TopShelf Magazine - Holiday Edition 2016

2016 Sales Catalog - 1

HOLIDAYEDITION2016 ™

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to

magazine

TopShelf Authors & Books!

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS David Morrell Jon Land

Page 15

Page 17

CREATING THE ULTIMATE BOOKSTORE EXPERIENCE! Page 11

Photo of David Morrell © 2011 Jennifer Esperanza

TopShelf Reviews RULER OF THE NIGHT David Morrell’s exciting climax to his acclaimed Victorian mystery trilogy.

Page 23

Life in a Jar

“Kansas teenagers rediscover a forgotten Holocaust heroine in this moving historical drama. . . Mayer’s superb novelization of her exploits elevates social work to the intensity of a spy thriller. . . Writing in vivid but restrained prose, Mayer describes this agonizing situation with understated pathos. . . his rendition of Irena’s story has an inspirational power of its own. A gripping real-life tale of extraordinary courage that had an enduring impact.” ~ Kirkus Review

Full Page Ad Jack Mayer

Before the Court of Heaven

“This is a brilliantly-written tale of internal struggle and redemption in a time of great social and political upheaval. The author does a chillingly good job of illustrating just how seductive the nationalist message was in a beaten and humiliated Germany, how it used and twisted values like patriotism, loyalty and honor to win over people who otherwise might have lived out their lives as ordinary, decent, humane people. Before the Court of Heaven is a powerful, intensely vivid look at Europe between the World Wars, and one man’s attempt to make sense of his life, his deeds, and their meaning, to himself and to others.”

~ IndieReader

Jack Mayer, MD, MPH

Jack Mayer is a pediatrician and a writer. He began practicing pediatrics in 1976 in Enosburg Falls, Vermont, a small town in eastern Franklin County on the Canadian border. His was the first pediatric practice in that half of the county. He was a country doctor there for ten years, often bartering medical care for eggs, firewood, and knitted afghans. From 1987 – 1991 Dr. Mayer was a National Cancer Institute Fellow at Columbia University researching the molecular biology of childhood cancer. Most of his scientific writing was done during those four years. He was also an academic pediatrician at Columbia University’s Presbyterian Medical Center. Dr. Mayer returned to Vermont in 1991 and established Rainbow Pediatrics in Middlebury, Vermont where he continues to practice primary care pediatrics. He is an Instructor in Pediatrics at the University of Vermont School of Medicine and an advisor for pre-medical students at Middlebury College. He lives in Middlebury, Vermont. www.jackmayer.net

TOPShelf

™

A Comprehensive Bookseller’s Guide to

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

magazine

TopShelf Authors & Books!

table of contents

masthead

spotlights

CEO, President, & Publisher

4, 8, 18, 22

columns 5 6 11 12

Cliffhangers AND the Secret to Life What Ever Happened to Happy Science Fiction?

Creating the Ultimate Bookstore Experience Why ThrillerFest is Right for You?

interviews 15 17

David Morrell Jon Land

reviews 19 19 21 21 23 23

Faithful History of Wolves The Rising The River at Night Ruler of the Night The Delphi Effect

directories 25, 26, 27

Bookseller Resources

Keith A. Katsikas Jr.

keith@topshelfmagazine.net

EVP & VP of Sales Rebecca Katsikas

becky@topshelfmagazine.net

Assistant Publisher Alexis M.K. Johnson

Creative Director Keith Katsikas

Contributors Julie Ann Gerber Keith Katsikas Carole P. Roman Sarah Noffke J. N. Chaney Rebecca Katsikas

TopShelf Reviewers Rosemary Fifield Carole P. Roman Julie Ann Gerber Rebecca Katsikas Keith Katsikas Sharon Isbell Donald Richard

editorial policy TopShelf Magazine is a bookseller focused buyers’ guide packed with the creme-de-lacreme in indie and traditionally published authors and books. There’s no junk here!

subscriptions TopShelf Magazine is offered to bookstores and public libraries across the United States free of charge, and to any bookseller and library in the English speaking world for a nominal fee to cover the cost of shipping.

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

TopShelf Magazine is also available free of charge to anyone able to view the online digital version at: TopShelfMagazine.net

advertising To advertise in print, online, and in our email marketing campaigns, please visit: TopShelfMagazine.net or call 603.785.0560 We also offer Affiliate Business Opportunities at: www.TopShelfAffiliates.com

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 3

spotlights

J. Thomas-Like

CreateSpace $15.99 - 322 Pages Women’s Literature ISBN: 978-1534659636

4

Pepper Taylor took it on the chin more times than she cared to count. She’s finally found the man of her dreams, but when he's diagnosed with a crippling illness, their future comes apart at the seams.

Can Pepper navigate the overwhelming paths through grief, loss, and unexpected motherhood? www.jthomaslike.com

by Carol Marrs Phipps CreateSpace $12.99 - 434 Pages Science Fiction, Dystopian ISBN: 978-1533026408

by Paul Hollis Dog Ear Publishing $16.95 - 302 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1457520419

by Regina Puckett CreateSpace $12.99 - 290 Pages Contemporary Romance ISBN: 978-1491232118

by Shellie Blum Shellie Blum, LLC $16.79 - Hardcover - 238 Pages Biographies, Memoirs ISBN: 978-0996366908

by Kev Heritage CreateSpace $9.99 - 256 Pages Science Fiction ISBN: 978-1518659148

by Sarah Noffke CreateSpace $9.95 - 148 Pages Science Fiction, Fantasy ISBN: 978-1537774510

by Teresa Masters WestBowPress $11.95 - 142 Pages Christian, Death & Grief ISBN: 978-1512730333

by Kathryn Brettell Jazz Dog Press $12.99 - 270 Pages Biographies, Memoirs ISBN: 978-0986192906

by Leah Reise CreateSpace $11.00 - 266 Pages Sci-fi, Fantasy ISBN: 978-1535343442

by Paul Pen AmazonCrossing $14.95 - 336 Pages Psychological Thriller ISBN: 978-1503933545

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

columns

Hello Booksellers, Authors, and Readers. I am here today to discuss cliffhangers, why I’m a jerk and also give you a secret that has brought me fame and riches.

Now first, a little about me. I’m the author who symbolically enjoys leading you over to the edge of a cliff. Chatting you up. Getting you distracted by characters with flaws and unique beauties. And just when you’re captivated and engrossed in the lives of fictional people then I’ll push you hard in the shoulders. The assault is usually swift and deliberate. And the result is that you stumble back, slipping over the edge, grasping for the dirt or a root or a vine. And there you dangle over the edge of a cliff as I intended. Then you turn the page of one of my books.

The End. The other day I received a review on a book of mine. It said, “The author should put a disclaimer on this book telling the reader that it has a cliffhanger.”

Wait… what?!

Would this reader also like me to include a list of the characters who die during the telling of the story? Maybe we just start with the ending? Work our way backward.

I write books and sometimes they have cliffhangers. I have zero regrets. Follow me, would you, as we discuss the pros and cons of using cliffhangers in books. I promise I’ll keep my hands to myself and not push you…

I’m a series writer. Usually my books can be read in neat trilogy form. To me, it’s the

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

the storyline. But without a major unanswered question lurking at the end of the book, how are you going to banish sleep so you can continue reading my books?

And I mentioned we’d explore cons.

Sometimes cliffhangers can feel like a manipulation. I’ve shut the door at the end of act one, held out my hand, and said, “pay up to see what happens next.” Does that make me a bad author? Or does it make me one who knows how to keep you interested, like a longtime lover who still flirts and teases in the bedroom? And if it does make me a bad person then I’ll join the other authors prone to cliffhanger endings: Suzanne Collins, Cassandra Clare, JK Rowling, Lauren Oliver.

Just to name a few. I could die happy lumped into a group of authors like this. And there’s many more famous authors known for pushing readers to the edge of a cliff.

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

by Sarah Noffke (www.SarahNoffke.com)

So now that I’ve admitted to enticing readers into second and third books, should you always expect a cliffhanger ending from me? Absolutely not. Just when you think I’ll kill off a loved character, because I’m somewhat known for that, then I’ll keep them around. And you might go into one of my books expecting to be dangling over the cliff at the end, only to find the story over and you on even ground. I’m hardly ever predictable and I tell the story the way I see it, which is never the same formula from book to book.

That’s because my books are character driven and I usually don’t even know where they are going. Yes, sometimes the cliffhangers even surprise me.

So now that I’ve said my piece on this subject, I wonder what you think.

Do you like cliffhangers? Dislike them? Are they necessary? I never believe in absolutes with writing. It all depends on the story.

That’s probably why I like this business so much. There are no real rights or wrongs.

Stories can be told in a hundred different ways. It’s a subjective business. And truthfully I’ve learned one thing this year that is absolutely the most important thing I’ve ever learned. It has brought me so much happiness and success and is like a like a miracle drug to my career. And I’ll reveal that secret in my next blog entry.

magazine

CLIFFHANGERS AND THE SECRET TO LIFE

perfect arrangement for most series: a beginning, middle and end. But tell me, dear reader, if I end book one with a tight little bow and no loose strings, then what incentive do you have to pick up book two? Not only that, but I want you to throw the blankets off at 2 am, after finishing the first installment, and rush to buy book two in the series. I want you to have zero question in your mind that you’ll be consuming book two and then three and as quickly as possible.

Yes, maybe you fell in love with the characters and that’s why you’ll continue reading. I know I fall in love with most of my characters. And maybe you are intrigued by

TOPShelf

COLUMNS

Bye now.

Sincerely, Sarah Noffke

Check out Sarah’s latest book: REN Available Now! 978-1537774510

More Articles at: TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 5

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

columns

COLUMNS

Anyone who goes to the movies

TOPShelf

magazine

or reads any science fiction is probably familiar with at least one dark dystopian story. Whether or not your selection includes The Hunger Games, I Am Legend, or Wool is besides the point. You've probably been exposed to the genre, which means you're at least partially familiar with the state of modern sci-fi.

I say "modern" because the truth is that science fiction hasn't always been this depressing. Seventy years ago you'd be hard pressed to find anything as dark or engrossing as Ender's Game, Dune, or Old Man's War. That's not to say that those types of books didn't exist, but they were extremely rare. Many science fiction stories chose to focus on the science rather than the fiction, putting aside the characterizations and story elements in favor of a single idea. War of the Worlds (1989) focused entirely on an invasion from Mars, but it didn't even bother to name its characters, including its narrator. We never know anyone's backstory, who they are, or anything truly significant about them. If the Tom Cruise adaptation had actually been faithful to the original book, Cruise would've only appeared for a handful of scenes. But that's how it was back then-science fiction was a different kind of beast.

In other words, the science and the idea were the real characters, not Joe Whatshisname, who was really only there to give exposition like a walking wikipedia article and press the imaginary buttons on the big "what if" machine. Those aren't necessarily bad things to do, but they don't exactly make for accessible character literature. The Time Machine was great, but

6

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO HAPPY SCI-FI?

by JN Chaney (www.JNChaney.com) when your protagonist doesn't even have a name, it can be a little difficult for modern audiences to relate to him.

Science fiction has changed, but only because it started trying to balance both the characters and the "big idea". To understand this change, you have to remember where our society was and where it is today. Ever since the bombs fell on Japan, most people have come to appreciate the potential horrors of technology. When scientific discovery can

lead to an entire metropolitan city getting wiped off the face of the Earth in a single heartbeat, suddenly everyone's optimism goes down the drain. Don't even get me started on the perpetual state of fear and anxiety that arose because of the Cold War. Throughout the last several decades, our culture has become obsessed with the apocalypse. Every other day there's some religious figure telling us the end is near. Our global media has allowed us to hear and know about every little skirmish taking place on the other side of the globe, in regions we previously would never have heard about. We look on with utter fascination, absorbing it

all. It's only natural for our culture's literature to reflect this newfound obsession. We just can't help ourselves.

This isn't exactly new. People have been predicting the end of the world for thousands of years. The difference is that now we actually have a reason to talk about it, because we have the means with which to make it happen. Look at what famed dark satirist and science fiction writer Kurt Vonnegut said back in 1970: "I thought scientists were going to find out exactly how everything worked, and then make it work better. I fully expected that by the time I was twenty-one, some scientist, maybe my brother, would have taken a color photograph of God Almighty — and sold it to Popular Mechanics magazine. Scientific truth was going to make us so happy and comfortable. What actually happened when I was twenty-one was that we dropped scientific truth on Hiroshima."

Why is it like this? Why would we rather hear about the world blowing up than about a utopia where people are so happy they piss glitter? It all boils down to how we feel in the moment. Science fiction is a reflection of today, not tomorrow.

It's about how our culture is right now and how the person writing that story views it. If the world looks like it sucks and everything's gone to shit, you aren't going to see as many happy stories of Captain Spaceheart running through the cosmos saving space princesses and battling space monkeys.

These people are writing stories about the future, but that future is only an extension of today, and if today isn't turning out so well, then neither will tomorrow.

More Articles at: TopShelfMagazine.net

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

Full Page Ad Award Winners

ISBN: 978-0984111343

ISBN: 978-1534659636

Germany, after World War I. Ernst Werner Techow, son of a magistrate, a child of privilege, joins the violent right-wing response to Germany's defeat. He participates in the murder of Foreign Minister Walther Rathenau, the highest-ranking Jew in the Weimar Republic. While on trial for his life, Ernst receives an unfathomable offer of forgiveness that jolts his surety in the fascist cause and sets him on a complex and harrowing journey of redemption.

Pepper Taylor took it on the chin in love and life more times than she cared to count. She has finally found the man of her dreams in Gabriel Seigal, but when he's diagnosed with a crippling illness, their future comes apart at the seams. As if that isn't enough, the prospect of an unexpected child give their world another spin in the cosmic blender. Can Pepper navigate the overwhelming paths through grief, loss, and unexpected motherhood?

Each month, the editors of TopShelf Magazine nominate up to six books from our current Premium Spotlights to be considered for our coveted Editor’s Choice Award. A panel of judges (typically consisting of our CEO & Publisher, Keith A. Katsikas Jr., the EVP, Rebecca Katsikas, and our Assistant Publisher, Alexis M.K. Johnson), carefully deliberate over the nominees and ultimately award the winning book the title of TopShelf Editor’s Choice.

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

spotlights

Dot Hutchison

Thomas & Mercer $16.99 - 286 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1503934719

8

Near an isolated mansion lies a beautiful garden. In the garden grow luscious flowers, shady trees, and a collection of precious “butterflies”. Overseeing the garden is one man––a man obsessed with capturing and preserving his lovely one-of-akind specimens. Just one problem. The man’s “butterflies” are actually young women who have been kidnapped and intricately tattooed to resemble their namesakes.

www.dothutchison.com

by Jack Mayer Long Trail Press $17.95 - 396 Pages Biographies, Historical, Holocaust ISBN: 978-0984111312

by J.A. Gerber & Carole P. Roman CreateSpace $12.99 - 146 Pages Nonfiction, Writing Skills ISBN: 978-1537228068

by Dan O’Brien CreateSpace $14.95 - 310 Pages Sci-fi, Space Opera ISBN: 978-1534810648

by Tom Wascoe Bookstand Publishing $15.95 - 198 Pages Coming of Age ISBN: 978-1618632135

by Mary T. Kincaid Red Hawk Press $6.50 - 146 Pages Children’s Learning ISBN: 978-0997148800

by Heather Graham & Jon Land TOR Books $25.99 - Hardcover - 400 Pages Thriller, Suspense, Romance ISBN: 978-0765337917

by Steve Snyder Sea Breeze Publishing $27.95 - 376 Pages Nonfiction, Military ISBN: 978-0986076008

by Ardyce Durham Sarah Book Publishing $12.99 - 396 Pages Historical Fiction ISBN: 978-1614564041

by Linda Cadose CreateSpace $9.99 - 170 Pages Paranormal Horror ISBN: 978-1533428745

by Jonathan Friesen Blink $16.99 - 272 Pages Teen, Supernatural ISBN: 978-0310748335

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

“A terrific book! The good, the bad, and the ugly woven into a tale that leaves the reader breathless. Great fun!”

~TopShelf Reviews

~Sandra Brown

“A speeding freight train hurtling toward a destination that will change their world.” ~TopShelf Reviews

Full Page Ad

ISBN: 978-0765335135

Other Books in the Caitlin Strong Series

Learn more at:

JonLandBooks.com

5)& .045 '"4$*/"5*/( THE NOT TO BE MISSED NOVEL OF THE YEAR! 53&"463& )6/5 "%7&/563& * )"7& &7&3 3&"% 5IF 1SPQIFU PG UIF .PSNPO DIVSDI JT NJTTJOH BOE B NZTUFSJPVT DPEF NBZ VOMPDL UIF TFDSFU UP รถOEJOH IJN BOE EFDPEF B NZTUFSZ TP JODSFEJCMF JU DPVMEอ DIBOHF UIF XBZ UIF XPSME WJFXT .PSNPOJTN GPSFWFS

Available Now! ISBN: 978-0981761954

โ A must read for all thrillseekers!โ

"WBJMBCMF UPEBZ UISPVHI UIJT รถOF CPPLTFMMFS "WBJMBCMF UPEBZ UISPVHI UIJT รถOF CPPLTFMMFS 8BUDI UIF USBJMFS BU 5IF-JBIPOB&รฒFDU DPN 5IF/FXUPO1SPQIFDJFT DPN 8BUDI UIF USBJMFS BU

columns

by Rebecca Katsikas (EVP, TopShelf)

For someone who loves books, there is no place more exciting than a welldesigned bookstore. Shelves upon shelves of stories and characters yet to be discovered. So, how do you make it easier for customers to find these inspiring stories and characters?

Have you ever walked around a bookstore and gone outside your norm? How helpful would it be for you to come upon a handwritten note stating why the bookseller loved the book its dangling beneath? Do you think it would be helpful to your customers to have a review dangling beneath local authors? Odds are your customers will at least pick the book up to see what all the fuss is about.

Cross-Market Books by the Same Author

If a popular author has a new book out, make sure to have copies of their older stuff on hand. This prevents customers to going to chain bookstores or online retailers.

Here are some techniques – “secrets” – that successful bookstores are currently implementing:

Employ Knowledgeable Employees Provide training to employees regarding up and coming authors, local authors, and best sellers. This is helpful for a customer who comes into your store looking for a new book however isn’t familiar with titles or authors. After an employee asks a customer a few key questions that employee should be able to gather some books for them. It’s like having a personal shopper.

Place the Kids Section in the Back of the Store This way parents will have to walk through the whole store and perhaps something else will catch their eye on the way.

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

CREATING THE ULTIMATE BOOKSTORE EXPERIENCE

Host a local business event. Partner with the local bakery to sell their goods and offer coffee and tea to your customers.

Have a bulletin board with advertisements of local businesses. Remind people that if you don’t support local businesses then your neighborhood could become something completely different in time.

Use Shelf Talkers

magazine

Partner with Other Local Businesses

TOPShelf

COLUMNS

Partner with Local Selfpublished Authors Help them sell their books to the community.

Have self-published authors come and do readings and book signings.

Don’t Put Bargain Books Right in Front of the Store No one wants to see an often messy section of books and toys that nobody wants. The discounted section is often my favorite section of a store, however, I don’t enjoy seeing it the moment I walk through the door.

Free WiFi Customer’s love to wander aimlessly up and down the isles, so why not give them a comfy chair and free WIFI? It will enable them to do read reviews on their next book purchase.

Have a Cafe Its a fact that a cafes bring people into your store. Its also a good idea to partner with a local bakery to provide a variety of pastries.

Place big comfy chairs, several tables and make sure the area is well lit. This will enable customers to browse through books and magazines while sipping on coffee.

More Articles at: TopShelfMagazine.net

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 11

COLUMNS

Okay, I know what you’re thinking:

how I can I know a particular writer’s conference is for you, when I don’t actually know you? Point taken and, as the former Vice President of Marketing, and current Chair of the Marketing Committee, for International Thriller Writers, the sponsor of Thrillerfest, I’m not exactly objective. But let me lay out the reasons why Thrillerfest is for you, no matter the stage and state of your writing career.

It starts with the fact that Thrillerfest is both a craft conference and wonderful fan experience. And, since pricing is “a la carte,” there are plenty of attendees who don’t stay for all four days, instead opting for the portion that most interests them.

Let’s take a look at the primary components of the conference to see if we can find the right fit for you.

TOPShelf

magazine

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

columns

CRAFTFEST: The first day and a half of the conference, Wednesday and Thursday, focuses on big name authors serving as teachers to help you hone your craft with classes on such topics as dialogue, structure, plotting, character development, setting, conflict, as well as more promotionally oriented topics.

The participants vary every year but you can expect to see the likes of Heather Graham, Walter Mosely, David Morrell, Gayle Lynds, Steve Berry, R. L. Stine, John Sandford, and many more, there to help you learn to master the tools that have made them bestselling authors. (To see last year’s Craftfest grid, go to www.thrillerfest.com.)

CAREERFEST: A two hour track that runs late Thursday morning and changes the focus from craft to how to find the best publishing home for your work and what do after you get there. Careerfest caters to authors interested in going the independent as well as the traditional publishing route, and

12

WHY THRILLERFEST IS RIGHT FOR YOU

by Jon Land (www.JonLandBooks.com)

features panels by top names from both the agent and publisher/editor world. Like its big brother Craftfest, it’s very hands-on with the focus being to introduce in detail what it takes to succeed in such a challenging profession, covering the pratfalls and obstacles you’re likely to face along the way.

PITCHFEST: Thursday afternoon features upwards of 50 agents who will listen to your pitches and want to hear what your book is about. They’re looking for new clients, just like you’re looking for an agent. It’s kind of like literary speed-dating, providing you with around 5 minutes to make your case to each agent you’re able to see. With lines and some waiting factored in, writers are able to present, on average, to around a dozen

agents. And, in case the whole process unnerves you, Thrillerfest offers a Practice Pitchfest immediately prior to the main event, where several dozen authors are available to help you hone your presentations.

THRILLERFEST: From the Thursday night opening cocktail party, right through Saturday evening’s annual Awards Banquet, Thrillerfest itself is two days chock full of authors. both big and not yet big, discussing topics relevant to fans, readers, and writers alike who’ve come to look a this as kind of a literary summer camp. You can check out

last year’s fun and informative panels, which are more or less typical, again by visiting www.thrillerfest.com. And, on that topic, you’ll find even the biggest names at Thrillerfest to be very accessible, spending much of their time mixing and mingling.

And there are also ample opportunities to get them to sign their books for you at a number of signings that take place both morning and afternoon on both days.

Okay, I know what you’re thinking now: when, where and how much? The dates for Thrillerfest 2017 are July 12-15, Wednesday through Saturday. The conference is held annually at the Grand Hyatt New York, conveniently located right next to Grand Central Terminal, a stone’s throw from the headquarters for all the major publishers. As for cost, well, it’s not cheap but it’s reasonable. And you can save by signing up earlier, rather than later. It’s tough to be more specific about pricing, because there are so many options you can pick and choose from, including a single day rate, if that’s all the time you have.

Hey, where else you can meet, schmooze with, and learn from your idols, while having an absolute blast to boot? Thrillerfest is a great experience, not just for all the tangible reasons listed above, but also for the intangible ones like the friends and contacts you’ll make. I speak from experience here, given that I knew absolutely no one when I attended the first Thrillerfest in 2006. Today, a number of authors I met then are among my closest friends in the world. We’re a true community, and I hope you can attend Thrillerfest ’17 so you can join it.

Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of the Caitlin Strong series, the most recent entry of which is Strong Cold Dead.

His next book, The Rising, the first in a new series he’s doing with Heather Graham, will be published on January 17.

More Articles at: TopShelfMagazine.net

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

And the authors of ITW’s new anthology MATCH UP, including:

Welcome to ThrillerFestFull XIIPage Ad • Lara Adrian ThrillerFest XII Steve Berry

We’re excited to present a blockbuster line-up featuring: • • • •

2017 ThrillerMaster Lee Child 2017 Silver Bullet Award recipient Lisa Gardner 2016 ThrillerMaster Heather Graham 2016 Silver Bullet recipient John Lescroart

• • • • • • •

C.J. Box Sandra Brown Nelson DeMille Diana Gabaldon Andrew Gross Charlaine Harris

• • • • • • • • • • • •

Lisa Jackson Peter James J.A. Jance Michael Koryta Eric Van Lustbader Gayle Lynds Val McDermid David Morrell Kathy Reichs John Sandford Lisa Scottoline Karin Slaughter

Join us for the FBI workshop, Master CraftFest, CraftFest, PitchFest, ThrillerFest, and more.

ThrillerFest is not just for writers! We encourage all thriller enthusiasts to join the family.

www.ThrillerFest.com Any questions about ThrillerFest, please feel free to contact Executive Director Kimberley Howe at: kimberleyhowe@thrillerwriters.org

PLATINUM SPONSORS

TITANIUM SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS

DAV I D M O R R E L L’s Notorious OpiumEater Returns

The sensational climax to David’s acclaimed Victorian mystery series focuses on a real murder so startling that it changed British culture.

As the brilliant Opium-Eater, Thomas De Quincey, andPage his irrepressible daughter, Emily, confront their Full Ad most ruthless Coming Soon! enemy, the stakes couldn’t be higher: both the heart of Victorian society and De Quincey’s tormented soul.

“ RIVETING! I literally thought I was in 1855 London.”

—Lisa Gardner, author of Find Her

“An exciting blend of high-thriller and Dickens… I LOVE THIS SERIES . ” —John Sandford, author of Extreme Prey

ON SALE NOVEMBER 15 th

Available in hardcover, ebook, and downloadable audio

ALSO IN THE SERIES

MULHOLLAND BOOKS Little, Brown and Company

D av i d M o r r e l l . n e t I L L U S T R AT I O N : T O M I S L AV T I K U L I N

MURDER AS A FINE ART

I N S P E C TO R O F T H E D E A D

T H E O P I U M - E AT E R

Winner of the Macavity and Nero awards

F i n a l i s t f o r I T W ’s T h r i l l e r a w a r d

A digital shor t stor y a v a i l a b l e f o r $1. 9 9

interviews

Question Answer

Absolutely. A store with informed staff and enthusiastic community events is a destination.

Question

NY Times Bestselling Author of First Blood (introducing the world to Rambo) & Over 30 Bestsellers, David Morrell David Morrell is the author of First Blood, the acclaimed novel in which Rambo was created.

He has a Ph. D. in literature from Penn State and was a professor in the English department at the University of Iowa. His numerous New York Times bestsellers include the classic spy novel, The Brotherhood of the Rose, the basis for the only television miniseries to be broadcast after a Super Bowl. An Edgar and Anthony finalist, a Macavity and Nero winner, Morrell is a recipient of three Bram Stoker awards from the Horror Writes Association and the prestigious Thriller Master award from International Thriller Writers. Bouchercon (the world's largest crime-fiction convention) gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award. Noted for his research, Morrell spent 30 days in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming for one book and became a private pilot for another. With eighteen million copies in print, his work has been translated into thirty languages. His latest novel is the Victorian mystery/thriller, Ruler of the Night, the final book in a series that includes Murder as a Fine Art and Inspector of the Dead. In an effort to convince readers that they are truly on the harrowing fogbound streets of 1850s London, Morrell devoted several years to historical research, giving himself what he calls "a self-taught doctorate in Victorian culture." Please visit him at: www.davidmorrell.net.

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Answer When I enter my local public library, there's always a display of books about a specific topic. That always gets my attention.

Question Is there any one marketing idea that you've seen bookstores do that stands out as particularly successful?

Answer

Question What are your feelings on authors giving away thousands of copies of their ebooks, hoping it will raise their rank on Amazon? Is this a viable strategy? Or are these authors making a terrible mistake? And why?

Answer

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

What can a bookstore or library do to encourage patrons to pick up a specific book and check it out?

quote from early reviews. The only time I do a "hard sell" is within a month of publication. Readers understand why I need to do that. But I never forget that they visit my Facebook page because of the discussions about books, movies, and music, etc.

magazine

Do you believe there is still a bright future for independent bookstores?

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS

I myself don't give away my work. I worry that doing so would create the impression that if a reader waits long enough, more free stuff will become available.

On average, it takes a year for me to write a book. Why would I give away a year of my life?

Read more of our interview with David Morrell at: www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Some stores told me that they had positive results from a store bookclub in which customers received a discount.

Question How much work do you personally put into promoting your books and events? And how long before do you start promoting?

Answer My publisher expects me to do a lot of my own promoting. I'm on twitter, but I prefer my Facebook Author page, which I think of as a salon about books, movies, music, and the arts in general. Readers come to that page for recommendations and literary discussions.

They also visit my page for news about what I'm doing. They seem to welcome my remarks about what I'm working on, so I often start promoting a project when I'm halfway through it, telling readers how many pages I write each day and whether the work is coming easily or not. I make this sort of remark occasionally. I show a new cover. I

Available: November 15, 2016 Genre: Historical Thriller ISBN: 978-0316307901

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 15

HEATHER GRAHAM is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. Her first book was with Dell, and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult and Christmas family fare. She has been honored with awards from Walden Books, B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, RT Book Reviews, and more.

“A twist on every page. Hair-raising surprises galore.” ~Sandra Brown

~TopShelf Reviews

“The Rising will blow your mind.

A great read.”

Full Page Ad The Rising

~Douglas Preston

“A mindblowing, thrilla-minute ride.” ~Tess Gerritsen

“A Pandora's Box that promises to be a thrilling series!”

“A classic in the making.” ~James Rollins

~TopShelf Reviews

“Nail biting tension, highvoltage action, heartbreak, and hope.”

“A slambang, can’t-put-itdown thriller!” ~Lisa Scottoline

~Meg Gardiner

“Completely unique.

Completely engrossing.” ~Brenda Novak

JON LAND is the USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty-seven novels, including Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance, Strong Rain Falling (winner of the 2014 International Book Award and 2013 USA Best Book Award for Mystery-Suspense), Strong Darkness (winner of the 2014 USA Books Best Book Award and the 2015 International Book Award for Thriller), and Strong Light of Day. He's a graduate of Brown University and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

The Rising: A Novel Suspense Thriller TOR Books 978-0765337917 January 17, 2017 Hardcover & Ebook

interviews

Question

Of course! But the advertising, placement, and fact that I left plenty of signed copies behind made up for it.

Signings shouldn't be judged by how many you sell that day, but overall.

Better to sell thirty books in a month than ten books in a day.

Do you write an outline before you start writing a novel? If yes, how detailed is your outline?

Answer USA Today Bestselling Author of 38 Novels, JON LAND Jon Land is the USA Today bestselling author of 38 novels, including eight titles in the critically acclaimed Caitlin Strong series: Strong Enough to Die, Strong Justice, Strong at the Break, Strong Vengeance, Strong Rain Falling (winner of the 2014 International Book Award and 2013 USA Best Book Award for Mystery-Suspense), Strong Darkness (winner of the 2014 USA Books Best Book Award and the 2015 International Book Award for Thriller), and Strong Light of Day (winner of the 2016 International Book Award for Best Thriller-Adventure, the 2015 Books and Author Award for Best Mystery Thriller, and the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Award for Best Mystery). The latest title in the series, Strong Cold Dead was published on October 4, 2016; Strand Magazine said it’s “certain to rank Land among a handful of our most talented thriller authors of this decade.” Land has also teamed with multiple New York Times bestselling author Heather Graham on a new sci-fi series, the first of which, The Rising, will be published

by Forge in January of 2017. He is a 1979 graduate of Brown University and lives in Providence, Rhode Island.

Question

Do you read books at a certain time of day and what was the last book that kept you up all night because you couldn't put it down?

Answer

Wow, great question! I read mostly at night, when I travel, and before I start writing

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

No, I'm a seat of the pants type writer. I figure if I don't know what's going to happen, the reader can't possibly know. I have great confidence in both my characters to guide me and my imagination, or some visionary muse, to steer me in the right direction to get my story out of the hole I've dug for it.

Question

How do you work with an editor without pride making a guest appearance like Jack Nicholson in The Shining?

Answer

Have you ever been to a book signing event and had no one show up?

Answer

Question

Do you have advice for independent bookstores on how they can organize successful events in their stores?

Answer

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

Question

magazine

myself. In terms of the last book that kept me awake, I'd have to go with DOCTOR SLEEP, Stephen King's brilliant and long-awaited sequel to THE SHINING. It was literally chilling and I couldn't put it down.

TOPShelf

INTERVIEWS

Try to have more than one author at a time. Make it more of an event where each author draws a few people to add up to a pretty decent crowd.

Read more of our interview with Jon Land at:

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Writing a book is a team effort and my editors are crucial to the success of my books and, even more importantly, the quality. A writer has to realize it's impossible to be totally objective about your own work. You need to find people you trust to help get you where you want to go.

Question

How should an author divide their time between writing and marketing?

Answer

Wow, another great question and there's no simple answer. I know writers, plenty of them, who are far better at marketing what they do than actually the writing they're marketing. And I know great writers who can't move the sales needle no matter how much they Tweet or Facebook. I think a lot of it depends on the genre but, even more, they may be good but most of the really successful writers owe an element of that success, sometimes a lot of it, to luck. Being in the right place at the right time.

Available: January 17, 2017 Genre: Suspense Thriller ISBN: 978-0765337917

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 17

spotlights

David Morrell 1855 - A respected gentleman is murdered on a passenger train, creating fear among travelers.

Thomas De Quincey and his daughter seek to solve the murder only to be thrust into a deeper plot.

Morrell vividly portrays the oddities of the period, transporting readers to smoky Victorian London with all its grit, smells, and discomforts.

Mulholland Books $27.00 - Hardcover - 352 Pages Historical, Thriller ISBN: 978-0316307901

"Ruler of the Night sucks readers in and keeps them guessing as it steam-trains toward an exciting and perfectly satisfying climax." www.davidmorrell.net

by Noah Hawley Grand Central Publishing $26.00 - Hardcover - 400 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1455561780

by Fiona Barton NAL $26.00 - Hardcover - 336 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1101990261

by Sharon Guskin Flatiron Books $25.99 - Hardcover - 368 Pages Literary Fiction, Family ISBN: 978-1250076427

by Kev Heritage CreateSpace $12.99 - 344 Pages Science Fiction ISBN: 978-1507620526

by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne Avid Readers Publishing Group $9.95 - 108 Pages Children’s Books ISBN: 978-1612862446

by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne Avid Readers Publishing Group $9.95 - 112 Pages Children’s Books ISBN: 978-1612860718

by Robert Bidinotto CreateSpace $18.25 - 538 Pages Mystery, Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1499732221

by Kristel Smart CreateSpace $12.99 - 210 Pages Paranormal, True Crime ISBN: 978-1492965213

by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne Avid Readers Publishing Group $9.95 - 82 Pages Children’s Books ISBN: 978-1612861821

by Deanie Humphrys-Dunne CreateSpace $8.00 - 62 Pages Children’s Books ISBN: 978-1523248025

18

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

faithful

reviews

TOPShelf

REVIEWS

AVAILABLE TODAY!

Shelby Richmond was a popular, selfabsorbed teenager. But the aftermath of a tragic car accident that has her best friend in an endless coma has her suffering a profound sense of worthlessness because she was the driver.

After pushing everyone away and spending Alice Hoffman time in a psychiatric facility for cutting her wrists, Shelby has resigned to her parents’ basement where she has shaved her head as penance for her sins. But then she starts getting these postcards. Little drawings and cryptic messages like “Do something” or “Save something” or “Trust someone.”

These postcards always seem to come www.TopShelfMagazine.net

Something Bad Is About To Happen In The Remote Woods Of Northern Minnesota!

AVAILABLE JANUARY 3

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

A Character You’ll ~TopShelf Reviews Remember Long After The Final Page Is Turned! history of wolves

magazine

at just the right moment. FAITHFUL is History of Wolves is a beautifully a beautifully written story with a written coming-of-age story sense of immediacy, thrusting the that will grip readers on many reader deep into life and "FAITHFUL is a beautifully written story mind of a young woman with a sense of immediacy, thrusting for whom everything seems false and useless. the reader deep into life and mind of Who is her secret “angel.” a young woman for whom everything Is she going to be okay? seems false and useless."

Will she ever regain her sense of self? Shelby is a levels and never let go. Emily believable and vulnerable character Fridlund’s descriptive prose that you will think about long after carries us into the wooded the last page has been turned. reaches of northern Minnesota

to experience first-hand the isolation and loneliness, not only of this remote area but also of fifteen-year-old Linda who lives there with her aging hippie parents. Born into a nowdefunct commune and raised in a cabin in the woods, Linda is an outsider and a loner in her school.

When a married couple with a small boy moves into a summer home across the lake, she befriends the young wife and agrees to babysit their four-year-old. But something’s not right, and Linda, in her naïveté, doesn’t know how to respond.

Something bad is about to happen, and the author skillfully takes us there as we Emily Fridlund develop an attachment for Linda and those around her.

~TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

NOVEMBER2016 19

40.&5*.&4 *5 4 #&55&3 /05 50 3&.&.#&3

SUMMER2016

columns

COLUMNS

magazine

Nunc and over again in rapid succession, he continued to torture her. He delighted in her pain and triumphantly rejoiced in her fear. Slamming his fangs into her chest I heard the loud pop of her sternum as it gave way under the force and pressure of his bite.

Wickedly smiling, the satanic villain raked his fingers over her throat filleting it open like a freshly caught trout. Like a dehydrated animal stumbling upon a muddy puddle, he drank from her gaping wound. Finally, he submerged his hideous fangs into the very center of her neck.

Aenean molestie eros vel erat sollicitudin, condimentum porta dolor ultrices. Morbi scelerisque mattis sapien consequat egestas.

Nam quis ultrices ipsum, non pretium nulla. Maecenas ultrices a sem tincidunt accumsan.

Vivamus euismod nunc lorem, vitae dapibus est placerat sit amet. Curabitur in magna nibh. Maecenas mattis non neque sit amet bibendum. Nullam tincidunt nisl vitae orci feugiat scelerisque. Proin et ornare dui. Suspendisse a convallis urna, eu consectetur ex. Aliquam porttitor nulla non porttitor volutpat. Donec at mattis nisi, in feugiat lacus. Praesent metus augue, faucibus vitae magna eu, auctor commodo enim. Ut sagittis turpis at erat luctus, vel iaculis leo venenatis.

Nam erat enim, euismod sit amet vestibulum eget, interdum vel justo.

Curabitur suscipit tortor ligula, eget lacinia quam molestie in. Fusce suscipit sapien ac tellus ullamcorper vehicula. Vivamus et sodales dui. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Vivamus iaculis fringilla metus, ac sodales tortor bibendum vitae.

Aenean et eros suscipit, cursus nulla at, maximus mi. Nunc lobortis ultricies odio eu tincidunt. Phasellus non turpis a sem faucibus faucibus. Aliquam egestas, libero non tempor luctus, diam eros consectetur nisi, ac iaculis tellus nibh quis ante.

Pellentesque interdum urna id egestas tincidunt. Nunc ut finibus ante.

Suspendisse ornare vel metus accumsan efficitur. Aliquam neque nisl, venenatis sed dolor sit amet, fermentum accumsan augue. Pellentesque vel efficitur turpis.

Cras bibendum mauris sed volutpat congue.

Proin ultrices, turpis nec molestie tempus, orci risus laoreet ipsum, eu porttitor ex velit ut quam. In nibh tellus, ullamcorper quis eros at.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus dignissim quis nunc sed varius. Nunc porttitor, libero et bibendum viverra, lacus arcu aliquam nisl, eget congue ante felis sed lorem. Vivamus sit amet sem ex.

Morbi metus nisi, egestas eget posuere id, mattis vitae purus. Aliquam nibh tortor, posuere non leo vel, efficitur suscipit metus.

Sed pretium lorem nec libero accumsan porta.

Suspendisse aliquet, quam sed convallis eleifend, lorem sapien euismod felis, nec blandit eros purus ac libero. Vivamus auctor sed elit nec imperdiet. Nullam vitae lacinia velit. Vestibulum blandit rutrum mauris, in ultrices nibh efficitur sed. Nunc pulvinar euismod ante, vel accumsan augue venenatis eget. Interdum et malesuada fames ac ante ipsum primis in faucibus. Nulla sodales leo vel pellentesque volutpat.

In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Nulla rutrum quis mi sit amet faucibus. Sed quis mi est. Curabitur consectetur lacus at elementum faucibus. Maecenas sit amet elementum nulla.

Aliquam sit amet augue est. Donec pharetra facilisis aliquam. Duis ut rutrum lacus.

Maecenas faucibus mattis feugiat. Quisque in justo eleifend, posuere nisl eu, pharetra arcu. Nam tempor commodo porta.

Fusce pellentesque porttitor felis eu rhoncus. Morbi laoreet interdum tellus nec fermentum. Suspendisse non vestibulum lacus. Vivamus varius enim arcu, in accumsan ipsum pharetra tincidunt. Pellentesque iaculis tempus tellus, et posuere purus ornare in.

Pellentesque sed dignissim nibh. Morbi sed sollicitudin purus. Mauris non orci in nisi luctus iaculis. Sed mollis magna erat, id convallis nisl rutrum sit amet. Nunc.

TOPShelf

5IF ĂśSTU JO B TFSJFT PG USBVNBUJD NFNPJST UPME JO UIF̓VOSFĂśOFE WPJDF PG BO BUUFNQUFE NVSEFS BOE FMFDUSPTIPDL TVSWJWFS

20

Available Now! ISBN: 978-0981761978

-FBSO NPSF BOE XBUDI UIF USBJMFS BU )FMEJO&WJEFODF DPN

The bookseller’s guide to topshelf indie authors and books!

the rising

reviews

Wini reluctantly joins friends on

a guided excursion to the Maine

A Pandora’s Box That Promises To Be A Thrilling New Series!

AVAILABLE JANUARY 17 Around the globe, scientists track strange cataclysmic events that appear to connect to one person… an ordinary teenager named, Alex Chin. Adopted at an early age, Alex has dreams of being the next

~TopShelf Reviews

the river at night

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

along with their guide, will spend several days hiking and rafting their way through a remote area. But when tragedy

strikes, and they find themselves suddenly on their own, they struggle just to survive. With impeccably developed characters and hair-raising encounters, The River at Night will have readers pondering how they would do under the same harrowing circumstances, and sigh relief in knowing that they’re not actually there with these

Jon Land great football star, despite his parents' wishes Heather Graham against it. But a head injury sends him to the hospital, where his world is ripped apart––but not by the injury. The Rising, a brand new series by acclaimed thriller-suspense novelists, Heather Graham and Jon Land, skyrockets from page one, and

wilderness. The four women,

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

“The Rising, a brand new series by acclaimed thriller-suspense novelists, Heather Graham and Jon Land, skyrockets from page one, and never takes a breath.”

magazine

never takes a breath. Packed with excitement and pulse-pounding thrills, The Rising reads like an action movie, complete with sinister beings, hardnosed mercenaries, and two teens, whose battle to save their own lives, only leads to a discovery that will change the world forever. Alex is told, "Never look for something you're not ready to find. The Rising is a Pandora's Box that once opened promises to be a thrilling new series.

TOPShelf

REVIEWS

hapless women.

Nothing

A Whitewater-Rafting Adventure Gone Wrong!

AVAILABLE JANUARY 3

Erica Ferencik about this book is predictable, keeping readers on the very edge of their seats until the very end.

~TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 21

spotlights

Jack Mayer

www.JackMayer.net

by Richard Bard CreateSpace $16.99 - 418 Pages Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1533257604

by Michael Phillip Cash CreateSpace $9.99 - 212 Pages Sci-fi, Paranormal ISBN: 978-1500600365

by Robert Bryndza Bookouture $12.99 - 394 Pages Thriller, Suspense, Crime ISBN: 978-1910751770

by Rafael Amadeus Hines Rafael Hines $15.99 - 452 Pages Thriller, Suspense, Military ISBN: 978-0997091915

by Kevin Tinto Three Dog Publishing $14.83 - 424 Pages Action & Adventure ISBN: 978-0692406373

by J. N. Chaney CreateSpace $12.99 - 300 Pages Sci-Fi, Fantasy ISBN: 978-1530438464

by Jenni Ogden She Writes Press $17.99 - 295 Pages Psychological Thriller ISBN: 978-1631520266

by Michael Phillip Cash CreateSpace $9.99 - 208 Pages Supernatural, Thriller ISBN: 978-1517180676

by Chris Patchell CreateSpace $18.00 - 478 Pages Mystery, Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1514790069

by Jennifer Froelich CreateSpace $12.99 - 310 Pages Mystery, Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1493615070

Long Trail Press $19.95 - 530 Pages Historical, Holocaust ISBN: 978-0984111343

22

Before the Court of Heaven, though fiction, is populated by historical figures and accurately depicts events as they unfolded in Germany and beyond. Animated as historical fiction, Before the Court of Heaven is an immunization against recurrence.

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

ruler of the night

reviews

Abandoned in a mall food court by her parents at age three with a note that read, “This child is possessed,” now seventeen-

The Final Installment In A Masterly-Crafted Series Of Victorian Murder Mysteries AVAILABLE TODAY! Ruler of the Night is set in Victorian England during the Crimean War in 1855. A respected gentleman is brutally murdered on a passenger train, creating a frenzy of fear among travelers embarking on this new mode of transportation.

In the adjacent compartment are Thomas De Quincey, a brilliant author famous for writing about David Morrell his addiction to opiates, and his twenty-two-year-old daughter, Emily, who serves as his caregiver. Together with two Scotland Yard detectives, they seek to solve the murder, but become immersed in a much deeper plot involving the Prime Minister, members of London’s high society, a German doctor accused of killing Czar Nicholas of Russia, and a www.TopShelfMagazine.net

~TopShelf Reviews

the delphi effect

A Cleverly Haunting Ghost Story!

AVAILABLE TODAY!

year-old Anna Morgan has seen the inside of more foster homes and psychiatric institutions than McDonald’s.

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

"Ruler of the Night sucks readers in and keeps them guessing as it steam-trains toward an exciting and perfectly satisfying climax."

magazine

water-cure clinic on the outskirts of London that panders to the wealthy.

Morrell’s extensive research into the life and times of Thomas De Quincey brings this unusual man and his feisty daughter to life. De Quincey uses logic and clues in ways not common to police of the time, and his daughter’s knowledge of medicine gives them additional insights. Morrell vividly portrays the oddities and attitudes of the period, transporting readers to smoky Victorian London with all its grit, smells, and discomforts alongside the haughty opulence of its upper class.

TOPShelf

REVIEWS The sad part is… it’s true.

Anna is possessed by the spirits of people who can’t cross over. She picks them up unintentionally, by touching something where they linger. Today, Anna’s carrying the spirit of Molly, a teen who’s been brutally murdered and wants her family to know what happened. But Molly’s grandfather believes that Anna’s a con artist. So Anna lets Molly take over the conversation.

But when she does, she becomes a person of interest to Rysa Walker players on both sides of a very dangerous game.

~TopShelf Reviews

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 23

THE COMPLETE COLLECTION OF THE COMPLETE COLLECTION OF

MICHAEL PHILLIP PHILLIP CASH C ASH MICHAEL THE HISTORY MAJOR An ominous shadow is stalking Amanda Greene. Uncomfortable memories are bubbling dangerously close to her fracturing world, propelling her to an inevitable collision between fantasy and reality. Is this the mother of all hangovers or is something bigger happening?

“Cash intermingles beauty and violence ...It’s smartly ambiguous and open to interpretation, and some may delight in a second (or third) read.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS

ALL TITLES AVAILABLE ON

OTHER TITLES BY MICHAEL PHILLIP CASH

A L L T I T L E S AVA I L A B L E O N

Award winning and best-selling author Michael Phillip Cash has twelve novels to

ot

date. Stillwell won Honorable Mention for The Book of the Year Foreword Review

we

2014. He currently lives on the North Shore with his wife and two children.

Award winning and best-selling author Michael Phillip Cash has twelve novels to date. Stillwell won Honorable Mention for The Book of the Year Foreword Review 2014. He currently lives on the North Shore with his wife and two children.

www.michaelphillipcash.com

www.michaelphillipcash.com

|

@michaelpcash

@michaelpcash

directories

associations

New England Book Festival Boston, MA January 2017 323-665-8080 www.newenglandbookfestival.com Wizard World Comic Con New Orleans, LA January 6 - 8, 2017 310-648-8410 wizardworld.com/comiccon/ neworleans Los Angeles Comic and Science Fiction Convention Los Angeles, CA January 7 - 8, 2017 818-954-8432 www.comicbookscifi.com COSine Science Fiction Convention Colorado Springs, CO January 20 - 22, 2017 www.firstfridayfandom.org/cosine/ SDSU Writers Conference San Diego, CA January 20 - 22, 2017 619-594-5152 ces.sdsu.edu/wc

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

YAK Fest: Young Adult Keller Book Festival Keller, TX January 28, 2017 yakfestkisd.weebly.com CODEX International Book Fair and Symposium Berkely, CA February 5 - 8, 2017 510-849-0673 www.codexfoundation.org Association of Writers & Writers Programs Washington, DC February 8 - 11, 2017 703-993-4453 www.awpwriter.org The National Writers Union’s New York Conference February 13, 2017 212-254-0279 nwu.org Savannah Book Festival Savannah, GA February 16 - 19, 2017 912-598-4040 www.savannahbookfestival.org

Oxford Conference for the Book Oxford, MI March 2 - 4, 2017 662-915-3374 oxfordconferenceforthebook.com

Southwest Florida Reading Festival Fort Myers, FL March 18, 2017 www.readfest.org

Charlotte S. Huck Children’s Literature Festival Redlands, CA March 3 - 4, 2017 909-748-8791 www.redlands.edu/study/ schools-and-centers/school-ofeducation/childrens-literaturefestival-2017/

Virginia Festival of the Book Charlottesville, VA March 22 - 26, 2017 434-924-3296 vabook.org

Main Street Children’s Museum Suess-A-Thon Rock Hill, SC March 5, 2017 802-329-2121 www.chmuseums.org/event/2144/ Tucson Festival of Books University of Arizona March 11 - 12, 2017 tucsonfestivalofbooks.org Wizard World Comic Con Cleveland, OH March 17 - 19, 2017 310-648-8410 www.wizardworld.com/ comiccon/cleveland

Dahlonega Literary Festival Dahlonega, GA March 25 - 26, 2017 literaryfestival.org

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

conventions

ALA Atlanta Midwinter Meeting & Exhibits Atlanta, GA January 20 - 24, 2017 866-513-0760 2017.alamidwinter.org

magazine

American Booksellers Association (N) White Plains, NY 800-637-0037 x7541 www.BookWeb.org

Christian Booksellers Association (N) Colorado Springs, CO 800-252-1950 www.CBAonline.org

Independent Mystery Booksellers Association (N) MysteryBooksellers.com

Independent Online Booksellers Association (N) Sykesville, MD 609-474-0640 www.IOBA.org

New England Independent Booksellers Association (R) Cambridge, MA 617-547-3642 www.newenglandbooks.org

TOPShelf

DIRECTORIES

The Southern Literary Festival Fort Smith, AR March 30 April 1, 2017 www.southernliteraryfestival.org

(N) = National Coverage (R) = Regional Coverage

Amelia Island Book Festival Fernandia Beach, FL February 16 - 18, 2017 904-624-1665 www.ameliaislandbookfestival.org Wizard World Comic Con Portland, OR February 17 - 19, 2017 310-648-8410 wizardworld.com/comiccon/portland Teen Bookfest by The Bay Corpus Christi, TX February 18, 2017 www.teenbookfestbythebay.org Search for Meaning Book Festival Seattle, WA February 25, 2017 www.seattleu.edu/ searchformeaning/

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 25

DIRECTORIES decor & furnishings

Allen Display (N) Midlothian, VA 800-999-2373 www.AllenDisplay.com

BroDart Contract Furniture (N) McElhattan, PA 888-521-1884 www.BroDartFurniture.com

TOPShelf

magazine

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

directories

Demco (N) Madison, WI 800-356-1200 www.Demco.com Displays2Go (N) Bristol, RI 800-572-2194 www.Displays2Go.com

Franklin Fixtures (N) Cookeville, TN 931-400-0300 www.FranklinFixtures.com

Modern Shelving (N) San Clemente, CA 877-477-5487 www.ModernShelving.com

Opening the Book (N) Williamport, PA 272-202-3957 www.OpeningTheBook.com/us

Skyline Designs (N) Newport, NH 603-843-8965 www.SkylineDesigns.com

The Library Store (N) Tremont, IL 888-422-7204 www.TheLibraryStore.com

The Store Decor Co. (N) Rowlett, TX 800-831-3267 www.TheStoreDecor.com

coffee services 360OfficeCoffee (N) Austin, TX 800-598-8685 www.360officeCoffee.com

26

Alhambra (R) Lakeland, FL 800-728-5508 www.AlhambraWater.com

aramark (N) 855-273-3835 www.aramarkrefreshments.com

Aroma Coffee Service (R) Fort Myers, FL 800-448-9139 www.AromaCoffee.net

Associated Coffee (N) San Leandro, CA 800-750-5282 www.AssociatedCoffee.com

Blue Tiger (N) Seattle, WA 855-258-3844 www.BlueTigerCoffee.com

Brad’s Coffee Service (R) West Fargo, ND 701-238-0591 www.BradsCoffee.com

Canteen (N) Charlotte, NC 800-226-8336 www.Canteen.com

Cardinal Coffee Systems (N) Sandusky, OH 419-624-8800 www.CardinalCoffeeSystems.com

Clearly Colorado (R) Colorado Springs, CO 719-663-6887 www.ClearlyColorado.com

Coffee Serv (R) Philadelphia, PA 800-784-8400 www.CoffeeServ.com

Coffee Service, Standard Coffee (N) Lakeland, FL 800-962-7006 www.CoffeeService.com Community Coffee (N) Baton Rouge, LA 800-884-5282 CommunityCoffee.com

Corporate Coffee Systems (N) Westbury, NY 516-371-4800 www.CorpCofe.com

First Choice Coffee Services (N) Oakbrook Terrace, IL 855-262-6357 FirstChoiceServices.com

Good As Gold Coffee (R) Worcester, MA 800-322-0439 www.GoodAsGold.com

H2O Technologies & Distribution (R) Pensacola, FL 850-932-8400 www.PensacolaH2o.com

Horizon Coffee & Water Service (N) Greensburg, PA 724-520-1272 www.HorizonCoffee.com Ideal Vending & Coffee (R) Brooklyn, NY 866-433-2565 www.IdealCoffee.com

Java Dave’s Coffee (N) Tulsa, OK 800-725-7315 www.JavaDavesCoffee.com Java Distribution (N) Boulder, CO 303-494-6348 www.JavaDistribution.com

Malone’s Coffee Service (R) Knoxville, TN 888-961-2606 www.MalonesCoffee.com

National Coffee (N) Coconut Creek, FL 954-775-0357 www.NationalCoffee.net

Nespresso (N) Long Island City, NY 800-562-1465 www.Nespresso.com

Office Coffee Deals (N) Chesapeake, VA www.OfficeCoffeeDeals.net OfficeCoffeePlus.com (N) Ormond Beach, FL 888-391-4646 www.OfficeCoffeePlus.com

Quality Express Coffee Service (N) Tullytown, PA 866-452-8228 www.QualityExpressCoffee.com Royal Cup Coffee and Tea (N) Birmingham, AL 800-366-5836 www.RoyalCupCoffee.com

S&D Coffee & Tea (N) Concord, NC 800-933-2210 www.SDcoffeeTea.com Standard Coffee (N) Atlanta GA 800-962-7006 www.standardcoffee.com Taher, Inc (R) Minnetonka, MN 952-945-0505 www.taher.com

The Gourmet Coffee Co (R) Hialeah, FL 305-698-0991 www.TheGourmetCoffeeCo.com

The Great American Coffee Co (R) Denver, CO 303-357-5268 www.GourmetOfficeCoffee.com The Water Guy (R) Birdsboro, PA 800-924-6841 www.WaterGuys.com Tidewater Coffee (R) Portsmouth, VA 757-399-4323 www.TideWaterCoffee.com

Treasure Valley Coffee (R) Sandy, UT 801-265-2667 www.TreasureValleyCoffee.net

US Coffee (N) Hicksville, NY 800-776-2866 www.UScoffee.com

A Comprehensive Booksellers’ Guide to TopShelf Authors & Books!

wholesalers

www.ThrillerFest.com ThrillerFest XII Sponsors

HOLIDAYEDITION2016

Bell-A-Roma Candles (N) South River, NJ 718-874-9194 www.ACandleCo.com

magazine

Vending Solutions (N) 800-655-7564 www.VendingSolutions.com

Water Boy (R) Bradenton, FL 800-799-5684 www.WaterBoyInc.com

sponsors

TOPShelf

directories coffee services

Jazz Candles (N) Shreveport, LA 318-686-8583 www.JazzCandles.com/ wholesale.php The Yankee Candle Company (N) South Deerfield , MA 800-792-6180 wholesale.YankeeCandle.com

other services Espresso Book Machine (N) P.O.D. in Your Store!

New York, NY 212-966-2222 www.OnDemandBooks.com

ThrillerFest XII Sponsors

Book Spotlight

Libris (N) Bookstore Insurance Greenwood Village, CO 888-694-8585 www.Libris.org

Paz & Associates (N) Bookstore Training Fernandina Beach, FL 904-277-2664 www.PazBookBiz.com (N) = National Coverage (R) = Regional Coverage To have your business listed call 603-785-0560

www.TopShelfMagazine.net

We take the time to understand you and make your experience with us as affordable and simple as possible.

We craft every piece of furniture with care in our New Hampshire facility.

800-775-1478 skylinedesigns.com

by George Wier CreateSpace $16.00 - 234 Pages Mystery, Thriller, Suspense ISBN: 978-1467917100

TOPShelf magazine

HOLIDAY2016 27

Carole P Roman

Critically Acclaimed and Award-winning Children’s Book Author

BRINGS YOU CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FOR ALL AGES!

Captain No Beard—An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life Captain No Beard and his crew mates travel the open waters on his pirate ship The Flying Dragon while learning valuable life lessons.

Once on board, their world is transformed into a magical vessel sailing the seven seas on dangerous and exciting adventures!

The first in the series of ten Captain No Beard books!

Captain No Beard: An Imaginary Tale of a Pirate’s Life, Pepper Parrot’s Problem with Patience, Stuck in the Doldrums, Strangers at the High Seas, The Treasure of Snake Island, The Crew Goes Coconuts, Captain No Beard and the Aurora Borealis, Fribbet The Frog and the Tadpoles, A Flag for the Flying Dragon, and Being A Captain Is Hard Work

Kirkus Reviews’ Best of 2012!

“Roman charms with an imaginative, whimsical picture book that will entertain even the oldest pirates.”

KIRKUS REVIEW WINNER OF THE ERIK AND NABE PINNACLE AWARDS

Also available by Carole P. Roman “If You Were me and Lived In...”

A new nonfiction series for children about culture around the world. This series is an expanding series with 4 new books released every year.

For the littlest ones in the household: Rocket-Bye, Can A Princess Be a Firefighter? and I Want to Do Yoga Too

Countries featured include:

India, Mexico, Peru, South Korea, France, Australia, Kenya, Egypt, Norway, Italy, China, Scotland, Russia, Hungary, Portugal, Greece, and Turkey

And Introducing her new groundbreaking series that explores civilizations throughout history featuring the following civilizations: Colonial America, Ancient Greece, Renaissance Italy, and Elizabethan England... and coming soon to the series: Vikings, Old American West, Medieval Times and Mayans

ABOUT CAROLE P. ROMAN

Award-winning author Carole P. Roman started writing as a dare from one of her sons. Using an imaginary game she played with her grandson as a base, Captain No Beard was born. She is currently working on the groundbreaking new nonfiction series about culture around the world. “If You Were Me and Lived in...” combines her teaching past with her love of exploration and interest in the world around us.

Find out more at CarolePRoman.com ALL TITLES AVAILABLE NOW ON