Steven James


Steven James is the author of more than thirty books, including the critically acclaimed Bowers Files, an eleven-book series of psychological thrillers which includes Opening Moves, Every Crooked Path, Every Deadly Kiss, Every Wicked Man, The Pawn, The Rook, The Knight, The Bishop, The Queen, The King, and Checkmate. The series has received four Christy Awards and numerous other honors.
His latest book, Synapse, a standalone sci-fi thriller, released on October 8, 2019. The book received a Publishers Weekly starred review in July 2019 and a Library Journal starred review in October 2019.

Personal life

Steven James was born in Wisconsin in 1969 and earned his M.A. in Storytelling at East Tennessee State University in 1997. He lives with his wife and three daughters in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee.

The Bowers Files

Steven James' most famous books to date form the psychological thriller series The Bowers Files. Each book delves into the life of Patrick Bowers, an Environmental Criminologist. Each book is its own story, but they all tie in together in various points. The crimes are gruesome and sadistic but presented without verbal profanity. Romance is shown, but it's presented without graphic sexuality.

Career

Steven James is a nationally bestselling author whose award-winning novels continue to gain wide critical acclaim and a growing fan base. Best known for his psychological thrillers, he has received dozens of honors and awards for his books, including four Christy Awards. His novel Every Wicked Man won the 2018 International Book Award for best Mystery/Suspense.
Suspense Magazine, who named Steven's book The Bishop their Book of the Year, says that he “sets the new standard in suspense writing.” Publishers Weekly calls him a “master storyteller at the peak of his game” and RT Book Reviews promises that “the nail-biting suspense will rivet you.”
Equipped with a unique master's degree in Storytelling, Steven has taught writing and storytelling on four continents over the past two decades, speaking more than two thousand times at events spanning the globe.
Steven's groundbreaking book on the craft of fiction, Story Trumps Structure: How to Write Unforgettable Fiction by Breaking the Rules, won a 2015 Storytelling World Award and was recognized as one of the year's best resources for storytellers; his latest book on writing, Troubleshooting Your Novel, also won a Storytelling World Award. Both books were published by Writer's Digest Books.
Widely recognized for his story crafting expertise, Steven has served for a number of years as a Master CraftFest instructor at ThrillerFest, North America's premier training event for suspense writers hosted by International Thriller Writers. Steven also regularly teaches Novel Writing Intensive retreats across the country with New York Times Bestselling author Robert Dugoni.

Accolades