Shall We Play a Game?

Welcome to SCAVENGER. The Hunt Begins.
www.scavengerthegame.com

With the ever-changing book marketing landscape, each publicity campaign requires new and innovative ideas to capture an audience’s imagination. Not so long ago, viral marketing was considered cutting-edge. But like so many trends, what was once novel is now commonplace. The challenge for me as a publicist is to continually strive to find new avenues to augment the more traditional approaches still necessary to promote a book.

For SCAVENGER, the new bestselling thriller by author David Morrell, my team and I created some unique new web-based tools to capture the attention of the reader on a whole new level. In addition to a national author tour, radio and television interviews, web interviews and national advertising in USA Today and the Wallstreet Journal, as well as advertising and articles in genre publications including Crimespree, Deadly Pleasures, Mystery Scene and many others, we needed to hit the segment of readers who are very tied into the culture of gaming and the worldwide web.

First we created banners for SCAVENGER and did banner exchanges or paid banner placement on various genre sites. We also did a five-minute video interview with Expanded Books, which posts on MSN, Yahoo, Google, You Tube and many other sites. As well, we took out paid advertisements on websites such as Backspace and Shelf Awareness. Through many publications and sites, as well as bookstores including Well Red Coyote and Mysterious Galaxy, we hosted contests with giveaways.

For the web based aspect of promotion, we knew we wanted to create a game, as we had done for Morrell’s bestselling, award-winning thriller CREEPERS. While the CREEPERS game was low-tech, because of the subject matter of SCAVENGER we knew we needed to take it to the next level. Working with my team member Nanci Kalanta, who works closely with me to help execute the more technical aspects of the my publicity campaigns, we started talking about various concepts and the practicalities and expenses involved with what we wanted to do.

We wanted to create a unique interactive web-based game for SCAVENGER, with progressive and interactive levels which propelled the player through the book without giving away any key plot elements. While other authors have also recently started creating games, we decided that the SCAVENGER game should require a much more fun and intensive level of user interaction than just simply answering questions.

Early on we registered domain names scavengerthebook.com and scavengerthegame.com. The purpose of having two separate websites was to allow us to separate the game to make it more accessible. Scavengerthebook.com features the five-minute Expanded Books video interview with David Morrell on SCAVENGER, tour information, where to buy the book, information about the book, an excerpt from the book, and a SCAVENGER video trailer. Our printed promotional materials all have both websites, as well as the author website davidmorrell.net, on them.

Scavengerthegame.com was created by Nanci Kalanta (who also owns the estimable website HorrorWorld.org, in addition to being my right-hand computer/web genius) and Deena Warner, who is a professional web designer (she is married to author Matthew Warner). The team worked closely with input from myself and author David Morrell, who is an extremely hands-on author when it comes to promotion and exploring new ideas.

“We worked hard to tie-in all of the plot elements of the book which propel the action, without giving away the story,” said Nanci Kalanta. “We went to a great deal of effort to find historical images and photos, with some surprise unique artifacts from Morrell’s work, such as a Rambo action figure, embedded in the game.”

Kalanta and Warner created an interactive, progressively challenging nine-level game. The game requires full interaction from the player, who is actively engaged in seeking clues, such as rummaging through an old trunk filled with historical artifacts, and finding clues and answering questions. Some questions require off-site research to get answers about specific topics such as time capsules. A correct answer will launch the player to the next level.

“We ran through through several different scenarios in coming up with the storyboard for the game. The author did so much great research into geocaching, time capsules and letterboxing, among other things including videogames. We wanted to bring these elements into the game without giving up the plot,” continued Kalanta. “We created the game in such a way that the player takes on the role of researcher in real life as well as in the game.”

Samples of the nine levels include:

• Explore a time capsule and find clues.
• Find letterboxes through location clues.
• Explore the Crypt to find artifacts by chipping away at cement.
• Ottendorf cipher.
• Explore locations in New York City with a GPS.
• Charter a plane.

The payoff for completing the game? The game also features a contest running through April 30. Winners who successfully complete all nine levels receive signed copies of SCAVENGER, and are entered into a grand drawing for an hourglass, signed back-copies of Morrell’s work, and other prizes. To date more than 2100 entries have been received.

Working with people you trust, and those with computer know-how, creating tools such as we did for SCAVENGER is not necessarily a costly venture. Depending on the type of project, creating games and websites can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars – it all depends on the type of project and designer you go with. Those with extensive computer experience and know how may even be able to do it themselves. When it comes to marketing a book, the sky is the limit for ideas in coming up with new and fun ways to attract and engage readers. Don’t be afraid to explore!

*****

The View from the Page

Following my December 15, 2006 issue of Beyond the Spine (called A LIFE IN LETTERS), ReadersRoom.com received many inquiries from readers interested in the concept of what accountability or responsibility an author has to his or her subjects.

As seen from the numerous lawsuits in recent years relating to films and novels, there are many layers to this. Whether you are writing fiction, non-fiction or biography, intend to write about an actual person or circumstance, or model a fictional character after a real person, there is a legal premise called the “right of publicity” which can affect you. In a nutshell, this means is that an individual has the legal right to control the exploitation of his-or-her name or likeness.

The typical “right of publicity” case usually involves unauthorized product endorsements, however, recently there have been cases involving actual people depicted as fictional characters, or cases where a real person is portrayed in a fictional work, or a work blending fact and fiction together. There have also been cases based upon fictional works inspired by real events.

(I must emphasize here that I am not an attorney and that this column is not intended to replace the advice of a lawyer or an agent, I am simply providing a frame of reference.)

The “right of publicity” act protects a person’s economic interest in their persona. This should not be confused with a libel law, which protects a person’s reputation. A fictional work may contain libelous statements, but not violate any right of publicity issues, or vice-versa. Laws on “right of publicity” vary from state to state, and are enforceable in all states. It is not enough for an author or a film company to place a disclaimer within their work to avoid a “right of publicity” lawsuit and the ever-shifting definitions of the “right of publicity” laws can make it difficult for authors to determine what their Freedom of Expression rights are.

Floating in between journalism and story sources is the world of public relations. P.R. agencies funnel many of the story ideas you see every day in the paper or on the news from source to fruition. In addition to author and book promotion, I have had the valuable experience of working at a private public relations firm representing some very high-profile clients. At every desk in the company was a copy of the Associated Press Style book (which I still use), a valuable tool for every writer. (Other media sources have published such guides as well.) Journalistic guidelines like these provide a frame-of-reference not only for writing press releases and other materials, but also for understanding the types of stories the media source will cover, translating into the type of coverage a certain publicity angle can be expected to get from the media based upon the standards, rules and guidelines for each source. Many media sources publish mission statements and media standards online, such as NPR, Associated Press and others. (These are not to be confused with the Style Book standards, which outline common phrases, spelling and references, among other things.) Some topics just can’t be touched with the proverbial 10-foot-pole – no matter how fantastic an angle.

Writing of every type reflects many aspects and values of our culture, of life, from moral standards to the technology and styles of the times. A writer brings their own frame of reference, experience, feelings and interests to their work. This is what makes a story dimensional. Again, though, we go back to what responsibility an author has to their subject, a question which can’t be answered simply. One possible guideline is stated in the Associated Press Managing Editors Ethics code of Responsibility: “…be fair, accurate, honest, responsible, independent and decent.” A real turn of the screw issue, though, is how an author can inject viewpoint, opinion and personal feelings without violating another. This raises the question of the difference between writing about something specific a certain person may have done or said – it has been demonstrated that without the proper approval, documentation or proof that they can take action against you for having written about it. But what about how the person made you feel? Can that be disputed?

*****

The View from the Page

Following my December 15, 2006 issue of Beyond the Spine (called A LIFE IN LETTERS), ReadersRoom.com received many inquiries from readers interested in the concept of what accountability or responsibility an author has to his or her subjects.

As seen from the numerous lawsuits in recent years relating to films and novels, there are many layers to this. Whether you are writing fiction, non-fiction or biography, intend to write about an actual person or circumstance, or model a fictional character after a real person, there is a legal premise called the “right of publicity” which can affect you. In a nutshell, this means is that an individual has the legal right to control the exploitation of his-or-her name or likeness.

The typical “right of publicity” case usually involves unauthorized product endorsements, however, recently there have been cases involving actual people depicted as fictional characters, or cases where a real person is portrayed in a fictional work, or a work blending fact and fiction together. There have also been cases based upon fictional works inspired by real events.

(I must emphasize here that I am not an attorney and that this column is not intended to replace the advice of a lawyer or an agent, I am simply providing a frame of reference.)

The “right of publicity” act protects a person’s economic interest in their persona. This should not be confused with a libel law, which protects a person’s reputation. A fictional work may contain libelous statements, but not violate any right of publicity issues, or vice-versa. Laws on “right of publicity” vary from state to state, and are enforceable in all states. It is not enough for an author or a film company to place a disclaimer within their work to avoid a “right of publicity” lawsuit and the ever-shifting definitions of the “right of publicity” laws can make it difficult for authors to determine what their Freedom of Expression rights are.

Floating in between journalism and story sources is the world of public relations. P.R. agencies funnel many of the story ideas you see every day in the paper or on the news from source to fruition. In addition to author and book promotion, I have had the valuable experience of working at a private public relations firm representing some very high-profile clients. At every desk in the company was a copy of the Associated Press Style book (which I still use), a valuable tool for every writer. (Other media sources have published such guides as well.) Journalistic guidelines like these provide a frame-of-reference not only for writing press releases and other materials, but also for understanding the types of stories the media source will cover, translating into the type of coverage a certain publicity angle can be expected to get from the media based upon the standards, rules and guidelines for each source. Many media sources publish mission statements and media standards online, such as NPR, Associated Press and others. (These are not to be confused with the Style Book standards, which outline common phrases, spelling and references, among other things.) Some topics just can’t be touched with the proverbial 10-foot-pole – no matter how fantastic an angle.

Writing of every type reflects many aspects and values of our culture, of life, from moral standards to the technology and styles of the times. A writer brings their own frame of reference, experience, feelings and interests to their work. This is what makes a story dimensional. Again, though, we go back to what responsibility an author has to their subject, a question which can’t be answered simply. One possible guideline is stated in the Associated Press Managing Editors Ethics code of Responsibility: “…be fair, accurate, honest, responsible, independent and decent.” A real turn of the screw issue, though, is how an author can inject viewpoint, opinion and personal feelings without violating another. This raises the question of the difference between writing about something specific a certain person may have done or said – it has been demonstrated that without the proper approval, documentation or proof that they can take action against you for having written about it. But what about how the person made you feel? Can that be disputed?

*****

A Life in Letters

I enjoy biographies and non-fiction works greatly, in fact, I probably have read more about F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, their wives, friends and lovers than I have works by these celebrated authors. (This is saying a lot about how much I’ve read, considering that my BA in English is concentrated on works 1900 to the present, with a great focus on Fitzgerald and Hemingway, among other classic American novelists. Obviously my interests continue...)

Want to know about Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley? Second, Pauline? Martha? Mary? About their legendary friends and other American ex-patriots, such as the Murphy’s? I’ve read it all, with great relish. It’s the history of our current literary landscape. How about the founders of the Algonquin Roundtable? Dorothy Parker? Fascinating people to read about, they led life for their own interests and passions, certainly, at times, with great cost to themselves and others. I don’t like gossip, but rather enjoy hearing about life as they led it, in another time. What is was like to be there, what they lived through.

Some of the biographies about these literary icons were written when these people were living, or by those close to them – endorsed and backed by first hand knowledge and accounts. I’m sure not everyone included in these portrayals was very happy about how the were depicted – they led raucous lives and it wasn’t called The Jazz Age for nothing. Others were written well after all involved have since passed on. Much of the information for these posthumous works is drawn from extensive firsthand documentation, often written by the party portrayed. Prior to the advent of fax machines, FedEx, email and other “instant” information systems, most of which are never preserved due to sheer volume, the habits of keeping diaries, journals and writing letters (often several per day), which many literary figures and entertainers maintained until death and beyond, created an indisputable “legend”. These papers offer us a literal map of sorts, from which details, first-hand accounts, and often intimate emotions, are still being drawn from today.

This past week, I read an article in Vanity Fair Magazine about Augusten Burroughs, an author most notably known for his memoir Running With Scissors, also a major motion picture. The focus of the current media scrutiny on Burroughs is a lawsuit filed by the family Burroughs chronicles in detail (though not by their true names) in Running With Scissors. To put in mildly, they are quite unhappy by the way they are portrayed in Scissors (Burroughs' mentally unstable mother entrusted him to live with her psychiatrist and his family), an account painted in great, and sometimes painful, detail by Burroughs. I say painful (I’ve read the book) because it is Burrough’s reconstruction of a very (to put it mildly) unhappy part of his youth, while he was involved with them.

Though the family is identified fictitiously, there are a number of not-so-flattering specific details about their lives and the locale which they claim makes them easily recognizable to anyone in their community. Again, though Burroughs never identified them, he (according to Vanity Fair) once told a reporter, in what sounds like frustration after being badgered to out them, that anyone with a little ingenuity could readily find the family by searching for stories in the locale described in the book, focusing on details he describes in the book. This would hold true for any people with colorful lives in any community, I suppose. One wouldn’t have to know who they are, but you could find out if you knew the stories and locale – especially in today’s age of instant information – celebrity or not.

My real interest in the Vanity Fair article is the idea of what accountability an author has when writing about other people, especially in a memoir. At what point is an author responsible for letting his or her subject(s) know they are being written about, particularly if they are not identified by their real names? Ironically, though Burroughs hadn’t “named” the family, if it weren’t for the lawsuit they filed; they would never have been “outed” for who they really are, which they fully admit. And they never thought the book would be a hit, but were upset when it became one. So they decided to go public. And sue. Hmmm. They are also upset that Burroughs never told them he was writing a book about his time living with them, though again, he never named them so what obligation did he have? How could he have forecast the book’s success? If not for the article in Vanity Fair, the Boston Globe and other outlets, which the family chose to do, I would never have known who the family really was. That was their personal choice to pursue – to go public. At what point is the author accountable? Could that point have anything to do with the bestseller lists?

*****

Night Dreams…

“I see dead people” -- The Sixth Sense

“The scariest thing is not knowing your place in the world” -- Unbreakable

“It’s happening.” -- Signs.

“In this ordinary place, something extraordinary will happen.” – Lady in the Water


I’ve been reading THE MAN WHO HEARD VOICES: Or, How M. Night Shyamalan Risked His Career on a Fairy Tale, by Michael Bamberger (Gotham Books), an in-depth biography of the writer/director M. Night Shyamalan based upon two years of intimate interviews and observations with Night, focusing on the release of his new film Lady in the Water.

Night’s movies fascinate me on a number of levels. In addition to holding a BA in English, as well as working in the book publishing industry, I’ve also studied film (I have a film minor as well), particularly science-fiction and thrillers. Essentially, however, I am simply a huge fan of his work.

Much like a well executed novel, Night’s movies are designed to work on many different levels both thematically and structurally. At once thrilling, spooky and supernatural, Night’s work challenges the viewer to think beyond the cookie-cutter definitions of traditional movie genres. Each movie is structured and executed in such a way that once you know the “payoff”, the film offers different meanings upon a second or even third screening. To me, a good book should be the same way – I keep my favorite books and reread them periodically, pulling new things from the story each time.

Take, for example, The Sixth Sense. There is hardly a movie fan out there who doesn’t know the payoff of the film (“I see dead people.”). Going back and watching it a second time, knowing that Bruce Willis is a ghost, turns it into an entirely different movie. Look again at the early scenes in which Cole is being visited by Bruce Willis at his home. The first time around we believe the boy is troubled (and of course haunted) and is being visited by a psychiatrist. Subsequent viewings reveal further layers – the viewer is now watching the film from the boy’s viewpoint. (Look particularly at the scene in which Cole comes home from school and finds his mother sitting across from Willis’ character, seemingly before an “appointment”.) Also look at the scene in which Willis shows up late for an “anniversary” dinner with his wife.

The media blitz around Lady in the Water, and the focus of Bamberger’s book, also interests me from a marketing viewpoint. As a publicist, I’ve followed the media campaigns for Night’s work with great interest. Just as with book publicity, a movie campaign must reveal enough about the plot and theme of a book or movie to excite people, but not so much that it over-targets the movie or blows the premise. The campaign for his latest novel, however, fails for me on many different levels, and I believe ultimately sacrificed its box-office success on the big screen.

For years, Night was backed by Disney – for whom Night had made a number of hit movies and billions of dollars (literally). To make a long story short, Disney did not want to make Lady in the Water the way he envisioned it. The studio did not “get it”; they did not trust his vision of the movie. What they wanted, they explained, was something which was like his earlier movies – something tried and true. Something they could make and promote with their eyes closed.

Unsettled, Night knew he could never make the movie he wanted to if he stayed with Disney, and he went to another studio. Much as in publishing, things like this happen all the time. Authors switch publishers, directors and actors switch studios frequently. Author writes book. Publisher expects a different book. Publisher tells author to rewrite book to fit their mold. Author wrestles with polarity of whether to write the book they envisioned or write the one someone else is telling them to. Will their idea be the same, will it succeed if they sacrifice their vision? One of the greatest conflicts for an author, or anyone in a creative industry, is how to continue to create something which breaks molds while keeping their current “audience”.

Just as with a new book by a favorite author, I was really looking forward to the release of Lady in the Water. I knew the movie was coming out, I had seen the commercials and my interest was piqued. Then I read two major pieces (one in USA Today, the other in Entertainment Weekly) about Night and his struggles with getting the film to fruition. These articles were so negative, not so much about the film itself, but about the director’s feelings about his struggles to get it made, that I deliberately stopped reading reviews and articles about the movie. The media coverage was spoiling my anticipation of the movie. After seeing the movie, I then went back and read articles I had set aside.

Far from inspiring a viewer to want to see the film, the coverage of Night’s decision to switch studios, as well as the subsequent doubts he had about the film itself, worked against the movie.

A USA Today article states in an opening sentence that Night is now wondering if he has “lost his touch”. Another article focuses on his thematic doubts. How is any of this going to inspire a consumer to shell-out money to see the film? Who really wants to see a movie portrayed as being written and directed by someone who is not confident in the work they have created? (I don’t believe that Night did this intentionally, of course.)

A good marketing campaign – whether for books or movies – should inspire excitement and interest. Not doubt and negativity. I’ve always believed that articles present a greater potential for positive marketing than reviews. The campaign I’ve followed for Lady in the Water reaffirms my belief. I enjoyed the movie greatly, and have liked reading Bamberger’s book on Night. But negative articles breed negative feedback.

When doing publicity, stay focused, stay positive – and show you believe in your work. Night’s early campaigns bred interest, sparked imagination. While Night’s troubles to get Lady in the Water to the big screen do make for interesting reading, they do nothing to inspire us to look at Night’s creative dreams for the movie.

NOTE:
To view some of the articles discussed in this column, please go to the following links:

USA Today article on Shyamalan
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/news/2006-07-18-shyamalan_x.htm
USA Today review of movie
http://www.usatoday.com/life/movies/reviews/2006-07-20-lady-water-review_x.htm
VARIETY article on Lady in the Water http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117931086?categoryid=31&cs=1
VARIETY quote on Lady in the Water http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117947216?categoryid=1019&cs=1

"Suddenly, he knew. The problem was not Nina Jacobson or Dick Cook or Oren Aviv. He wasn't looking at three individuals. They had morphed into one, the embodiment of the company they worked for, and that company, the great Walt Disney Co. ... no longer valued individualism. It no longer valued fighters. Nina and Cook and Aviv wanted Night to be a cog." -- M. Night Shyamalan's epiphany during a meeting to discuss his "sale" script of "Lady in the Water," as related in "The Man Who Heard Voices."

*****

THRILLERS – The Hot New Genre

As the International Thriller Writer’s organization (ITW) draws closer to debuting the first all-thriller conference in history, ThrillerFest (June 29-July 2, 2006), one of the foremost questions ITW has been presented with is “What defines a thriller?” Depending upon who you ask, there are many different answers to this question – thrillers don’t easily fall into one specific definition or category. What is clear from looking at sales figures and bestseller lists, however, is that thrillers are extremely popular with readers worldwide – and have been for quite some time.

Jon Jordan, editor-in-chief of CRIMESPREE magazine, a popular genre publication targeted to mystery and thriller fans, has this to say when asked his viewpoint on what defines a thriller. “At heart I feel that thrillers and mysteries each contain a crime as the core element,” a point also reaffirmed in the May 15, 2006 article of Publishers Weekly entitled, Thriller, Incorporate, by Sarah Weinman, in which David Hale Smith, of DHS Literary, says that "Thrillers are the most commercially successful category of crime fiction…”.

Thrillers also transcend the published boundaries, as Margeret Marbury, editor at MIRA Books, who is publishing the first all-thriller ITW anthology entitled THRILLER (June 2006), says in the Publishers Weekly article that thrillers today “are the closest book format to TV and movies…”

Thrillers on film and t.v. have always been successful (think Alias and “24” as well as the Jason Bourne series), however, this will be especially interesting as we look towards the opening of The Da Vinci Code, which many have described as a theological thriller and is sure to be a film event equal to its blockbuster publishing counterpart.

The lines between genres blur when you begin to think about the ties thrillers have to other genres. There are romance thrillers, spy thrillers, science fiction thrillers – thrillers fit within nearly every genre and can contain elements of other genres. For example, many thrillers also have romance aspects (the main character often has a budding love interest with a fellow character). Relating to this, many readers are often cross-genre fans, as Nanci Kalanta, owner and editor of HorrorWorld.org, a popular, award-winning site has demonstrated. Though the site is most clearly dedicated to horror (as can be clearly seen from the website’s name) Kalanta heavily reviews and features books and authors from both genres, many of whom could easily be described as mystery or thriller writers.

“Many horror fans are as equally interested in thriller or other high-action genres. It has more to do with the emotions evoked in the reader by a story than by the existence of specific plot elements,” Kalanta explained. “This is why many thriller authors write books which cross genre boundaries, or write books which are strictly thrillers as well as those which may fall clearly into the horror genre.” A suspense or horror thriller may not contain ghosts or vampires, but rather examine the horrifying depths of the human mind and what unspeakable acts we are capable of committing against one another.

Some publishing professionals have described thrillers as being proactive, while mysteries are reactive. Author MJ Rose likes to quote fellow writer Joe Finder “A mystery is a who-dun-it, and a thriller is a how-dun-it.”

The focus of ITW and ThrillerFest, taking place from June 29 – July 2, 2006 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, is to explore the realm of the thriller world in a three-dimensional, interactive conference that is exciting not only for authors, but for readers as well. With panels ranging from themes such as Inside the Mind of a Thriller Writer to Special Operations: Weapons and Tactics You Don’t See in Textbooks, on to Adventures in Research; Sex in Thrillers, With Booze and a mock-trial called The People Vs. Jack Reacher, starring author Lee Child as his famed Jack Reacher character, there is sure to be something unique and interesting to fit the interests of readers and authors alike. Other features of ThrillerFest include spotlight interviews with authors such as Douglas Preston, R.L. Stine, Brad Meltzer, Sandra Brown and John Lescroart, as well as a charity auction and the 1st Annual THRILLER Awards Banquet.

(A full schedule is available at http://www.thrillerwriters.org/thrillerfest/schedule.html)

What else is ITW up to these days? For starters, fans of the thriller genre can subscribe to the free new Thriller Readers Newsletter, where subscribers can get the latest news about their favorite Thriller authors, books, and the Thriller world at large, as well as qualify to win free books. ITW also is preparing for the release of their first all-thriller anthology, called THRILLER (MIRA Books, June 2006), with signings of the anthology at chain and independent stores nationwide hosted by contributing authors starting on June 1, 2006. (For more information about signing days, times and locations, please check the website at www.thrillerbook.com, as well as enter to win a signed copy of the anthology). And while ITW is still gearing up for the 2006 event, believe it or not, they are already well into the planning stages for ThrillerFest 2007…


Stayed tuned to future columns for more details about ThrillerFest and a behind-the-scenes look at this exciting event. Play the ITW/ThrillerFest Contest at http://www.horrorworld.org/contest.htm. Answer Questions about Your Favorite Thriller Authors for a Chance to Win Prizes Including Books, Gift-Certificates, CD’s, the THRILLER Anthology (a collections of short stories by 32 ITW members) and much more!

LUNCH WITH R.L. STINE, GO TO JACK REACHER’S TRAIL, LEARN HOW DAVID MORRELL’S FIRST BLOOD BECAME A MOVIE, FOLLOW TESS GERRITSEN’S TEAM OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATORS, DINE (Not Die) WITH JOHN LESCROART, ATTEND THE THRILLER AWARDS BANQUET, RUB SHOULDERS WITH SANDRA BROWN, BRAD MELTZER AND DOUG PRESTON, BE THERE FOR THE DEBUT OF THE THRILLER ANTHOLOGY –

THRILLERFEST IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE CONFERENCE.

ThrillerFest 2006. Thursday, June 29 – Sunday, July 2, 2006.
The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa, 2400 East Missouri Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85016 800-950-0086
Register at www.ThrillerFest.com;www.internationalthrillerwriters.com

Bringing Thrillers to You

“AN EMERGENCY WARNING TO ALL JOURNALISTS: I would urge all members of the press, in the strongest possible terms, not to attend ThrillerFest. It has come to my attention that large numbers of suspicious, eccentric, and even criminally minded individuals are planning to attend. Never before has such a collection of twisted minds come together in one location. Anything could happen... TO BE FOREWARNED IS TO BE FOREARMED.”

--Bestselling Author Douglas Preston


With June just around the corner, we at the International Thriller Writer’s organization (ITW) are madly working on the final details for ThrillerFest (June 29 – July 2, 2006), the first all-thriller reader/author conference in history, being held at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Arizona, June 29 – July 2, 2006.

Many fans and readers may wonder what goes into creating such an event, which takes months of planning and coordination. Headed-up by a high-energy team of authors, journalists and publishing professionals who serve as committee members and volunteers, under the leadership of author M. Diane Vogt (author of MARITAL PRIVILEGE and The Little Bathroom Book of Crime Puzzles), bringing ThrillerFest to fruition has taken months of hard work and dedication.

ITW officially announced ThrillerFest shortly after their one-year anniversary in October 2005. “One of the original goals of ITW was to showcase authors who traditionally weren’t getting a lot of face time at traditional conferences and conventions, and at the same time create a way to showcase these talent,” says marketing co-chair and author MJ Rose (THE VENUS FIX, MIRA Books, July 2006).

“Once ITW decided to have a conference, we certainly wanted to make every effort to make it ‘thrilling’and to create a three-dimensional conference that would bring fans into the worlds of our books and authors into the worlds of our fans,” Rose continued.

Designed to be a traveling conference held in different cities each year, “ThrillerFest 2006 will be the first major all-thriller reader/author conference in history. We've arranged many exciting presentations that bring together so many bestselling authors that I'm reminded of the MGM film studio which used to say that they had more stars than in the heavens," says ITW co-president and bestselling author David Morrell, whose bestselling hardcover novel CREEPERS will be published in paperback by CDS Books in August 2006.

Selecting location, budget, conference fees and other details are just a small portion of what goes into the bare bones construction of staging such an event. As author Gayle Lynds (THE LAST SPYMASTER, St. Martin’s Press, June 2006) says, “In the early stages, we spent a great deal of time on phone conferences and emails ironing out the minute details of the event. Now we are getting to the fun part, which is finalizing panels, appearances and other exciting elements of ThrillerFest, which will heavily feature author/reader interactive panels and craft tracks.”

A second goal for ITW and ThrillerFest was to create a thriller award to showcase the talents of thriller writers. Many people who had judged other awards shows openly discussed that thrillers were often the “red-headed stepchild” of the mystery genre. The founders of ITW were particularly excited about thrillers becoming the stars of their own awards and not the “also-rans” of other award venues.

At ThrillerFest, ITW will present its first Thriller awards covering five categories including The Distinguished Literature Award; Best Novel; Best First Novel; Best Paperback Original and Best Script, which will be revealed at a gala banquet during ThrillerFest. The finalists are:
Best Novel
PANIC by Jeff Abbott (Dutton)
CONSENT TO KILL by Vince Flynn (Atria)
VELOCITY by Dean Koontz (Bantam)
THE PATRIOTS CLUB by Christopher Reich (Delacorte Press)
CITIZEN VINCE by Jess Walter (Regan Books)
Best First Novel
IMPROBABLE by Adam Fawer (William Morrow)
THE COLOR OF LAW by Mark Gimenez (Doubleday)
COLD GRANITE by Stuart MacBride (St. Martin's Minotaur)
PAINKILLER by Will Staeger (William Morrow)
BENEATH A PANAMANIAN MOON by David Terrenoire (Thomas Dunne Books)
Best Paperback Original
SLEEPER CELL by Jeffrey Anderson (Berkley)
PRIDE RUNS DEEP by R. Cameron Cooke (Jove)
UPSIDE DOWN by John Ramsey Miller (Dell)
THE DYING HOUR by Rick Mofina (Pinnacle Books)
EXIT STRATEGY by Michael Wiecek (Jove)
Best Screenplay
MATCH POINT, screenplay by Woody Allen
SYRIANA, based on the book by Robert Baer, written by Stephen Gaghan
CACHE (Hidden), screenplay by Michael Haneke
OLDBOY, screenplay by Jo-yun Hwang, Chun-hyeong Lim, Joon-hyung Lim, and Chan-wook Park; story by Garon Tsuchiya
MUNICH, screenplay by Tony Kushner and Eric Roth; based on the book by George Jonas

“We’re delighted to announce that the recipient of ITW's first Lifetime Achievement Award is Clive Cussler,” says ITW vice-president David Dun (author of THE BLACK SILENT and OVERFALL). Cussler began writing novels in 1965 and published his first work created around his continuing series hero, Dirk Pitt, in 1973.

During ThrillerFest, ITW also will unveil the first pure thriller anthology – THRILLER (MIRA Books, June 2006) edited by mega-bestselling author James Patterson and New York Times best-selling authors Steve Berry as managing editor with Gayle Lynds as inaugural editor. Between the covers, you'll discover more than thirty riveting stories from some of the best thriller authors at work today, being debuted during a cocktail party hosted by MIRA Books, publisher of the anthology (THRILLER: Stories to Keep You Up All Night, MIRA Books, June 2006).

Stayed tuned to future columns for more details about ThrillerFest and a behind-the-scenes look at this exciting event. Play the ITW/ThrillerFest Contest at http://www.horrorworld.org/contest.htm. Answer Questions about Your Favorite Thriller Authors for a Chance to Win Prizes Including Books, Gift-Certificates, CD’s, the THRILLER Anthology (a collections of short stories by 32 ITW members) and much more!
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Founded in October 2004, at the Bouchercon World Suspense Conference in Toronto, Canada, the International Thriller Writers boasts a membership of more than 300 authors (many of whom are New York Times bestsellers) with worldwide sales exceeding 1.6 billion books.

Registration for ThrillerFest is open to ITW members and non-members. ITW has reserved a limited block of rooms at the celebrated Arizona Biltmore Resort (where the event is being held), designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright, at a specially discounted rate of $109 per night. For information about ITW, go to www.internationalthrillerwriters.com. To register for ThrillerFest, go to www.ThrillerFest.com.

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LUNCH WITH R.L. STINE, GO TO JACK REACHER’S TRAIL, LEARN HOW DAVID MORRELL’S FIRST BLOOD BECAME A MOVIE, FOLLOW TESS GERRITSEN’S TEAM OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATORS, DINE (Not Die) WITH JOHN LESCROART, ATTEND THE THRILLER AWARDS BANQUET, RUB SHOULDERS WITH SANDRA BROWN, BRAD MELTZER AND DOUG PRESTON, BE THERE FOR THE DEBUT OF THE THRILLER ANTHOLOGY –

THRILLERFEST IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE CONFERENCE.


ThrillerFest 2006. Thursday, June 29 – Sunday, July 2, 2006.
The Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa
2400 East Missouri Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85016 800-950-0086
Register at www.ThrillerFest.com;www.internationalthrillerwriters.com

The Frey Fray Part II--The Conclusion

“Brillstein-Grey Entertainment literary manager Kassie Evashevski, who represented the author of ‘A Million Little Pieces’ for more than four years, said she's not representing him anymore because of his tall tales.

"In the last week, it became impossible for me to maintain a relationship once the trust had been broken," Evashevski told Publisher Weekly for a story on Tuesday. "He eventually did apologize, but I felt for many reasons I had to let him go as a client."
---The Internet Writing Journal (IWJ) Blog, February 1, 2006

NEW YORK - James Frey, who admitted last month he made up much of his best-selling memoir “A Million Little Pieces,” has been dropped by his publisher, Riverhead Books, Frey’s representative said Thursday…” ---MSNBC.COM, Reuters, ET Feb. 23, 2006

The Frey Fray Part Two of Two…Trust Me.

Much like debris falling after an explosion, things are slowly settling into place following the SmokingGun.com expose about James Frey. As indicated by the quotes above, the now-celebrated author has lost both his agent and his publisher, as well, it has been reported that Frey’s movie deal with Brad Pitt’s Plan B productions also is in jeopardy.

From comments received by ReadersRoom.com, it seems that public opinion is divided when it comes to the Frey situation. Many readers feel Frey “got what was coming to him,” while others feel sorry for him. Many feel the author was baited and attacked by Oprah; others feel she was his judge and jury. No matter how we stand on the issue, Frey’s books are still coming off the shelves at an impressive clip – the trade paperback of “A Million Little Pieces” alone sold over 13,500 copies last week. Many authors would be very happy with selling this for a total print run.

At heart, the circumstances surrounding Frey’s situation seem to involve trust. In recent decades, consumer trust, or for that matter personal trust, has fallen on a slippery slope. I remember a time not long ago when products did not have bullet-proof packaging which required sharp scissors, patience and about fifteen minutes of your time to open. Products were placed on the shelves with very little safety packaging – just a child-proof cap to prevent little fingers from opening bottles and inadvertently poisoning themselves, if that. All of this changed in 1982 when it was discovered that numerous bottles of Extra-Strength Tylenol had been intentionally tampered with and laced with cyanide (seven people died). Widespread panic ensued. In the end, it was revealed that an individual had pulled or purchased the Tylenol products from the shelves, laced them with the deadly poison and distributed them back onto shelves to be purchased.

Johnson & Johnson, the maker of the product initially suffered devastating losses, but quickly implemented an aggressive crisis management campaign including widespread recalls and the creation of a triple-seal packaging system, which is now considered by many to be the gold-star example of a successful crisis management campaign. Ultimately, the company was lauded for its quick response and reaction to the situation. While Johnson & Johnson was not at fault, public trust in shelved consumer products would never be the same.

In the famous Tylenol case, Johnson & Johnson was not at fault – they themselves did not make a faulty or harmful product. In other cases, a company may know a product has something wrong with it, but doesn’t say anything as the risk of mass hysteria and financial loss is greater than the potential for bodily harm (a little benzene with your bubbly-water anyone?).

Many challenge that Frey’s publisher should have fact-checked his work before publishing the book as a memoir. Somewhere I read that Frey himself had initially attempted to sell his work as strictly fiction, but was rejected. It was Frey, though, who made the choice to sell his work as a memoir – as truth. It’s his name on the book. Frey knew his product was untruthful and did not tell us.

Computers, phones, legal records, college and police records are all readily available on the internet. It is easier than ever to get caught in a lie. Yes, a memoir does have to rely on some colorful recreation of a personal history to make the narrative readable and engaging to the public, but there is a level of trust that is placed in the author that the actual events are true. If we are told something is factual, it effects how we relate to the author and narrative. At what pace would anything be published if a publishing house were required to fact-check all books, unless, of course, there are challengeable significant historical facts involved? There is an inherent amount of trust between the author/publisher relationship and the written word, which in this case, Frey violated.

In a way, it is naïve for anyone to believe that given today’s modern technology one can significantly alter details which can be verified factually, such as arrest records and rehab stays, put them in a book, and not expect to be “caught”. We are a curious public. How could he not believe that someone, somewhere, would not investigate “the truth”? We believed his product was safe, that we knew the “ingredients”.

As for Frey’s wildly successful sales? While some may buy it for the life-affirming message it imparts, I am inclined to think most are now buying it for the “wow” factor, to compare the SmokingGun.com facts with the fiction Frey created.

I only hope we don’t get to a point where books are another commodity which needs to be triple-sealed to protect the consumer for accuracy of content. I am holding out for trust. And what will happen to Frey? Nobody likes relationships with people they can’t trust, though as Oprah and Dr. Phil have shown, as well as Frey’s sales figures, it sure gets better ratings.

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