Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Thrillerfest 2010 starts now!!!



thrillerfest-logo-V-480.jpgThe 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