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We hope everyone has enjoyed a fabulous summer. Now that September has arrived, we’re already gearing up to make ThrillerFest VIII an unforgettable conference. This year, spotlight guests will include 2013 ThrillerMaster Anne Rice, 2011 ThrillerMaster R.L. Stine, T. Jefferson Parker, and Michael Connelly. Stay tuned for further announcements.
ThrillerFest VIII offers something for everyone:
CraftFest—NYT Bestselling authors will share their secrets on the craft of writing.
AgentFest—Over 50 top agents and editors in the business will be on hand to hear your pitches.
ThrillerFest—Network with other writers and meet industry professionals at the fabulous panels and workshops. Special guests will be announced soon.
Also, we’d like to introduce our ThrillerFest team for the upcoming year. D.L. Wilson will be the new VP of National Events, D.P. Lyle, MD returns as our CraftFest Director, Boyd Morrison returns as AgentFest Director, and Kimberley Howe joins us again as Executive Director.
We’re really looking forward to seeing you next July 10-13, 2013 in NYC for ThrillerFest VIII.
Warmly,
D.P. Lyle, MD
CraftFest Director
D.L. Wilson
VP, National Events
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
Don’t forget to a few minutes and peruse the ThrillerFest VII photo slideshow compliments of Alan Jacobson.
ITW Thriller Award nominees and winners.
Winners are listed in bold with *
2012 Thriller Awards
(Winners announced July, 2012)
Jack Higgins, ThrillerMaster
in recognition of his legendary career and outstanding contributions to the thriller genre
Ann Rule, True Thriller Award
Richard North Patterson, Silver Bullet Award
BEST HARD COVER NOVEL
Joseph Finder – BURIED SECRETS (St. Martin’s Press) **
Jonathan Hayes – A HARD DEATH (Harper)
Stephen King – 11/22/63 (Scribner)*
Michael Koryta – THE RIDGE (Little, Brown and Co.)
Marcus Sakey – THE TWO DEATHS OF DANIEL HAYES (Dutton Adult)
BEST PAPERBACK ORIGINAL
Jeff Abbott – THE LAST MINUTE (Sphere/Little, Brown UK)*
John Gilstrap – THREAT WARNING (Pinnacle)
Helen Grant – THE GLASS DEMON (Delacorte Press)
Steven James – THE QUEEN (Revell)
John Rector – ALREADY GONE (Thomas & Mercer)
BEST FIRST NOVEL
James Barney – THE GENESIS KEY (Harper)
Melinda Leigh – SHE CAN RUN (Montlake Romance)
Paul McEuen – SPIRAL (The Dial Press)*
H.T. Narea – THE FUND (Forge Books)
Leslie Tentler – MIDNIGHT CALLER (Mira)
BEST SHORT STORY
James Scott Bell – “One More Lie” (Compendium Press)
Michael Lewin – “Anything to Win” (Strand Magazine)
Twist Phelan – “Happine$$” (MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA PRESENTS THE RICH AND THE DEAD, Grand Central Publishing)
Tim L. Williams – “Half-Lives” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)*
Dave Zeltserman – “A Hostage Situation” (Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine)
2011 Thriller Awards
(Winners announced July, 2011)
R.L. Stine, ThrillerMaster in recognition of his legendary career and outstanding contributions to the thriller genre
Joe McGinniss, True Thriller Award
Karin Slaughter, Silver Bullet Award
Best Hard Cover Novel:
Michael Connelly – THE REVERSAL (Little Brown)
Jeffery Deaver – EDGE: A NOVEL (Simon & Schuster)
Brian Freeman – THE BURYING PLACE (Minotaur)
Mo Hayder – SKIN (Grove)
John Sandford – BAD BLOOD (Putnam)*
Best Paperback Original:
Robert Gregory Browne – DOWN AMONG THE DEAD MEN (St. Martin’s)
Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens – YOU CAN’T STOP ME (Pinnacle)
J.T. Ellison – THE COLD ROOM (Mira)*
Shane Gericke – TORN APART (Pinnacle)
Jon Trace – THE VENICE CONSPIRACY (Hachette Digital)
Best First Novel:
Carla Buckley – THE THINGS THAT KEEP US HERE (Random House)
Paul Doiron – THE POACHER’S SON (Minotaur)
Reece Hirsch – THE INSIDER (Berkley)
Thomas Kaufman – DRINK THE TEA (Minotaur)
Chevy Stevens – STILL MISSING (St. Martin’s)*
Best Short Story:
Mike Carey – “Second Wind” (THE NEW DEAD, St. Martin’s)
Michael Connelly – “Blue on Black” (Strand Magazine)
Richard Helms – “The Gods for Vengeance Cry” (Dell Magazine)*
Harley Jane Kozak – “Madeeda” (CRIMES BY MOONLIGHT: Mysteries from the Dark Side, Berkley)
Nicholas Kaufmann – “Chasing the Dragon” (ChiZine Publications)
Mickey Spillane and Max Allan Collins – “Long Time Dead” (Strand Magazine)
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2010 Thriller Awards
(Winners announced July 10, 2010)
Ken Follett, ThrillerMaster
in recognition of his legendary career and outstanding contributions to the thriller genre
Mark Bowden, True Thriller Award
Linda Fairstein, Silver Bullet Award
US Airways, Silver Bullet Award (Corporate)
Best Hard Cover Novel:
VANISHED by Joseph Finder
LONG LOST by Harlan Coben
FEAR THE WORST by Linwood Barclay
THE NEIGHBOR by Lisa Gardner*
THE RENEGADES by T. Jefferson Parker
Best Paperback Original:
SHADOW SEASON by Tom Piccirilli
URGE TO KILL by John Lutz
VENGEANCE ROAD by Rick Mofina
THE COLDEST MILE by Tom Piccirilli*
NO MERCY by John Gilstrap
Best First Novel:
FRAGMENT by Warren Fahy
DEAD MEN’S DUST by Matt Hilton
COLLISION OF EVIL by John J. Le Beau
DRACULA: THE UN-DEAD by Dacre Stoker & Ian Holt
RUNNING FROM THE DEVIL by Jamie Freveletti*
Best Short Story:
THE DESERT HERE AND THE DESERT FAR AWAY by Marcus Sakey
A STAB IN THE HEART by Twist Phelan*
BACKUP by Rick Mofina
ICED by Harry Hunsicker
BOLDT’S BROKEN ANGEL by Ridley Pearson
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2009
ThrillerMaster: David Morrell
Silver Bullet Award: Brad Meltzer
Silver Bullet Corporate Award: Dollar General Literacy Foundation
(winners announced July 11, 2009)
Best Thriller Of The Year
Hold Tight by Harlan Coben
The Bodies Left Behind by Jeffery Deaver*
The Broken Window by Jeffery Deaver
The Dark Tide by Andrew Gross
The Last Patriot by Brad Thor
Best First Novel
Calumet City by Charlie Newton
Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith*
Criminal Paradise by Steven Thomas
Sacrifice by S. J. Bolton
The Killer’s Wife by Bill Floyd
Best Short Story
Between the Dark and the Daylight (Ellery Queen Magazine) by Tom Piccirilli
Last Island South (Ellery Queen Magazine) by John C. Boland
The Edge of Seventeen (The Darker Mask) by Alexandra Sokoloff*
The Point Guard (Killer Year Anthology) by Jason Pinter
Time of the Green (Killer Year Anthology) by Ken Bruen
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2008
ThrillerMaster: Sandra Brown
Silver Bullet Award: Macy’s and David Baldacci
(winners announced July 12, 2008)
Best Novel
No Time For Goodbye by Linwood Barclay (Bantam)
The Watchman by Robert Crais (Simon & Schuster)
The Ghost by Robert Harris (Simon & Schuster)*
The Crime Writer by Gregg Hurwitz (Viking)
Trouble by Jesse Kellerman (Putnam)
Best First Novel
Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell (Dutton)
Big City, Bad Blood by Sean Chercover (William Morrow)
From the Depths by Gerry Doyle (McBook Press)
Volk’s Game by Brent Ghelfi (Henry Holt and Co.)
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill (William Morrow)*
Best Paperback Original
The Last Nightingale by Anthony Flacco (Ballantine)
A Thousand Bones by P.J. Parrish (Pocket)
The Midnight Road by Tom Piccirilli (Bantam)*
The Queen of Bedlam by Robert McCammon (Pocket)
Shattered by Jay Bonansinga (Pinnacle)
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2007
ThrillerMaster: James Patterson
(winners announced July 14, 2007)
Best Novel
False Impression, Jeffrey Archer (St. Martin’s Press)
Killer Instinct, Joseph Finder (St. Martin’s Press)*
Cold Kill, Stephen Leather (Hodder & Stoughton)
The Messenger, Daniel Silva (Putnam)
Beautiful Lies, Lisa Unger (Shaye Areheart Books/Bantam)
Best First Novel
Shadow of Death, Patricia Gussin (Oceanview Publishing)
Switchback, Matthew Klein (Orion)
A Thousand Suns, Alex Scarrow (Orion)
18 Seconds, George D. Shuman (Simon & Schuster)
Mr. Clarinet, Nick Stone (Michael Joseph Ltd/Penguin) *
Best Paperback Original
Skeleton Coast, Clive Cussler with Jack DuBrul (Berkley Trade)
The Deep Blue Alibi, Paul Levine (Bantam)
An Unquiet Grave, P.J. Parrish (Pinnacle)*
Headstone City, Tom Piccirilli (Spectra Books/Crown)
Mortal Faults, Michael Prescott (Onyx Books)
Best Screenplay
Inside Man: Russell Gewirtz
The Departed: William Monahan
The Good Shepherd: Eric Roth*
Children of Men: Alfonse Cuarón, Timothy J. Sexton, David Arata, Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby
Casino Royale: Neal Purvis, Robert Wade, Paul Haggis
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2006
ThrillerMaster: Clive Cussler
(winners announced July 1, 2006)
Best Novel
Panic, Jeff Abbott (Dutton)
Consent to Kill, Vince Vlynn (Atria)
Velocity, Dean Koontz (Bantam)
The Patriots Club, Christopher Reich (Delacorte Press)*
Citizen Vince, Jess Walter (Regan Books)
Best First Novel
Improbable, Adam Fawer (Willaim Morrow)*
The Color of Law, Mark Gimenez (Doubleday)
Cold Granite, Stuart MacBride (St. Martin’s Minotaur)
Pain Killer, Will Staeger (Will Morrow)
Beneath a Panamanian Moon, David Terrenoire (Thomas Dunne Books)
Best Paperback Original
Sleeper Cell, Jeffrey Anderson (Berkley)
Pride Runs Deep, R. Cameron Cooke (Jove)*
Upside Down, John Ramsey Miller (Dell)
The Dying Hour, Rick Mofina (Pinnacle Books)
Exit Strategy, Michael Wiecek (Jove)
Best Screenplay
Match Point, screenplay by Woody Allen
Syriana, based on the book by Robert Baer, written by Stephen Gaghan
Cache (Hidden), screenplay by Michael Haneke*
Oldboy, screenplay by Jo-yun Hwang, Chun-hyeong Lim, Joon-hyung Lim, and Chan-wook Park; story by Garon Tsuchiva
Munich, screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth; based on the book by George Jonas
ThrillerFest VIII Registration Is Open!
ThrillerFest VIII: Registration is now available. We have a fabulous line-up of special guests this year, including:
2013 ThrillerMaster: Anne Rice
Anne Rice is one of America’s most read and celebrated authors, Anne Rice is known for weaving the visible and supernatural worlds together in epic stories that both entertain and challenge readers. Her books are rich tapestries of history, belief, philosophy, religion, and compelling characters that examine and extend our physical world beyond the limits we perceive.
Anne lives and works in California. Anne’s life experiences and intellectual inquisitiveness provide her with constant inspiration for her work.
2011 ThrillerMaster: R. L. Stine
R. L. Stine is the author of over 330 books for children. His Goosebumps, Fear Street, and other book series have sold nearly 400 million copies around the world, making him one of the best-selling children’s authors in history. Stine is a three-time winner of the Nickelodeon Children’s Choice Award and a recipient of the American Library Association Award.
Spotlight Guest: Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly is the author of the recent #1 New York Times bestsellers The Drop, The Fifth Witness, The Reversal, The Scarecrow, The Brass Verdict, and The Lincoln Lawyer, as well as the bestselling Harry Bosch series of novels. He is a former newspaper reporter who has won numerous awards for his journalism and his novels. He spends his time in California and Florida.
Spotlight Guest: T. Jefferson Parker
T. Jefferson Parker is the bestselling author of twenty novels, including L.A. Outlaws and Storm Runners. His novels, Silent Joe and California Girl both won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Along with Dick Francis and James Lee Burke, he is one of only three two-time recipients of the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Parker lives with his family in Southern California.
Spotlight Guest: Michael Palmer
Michael Palmer is the author of 18 novels of medical and political suspense, all New York Times Best Sellers. His books have been translated into forty languages. Palmer was educated at Wesleyan University and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. His most recent novel, Political Suicide was released in December, 2012. His book Extreme Measures was made into the hit film of the same name starring Hugh Grant, Gene Hackman, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Palmer also works with the Massachusetts Medical Society’s Physician Health Services, helping doctors with physical and mental illness, as well as drug dependence and alcoholism.
2013 Silver Bullet Award Recipient: Steve Berry
Steve Berry is the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author of The Columbus Affair, The Jefferson Key, The Emperor’s Tomb, The Paris Vendetta, The Charlemagne Pursuit, The Venetian Betrayal, The Alexandria Link, The Templar Legacy, The Third Secret, The Romanov Prophecy, and The Amber Room. His books have been translated into 40 languages with more than 15 million printed copies in 51 countries. They consistently appear in the top echelon of The New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestseller lists.
Other special guests will be announced soon. 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 55 agents attending AgentFest. Read about the success stories under the AgentFest tab.
ThrillerFest: We’re planning on some fabulous panels, workshops, and lectures for ThrillerFest this year. Stay tuned for more details.
Banquet: Please join us at the annual Saturday night banquet for the presentation of the Thriller Awards and other fabulous 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. D.L. Wilson is our VP of National Events, D.P. Lyle, MD returns as CraftFest Director, Boyd Morrison is AgentFest Director, and Kimberley Howe returns as Executive Director. If we can answer questions or help out in any way, please touch base anytime.
We look forward to seeing you next July 10-13 in NYC!
D.L. Wilson
Vice President of National Events
Kimberley Howe
Executive Director, ThrillerFest
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
Fiction: Serial Novels (mass market paperback)
Watchlist: Two Serial Thrillers in One Killer Book
Imagine a literary jam session with 22 of your favorite masters of pulse-pounding fiction and you have WATCHLIST: Two Serial Thrillers in One Killer Book.
Jeffery Deaver conceived of the characters and put the plot into motion and Jim Fusilli leant a sharp editorial eye, finely orchestrating this chorus of suspense that includes such top writers as Lee Child, Joseph Finder, Lisa Scottoline, Gayle Lynds, P.J. Parrish and many others.
In the first novella, The Chopin Manuscript, former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton possesses a previously unknown score by Frederic Chopin. But he is unaware that, locked within its handwritten notes, lies a secret that not threatens the lives of thousands of Americans. As he races from Poland to America to uncover the mystery of the manuscript, Middleton will be accused of murder, pursued by federal agents, and targeted by assassins. But the greatest threat will come from a shadowy figure from his past: the man known only as Faust.
Harold Middleton returns in The Copper Bracelet-the explosive sequel to The Chopin Manuscript-as he’s drawn into an international terror plot that threatens to send India and Pakistan into full-scale nuclear war. Careening from Nice to London and Moscow to Kashmir to prevent nuclear disaster, Middleton is unaware that his prey had changed and the act of terror is far more diabolical than he knows. Will her discover the identity of the Scorpion in time to halt an event that will pit the United States, China, and Russia against each other at the brink of World War III?
Dramatic tension ties the novellas together as each thriller titan leads the reader down dark alleys and around blind corners, saving the fireworks for the climactic endings, also crafted by Jeffery Deaver.
Fiction: Short Story Anthologies
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FEAR: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror – edited by R.L. Stine
Don’t turn out the lights. Don’t go out alone. And whatever you do, don’t let down your guard. Because your neighbors might seem normal, but why do they collect knives and eat their steaks so bloody? And when the boy of your dreams finally asks you out, why is there something so . . . lupine . . . about him? And if your brother’s fear of the dark is so childish, how do you explain those shadows creeping out of your closet?
In thirteen blood-chilling stories from true masters of suspense, including five New York Times bestselling authors and four Edgar Award nominees, nothing is what it seems, and no one is safe. . . .
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First Thrills: High-Octane Stories from the Hottest Thriller Authors
New York Times bestselling author Lee Child has teamed up with the International Thriller Writers for First Thrills, a showcase of many of the organization’s bestselling authors as well as rising stars in the genre. First Thrills includes never-before-published stories by New York Times bestselling authors including Lee Child, Stephen Coonts, Jeffrey Deaver, Heather Graham, Joan Johnston, John Lescroart, Alex Kava and Deb Carlin, Michael Palmer (with Daniel James Palmer), Karin Slaughter, and Wendi Corsi Staub. This collection also serves as a great introduction to those whom the ITW has christened its rising stars, including Sean Michael Bailey, Ken Bruen, Ryan Brown, Bill Cameron, Rebecca Cantrell, Karen Dionne, JT Ellison, Theo Gangi, Rip Gerber, Gregg Hurwitz, CJ Lyons, Grant Mackenzie, Marc Paoletti, Cynthia Robinson, and Kelli Stanley.
“Hands down one of the best short story collections you’re ever likely to read. In many short story collections, there are a few standouts. Here, nearly the entire lineup stands out. A masterful collection.”—Booklist, starred review
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Thriller 2: Stories You Can’t Put DownWhen some of the top thriller writers in the world came together in Thriller: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, they became a part of one of the most successful short-story anthologies ever published. The highly anticipated Thriller 2: Stories You Just Can’t Put Down is even bigger. From Jeffery Deaver’s tale of international terrorism to Lisa Jackson’s dysfunctional family in the California wine country to Ridley Pearson’s horrifying serial killer, this collection has something for everyone. Twenty-three bestselling and hot new authors in the genre have submitted original stories to make up this unforgettable blockbuster.
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Featuring North America’s foremost thriller authors, Thriller is the first collection of pure thriller stories ever published. Offering up heart-pumping tales of suspense in all its guises are thirty-two of the most critically acclaimed and award-winning names in the business. From the signature characters that made such authors as David Morrell and John Lescroart famous, to four of the hottest new voices in the genre, this blockbuster will tantalize and terrify.
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Non-Fiction: Essays
Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads
Fiction: Serial Novels
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Imagine a literary jam session with 22 of your favorite masters of pulse-pounding fiction and you have WATCHLIST: Two Serial Thrillers in One Killer Book.Jeffery Deaver conceived of the characters and put the plot into motion and Jim Fusilli leant a sharp editorial eye, finely orchestrating this chorus of suspense that includes such top writers as Lee Child, Joseph Finder, Lisa Scottoline, Gayle Lynds, P.J. Parrish and many others. Dramatic tension ties the novellas together as each thriller titan leads the reader down dark alleys and around blind corners, saving the fireworks for the climactic endings, also crafted by Jeffery Deaver.
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Audio Books
Former war crimes investigator Harold Middleton must once again crack a secretive global conspiracy in this new international thriller penned by a dream team of top-selling authors, including Jeffery Deaver, Lisa Scottoline, Lee Child, and Joseph Finder. Download the complete, unabridged audiobook today.
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