agent Jerri Williams!  Jerri was my guest way back on April 11, 2021, episode #11, which is still one of the most popular episodes to date! Jerri Williams served 26 years as a Special Agent with the FBI. During her FBI career, Jerri investigated many crimes, including bank robberies, and later she specialized in cases targeting major economic crime and corruption. Her investigation of a $350 million Ponzi scheme perpetrated against unsuspecting nonprofit organizations, high-profiled philanthropists, and beneficiary donors resulted in a 12-year prison sentence and multiple forfeitures. Toward the end of her federal law enforcement career, Jerri was appointed as the spokesperson for the Philadelphia Division of the FBI, taking on the responsibility of educating and informing the media and public about the Bureau.On today's show, Jerri does a thorough analysis of Thrillerfest, podcasting, and her author career.  In today's episode, we discuss:·      Jerri's fiction and nonfiction books.·      Her wildly successful podcast, F.B.I. Retried Case File Review, and her advice to new podcasters.·      What Thrillerfest is and who attends it.·      How Thrillerfest has changed her career.·      Her experience giving a class and being on a panel with bestselling authors.·      The costs of attending Thrillerfest.·      The stigma that was attached to being an indie author and how that is changing.·      Hoping that Jerri attends 20books Vegas.·      The exciting projects Jerri is involved with. All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Check out Jerri's website, which has links to her books, podcast, and much more!Listen to episode #11 of the Cops and Writers Podcast with Jerri as my guest!Enjoy the Cops and Writer's book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website.If you have a question for the sarge, hit him up at his email.Come join the fun at the Cops and Writers Facebook groupModem MischiefTrue stories from the digital underground.Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify Killin Missin HiddenThe podcast about bad things! Hosted by a former criminal defense trial attorney,...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Christie and Cathi share their favorite parts of day one at ThrillerFest 2022 in NYC. Along with the panels for the day, they also discuss ConsultFest. To be continued in Part Two.

Today's 72nd episode of The Thriller Zone welcomes debut author Steve Stratton to the podcast. With an illustrious and varied career, which includes working at The White House alongside both Presidents Ford and Carter, as well as working inside The Secret Service, Steve brings authenticity to his debut work in "Shadow Tier." On today's show, we begin by catching up after having spent time together in New York at this year's Thrillerfest. Steve walked away with terrific education, solid contacts, and strong input from some power agents. We also discuss the craft of writing, the business of publishing, and what it takes to survive in the author landscape. I'm happy Steve has agreed to be a part of our Discovering New Author Series, and I think he's got a terrific career ahead of him. To learn more, visit: SteveStrattonUSA.com, and follow him on Twitter @strattonbooks and on Instagram @stevestrattonusa. And as always, THANK YOU for listening to and supporting The Thriller Zone podcast. Follow us at: TheThrillerZone.com, on YouTube at YouTube.com/TheThrillerZone and on both Twitter & Instagram @thethrillerzone. Finally, be sure to join us next week as we celebrate with a ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY SPECTACULAR!

On today's 71st episode of TheThrillerZone, I'm honored to welcome back the multi-talented author of not only the Tom Clancy thriller #ZeroHour, but the #MattDrakeSeries of thrillers: Don Bentley. Yes, Don joins The TZ for a healthy round of information dispersal, intriguing conversation about the military, epic thrillers, the Tom Clancy legacy, his masterful editor Tom Colgan, and so much more. Sure, we cover his Matt Drake Series, which includes: #WithoutSanction, #TheOutsideMan, and #HostileIntent, but we also drill into his Tom Clancy thrillers, #TargetAcquired and his latest, #ZeroHour. We also talk writing tools, ball-caps vs. Stetsons, Cowboy boots, ribs 'n beer, guns 'n knives, helicopters and vacation spots. That's right, you can't get this sort of entertainment just ANYwhere! Don also sheds some healthy insights and pearls of wisdom about what it takes to make it as a successful writer today. "You have to know and respect the business," Don says. "Because if you don't give the audience what they want, you'll have a tough time selling your books." When Don quotes the world-famous Stephen King, and shares King's take on "the blue collar part and the magic part" of successful writing, well I, along with most all my friends whom are writers, perked up and listened to the promo on Twitter that provided a sneak peek into what was to come on today's show. Bentley was premiered on my show last August ('21), and I'm thrilled to have him back. Side note, THIS Don Bentley has seasoned and grown wiser with age (and page count), and I for one just lapped up his words-of-wisdom; as I'm sure you will too. Kick back and enjoy our talk about #ThrillerFest and the magic of #writingcommunity and attending #writingconferences, as well as practices you can incorporate into your work every day. Lastly, we do our fair amount of name dropping; not to impress you, but to simply share some of the insights of those whom have led the way. They include: Mark Greaney, Nick Petrie, Don Winslow, Brad Taylor, Andrews & Wilson, Chris Hauty, Eric Bishop & Steve Stratton, to name a few. If you'd like to dig deeper, and perhaps pick up one (or more) of Don's books, go to: https://DonBentleyBooks.com (DonBentleyBooks.com), and be sure to FOLLOW him on both Twitter & Facebook @bentleydonb. And as always, I thank you for listening to our podcast on https://TheThrillerZone.com (TheThrillerZone.com), or any and all the places you enjoy your podcasts. Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @thethrillerzone, and of course subscribe to our YouTube Channel at https://YouTube.com/c/TheThrillerZone/videos (YouTube.com/TheThrillerZone). Thanks for listening. Thanks for subscribing. And thanks for being such a terrific audience who supports those of us who love podcasting. I'm David Temple your host, and I'll see you next time for another episode of The Thriller Zone!

Shawn and Lane chat about her new book The Collector, the first in The Big Picture trilogy, art heists, the art of leaving clues, how long it takes to drink a beer, cheap dates, and upcoming author events. Recorded live from ThrillerFest in New York City!

Jeff Ayers has been a freelance writer and reviewer since 1999. He has reviewed for Library Journal, where he is a former Fiction Reviewer of the Year, for Booklist, and for The Associated Press. Jeff recently retired from his reference librarian position after almost 30 years after interviewing hundreds of authors in print, audio, and video, including James Patterson, Harlan Coben, and Dan Brown. In addition to this and moderating panels at BookExpo America, ThrillerFest, and various other conferences, he has published several titles in both fiction and nonfiction, including Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion, where he covered over 550 novels and interviewed over 350 people, including William Shatner. He currently has several manuscripts out for submission and is under contract for a nonfiction book for Grand Central Publishing. Jeff is a Co-Executive Director of ThrillerFest, the annual conference for the International Thriller Writers.

On today's 41st episode of The Thriller Zone, join Podcast Host David Temple as thriller writer Nick Kolakowski joins the show. His book #Love&Bullets has been called "Visceral & Vivacious" by author S.A. Cosby...with "Take-No-Prisoners Prose" says author Frank Bill. Love & Bullets: Megabomb Edition is chock full of slick, seedy characters, and a racing plot that'll keep you anxious, nervous and laughing all at the same time, while turning pages as you race to the end. Join us as we chat: #murder @mayhem #violence #romance #revenge #NewYorkCity #PulpNoir #heroes and #heroines and #ThrillerFest  TO LEARN MORE: http://NickKolakowski.com (NickKolakowski.com)  Twitter: @nkolakowski  Instagram: nickkolakowski TheThrillerZone.com

This episode is part of the Happy Campers Interview series. Since April 2020, Nicole Rivera has been hosting an online writing community intensive called the Happy Campers Club. Now Nicole is writing the Stop Writing Alone book about all of her experience with writing community, and wanted to the perspective from the members in the club. This is one interview toward that end.   Audrea Martin is a cozy mystery writer getting ready to release her debut novel Blue Blue Christmas. In this episode she discusses how she fell in love with cozy mystery, strove to find herself in the genre and then worked to create the stories she craved. She shares her experiences within writing community, in writing conferences, and her love of books on the craft that she has turned into a new venture with Amy Strong on their YouTube channel The Write Crowd.    Mentioned in this episode:   Audrea Martin's  Website https://audreajackmartin.com/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/soveryaud/  YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpr-7kh4ySX7AQ3Y5WQNFVQ/featured  Clubhouse @soveryaud Communities mentioned  Crime Writers of Color https://www.crimewritersofcolor.com/ Sisters in Crime https://www.sistersincrime.org/  Conventions mentioned 20 Books To 50K  https://www.facebook.com/groups/20Booksto50k/about/  Bouchercon https://www.bouchercon.com/ Thrillerfest https://thrillerfest.com/ Writers Police Academy https://writerspoliceacademy.online/  Books mentioneed Jane Cleland MASTERING SUSPENSE https://bookshop.org/a/10928/9781599639673 Sara Rosette HOW TO OUTLINE A COZY MYSTERY https://bookshop.org/a/10928/9780998843155  Nina Harrington https://ninaharrington.com/the-prolific-author/ STORY HOARDER Substack (The new home for Nicole's writing): https://storyhoarder.substack.com Music for coffee break from freesound by lemoncreme https://freesound.org/people/Lemoncreme/sounds/186942/  Stop Writing Alone FB group https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205774733034348/ Stop Writing Alone Bookshop https://bookshop.org/shop/Stopwritingalone  NV Rivera YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpPlp1EVzQhDFPdGp5w2KoQ?view_as=subscriber  Stay connected to learn about all Stop Writing Alone stuff -- get on Nicole's email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Buy Nicole a coffee (AKA support the podcast!) https://ko-fi.com/stopwritingalone   Places to connect to the STOP WRITING ALONE community and introduce yourself: Stop Writing Alone FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/stopwritingalone/ Join the Stop Writing Alone with Nicole Rivera FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2205774733034348/ Stop Writing Alone website: https://stopwritingalone.com/ Join the Stop Writing Alone email list: https://mailchi.mp/ff8df93e57dc/penpals  Stop Writing Alone Instagram account https://www.instagram.com/stopwritingalone/  Nicole's Twitter: https://twitter.com/nv_rivera  The Stop Writing Alone voice number (call to introduce yourself!): (646) 907-9607    When you find a group of people who lift you up on a daily basis, it is important to share their awesome. Here are links to the women in Nicole's Mastermind group (currently going by the name The Voxer Vixens!). Please support these women who do so much to support Nicole on a daily basis! Kim A. Flodin https://www.kelekilove.com/  Lisa Murray https://ihavedreamsdammit.com/ Claire Oldham West https://slimmingstories.podbean.com/ Johanna Jaquez-Peralta https://www.instagram.com/latina_livin_keto/ Emma Isaacs https://www.instagram.com/emmaisaacsdesign/   

Mark interviews Deborah Levison, a multi award-winning author, freelance writer, publicist and the author of THE CRATE: A Story of War, a Murder, and Justice - a true crime story with echoes of the Holocaust. Prior to the interview, Mark reads comments from recent episodes, shares a personal update, and talks about this episode's sponsor. This episode is sponsored by Findaway Voices. You can learn more about how you can get your work distributed to retailers and library systems around the world at starkreflections.ca/Findaway.   During their conversation, Mark and Debbie talk about: How much of a bookworm Debbie was from an early age, and that she'd always dreamed of being an author One of the earliest essays she had to write for school about her, her mother, and her grandmother going to visit the bears at dusk at the local garbage dump Debbie's lonely childhood growing up spending summers in the Muskoka region of Ontario, and how that helped fuel her imagination and love of fictional characters from books Her work as a professional writer (a journalist, publicist, etc) Debbie's true crime book, The Crate, which was about a very grizzly and gruesome crime that personally impacted her family Family history that includes paralleling evil from the past (Debbie's parents being Holocaust survivors) with evil in the present The surreal 2010 life-changing phone call Debbie received from her brother informing her about this crate he discovered hidden under the crawl space of their family cottage The challenge and experience of reaching out to the victim's mother and sister and learning about who she was -- which was the focus of the second half of the book How the media painted the situation in a very "blame the victim" manner The "memoir" elements in the structure of this book The process of pitching the book, and the first agent she'd reached out to who graciously spent time and energy helping Debbie make the book better for her pitch, and then recommended her to another agent How Canadian publishers are heavily subsidized by the Canadian government, which led to them passing on Debbie's book because she was no longer a Canadian resident (those publishers only get grant money when they publish books from Canadian authors) The third agent Debbie worked with who found a publisher in Colorado that worked quickly to get the book out The cover promotional blurbs Debbie got from Lee Child and James Rollins after connecting at ThrillerFest in New York Some of the logistics about the research and writing of this book The numerous live events she has done talking about The Crate, and what Debbie is working on now   Links of Interest: Deborah Levison's Website Episode 206 - No One Will Believe In You More Than You, with Steena Holmes Episode 204 - Overcoming Self Doubt with Tessa Smith McGovern Episode 203 - A Rant on Unprofessional Author Behavior Episode 191 - Insights from the Immersive Media & Books 2020 Consumer Survey The Relaxed Author Publishing Pitfalls for Authors Patreon for Stark Reflections An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City   The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

British Thriller Novelist & Screenwriter, Adam Hamdy, knows more than a thing or two about conspiracy. As author of the Pendulum Series, and his latest, Black 13—the Scott Pearce series, Adam is also co-writer of Private Moscow & Private Rogue, alongside James Patterson. Besides author, Adam is also on the board of both https://thrillerwriters.org/ (International Thriller Writers) (home of Thrillerfest), and is co-founder of https://www.capitalcrime.org/ (Capital Crime). You'll quickly see that Adam is a creative we are sure to read for years to come. Join me in this hour+ of adventurous storytelling and author insights. To learn more about Adam , visit his website: https://AdamHamdy.com (AdamHamdy.com), and follow him on Twitter @adamhamdy. On his website, you can read about and purchase his thriller, BLACK 13, the first in the Scott Pearce Series; a TOP 20 Kindle & International Bestseller. His sequel, RED WOLVES, will release soon. Follow Adam and learn of his plans for three exciting new releases that include: Private Bejing with James Patterson; White Fire, a Scott Pearce sequel, and a speculative fiction novel entitled, The Other Side of Night. Be sure to keep listening in order to hear: (a) Adam's 3-step process for writing thrillers, (b) his take on “finding...then losing your writing voice,” and (c) what it's like to live on the edge as a rock climber. Adam provides a fascinating listen and I trust you'll enjoy it. Learn more at: https://DavidTempleBooks.com (DavidTempleBooks.com)

I first met thriller author K.J. Howe at the 2019 #Thrillerfest conference in New York City. I found her to be a delightful woman, always willing to help writers be the best they can be. I had her on my other podcast, Naked Monday, but the interview was so good, I wanted to introduce her to my Thriller Zone audience. So, excuse the mid-pandemic comments (12/20), and enjoy the gold nuggets she shares with us. To buy her book and learn more about her, please visit: http://kjhowe.com/ (KJHOWE.com).

In this redux episode, Cathi and Christie go to ThrillerFest in New York City to interview as many authors as they can! They interviewed K.J. Howe, David Albertyn, Cate Holahan, and Elizabeth Wilkerson. Wines are Nine Lives Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and Love Noir Pinot Noir. ThrillerFest 2021 starts next week and there is still time to sign up for this virtual conference!

On today's show, we are going back to Canada! My special guest is a best-selling author and former Constable, Simon Gervais (Retired) of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Simon's first posting was in Toronto, where he served as a drug investigator. During this time, he worked on many international drug-related cases in close collaboration with his American colleagues from the DEA. However, in 2004, his career switched gears and he was placed with a federal anti-terrorism unit based in the Ottawa Region. During the following years, he was deployed in numerous European and Middle Eastern countries. In 2009, he became a close-protection specialist tasked with guarding foreign heads of state visiting Canada. Among many others, he served on the protection details of Queen Elizabeth II, US President Barack Obama, and other dignitaries.We also discuss his writing methods and his transition from being a cop to being a full-time writer and a New York Times and Amazon bestselling author.Simon is the author of Hunt Them Down (January 2019), Trained To Hunt (September 2019), and Time To Hunt (November 2020). His new thriller The Last Protector will be published in November 2021. Simon also wrote the Mike Walton series: The Thin Black Line(2015), A Red Dotted Line (2016), and A Thick Crimson Line (2018).Go visit Simon's website where you will find all of his books and social media links. Enjoy the Cops and Writers book series.Please visit the Cops and Writers website.If you have a question for the sarge, hit him up at his email.Come join the fun at the Cops and Writers Facebook groupGo back to episode #3 of the Cops and Writers podcast with Constable Forest Macek of the Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceSupport the show (https://patreon.com/copsandwriters)

The Last Tea Bowl Thief by Jonelle PatrickFor three hundred years, a stolen relic passes from one fortune-seeker to the next, indelibly altering the lives of those who possess it.In modern-day Tokyo, Robin Swann’s life has sputtered to a stop. She’s stuck in a dead-end job testing antiquities for an auction house, but her true love is poetry, not pottery. Her stalled dissertation sits on her laptop, unopened in months, and she has no one to confide in but her goldfish.On the other side of town, Nori Okuda sells rice bowls and tea cups to Tokyo restaurants, as her family has done for generations. But with her grandmother in the hospital, the family business is foundering. Nori knows if her luck doesn’t change soon, she’ll lose what little she has left.With nothing in common, Nori and Robin suddenly find their futures inextricably linked to an ancient, elusive tea bowl. Glimpses of the past set the stage as they hunt for the lost masterpiece, uncovering long-buried secrets in their wake. As they get closer to the truth—and the tea bowl—the women must choose between seizing their dreams or righting the terrible wrong that has poisoned its legacy for centuries.Jonelle Patrick is the author of five novels set in Japan, and has been writing about Japanese culture and travel since she first moved to Tokyo in 2003. In addition to The Last Tea Bowl Thief and the Only In Tokyo mystery series, she produces the monthly newsletter Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and on her travel site, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had.She also teaches at writing workshops, appears as a panelist at Thrillerfest, and was the keynote speaker at the Arrow Rock Writing Workshop.She’s a graduate of Stanford University and the Sendagaya Japanese Language Institute, she’s also a member of the Mystery Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime. She divides her time between Tokyo and San Francisco.Author website: https://jonellepatrick.comOnly In Japan blog: http://jonellepatrick.meMonthly newsletter: https://japanagram.meFacebook: JonellePatrickAuthorTwitter: @jonellepatrickInstagram: @jonellepatrick

The ninth episode of CROSS EXAMINATION, a new podcast and video talk show hosted by international bestselling author Ethan Cross. Today, Ethan welcomes special guest Simon Gervais (simongervaisbooks.com)... Ethan and Simon discuss meeting each other at ThrillerFest, Simon's background as a former federal agent, his next book release, writing advice, and so much more.

The first time I met Gregory James, I felt as though I had been reunited with an old friend. We had a pint together while attending Thrillerfest 2019 in New York City; what turned out to be a highlight for both of us.Now, a year later, and with a novel under both of our belts, we reconnect to talk about the joy of producing a story, the hard work and drive that's required to be successful, and perhaps most importantly, the passionate craft of writing that keeps us "creatives" going!Today, I welcome Gregory James to Naked Monday to talk about his past life as a Cop, and his current career as both a Private Detective and Author.BORDERTOWN is his first novel.  A Broken Man’s Odyssey.A Broken Community’s Only Hope.Promising young detective Robert “Bo” Campbell is in a stack of trouble.After accidentally shooting and killing his best friend and partner during a bungled inner city drug raid, he faces the sack or, even worse, jail. With his career and freedom hanging by a thread, he’s outcast to a remote posting on the border.But something isn’t quite right in this frontier country. When he’s asked to cover up yet another murder on his very first day, he suspects he’s been set up to fail. But by whom?Bo will battle for his own survival, but is he prepared to risk everything to save a community that’s already broken?Bordertown, a debut novel set in the Australian bush, is a story of redemption, survival and determination by one man to rise against the odds and do what’s right. And a journey that will keep you on the edge of your seat.Visit: GregoryJamesAuthor.com to learn more about his book, Bordertown, and his upcoming sequel.

ThrillerFest Co-Executive Director Jeff Ayers is dedicated to exposing authors to useful but commonly avoided marketing techniques. Through ThrillerFest, Jeff and others like him teach underappreciated skills like pitching a book to an agent, writing a query letter, and reflecting on edits and feedback. Jeff is an accomplished author who has published both fiction and non-fiction works. He is well known for his Star Trek companion, Voyages of Imagination, writing book reviews under The Associated Press, and for his contributions to the International Thriller Writers. To contact Jeff, write to jeffayersauthor@gmail.com. Guest Bio: Jeff Ayers is the author of several works of fiction and non-fiction, including Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion, in which he covered over 550 novels and interviewed 350 authors to cover the history of the Star Trek publishing landscape. He wrote the upcoming Sigma Guide for author James Rollins and his agent is currently shopping to various publishers a mystery, a conspiracy thriller, and a non-fiction project. He is a freelance book reviewer for The Associated Press, a retired public research librarian, and the Co-Executive Director of Thrillerfest for the International Thriller Writers. He co-hosts a podcast with John Raab of Suspense Magazine called Beyond the Cover, and earlier this month produced the Night of a Thousand Authors for the Atria Mystery Bus. Whether you're traditionally published or indie, writing a good book is only the first step in becoming a successful author. The days of just turning a manuscript into your editor and walking away are gone. If you want to succeed in today's publishing world, you need to understand every aspect of the business - editing, formatting, marketing, contracts. It all starts with a good book, then the real work begins. Join international bestselling author J.D. Barker and indie powerhouses, J. Thorn and Zach Bohannon, as they gain unique insight and valuable advice from the most prolific and accomplished authors in the business. In this episode, you'll discover: How Jeff became an author Why you need to know how to pitch a story Other marketing tips that most writers forget about How to learn new skills through the ITW If ThrillerFest will happen in 2021 Links: J. D. Barker - http://jdbarker.com/ J. Thorn - https://theauthorlife.com/ Runes, Ravens, & Revenants (J.'s 2021 short story experiment). Offer expires on January 8, 2021 - https://jthorn.net/2021shortstories/ Jeff Ayers - jeffayersauthor@gmail.com Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion by Jeff Ayers - https://mybook.to/voyages ThrillerFest - https://thrillerfest.com Proudly sponsored by Kobo Writing Life - https://kobowritinglife.com/ Music by Nicorus - https://cctrax.com/nicorus/dust-to-dust-ep Voice Over by Rick Ganley - http://www.nhpr.com and recorded at Mill Pond Studio - http://www.millpondstudio.com Contact - https://writersinkpodcast.com/contact/ *Full disclosure: Some of the links are affiliate links. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/writersink/support

K.J. Howe is an award-winning author and the Executive Director of Thrillerfest, the annual conference of International Thriller Writers. A three-time Daphne du Maurier Award Winner, Kimberly is an avid traveler and the creator of the "kidnap & ransom thrillers," The Freedom Broker and her latest, Skyjack. Born in Toronto, and having lived in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, KJ is not only a world-traveler, but is one of the kindest, most generous, and talented people you'll ever meet.Carve out an hour and enjoy hearing from someone who works every day to be the best writer she can be. And listen closely, as she will share invaluable secrets on how to make it in the competitive field of publishing.Trust me, you'll walk away with insights you may not find anywhere else. 

ThrillerFest XV has been cancelled, or has it? Kim Howe executive director, tells us how ThrillerFest XV will continue and how you can participate. Due to the pandemic this year, we've canceled the in-person ThrillerFest Conference at the Grand Hyatt in New York City this July. The health and safety of our attendees is our top priority. But we have fantastic news! We are offering a virtual conference so our attendees can remain safe in the comfort of their homes yet still participate in the learning and camaraderie that is the hallmark of the annual conference of the International Thriller Writers. No travel, no hotel stay, but an even more extensive array of bestselling ITW authors who can help you polish your thrillers and top drawer New York agents and editors to whom you can pitch—along with attractive prices! We have an outstanding array of guests and publishing professionals, with this year's event including a Free Debut Authors' Presentation, Free ITW Author Videos, and a Free Awards Presentation. Our Mega CraftFest, Master Class, Pitching Sessions, Consulting Sessions, and CareerFest will all be offered this July.

What better way to kick off ThrillerFest then to have one of the founding members of the ITW (International Thriller Writers) bestselling author and the creator of RAMBO, David Morell. We didn't stop there, also joining us is the Kimberly Howe, the Executive Director of ThrillerFest, basically the person that makes this all happen. They talk about the inside and outside of ThrillerFest and so much more. This is not an episode to skip over.

Marla Cooper is the author of Terror in Taffeta, a humorous cozy mystery about a destination wedding planner that is the first in a series. As a freelance writer, Marla has written all sorts of things, and it was while ghostwriting a guide to destination weddings that she found inspiration for her first novel. Marla lives in Oakland, California, with her husband and her polydactyl tuxedo cat. Dr. J.L. Delozier attended Thomas Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia (now the Sidney Kimmel Medical College) and has been a practicing physician for over 20 years. She's spent much of her career as a federal servant, assisting America's veterans and providing disaster care during Hurricanes Katrina, Ike and Gustav. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and four rescue cats. Lisa Hall loves words, reading and everything there is to love about books. She has dreamed of being a writer since she was a little girl and after years of talking about it, was finally brave enough to put pen to paper (and let people actually read it). Lisa lives in a small village in Kent, surrounded by her towering TBR pile, a rather large brood of children, dogs, chickens and ponies and her long-suffering husband. Robert Rapoza is the author of THE VILCABAMBA PROPHECY, a 2015 Adventure Writers Competition Semi-Finalist. A member of the Southern California Writers Association since 2013, he was recently selected to the 2015-16 Debut Authors program of the International Thriller Writers Association and will be among several new authors featured at the Debut Author session at this July's ThrillerFest in New York City.  

DP Lyle, MD is an award-winning author of numerous fuction and nonfiction titles, including Forensics for Dummies and the forthcoming Deep Six. He is also one of the founders of the International Thriller Writers organization, the creator of Craftfest (part of the annual Thrillerfest conference in NYC) and the host of Crime and Science Radio. Thrill Seekers host Alex Dolan is a writer and musician based in California. His first book, The Euthanist, is published through Diversion Books and represented by the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. His second novel, with a working title of The Empress of Tempera, is scheduled for publication in September 2016. His is an executive committee member of the San Francisco Bay Area's Litquake and a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.  This is a trademarked copyrighted podcast solely owned by the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network LLC.  

Steven James joins me Thursday, April 2nd at 6pm EST. He is a national bestselling novelist whose award-winning, pulse-pounding novels continue to gain wide critical acclaim and a growing fan base. Suspense Magazine, who named James' book The Bishop their book of the year, says that he “sets the new standard in suspense writing.” Publishers Weekly calls him a “master storyteller at the peak of his game.” And RT Book Reviews promises, “the nail-biting suspense will rivet you.” With a Master's Degree in Storytelling, James has taught writing and storytelling around the world and is one of the seven Master CraftFest instructors at ThrillerFest, North America's premier training event for suspense writers.  Respected by some of the top crime writers in the world, James deftly weaves intense stories of psychological suspense with deep philosophical insights.    Book Blurb When a clandestine FBI facility is attacked, Special Agent Patrick Bowers is drawn into the vicious, ruthless story that a killer from his past is bent on telling the world. Clues lead to long-forgotten secrets buried deep beneath Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Now Bowers is caught up in trying to stop one of the deadliest attacks ever planned on American soil. Smart, tense, and full of mind-bending twists and turns, Checkmate explodes onto the scene, bringing this cycle of the Bowers Files to an unforgettable conclusion.