Blog

Killer Nashville blog, an online community of readers and writers of mystery, thrillers, suspense, and true crime. If you are looking for a past post, check out our older blog at http://killernashville.wordpress.com. We plan on having all of our old posts relocated here in the near future.

Formula or Creative Freedom? / Mike Nemeth

Formula or Creative Freedom? by Mike Nemeth You’ve finished your first novel and you’re proud of it. Your friends and family are proud of you. You may be savvy enough to predict the obstacles you face: early readers who misunderstand the story, rejections from agents, criticism from editors, an unexpected lack of interest from the…

Killer Nashville Interview with Jeffery Deaver

An Interview with Jeffery Deaver by Clay Stafford Jeffery Deaver is one of the best writers on the planet today, as well as being a longtime supporter of Killer Nashville. Not only is he the author of around forty bestselling books (including a James Bond novel and The Bone Collector [made into a movie starring…

Fiction: Dark & Light / John Hegenberger

Fiction: Dark & Light by John Hegenberger These days, there’s a heavy-weight emphasis on dark fiction. You can go to any number of “Noir at the Bar” events in major cities across the country. It’s as if the criminal element of popular fiction has won the battle against the dogged or clever detectives, and we…

The Joy and Heartbreak of Changing Series Characters / R.G. Belsky

The Joy and Heartbreakof Changing Series Characters by R.G. Belsky Gil Malloy has been my best friend for the past several years. We’ve been through a lot, Gil and me. Happy moments, sad ones, career success, scandal, near-death escapes from killers, Gil’s broken marriage, a second try at that marriage and a few torrid romances…

Killer Nashville Interview with Charles & Caroline Todd

Scotland Yard’s Ian Rutledge goes out for a drive after his sister’s wedding and before he knows it, it is the middle of the night and he is halfway across Britain and staring at a woman with bloody hands over a dead body in the middle of the road. The man has been shot through…

Finding Your Voice / D.P. Lyle

Finding Your Voiceby D.P. Lyle So, you’ve sent your manuscript to an agent or an editor, and now you wait. Will they like it? Will they take you on as a client or publish your work? What makes them decide? Is it the unique premise or clever plot? Maybe the colorful characters? Or the snappy…

Killer Nashville Interview with J. A. Konrath

Killer Nashville recently had a chat with author J.A. Konrath regarding his prolific—and eclectic—writing career. A pioneer of the self-publishing model, Konrath has sold over 2 million books worldwide. His latest novel, The List, will be available in trade paperback May 2018. Konrath is a 2018 Killer Nashville Guest of Honor and will be participating…

5 Tips to Understanding Genre in the Publishing Industry / Sydney Mathieu

  5 Tips for Understanding Genrein the Publishing Industryby Sydney Mathieu Genre can be a tricky subject for authors. What categories of genre exist? Which one should I choose for my book? What if I’ve already decided on my book’s genre, but someone else disagrees? Does it even matter at all? From most writers’ perspectives,…

Building Characters the Hard Way / Roger Johns

Building Characters the Hard Wayby Roger Johns Before I turned to mystery writing, I spent nearly twenty years teaching in collegiate schools of business. During those years, I had literally thousands of career-oriented conversations with my students. In the beginning, I often asked them “So, what do you want to be?” Eventually, I realized that…

How Writing Nonfiction Made Me a Better Storyteller / Charles Salzberg

How Writing NonfictionMade Me a Better Storytellerby Charles Salzberg I honestly can’t remember the first time I decided I wanted to be a fiction writer. Maybe it was soon after I learned how to read. Or maybe it was the first time I realized the magic of the written word, that it could take you…

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The views and opinions expressed on this website and at the Killer Nashville conference are those of the contributing authors or speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of Killer Nashville, its parent company American Blackguard, Inc., its staff or management, its volunteers, or any other included authors or involved personnel. If you note any suspicious or offensive activity or content, please notify us immediately.
Contact Killer Nashville
Killer Nashville
P.O. Box 680759
Franklin, TN 37068-0759
(615) 599-4032
Future Killer Nashville Conferences
August 23-26, 2018
August 22-25, 2019
August 20-23, 2020

Mark Troy

“Persistence pays off. So does the feedback from the Claymore judges, the agents and editors at Killer Nashville, and the contacts with the other writers.  I was delighted whenThe Law of the Splintered Paddle was named the second runner up and even more delighted when, after another revision, Five Star Mysteries offered to publish it."  - Mark Troy, The Splintered Paddle
2014-09-17T12:46:40+00:00
“Persistence pays off. So does the feedback from the Claymore judges, the agents and editors at Killer Nashville, and the contacts with the other writers.  I was delighted whenThe Law of the Splintered Paddle was named the second runner up and even more delighted when, after another revision, Five Star Mysteries offered to publish it."  - Mark Troy, The Splintered Paddle

Judy Dailey

“Killer Nashville was a wonderful experience.  Because of Killer Nashville, I now have a contract with Five Star Publishing for my cozy, Animal, Vegetable, Murder. I couldn’t be happier.”  - Judy Dailey, Animal, Vegetable, Murder
2014-09-17T12:47:54+00:00
“Killer Nashville was a wonderful experience.  Because of Killer Nashville, I now have a contract with Five Star Publishing for my cozy, Animal, Vegetable, Murder. I couldn’t be happier.”  - Judy Dailey, Animal, Vegetable, Murder

Steven Cooper

"Killer Nashville provides authors wonderful opportunities to advance up the literary ladder.  I am flattered by the recognition and grateful to Killer Nashville for giving my work a forum." - Steven Cooper, Desert Remains
2014-09-17T12:50:21+00:00
"Killer Nashville provides authors wonderful opportunities to advance up the literary ladder.  I am flattered by the recognition and grateful to Killer Nashville for giving my work a forum." - Steven Cooper, Desert Remains

Ross Cavins

"Killer Nashville is one of the best writing conferences in the nation, and to be a finalist in its companion award competition is of the highest honor." - Ross Cavins, Barry Versus the Apocalypse
2014-09-17T12:53:03+00:00
"Killer Nashville is one of the best writing conferences in the nation, and to be a finalist in its companion award competition is of the highest honor." - Ross Cavins, Barry Versus the Apocalypse

Publisher’s Weekly

Publishers Weekly has named Killer Nashville and its founder Clay Stafford as playing "an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers" throughout "the nation's book culture." (PW 6/10/13)
2014-09-17T12:38:03+00:00
Publishers Weekly has named Killer Nashville and its founder Clay Stafford as playing "an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers" throughout "the nation's book culture." (PW 6/10/13)

Jessie Bishop Powell

"To me, writing success means recognition by a traditional press in the form of a contract to publish a physical book with real pages and an authentic cover.  Killer Nashville, Five Star Publishing, and Deni Dietz made all of those things possible for me." - Jessie Bishop Powell, The Marriage at the Rue Morgue
2014-09-17T12:39:40+00:00
"To me, writing success means recognition by a traditional press in the form of a contract to publish a physical book with real pages and an authentic cover.  Killer Nashville, Five Star Publishing, and Deni Dietz made all of those things possible for me." - Jessie Bishop Powell, The Marriage at the Rue Morgue

David Burnsworth

"Whether you are only thinking about writing, in the middle of eighty-thousand words, or feel you’re ready for publication, Killer Nashville is the event for you.” - David Burnsworth, Southern Heat
2014-09-17T12:40:56+00:00
"Whether you are only thinking about writing, in the middle of eighty-thousand words, or feel you’re ready for publication, Killer Nashville is the event for you.” - David Burnsworth, Southern Heat

Rosalyn Rikel

"I decided to pitch [my manuscript] at the Killer Nashville conference in 2011.  Deni Deitz from Five Star Publishing was the person who ‘caught my pitch,’ challenged me to let her see the full manuscript, and later decided to publish Millicent’s Tower.  Thanks to Deni and Five Star, I am now taking pleasure in sharing my book and my story — plus the excitement of writing another one!  Stay tuned!!!” - Rosalyn Rikel, Millicent’s Tower
2014-09-17T12:44:54+00:00
"I decided to pitch [my manuscript] at the Killer Nashville conference in 2011.  Deni Deitz from Five Star Publishing was the person who ‘caught my pitch,’ challenged me to let her see the full manuscript, and later decided to publish Millicent’s Tower.  Thanks to Deni and Five Star, I am now taking pleasure in sharing my book and my story — plus the excitement of writing another one!  Stay tuned!!!” - Rosalyn Rikel, Millicent’s Tower

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