April 1 – 8: “Is it difficult to write comedy or humor into your thrillers?”

To commemorate April Fool’s Day and relaunch the Thriller Roundtable, we look at comedy and humor in the thriller genre, and ask: “Is it difficult to write comedy or humor into your thrillers? Is it necessary, desired, or just a tool to release the tension in some needed spots?

Join ITW Members Cat Connor, Bonnie Calhoun, Mitzi Kelly, William Todd Rose, D.P. Lyle, Jean Harrington, Charlie Cochrane, James Conway, Deborah Coonts, Eileen Robertson and C.E. Lawrence!

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New Zealander Cat Connor is the author of KILLERBYTE, TERRORBYTE, EXACERBYTE and FLASHBYTE – her latest FBI thriller about the life of SSA Ellie Conway. Her first novel, KILLERBYTE, was a finalist in the 2010 EPIC awards. Cat spends her days writing with her retired racing greyhound – Romeo, keeping her company.

Bonnie Calhoun is owner of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance, a 220+ member book reviewer organization. She publishes Christian Fiction Online Magazine, devoted to readers and writers of Christian fiction. She serves as Northeast Zone Director for American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and garnered ‘Mentor of the Year’ for 2011. She is President of (CAN) Christian Authors Network, and also the Appointment Coordinator for the Colorado Christian Writers Conference and the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference.

Read more about Bonnie and her latest novel, COOKING THE BOOKS, in the April edition of TheBigThrill.

Mitzi Kelly grew up in El Paso, Texas and then moved to San Antonio where she met her husband of 31 years.  She has one terrific son and five very spoiled dogs.  She started writing feature articles but soon realized that was not what she wanted to do, so she created The Silver Sleuths Mystery Series.  The first book, CLASSIC REVENGE, has received wonderful reviews.  The second book, DEADLY POLICY, is now available.

Read more about Mitzi and her latest novel, DEADLY POLICY, in the April edition of TheBigThrill.

William Todd Rose was named by The Google+ Insider’s Guide as one of their top 32 authors to follow. He writes speculative fiction that lends itself to the dark, and often surreal, realm of the macabre. For more information, including links to free fiction, please visit his website.

William Todd Rose was featured in TheBigThrill’s April edition. Click here to learn more.

D. P. Lyle is the Macavity winning and Edgar nominated author of both fiction and non-fiction. He has worked with many novelists and with the writers of the TV shows Law & Order, CSI: Miami, Diagnosis Murder, Monk, Judging Amy, Cold Case, House, Medium, Women’s Murder Club, The Glades, and Pretty Little Liars.

To learn more about D. P. Lyle and his latest nonfiction book, MORE FORENSICS IN FICTION, click here.

Jean Harrington lives in Naples, Florida with husband John (no cat, no dog, no kids anymore).  After teaching English lit at Becker College in Worcester, Massachusetts for 17 years, she now spends her days writing and loving every minute of it.  Jean’s published works have won several RWA contests.  DESIGNED FOR DEATH is the first in her Murders by Design Mysteries, and she’s having great fun wallowing knee deep in fictional dead bodies.

Jean Harrington and her latest novel, DESIGNED FOR DEATH, was featured in the April edition of TheBigThrill.

As Charlie Cochrane couldn’t be trusted to do any of her jobs of choice—like managing a rugby team—she writes. She lives in England, but has yet to use her local town Romsey as a setting for her stories. Maybe one day… Charlie’s Cambridge Fellows Series of Edwardian romantic mysteries was instrumental in her being named Author of the Year 2009 by the review site Speak Its Name.

Eileen Robertson, born in Yorkshire, England is now living in Gosport, Hampshire. Eileen was a former lecturer in German and creative writing at Highbury College in Cosham and at Portsmouth University. She became a carer when her husband William suffered a stroke. Although the transition from lecturer to carer was not easy it gave her the opportunity to focus on her life-long interest in writing.  She says: ” In life as one door closes, another one opens.” Her first crime book, MISS MCGUIRE IS MISSING, was a huge success and her second book, BLACKMAIL FOR BEGINNERS released at the end of February is selling well. She is currently working on her third crime novel which will be on sale in summer 2013.

C.E. Lawrence is the byline of a New York-based suspense writer, performer, composer and prize-winning playwright and poet whose previous books have been praised as “lively. . .” (Publishers Weekly); “constantly absorbing. . .” (starred Kirkus Review); and “superbly crafted prose” (Boston Herald). SILENT SCREAMS, SILENT VICTIM and SILENT KILLS are the first three books in her Lee Campbell thriller series.  Her other work is published under the name of Carole Bugge. Titan Press recently reissued her first Sherlock Holmes novel, THE STAR OF INDIA.

My mother tells me I was born a very long time ago, but I’m not so sure—my mother can’t be trusted.  These things I do know:  I was raised in Texas on barbeque, Mexican food and beer.  I currently reside in Las Vegas, where my friends assure me I cannot get into too much trouble.  Silly people. I am the author of WANNA GET LUCKY? (A NY Times Notable Crime Novel for 2010 and double RITA™ Finalist), LUCKY STIFF, SO DAMN LUCKY and a novella, LUCKY IN LOVE.  I can usually be found at the bar, but also at www.deborahcoonts.com.

Don’t miss out on Deborah Coonts’ featured write-up for the TheBigThrill.org, and learn more about her latest book, SO DAMN LUCKY.

James Conway is a pseudonym for a hedge fund insider and a global creative director at a major advertising firm.  He has an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University and lives in New York’s Hudson Valley.  Follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/@ByJamesConway or JamesConwayBooks@gmail.com