| Steven James | |
| Birth Place: | Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Occupation: | Author |
| Education: | East Tennessee State University (MA) |
| Years Active: | 2000s–present |
| Genre: | Suspense fiction, Psychological thriller |
| Notableworks: | The Bowers Files |
| Children: | 3 |
Steven James (born 1969) is an American author who has written more than forty books, including the critically acclaimed Bowers Files, an eleven-book series of psychological thrillers that consists of 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[1] [2] [3] and numerous other honors.
His standalone book, Synapse, a standalone sci-fi thriller, released on October 8, 2019.[4] The book received a Publishers Weekly starred review in July 2019[5] and a Library Journal starred review in October 2019.[6] His latest nonfiction, The Art of the Tale, co-written with Fortune 50 speechwriter Tom Morrisey, released on August 30, 2022 through HarperCollins Leadership.[7] Broker of Lies, his latest fiction novel, was released in April 2023.
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.[8]
Steven James' most famous works to date form the psychological thriller series The Bowers Files. Each book delves into the life of Patrick Bowers, an Environmental Criminologist. Although each book is its own standalone story, they all tie together at various points. The crimes are gruesome and sadistic but presented without verbal profanity. Romance is shown, but without graphic sexuality.
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.[9]
Suspense Magazine, who named James'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, James has taught writing and storytelling on four continents over the past two decades, speaking more than two thousand times at events spanning the globe.
James'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 storycrafting expertise, James 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.[10] He also regularly teaches Novel Writing Intensive retreats across the country with renowned international bestselling author Robert Dugoni.[11]
James's short fiction has appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times.[12] [13]
| Title | Year | Publisher | ISBN | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Pawn | 2007 | Revell (Baker) | 978-0451412799 | ||
| The Rook | 2008 | Revell (Baker) | 978-0451412812 | ||
| The Knight | 2009 | Revell (Baker) | 978-0800732707 | ||
| The Bishop | 2010 | Revell (Baker) | 978-0800733025 | ||
| The Queen | 2011 | Revell (Baker) | 978-0800733032 | ||
| Opening Moves | 2012 | Berkley (Penguin) | 978-0451237767 | Prequel | |
| The King | 2013 | Berkley (Penguin) | 978-0451239785 | ||
| Checkmate | 2014 | Berkley (Penguin) | 978-0451467348 | ||
| Every Crooked Path | 2015 | Berkley (Penguin) | 978-0451467355 | Prequel | |
| Every Deadly Kiss | 2017 | Berkley (Penguin) | 978-1101991572 | Prequel | |
| Every Wicked Man | 2018 | Berkley (Penguin) | 978-1101991596 | Prequel |
| Title | Year | Publisher | ISBN | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placebo | 2012 | Revell (Baker) | 978-0800734251 | ||
| Singularity | 2013 | Revell (Baker) | 978-0800734268 |
| Title | Year | Publisher | ISBN | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blur | 2014 | Skyscape (Amazon) | 978-1477847275 | ||
| Fury | 2015 | Skyscape (Amazon) | 978-1477827468 | ||
| Curse | 2016 | Skyscape (Amazon) | 978-1503933453 |
| Title | Year | Publisher | ISBN | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quest for Celestia: A Reimagining of The Pilgrim’s Progress | 2012 | Living Ink Books | 978-0899578866 | Originally published in 2006 by Thirsty | |
| Synapse | 2019 | Thomas Nelson (HarperCollins) | 978-0785225256 | ||
| Broker of Lies | 2023 | Tyndale House | 978-1496473318 |
| Title | Year | Publisher | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Art of the Tale | 2022 | HarperCollins | 978-1400233113 | |
| Sailing Between the Stars: Musings on the Mysteries of Faith | 2006 | Revell (Baker) | ||
| Never the Same: Stories of Those Who Encountered Jesus | 2005 | Zondervan/Youth Specialties | ||
| Becoming Real: Christ’s Call to Authentic Living | 2005 | Simon & Schuster | ||
| A Heart Exposed: Talking to God with Nothing to Hide | 2009 | Revell (Baker) | ||
| Story: Recapture the Mystery | 2006 | Revell (Baker) | ||
| How to Smell Like God: True Stories Burning with the Scent of Heaven | 2002 | Standard Publishing | Reprinted 2005 | |
| Praying from the Gut: An Honest Prayer Journal for Teens | 2004 | Standard Publishing | ||
| Sharable Parables: Creative Storytelling Ideas for Ages 3–12 | 2005 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| The Creative Storytelling Guide for Children’s Ministry: When All Your Brain Wants to Do Is Fly! | 2002 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| 30 New Testament Interactive Stories for Young Children | 2007 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| 30 Old Testament QuickSkits for Kids | 2004 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| 30 New Testament QuickSkits for Kids | 2004 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| Bible Story QuickSkits for 2 Kids | 2008 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| Crazy and Creative Bible Stories for Preteens | 2005 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| 30 Old Testament Interactive Stories for Young Children | 2007 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| Believe It! | 2003 | Standard Publishing | ||
| Jawdroppers: 36 Shocking Stories for Students Based on the Sayings of Jesus | 2001 | Standard Publishing | ||
| Drama for Real Life: 16 Scripts About Choices that Shape Us | 2006 | IVP Books | ||
| Gather Round the Dinner Fable | 2006 | David C. Cook | ||
| Worship Sketches 2 Perform | 2000 | Meriwether Publishing | ||
| 24 Tandem Bible hero Story Scripts for Children’s Ministry | 2004 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| 24 Tandem Bible Storyscripts for Children’s Ministry | 2004 | Standard Publishing | Part of The Steven James Storytelling Library | |
| Astonishing Tales of Spiritual Truth: Gripping Stories Based on the Sayings of Jesus | 2005 | Standard Publishing | ||
| More Worship Sketches 2 Perform | 2002 | Meriwether Publishing | ||
| On the Edge: A Collection of 17 Hard-Hitting Christian Monologues for Youth | 2004 | Christian Publishers LLC | ||
| Story Trumps Structure | 2014 | Writer's Digest Books | ||
| Troubleshooting Your Novel | 2016 | Writer's Digest Books |