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Thrillerfest: Awarding the Best
July 13, 2008

Definitely the big day here at ThrillerFest was Saturday.  Breakfast was with the Debut Authors who have all just had their first novels published this year.  They each got a chance to give a short synopsis of their books and I've got to tell you, I want to read them all! (Ok, Lee Childs, on left, is not a debut author, but he did mentor the group)

                                                                                                            



After checking out a couple of the seminars, I ran next door to Grand Central Station to see aspiring author Stacy Agdern at her bookstore.  I met Hardy Saliba who was there with his wife and daughter and we all went out to lunch at a very New York deli.  Hardy told me that he went to the Speed Dating with agents and out of 15 pitches, he received 13 requests for partials and 1 full manuscript.  How exciting is that!








                              
              

When I got back to the conference, it was time for David Baldacci's Q&A session.  He said when he wrote Absolute Power he was just hoping to get an agent.  David suggested authors don't get their hopes up...get excited, but be realistic.  He then talked about his charity, Wish You Well Foundation's Feeding Body and Mind.  At each of David's signing events, white boxes are put out for people to fill with used books.  These books are sent to food banks and distributed along with the food.  (And yes, he is as hot as he looks on the jacket covers)






Next up was Sandra Brown who announced that she has been married 40 years!  I couldn't believe it because she is absolutely gorgeous and must have married very young.  She said she starts every book with a secret and that the first question asked is the last question answered in a her books.  Sandra does marathon writing where she'll lock herself away for 3 weeks just to write because it's frustrating to be interrupted.  She admits she may be a little obsessive compulsive.  

Michael Palmer (left) and his son, Daniel Palmer did a hilarious duet about waiting to see if your book made the NY Times list.  Even PW was in their song.  ("If I Can't Make the Times List, Then Give Me the Franz Liszt")

The highlight of the evening was the awards banquet.  James Rollins was the MC and if he decides to give up writing, he easily will find work on television.  He was hilarious offering jabs at the board of ThrillerFest and then on to giving an award called The Good, the Bad and the Ugly...Worst Review on Amazon.  I wasn't able to write them down because I was laughing too hard.  Here's some snippets I remember,  "Your book kind of made me throw up in my mouth,"  "I've read and hated everyone of your books and I hate this one the worst," "I wish I could unread your book."

Awards were given for Best First Novel (Heat-Shaped Box by Joe Hill), Best Paperback Original (The Midnight Road by Tom Piccirilli) and Best Novel (The Ghost by Robert Harris). 

Liz Berry chaired the event and kept everything running smoothly and hubby author Steve Berry.

R.L. Stine and Jon Land presented David Baldacci the Silver Bullet award for his charity work.  James Patterson presented Sandra Brown the ThrillMaster award.  There was a Fallen Hero award to Nicholas Pekearo, a policeman who was killed in the line of duy just 4 days before his book was released.



Entertainment was provided by the Killer Thriller Garage band (Heather Graham, F. Paul Wilson, Alex Sokoloff, Nathan Walpow, Dave Simms and Jeff Buick). 


Bottom Line:  ThrillerFest was all that and a bag of chips.  I hope I get invited back next year, who knows who will be waiting in my shower.

Sandra Brown

David Baldacci

Kathleen O'Neal Gear and Michael Gear

Posted by Barbara Vey on July 13, 2008 | Comments (13)