The April 2018 Edition of The Big Thrill

Read the stories that were in the April edition of The Big Thrill.

In this month’s cover story, Alison Gaylin talks about her up-to-the-minute suspense novel. Steve Berry takes us behind the scenes of his new Cotton Malone novel and why it’s different than any other. And Heather Graham, Lee Goldberg, Mary Sharratt, Charles Salzberg, and Dawn Ius discuss the creative choices that fuel their fiction.

In “Trend Report,” we look at what’s new in the genre of true crime. In “Author Guided Tour,” Brian Andrews reveals the secrets of the ultimate doomsday bunker, while in “Africa Scene,” C. M. Elliott discusses her Zimbabwe-set series.

Philip Kerr, the chosen subject of this month’s “International Thrills” column, sadly passed away before the interview for The Big Thrill was completed. We pay tribute to Philip’s work, and his latest novel, in the column.

This month we’re pleased to share not one but two debut author spotlights:  Gwen Florio interviews August Thomas and Shannon Kirk interviews Clarissa Goenawan.

Other don’t-miss interviews: Linda Sands, Carrie Rubin, Michael Bradley, Don Helin, and many more.

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

SPECIAL FEATURES

• Between the Lines: Alison Gaylin by A. J. Colucci
• Turning Point: Steve Berry by Nancy Bilyeau
• Trend Alert: The Truth About True Crime by Dawn Ius
• Author Guided Tour: Brian Andrews at Atlas F Missile Silo
• Up Close: Heather Graham by April Snelling
• Up Close: Lee Goldberg by R. G. Belsky
• Up Close: K. J. Howe by Dawn Ius
• Up Close: Dawn Ius by Nancy Bilyeau
• Up Close: Mary Sharratt by Dawn Ius
• Up Close: Charles Salzberg by Wendy Tyson
• International Thrills: A Tribute to Philip Kerr by Nancy Bilyeau
• Africa Scene: C. M. Elliott by Michael Sears
• Debut Spotlight: August Thomas by Gwen Florio
• Debut Spotlight: Clarissa Goenawan by Shannon Kirk

INTERVIEWS

• Sister in Law by M. R. Morgan
• Three Strikes, You’re Dead by Elena Hartwell
• The Bone Curse by Carrie Rubin
• Lessons in Chasing the Wild Goose by Charlie Cochrane
• The Uninvited Corpse by Debra Sennefelder
• The Children’s Game by Max Karpov
• Wrath by Tom Lowe
• Bitch Out of Hell by Diana Deverell
• The God Machine by Ken Newman
• Precious Cargo by Linda Sands

NEW RELEASES

• Follow You Down by Michael Bradley
• Bluff by Michael Kardos
• Exacting Justice by TG Wolff
• Texas Two-Step by Michael Pool
• Damnation by Peter Beck
• Long Walk Home by Don Helin
• Call to Arms by Rachel Amphlett
• The Bad Break by Jill Orr
• Man on Ice by Humphrey Hawksley
• Malicious by Jacob Stone
• A Dying Note by Ann Parker
• Dead Guy in the Bathtub by Paul Greenberg
• Without Warning by Desiree Holt
• Empty Promises by James M. Jackson
• Dog & Bitch Island by Robert Blake Whitehill
• Phoenix Burning by Isabella Maldonado
• There Once Was A Child by Debra Webb
• Playing with Bonbon Fire by Dorothy St. James
• City of Sharks by Kelli Stanley

Coming Next Month

The latest thrillers from Jenny Milchman, Brian Hittle, R.G. Belsky, Patricia Rosemoor, Mariah Fredericks, Jon Land, Raymond Benson, April Snellings, Alex Segura, Eric Beetner, Jeffery Hess, Marty Wingate, S A Stovall, Alethea Kontis, David Ahern, Linda Poitevin, Erica Miner, Steven Hartov, Sasscer Hill, Bob Mayer, Robin Yocum, Alan Orloff, Larry D. Sweazy, Amelia Brunskill, Ann Simas, Sanjida Kay, Judy Penz Sheluk and many more!

ITW’s Online Thriller School: Starts Monday, April 2nd!

Seven weeks!
Seven bestselling authors!
Seven LIVE video instruction sessions!

Last year’s Thriller School was a great success and students came away with many new skills for their writing tool box. And this year will be just as useful to writers of all skill levels.

This year’s seven-week program begins April 2nd, 2018, and as before, the craft of thriller writing will be front and center. Each instructor will teach an aspect of craft though a real-time Facebook Live video available exclusively to the students who are registered for the Online Thriller School.

Click Here to Learn More

ThrillerFest XIII: Advance Registration is Open!

Your ThrillerFest team proudly announces that the 2018 conference, held at the Grand Hyatt, New York City from July 10-14, will include:

• 2018 ThrillerMaster George R.R. Martin
• 2018 Silver Bullet Award James Rollins
• 2017 ThrillerMaster Lee Child
• 2017 Silver Bullet Award Lisa Gardner
• 2018 Spotlight Guest Megan Abbott

ATF Pre-Conference Workshop: Presented by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Add authenticity to your thrillers! The pre-conference ATF Workshop is a limited attendance event on the day before the main elements of the ThrillerFest conference. The cost is $150 which includes morning coffee service. Lunch is on your own during a 1.5 hour break. Space is limited and has previously sold out quickly. The workshop will be held at the Grand Hyatt.

Master CraftFest: This one-day intensive writing program allows your instructor to focus on your craft and your story. Everyone is welcome, from beginning writers to well-established authors. Teachers for Master CraftFest 2018 include top-selling members of ITW who will work with you in a small class setting. Instructors this year will be Steve Berry, Gayle Lynds, Grant Blackwood, F. Paul Wilson, Don Maass, Steven James, DP Lyle, and others. Space is limited, so sign up soon.

CraftFest: Learn the craft of thriller writing from the best in the genre! Hone your thriller writing skills on many topics to provide you with the tools needed to take your writing to the next level. Special feature: CareerFest! Now that you’ve written that sparkling manuscript, where do you go from there? You don’t want to miss it!

PitchFest: You asked for a time dedicated to pitching your projects to agents, editors, publishers, and producers – we listened! Face-to-face pitching with top agents who are actively looking for new thriller writer clients. Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity. Purchase an admittance package that includes PitchFest.

ThrillerFest: Spotlight guests, extraordinary programming, author book signings, and camaraderie. Includes the ThrillerFest Grand Opening Reception on Thursday evening.

Thriller Award Banquet: 2018 ThrillerMaster George R.R. Martin will receive his ThrillerMaster Lifetime Achievement award, introduced by 2017 ThrillerMaster Lee Child. 2017 Silver Bullet Award Lisa Gardner will present the 2018 Silver Bullet Award to James Rollins. All Thriller Award Winners will be announced. Fun, entertainment, and before and after cocktail parties!

Register Today!

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 April. You won’t want to miss it!

April 2 – 8: “In the spirit of ‘spring cleaning,’ how do you scour your manuscript?”
April 9 – 15: “If the hero is only as good as his or her enemy, how do you create the antagonist?”
April 16 – 22: “What kind of reading material do you select while writing a new draft?”
April 23 – 29: “The late John Gardner suggested that all stories boil down to either, someone went on a journey or a stranger comes to town. Do you agree? At their very core, how do you view your thrillers?”

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

The Neverending Book Giveaway

If 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!