The Writer's Perspective by Maria Schneider

Hi Writers,
I'm in New York reporting live from the Thrillerfest/Craftfest writing conference we're sponsoring. There are so many famous writers here, it's unbelievable. The first day of the conference was yesterday and I met Lee Child, James, Rollins, Eric Van Lustbader, Steve and Liz Berry, Kathleen Antrim and more.

I'm getting ready to go back and cover the show today, but I wanted to post some pics from the conference.

Funniest quote overheard at the conference so far: "What's the difference between a mystery and a thriller? About $100,000." This is attributed to Tess Gerritsen, one of the sponsors of the conference and a founding member of the International Thriller Writers organization.

More tomorrow!

Keep Writing,
Maria

pictured below:
(these are all from the evening reception/cocktail party)
Victoria and Eric Van Lustbader
Steve and Liz Berry
our super-cool ad director Guy Gonzalez and conference chair Kathleen Antrim

Writer's Digest news

7/10/2008 10:48:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Comments [13]

7/10/2008 3:27:29 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

I know this begets a rolling of eyes, but...when I think of Thrillerfest I get visions of dancing zombies and I hear Vincent Price's voice doing a fantabulous voice over: "The funk of forty thousand years!!!"

Maybe that's not true for everybody.

Excuse me while I go find my single white glove...

Tom |harold2AT NOSPAMiquest dot net

7/10/2008 3:31:17 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Exactly Tom. The lights go out at midnight and we all start dancing like crazy disco zombies. :)

Maria Schneider

7/10/2008 3:45:37 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Pictures, please!

Tom |harold2AT NOSPAMiquest dot net

7/10/2008 4:25:11 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Sounds cool. More pictures, please.

Adrianne |travelword8AT NOSPAMyahoo dot com

7/10/2008 4:33:36 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

You've just seen the Michael Jackson "Thriller" music video too many times. Dancing like a zombie is so old school. I prefer walking into the woods at a camp for unsupervised teenagers, alone, in the dark, without a flashlight, with a killer on the loose...

Kirby

7/10/2008 5:38:44 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

You live such an extravagant life Maria, looks like a lot of fun!

Scott B. |kebraceAT NOSPAMgmail dot com

7/10/2008 6:25:10 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Oh all the joys, If only I were there!!

I LOVEEEEE YOU!!

Olivia Schneider

7/11/2008 8:23:22 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

"What's the difference between a mystery and a thriller? About $100,000."

So the publisher makes $100,000 more for a thriller than a mystery?

I have always heard that a thriller/horror movie is always a quick buck, but didn't know that about books.

mary ulrich |meu4321AT NOSPAMaol dot com

7/11/2008 10:48:58 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Kirby,

Just make sure that, immediately prior to walking off into the woods alone, you say, "I'll be right back." That's rule #1 - or is that rule #3? I forget, but it's a rule. Anyway, that's a rule for horror, right? Are there different rules for thrillers, 'cause I wanna make sure I'm doing this stuff correctly.

What would be a thriller rule...never follow up on a suspicious lead?

Tom |harold2AT NOSPAMiquest dot net

7/11/2008 11:42:01 AM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

The #1 thriller rule, as I've learned here, is to pose an intriguing question in chapter 1 and take 300+ pages to answer it.

Maria Schneider

7/12/2008 10:16:54 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

How exciting for you. Thanks for sharing. I always enjoy photos you add.

ann |annmarquetteAT NOSPAMmindspring dot com

7/14/2008 4:59:49 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Tom,

Thrillers always follow up on suspicious leads, except it leads to another suspicious lead, and another, and so on. Don't forget to throw in at least one Hitchcockian MacGuffin along the way. Nothing should be straightforward in the thriller.

Jeannie

Jeannie Holmes |jkholmesAT NOSPAMjkholmes dot com

7/14/2008 5:03:51 PM (Eastern Daylight Time, UTC-04:00)

Hi, Maria

It was great meeting you and talking with you at the Thrillerfest reception. Hope you had a great time at the conference and hope to see you again next year.

Jeannie (JK) Holmes
(aka "The girl with the southern accent who writes about vampires.")

Jeannie Holmes |jkholmesAT NOSPAMjkholmes dot com

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