THRILLERFEST VII REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

This year, spotlight guests will include 2012 ThrillerMaster Jack Higgins, 2011 ThrillerMaster R.L. Stine, Lee Child, John Sandford, and Catherine Coulter, along with 2012 True Thriller Award Recipient Ann Rule,  2012 Silver Bullet Award recipient Richard North Patterson, and 2011 Silver Bullet Award recipient, Karin Slaughter.

REGISTER NOW! You won’t want to miss the most spectacular conference for thriller writers and thriller fans on the planet!

2012 ThrillerMaster: Jack Higgins

Jack Higgins is among the world’s most popular authors. Since the publication of The Eagle Has Landed–one of the biggest-selling thrillers of all time–every novel he has written has become an international bestseller, including The White House Connection and Day of Reckoning. He has had simultaneous number-one bestsellers in hardcover and paperback, and has been published in thirty-eight languages worldwide. Many of his books have been made into successful movies, among them The Eagle Has Landed, To Catch A King, and The Valhalla Exchange. He lives in Jersey in the Channel Islands.

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: Lee Child

Lee Child was born in 1954 in Coventry, England, but spent his formative years in the nearby city of Birmingham. By coincidence he won a scholarship to the same high school that JRR Tolkien had attended. He went to law school in Sheffield, England, and after part-time work in the theater he joined Granada Television in Manchester for what turned out to be an eighteen-year career as a presentation director during British TV’s “golden age.” During his tenure his company made Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown, Prime Suspect, and Cracker. But he was fired in 1995 at the age of 40 as a result of corporate restructuring. Always a voracious reader, he decided to see an opportunity where others might have seen a crisis and bought six dollars’ worth of paper and pencils and sat down to write a book, Killing Floor, the first in the Jack Reacher series. Killing Floor was an immediate success and launched the series which has grown in sales and impact with every new installment.

Spotlight Guest: John Sandford

John Sandford is the pseudonym of John Roswell Camp, an American author and journalist. Camp won the Pulitzer Prize in journalism in 1986, and was one of four finalists for the prize in 1980. He also was the winner of the Distinguished Writing Award of the American Society of Newspaper Editors for 1985.

Camp is the author of thirty-one published novels, all of which have appeared, in one format or another, on the New York Times Best-Seller lists. He is also the author of two non-fiction books, one on plastic surgery and one on art. His books have been translated into most European languages, as well as Japanese and Korean.

Spotlight Guest: Catherine Coulter

Catherine Coulter wrote her first novel to pass time aboard the ark. She realized writing novels was not only fun, it had the added advantage of earning enough money to feed the cats. She alternates writing suspense thrillers with historical romances to keep her brain unconstipated.  To date, she’s written 67 novels, 62 of which have hit the New York Times bestseller list. Her wildly popular FBI series now includes 16 thrillers and thankfully, she says, she sees no end in sight.

Given the incredible insanity of the publishing industry, Coulter thinks the best antidote is a lot of drinking and a big sense of humor.

2012 True Thriller Award Recipient: Ann Rule

Ann Rule is the author of 30 New York Times bestsellers, all of them still in print. A former Seattle police officer, she knows the crime scene firsthand. She is a certified instructor for police training seminars and lectures to law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and forensic science organizations, including the FBI. For more than two decades, she has been a powerful advocate for victims of violent crime. She has testified before U.S. Senate Judiciary subcommittees on serial murder and victims’ rights, and was a civilian adviser to the VI-CAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program). A graduate of the University of Washington, she holds a Ph.D. in Humane Letters from Willamette University.

2012 Silver Bullet Award Recipient: Richard North Patterson

Richard North Patterson is the author of The Devil’s Light, In the Name of Honor, The Spire, and sixteen other bestselling and critically acclaimed novels. Formerly a trial lawyer, he was the SEC liaison to the Watergate special prosecutor and has served on the boards of several Washington advocacy groups. He lives in Martha’s Vineyard, San Francisco, and Cabo San Lucas with his wife, Dr. Nancy Clair.

2011 Silver Bullet Award Recipient: Karin Slaughter

Karin Slaughter is the number one international bestseller of several novels, including the Grant County series. A long-time resident of Atlanta, she splits her time between the kitchen and the living room.

The Silver Bullet Award was created by the International Thriller Writers in conjunction with Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) to recognize outstanding and meritorious achievement in the pursuit of literacy and the love of reading. Past recipients include authors Sandra Brown, R.L. Stine, David Baldacci, publisher Tom Doherty, actor Tony Plana (UGLY BETTY), the Nestle Company, Capital One, and Macy’s.

ThrillerFest VII offers something for everyone:

CraftFest — New York Times bestselling authors will share their secrets on the craft of writing.

AgentFest — The 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.  Special guests will be announced soon.

SPECIAL PRICING FOR A LIMITED TIME!

TO GET THE BEST DEAL, REGISTER ONLINE TODAY!

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

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A Welcome from ThrillerFest Directors D.P. Lyle, MD and Kimberley Howe

ThrillerFest VII registration is open, and we’re already gearing up for another unforgettable conference.  Regardless of whether this will be your first ThrillerFest or if you’ve attended the conference every year, we’d like to welcome you to join us July 11-14  at the Grand Hyatt in NYC.  We will be offering a wide array of panels, events, and parties that will appeal to everyone, including fans, aspiring authors, industry professionals, and ITW authors.

A few 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 be showcasing the 2012 ThrillerMaster Jack Higgins and the 2011 ThrillerMaster R.L. Stine along with spotlight guests Lee Child, John Sandford, Catherine Coulter, Ann Rule, 2011 Silver Bullet Recipient Karin Slaughter, and 2012 Silver Bullet Recipient Richard North Patterson.  We’ll also have counterterrorism expert David Major join 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 the ThrillerFest website.  Volunteering is a great way to meet people and get involved in ITW.

We’d also like to congratulate Kathleen Antrim on her new position as Co-President of ITW and Liz Berry on her new role as Executive Director of ITW.  This dynamic duo worked on ThrillerFest for the past five years, and Liz and Kathie will continue to blaze new trails for our organization.  Our fabulous Registrar, Dennis Kennett, will be continuing in his role this coming year, assisting you with any registration inquiries.

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!

Warmest regards,

D.P. Lyle, MD                                                           Kimberley Howe

VP National Events                                                   Executive Director, ThrillerFest

2012 CraftFest Director

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ThrillerFest 2011 – Our best event yet!

By Kimberly Howe

ThrillerFest VI delivered four days of non-stop action, setting new attendance records and gracing the Grand Hyatt with the best of the best in the genre. The eye-catching banners on the bustling streets of NYC caused a buzz, enticing both locals and tourists to join us and meet their favorite authors. People came from around the corner and from around the globe–including Australia, England, and Qatar–to celebrate the sixth year of ThrillerFest.

Over the week, our 2010 ThrillerMaster, Ken Follett, revealed his writing secrets along with tales of his publishing journey. Our 2011 ThrillerMaster, R.L. Stine, proved that not only could he give readers goosebumps, he could have everyone in stitches with stories of interactions with his pint-sized fans. Spotlight guests Robert Crais, Diana Gabaldon, and John Lescroart shared their personal stories, demonstrating the diversity of celebrated writers. All the attendees had a chance to meet these well-respected authors at the interviews, workshops, and signings.

For fans of spy novels, we had real-life CIA agents at ThrillerFest, detailing what it’s like to work in the field in foreign countries. Writers and fans flocked around these experts to ask questions about the modern-day life of a spy. Other special guests included the talented Margaret Atwood, who demonstrated her virtual signing technology, and our non-fiction honoree, Joe McGinniss, who shared his insights into the world of true crime.

The Debut Author breakfast was a huge hit, as 21 new authors were honored for their first foray into the thriller genre. Our Silver Bullet winner Karin Slaughter delivered a memorable keynote to a packed ballroom.

The Awards Banquet on Saturday night included an original parody of Kenny Roger’s “The Gambler” titled, “The Writer,” by Michael and Daniel Palmer, the Presidents’ report presented by ITW Co-President Douglas Preston, and of course the Thriller Awards.

For the first time, the future faces of publishing–students at NYU–met their favorite authors, joined in the workshops, and mingled with industry professionals. We also offered an advanced screening of Salvation Boulevard, a movie based on the book by ITW author Larry Beinhart, starring Pierce Brosnan, Ed Harris, Greg Kinnear, and Marisa Tomei.

Have you ever dreamed about writing a book? If so, CraftFest was the place to be, offering classes on writing from bestselling authors like Steve Berry, David Morrell, Phillip Margolin, Michael Palmer, and many more. For those writers who have finished a novel, we had over 60 agents keen to hear pitches at AgentFest, hoping to discover the next great author.

As ThrillerFest continues to grow and develop, we’ll work hard to maintain our innovative edge, seeking out new and exciting workshops and panels. If you were unable to join us this year, please make plans to book off July 11-14, 2012 for ThrillerFest VII. Special guests include 2012 ThrillerMaster Jack Higgins, John Sandford, Lee Child, and Ann Rule, to name just a few. We hope to see you there!

You might also enjoy reading these ThrillerFest 2011 accounts:

RT Book Reviews – “MYSTERY MONTH: GO INSIDE THE CIA AT THRILLERFEST 2011”

Readers Entertainment – Top Names Bring Big Thrills at ThrillerFest 2011”

Ian Walkley “ThrillerFest VI”

Jennifer Hillier – ThrillerFest 2011 – Day 1, ThrillerFest 2011 – Day 2

Publishers Weekly, Peter Cannon – “Bringing More Fear into the World: Thrillerfest VI ”

Publishers Weekly, Beyond Her Book – “ThrillerFest VI”

Photos by Janice Gable Bashman, Karen Dionne, Jennifer Hillier, Sheila English, Pascal Marco, Rob Neil, Alan Jacobson

And finally, if you weren’t able to attend ThrillerFest VI, or if you did, but missed some of the panels — or if you’d like to listen to what your favorite speakers had to say again — you’ll be delighted to know that CDs, MP3s, and DVDs from the CraftFest 2011 and ThrillerFest 2011 writers conference are now available for purchase. Recordings of ThrillerFests 2010, 2009, and 2008 are available as well.

2012 Thriller Awards – Now Open For Submissions!

LET THE COMPETITION BEGIN!

 International Thriller Writers is proud to announce its 2012 Thriller Awards Competition.

CLICK HERE for all the details.

BIG sale on Thrillerfest CD’s and MP3′s
Thrillerfest 2008 through 2010:

All MP3′s on sale for just $2.99 each!

CD’s only $3.99 each, and a full set recorded on 2 CD’s is now only $149!

Find out what you’ve been missing. Click here to get your copies today!