ThrillerFest: Where I’ve Been All Week

Posted on by
Reply

Back from ThrillerFest 2014 in New York late Saturday night, made later by Virginia DOT’s decision to allow milling and paving on I-395 South that reduced traffic to one lane.

My overriding impression was that it was overwhelming. Established authors hobnobbing with aspiring writers in sessions, during book signings, over dinner and at the bar.

Substantive sessions on technicalities (guns, ballistics and bombs), techniques (first person vs. third person) and how-tos. (Fifty agents did speed dating with 400 wannabe-published writers in a chaotic three-and-a-half hour, four-room dance.)

Here are some links to media coverage:

WHAT IT’S LIKE TO PITCH YOUR NOVEL TO 50 AGENTS IN 3 HOURS. Adrienne Crezo in Writer’s Digest.

Visions of Rambo and Bourne Dancing in Their Heads. Dan Slater in The New York Times.

ThrillerFest IX: A Writer’s Paradise. Michael Cavacini on his eponymous blog. (I had lunch with Michael; he’s a voice to watch.)

All in the Family: ThrillerFest Celebrates ITW’s First Decade. Lenny Picker in Publisher’s Weekly.

ThrillerFest IX: terrific gathering of star writers & fans. Joe Myers of the Connecticut News-Times.

 

 

 

 

Free Digital Books on July 14

Posted on by
1

Keep books alive! Keep reading alive! Keep authors alive!

In the wake of the passing of World Book Night in the U.S. for lack of funding, a group of authors led by bestseller C.J. Lyons has declared Monday, July 14, as Digital Book Day.

The concept is simple: Authors and publishers make digital versions of their books free for one day.

Readers win because – the books are free and you can explore new writers with no (financial) risk.

Authors win because they have the opportunity to attract new followers.

Be a winner. One day only. July 14. Tell others. It’s free.

New Story – Max and the Passenger

Posted on by
Reply

The Passenger is the very first story I worked on seriously, inspired by a visit to the Adirondacks over Memorial Day 2013.

I’ve written it and rewritten it, revised and extended it. It’s now a ready-for-publication novella of 45,000 words.

I have combined two chapters in the excerpt that starts below. The excerpt continues in a PDF file.

This is not the complete novella. I’m trying to decide how to get that published since traditional publishers simply don’t do novellas.

Enjoy and pass on. Do note that it is copyrighted.

Max and the Passenger: Rough Landing
By David L. Haase

The Adirondacks, Upstate New York – August 26, 2016

“Sergeant, get out of that water now!”
“But, sir, the captain …”
“Somebody drag him out of the water. Get some lights going. I can’t see a thing.”
“Flashlights don’t work, sir.”
“Break out an emergency stick.”
“Tried, sir. They aren’t lighting. Flare gun doesn’t fire. Waterproof matches aren’t lighting either. We’re blind, sir.”
“Almighty, it’s cold.”

Read the rest of the except in this PDF file.