Some Special Updates

Good last-Monday-of-April all! I hope you are all ready for the May flowers, and to spread the word that beach reading season is coming. I have some fun and special announcements for you that I think you will enjoy and take part in.

First, we would love for you to show your support for our next release, Rick Chesler's Wired Kingdom. I have made up a pict, rightfully named 'Get Wired' that you can post on your Twitter, Facebook, Myspace or any other social networking account your heart desires. Head over to our Variance Wallpapers page and go all the way down to the bottom to download your copy. And, just in case you haven't seen it, be sure to check out the trailer:



For more on Rick, be sure to visit RickChesler.com where you can interact with him, join in WIRED KINGDOM promotional give-a-ways, and visit some of his favorite links.

Second, don't forget that submissions are open but will close this Friday at 5pm. Be sure to read the guidelines so you submit the best piece you can.

Lastly, the ITW is still accepting submissions for their romantic thriller anthology, THRILLER 3. If you are interested, be sure to read our past post all about it, Thriller 3 Participation. The doors will close on June 1st, so don't procrastinate!

Updates For Our Fans

Hey all,

Sorry I've been so out-of-touch lately. An abundance of stuff is going on here at Variance including laying out the GRIM REAPER ARC, working on the EUROSTORM final cover design (keep an eye out for a post soon on both), along with readying ourselves for the busy beach season!

Beyond that, our authors have been keeping busy too. Just yesterday Jeffrey Stephens was on another Blog Talk Radio show interviewed by Mr. Media. Jeff had a great time, it was an interesting interview, and thanks so much to Mr. Media for giving TARGETS OF DECEPTION a try (and liking it). Also, coming up, AJ Tata will be on the Today Show May 19 between 8-9am EST so set your DVR's and mark your calendars. Expect talks about his Threat series, including HIDDEN THREAT, the third book of the bunch. And don't worry... I'll remind you when we get closer =)>.

Talk to you soon!

EUROSTORM Cover - What Say Ye?

Good day all,

Post two for today, and this is a biggie. Thanks again to Larry Rostant (designer of SUDDEN and ROGUE THREAT (HIDDEN THREAT on the way) and SILVER) for another great illustration, EUROSTORM's Eurostar bullet train just jumps off the page ready to do 185mph into your hands!


And check out these two blurbs from a few top bestselling authors:

"I've been waiting 13 years for the return of Payne Harrison. Finally, he's back with another captivating gem. Eurostorm has it all: explosive, simmering action; plenty of bark and bite; treachery arriving on stage from all directions. Harrison's impressive talent is on full display. Don't miss this one."
-- Steve Berry, New York Times Bestselling Author of The EMPEROR'S TOMB

"Action-thriller master Payne Harrison makes a triumphant return to the genre he helped invent in EUROSTORM. After STORMING INTREPID, he turns his attention to a bullet train speeding through Europe at a breakneck clip perfectly aligned to the pace of this riveting tale. EUROSTORM is Die Hard done even harder, a must read for those who like their action served hot with no pause between courses."
-- Jon Land, Bestselling Author of STRONG JUSTICE

More should be on their way so keep your dial locked to the Variance ThrillerBlog for updates. Until then, what do you think? One of the best covers so far? I'd say it is certainly a contender. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Important Announcements

Hey Zealots,

One day left to the work week after today, so I hope that this helps you get that much closer to your weekend. Two very special items will be showcased today. The first is on HIDDEN THREAT (web page coming soon), book three of the THREAT series. Here is the mock-cover for your viewing pleasure:



As always, we have retained the services of Larry Rostant to do the final cover design (which should be done by the end of April). To view his past covers, visit the SUDDEN THREAT and ROGUE THREAT book pages.

Lastly, the WIRED KINGDOM trailer has been uploaded to YouTube, check it out!



So, what do you think? I hope you enjoyed it, but let us know!

As always, thank you for your continued support and we look forward to your comments on today's post.

Very Shiny SILVER Stuff

Hey folks,

SILVER has made another resurgence on the web, with another story to follow.

The first is from Stefan Linblad, artist and illustrator and had a little ditty to say about Steven Savile's masterpiece. Thanks so much for taking the time and posting your thoughts!

The second is perhaps some of the coolest stuff I've heard so far and I'll let Steve do the talking:

During his recent gig at the Dundee Rep (an intimate acoustic affair) James Grant was discussing his song Strange Flowers with the crowd, and explaining the history of the song (which is the title track of the new album) and how it was originally written for a Swedish vampire movie that was canceled, and then in typical vampiric fashion has returned to life, and linking on from that, mentioned his 'guest appearance' in Silver as the soundtrack to Noah's drive out to Nonesuch at the beginning of the book. As a long term (we're talking 20 years) fan of James' music dating back to his days as the front man of Love and Money all the way up to his latest album, I can't begin to explain just how surreal or exciting it was to get emails from some of the guys in the crowd over the weekend to let me know. Of course, in return, I'd urge you all to go and check out Strange Flowers...

Steve

Very cool! Thanks so much for sharing that, Steve. It is quite a moment that you should bask in for some time. Congrats.

Have you read SILVER and would like to tell us about it? Post it on your blog or website and 'comment' us the link. We look forward to seeing what you thought!

Thanks for reading. Talk soon.

WIRED KINGDOM IS HERE... To Sample!

Good Monday, folks!

The day is here so many of you have been waiting for - the final cover image and two-chapter sample to wet your whistle.



Here are a few blurbs too:

“A whale of a tale by first-time author Rick Chesler involving modern-day pirates, media moguls, and a sexy federal agent -- all chasing a cetacean-mounted camcorder and the crucial piece of evidence needed to resolve a murder.”
-- Steve Alten, NY Times bestselling author of GRIM REAPER and MEG

“WIRED KINGDOM is a fast-paced thriller that is one third deep-sea adventure, one third FBI sleuthing and one third awesome. A superb debut novel and killer concept.”
-- Jeremy Robinson, author of PULSE and INSTINCT.

The first chapter will hook you, no doubt - but the rest will keep you coming back for more! If you like sea-faring books, books on aquatic wildlife, more gadgets than you can shake a stick at, flawed characters, a severed limb and some deaths, this is the thriller of your dreams.

Please, let us know what you thought of the first two chapters here! Did this just solidify your purchase? It will be one of the best $8 purchases you make this year - without a doubt.

Oh, by the way, the teaser trailer will be ready for later this week so keep your dials locked on this channel!

A Few Pieces of Great News!

This week has certainly turned into a busy bunch of happenings - and that's no joke... get it, April Fool's?

Well any who, to start off Steven Savile has come up twice through some internet postings. First off, Jim McLeod reviewed SILVER on his blog, Ginger Nuts of Horror, and was in agreement with many others - that Savile's writing surpasses that of Dan Brown and James Rollins! No matter how many times we hear it, it still makes us feel lucky to have him on board. The second post was from Kent Holloway who was gracious enough to interview Steve. Thanks to Kent for taking the time - another great interview!

To finish, we have reopened submissions for the month of April. Be sure to check out the guidelines and send us your works of thriller fiction! For those of you who may still be waiting on an answer, we are working on narrowing the pack down from the last set of submissions. If it has been more than a few months since last correspondence please let us know so we can get back to you. We are working diligently trying to get the best titles out for the next year so your patience is greatly appreciated. Best of luck to you all!

As always, thank you for your continued support and word-of-mouth advertising. Have a great first day of April!