Thriller 101

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterGet the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterLearn more about Jessica PaynePrevious episode with Jessica PayneJennifer Chevais EpisodeEPISODE INFO:You’re going to get insights into exactly how Jessica writes her books now that she’s a seasoned author. And then you’ll hear why she says you should, under no circumstances, copy her process. We’re going to talk about all that and more in today’s episode and you’ll walk away with a plan for how to better edit your novels. Because we all need that.By the end of this episode, you'll have a better understanding of:How to edit your novel like a proHow to keep track of the lessons you learnedWhat experienced writers like Jessica do to maintain their book writing paceBIO:Jessica Payne is a thriller author living in the Pacific Northwest where the mountains and Puget Sound are home. Beyond writing, she loves to run, rock climb, and explore the great outdoors with her daughter and husband. She is also an RN and host of #MomsWritersClub on YouTube. When holding still, which isn’t often, you’ll find a book in her hand and a cat /dog/small child in her lap.Jessica is the author of MAKE ME DISAPPEAR, THE LUCKY ONE, THE GOOD DOCTOR, and NEVER TRUST THE HUSBAND. Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterLearn more about Jennifer ChevaisDr. Leslie Dobson EpisodeRead Roxie Key's ArticleConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:If you ever find yourself wondering what agents think about while reading your submission, then you’re in the right place. If you ever find yourself wondering what agents think about while reading your submission, then you’re in the right place. By the end of this episode, you'll have a better understanding of:What agents are looking for in submissionsHow to hook an agent's attentionWhy subverting tropes can be a great way to grab an agent's attentionAnd so much more!BIO:Jennifer Chevais is currently building her list of authors specialising in fantasy, science fiction, and horror, but she also has a soft spot for thrillers, upmarket fiction, memoir, graphic novels, and many more.Jennifer’s experience includes freelance acquisition reading and translating for a French publisher as well as nearly a decade in advertising.Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterLearn more about Dr. Leslie Dobson Alex Kenna EpisodeConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:Dr. Leslie Dobson is not my typical guest on Thriller 101. But when I say she delivered for the writing community, I mean it. By the end of this episode you’ll have a better sense of how to build character motivation—and why it might be just as important to think about your audience as about your character, how to navigate themes of mental illness, and so much more!BIO:Dr. Leslie Dobson is a licensed clinical and forensic psychologist in California. She has over 20 years of psychology experience. She has worked in maximum security settings with individuals who committed violent felonies and were found to have a severe mental illness. Over the past three years, Dr. Dobson has primarily focused on civil law. She is an expert in psychological evaluations to determine the truth. Through a variety of assessment measures, she determines the truthfulness of claims regarding emotional distress, especially sexual abuse allegations. In her clinical practice, she focuses on trauma, and also empowering clients to set interpersonal boundaries. Dr. Leslie spent years with psychopaths, and she is passionate about educating and empowering clients, especially women, to live their best life and set boundaries with toxic people, preserving their energy. Dr. Dobson’s first book, The Friend Cleanse: How to identify energy vampires, set boundaries & balance your glass of life, will be published on January 1, 2024. Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterPitch Your Article to Thriller 101Learn more about Alex Kenna Roxie Key EpisodeViviana Vasiu's article: 3 Agent Offers in 48 DaysConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:I firmly believe that quality thrillers, mystery, suspense, and crime fiction use this technique where there’s tension in the main plot (or what I call the professional plot). This is the dead body or missing person plot line that is omnipresent in these genres.But the thing that differentiates really great stories is that there’s also this running tension in the main character’s personal life that makes them feel more real. This has to be done well, though. And that’s what we’re talking about today.In this episode, you’ll learn about how Alex balanced the personal and professional tension in her story, and how she developed the kind of backstory necessary to keep that tension high and keep readers on the edge of their seats throughout the entirety of her novel. That way you’ll be able to apply it to your story.BIO:Alex Kenna is a mystery writer, prosecutor, and amateur painter based in Los Angeles.  Her first novel, WHAT MEETS THE EYE, was a 2023 Shamus Award Finalist for best first P.I. novel. Her second novel, BURN THIS NIGHT, is coming November 2024.Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterPitch Your Article to Thriller 101Learn more about Roxie KeyDaniel Hurst EpisodeEloise Corvo's article: Turning a Standalone Mystery into the First in a SeriesConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:How should you start your novel? Should you have a prologue? Should you jump right into the action? Or spend time with the characters? Today’s guest is going to talk us through the how and why she started her novel the way she did. And I have to tell you, it might be her debut novel, but she knocked this out of the park. BIO:Roxie Key lives in Northampton, UK, with her wife and daughter. Currently working as a creative copywriter for a global brand, Roxie has a degree in creative writing and an unhealthy obsession with crime thrillers. Roxie’s debut thriller, The Deadly Spark, is a dark, compelling crime novel about the fallout after a deadly house fire, perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Jane Casey and Clare Mackintosh. Published by HQ, an imprint of HarperCollins, it's available in paperback, ebook and audiobook.Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterThriller 101 Agent Pitch ContestLearn more about Daniel Hurst Michelle Jackson EpisodeJody Wenner's "On Brand "articleConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:By the end of today’s episode you’ll understand Why Daniel decided to go from self-publishing to working with an independent pressHis writing processYou’ll have a better understanding of how he writes the kinds of clear, compelling hooks that make readers buy his novels. He shares the biggest reasoning behind his decision to sign with a publisher.BIO:Daniel Hurst was born in the northwest of England, a part of the world famous for its comedians, pasties and terrible weather. He has been employed in several glamorous roles in his lifetime, including bartending, shelf stacking and procurement administration, all while based in some of the most exotic places on the planet, like Bolton, Preston and South London. Since following his lifelong passion for writing in 2020, he has amassed a loyal and devoted set of readers, and regularly has several books in the top 100 of the Psychological Thriller Charts on Amazon. His title The Passenger became the #1 selling psychological thriller in the UK in October 2021, and his bestselling book to date is his title The Doctor’s Wife, which topped the Amazon UK Kindle Chart on February 16th 2023. He remembers that date because he stayed up all night celebrating. Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterThriller 101 Agent Pitch ContestLearn more about Michelle Z. Jackson as an agentLearn more about Michelle Z. Jackson as an author Heather Levy EpisodeConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:If you’re hoping to land an agent this year, you’re going to love this conversation with Michelle. We talk about:Connecting your pitch to your openingHow to maintain tensionThe benefits of active voice,What agents look for in a submissionAnd what makes them pass on a project.BIO:Michelle Z. Jackson represents books that evoke heartfelt emotions and fervent conversations among its readers. Her mission is to mentor and develop authors, particularly those from underrepresented communities, and help them build a brand of quality and authentic reads.Originally from Jamaica, West Indies, she is now a literary agent with LCS Literary. She began her agenting career as an intern and then a Literary Associate with Olswanger Literary.  She is also a published author and has earned educational degrees from New York University, SUNY at StonyBrook, Teachers College Columbia University and Argosy University. She is a member of AALA and SCBWI. Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterWant to Hear More about a Thriller Community? Learn more about Heather LevyCatherine Mack EpisodeConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:Should you be writing characters first? Or maybe you should develop your plot? How do you write books with multiple timelines? Do you write them chronologically? Or linearly in relation to the thread of the story? Heather Levy is going to cover all this and more!Plus, she struck up a really interesting debate and I’m curious about your take!BIO:Heather Levy is a born and bred Oklahoman and graduate of Oklahoma City University’s Red Earth MFA program for creative writing. The New York Times called her Anthony-nominated debut Walking Through Needles “a spellbinding novel at the nexus of power, desire, and abuse that portends a bright future” and the L.A. Times called it “a standout for its frank but sensitive exploration of trauma and desire.” Publisher’s Weekly says her thriller Hurt for Me “delivers both heat and heart.” Her novels focus on kink-positive stories centered around badass women. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, two kids, and three murderous cats. Readers can follow her on X and IG @heatherllevy or on her website at www.heatherlevywriter.com  Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now

Send me a Text Message!Thriller 101 NewsletterSubmit an Article to Thriller 101Learn more about Catherine MackMatt Shao EpisodeConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:We’ve all had those moments where we wonder if it’s time to take on something new with our writing. Something bolder or more daring. Maybe it’s a new genre, new point of view, different structure or something else entirely. Well imagine if, by making that brave choice, you absolutely nail it. My guest today did just that. And she pulled it off so well that the NYT reviewed her book.BIO:CATHERINE MACK (she/her) is the pseudonym for the USA Today and Globe & Mail bestselling author of over a dozen novels. Her books are approaching two million copies sold worldwide and have been translated into multiple languages including French, German, Portuguese, and Polish. Television rights to Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies and its forthcoming sequels sold in a major auction to Fox TV for development into a series, with Mack writing the pilot script. A dual Canadian and US citizen, she splits her time between Canada and various warmer locations in the US. Get the list of 125+ Literary Agents who rep Thriller, Mystery, Suspense, and Crime Fiction Study the Opening Paragraphs of the Top Authors Writing Thrillers Right Now