The May Edition of The Big Thrill

Read the stories that were featured in the May edition of The Big Thrill.

25 new thrillers this month from ITW Members including debut novels from Jeremy Bates and Mark Allen Smith, plus a Between the Lines Interview with Laura Caldwell by Andrew Peterson and News From South Africa by Michael Sears.

Print the Big Thrill list and head on down to your favorite bookstore, or download your selections to your electronic e-reader, and enjoy a month’s worth of great reading from your friends at the International Thriller Writers.

Hot off the press:

Click on a book title to read the feature story

• Between the Lines: Interview with Laura Caldwell by Andrew Peterson
• News from South Africa by Michael Sears
• Darkroom by Joshua Graham
• Writ of Mandamus by Rick Robinson
• Silenced by Allison Brennan
• The Columbus Affair by Steve Berry
• A Dark and Broken Heart by R. J. Ellory
• Hush Money by Chuck Greaves
• A Deeper Darkness by J.T. Ellison
• White Lies by Jeremy Bates
• The Emerald Storm by William Deitrich
• Louise’s Gamble by Sarah R. Shaber
• The Black Stiletto: Black & White by Raymond Benson
• The Inquisitor by Mark Allen Smith
• Wicked Eddies by Beth Groundwater
• Jagablut (Hunter’s Blood)  by Ines Eberl
• Diamonds Are Truly Forever by Gina Robinson
• Beautiful Sacrifice by Elizabeth Lowell
• Lost in the Bayou by Cornell DeVille
• Getaway by Lisa Brackmann
• Act of Terror by Marc Cameron
• Hounds Abound by Linda O. Johnston
• Guilt Trip by Judith Cutler
• The Millionaire’s Wife by Cathy Scott
• These Violent Delights by Sharon Linnéa
• The Delphi Bloodline and A Bodyguard of Lies by Donna Del Oro

Coming Next Month

The latest thrillers from James Rollins, Gregory Lamberson, Pamela Callow, R. Barri Flowers and Jan Grape (eds), James Conway, Jeffrey Siger, Maria Hudgins, Jaime Rush, Tom Piccirilli, Vicki Pettersson, Alan Jacobson and many more! It’s gonna be a thriller!

New E-Releases from ITW Members

• Kill And Say Goodbye by R. Barri Flowers
• Dark Seduction by Shaun Jeffrey
• Big Trouble in Little Boots by Brian Knight
• Whose Greater Good? by David DeLee
• Trusting Evil by Mary Leo
• Losing Touch by David B. Silva
• Saving Hope by Liese Sherwood-Fabre
• In The Midnight Hour by Reggie Ridgway
• Scoundrels: Tales of Greed, Murder and Financial Crimes by Gary Phillips (ed.)
• The Ides of March by Ron Cutler

LOVE IS MURDER anthology available for pre-order!

Edited by New York Times bestselling author Sandra Brown!

Prepare for heart-racing suspense in this original collection by thirty of the hottest bestselling authors and new voices writing romance suspense today.

Go on vacation with Allison Brennan’s Lucy Kincaid, where she saves a man from drowning, only to discover he is in far greater danger on land. Meet Roxanne St. Claire’s “bullet catcher”–bodyguard Donovan Rush–who may have met his match in the sexually charged “Diamond Drop.” Debut author William Simon shows us what happens when the granddaughter of the president of the United States is kidnapped. And Lee Child’s pitch-perfect “I Heard a Romantic Story” puts a whole new spin on Love Is Murder.

Bodyguards, vigilantes, stalkers, serial killers, women (and men!) in jeopardy, cops, thieves, PIs, killers–these all-new stories will keep you thrilled and chilled late into the night.

LOVE IS MURDER is the third Thriller anthology written exclusively by members of International Thriller Writers, Inc. With original short stories from Lori Armstrong, Jeff Ayers, Beverly Barton, William Bernhardt, Allison Brennan, Robert Browne, Pamela Callow, Toni McGee Causey, Lee Child, JT Ellison, Bill Floyd, Cindy Gerard, Heather Graham, Laura Griffin, Vicki Hinze, Andrea Kane, Julie Kenner, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love, Jon Land, D.P. Lyle, James Macomber, Carla Neggers, Brenda Novak, Patricia Rosemoor, William Simon, Alexandra Sokoloff, Roxanne St. Claire, Mariah Stewart, and Debra Webb, you won’t want to miss this!

Now available for pre-order at Amazon and Barnes and Noble!

Praise for the Thriller anthologies:

“A slam-dunk collection of the best in the business.” Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author

“For romantic suspense lovers, this is magical mayhem loaded with bark and bite. Downright beguiling.” Jeffery Deaver, International #1 bestselling author

“It’s like a box of chocolates–each one is different, but they’re all great.” Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author

“An absolute must-buy for thriller readers everywhere.” Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“I love this book and you will, too.” Tess Gerritsen, International bestselling author

“Absolutely superb.” Doug Preston, New York Times bestselling author

“Gripping, exciting, engaging–every story will leave you breathless.” Karin Slaughter, #1 Internationally bestselling author

Why Do Jack Higgins and Catherine Coulter Support ThrillerFest?

For Jack Higgins, it’s all about meeting the fans: “They are so important and it is wonderful to have the opportunity of actually shaking hands and meeting people face to face. I am very lucky to have fans who are Jack Higgins fans, have read all the books and can’t wait for the next one.  It is also wonderful to be able to meet, as one does at these conferences, famous authors from all over the world and to meet and see famous film stars and royalty.”

What was Jack’s favorite fan moment? “I suppose it would have to be when I was presented to Princess Margaret, the Queen’s sister, some years ago on television when she told me she was a fan.  She spoke to me about my books for a long time, which was flattering, but it is always heartening when any fan comes up to me to say hello.

We asked Catherine Coulter why she was coming to ThrillerFest: “Are you kidding me? Talk about fun. I’m so excited to be invited as a Spotlight Guest, not to mention drinking margaritas with writers I haven’t seen in far too long, getting to know writers I haven’t yet met, and the huge plus, schmoozing with readers. And the fun just gargantuates — lunches and dinners with agents, editors, publishers, maybe a Broadway show, and the not-be-missed Saks Shoe department (zip code 10022). What more could one ask? Did I mention gawking at the male Greek statues in the Met?

Catherine also shed some light on her favorite fan moment: “A while back at a national ALA conference (librarians/readers) I was sitting with another writer, resting after walking at least three miles through the Moscone Center in San Francisco, and this woman comes up to me, drops to her knees, takes my hand in hers and tells me through tears how much my books have meant to her over the years, how they’ve touched her heart and lifted her spirit, how she thinks I’m the greatest writer who ever drew breath, and she can’t believe how young I look. Turns out she thought I was Catherine Cookson. And I wondered to myself, isn’t she dead?”

ThrillerFest VII — THE #1 conference for thriller authors and fans. July 11 – 14 at the Grand Hyatt in New York. Catherine Coulter will be there – will you?

ThrillerFest VII Registration Is Now Open!

ThrillerFest VII:  Registration is now available. We have a fabulous line-up of special guests this year, including:

• 2012 ThrillerMaster Jack Higgins
• 2011 ThrillerMaster R.L. Stine
• Spotlight Guest Lee Child
• Spotlight Guest John Sandford
• Spotlight Guest Catherine Coulter
• 2012 True Crime Award Recipient Ann Rule
• 2012 Silver Bullet Award Recipient Richard North Patterson
• 2011 Silver Bullet Award Recipient Karin Slaughter

We have something for everyone, whether you’re an aspiring author, a fan, an industry professional, or an ITW author. Some of the highlights include:

CraftFest: This section of the conference is ideal if you’re looking to hone your writing skills. Every year, CraftFest is growing in numbers and spaces are limited. If you are keen on hearing the writing secrets of NYT bestsellers, please sign up soon so you don’t miss out.

AgentFest: If you’d like to pitch your novel to the best literary agents in the business, this is the event for you. Last year, we had over 60 agents attending AgentFest. So far, we have had five people sign with top agencies. Their success stories will be posted on the website shortly.

ThrillerFest: This year, we’ll have counterterrorism expert David Major joining us to share his experiences of working at The White House and the FBI. For more information on David, please visit www.cicentre.com.

Banquet: Please join us at the annual Saturday night banquet for the presentation of the Thriller Awards and other entertainment.

Volunteers are an integral part of the ThrillerFest experience. We couldn’t do it without you. If you would like to assist us, please send an email to registrar@thrillerwriters.org. Volunteering is a great way to meet people and get involved in ITW.

Please drop by the new ThrillerFest Facebook page and say hello! Then “like” us, and help spread the word!

Your ThrillerFest team is looking forward to a fun and memorable year. If we can answer any questions or help out in any way, please touch base anytime. We look forward to seeing you next July 11-14 in NYC!

If you prefer to mail your registration, you can download and print the appropriate registrations forms here:

ITW Author-Member Registration

ITW Associate-Member and Thriller Fan Registration

The Thriller Roundtable

Back by popular demand, The Thriller Roundtable! A big thanks to ITW’s new Roundtable Coordinator, J. H. Bográn for his help, tireless effort and infectious enthusiasm in resurrecting one of TheBigThrill’s most popular features.

Whether you’re a fan or an author, you’ll want to join the Thriller Roundtable discussions at TheBigThrill website, where each week a new group of authors discuss everything from what they love about writing thrillers, to what they’ve learned, and more. In April we’ll discuss humor and comedy in our writing, most memorable book tour experiences, beta readers and Hollywood endings. You won’t want to miss it!

The Neverending Book Giveaway

If you’re a thriller fan who likes to win free books, be sure to check out the Neverending Book Giveaway on The Big Thrill website. Sign up for as many of the contests as you like! Just post a reply, and you’re entered!

Don’t forget to scroll down the list of contests or CLICK HERE for more contests and giveaways so you don’t miss any. (Tip: to shorten the display, click “Toggle Comment Threads.”) And because this book giveaway is “neverending,” be sure to check back often to enter the latest drawings!

Monthly Giveaway

Congratulations to Pat Brown, the winner of this month’s BIG THRILL giveaway. Pat will receive an assortment of signed thrillers including Deadly Policy by Mitzi Kelly, Darkroom by Joshua Graham, Guilt Trip by Judith Cutler, Every Last Secret by Linda Rodriguez, A Deeper Darkness by J.T. Ellison, A Bodyguard of Lies by Donna Del Oro (book on disc, and the disc cover has been signed), Scorpion Betrayal by Andrew Kaplan, More Forensics and Fiction by D.P. Lyle, MD, The 13^th Tribe by Robert Liparulo, The Last Kind Words by Tom Piccirilli plus Louise’s Gamble by Sarah R. Shaber

All subscribers to THE BIG THRILL webzine are automatically eligible for the monthly drawing. CLICK HERE to subscribe to the BIG THRILL email.

“I was so thrilled to receive my books, and so in awe that they were signed by the authors! I can’t wait to jump right in. Now, my biggest dilemma is which one to read first. Thank you so very much. The Big Thrill book giveaway is awesome.” – Pat Brown, Huntsville, AL