Thriller 101

Send me a Text Message!Download the Official Thriller 101 Hook Checklist HereClick here to rate and review the podcast!Find out more about Amy Nielsen Listen to Last Time: Catherine McKenzie Connect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:If you’re hoping to sign with your agent in the next few months, you’re going to love this episode with my guest today. We’re going to dive deep into a fantastic submission that shows a ton of promise! Amy is going to share so many tips with use that you’ll find yourself pausing, rewinding, and (safely) taking notes. If your goal is to land a literary agent ASAP then this will be one of the most valuable things you do for your writing career this week.BIO:Amy Nielsen spent nearly twenty years sharing her love of books with young readers on the other side of the writing aisle as a youth librarian. Daily immersion in story took root, and she started penning her 2024 YA debut, Worth It, behind her checkout desk.           She left the library after her youngest son was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and began writing full-time. She also began working with other authors helping them to elevate their craft and go on to pursue publication deals. While she will always enjoy pursuing her own writing goals, helping other authors has become a passion. She is honored to now serve as an associate literary agent at The Purcell Agency.          Amy also has a background in television production and creates book trailers for authors to use as a marketing tool. She started Mayflower Media where she works collaboratively with writers to bring the heart of their stories from the page to the screen.          In addition to her debut, Amy is the author of It Takes a Village: How to Build A Support System for Your Exceptional Needs Family, the picture book, Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Teaching Television Production, Beyond the Morning Newscast. She is the co-author of the upcoming title Navigating the Wild World of Publishing: A Workbook for Indie and Self-Published Authors and the co-host of the Author(ish) podcast.          When not writing or reading she and her family can be found boating in Tampa Bay. You can find Amy at www.amynielsenauthor.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!Free 5-Day Email Mini Course on Hooking an Agent with Your OpeningPaula Hawkins on LitHubGet 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!Free 5-Day Email Mini Course on Hooking an Agent with Your OpeningClick here to rate and review the podcast!Find out more about Catherine McKenzieLink to the last time Catherine was on the podcastConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:In today’s episode, we’re going to hear from a best-selling author about how she plans and organizes her novels.Anyone who writes in the thriller, mystery, suspense, or crime genre considers multiple points of view and multiple timelines. So few pull it off as well as Catherine McKenzie.Listen to how she does it here!BIO:Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Canada. A graduate of McGill in History and Law, Catherine practiced law for twenty years before leaving the practice to write full time. An avid runner, skier and tennis player, she’s the author of numerous bestsellers including HIDDEN, FRACTURED, THE GOOD LIAR and I’LL NEVER TELL. Her works have been translated into multiple languages and PLEASE JOIN US and I’LL NEVER TELL have all been optioned for development into television series. 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!Free 5-Day Email Mini Course on Hooking an Agent with Your OpeningClick here to rate and review the podcast!Find out more about Emmy Nordstrom HigdonLink to the last time Emmy was on the podcastConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:In today’s episode, we’re going to hear from a literary agent about what you need in your opening pages. If you’re hoping to sign with an agent this year, then you’ll love the clear, actionable steps outlined in this episode.BIO:emmy (they/them) holds a PhD in justice-oriented social work with a focus on critical animal studies from McMaster University, with peer-reviewed publications in public health and psychology. In 2019, they made a lateral career move into publishing after four years as a bookseller at a local independent bookstore.They are a literary agent at Westwood Creative Artists, a faculty member for the Manuscript Academy, and an advisor for the Festival of Literary Diversity and Sheridan College Creative Writing and Publishing programs. In their agenting work, they use a hands-on, conscious editing approach.emmy is a queer, trans, and non-binary colonizer originally from Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland), the ancestral homelands of the Beothuk and the Mi’kmaq, now based on the Haldimand Tract, which is the territory of the Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and Attawandaran peoples. emmy is autistic, has psychiatric disabilities, and a hormone-related chronic illness.emmy lives with their partner, a Deaf Dalmatian named Pavot, two formerly feral Maine coon cats, Whisper and Willow, and their collection of plants, informally nicknamed The Leafy Bois. They keep busy with vegan cooking, needlework, wholesome games, snail mail, their sticker collection, TTRPGs, and… obviously, reading. 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!Free 5-Day Email Mini Course on Hooking an Agent with Your OpeningWanda Morris on CrimeReadsInterviews Referenced:Literary Agent Kimberly BrowerAuthor James ByrneAuthor JM DonellanGet 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!Free 5-Day Email Mini Course on Hooking an Agent with Your OpeningAgent: Carleen Geisler Author: Brooke RobinsonAuthor: Aaron Philip ClarkGet 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!Click here to rate and review the podcast!Find out more about Kathleen FoxxBrooke Robinson EpisodeCarleen Geisler EpisodeSign up to be notified when agent submissions reopen!Connect with Kathleen on TwitterConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:Today, we have another agent interview! I’m so excited to share this conversation with a brand new agent who has a resume that will make you take notice. She gives a masterclass on opening pages!Kathleen Foxx is a new agent at The Rights Factory. She shares some absolutely priceless information for writers.BIO:Kathleen is a new literary agent at The Rights Factory, representing clients from anywhere in the world. She’s also a freelance fiction editor, podcaster, and co-founder/host of #MoodPitch, helping connect writers with agents and publishers around the globe. Kat is most interested in thrillers/suspense, gothic/supernatural horror, light romance and romcom, pre-20th century historical fiction/fantasy, and select nonfiction topics. Her submission guidelines and detailed MSWL can be found at kathleenfoxxagent.com/mswl or on Manuscript Wishlist. 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!Click here to rate and review the podcast!Sign up to be notified when agent submissions reopen!Connect with Brooke on TwitterConnect with Brooke on Instagram Connect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:The opening of your story is something we talk about a lot on, through their one-on-one and that's because it's so important. It's not just important to get an agent's attention. It's also important to hook and hold on to readers.Luckily, we have a debut author who balanced her opening in a way that I personally think is genius. And she's going to talk all about how she pulled it off.BIO:Today’s guest is Brooke Robinson grew up in Sydney, Australia. She worked as a bookseller, university administrator and playwright in Australia and the UK. For a short time she wrote music reviews and interviewed rock musicians for streetpress magazines in Sydney, and for an even shorter time, considered a career in physics. The Interpreter is her first novel.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!Antagonist ChecklistSign up to be notified when agent submissions reopen!Connect with JM DonellanJM Donellan's YouTubeConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:In thrillers, (maybe more so than in any other genre) an antagonist has a lot of weight to carry. They have to be believable but ruthless. Dangerous and deadly but also sympathetic. I mean, how much time do we spend on our main characters? If you’re anything like me, you create entire backstories for them. You try to understand their goals, ambitions and needs. And of course you do. You should. But do you do the same for your antagonists? Today’s guest is going to share his 3 secrets for writing unique and memorable antagonists.BIO:J.M. DONELLAN is a writer, musician, poet, and teacher. He was almost devoured by a tiger in the jungles of Malaysia, nearly died of a lung collapse in the Nepalese Himalayas and fended off a pack of rabid dogs with a guitar in the mountains of India. He is the author of the novels A Beginner’s Guide to Dying in India and Killing Adonis (which was nominated for the Kirkus prize). His children’s fantasy novel Zeb and the Great Ruckus was described by one child as ‘the best book ever, but it should have had Dr Who in it.’ He has spoken/performed at the Brisbane Festival, the Sydney Opera House, TEDxBrisbane, World Science Festival, and some very distinguished basements.Aside from novels and poetry he has also written plays, video games, the internationally admired podcast series Six Cold Feet and the dance performance INTER. His latest novels are the gothic mystery Lenore’s Last Funeral and the surreal thriller Rumors of Her Death, the film version of the latter is currently in development with Continuance Pictures. He’s won numerous awards in a range of artistic fields but refuses to list them all here because no one likes a braggart. 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!BONUS: Carleen shares where to put your inciting incident & more!ArticleSign up to be notified when agent submissions reopen!Connect with Carleen on TwitterConnect with Carleen on InstagramConnect with David on TwitterEPISODE INFO:Are you wondering what agents are looking for in submissions? Well this agent is going to talk all about what to include in a summary of your novel AND what you need in those opening pages to catch an agent’s eye.Today’s guest is Carleen Geisler, an associate agent at ArtHouse Literary. She started her own author career as well as an agenting career at ArtHouse Literary. Carleen talks about balance and what to put in your opening pages. She also shares her thoughts on a little twist to your summary that can help grab an agent’s attention. You’re going to love this episode!BIO:Carleen is an associate agent actively building her list of adult fiction authors across contemporary genres. She's also open to nonfiction, and though her list mostly focuses on fiction, she would love to find some unique nonfiction projects to work on too. 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