JAMES SWALLOW

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Marc Dane

THRILLERFEST XIV

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Ah, New York; if there’s a city that deserves to be considered a “thriller”, it’s the Big Apple – and I’ll be walking its streets again next month, partly for some research for a future Marc Dane novel, but mostly because I’m in town to take part in ThrillerFest XIV at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

I’ve heard great things about Thrillerfest, and as a member of the organizing International Thriller Writers association, I can’t wait to check it out. This year’s event has a brilliant list of attending authors, including such big names as John Sandford, Harlan Coben, Margaret Marbury, Lisa Unger, Stephen Hunter and James Rollins, along with dozens of lectures and panels covering pretty much every aspect of the thriller genre.

I’m appearing twice during the event; firstly, I’m presenting a talk entitled “Widescreen Radio: Writing Thrilling Audio Drama” as part of the CraftFest program, where I’ll be talking about audio stories and the tools a writer needs to make them work.

Secondly, I’m going to be joining an all-star panel of authors (featuring Jaime Levine, Ted Bell, Peter James, Sarah Meuleman, Katherine Neville, Chris Pavone and Thomas Pecora) for “Hola, Hallo or Ciao?”, a discussion of international thrillers.

As well as participating, I’ll also be signing books over the weekend and generally hanging out to soak up the atmos and enthuse about writing – if you’re attending, come over and say hello!

Here’s my full schedule:

Wednesday 10th July (CraftFest)
8.30am – 9.20am – WIDESCREEN RADIO: WRITING FOR AUDIO DRAMA (Broadway Room)
5.00pm – 5.30pm – Book signing (Bookstore)

Thursday 11th July (CraftFest)
9.50am – 10.10am – Book signing (Bookstore)

Friday 12th July (ThrillerFest)
4.40pm – 5.30pm – HOLA, HALLO OR CIAO? – INTERNATIONAL THRILLERS (Ballroom I)
5.30pm – 6.00pm – Book signing (Uris/Julliard Room)

For full details and tickets for Thrillerfest XIV, click Here.

The SHADOW soundtrack

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My new Marc Dane action-thriller Shadow has been out for a week, reviews are coming in and the verdict is good! As always, many thanks to everyone who pre-ordered or picked up a copy of the book!

As with the previous books in the Marc Dane series, I put together a playlist of songs that provided inspiration for characters, themes and scenes for Shadow, and you’ll find that below.

You can also check out the Shadow playlist over on my YouTube channel Here, along with playlist for Nomad, Exile and Ghost.

Back when I wrote the first Marc Dane novel, I said this: “writing a book isn’t just the writing of the book; there’s also the time spent wrangling ideas or thinking stuff up. I find pacing out the kilometers on the runner at the gym is a great place for this, usually with a loud and driving playlist in my earbuds to propel me along.”

Here’s the tunes that helped inspire Shadow…

Track 1 – “SHADOW Anthem” – The Drone Racing League – GUNSHIP

Track 2 – “Undercover / Rescue” – Dive For You – Boom Boom Satellites

Track 3 – “Club Skore” – Deep Impact – Dragon Ash (feat. Rappagariya)

Track 4 – “Basement Shoot-Out / Speedboat Chase” – Confusion [Pump Panel Reconstruction Mix] – New Order

Track 5 – “The Lion’s Roar” – Calm Like A Bomb – Rage Against The Machine

Track 6 – “Welcome to Iceland” – Reykjavík – SYKUR

Track 7 – “Survive The Night” – Immigrant Song – Karen O with Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross

Track 8 – “Chasing The Mule / Finding The Family” – Freya – The Sword

Track 9 – “Endure” – Sledgehammer – Rihanna

Track 10 – “Back From The Edge” – Your Hand In Mine – Explosions In The Sky

Track 11 – “SHADOW End Credits” – Razors Out – Chino Moreno

SHADOW is out now!

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Today the 4th novel in my bestselling thriller series hits bookstores; hacker-turned-hero Marc Dane returns in SHADOW, his most dangerous adventure to date. . .

SHADOW follows on from the previous books in the series – NOMAD, EXILE and GHOST – each of which hit bestseller lists for the Sunday Times, Irish Times and on Amazon UK, and it’s available in hardcover, export trade paperback, eBook editions wherever you get your reading, published by Bonnier Books. The audiobook version read by Colin Mace is available from Bolinda and should be coming to Audible very soon!

This time around, Marc Dane and his team of private security operatives face off against a brutal terrorist intent on triggering a devastating “false flag” attack; in SHADOW, the story touches on dark themes of far-right extremism, the plight of the displaced and the threat posed by bio-terrorism. My research for this book took me to many places, from the city streets of Belgium in the heart of Europe to the stark wilds of Iceland, and more.

Once again, I want to thank the teams at Bonnier Books and United Agents for all their help in bringing SHADOW to the world, and also much love to my family and friends for their continued support!

The game-changing new thriller from the internationally bestselling author of NOMAD, EXILE and GHOST…

A RUTHLESS FAR-RIGHT TERRORIST IS BROKEN OUT OF CAPTIVITY

A MYSTERIOUS BIO-SCIENTIST WITH A TERRIBLE SECRET IS ABDUCTED

A LETHAL CONTAGION THREATENS MILLIONS OF LIVES ACROSS EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST

Ex-MI6 field technician Marc Dane and his partner – former US Delta Force sniper Lucy Keyes – are chasing phantoms, one step behind a brutal cadre of extremist killers determined to unleash a deadly virus called SHADOW.

In a race against time that spans the globe – from the neon-lit streets of Singapore to the snowy wilderness of Iceland, from the souks of the Middle East to the heart of Europe – Marc and Lucy must risk everything to stop a horrific terrorist atrocity.

On their own and operating outside the law, they are bound together in a desperate battle to stop the release of a contagion that will kill millions – armed only with their courage, survival instincts and the determination to fight for justice…no matter the cost.

What sinister forces lie behind this lethal conspiracy? And what price must be paid before the shadow falls?

Order a copy of SHADOW Here; and don’t forget, you can also sign up to my Reader’s Club for email newsletters by clicking the button at the bottom right of this page for advance intel on SHADOW and future books in the Marc Dane series.

You can learn more about SHADOW Here, and download a ROUGH AIR – a free Marc Dane digital novelette – right Here.

ROUGH AIR – The Final Chapter

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Rough Air part 5 cover

It’s here; the fifth and final chapter of Rough Air, an exclusive Marc Dane short story – so please fasten your seat-belts, put your seat backs and tray tables in the upright position and get ready for Part Five: “Hard Landing”…

Private security operative Marc Dane is aboard an airliner from Bogotá to Dallas tracking Mateo Garza, a former money man for a vicious Colombian drug cartel, who carries vital intelligence data.

In the last part of Rough Air, Marc must fight off a pair of killers and a murderous pilot sent by Garza’s ex-employers, to bring the hijacked jet down in one piece…

Before fuel – and time – runs out…

You can find and download Rough Air Part Five: “Hard Landing” Here (along with Parts One to Four).

Thanks again to all my readers for your support of my work; I hope you enjoyed Rough Air as much as I enjoyed writing it, and with any luck, Marc’s high-altitude adventure won’t prevent you from taking any flights of your own in the future! And as ever, please do post your thoughts on this story on Twitter, Facebook or any other social media using the #DaneOnAPlane hashtag!

But Marc’s story isn’t over yet; one week from today, Shadow – the next full-length novel in my Marc Dane action thriller series – will be available from Bonnier Books in all good stores, and you can pre-order a copy by clicking Here…

ROUGH AIR Part 4: Final Approach

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Rough Air part 4 cover

We’ve reached the penultimate chapter of Rough Air, my exclusive Marc Dane short story, and here’s Part Four: “Final Approach”!

Private security operative Marc Dane is aboard an airliner from Bogotá to Dallas tracking Mateo Garza, a former money man for a vicious Colombian drug cartel, who carries vital intelligence data; but when the aircraft is hijacked by the fugitive’s ex-employers, only Marc’s ability to adapt and improvise will keep him alive…

In Part Four, the hijackers are on Marc’s trail after his sabotage attempt disrupts their plans to abduct Garza – along with two hundred innocent passengers! – and they’ll stop at nothing to kill him!

You can find and download Rough Air Part Four: “Final Approach” Here (along with Parts One , Two and Three).

Get ready for the final chapter of Rough Air in just seven days – or get it early by signing up to my Reader’s Club mailing list (details at the bottom of this page); and please post your thoughts on the story on Twitter, Facebook or any other social media using the #DaneOnAPlane hashtag…

ROUGH AIR Part 3: Cross-Check

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Rough Air part 3 cover

It’s Friday, and that means the next exciting installment of Rough Air, my exclusive Marc Dane short story, goes live…

Part One and Two saw private security operative Marc Dane aboard an airliner from Bogotá to Dallas tracking Mateo Garza, a former money man for a vicious Colombian drug cartel. Garza is carrying vital intelligence data, but when the aircraft is hijacked by the fugitive’s ex-employers, only Marc’s ability to adapt and improvise will keep him alive…

In Part Three, things go from bad to worse when Marc takes the fight to the hijackers in a desperate attempt to divert the stolen jet to safety – by sabotaging the aircraft in mid-air!

You can find and download Rough Air Part Three: “Cross-Check” Here (along with Part One and Part Two).

Look for the fourth chapter of Rough Air in seven days! Post your thoughts on the story on Twitter, Facebook or any other social media using the #DaneOnAPlane hashtag; you can get each chapter a day early by signing up to my Reader’s Club mailing list (details at the bottom of this page).