A Good Thriller discussion

Hi. I like to read fast paced books like those written by Clive Cussler, Colin Forbes, Desmond Bagley and yes even Enid Blyton and JK Rowling (Great books). I want them to keep me engaged and guessing. I like action and to be drawn into a story. (Sorry I don't do sci-fi, Romance of vampires and monsters).
This is also the kind of novel I try to write. I've spent over 15 years learning how to do this and, yes, you guessed I'm still learning, but I do like to think I now turn out something I can be proud of.
I retired last February from carrying people up and down stairs and scraping them off the pavement (I was a Paramedic in the UK). I have traveled the world twice over and been in conflict once with the Royal Navy so I have a wide range of experience to call upon to help with crafting scenes.
Currently my wife Sandy and I are cruising the world on our very small, old and solid yacht. We're in Gibraltar at the moment and planning to stay until the winter nights draw out and the gales stop blowing once more. While we wait I'm writing the Hawk and Samantha's second case.
So Hello everyone and please bear with me
if I don't answer for a while as the internet here is somewhat shaky.
Kevin Chilvers - Author of Inca Poison.
PS See my blog if you want more on our travels this year.

I'm Stan Morris, the author of eight ebooks. I'm 63 years old. I was born in California at a time when oranges were still raised in Los Angeles. Smog was beginning to be a concern. We moved to the San Francisco Bay area when I was twelve. I wrote my first two books when I was 14. The south bay had zero tech companies. I was educated in New Mexico, married my college sweetheart, and followed her to Texas. In 1983 we returned to her home island of Maui. We raised two sons, and I started a computer assembly company. I retired in 2006 and began writing again in 2008. My first book, Surviving the Fog is a free download. I write in different genres, mostly science fiction, about ordinary teenagers and young adults who find their selves in extraordinary situation.

Welcome. What Genre do you write in?

Kevin wrote: "Welcome. What Genre do you write in?"

Mostly science fiction, but I did publish a light magic fantasy and my book What's In My Shorts? contains about half scifi and half contemporary.

Isabell is a Swedish-bred tale teller now living in sunny California since her early twenties. She always dreamed about being a rock star and make it onto the Hollywood scene, she even wrote more than one hundred rock and pop songs. Out of the blue she got hit by the big love train and ended up marrying an oil operator and is now happily married and dots around the house with their daughter and two cats. Surviving on vanilla flavored coffee when the days seem too long she has made it very clear that baby nap-time is mommy's writing and reading time.

Isabell's first book, “Beast of Venery”, was published on Amazon Kindle and stays true to her favorite genres: steamy romance and criminal suspense.
She is bilingual using English as her second language, but get's the grammar and slight text editing done by a nice oil operator she knows.

She's currently writing on her second novel, covering steamy romance between two completely opposite characters in the Midwest.

Hello everyone. I have been writing off and on since 2001, when my wife lost one of our twins 7 months into the pregnancy. However, I was inspired to write more joyous stuff in my poetry once my other son, Jay, was born. I was not able to finish an entire novel until now.

I have been everything from a PE teacher, football, baseball, and basketball coach, personal trainer, wellness director, bouncer, and police officer. I still work in law enforcement today as a training officer, and I pass the time by writing. I was born and raised in the south, and I am a staunch conservative Christian. I figure it helps to go ahead and put that out there so everyone knows who they're dealing with; don't worry - I don't push my faith on anyone. But I don't shy away from it either. I am still getting to know Goodreads, and I am also trying to learn as much as I can about promoting my own self-published work. In the meantime, I will keep on writing.

Hi, I'm Paul, a journalist from England, currently living and working in Albania. I have written a thriller called 'The Silencer' and other things. There's a little more about me with some photos I just posted on my goodreads blog. Paul.

https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Steven J. Clark (Steve) -- Greetings All, I hail from Chester, UT, a tiny hamlet in a high mountain valley in the central part of the state, where I reside with my wife, Lauri, seven chickens, a big, white dog named Caspar, and various cats that show up at random times at the back door. I'm the author of All The Pretty Dresses, a mystery/thriller set in the mountains of middle-West Virginia, that pits a 31 year old single mom who is the first female deputy hired by her county against a clever serial killer who is preying upon young women. It is my debut novel and recently placed in the top ten of a prestigious international book competition. The book is the first in a series based around these characters. Currently at work on the second of the series and John Grisham meets Tony Hillerman legal thriller that takes place on the Navajo reservation. I welcome questions and look forward to chatting with many of you.

Kathleen wrote: "Hi, I've authored or co-authored 40 books, 12 thrillers, 5 mysteries, and lots of historical novels. My upcoming novel, PEOPLE OF THE SONGTRAIL (May), which I co-authored with W. Michael Gear, is ..."

Kathleen, so good to see your post. I've read all of you and Michael's 'People Of...' series and enjoyed every one. Are you still publishing through Tor? Can't wait to see your latest work.

Hi, I'm Judith Janeway. I write mystery/suspense. I live in just north of the Golden Gate bridge in Marin County California. I'm very excited to be in the company of fellow mystery/suspense lovers. Didn't want to put up a long post, so I'll just refer you to my Goodreads author page and to my website, judithjaneway.com for my bio and info about my books.

Hello Everybody!

Bio:

Lindy S. Hudis is a graduate of New York University, where she studied drama at Tisch School of the Arts. She is the author of several titles, including her romance suspense novel, Weekends, her "Hollywood" story City of Toys, and her crime novel, Crashers. She is also the author of an erotic short story series, "The S&M Club" and "The Mile High Club". Her short film "The Lesson" was screened at the Seattle Underground Film Festival and Cine-Nights in 2000. She is also an actress, having appeared in the television daytime drama "Sunset Beach". She and her husband, Hollywood stuntman Stephen Hudis, have formed their own production company called Impact Motion Pictures, and have several projects and screenplays in development. She lives in California with her husband and two children.

Links:

Www.CrashersBook.com

and....

http://lindyshudis.tripod.com/

The Advocate newspaper just published a story about my thriller, The Cottoncrest Curse, released nationally by the award-winning LSU Press. The first line of the story is: "Lawyer, adjunct law professor, nationally known legal ethicist, humorist, author, musician — those are just a few of the adjectives that describe Michael Rubin, and managing partner" of a multi-state law firm.

Read the story here.

Hi, My name is Joshua Hood, and I write military thrillers. My first book, Clear by Fire is coming out in August. I spent five years in the 82nd Airborne and went to Iraq and Afghanistan.
I'm very excited to be a part of this group, since I am a reader first, and can't wait to get up to speed.

welcome!

I'm Alison and I've just joined this group. My first novel, Someone Else's Conflict, was published in November. I'm a writer and translator; you can see more on my Goodreads Alison Layland or my own website www.alayland.uk. I look forward to being part of the group!

Heidi wrote: "I am a new author having recently published my debut on Amazon. I love mystery and crime thrillers particularly, but a little bit of the paranormal is also something I am drawn too.

I studied for..."
I can relate to you so well. I have four daughters and am a single parent with a few dogs. I write about four books a year and this year it will be at least six. Good to see you here. I wish you success

Theresa Moretimer was a domestic violence victim that began writing as therapy. She turned her notes into works of mystery/suspense/thrillers. She speaks on the prevention of domestic violence and donates 20% of all books to help victims of DV.

I'm not only a lawyer and author of a thriller, I also write about what we all can learn about better writing from the authors of thrillers.

Here's an article that tells you!

The Cottoncrest Curse

Michael wrote: "I'm not only a lawyer and author of a thriller, I also write about what we all can learn about better writing from the authors of thrillers.

Here's an article that tells you!

[book:The Cottoncre..."

I read your article Michael and loved it! I am looking forward to reading your book, The Cottoncrest Curse.

I've been a member of this group for a few months and I, too, am an author who is an avid reader of thrillers and mystery fiction. (As most authors!) I've written 20 mystery novels and numerous short stories. My husband and I live in eastern Canada.

My newest is Night Watch, which I'm really quite proud of. Here is my website: writerhall.com

Hi. I'm new to fiction writing, although I've published 58 nonfiction books. My first novel is titled Justifiable Homicide: A Robert W. McGeePolitical Thriller. Justifiable Homicide: A Political ThrillerIt recently made an Amazon Top-100 list in the category of Crime/Vigilante Justice. The protagonist is Robert Paige, an accounting professor [I am also an accounting professor during the day]. Paige has firearms and martial arts training and so do I. Paige is located in Miami, and so was I until two and a half years ago. But Paige goes around killing people who need to be killed and I don't.
I also have a shorter work titled The TSA vs. the People. The TSA vs. the People: A Short Story of Vengeance I am working on a few other projects at the moment. Never a dull moment.

Hello,
I retired in 2008 and to keep busy I began work on an idea/story in 1975, yes a long time between drinks.
In 2013 I published a non-fiction book and after a lot of hard work published my first novel: InheritanceI love writing and now writing a sequel to Inheritance.

My background? A professional jazz pianist in the New Orleans French Quarter, a radio and television announcer, a lawyer, and now an author of the new thriller, "The Cottoncrest Curse."
.
Read an excerpt from "The Cottoncrest Curse." See why the Chicago CBA Record says that the "story is gripping, the writing is masterful."
http://t.co/rQws1Oji6B

"The Cottoncrest Curse" is published by the award-winning LSU Press.The Cottoncrest Curse

Hello everyone!
I write police procedural thrillers with a strong forensic angle. I work as a UK Crime Scene Investigator, and love nothing more that putting my characters through hell.
I also enjoy reading thrillers too, and have just discovered James Carol.
Looking forward very much to getting to know you.

Hi, my name is Stuart and I am a writer of Thrillers
My writing career started early, as a teenager inspired to put down in words the story I wanted to tell. Over a hundred pages were written on a pad of paper before being abandoned, then lost forever.
But not forgotten.
The creative seed remained, dormant, neglected and hidden, resurfacing when I started developing complex, legally binding, multi-year contracts for a fortune 500 company. Detailed scopes of work, project outlines, expectations for performance and endless letters of clarification all had to be thought out and carefully constructed. That work provided a solid basis for understanding the importance of structure and attention to detail.

The inspiration to get serious and produce a book came during that time, and right after a real life incident that provided not only the motivation, but the first few chapters of the book.

Dangerous Perceptions. Genre: Action/Adventure/Thriller



www.stuartmurraybooks.com

John A. Autero is an independent author of science fiction/thriller adventures set in the not too distant future. An engineer by education, John employs a technical style of writing that combines existing technologies with those that are yet to be developed. John enjoys anything sci-fi, automotive, heavy metal and ballistic. Always a fan of government conspiracies and black-ops, stories like "The Terminator" and "The X-Files" are always on his list of favorites. John was born in the United States and has spent his entire life there, where he happily lives with his wife and pets.

John A. Autero

I'm Blanche Manos and I author cozy mysteries. Since this is my favorite genre to read (and I've read a bunch of them) it is only natural that it's my preferred genre to write although I've written poetry, Christian articles, and children's stories through the years. I enjoy Easy Listen' music, painting, and growing herbs. A retired teacher and indulgent grandma, I'm also enjoying my life as a mystery writer.

Hello John and Blanche

welcome and I Blanche you will go to Introduce Yourself thread.

Sean, I can't find the "Introduce Yourself" thread.

It is at the top of our home page, near the top

"Please Introduce Yourself, Let's All Get To Know Each Other"

Hi! I'm Prudy Grimes and my first novel The End of Snow: Murder in Squaw Valley has just recently come out. I grew up skiing in Michifan, Canada and Colorado. I received an MFA in Fiction Writing from the University of Pittsburgh where I taught writing for what felt like a long time. I now live in the Lake Tahoe area with my husband and my dog. Check out my Goodreads page for more info. Thanks Sean!

Hi! I'm thrilled to be a part of this group. (I'm sorry. I take full responsibility for that trite pun.) My name is Rob Kaufman and I'm the author of One Last Lie. Right now, my outdoor thermometer reads: 1.4 degrees. The only good thing about that is the fact that I'm stuck inside which means I can write more of my new thriller without feeling (too) guilty. There's a Giveaway starting tomorrow introducing my new book cover. I'll be posting that in the PROMOTE section once I get the "acceptance" from GoodReads. I'd love to get some feedback from this group!

WElcome Prudy, thanks for joining.

Rob, thanks for the messages, and welcome.

Please do pop over to the introduction page and say hello.

More members will welcome you.

So happy to have found a group that focuses on my favorite genre. I'm S. K. McClafferty, and I've been writing for 30 years. I published 13 mass market paperbacks using 3 different pen names, and I am now relieved to be publishing indie books. Less stress is a good thing!

I love to read, but must read outside my chosen genres. Thrillers/Suspense are my favorites, then horror, and non-fiction in the field of Metaphysics. I live in Western Pennsylvania.

Welcome S.K.
I'm on the same side of the country as you, so I know you're also enjoying the never ending cold... and snow. ;) Will you share some of your titles?

Thanks, Rob. Our winter has been incredible... and not in a good way. I'm really new to Goodreads, and still learning. I have 7 historical romance titles, and 6 Romantic Suspense that lean heavily toward suspense. 4 are available currently. Reversion of rights is ongoing. My titles are AS NIGHT FALLS, BE VERY AFRAID, IN FROM THE COLD, and DON'T TELL A SOUL.

S.K., Stay Warm!

Thanks. Will be checking them out for some weekend reading!

Don't Tell A Soul is my favorite. It's set in Louisiana. In From The Cold is a spy novel with dark humor. Thank you for the interest, Rob.

Louisiana - NOR'Leans - one of my all time favorite places.

Absolutely love Louisiana. Haven't been there in a decade.

Greetings! I've always loved writing but had never dared to publish anything until I realized that I've been writing stuff for over 20 yrs and was still unhappy. 40's around the corner for me and I was determined to just do it. My first book 'Red Summer' is an Urban fantasy that was supposed to be a single book. It didn't quite work out that way and has now turned in to a series. I'm currently working on the third and final (maybe?) book. I'm still working out the details and scenes but I'm enjoying my adventure in writing. At the same time I'm writing four other stories of which I hope to have complete before the end of the year and published. This makes me a multi-genre author. Sci-fi, urban fantasy, adventure, fantasy. I mix them all up and then throw in lots of action and a little romance. I've recently posted some of my stuff on Wattpad, hope ya'll will come take a look!

I've been writing for probably 40 years and had many articles, poems, short stories publishing in various publications but never a book published until four years ago. Without telling you my age, just let me say being a publishing author is a shining part of my Golden Years and I love writing cozy mysteries. Three of them have been published and I'm grateful.

Warmest hello to everyone. I'm the author of inspirational books:

1. Rhythm of a Heart, Music of a Soul (poetry)
2. Landscapes of a Heart, Whispers of a Soul (short stories/memoir)

I'm a poet, freelance writer in an expat magazine, a novelist and an Italian-English translator. I love to travel and learn foreign languages. I'm currently working on 2 short stories books and novel series of cross genre: romantic suspense, psychological thriller and chic lit.

Wishing you all a wonderful day.
best regards, Angelica
Official website: www.angelicahopes.com

Here's a question - for both writers and readers: I'm not sure if there's an answer for this, but I often wonder: even with so many positive reviews of my books, why is it that the negative reviews have the most impact on me?

I think that is normal.

I know we should always look on the bright side of life !

But we often loo on the negatives.

I lose a tennis match, I remember all the bad shots I played, not the good ones.

But remember not everyone an enjoy your book, we all have different tastes.

I hated Gone Girl, gave it one star !

I know... I know... we can't please all the people all the time. I think another thing is that when people review books, they should try to understand that someone put their heart and soul into writing it. Perhaps that will help them write a constructive review versus a scathing critique. Big difference between the two.

Hello,

I'm retired Naval Officer and a shipwreck archaeologist. I've just published my first mystery novel, Deep Context. It's the story of a wreck discovery that leads to murder and an international chase after the truth.

I am also passionate about public archaeology and history, and I have a blog with weekly updates on maritime mysteries from around the world: http://www.maritimemysteries.com

After traveling the world, I live with my wife Carol and our two dogs on the Oregon Coast.

Christopher Dewey
Deep Context: A Tom Cochran Mystery

Welcome Christopher

Sean wrote: "I think that is normal.

I know we should always look on the bright side of life !

But we often loo on the negatives.

I lose a tennis match, I remember all the bad shots I played, not the good on..."
I'm not an author but an avid reader. I hated "Gone Girl" as well, but when I thought about why I hated the book it was due to the plot and emotions I felt as I read. Then I realized that if an author can invoke such emotions within me then he/she did an amazing job. If you make me yell, cry, laugh, or throw my book across the room I have come to realize that the book may not have turned out how I wanted it to, but it was a great book to make me really feel for the story! Gillian Flynn has since become one of my favorite authors. I encourage you to ask your critics what they didn't like about the book specifically. You may find out that they felt as I did, but didn't come to the realization of what a fantastic thing it is to feel real emotion while entering a fictional story.

Crime fiction author Eden Sharp started out in film production before going into the music and computer games industries and has also worked variously as an actor, fitness instructor, bartender, and copywriter. Eden has a bachelor's degree in writing contemporary fiction, a master's degree in creative and critical writing, and teaches fiction writing and publishing at SSU.