June 4 – 10: “How do you plan your summer writing schedule?”

Summer’s almost here and inquiring minds want to know: How do you plan your summer writing schedule? Does it change through the seasons? Join ITW Members Rich Wickliffe, Paul Gitsham, Ammar Habib, Lisa Von Biela and David Simms as they discuss how their writing ritual changes throughout the seasons. Scroll down to the “comments” section to follow along!

This is Richard Wickliffe’s fourth novel, inspired by actual crimes. He’s a winner of Best Popular Fiction at the Florida Book Awards for his last thriller, which was optioned by a major film studio. Rich enjoys speaking, including at the FBI’s InfraGard Counterterrorism conferences. His writing typically borrows from the unique (scandalous, criminal or satirical) environments of South Florida where he resides with his family.

Paul Gitsham started his career as a biologist before retraining as a secondary school science teacher, in order to pass on his sloppy lab skills to a new generation. Along the way, he spent stints as a hugely over-qualified receptionist in a sports centre and working for a major UK bank ensuring international terrorists and other shady characters didn’t own an illegal bank account. Paul lives with his girlfriend in the East of England, in a house with more books than shelf space.

Ammar Habib is a bestselling and award winning author who was born in Lake Jackson, Texas in 1993. Ammar enjoys crafting stories that are not only entertaining, but will also stay with the reader for a long time. Ammar presently resides in his hometown with his family, all of whom are his biggest fans.

Lisa Von Biela began writing dark fiction just after the turn of the century. Her very first short story appeared in Greg F. Gifune’s small press ‘zine The Edge in 2002. After working in Information Technology for 25 years, Lisa dropped out of everything–including writing–to attend the University of Minnesota Law School. She graduated magna cum laude in 2009, and now practices law and writes in the Seattle area. She’s made up for lost writing time since law school and is now the author of the thriller novels THE GENESIS CODE, THE JANUS LEGACY, BLOCKBUSTER, BROKEN CHAIN, DOWN THE BRINK, and INCIDENTAL FINDINGS, as well as the horror novellas ASH AND BONE, SKINSHIFT, and MOON OVER RUIN. She is currently hard at work completing a cheery new novel about a mega-drought and a young family’s disastrous attempted escape through the Nevada desert.

David Simms lives in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia with his wife, son, and animals. He works as a teacher, counselor, music therapist, ghost tour guide, book reviewer, and founding guitarist in the Killer Thriller Band/Slushpile band. Fear The Reaper is his second novel.