On My Way To ThrillerFest IX

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Last week I saw and met Night Ranger. I also saw and met Foreigner and Don Felder, in addition to seeing Styx perform. How could I possibly top this? Well, this week I’m going to New York City to spend time with and learn from some of the greatest writers in the world at ThrillerFest IX.

This annual conference, which is hosted by International Thriller Writers, is the premier destination for fans and writers of the mystery/thriller genre. It’s a who’s who of writers, including Lee Child, Michael Connelly, R.L. Stine, Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, T. Jefferson Parker, Linda Fairstein, Steven James, Donald Bain, Thomas B. Sawyer, Jon Land, M.J. Rose, and more. And the special guests include 2014 ThrillerMaster, Scott Turrow, 2013 ThrillerMaster, Anne Rice, and 2014 Silver Bullet recipient, Brenda Novak.

Here’s my ThrillerFest schedule for the week:

Monday

  • On Monday I’m attending an FBI seminar from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the NYC FBI headquarters where we’ll be taken on a tour through the facility and learn about how crimes are investigated and solved.

Wednesday & Thursday

  • On Wednesday and Thursday I’m attending 12 CraftFest seminars on writing and a cocktail party. The seminars will touch on a variety of topics, including firearms, creating memorable characters, finding your voice, etc. As for the cocktail party, who knows what I’ll learn there.

Friday & Saturday

  • On Friday and Saturday I’m attending 16 ThrillerFest panels on writing, a cocktail party and FanFest, an hour-and-a-half meet and greet between authors and fans. The writing panels will cover a wide range of topics, including themes and symbolism, navigating a self-published author career, writing an unforgettable ending, etc. And the cocktail party will cap off the week-long festivities for me.

Last year’s ThrillerFest exceeded my expectations by a mile. I learned so much from so many talented people, while making new friends and contacts at the same time. This year is looking like it’s going to top last year’s event, and I look forward to sharing all the great moments with you.

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