FACEOFF Blog Tour: Q&A With Author Ian Rankin

For the first time ever, the world's greatest thriller characters meet head-to-head in FACEOFF, an anthology of 11 electrifying stories edited by

DAVID BALDACCI

 Where else will you be able to read about Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme meets John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport? Fans of Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone and James Rollins’ Gray Pierce have waited for years to see those characters together.  Then there’s Lee Child’s Jack Reacher meeting up with Joseph Finder’s Nick Heller in a bar in Boston. Steve Martini’s Paul Madriani becoming entangled with Linda Fairstein’s Alex Cooper. Plus, you can’t forget the ever-odd Aloysius Pendergast coming face to face with the scary world of R.L. Stine.

In an unprecedented collaboration, twenty-three of the world’s bestselling and critically acclaimed thriller writers have paired their series characters in an eleven-story anthology curated by the International Thriller Writers (ITW).

Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci, FACEOFF (Simon & Schuster; June 3, 2014; $26.99) is a who’s who of not only the most beloved contemporary thriller writers, but also their iconic characters - putting them head-to-head with their most worthy opponents.

As worlds collide, the characters you think you know best are thrown into unpredictable situations and partnered with, pitted against, and, in some cases, romantically entangled with, characters you’d never suspect—and some that you would. With introductions to the stories that describes the writers, their characters, and a bit about the story’s creation, FACEOFF is truly a treasure trove for thriller fans.



Q&A with Ian Rankin (FACEOFF, In The Nick Of Time)

Ian Rankin and Peter James combined characters from different fictional universes in In The Nick Of Time. They both knew the challenges of arranging a meeting between their two respective heroes, Roy Grace and John Rebus: different generations, different backgrounds, England and Scotland - five hundred miles and legal regulations apart. An unresolved case from the '60s brings the two of them and their worlds together, allowing the two investigators to appreciate their differences and gaining an understanding of how the other views the criminal world. The result is a story that adds to the mythology of both Peter's and Ian's series (Roy Grace and Inspector Rebus), while remaining true to the spirit of all their books. Please welcome Ian Rankin who graciously accepted to answer a few questions.

What was it like collaborating with Peter James on In the Nick of Time?

It was fun, as well as challenging. Peter and I have known one another for years. Our biggest problem was how to bring together two quite different cops who work 500 miles apart in different countries! Once we had nailed that, the ride got more comfortable.

The characters Roy Grace and John Rebus are like night and day. Was it difficult to create a connection between two very different people?

Rebus and Grace come from different backgrounds, have different philosophies of policing, so we knew they wouldn't exactly be best buddies when they met. But that is always interesting - as a writer you want relationships that provide sparks. Of course, they share one crucial imperative - they want to put away the perpetrators. Doesn't matter where your cops are from or in what ways they differ - they'll have that in common.

Explain why you chose Brighton as the setting for the story.

Well, we had to get Rebus to Grace's jurisdiction or vice versa. Brighton made sense because Rebus is a big fan of The Who and in their album Quadrophenia they sing about the fights that used to take place in Brighton in the early 1960s between rival gangs. That gave us the inkling of a plot, and we found a way to make it work!

About Ian Rankin

Born in the Kingdom of Fife in 1960, Ian Rankin (aka Jack Harvey) graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1982 and then spent three years writing novels when he was supposed to be working towards a PhD in Scottish Literature. His first Rebus novel was published in 1987; the Rebus books are now translated into 22 languages and are bestsellers on several continents. A contributor to BBC2's Newsnight Review, he also presented his own TV series, Ian Rankin's Evil Thoughts, on Channel 4 in 2002. He recently received the OBE for services to literature, and opted to receive the prize in his home city of Edinburgh, where he lives with his partner and two sons.

About Peter James

Peter James has been a screenwriter and film producer, and is now the author of best selling crime novels. James has written 25 books, the most recent of which feature Brighton-based Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. His books have been translated into 29 languages. In England they are published by Pan Books and in the US by Carroll & Graf Publishers. James has written supernatural thrillers, spy fiction, Michael Crichton-style science-based thrillers, and a children's novel, as well as the introductions for Graham Masterton's collection 'Manitou Man' and Joe Rattigan's collection 'Ghosts Far From Subtle'. He also wrote, as 'a labour of love' the children's novelisation for the 1986 movie 'Biggles', which he also produced. James is a lifelong fan of the Biggles franchise, at one time owning the rights to the books, and having translated some foreign editions.

About ITW

The International Thriller Writers is an honorary society of authors, both fiction and nonfiction, who write books broadly classified as “thrillers.” This would include (but isn’t limited to) such subjects as murder mystery, detective, suspense, horror, supernatural, action, espionage, true crime, war, adventure, and myriad similar subject areas. One of the main purposes of the organization is to provide a way for successful, bestselling authors to help debut and midlist authors advance their careers. In addition, ITW promotes literacy, gives money to worthy organizations, supports libraries, and advances the genre. For more information, visit: www.thrillerwriters.org.

The ThrillerFest is a five-day celebration of thriller books, the authors who write them, and the fans who read them. Held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Manhattan (New York City) from July 8th to July 12th, 2014, the annual conference celebrates this year the 10th anniversary of the ITW (International Thriller Writers). Guests of honor: 2014 ThrillerMaster Scott Turow, 2014 Silver Bullet Award recipient Brenda Novak, 2013 ThrillerMaster Anne Rice, and 2013 Silver Bullet Award recipient Steve Berry. Aspiring authors, fans, industry professionals can register here .