Interesting Facts About Steve Berry

Although he may not be a household name like Tom Clancy or Clive Cussler, Steve Berry is nonetheless an accomplished fiction writer and has penned nearly 20 novels, many of which were received with critical acclaim. Here are two interesting facts about the thriller writer that you may not have known.

He was rejected 85 times before he sold his first manuscript. Although publishers now see publishing Berry’s works as a no-brainer, it wasn’t quite the case early on in his career. Berry first began writing fiction in 1990, but it wasn’t until 2003’s The Amber Room that one of his manuscripts would make it to print. Prior attempts at publication has resulted in 85 rejection before Ballantine Books finally took a chance on the then unknown Berry, a move that would prove to pay off.

He’s devoted to historical preservation. Berry and his wife, Elizabeth, founded History Matters, a nonprofit organization dedicated to aiding the preservation of the fragile reminders of our past. Together they’ve spent many years fundraising for a wide variety of preservation projects, and in recognition for his work he was named spokesperson for National Preservation Week by American Library Association in 2012 and 2013. In a 2011 Wall Street Journal interview Berry said: “What are we losing when that [on being told of the rapid loss of our historical record] happens?  We’re losing windows to the past, thoughts to the past and ideas to the past, and that really affected me.”

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Rules For Writing Thrillers

New York Times bestselling author David Morrell is certainly no stranger to penning thrilling reads. With his 1972 debut novel First Blood, Morrell introduced the world to Rambo, and brought us an enduring franchise that would deliver thrills for decades to come. Morrell isn’t one to keep secrets, and he offered up the five following rules for writing a good thriller:

1. Know your motives. Morrell often escaped the reality of his troubled childhood by imagining himself as a hero overcoming adversity. He has a personal connection to thrillers, and advises you to have the same.

2. Know the genre’s history. You may think your idea is original, but you’ll only know for sure if you do know the genre’s history.

3. Do your research. Details matter, and while you don’t want to overload your audience with them, you also don’t want to distract them with mistakes. Read up on your intended topic, and seek out experiences in person when possible.

4. Be yourself. Morrell preaches innovation over imitation. You’re better of being a first rate version of yourself than a second rate version of someone else.

5. Avoid the genre trap. Audiences care about the quality of the content, not the category. Forget about the fact that you’re writing a thriller and concentrate on writing a good book, it will fall into whatever category it may.

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Engrossing Political Thrillers

A political thriller is at its best, a labyrinthine affair full of twists and turns, as well as the machinations of plotting, and intrigue. Often grappling with the core of politics, the unashamed pursuit of power at all costs. These classic political thrillers will have you up all night, unable to stop yourself from reading more.

House Of Cards by Michael Dobbs

Even if you aren’t a fan of the show, or you are but find yourself unable to watch in good conscience, these books are even more masterful than the adaptations that followed. Focusing on the salacious tricks employed by a power-hungry politician, it’s a gripping page-turner and a scathing indictment of British politics.

The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon

A seminal classic that’s influence has stretched throughout tv, literature, and film. This heavily psychological tale of assassination and control will have you questioning reality at each and every new turn.

The Constant Gardner by John Le Carre

Le Carre was the master of political fiction in all of its forms, crafting intrigue and character-driven narratives that also eschewed easy reading and black and white morality in favor of something far more reflective of geopolitical reality. In this classic, he centers around a protagonist catapulted into the political arena by tragic circumstances, and victim to plotting from multiple sides, desperate to get to the truth.

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Best Thriller twists of all time

The thriller genre is packed with some of the greatest twists in all literature, but which are the best and most unexpected twists out there? Here’s a rundown of the best twists in the thriller genre. Beware, there are spoilers ahead.

Fight Club

Whether reading the book or watching the movie, the twist that Ed Norton and Brad Pitt are both playing the same character is something that people still talk about – the irony of talking about Fight Club is not lost on us either. Though there are clues smattered throughout, it still feels like a revelation that comes out of left field.

The Usual Suspects

When Verbal Kint is telling you what happened on the ship and the events that led up to the explosion and fire on the ship at the start of the movie. When Verbal is finished with his story and Dave Kujan lets him walk out of the police station, you think that the movie has come to an end. Then it dawns on him that everything Verbal has said is made up and the arrival of the police sketch from the only survivor of the fire with the face of Verbal on the paper – the audience comes to same conclusion that Kujan does. Kint is Keyser Söze.

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Great Foreign Thrillers From Outside Of Scandinavia

Scandi Noir is one of the defining and most popular trends in literary history. But, don’t let that narrow your focus and leave you missing out on these great thrillers! Whilst it has undoubtedly produced some genre classics and some binge-worthy Netflix adaptations. There are plenty of other regions with thriving thriller scenes, each with their own distinctive style and take on the genre. These are some of our favorites from those countries.

River of Shadow by Valerio Varesi

Making use of a classic and enrapturing isolated rural setting, this atmospheric thriller really uses a sense of place and character to build its foundation. Centered around a dead and missing brother, whose fate seems to be tied to their time spent serving together in Italy’s fascist military. What unravels afterward encapsulates a half a century’s worth of political intrigue and tangled loyalties.

Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama

A rare thriller in that it’s the focus is set on a sprawling interrogation of the corrupt and unfair systemic issues that plague the Japanese system. It still has all the hallmarks of a genre classic, including far-reaching conspiracies, a long-buried investigation, and shocking twists at every turn.

Alex by Pierre Lemaitre

A revelation when it was released, and winner of the prestigious CWA International Dagger award for crime writing. This book set in Paris manages to be both a shocking and heart racing roller coaster of twists and turns also manages to cleverly subvert themes of gender, violence and deconstruct the conventions of the genre.

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