Joining the discussion is Riley Sager, a New York Times bestselling author known for his gripping thrillers like Final Girls and The Only One Left. He shares insights on the importance of standing out in the crowded literary market. Sager discusses crafting suspenseful stories and the art of developing compelling characters, drawing inspiration from classics. The conversation also touches on innovative marketing strategies and the significance of authenticity in storytelling amid the rise of AI-generated content.
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Maximize Book Distribution Channels
Get your books into as many sales channels as possible, including libraries and big box stores.
Being visible in variety of venues helps reach readers who don't frequent traditional bookstores.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Walmart Book Club Example
Walmart bought many copies of Riley's book as a book club pick but the books weren't in stock initially.
Eventually all copies were sold, showing the complexity of retail book stocking.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Visiting ReaderLink Distributor
Riley visited ReaderLink, a key book distributor to big box stores, learning about the importance of these connections.
The event was valuable for building author relationships with industry gatekeepers.
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This graphic adaptation brings to life Agatha Christie's famous detective novel, where Hercule Poirot investigates a murder on the luxurious Orient Express. The story unfolds with intricate clues and surprising twists, keeping readers engaged until the end. The original novel, first published in 1934, is a masterpiece of the whodunit genre.
Final girls
Final girls
Riley Sager
Mosswood Apothecary
Mosswood Apothecary
JP Rindfleisch
Toys R Us
Toys R Us
James Patterson
With a Vengeance
With a Vengeance
Eileen Dreyer
In the summer of 2023, several cool train scenes in movies at the time. There was Bullet Train, there was the Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, like the first half hour was on a train like the last half hour of mission impossible dead reckoning was on that amazing sequence with the train derailment and so they were all so cool. So, a cool train scene in movies at the time can be written as something on a train. The book is being built as a first historical novel.
Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling
The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the journey of Harry Potter, an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard. The series spans seven novels, each corresponding to one year of Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, navigates the magical world, confronts various challenges, and ultimately faces off against the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents and seeks to dominate the wizarding world. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil.
Murder Takes a Vacation
Laura Lippman
Carrie
Stephen King
Set in Chamberlain, Maine, 'Carrie' by Stephen King tells the story of Carietta 'Carrie' White, a 16-year-old girl who is ridiculed and bullied by her peers and abused by her ultra-religious mother, Margaret. Carrie discovers she has telekinetic powers after a humiliating incident in the school locker room where she gets her first period. The story unfolds through multiple narratives, including newspaper reports, court transcripts, and personal memoirs, detailing Carrie's transformation from a shy and isolated girl to a force of vengeance. After being humiliated at the school prom, Carrie unleashes her powers, causing widespread destruction and death in the town. The novel explores themes of ostracism, bullying, and the psychological trauma experienced by its characters[2][3][5].
The Only One Left
Riley Sager
The Only One Left is a Gothic thriller by Riley Sager, revolving around Kit McDeere, a home-health aide tasked with caring for Lenora Hope, a woman accused of a Lizzie Borden-like massacre in 1929. As Kit helps Lenora communicate through an old typewriter, she uncovers a complex web of secrets and lies surrounding the Hope family murders. The novel explores themes of family, love, loneliness, and the obsession with true crime stories.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, JP Rindfleisch, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Pizza Hut, Business Insider, and Meta. Then, stick around for a chat with Riley Sager!
Riley Sager is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, most recently Middle of the Night and The Only One Left. His novels have been published in over 35 countries, with more than 3 million copies sold worldwide. His latest book, With a Vengeance, is available now. A native of Pennsylvania, he now lives in Princeton, New Jersey.