THE PREMIER CONFERENCE FOR THRILLER ENTHUSIASTS

THE PREMIER CONFERENCE FOR <span>THRILLER</span> ENTHUSIASTS

May 5th - 9th 2026, NYC

WELCOME TO THRILLERFEST!

Welcome to ThrillerFest XXI, our twenty-first anniversary event, which will take place May 5 to May 9, 2026 at the New York Hilton Midtown, with a bonus event on Monday, May 4: FBI and ATF Day.

2026 Lineup

The ThrillerFest week is designed by authors, for authors. We have something for everyone, whether you’re an aspiring author, a fan, an industry professional, or an ITW author.

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This is the 21st anniversary of the very first ThrillerFest in 2005, and we can’t wait for our 2026 event. We encourage all thriller enthusiasts to join the ITW family.

We have something for everyone, including writers at every stage of their careers, readers, and fans.

Join us in 2026.

BECOME A SPONSOR

Support Thrillerfest

BECOME A SPONSOR

We thank our Scholarship sponsors for their generous donation to our 2025 Scholarship Program

Audio Sorceress, Bruce Johnson, Susana Kuehne, Vicki Montet.

If you’re interested in sponsoring a scholarship for the 2026 event, please email Executive Director, ThrillerFest, Samantha Skal at samantha@thrillerwriters.org.

Volunteer with Us

Volunteers are an integral part of the ThrillerFest experience. We couldn’t do it without you. It’s also a great way to meet people and get involved in ITW. If you would like to assist us, please be sure to check “yes” to “Volunteer” during registration.

(Please note: volunteers must be registered for ThrillerFest).

Spread the Word

Please drop by the ThrillerFest Facebook page then “like” us, and help spread the word. You can also follow ITW on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.

Meet our Staff

Your ThrillerFest team is looking forward to a fun and memorable year. We’re excited to celebrate the following staff members:

Ruth Church as Deputy Director ThrillerFest / Master Class 1.0, Tracey Devlyn as QueryFest Assistant Director, Tori Eldridge as Debut Author Coordinator, Todd Gerber as Awards Coordinator, Dwayne Goetzel as Onsite Security Director, Chris Graham as Technology Coordinator, Kimberley Howe as ITW Executive Director, Dennis Kennett as Registrar, Shirley Kennett as Assistant Registrar, Jennifer Kreischer as Banquet Coordinator, Susan Lee as PitchFest Director, James L’Etoile as QueryFest Director, Sam Octavius as Operations Director, Terry Rodgers as Assistant Registrar, Kerry Savage as ITW Communications Director/Volunteer Coordinator, Elena Hartwell Taylor and Carter Wilson as Debut Author Assistant Coordinators, and Samantha Skal as Executive Director, ThrillerFest.

For Press queries, please submit this form.

For questions regarding ThrillerFest, please contact ThrillerFest’s Executive Director,

Samantha Skal: samantha@thrillerwriters.org

For questions regarding ITW, please contact ITW’s Executive Director,

Kimberley Howe: KimberleyHowe@thrillerwriters.org

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ITW Community

  • patrons
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  • Actives

    • Sandra Brannan

    • Clive Cussler*

    • Dirk Cussler*

    • Shane Gericke*

    • Faye and Jonathan Kellerman*

    • John Lescroart

    • Joanie McDonell

    • Karin Slaughter

    • Larry D. Thompson

    Associates

    • Tucker Andersen

    • Andrew Kimball

  • Actives

    • Kathleen Antrim*

    • David Baldacci*

    • Neal Baer

    • Steve Berry*

    • J. Jackson Bentley

    • Gary Braver*

    • Sandra Brown*

    • Dale Brown*

    • John Case*

    • Lee Child*

    • James Comey

    • Michael Connelly

    • Glenn Cooper

    • Richard Curtis*

    • Jack F. Du Brul*

    • David Dun*

    • Joseph Finder

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    • Tess Gerritsen*

    • Leslie Glass*

    • Jeff Gunhus

    • Vicki Hinze*

    • Lisa Jackson

    • Alex Kava*

    • Raymond Khoury

    • Deborah LeBlanc

    • Eric Van Lustbader*

    • D. P. Lyle M.D.*

    • Gayle Lynds*

    • Steve Martini

    • Brad Meltzer

    • David Morrell*

    • Katherine Neville*

    • Michael Palmer (2004-2013)*

    • James Patterson*

    • Andrew Peterson

    • Douglas Preston*

    • Lissa Price

    • Keith Raffel

    • Christopher Reich*

    • James Rollins*

    • M.J. Rose*

    • JoAnn Ross

    • Hank Phillippi Ryan

    • John Saul*

    • Andy Siegel

    • Susan Arnout Smith

    • R.L. Stine*

    • Brad Thor*

    • Lisa Unger

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    Associates

    • Maria Carvainis

    • Leisure Books*

    • JK Franko*

    • Brian Hand

    • Ed Mitchell*

    • Henry Morrison*

    • Adrian Muller*

    • Bill Sewell

    • Tor/Forge Books*

    • Your Book Is Your Hook!

  • Actives

    • Steve Alten*

    • Ashok Banker

    • Ted Bell*

    • Emily Benedek

    • Janet Berliner-Gluckman*

    • Gary Birken

    • Mike Bond

    • Sandra Brannan

    • Allison Brennan

    • Mike Brogan

    • Jan Burke*

    • Lorenzo Carcaterra

    • Lincoln Child*

    • Stephen Coonts*

    • Brian D’Amato

    • B. J. Daniels

    • Nelson DeMille

    • Eileen Dreyer*

    • Joanna Elm

    • Linda Fairstein*

    • Vince Flynn (2004-2013)*

    • Chris Fox

    • Joel Goldman*

    • Howard Gordon

    • Heather Graham*

    • Thomas Greanias

    • Gary Grossman

    • Humphrey Hawksley

    • Bonnie Hearn Hill*

    • Mark Imhof

    • Alan Jacobson

    • Judith Kelman*

    • Harley Jane Kozak

    • Jon Land

    • Dennis Lynds (2004-2005)*

    • Patricia McLinn

    • Michael McMenamin

    • Francine Mathews*

    • Nan McCann

    • Kyle Mills*

    • Twist Phelan

    • Christopher Rice*

    • Wendy Roberts

    • John Sandford

    • James Siegel*

    • Carl T. Smith*

    • Deborah Smith*

    • Taylor Smith*

    • L.A. Starks

    • Mariah Stewart*

    • Peter Straub*

    • Lee Strobel

    • M. Diane Vogt*

    • Thomas Waite

    • Stuart Woods*

    Associates

    • Linda Adams*

    • Brilliance Audio*

    • Mike Brogan

    • Brian Godden

    • Steve Hadden*

    • Emory Hackman

    • Inkwell Management, LLC*

    • Jennifer Kreischer

    • Mario Mastro*

    • Vicki Montet

    • Amy Rivers

    • Mike Trigg

*original member joined by June 4, 2005