E-books, Get 'em While They're HOT!

Hey folks,

I've been working overtime to get you more of your favorite ebooks on other-than-Kindle readers. So, the three newest are MEG: Hell's Aquarium, SUDDEN THREAT, and ROGUE THREAT. For a complete list of all eight titles, visit our Smashwords profile and git to gittin' today.

For you Kindle readers, starting tomorrow a good portion of our library should be dropped to $4.99 (that's if nothing happens at Amazon that stops the procedure). They are great authors that deserve your readership so be sure to take a look! For a peek at what is getting repriced, follow the links:

Catalyst • Forge of the Gods • Red Moon • The Ascension

The Chronicles of Soone • The Nineveh Project • Violent Sands

Have you been waiting on an ebook of ours to come out in the multi-format Smashwords? Let us know what it is. We would love to hear what you would like to read next from our library.

A Few Amazing Reviews

A few books are back in the reviewer's limelight, folks, that I would like to share with you. The first one is on Targets of Deception, the Jeffrey Stephens CIA thriller which can be found at The American Reporter.

I enjoyed "Targets of Deception" for several reasons beyond the plot. The author took me to many cities I know, and to some, like Portofino, I do not. The taut description of characters was well-done, evoking for me the lure of both new and familiar faces. I liked Jordan Sandor for his simplicity and certainty, rare qualities in an age that complicates almost everything.

It is a great review (this is only a small portion, so be sure to check out the whole thing), and many thanks to The American Reporter and Joe Shea for your time and webspace.

Next, Wired Kingdom gets a huge boost from Geekscribe!

Remember when Michael Crichton was good? This is who I’m reminded of when I read Wired Kingdom. ... This is a summer page turner.

Wow, Crichton reminiscent? That is quite the comparison to Rick Chesler's debut. Thanks to Geekscribe and Jeffrey Kafer!

Of course, you can find either of these books at your local stores (if they don't have it in stock, they can be ordered) or you can order them through our Grassroots Program and save yourself money.

Enjoy and thanks for reading.

ThrillerFest V: Saturday Panels

Back to ThrillerFest V action peeps. Today we will just be talking about the panels, but we will be having a special entry just for the Debut Author Breakfast and Awards Banquet (probably, hopefully, next week when my dealer gets me my stuff so-to-speak).

The day started at the author breakfast, which as last year, was delicious and full of great banter. After breakfast, a crew of people met outside the banquet hall and when the dust settled all that remained was me, Aaron L. Brown, Jeremy Robinson, and Kevin Kaiser. Minutes later Kevin went off on a call and the remaining three of us went to the main lobby to talk about what we've experienced so far this year. Steve Alten ended up meeting us down there a short while later with Variance owner, Tim Schulte. Not to long after, Tim and Steve went off to another panel.

The morning went by in a flash, and up came lunch where the three amigos once again met up with Kevin to go to Grand Central for a bite to eat to make sure we were charged for the rest of the afternoon. Enter my first panel, stage left:

Is Science Thrilling? Where thrillers and the scientific frontier meet. Panel master: Hans Watford; Panelists: Steve Alten, Lori Andrews, Karen Dionne, Michael Palmer, William B. Scott

A lot of great content from this panel to help you science-thriller writers out there, but each author had their own way about doing things. So, take what you feel will help you, there is something here to do that for sure:

• Write about things you like to read, not what you know. Then research - best places seem to be on the internet and through email contacts who are knowledgeable in the subject.
• Writing about things you know makes an easier process
• Put in as much content as you are interested in, don't worry about talking up/down to the audience. If it is interesting to you, it will be interesting to others. No one ever got rich by underestimating the intellect of the public. Travel if you can for more authenticity.
• Be sure to use all resources available to you, not just the internet or people... maybe take a course on the subject.
• Don't fall in love with the science, be sure that they character always comes out #1 in your story.
• Be well-read
• Don't waste great gifts from people willing to help!
• If you and another author have the same background and they wrote a book... why can't you?
• Put content between chapters with big science to not take away from the pace of the book

This was an interesting panel with some top names to learn from.

The last panel I attended for the day was How Do You Make Your Career A Thriller? Panel master: Jeff Ayers; Panelists: Laura Caldwell, Stephen Coonts, Linda Fairstein (who could not attend), Joseph Finder, John Gilstrap, Chris Kuzneski

If you are looking to make the step to making your full-time job writing, this is an important one for you. You may know some of this, and this may not be the end all to making the plunge, but hopefully you get something out of this to get that much closer.

• Be fresh and different
• It helps if you lived in the experience that you write about
• Make your characters an avatar of what you would like to be or model them after people you know
• Write about what you want to know
• Write what you can imagine - then pull it off realistically with the flavor of authenticity.
• Humor - don't use it = WRONG
• The highest bidding publisher will do the best job on your book by having the most invested = WRONG
• Don't be what your not!
• Paperback originals are declining, there is less money in it for the stores and the space to place them in is declining (like newsstands!). **What can we do about this? We all need to learn to bring the books to the buyers, not the other way around**
• Expenses have shifted from the publisher to the author when it comes to the majority of the PR/networking - both parties need to do their part to make this a successful relationship

Once this panel ended, I along with Jeff Ayers, Jeremy Robinson and Chris Kuzneski went to the bar to chat before getting ready for the evenings Awards Banquet.

Once again, I would like to thank everyone for how generous they were, the hard work of the TF V staff, and to the rest of the unsung heroes that made the process such a great experience.

Keep your eyes open for next weeks (hopeful) post on the breakfast and dinner happenings. I'll get them up for you all to see as soon as I can.

As always, thanks for reading. Oh, and share with the audience if I've missed something from one of the above panels or one I couldn't attend.

David Sakmyster - Guest Blogger - First Glimpse

Welcome back to the guest blogger show! Just kidding, but thanks for returning to another session. Today's guest is author David Sakmyster.


Hi Thriller fans, this is a chapter I reluctantly had to exclude from the final version of THE PHAROS OBJECTIVE. It’s a stand-alone story – and can also serve as a teaser for the novel. I felt it was a great backstory for one of the secondary characters, full of emotion and tension, but in the end I just couldn’t find the right place in the book to include it, so… I’m grateful to have this chance for people to read it. Give it a look, and I hope you’ll go on to read and enjoy THE PHAROS OBJECTIVE. Thanks, David Sakmyster

First Glimpse

"I want to tell you one last story," his father had said to Caleb during the Fourth of July celebration. The night before he shipped off for Iraq, Caleb's father had brought him and his younger sister out to the hill overlooking Sodus Bay, a short distance from their home and its attached 19th-century lighthouse. The stars vanished as fireworks exploded into the night, pinwheeling in a bombastic display of sound and color, thrilling the viewers on the beach below. In his father's eyes, Caleb had seen the flowering explosions dimming, the lights fading to crimson embers. And as a melancholy look settled in, Caleb wondered if his father was peering across the world, finding his vision besieged by sandstorms, oil fires, roadside bombs and hundreds of rotting corpses. "It's the story of how I met the love of my life…" More fireworks, accompanied by blasts so intense his eyes began to water. Amid the thundering echoes, Caleb looked away from his father and focused on the beacon from their lighthouse, its beam flashing steadily into the night. Fifteen years later he would remember this story, and once again it would fill him with hope – that it wasn't all about his mother's obsessions. It wasn't all about the Pharos.

***

Helen meets him, the man of her dreams, on the day her father dies. It's not the most romantic of meetings. The introduction is tragic; she is disheveled, distraught. Her father has just fallen out of an apple tree on her family's orchard. It was a big orchard, and they had a dozen helpers coming to pick and twenty more working at the mill. A profitable business, the orchard supplied juices, sauce and apples all across the state and down to New York City as well. It was a business Helen's grandfather created, planting apple seeds on a patch of lakeside land that cost his entire savings. And now, her father sighs out his last breath into that soft earth. His neck is cracked, and his last vision is of his twenty-year old daughter in a billowing yellow dress staring open-mouthed at his twisted body. She doesn't scream. She doesn't even cry out. She just holds her father's stare until the life fades from his eyes, then she crumbles to her knees, crawls through the fallen apples and the bees and the worms and the bugs; she crawls to his side and she hugs him until someone else notices and raises a cry. Four hours later, she still hasn't changed her dress. Smashed apple pieces and tiny black pits are clinging to the fabric around her knees, and there's a thick layer of dirt under her nails. Unable to bear the presence of the coroner and her weeping uncles and aunts, she's gone for a walk, and finds herself across dusty Lake Road, heading toward the cliff – where that white picket fence, the small red cottage and the lighthouse have stood ever since she was a child. Docked below is a rusted old red and white ship that every so often makes its way out into the lake. It has a tiny oil lantern upon one mast, and occasionally, during very foggy nights, that beacon is lit as well, guiding incoming merchant ships to port. She enters the Crowe farm, owned by that old man, the widower. He has maintained the lighthouse for thirty years. Word has it that his son came home from college last month and is helping out. She didn't start out heading there, but the black clouds over the lake advanced faster than she could have imagined, menacing, firing off volleys of rain. And then darkness fell like a weighted curtain. In a pelting downpour, lost in whipping winds and deepening gloom, she focuses on one brilliant, flickering light – the beacon from that tall lighthouse, drawing her onward. She knocks at the door and looks up. Thirty feet over her head, the white tower stretches until merging with that dazzling light. She hears the grinding of the gears inside, the rain hammering uselessly against the lantern glass, the great bulb spinning around and around. It gives her comfort and warms her somehow, although she's down here on the muddy ground, soaking wet and shivering, her yellow dress dripping and her golden hair stuck to her face. Her hands are trembling, lips quivering. Bare feet are caked with mud. She knocks again, and he answers. Phillip. His eyes widen – but not much. Almost as if he's been expecting her. Does he already have a towel and a blanket in his hands? She can't remember, but the next few minutes are a blur. He brings her inside, to a small table and soft couch beside the spiral staircase. She notices many things at once, not the least of which is how handsome this young man is, the way his lower lip trembles as he touches her, the way his curly auburn hair falls over his eyes and he blushes as she sighs into his arms and leans on him as she walks. She notices the bookshelves, the hundreds of books sprawled about on card tables, shelves and just thrown around the floor. An old man is coughing somewhere in the next room, and Phillip calls out for him to make some tea. She looks into this young man's dark eyes and feels a sudden push at her back, a familiar touch as her father used to push her on the swing in the yard when she was little. She sighs, throws her arms about Phillip's neck, tells him "Thank you," and then releases the flood of tears and emotion she's been holding in all afternoon. Two cups of tea later, after old man Crowe has phoned her uncle and assured him of Helen's safety, she falls into a deep sleep on the couch, her head resting on Phillip's shoulder. But it's a fretful sleep, and not as deep as she would have expected. She is shown things, brought to places she's never seen before, and her consciousness is lifted to a height that's not quite dreaming, yet not awake. She mumbles, asking for a pencil and a pad of paper. And that's when it begins. Later on, years later, she'll tell her son and daughter that sometimes it's the tragic events in life that spark inner, untapped strengths. It's sickness, injury, madness and death that unlock these vaulted powers of consciousness. Some people manifest these talents in art and invention; just look at all the great painters and writers throughout the ages. Look at Van Gogh. See what happened to Poe. The best were those to whom fate was especially cruel. Maybe it was the same with her. Her father's death unleashed just such a power, freed some block in her inner vision, corrected her blind spots – and for some reason she started to truly see. As to what she saw, and why she drew that particular structure… Later, she would believe it was a foreshadowing of her life's great quest; but at that moment she felt it was simply her father's way of bringing her and her love together, matching her up with someone he trusted to look out for her. "What is it?" she whispers, looking from the pencil caught in her trembling fingers to the three-sectioned spire she's drawn rising up from crudely-etched waves. A huge mirror rests on the top of the tower, and flames dance in every direction while sailboats congregate around deadly reefs below. Phillip gasps and steps away. He looks from Helen's eyes to the paper, his brow furrowed in confusion. Outside, the rain has stopped, and a few lonely crickets have taken up a song. His father is sleeping somewhere upstairs, snoring softly, but all these noises pale, fading beneath the amplified sounds of Phillip rummaging through his books, pulling out one after another until finally settling on one large volume, which he slams onto a table and rifles through. He stops, turns to Helen and motions her closer. "Bring your drawing." She gets up slowly. The blanket falls from her shoulders as she steps over to him, one foot after the other. She feels completely under his power, aware of the cool air on her skin, prickling shivers of sensation running under her dress, the scent of cinnamon tea. She bites her lip as she comes closer, holding out her drawing, that strange vision produced from the dark corners of her mind. And she looks away reluctantly from his mesmerizing eyes to see his finger pointing to a full-page illustration under the heading: 'Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.' He starts talking about his classes in history, how he has just graduated and hopes to land a teaching job at the nearby state college. He also speaks of coincidence and destiny, things Helen has always scoffed at. It takes another minute of staring at the two pictures side by side until she realizes he has one hand on her arm and her free hand is grasping his, clenching it tight. Her lips mumble the words on the page. "Pharos – the Lighthouse of Alexandria." Phillip squeezes her back. "It was the topic of my thesis last year," he says quietly. "I know everything there is to know about it, and I've got theories about everything else." She looks into his eyes. "I've never seen it before in my life. Not even a picture!" He looks pale, white like he's seen a ghost. "I know," he says. "But at the same time, I think you've just seen it firsthand – something no one else has experienced for over eight hundred years. Why you've seen it, I have no idea, but something like this is too meaningful to be brushed off. You were brought to me, Helen. Somehow, for some reason, you were brought to me…" She starts to step away, uncertain, scared and confused. Her experiences with boys have been few and meaningless up until now. But once again, she feels that familiar push at her back, and she even hears the creaking of metal chains on that old swing. And so, she leans forward, toward his perfect face. And they kiss, and time stands still, poised like the minute-hand of a great clock before snapping forward. But in that tensing moment she sees the next five years of her life: the bittersweet marriage, two months later; then she sees the two of them placing flowers on her father's grave, before visiting the fresher grave of his father. She sees the rush of the days fly by, the walks on the beach, the sunset picnics atop the lighthouse, bringing him breakfast on campus before he teaches his classes, the way he holds her swelling belly; the cries of her son; then three years later – those of her daughter. Helen sees it all in that instant their lips touch, just as she sees him for the last time: standing before the full-length mirror in his uniform, straightening his cap before he kneels and kisses the children goodbye, and he reaches up to touch her chin…

***

Fifteen years later, Caleb sighed and slid his father's picture back into his wallet as he prepared to talk to his mother, to begin this latest project. This trip – unlike the other ones where they had been dragged to Florida or the Caribbean – at least had potential. Here, in Egypt, it was magic. This proximity to history – to the very places Caleb had only read about, holed up in his room with all his father's books. Fierce battles, astounding literary achievements and horrible persecutions had all taken place here in Alexandria over two thousand years ago. Caleb felt that if only he could slip back in time, it would all be there to experience first-hand. Helen believed she could. She believed they all could. Her psychic colleagues in The Morpheus Initiative claimed to have the talent too – the ability to reach into the folds of history and pluck out visions of the past. Sometimes they could even converse with the departed presences. At least that's what she told her children. Phoebe bought it all, every juicy claim, and hung on every word Helen spoke like it was Gospel. Caleb was far too skeptical, even at such a young age. He had a right to be. After the way she ignored his far more important visions – ones that actually spoke, called out, pleaded for help, from the one person that mattered. His father…



Remote-viewing is quite an interesting topic. If it is something that sparks your interest, be sure to pick up The PHAROS OBJECTIVE as he has a great story to tell, along with a section in the back that you will enjoy filled with facts and research. For more on Dave, be sure to visit him on

Facebook • Website • Blog • Scribd

Do you believe in ESP, sixth senses, remote viewing and other paranormal things? If so, we would love to hear the experience that made you a believer. Who knows, maybe there will be a fictionalized story made after you.

Paul Byers - Guest Blogger - Book Signings

Good morning, guest blog readers!

July 26th brings us Paul Byers. Some of you may have read past posts from him on here, but today's thoughts should bring you authors, and even fans, some enlightenment. I hope you enjoy!


When I started writing my book, Catalyst, little did I know the different journeys and paths it would lead me down. One of those paths and stops along the way, is doing book signings.

If you’ve seen the second National Treasure movie with, Nicholas Cage, there’s a scene where his sidekick has written a book and is doing a signing. He has a life-size cardboard cutout of himself and stacks and stacks of books piled all around; everything he needs for a successful signing, everything except for customers! That’s the way I felt when I set up my first signing in Borders (they have been great to me BTW). I had my folding card table, a couple of stacks of books and I wore my leather jacket figuring if you don’t know what you’re doing, at least look good. But as they say, it’s not so much the destination but the stops along the way. Since that first signing (I sold 11 and was ecstatic) I’ve improved my technique, added some eye catching props (a 4’tall practice bomb, eBay is a great thing) and have enjoyed meeting a lot of wonderful people. I don’t have a flashy signature like Sarah Palin (though I wish I did) so I try and write a line or two along with scribbling my name. It may sound funny but I try and give the person their money’s worth because not only are they spending their hard-earned cash on something I did, but they are investing their time in reading it as well.

But book signings are not always about selling books as I found out. I was sitting at my table when this little boy, wearing a shy but big smile, walked up and handed me a book and asked me to sign it for him. I took the book, looked at it, then looked at him and smile back. “I’d be happy too son, but I didn’t write this book.” He had handed me a book about dragons or something. “I know, that’s okay.” He replied, his smile never fading. What the heck I thought, why not, so I signed it. I enjoyed it as much as if it were my own book. Catalyst is a WWII spy thriller but has an aviation theme to it, so I made up some bookmarkers with pictures of different aircraft from the book, put my website on it and give them away. On several occasions people have stopped by and said they couldn’t afford the book but asked if I would sign a marker for them? It’s a little thing and kind of hard to explain but I took great pride in signing those markers.

There are so many stops along the signing trail but I will leave you with this one that I will never forget. I was doing a signing at Christmas time when a woman walks in with four children. They were on vacation and visiting from Australia. We got to talking and she brought her daughter over who I guess was about six. She told her, “Look honey, this man is a real life author, he writes books.” Her eyes lit up and she looked at me like I was Santa himself with a bag full of toys just for her. The lady eventually bought two books (Wow, now I’m an internationally known author!) and on their way out I signed markers for all her kids. As they left, the little girl looked at me again and exclaimed to her mother, “Mommy, I met a real-life author!” I was awed, flattered and humbled by that little girl’s reaction to something that I did. Being a writer, I have a vivid imagination, so I envision that that little girl will grow up someday to be a great writer and she will look back on her visit to America, and to that Sunday afternoon in a bookstore where she met a real life author and she can point to that moment as her inspiration. Corny, I know, but like I said, us writers see things just a little differently. It’s not the destination, but the stops along the way that matter.

Amen, Paul. Quite an inspiring, humbling story to keep us all thinking that life is what we make it. Thanks for sharing that.

For more on Paul, be sure to visit his website, friend him on Facebook, or check out his project, itisalive.com.

Authors, have any stories you'd like to share about a signing that sticks in your head? Likewise, fans, have anything you'd like to share about meeting a favorite author?

Rick Chesler - Guest Blogger - NPR's Killer Thrillers

Welcome to another guest blogging session! Today's guest is debut author Rick Chesler. Humbled by his appearance on NPR's Killer Thrillers list, he wrote up a little something to say about it. Enjoy!

Aloha, Thrillerblog readers! I’m here today to discuss my new thriller, Wired Kingdom, and the National Public Radio (NPR) Killer Thrillers contest. First, the book: it’s about a whale tagged with a webcam that broadcasts a murder at sea. It’s out now from Variance/Deviation. Check. It. Out! Now, to the contest: Here’s the description from NPR:

Last month when we asked the NPR audience to submit nominations for a list of the 100 most pulse-quickening, suspenseful novels ever written, you came through with some 600 titles. It was a fascinating, if unwieldy, collection.

I was a little surprised at that point to learn my book (WK) had been nominated at all. I was absolutely floored a few weeks later when I read:

Now, with your input, a panel of thriller writers and critics has whittled that list down to a manageable 182 novels.

…and I saw that WK was still on the list. Now there will be one more cut, with the final list posted August 2, to leave 100 standing. Do I really think WK deserves to be on that final list? The 100 most pulse-quickening, suspenseful novels ever written?! C’mon. But my job as a newly published novelist is to promote the heck out of my book, and ultimately, it’s not for me to decide. That’s for you, the readers, and the NPR panel. So here I am. The complete list of 182 finalists can be seen here:

NPR's Killer Thrillers

There are books on this list that are sacred to me (and I’m sure many of you as well), insofar as a thriller novel can be sacred (let’s face it, it’s all just entertainment). But when I scanned the list and saw titles like Jaws and Jurassic Park, I just had to smile at the memories of reading them for the first time, because if it wasn’t for titles like those, I wouldn’t even be posting this today. These are the kind of books that showed me what was possible. That books could be about the craziest of ideas, and, if properly executed, make them seem somehow possible in the most entertaining way. Just looking at the F’s in the list: The Firm, Fight Club, First Blood—these are amazing, classic thrillers-- to me, absolute milestones in my own reading that made me say, wow! So, suffice it to say I’m happy to have made my small contribution to the genre thus far with Wired Kingdom, however short it may fall, and I still hope that one day I can live up to some of the fascinating titles on this list. I’d like to invite you along for what I hope will be a long and interesting ride by first reading WK (paperback or e-book). Afterward, if you think it deserving, please give it a nomination in the contest. No registration required, just click the box next Wired Kingdom near the bottom (alphabetical order) and click Vote:

VOTE!

Also, I’m giving away a signed copy on Goodreads.com, with the last day of entry to be July 31. Enter here (If you’re not on Goodreads already, it’s a great site for book lovers—and free):

www.goodreads.com

Just click the ‘Enter to Win’ button. I know there’s a lot of fascinating reading material out there and not a whole lot of time in which to read it, so thanks for stopping by and possibly giving my first book a try. Happy reading, Rick

Which brings us back to you, folks. Now, whether it is for Wired Kingdom, or for one of the other 181 other novels that deserve the win, be sure to stop by the NPR site and do your democratic duty by voting for your favorite!

Want to learn more about Rick? Here are a few places to check him out:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Myspace • Goodreads • Smashwords

By the way, what are some of your favorite all time thrillers? They don't have to be on that list either. Are there books out there that are a touch unique that have been overlooked but are still good books that people shouldn't pass up? Let the reading public know.

News Before Fun... But Who Says This Isn't Fun?

Hey all,

I've got some great reviews and news for you to check out. Let's start with WIRED KINGDOM then move onto some GRIM REAPER news.

The first line of business, Rick Chesler's WIRED KINGDOM, has been getting some crazy-good reviews as of late and at a rapid rate. Here are two for you to enjoy:

• Author Exchange

From the moment this book began, it hooked me. The complex plot maintained its pacing and suspense, keeping me turning the pages and anxious to discover what would happen next. And, whatever did happen next was always a surprise and well-motiviated. Not a single coincidence in this book. Chesler tied everything together and created sympathetic characters--even the bad guys.

Wired Kingdom is a must-read. If I had to rate it on a scale of 1 to 10, I'd give it a 10.

This isn't even 1/2 the review, go check out the rest of the wonderful things she has to say - thanks to Linda M. Faulkner for taking the time to read it and we are glad you enjoyed it!


• Associated Content (tried to directly link to the original author but kept giving me errors, sorry)

Rick Chesler's new novel, "Wired Kingdom", satisfies that craving for originality, when a murder at sea is caught on Camera, the hunt begins. "Wired Kingdom" combines high tech marine science with the enormous popularity of television reality shows.

Rick successfully combines his passion for the ocean with his prowess with a pen.

Once again, there is much more to see, so be sure to swing by and read the rest of his review. Thank you 'RC' Shivers!

If you have read WK and would like to review it, we welcome your comments.

All you Steve Alten fans will be happy to hear some new goodness coming from the camp. If you don't yet get the monthly newsletter - hurry up and get it at stevealten.com! Within it has been samples of the book, along with other great news. But today, I bring you a post put up by Nick Nunziata, co-author with Steve on GRIM REAPER - End of Days, and creator of CHUD.com. Check it out and we hope to see you at ComicCon!

More Thrillerfest V news will be coming soon, keep your eyes peeled.

Payne Harrison - Guest Blogger - Chanel No. 5

Hey folks,

If you haven't been keeping up on your reading of the ThrillerFest V goodness, one message that came across loud and clear has been guest blogging. Starting today we will not only have Variance authors, but also authors and individuals from all over the industry. If you are interested in seeing who will be coming to participate, join our Facebook page.

So, we start today with Payne Harrison edifying you with some findings he stumbled on while researching EUROSTORM.


One of the intriguing historical elements I learned while researching some of the more arcane facets of Nazi history was that Coco Chanel – of perfume and fashion fame – literally went to bed with the Bosch in Paris.

While we are bombarded with images of Nicole Kidman and Keira Knightley posing seductively with a Chanel fragrance bottle, and the recent movie of Coco Before Chanel, and another about her affair with Igor Stravinsky help promote the brand, what you won’t see in these images is Coco Chanel consorting with the Nazi regime in the Ritz Hotel in Paris.

On one level, you have to admire Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. Born into abject poverty, her mother dead and abandoned by her father, through the dint of her own hard work and talent she clawed her way to the pinnacle of the fashion world. Her name endures in fashion today like no other (my wife, by the way, loves Chanel products.)

But there is a darker side to the Chanel story. When World War II began, Chanel was 56 years old and well established as the queen of Parisian fashion. She lived in the Ritz Hotel, and to her credit, when hostilities began she closed her boutique. When France fell to Hitler, naturally the Nazi elite took over the high-end hotels for their own use. Chanel was accustomed to trafficking among the French elite, and in fairness to her, when faced with a “regime change” she simply continued on with her elitist behavior. The Nazis embraced her, in particular one officer named Hans Gunther von Dincklage – a playboy by profession who was 13 years her junior. They carried on an affair and he secured permission for her to continue living at the Ritz.

During this time she came into contact with Walther Schellenberg, head of the Third Reich’s foreign intelligence service. He was a pet of Heinrich Himmler, and someone who would ultimately be named by Himmler as Sonderbevollmachtigter, or “special-plenipotentiary” of the regime. That is to say, Schellenberg arguably became the #3 power within the Third Reich.

Schellenberg and Chanel became friendly, although probably not intimate. In 1943 Schellenberg – the consummate opportunist – saw the way the war was going and prevailed upon Chanel to take part in “Operation Modelhut,” which was a lame attempt to open up a line of communication with Churchill to explore peace negotiations. It never went anywhere, but things got even weirder after that.

At war’s end, Chanel was on a list to be prosecuted as a collaborator and was arrested. Reportedly, due to the intervention by the British Royal Family (Chanel had once been the mistress of the Duke of Westminster), the charges were dropped. Chanel then spent the next decade in self-imposed exile in Switzerland along with – guess who – Walther Schellenberg!

Although convicted of war crimes at Nuremburg, Schellenberg was released to Swiss custody where he reportedly lived with the financial support of Chanel. When Schellenberg died in Italy in 1952, Chanel paid for his funeral expenses.

After her Swiss exile, Chanel went on to a triumphant comeback in the fashion world. She died in 1971 at age 87 in Paris.

But the dangling question that remains is: how did Schellenberg – the #3 person in the hierarchy of the Third Reich and into the Holocaust up to his neck – avoid the gallows, or even prison time for his crimes? How did he wind up released to Swiss “custody” and ultimately die a free man?

For the answer, check out EUROSTORM.

Thanks to Payne for a great little ditty that a good portion of us may not have heard! It is always interesting to get the dirt on past lives... things that may not matter to most of us now, but certainly would have way back when.

Payne is the author of a handful of other books, be sure to pick them up at your local establishment after you finish up EUROSTORM. They are hardcore thrillers for you die-hard action fans. You can find him both at his website and on Facebook. Have questions? Comments? Feel free to start a discussion.

ThrillerFest V: Friday PM

Back to the ThrillerFest action. An amazing amount of content today so I hope it isn't too overwhelming, but it is all must-read material.

So Friday continued after a quick bite to eat at Grand Central. Along with me was Variance owner, Tim Schulte, and authors AJ Tata and Steve Alten. It was great to catch up with them, get recharged with some top-notched food, and get back to business (anyone know what was going on in NYC that day... armed National Guardsman at every entrance where they weren't the night before).

The panels restarted at 2 pm, this one titled How Can We Innovate More? An Industry Panel. Panel master: M.J. Rose (Author); Panelists: Tom Doherty (Publisher), Joseph Finder (author), Libby McGuire (Publisher), Mark Nichols (Amer. Booksellers Assoc.), Barbara Peters (Indie Bookstore) and Daniel Slater (Amazon).

A few big bullet points to keep in mind on innovation:
• The publisher and author need to keep each other updated - this communication is key to a successful relationship!
• Hook your audience by selling low-cost samples (for example, a prologue was sold @ $2.99 ... granted, that may be pricey for a new or mid-list author, but $.99 is a great place to start to draw people in).
• Embrace technology! Have contests at your events, tape your book signings, update and be mindfull of your Amazon author page (and link your blog there).
• Do virtual tours with Skype (we have done this in the past - it is a great way to do signings without having to travel the country ... and still make that human-to-human contact).
• Group blogs is another great way to cross-reference yourself with other authors, each of you getting new fans, and having content that is new, fresh, and coming regularly. Of course, if you make friends with someone big on that group blog, the sky's the limit.

Next, I took a small break and waited patiently for the 4 o'clock panel titled Is Social Networking A Waste Of Time? An Industry Panel. Panel master: Allison Brennan (Author); Panelists: Pam Spengler-Jaffee (Publisher), Meryl Moss (PR), Jason Pinter (Author), Amy D. Shojai (Author), Dana Trombles (Publisher).

I came away with a bunch of great points:
• Facebook/Twitter = IN, Myspace = OUT (more geared towards kids and music/bands)
• Your voice dictates what you use: if you are a good blogger but spend too much time randomly tweeting, stick to blogging. Get the most out of your time devoted to SN.
• You can't let social networking rule your life, your writing of novels should take center-stage.
• You must engage your audience
• Compartmentalize - have a fan page for your fans, but keep your personal page for personal stuff (family, friends).
• iApps are a great way to get your material out to the public. They can keep up with your updates in one simple spot if done right.
• Book tours are not over - though they can be costly - but is the original way to be a 'social networker'.
• Once again, group blogs pops up (and this won't be the last time).
• Don't be hurt by peoples comments, and more importantly, don't argue!
• Always think twice before you post anything. The chances are that any and all of your comments will be alive and kicking for many years to come. Don't dig yourself a hole you can't get out of by a few comments you will regret later.

Also, a few people in the industry came to mind from the panelists that are great to mimic. If you are looking for someone to check out for some ideas, see Neil Gaiman, Jennifer Weiner, and Jason Pinter.

After this, back to the room I went to get ready for the ITW Publication Cocktail Party. That event featured the authors of THRILLERS: 100 Must-Reads, WATCHLIST: The Chopin Manuscript & The Copper Bracelet, FIRST THRILLS, and FEAR: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror (all available where books are sold). It was such an amazing place to be, I got to chat with Steve Berry, Aaron L. Brown, Kevin Kaiser, Jon Land, and a myriad of others in the veritable sea of big names.

After the hotel said we were done (flickered the lights on and off multiple times - either that or they forgot to pay their electricity bill...) I headed out to another panel on Social Media For The Thriller Genre. Panel master, Sheila Clover English (Marketer); Panelists: Dianna Love (Author) and Barbara Vey (Publishers Weekly blogger)

So many things happened on this panel. Granted, it's more geared towards those just getting their feet wet in the social marketing/media world, but they are all worth a read as you never know what you may learn:

• Be consistent, be honest, be passionate.
• Have set goals - what do you want to accomplish in this umbrella labeled 'social media'.
• Budget your time, as stated above use your time wisely, your writing comes before your social campaigning.
• YOU ARE YOUR BRAND - you are the recognizable figure that people will flock to. Just like Coca-Cola or Pepsi ... not cola. They're not all created equally, neither are you the same as any other thriller author out there.
• Realize your strengths and weaknesses, and write them down. Work off of your strengths for best results.
• Know your resources
• Will you hire someone to do your marketing or will you do it yourself? Remember, time is money. If it will be someone else, check out Book Reporter, Predators & Editors and Author Buzz.
• Book trailers are tools. Use them.

A few sites to check out include beyondherbook.com, booktrailers.blogspot.com, Circle of Seven, TracyReaderDad, We Grow Media

Keep your eyes out for me in this panel next year. I was asked to be a part of it so you may just see me up front... very exciting!


At this point, starvation was setting in, so I went with Aaron to a tiny pizza joint a few blocks down ($.99/slice cheese pizza - the best deal in NYC!). We walked out with our two slices each and made the trek back to the Hyatt readying ourselves for the evening bar chat-session.

A good portion of the night was spent with Aaron and AJ Tata, but we progressed into the Trident Media after-party where I sat in with Chris Kuzneski, JT Ellison and husband, and Jeremy Robinson. It was a good night, great talk, and fun for all.

Once again, midnight had struck and I was about to turn into a pumpkin. My excitement didn't halt because of a lack of sleep though. Tomorrow would bring the final day of the Thrillerfest V goodness and I was ready to take the bull by the horns.

Have any memories you would like to share? We would love to see them.

Reviews To Peak Your Interest

Hey folks,

With Thrillerfest news taking up a bunch of blog postings over the next few days, I figured I would break it up with a few reviews (that I'm already late on posting to begin with!) to help you decide on a few of our newest books if you haven't thought of picking them up yet.

WIRED KINGDOM was reviewed at the Examiner.com, thanks to Ginger Simpson for taking the time to read and write up a little something special. Be sure to read the whole thing, but here is a taste:

"Author, Rick Chesler definitely knows how to write a mystery that grabs your interest and won’t let go. Wired Kingdom is entertaining, well written, and professionally prepared. Even if you read with an editorial eye, I doubt you’ll find one thing to nit pick. From the sounds of the Blue Whale to the lapping of the waves against the boats, you’ll truly feel part of the story and enjoy the wild ride."

Next, EUROSTORM was reviewed at Killer Thrillers, and boy were they excited! Thanks to The Thriller Librarian for this tidbit:

With EUROSTORM, [Payne Harrison] knocks his story out of the park again – this time aboard a bullet train as it races under the English Channel from London to Paris. Sealed within the vault of a fortified security car is a highly classified, lethal substance. But, oops--when the train exits the tunnel heading toward Paris, Scotland Yard learns too late that an evil force has risen--literally, from the grave--to jack a cargo that could alter the world as we know it.

Of course there is more to read, so stop by and get the rest of what they have to say.

Whether you are in the market for either of these books or not, be sure to stop by their review sites and read what they have read to figure out what your next acquisition will be.

ThrillerFest V: Friday AM

Hey folks,

I hope you were looking forward to today's Thrillerfest installment. You'll get to see notes from two panels:

• How To Make Your Pulse Race? Cliches and how to avoid them
• How To Be Novel With Your Novel? E-books, audio books, Vooks, etc. (An Industry Panel)

How To Make Your Pulse Race? Cliches and how to avoid them
Panel Master: Raffi Yessayan; Panel members: John Altman, Ted Dekker, Karen Harper, David Liss, Leslie Silbert

It seemed as though it became more of a talk on characters rather than how to use and/or avoid cliches, but this is what I walked away with:

The consensus of the panel was that you have to walk a line because they are, in part, truth. They both can fulfill and deny expectation, and cliches should not be denied when the time is right to pull it off. Plus, if you have a great character, you can get away with almost anything... but be sure to tell the story from the Point Of View from the character with the most to lose. Remember, characters always come before plot! Great twists in a plot without a good character mean nothing if people don't feel for that character (hence the one with the most to lose). Great characters typically come from dealings with your own personal 'demons', being careful not to be overdone - but a unique set of touch points that people can connect with. Create idealistic characters (an anti-hero/ine so to speak) without popping the bubbles of reality. Lastly, use an amalgamation of people you know to create a more vivid/less cliched character.

How To Be Novel With Your Novel? E-books, audio books, Vooks, etc. (An Industry Panel)
Panel Master: Douglas Clegg (author); Panel members: Richard Doetsch (author), Steve Feldberg (Audible), Tammy Nam (Scribd), Jeremy Robinson (author), Liz Scheier (B&N), Matt Schwartz (publisher - Random House)

This panel was a crazy set of industry professionals as you can see above! This panel was all about innovation and reaching the new set of 'readers' in today's fast-paced industry. You have people like Jeremy who give away his serialized audio version of two books to reach new readers which get hooked on his work for free, then are more willing to take the plunge and buy his work. Another in Richard who was asked to create the inaugural Vook (video book), which received huge publicity for such a 'novel' idea. Then you have Steve confirming that audio book listeners are indeed book buyers, picking up books that they loved in audio to have to read in the future.
A few thoughts to keep in mind:
• E-books are great in the sense that the back matter is so mouldable. You can change it on a whim to coincide with an authors work.
• Just try it, there is nothing to lose! If you don't, you will never know if it would have been the thing that broke your career into the mainstream.
• At the end of the day, the book must be good! Free or not.
• Check out Scribd.com


I hope this all helped you get a grasp on some ideas for your next book, whether in writing it or in promoting it. That's two panels down with five more to go, plus a talk about the Awards breakfast and dinner.

Talk to you all soon!

Back From ThrillerFest V ... What A Ride!

Good day friends and fans,

All I can say is wow. As you read on, not only today but over the next few days since there was so much going on, you will see why. For those of you who knew I went last year and had such an eye-opening experience, this year did not fall short of any expectation set in place from my freshman appearance. Everyone was kind, open to give and take advice, and always there to give an 'ata-boy' (or girl) when one deserved it - regardless of prestige level - in this home we call the thriller industry.

For those of you who couldn't attend (or those that did that want to relive this weekend), I will be posting notes I took at each of the panels I attended. Hopefully they help you as much as they have helped me and the other attendees. Oh, and I invite you to comment on the posts - whether it is a favorite memory, something that I might have missed that you feel is important, or on a different panel in the same time slot. I plan to do two panels a day (plus or minus depending on the overall length of the posting).

I'll start now for the postings of the day: a special thanks to the many friends I met/reconnected with, and the first day: Thursday.

So yes, I would like to thank the following people that not only made this event possible, but many of you helped me learn more about myself in this sophomoric appearance:

ThrillerFest V Team
Kathleen Antrim, Liz Berry and her assistant Esther (whose last name escapes me but still deserves recognition), Sheila Clover English, and Dennis Kennett - You all did a spectacular job, many thanks for your hard and tireless work ... now take a vacation.

Authors and Industry Professionals
Jeff Ayers, Janice Gable Bashman, Steve Berry, Allison Brennan, Aaron L Brown, Teresa Chandler, Karen Dionne, JT Ellison, AJ Hartley, Matt Hilton, Kevin Kaiser, Chris Kuzneski ('The Unibomber'), Jon Land, Jonathan Mayberry, Boyd Morrison, Stephen Jay Schwartz, Taylor Stevens, and Susan Tunis.

And of course,

Variance current and backlist authors
Steve Alten, Jeremy Robinson, David Sakmyster, and AJ Tata


Thursday started off like any other day at 4 am... dragging. It didn't help that I had only slept about four hours the night before as my excitement stewed for Thrillerfest V. I got my stuff together and made the trek to Jeremy Robinson's place to hop a train down to NYC. If you've never taken the Amtrak (or any other train) on a trip, you're missing a good time. More spacious than a plane, area to stretch your legs by walking the train up and down, shake off the 'antsies' from sitting for four hours so-to-speak, and only once did I have to sit next to someone versus every time I've ever been on a plane. Love it.

We rolled in to Penn Station at just after 2 pm, walked the multi-blocked jaunt to the Grand Hyatt, checked in and headed up to the room. After depositing our bags, we headed over to the Conference floor to register for the event we've been waiting for. As always, Liz Berry is burning up the rug making sure everyone is all set, having a good time and moving on to the next thing. After saying hello to a few other friends and checking out the bookstore, we headed back to the room to get unpacked and ready for the night's festivities.

The night started at the Thrillerfest Opening Reception - a cocktail party. I met up with some more new and old friends to gab about the year's past happenings, what is in store for the next, and what's been going on in life in general. When we got kicked out of there, we headed down to the local Grand Hyatt bar to continue conversations and meet even more contacts.

The night ended some time after midnight, but I don't know where the time went. It was a great start to the event and I was rearing to hear more from some literary heroes (and heroines) and industry giants in the morning.

Were you there? What did you think?

EUROSTORM Makes An Appearance

Happy mid-week again, folks!

This will be the last blog post until next week when we return from ThrillerFest, so let's make it a good one...

The great people at The Kill Zone did an amazing review of the long-awaited 'next Payne Harrison novel', EUROSTORM, and had some great things to say about it. Thanks so much to Joe Moore for taking the time to read and enjoy this action-packed monster - see you tomorrow! Here is a snippet of his review:

"Despite the 13 years absence, [Payne Harrison] has not missed a beat. The style, voice, and plotting are exactly as he left off. Reading the book was like running into an old friend after a long time apart. And EUROSTORM is like a thriller on steroids. There’s his usual huge cast of characters, impeccable research, slingshot pacing, and heart-stopping, cliffhanger chapter endings.

"EUROSTORM involves deadly engineered viruses, terror and bloodshed on the Bullet Train from England to France, the reanimation of the Third Reich hierarchy after they were frozen decades ago, and the coming together of French and U.K. military assault teams with a big helping hand from a Chicago detective to stop a diabolical plan to murder millions in the name of the new Fourth Reich.

"If you enjoy extremely fast-paced thrillers that cover a huge amount of ground and information while keeping you on the edge of your barstool, read EUROSTORM by Payne Harrison. I only hope I don’t have to wait another 13 years for his next one."

For those of you who haven't been to The Kill Zone, it is a great blog where a few of the top names in thrillers and mystery give their input (whether a review, insight, or industry news) to some of today's burning topics in Readerville so to speak. Check it out!

Enjoy the rest of your week, talk to you when we return.

Great Reading Material On Other Sites

Hey all, today has been a great day for Variance readers looking for validation on our books. Three times now there have been posts on non-Variance related sites regarding our titles.

The first was at the care-of the ITW. David Sakmyster's newest title, The PHARO'S OBJECTIVE, hits shelves in about a week and they were kind enough to take the time to have a nice Q&A spread. Thanks to Aaron L. Brown for some great questions and great job to Dave for sharp responses. See you both at ThrillerFest!

Next, Rick Chesler has found his way onto another blog, today's appearance is with David Wood. Titled Maintaining Suspense, Rick, along with fellow author Mary McDonald, talk about just that, their opinion on maintaining suspense in thriller novels. They have some great input on the topic, something you all might be able to take away and use in your own writing.

Lastly, TARGETS OF DECEPTION ends up being matched up with another spy thriller, Stella Rimington's DEAD LINE. Thanks to John Wilson at BooksandCulture.com for the review. If you have read DEAD LINE, I hope you go out and get TOD to see exactly what John was talking about. Likewise, get deadline for something new to read if you are looking for another title until our next thriller is released!

Thanks folks. I hope you enjoy the content. We would love to hear from you so be sure to leave your comments. Enjoy the rest of your day.