March 23 – 29: “Have international novels evolved in recent years?”

This week the Thriller Roundtable is going international! Join ITW Members Jean Heller, J. H. Bográn, Anderson Harp, Susan Froetschel, Shelley Coriell and Alan Field as they discuss the question: “Have international novels evolved in recent years?”

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Most of Jean Heller’s career was as an investigative and projects reporter and editor in New York City, Washington, D.C. and St. Petersburg Florida. Her career as a novelist began in the 1990s with the publication of the thrillers, “Maximum Impact” and “Handyman” by St. Martin’s Press. Then life intervened and postponed her new book, “The Someday File,” to publication in late 2014. Jean has won the Worth Bingham Prize, the Polk Award, and is an eight-time Pulitzer Prize nominee.

J. H. Bográn, born and raised in Honduras, is the son of a journalist. He ironically prefers to write fiction rather than fact. José’s genre of choice is thrillers, but he likes to throw in a twist of romance into the mix. His works include novels and short stories in both English and Spanish. He’s a member of the Short Fiction Writers Guild, Crime Writer’s Fiction and the International Thriller Writers. He lives in Honduras with his family and a “lucky” dog.

Anderson Harp is the author of the military thrillers “Retribution” and “Born of War” (Kensington). He served in the Marines, taught artic survival, mountaineering, and was stationed around the globe. He created the USO’s Operation Thriller. He is a recipient of the Non-Sibi Sed Patriae Lifetime Achievement Award. His writing has also appeared in The Huffington Post, CNN Larry King Live, NewsMax and The Big Thrill.

Susan Froetschel (East Lansing, MI) is the author of four previous novels—FEAR OF BEAUTY (also set in the same village of Afghanistan), ALASKA GRAY, INTERRUPTIONS, and ROYAL ESCAPE. In addition, she has written articles for the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, Barron’s, and many other publications. She has taught writing and journalism at Yale University and Southern Connecticut State University, and she currently writes and edits for YaleGlobal Online, based at Yale University’s Macmillan Center.

Shelley Coriell is an award-winning author of romantic suspense and novels for teens. Her debut romantic thriller, The Broken, was named one of the Best Romances of Summer 2014 by Publishers Weekly and a Top Pick/4.5 Stars by Romantic Times Book Reviews. An avid foodie and former restaurant reviewer, Shelley lives in Arizona with her family and the world’s neediest rescue weimaraner.

Alan Field, new to the ITW, hopes to make a splash with his first urban thriller, The Chemist, that revolves around a weapon of mass destruction and the person who created it. Alan has written short stories starting from age 10, but this is the first work he wishes to publish. While practicing law for twenty years, Alan fathered four children. He is also an accomplished music composer and arranger who resides in New Jersey.