An exciting new writer, killer years, and ITW
I just read a great short story by a relatively new writer named Derek Nikitas. I read it before writing a brief introduction to it for the Killer Year Anthology. The story, called "Runaway," came alive for me, and it's been a long time since a story by a relatively new writer has done that.
Fiction like this is a gift to readers. And as a writer, reading this new writer's work, well, it's like Christmas and birthdays and everything wrapped up in one.
I read too many competent first novels and early stories. They're fine, but there's nothing that makes me believe I should keep reading. But not so with Derek Nikitas.
Derek chose me as mentor for the KillerYear.com concept that is brilliantly being run in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers. I am honored he chose me, but had no idea what to expect from his fiction. To be honest, I dreaded having to deal with it because I'm so used to disappointment when a new writer asks me to look at his or her work (in fact, I rarely do this anymore because I hate delivering bad news to new writers, and I also won't lie to them.)
But Derek Nikitas' fiction is different. It's alive. It's wonderful.
Now, I'm more than honored -- I'm excited by fiction because of writers like this. Find out more about Derek Nikitas here.
Find out about the Killer Year concept and its writers and their mentors here.
And if you're a professional novelist, I really want you to find out about the International Thriller Writers right here.
Fiction like this is a gift to readers. And as a writer, reading this new writer's work, well, it's like Christmas and birthdays and everything wrapped up in one.
I read too many competent first novels and early stories. They're fine, but there's nothing that makes me believe I should keep reading. But not so with Derek Nikitas.
Derek chose me as mentor for the KillerYear.com concept that is brilliantly being run in conjunction with the International Thriller Writers. I am honored he chose me, but had no idea what to expect from his fiction. To be honest, I dreaded having to deal with it because I'm so used to disappointment when a new writer asks me to look at his or her work (in fact, I rarely do this anymore because I hate delivering bad news to new writers, and I also won't lie to them.)
But Derek Nikitas' fiction is different. It's alive. It's wonderful.
Now, I'm more than honored -- I'm excited by fiction because of writers like this. Find out more about Derek Nikitas here.
Find out about the Killer Year concept and its writers and their mentors here.
And if you're a professional novelist, I really want you to find out about the International Thriller Writers right here.