The Thriller in the Desert

By Stacy Alesi -- Library Journal, 8/15/2006

There were plenty of thrills for the 450 thriller writers, editors, agents, librarians, and readers who gathered in Phoenix from June 29 to July 2, 2006, at the beautiful Frank Lloyd Wright–designed Arizona Biltmore resort for the International Thriller Writers’s (ITW) inaugural ThrillerFest convention. Fans met their favorite authors, wannabes received writing tips from the pros, and, best of all, everyone from superstars like Jeffrey Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, and Brad Meltzer to the unknowns met and mingled by the pool, in the coffee shop, and at the bar. In a creepy coincidence many attendees were unaware of until they returned home, Phoenix police were hunting two serial killers who in separate attacks over the past year have killed 11 people and wounded dozens of others.

The well-planned conference featured numerous panel sessions, author interviews, and signings. One of the most informative panels, “Buzz Your Thriller,” featured author M.J. Rose, reviewer David J. Montgomery, and publicist Sarie Morrell (daughter of author David Morrell) offering the useful, albeit painful, revelation to the hopeful and the newly published that a book is not just a creative endeavor but a product that needs to be marketed and publicized. At the fun “Thrillers Live Talk Show,” hosted by Chris Grabenstein, Lee Child admitted that he had already chosen the final title in his Jack Reacher series: Die Alone. Reacher will not only be killed, he said, but also dismembered—there will be no miraculous resurrection later on.

Child was also the star attraction in one of the weekend’s highlights: a mock trial, “The People v. Jack Reacher,” in which the best-selling writer portrayed his character, accused of first-degree murder based on the plot of Persuader. Former prosecutor–turned–legal thriller author Michele Martinez was the ferocious prosecuting attorney, and her star witness was played by James O. Born as a law enforcement officer with a murky past—something about drunk driving and a bunch of dead nuns? Paul Levine was the hilarious defense attorney, the court was presided over by the honorable M. Diane Vogt, and the bailiff, who spent most of the trial napping center stage, was David Dun.

Although there were two juries, one representing the media and the other consisting of audience members, neither could reach a consensus, resulting in a mistrial. Child/Reacher’s shameless flirtation with the mostly female jurors may have been one deciding factor, but the panelists may also have been swayed by Levine’s closing argument that if Reacher were found guilty, there would be no more books.

Other memorable moments included an hour-long spotlight interview with Sandra Brown, who admitted that even after 54 best-selling novels she still worried about “bad plot fairies,” and a luncheon with “Goosebumps” series author R.L. Stine, who was grilled by television writer Lee Goldberg’s nine-year-old daughter over a plot discrepency involving mermaid tears. The opening-night celebration had Douglas Preston sharing the story of how his partnership with Lincoln Child was born when he snuck Child into the American Museum of Natural History late one night. “The Tess Gerritsen Files,” an entertaining mixed-media presentation on the role of forensic science in thrillers, featured a graphic slide show followed by a panel discussion that included C.J. Lyons, Grant Blackwood, and Allen Wyler.

Earlier in the week Elaine Viets, author of the “Dead-End Job” mystery series, stirred up a little controversy about the first annual ITW Thriller Awards when she posted a biting essay on “The Lipstick Chronicles” blog, criticizing the selection of all-male finalists. ITW copresident Gayle Lynds defended the choices, noting that “since this is ITW’s first year, the organization can have no record of institutional prejudice.”

The awards banquet went on, featuring the musical talent of The Killer Thriller Band (John Lescroart, Michael Palmer, F. Paul Wilson, and others) and the Thrillerettes (Heather Graham, Harley Jane Kozak, and Alexandra Sokoloff). Clive Cussler accepted the 2006 ThrillerMaster Award for lifetime achievement, and winners in four categories were announced: Best Novel—Christopher Reich’s The Patriot’s Club (Delacorte); Best First Novel—Adam Fawer’s Improbable (Morrow); Best Paperback Original—R. Cameron Cooke’s Pride Runs Deep (Jove); and Best Screenplay—Michael Haneke’s Caché (“Hidden”).

The Biltmore did a terrific job of hosting the conference, the banquet food was terrific, the authors friendly and inclusive, and the panels interesting, enlightening, and fun, making the first ITW convention a roaring success. The next ThrillerFest is scheduled for July 11–15, 2007 in New York City.