The day the publishing deal for my debut thriller, NOT A GOOD MOTHER, was announced was an absolutely surreal day for me. It took me years to get here and some of the most important steps that I had taken along the way were to build a writing community, attend conferences, take specific courses to improve my craft, participate in writing contests and read widely both within my genre and outside of it.
How the Idea for my Debut Novel Originated
The idea for my debut novel, which is a thriller centered around motherhood, originated while I was on maternity leave with my first child in 2021. I had moved to Canada from India only a couple of years ago and I was gradually settling down in a new country. I realized how fulfilling motherhood was but also how isolating it could be, especially for a new immigrant.
Mothers are constantly looking for social connections to make motherhood less lonely. And it can be so easy to trust someone without realizing what their true intentions might be.
The idea was so consuming that I wrote feverishly during my baby’s naps, drawing on my own intense postpartum emotions to weave into the narrative. In three months, I had completed the first draft of the novel. Since this wasn’t the first manuscript that I written, I knew that there was a lot more work ahead.
After completing the first draft, I started the long process of revising and editing the manuscript with the help of critique partners and beta readers. I also continued to learn a lot about the publishing industry by listening to writing podcasts and reading about the experiences of agented and published authors. In 2023, I started querying NOT A GOOD MOTHER. Almost immediately, I got a lot of full manuscript requests. However, despite gathering positive feedback, I didn’t get an offer that year.
Receiving the ThrillerFest Scholarship
Towards the end of the year, I realized that I had never attended a writer’s conference before and attending ThrillerFest had always been a dream of mine. I greatly admired the authors and speakers who headed the panels and lectures, and it would be an amazing experience to be able to network with the various publishing professionals who usually attended the conference. I decided to apply for the ThrillerFest scholarship and as part of the application process, I submitted the concept and first chapter of my novel.
The day I received the email from the ThrillerFest committee offering me the scholarship was one of the best days of my life. I couldn’t believe that I was finally going to be attending this premier conference in person. In the days leading up to the conference in New York, I was definitely nervous but determined to make the most of the opportunity. I practiced my pitch since I knew I would have a chance to meet literary agents and editors in person. And I also looked up the various panels and talks that I wanted to attend, especially because it was such a packed agenda and I didn’t want to miss out on anything.
Attending the Conference
From the time I checked in to the hotel in New York to the moment I boarded the flight back to Toronto was an absolutely exhilarating experience. It was during a writing exercise as part of the Masterclass headed by Donald Maass that I ended up tweaking the first line of my novel and finally landed upon the perfect opening. I was so grateful to be able to attend panels and lectures led by great thriller authors such as Clare Macintosh, C.J. Tudor, Hank Philippi Ryan, Alex Finlay, R.L. Stine, S.A. Cosby, Jean Kwok, Sarah Pekannen and so many others.
Every single lecture taught me something new from tricks around foreshadowing to detailing out realistic characters to ramping up the suspense in thrillers. Listening to Louise Penny’s interview during the conference left me feeling especially inspired. She shared how being shortlisted for the CWA Debut Dagger award had ended up changing her life. In 2024 I had also been shortlisted for the same award. Her story left me feeling hopeful and like I was on the right path towards my dream of getting published.
Attending the pitch sessions with literary agents and editors was extremely motivating. It was particularly enthralling to listen to the speeches by renowned authors who were recognized during the ThrillerFest Awards Ceremony and the Banquet dinner. It was so incredible to be able to attend the entire conference with the other Scholarship recipients.
Ultimately, it was so energizing to be surrounded by other writers who were all so passionate about the craft of writing. I left the conference feeling like a true writer, someone who was finally taking actionable steps to get closer and closer to my dream of getting published.
Getting the Book Deal
At the same time as I attended the conference, I was also submitting to writing contests. Being shortlisted in prominent contests helped me get the attention of literary agents, and ultimately helped me towards my goal of signing with a literary agent. Something that particularly helped me while querying was to constantly revise and polish my manuscript based on the feedback I’d received from agents who had passed on the novel.
Over the years, it has been challenging to make time for writing between my full-time job and parenting my children. Staying connected to the writing community either through conferences or regular meetings with my writing group has helped me keep the momentum going. I also try to squeeze in bits of writing whenever I can, from making notes during my work commute to getting in quick writing sprints during my children’s naps.
It was finally in 2025, after years of trying to get published, that I got my book deal for NOT A GOOD MOTHER. The book will be published in 2027 by HarperCollins US, Simon & Schuster Canada and Bedford Square Press.
Tips for ThrillerFest Scholarship Applicants and Attendees
If you’re applying for the ThrillerFest scholarship, I would encourage you to be very clear on why you wish to attend the conference and what you’re hoping to gain from the experience. When I applied, I was keen to further build my network in the thriller writing community, and gain first-hand knowledge from other authors, literary agents and editors.
If you’re attending Thrillerfest for the first time, I would advise you to keep an open mind and try and learn as much as possible. There are so many networking opportunities apart from the panels, talks and sessions, and you’d want to make the most of those. Having your name tag on you helps people easily remember you and vice versa. And don’t forget to carry a thick notebook because I guarantee you that you will be learning so much every day and you want to be able to note it all down for easy reference later.
I’m so thankful to ThrillerFest for the scholarship and wonderful experience and so look forward to coming back to the conference again in the future.
