jan_web_past_issuesRead the stories that were in the January edition of the Big Thrill.

We’re proud to kick off 2016 with a killer lineup of stories. The one-and-only Ian Rankin takes you inside his writing process, while sharing his thoughts on both morality and mortality. Publisher Anne Trager delivers the second part in her much-talked-about series on being published in France. Dawn Ius captures the appeal of the ever-more-popular domestic thriller and profiles one of its most talented authors, Carla Buckley. And prepare for a lively interview with Andy Martin, author of the provocative Reacher Said Nothing: Lee Child and the Making of Make Me.

We predict these two stories will now find a place in your writer’s toolkit: Brian Feinblum’s “The Five Things This Publicist Wishes Authors Knew” and James Scott Bell’s Craft Fix column on “Lifting the Middle of the Thriller Plot.”

Don’t miss our interviews with amazing authors like Thomas Perry, Jeff Abbott, Deon Meyer, J.S. Law, Brad Taylor, Allison Brennan and Laura Griffin, Elizabeth Heiter, Peter Tonkin and many more!

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Click on the book title below to read the feature story or click here to scroll through all of this month’s articles.

Coming Next Month

The latest thrillers from Barry Eisler, Barry Lancet, Gregg Hurwitz, Carol Goodman, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Reed Farrell Coleman, Marcus Sakey, Diane Vallere, Drew Chapman, J.D. Rhoades, L.J. Sellers, Kat Martin, Stefanie Ross, Charlie Donlea, Christine Feehan, John A. Connell and many more!

New E-Releases from ITW Members

New Audio Books from ITW Members

ThrillerFest XI: Registration is Now Open!

thrillerfestXI_500pxYour ThrillerFest team is already hard at work planning for next July’s conference where we’ll feature 2016 ThrillerMaster Heather Graham, 2016 Silver Bullet Recipient John Lescroart, and bestselling authors C.J. Box, Gillian Flynn and Walter Mosley. Like a compelling page-turner, we need to keep you in suspense, so stay tuned for more details!

Master CraftFest: Don’t miss this opportunity to study with the Masters of the genre in a one-day intensive workshop to take your writing to the next level. Everyone is welcome, from beginning writers to well-established authors. The instructors this year will be Steve Berry, Grant Blackwood, David Corbett, Meg Gardiner, Heather Graham, Andrew Gross, Richard Krevolin (Screen Writing) and Gayle Lynds.

CraftFest: Director D.P. Lyle, M.D. is already recruiting talented teachers to broaden your knowledge about the craft of writing as well as experts in fields like forensics and firearms so you can get the facts right in your novel.

PitchFest: PitchFest is dedicated to pitching your project face-to-face to agents, editors, and producers. It’s an unprecedented opportunity for writers looking to get or change agents. Check out some success stories!

ThrillerFest: We’re planning some phenomenal panels, always trying to innovate and entertain. Join us for the spotlight interviews, cocktail parties, workshops, and fabulous networking opportunities. Please check the volunteer box during registration, as it’s a great way to make new friends and help out ITW.

Register Today!

ITW’s Third Annual Online ThrillerSchool!

Starts March 14th, 2016!

Seven Weeks! Seven Bestselling Authors!

Join Lee Child, Meg Gardiner, David Corbett, James Scott Bell, Peter James, Hank Phillippi Ryan and F. Paul Wilson.

In this seven-week program, which begins March 14nd, 2016, the craft of thriller writing will be front and center. Each instructor will teach an aspect of craft though a podcast, written materials that include further reading and study suggestions, and an entire week of online Q&A with the registered students. The goal is simple: To make each student a better writer.

Like the past two years, the online school will fill up very quickly, so register soon. Visit ITW’s Online Thriller School for more information.

The Thriller Roundtable

Whether you’re a fan or an author, you’ll want to join the Thriller Roundtable discussions at The Big Thrill 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.

Check out what’s in store for January. You won’t want to miss it!

January 4 – 10: “The internet is full of helpful websites for crafting and researching plots, history, characters, setting. But are random character generators going too far?”
January 11 – 17: “Are the lines between good and evil increasingly more ambiguous in modern thrillers?”
January 18 – 24: “Conciseness, partial clues, short chapters – describe your favorite techniques for strong pacing.”
January 25 – 31: “The presidential campaign is starting to heat up. Do thriller writers have conservative or liberal leanings – or are they apolitical?”

Authors, don’t miss this promotional opportunity! Participate in the Thriller Roundtable by contacting J.H. Bográn.

The Neverending Book Giveaway

The Neverending Book GiveawayIf 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!

ITW