Thrillerfest 2010 starts now!!!

The 5th Annual ThrillerFest convention begins on Wednesday July 7 and extends until Saturday July 10. 

The event is split into 3 different events.  First, CraftFest with detailed seminars on writing.  AgentFest whic is organized like a speed dating event and enables debut authors are given the chance to meet with various literary agents (which is a major highlight and been considered an extremely helpful event at ThrillerFest). To read more about the specific agents that have signed up for AgentFest and authors' success stories, visit the AgentFest site. Third,  Awards Banquet where authors, literary agents and publishers celebrate the winners of the 2010 Thriller Awards.  ThrillerFest is organized by the International Thriller Writers Inc.

Registration is still open -- you can sign up for all three events or just whichever event you're interested in.  For registration help, call from 636-938-7163 from 10 am to 5 pm Central Time  to speak to the ThrillerFest Registrar Dennis Kennett.

ThrillerFest at Grand Hyatt Hotel New York

109 East 42nd Street at Grand Central Terminal
New York, NY 10017

I attended ThrillerFest 2009 and it was one of the highlights of my year.  The CraftFest discussions were particularly enjoyable and enlightening.  I found it a unique experience to hear some of my favorite authors talk about the craft of writing, the things that they considered when creating their characters and their novels.  I also enjoyed meeting the many different attendees. There are debut authors, writers working on their first novels, bestselling writers, and people that love to read thrillers and detective novels.

Here are just a few of the many classes, panels, and talks that I'm looking forward to attending.  I some of them conflict - but don't they all sound fascinating?! 

CraftFest classes:

David Morrell - The Pros and Cons of the First Person Viewpoint
David Hewson - Keeping a Book Diary: Simple Secrets That Can Keep Your Book on Track
William Bernhart - The Character-Driven Thriller
Lisa Gardner - Successful Rewriting: Paring Down and Fleshing Out
D.P. Lyle, M.D.  - The Psychology of Character Motivation
R.L. Stine - The World of YA Publishing: The Top 10 and the Flop 10
Douglas Preston - Using Non-Fiction Techniques to Write that Break-Out Thriller
Michael Palmer - From Soup  to Nuts: Creating a Thriller From First Notion to Completion
John Gillstrap - Broken Bones, Ballistics and Backdrafts: Technical Stuff That Writers Should Get Right
Lisa Scottoline - How to Write a Thriller
Donald Maass - What Makes A Hero?

CraftFest Panels:

Alex Kava, JT Ellison and Erica Spindler discuss "Creating Authentic Tough, Smart, Female Protagonists"
Sophie Littlefield, Carla Buckley and Barbara Poelle hold a Setting Workshop on "Creating a Sense of Place"
Dakota Banks, Allison Brennan, Heather Graham, Christopher Golden, Jonathan Maberry, Dave Sakmyster discuss "Why Be Normal If You Can Be Paranormal?"
Allen Wyler, Julie Kramer, Deborah LeBlanc, A. Scott Pearson, Rick Reed, Wendy Corsi Staub discuss "Are You Your Main Character?"
Wendi Corsi Staub, Steve Berry, Grant Blackwood, Eric Van Lustbader, John Lutz, Carla Neggers, and Ridley Pearson discuss "Why Do Thrillers Kick Ass?"

For the complete schedule, visit the ThrillerFest website at http://www.thrillerwriters.org/thrillerfest/index.html

Friday 56: Week 49

Rules:
* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to this blog and to Storytime with Tonya and Friends at http://storytimewithtonya.blogspot.com/
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Here's mine from The King's Mistress: A Novel  by Emma Campion.   I just received the book this week and am very excited to start reading!

Here's the blurb:

Like most girls of her era Alice is taught obedience in all things.  At the age of fourteen, she marries the man her father chooses for her, dutifully accepting the cost of being torn from the family she holds so dear and losing the love of her mother forever.  Despite these heartbreaks Alice finds that merchant Janyn Perrers is a good and loving husband and the two settle into a happy life together.  Their bliss is short-lived, however, unraveled the dark day a messenger appears at Alice's door and notifies her of Janyn's sudden disappearance.

In the wake of this tragedy, Alice learns that her husband kept many dangerous secrets -- secrets that have resulted in a price on her head and that of her beloved daughter.  Her only chance to survive lies in the protection of King Edward and Queen Philippa, but she therefore must live at court as a virtual prisoner.  When she is singled out by the king for more than just royal patronage, the stakes are raised.

Emma Campion paints a colorful and thrilling portrait of the court of Edward III -- with all of its extravagance, scandalous love affairs, political machinations, and murder -- and the devastating results of being singled out by the royal family.  At the center of the storm is Alice, surviving by her wits in this dangerous world where the choices are not always of their own making.  Emma Campion's dazzling novel shows that there is always another side to the story.

Here's my Friday 56:

I loved her.  I felt foolish for not having understood that she was not a grand horse.  I turned away from him and prayed that I might gain my composure.

June Giveaway Winners

         

     

The Knight Life: "Chivalry Ain't Dead" by Keith Knight

ozzie13326

terrymac1a

War by Sebastian Junger

book.dmkayes

amy.m

lcintocable

Fever Dream by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston

Dzenrei57

lvsgund

Christinewomackcm

Innocent by Scott Turow

candc320

ybutler

kalea_kane


 Montana Destiny by R.C. Ryan

alliwantandmorebooks

castings

usignolc

gcwhiskas 

chey127

Congratulations! I've notified the winners and they have until Tuesday evening  to send me their mailing addresses.  Thanks so much to Hatchette Book Group for generously sponsoring these giveaways and to everyone for participating!