Category Archives: Thrillers

AN AUTHOR’S JOURNEY – JANUARY 2026

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“There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” ―Beatrix Potter

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An Author's Journey with Debbie Burke on kaydibianca.com Share on X

Welcome back to another year on the CRAFT OF WRITING blog. 2026 is the year of An Author’s Journey.  I’ll post an interview each month with an accomplished author to learn how they started writing, what their average day is like, what advice they have for others, and more.

I’m thrilled that we begin the year with my good friend and colleague Debbie Burke. Debbie has a long history of writing and editing. In addition to her Tawny Lindholm thrillers, her non-fiction craft of writing book, The Villain’s Journey, is helping us all understand the antagonist at a deeper level.

 

All villains are not the same! Debbie takes a deep dive into the many flavors of villainy in her new book. Check it out at one of these links:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Apple
Kobo

 

Since I intend to release the second book in the Lady Pilot-in-Command series in 2026, I decided to start the year with a giveaway of the first book in the series. Anyone who comments on the blog will have their name entered into a random drawing to receive either a paperback or ebook copy of Lacey’s Star. The winner must reside in the United States.

Since the interview posts on a Thursday, I’ll choose the winner around 9 pm Saturday night.

And now, the interview:

 

Welcome, Debbie, and thank you for joining us!

Thanks for inviting me again, Kay! Always a treat to visit with your readers!

Why did you decide to become an author?

I started writing stories in third grade but didn’t seriously go after a career until we moved to Montana in 1988. There, I discovered an active writing community, plunged in, and have been living the dream ever since.

How did you prepare to write your first book?

At first, I wrote short stories and magazine articles but didn’t think I had enough attention span to complete a novel until my critique group persuaded me to try. For years, I “practiced” with a dozen whodunit mysteries that received rave rejections but were never published.

Finally, an epiphany hit: I’d been so focused on the hero that I’d ignored the villain and the reasons behind the crimes. That’s why my plots weren’t compelling enough and fell short.

I switched to the thriller genre. That opened a whole new world. Instead of trying to hide the villain, I wrote scenes from his point of view. Whodunit was no longer the question because the reader knew from page one who he was. Going inside his head to discover the motives, desires, and fears driving him made the plots work better. Now questions and suspense lay in: was he going to get away with it? Can the hero stop him? Will she be killed trying?

Spoiler alert: she lives and has survived for nine books in the series so far.

When was your first book published? What was its title?

My goal had been a published novel before reaching Medicare age. Missed by a year. Oh well. Instrument of the Devil was published in 2017 and became a bestseller in women’s adventure. Overnight success only took 30 years!

What is your typical writing day like?

Get up early, drink coffee, and go to work. Since I have multiple projects going, there’s usually a deadline for articles and blog posts. Freelance editing jobs take priority because they pay the bills. Recently, my writing craft book The Villain’s Journey-How to Create Villains Readers Love to Hate has led to teaching jobs, so there’s prep for workshops and speaking appearances.

Sitting too long isn’t healthy so I break up writing sessions with zumba and long walks.

I’m most productive in the morning and try to save emails and reading for later in the day.

What do you find most rewarding about writing?

I love the creative drafting process as well as editing. When readers respond to something I’ve written, that’s always a thrill.

Teaching has turned out to be exhilarating. Students are there because they’re interested, not filling a requirement (like algebra). When someone’s eyes light up with discovery and realization, that’s the best feeling.

What is most difficult for you about writing?

Hands down, marketing. I’m lousy at self-promotion, advertising, and social media. I follow James Scott Bell’s philosophy that the best marketing is writing another book.

What advice would you give someone who is considering becoming an author?

If you can’t not write, you’re destined (doomed?) to be a writer so you might as well surrender.

Find a good critique group. They keep you accountable.

If you want to be published, learn the craft and develop a rhinoceros hide against rejections.

Writing is not like athletics where you peak at 25 or 30 then go downhill. The longer you live, the more experiences and knowledge you gain to enrich and deepen your stories.

Are you working on a book now?

Recently started #10 in the Tawny Lindholm Thriller series. I think each book will be the last, but readers keep asking when the next one is coming. That’s gratifying and strong motivation.

Of all the books you’ve written, do you have a favorite?

That’s like asking which is my favorite child!

The Villain’s Journey has led to wonderful connections and teaching opportunities. Nonfiction also sells better than fiction.

For fiction, probably Deep Fake Double Down because it predicted the timely, scary issue of false evidence created from deep fakes and used against innocent people. But Flight to Forever is the book of my heart because it was inspired by friends, a long-married couple separated because of Covid restrictions.

Where can we find out more about you and your work?

Visit my website debbieburkewriter.com and stop by The Kill Zone where I first met my good friend Kay.

Thank you, Debbie, for being with us!

Kay, always my pleasure to visit with you and your great followers!

 

An Author's Journey with Debbie Burke at kaydibianca.com Share on X

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Meet Debbie Burke

 

Debbie Burke may look like a cookie-baking grandma but underneath that innocent appearance lurks a devious criminal mind. Her award-winning Tawny Lindholm Thriller series is known for fast-paced twisty plots, snappy dialogue, and villains whom readers call “deliciously evil.”

In addition to fiction, she is an internationally published journalist, freelance editor, and longtime contributor to the crime-writing site The Kill Zone. She also teaches popular classes and workshops based on her nonfiction craft-of-writing book THE VILLAIN’S JOURNEY – HOW TO CREATE VILLAINS READERS LOVE TO HATE.

 

 

THE CRAFT OF WRITING A THRILLER – JANUARY 2025

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Welcome back to another year of great writing advice on the CRAFT OF WRITING blog. This year we’re focusing on Genres. We’ll be looking at approaches to writing thrillers, mysteries, romances, and more. Each month I’ll interview an accomplished author who writes in a particular genre, so get ready to learn from the experts!

Today, we’re going to talk about thrillers, and I’m thrilled 😊 to welcome back James Scott Bell. Jim is not only an award-winning author of thrillers, but he’s also well-known for his books on the craft of writing.

His current series is the Mike Romeo Thriller series. Book #1 in that series is shown below.

So read, enjoy, and engage with one of the masters, James Scott Bell.

The Craft of Writing Thrillers with James Scott Bell Share on X

 

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Good news! In recognition of my Lady Pilot-in-Command series, my good friend and master craftsman Dr. Steve Hooley has provided me with this unique and fabulous “Wilbur and Orville 1903” propeller pen. Hand crafted by Steve, the pen is made from Ash, one of the woods the Wright brothers used to build their first aircraft. The market value of this beautiful creation is around $80.00.

The name of each person who enters a comment will be put into the drawing for the pen. So join the conversation and earn a chance to win. I’ll post the name of the winner after 9 PM Central Time tonight.

 

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Welcome back to the Craft of Writing blog, Jim. Let’s jump right into the deep end of the pool: What is your definition of a thriller?

A mystery asks “What happened, and how do the pieces fit?” A thriller asks, “What’s happening, and why is it getting worse?” There’s an atmosphere of imminent danger and death in a thriller.

How are thrillers different from other forms of fiction?

Thrillers are the oldest form of storytelling. A hero goes out to fight dragons or giants. Danger and death! By overcoming the danger, the story gave the community, or tribe, courage, which they needed, because there was always some dread of what was out there in the darkness.

Thus, thrillers reinforce the idea that we—individually and collectively—can make it out of danger alive. And in doing so, defeat evil. That’s an ancient and universal longing.

What’s the most important aspect of a thriller?

A lead character you give a hoot for. No matter how “big” the plot, if a readers doesn’t care that much about the hero, the book will not thrill as it should. We’ve got to be pulling for the hero from page one.

The other important aspect is the villain. A villain has to be fleshed out as much as the hero. A villain never thinks about how evil he is (except Dr. Evil from the Austin Powers movies). A villain thinks he’s justified in what he does. I tell my writing students to write a “closing argument” for the villain, as if he’s trying to convince a jury he was right. That’s so much more chilling than a moustache-twirling stereotype. Read Herman Goering’s testimony in the Nuremberg trials sometime. Talk about chilling. He thought the Nazis were doing good.

Why did you decide to write in the thriller genre?

I was practicing law when I started, and the legal thriller was the big genre. I quickly realized that the quest for justice was the theme I’m most interested in, and the thriller is a natural venue for that. I’ve written stand-alone thrillers, legal thrillers, lone wolf thrillers (my Mike Romeo series), classic Hollywood thrillers (Trouble is my Beat) even nun thrillers (my Force of Habit series). But they all coalesce around justice.

Can you give us a brief outline of the process—from concept to completion—that you use to write a thriller?

I usually start with an idea for an opening chapter. Some bad stuff happens. Why? That’s when I start thinking about plot. I then turn to the possible villain and his motive. Motive is all important. If I have that motive, I can also plot out what I call “the shadow story.” That’s the stuff that is happening “off screen” if you will. While the hero is going along, the villain is making moves and strategizing behind the scenes. I use the shadow story to come up with things that happen in the main plot, the stuff we see in real time.

Then I start putting together a cast. Such as those who help the villain, who are, in mythic terms, shapeshifters. I try to have four or five characters who have motives. Then allies for the hero.

I lay out scene cards in Scrivener, with my 14 signpost scenes (as explained in my book Super Structure). It gives me a map of where I’m going but with plenty of room to “play” with how I get there. My “mirror moment” is what holds it all together.

I write a draft, go over it myself, rewrite and give it to my trusted editor, Mrs. Bell. She gives me great notes. I incorporate those, give a draft to beta readers, rewrite as needed, and finally send it out for a proof read.

What advice would you give an author who decides to write a thriller?

Make sure that something about the plot grabs your heart. It’s not just about being clever. It’s about caring deeply for the characters and issues at stake. And there must be some form of death on the line. It’s usually physical death, but there’s also professional and psychological death to consider.

Besides your own books, what thrillers would you recommend?

Tell No One by Harlan Coben

Intensity by Dean Koontz

Lost Light by Michael Connelly

Are you working on a book now?

I’m always working on a book, and have at least one or two “in development.” I try to be like a movie studio. I’m always pitching myself ideas: “What ifs”, hooks, characters, even opening lines. I have a big document full of great opening lines. All I have to do is put a novel after them. Ha!

Where can we find out more about you and your writing?

It’s all on JamesScottBell.com

I’m also writing whimsical essays on my Substack.

I love the written word. I love to entertain. I love to thrill. And I love creating some smiles along the way.

Thank you, Jim, for being with us today and giving us insight into writing thrillers.

 

The Craft of Writing Thrillers with James Scott Bell Share on X

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Meet James Scott Bell

JAMES SCOTT BELL is a winner of the International Thriller Writers Award and the author of many bestselling thrillers. He is a popular writing instructor and conference speaker, and formerly served as the fiction columnist for Writer’s Digest magazine. Jim attended the University of California, Santa Barbara where he studied writing with Raymond Carver, and graduated with honors from the University of Southern California Law School. He lives and writes in L.A. and blogs weekly at Kill Zone — http://www.killzoneblog.com

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“a spectacular tale of decades-old murder mystery, human drama, and a hint of romance…” —Prairie Book Reviews

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