2015 January 6 - Killer Nashville Is Looking for The Best Books of 2014, Silver Falchion Awards Open for Nominations

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. January 6, 2015

WHAT: 10th annual Killer Nashville® International Thriller, Mystery and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference
WHEN: October 29 – November 1, 2014
WHERE: Omni Hotel, Nashville, TN

Killer Nashville is looking for the best thriller, suspense, and mystery books of 2014 for the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award.

Last year, more than 25 new and revered authors were honored with this prestigious award during the annual Killer Nashville Guest of Honor and Awards Banquet held at the Omni Nashville Hotel August 21-24. Books published during 2013 were considered for this award.

As with previous years, authors have the opportunity to receive one of three major awards at http://www.KillerNashville.com, a premier international conference for mystery, thriller, and crime fiction authors and fans. Among the awards given is the Silver Falchion, which honors the best books readily available to a North American audience in both fiction and nonfiction during a calendar year.

Last year’s Silver Falchion award winners included authors Williams Kent Krueger, Jeffery Deaver, Maggie Toussaint, Sue Grafton and a host of others.

Killer Nashville is now accepting submissions for the 2015 http://www.killernashville.com/silver-falchion-award/.

“We’re looking for the best of the best,” said Clay Stafford, founder of Killer Nashville.

Last year’s winners were:

Best Novel:

Cozy/Traditional Mystery – Maggie Toussaint, Dime if I Know

Crime Thriller – Michael Sears, Mortal Bonds

Historical – Anne Perry, Blind Justice

Literary Mystery/Suspense/Thriller – William Kent Drueger, Ordinary Grace

Political/Adventure/Espionage Thriller, Jeffery Deaver, The Kill Room

Private Detective/Police Procedural/Mystery, Sue Grafton, “W” is for Wasted

Romantic Suspense – Lisa Jackson, Tell Me

Speculative/Horror/Science Fiction/Fantasy – Dean Koontz, Innocence

Long-Form Novelty Fiction: Poetry/Graphic Novel/Experimental – Lee Child et al., Inherit the Dead

Best First Novel:

Cozy / Traditional / and Historical – Dee Phelps, The Disappointment Room

Literary Suspense – Jamie Mason, Three Graves Full

Thriller / Mystery – Lisa Cutts, Never Forget

Best Nonfiction:

Academic (Tie) – Charles J. Rzepka, Being Cool: The Work of Elmore Leonard; and Bruce Shaw, Jolly Good Detecting: Humor in English Crime Fiction of the Golden Age

Craft and Business of Writing – Chuck Wendig, The Kick-Ass Writer

Mainstream Crime Reference – Brad Meltzer with Katie Ferrell, History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time

Memoir / Biography – Anne Serling, As I Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling

True Crime – Judith Yates, The Devil You Know

Best Children, Middle Grade, and Young Adult (YA):

Children’s Picture Book – Janice S. C. Petrie (Writer, Illustrator), Did You Make the Hole In the Shell In the Sea

Children’s Chapter Book (Tie) – Annie Barrows (Writer), Sophie Blackall (Illustrator), Ivy + Bean Take the Case; and Lewis B. Montgomery (Writer), Amy Wummer – The Case of the Locked Box

Middle Grade – Jessica Scott Kerrin,  The Spotted Dog Last Seen

Young Adult – Elisa Nader, Escape from Eden

Best Anthology, Collection, and Attending Author:

Multi-Author Anthology – Mike Ashley (Editor), Sisters In Crime: Early Crime and Mystery Stories by Women

Single-Author Collection – Barb Goffman, Don’t Get Mad, Get Even: 15 Tales of Revenge and More

Attending Author – Don Bruns, Reel Stuff

Publishers or authors may nominate a book for the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award at http://www.KillerNashville.com.

The deadline for author-direct submissions is March 1, 2015. From March 2-14, 2015, submissions will only be accepted from publishers.

The annual Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference draws attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: www.KillerNashville.com, Contact@KillerNashville.com, 615-599-4032.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234

2014 May 29 – Killer Nashville’s Guest of Honor William Kent Krueger Wins Edgar Award for “Ordinary Grace”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. May 29, 2014

WHAT: 9th annual Killer Nashville® International Thriller, Mystery and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference
WHEN: August 21-24, 2014
WHERE: Hutton Hotel & Convention Center, Nashville, TN

Bestselling author William Kent Krueger says he is overwhelmed by the extraordinary reception for his Edgar® Award-winning literary achievement with “Ordinary Grace.”

Krueger, the 2014 winner of the prestigious Edgar® Award for Best Novel, will be one of the Guests of Honor at the 9th annual Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference occurring the fourth full weekend in August.

“I can’t adequately convey how happy I am that this story so special to me has been recognized in this way,” Krueger tweeted after being honored on May 1 at the 68th annual Edgar Allan Poe Awards in New York City, honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction and television published or produced in 2013.

Krueger, who lives in St. Paul, Minn., is best known for his long-running New York Times bestselling Cork O’Connor series which is set in the north woods of Minnesota. But says he is most proud of what he achieved with “Ordinary Grace.”

“It’s not a Cork O’Connor novel, but it’s the best thing I’ve ever written,” Krueger said. “Sometimes, as an author, you’re given a story. It comes, just comes, and it’s so compelling that it haunts you until you’ve written it. For me, that was “Ordinary Grace”…I put everything I know about storytelling into this book.”

Besides “Ordinary Grace,” Krueger also published his thirteenth Cork O’Connor book, “Tamarack County,” in August 2013.

“Having William Kent Krueger (2014 Edgar Winner) as our Guest of Honor is just another example of the high quality of our speakers this year,” said Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville. Joining Krueger as a Guest of Honor for the 2014 Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference is Lisa Jackson, who has written more than 75 novels, many of which are New York Times and USA Today bestsellers.

Krueger and Jackson will each have an interview, presentation and book signing on Saturday, August 23, followed by that evening’s Guest of Honor banquet. As the number of seats for the Guest of Honor dinner is limited, they are available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis.

Now in its ninth year, Killer Nashville has become one of the nation’s most prestigious book events. Last summer, Publishers Weekly named Killer Nashville and founder Clay Stafford as one of the top 10 Nashville literary  leaders playing “an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers” not only in middle-Tennessee, but also extending “beyond the city limits and into the nation’s book culture.” (PW 6/10/13).

The Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, held annually on the fourth full weekend in August, was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference draws attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: www.KillerNashville.com, Contact@KillerNashville.com, 615-599-4032.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234

2014 May 29 – CSI Meets Law & Order in Killer Nashville’s Forensic Track

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. May 29, 2014

WHAT: 9th annual Killer Nashville® International Thriller, Mystery and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference
WHEN: August 21-24, 2014
WHERE: Hutton Hotel & Convention Center, Nashville, TN

On August 21, 2014, crime scene tape will go up at Nashville’s Five-Star Hutton Hotel, and hundreds of crime fiction readers and writers will converge to learn from and sometimes match wits with forensic anthropologists, psychologists, attorneys, and law enforcement professionals. The occasion is the Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, a conference for fans and writers of thrillers, mysteries, and other crime literature.

In addition to a reader/fan track and three tracks of panels and presentations on the business and craft of writing, the conference offers an extensive forensics track certain to appeal to CSI fans or anyone with an interest in investigative techniques. One of Killer Nashville’s most popular annual features is a crime scene staged by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Attendees gather clues and try to solve the case. The person who best interprets the clues and solves the murder wins the Dupin Detective Award, which includes a free registration to the next year’s conference.

During the three full days of sessions, attendees will learn about various aspects of criminal investigation. Dr. Mike Tabor, recipient of the most prestigious award in the field of forensic odontology, will discuss forensic dentistry and its uses in criminal investigations, while Derek Pacifico, 22-year veteran of the San Bernardino police force will give a presentation on Friday morning. Other topics include forensic psychology, firearms, serial killers, mass murderers, organized crime intelligence, and much more.

All this helps authors add authenticity to their work while providing them with the networking with forensic professionals they need. “That’s what Killer Nashville is all about,” says Clay Stafford, the founder of Killer Nashville. “It’s about making connections for authors.”

The Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, held annually on the fourth full weekend in August, was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference draws attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: KillerNashville.com, Contact(at)KillerNashville(dot)com, 615-599-4032.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234

2014 May 29 – Killer Nashville Announces 2014 Attending Agents & Editors

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. May 29, 2014

WHAT: 9th annual Killer Nashville® International Thriller, Mystery and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference
WHEN: August 21-24, 2014
WHERE: Hutton Hotel & Convention Center, Nashville, TN

This coming August, eight acquiring agents and editors will arrive at Nashville’s five-star Hutton Hotel in search of talented new authors. The occasion? The Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, which brings together aspiring authors and publishing professionals. The conference has resulted in offers of publication and/or representation. Agent/Editor Round Tables provide an opportunity to receive feedback and the possibility of representation, while receptions and other informal gatherings offer opportunities to network and establish relationships with the attending publishing professionals.

The attending agents and editors are:

Elizabeth Copps of the Maria Carvainis Agency
Denise (Deni) Dietz of Five Star Mysteries
Cate Hart of the Corvisiero Literary Agency
Michelle Johnson of the Inklings Literary Agency
Jill Marr of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency
Matt Martz of St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books
Bryon Quertermous of Exhibit A Books
Adrienne Rosado of the Nancy Yost Literary Agency

Each agent and editor will participate on panels and in a series of Agent/Editor Round Tables in which they will give constructive feedback on the first two pages of each participating attendee’s manuscript. While the Round Tables focus largely on instruction, they also serve as pitch sessions for writers whose work is already submission-ready.

A limited number of private critiques are also available from the attending publishing professionals.

As the number of seats for the agent/editor round tables is limited, they will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, held annually on the fourth full weekend in August, was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference draws attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: KillerNashville.com, Contact(at)KillerNashville(dot)com, 615-599-4032.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234

2014 May 09 - Doing Time With Sisters in Crime - 2014 Killer Nashville Event

NEW SISTERS IN CRIME EVENT ADDED TO 2014 KILLER NASHVILLE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. May 9, 2014

WHAT: 9th annual Killer Nashville® International Thriller, Mystery and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference
WHEN: August 21-24, 2014
WHERE: Hutton Hotel & Conference Center, Nashville, TN

Many budding writers struggle to find that perfect opening sentence, that killer first paragraph, but no more. International organization Sisters in Crime is sponsoring a kickoff event at Killer Nashville that is sure to set writers on the right path.

Doing Time with Sisters in Crime: Great Beginnings is a half-day writing event on Thursday, August 21, 2014, the opening day of the ninth annual writers’ conference.

“Sisters in Crime has been a supporter of Killer Nashville from Day 1. This event is part of the ever-growing expansion of Killer Nashville and its benefits to writers,” said Clay Stafford, Founder of Killer Nashville.

Participants will work with four Sisters in Crime experts – Laura DiSilverio, Catriona McPherson, Cathy Pickens and Hank Phillippi Ryan – all multi-published authors with decades of writing, publishing, and teaching experience between them. Because of the intimate setting, seating is limited.

At the event, these four bestselling authors will analyze effective opening paragraphs from crime fiction novels to see what makes them reader-snaring and awe-inspiring. The panelists will then, in turn, teach attendees their specific techniques and tips to craft great novel beginnings by:

• Critiquing attendees’ anonymously submitted first paragraphs, offering key suggestions for making them more compelling and virtually un-put-downable;

• Laying out specific strategies for beginning a series that will have “legs,” that will have room to grow and expand to six, ten, or twenty-six books;

• Finally, they’ll put it all on the table and discuss “Our Beginnings,” the varied ways they got their start in this biz, and answer (with complete candor!) any questions attendees might have

• Additionally, four names will be drawn at random during the afternoon and the winners will have their first three chapters critiqued by the instructors

The cost is only $55 for Sisters in Crime members, and $160 for non-members. (Since a year’s membership to Sisters in Crime is only $40, attendees might consider joining, if not already a member, and save $65!)

Now in its ninth year, Killer Nashville has become one of the nation’s most prestigious book events. Last summer, Publishers Weekly named Killer Nashville and founder Clay Stafford as one of the top 10 Nashville literary leaders playing “an essential role in defining which books become bestsellers” not only in middle-Tennessee, but also extending “beyond the city limits and into the nation’s book culture.” (06/10/13).

The Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conferences, held annually on the fourth full weekend in August, were created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference draws attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: www.KillerNashville.com, contact@KillerNashville.com, 615-599-4032.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234

2014 April 29 - Agents & Editors Find New Writers Through Killer Nashville's Claymore Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. April 29, 2014

Authors find representation and publication as a result of Killer Nashville’s Claymore Award – All from just the first 50 pages – Deadline for the next Claymore Award competition is April 30, 2014.

Agents and editors know the quality of Killer Nashville and the Claymore Award. In fact, Publisher’s Weekly has recognized 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) And now, the writers’ conference is using that clout to help authors get published.

Jill Marr, an agent with Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, is just one of the many agents who will be scouting the manuscripts of Claymore entrants in search of the next big thing at the Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference. Last year, her new Killer Nashville client Jonathan Stone landed – not only publication – but also a major movie deal.

Getting a dream agent does not include all the other perks that separate Killer Nashville from other writing contests:

• over $1,500 in prizes to winners

• getting an advance

• getting a book published through a traditional publisher

• maybe even a movie deal, such as with the success of Jonathan Stone

“That’s what Killer Nashville is all about,” says Clay Stafford, the founder of Killer Nashville. “It’s about making connections for authors.”

It’s also a great way  to connect with editors. For example, Deni Deitz, the Senior Editor at Five Star Mysteries, listens for new voices in the entries submitted to the Killer Nashville Claymore Award. Deni says the Claymore is an excellent way to attract her attention, or one of the many publishers, editors, and agents who regularly search for talented writers at the annual writers’ conference.

“There are lots of really good authors out there, U.S. and Canadian. Problem is, most busy agents only read a few paragraphs, perhaps a couple of chapters, and look for reasons to turn new writers down,” Deni said. The Killer Nashville Claymore Award is a great way to bypass that rejection.

All it takes is the first 50 pages of an unpublished manuscript not currently under contract. The manuscript does not even need to be complete.

Deni says, “For our 2014 list, I picked up Bryan Robinson (Limestone Gumption), Rosalyn Rikel Ramage (Millicent’s Tower), Mark Troy (Splintered Paddle), Jessie Bishop Powell (Murder at the Rue Morgue), Carl Filbrich (Heavenly Casino), and second books by Judy Dailey and Jen Danna.”

THE DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT COMPETITION IS THIS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30, 2014.

Rules and registration are available at www.ClaymoreAward.com. Winners will be announced during the award ceremony at Killer Nashville on Saturday, August 23, 2014.

Not everyone’s Killer Nashville success story will match the ones mentioned, but there’s always that dream – and that possibility! Since its inception in 2009, the writing contest has led to publication for many authors and to agent representation for still more.

Judges will consider any subgenre of mystery, thriller, and suspense, including action, adventure, children’s, comedy, cozy, CSI, detective, dystopian, erotica, faith-based, fantasy, gangster, historical, horror, legal, literary, middle grade, paranormal, police procedural, political thriller, private eye, romantic suspense, science fiction (sci-fi), spy, steampunk, urban fantasy, western, women’s fiction, and young adult (YA).

The Killer Nashville International Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, held annually on the fourth full weekend in August, was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference has drawn attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: www.ClaymoreAward.com, contact@KillerNashville.com, 615-599-4032.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234

2014 April 22 - First 50 Pages In Killer Nashville Claymore Award Provides A Springboard To Author's Success Story: An Agent & a 2-Book Deal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. April 22, 2014

Deadline for the next Claymore Award competition is April 30, 2014.

Terry Shames entered the Claymore Award four years ago full of dreams. In the end, she wound up with so much more – two nominations for the prestigious Claymore Award, an agent, a two-book deal, and a nomination for a Squid Award (the 2014 Left Coast Crimes Award) and now A Killing at Cotton Hill is also a finalist for the Strand Magazine award for Best First Mystery. Killer Nashville is honored to have played a role in her success.

How influential is Killer Nashville and the Claymore Award? Publisher’s Weekly has recognized the Killer Nashville writers’ conference 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) Terry Shames had heard of Killer Nashville’s success stories and became one herself.

“I got a two-book contract for my Texas mystery series. Both of them were finalists for the Claymore Award,” said Shames, a native Texan who now resides in California.

“That’s what Killer Nashville is all about,” says Clay Stafford, the founder of Killer Nashville Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference. “It’s about making connections for authors.” This doesn’t include the other perks: over $1,500 in prizes to winners, getting a dream agent, getting an advance, getting a book published through a traditional publisher, maybe even a movie deal.

THE DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT COMPETITION IS APRIL 30, 2014. Rules and registration are available at www.ClaymoreAward.com. Winners will be announced during the award ceremony at Killer Nashville on Saturday, August 23, 2014.

“The first book, MURDER AT JARRETT CREEK (now A KILLING AT COTTON HILL, July 2013) was a 2010 finalist. Shortly after the announcement I got an agent I really wanted. Right after Killer Nashville made the announcement of my being a finalist again in 2012 for THE LAST DEATH OF JACK HARBIN, my agent called to say that I had an offer for the first book.

All it takes is the first 50 pages of an unpublished manuscript not currently under contract. The manuscript does not even need to be complete.

“I asked my agent if the publisher might be interested in a two-book deal. She sent them the 50 pages that I had sent for the contest, and they loved it and offered the contract for both books. Thank you Killer Nashville!”

Not everyone’s Killer Nashville success story will match Terry’s, but there’s always that dream — and that possibility! Since its inception in 2009, the writing contest has led to publication for many authors and to agent representation for still more.

Judges will consider any subgenre of mystery, thriller, and suspense, including action, adventure, children’s, comedy, cozy, CSI, detective, dystopian, erotica, faith-based, fantasy, gangster, historical, horror, legal, literary, middle grade, paranormal, police procedural, political thriller, private eye, romantic suspense, science fiction (sci-fi), spy, steampunk, urban fantasy, western, women’s fiction, and young adult (YA).

The Killer Nashville Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, held annually on the fourth full weekend in August, was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference has drawn attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: www.ClaymoreAward.com, contact@KillerNashville.com, 615-599-4032.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234

2014 April 8 - Killer Nashville Claymore Award Nets Author Major Movie Deal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nashville, TN. April 8, 2014

Author Goes From Killer Nashville Claymore Award Winner to Major Book & Hollywood Movie Deal – Sony, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Ron Howard. Deadline for the next Claymore Award competition is April 30, 2014.

Which is better? Winning a contest? $1,500 in prizes? Finding an agent? Getting a book published? Getting an advance? Getting a movie deal? How about all six? Winning the Killer Nashville Claymore Award may get you all this.

Nashville has long been known as the launching pad for successful country music careers, but author Jonathan Stone is an example of other success stories being written in Music City.

A longtime creative director at a New York advertising agency, Jonathan Stone’s writing career reached new heights after AGAIN won the prestigious 2012 Claymore Award at the Killer Nashville Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference.

Winning the Killer Nashville Claymore Award changed Jonathan’s career for the better. He also met his agent, Jill Marr of the Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency, at Killer Nashville. And now the book is being developed into a movie. “That’s what Killer Nashville is all about,” says Clay Stafford, the founder of Killer Nashville. “It’s about making connections for authors.”

THE DEADLINE FOR THE NEXT COMPETITION IS APRIL 30, 2014. Rules and registration are available at www.ClaymoreAward.com.

Still amazed by the swiftness of how it all came together, Jonathan says AGAIN is currently re-titled MOVING DAY as a book and WRONG MOVE for film.

All it takes is the first 50 pages of an unpublished manuscript. The manuscript does not even need to be complete.

“My agent Jill (to whom I was also introduced through Killer Nashville after winning the Claymore Award) and her rights co-agent Andrea sent it to their Hollywood co-agent, who loved it,” Jonathan said.

“And next thing I know, he has five big production companies (Ron Howard’s Imagine Entertainment; Dan Lin, producer of the Sherlock Holmes movies, etc.) all taking it in to their respective studios – Sony, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, etc., etc.

“Then some folks we never even sent it to swooped in, made us an offer, and now have the rights – a team of two production companies – Nick Wechsler Productions (The Road, Time Traveler’s Wife, Magic Mike) and Steve Schwartz at Chockstone Pictures (The Host, Killing Them Softly, Tree of Life, etc.). Of course, a publisher made an offer two hours after the movie option deal – the tail wagged the dog! And it all got started thanks to a writing contest in Nashville!”

This kind of success doesn’t happen for everyone, of course, but winning the Claymore Award does indeed open the door to the possibility. Since its inception in 2009, the writing contest has led to publication for many authors and to agent representation for still more.

Killer Nashville’s Claymore Award offers aspiring authors more than $1,500 worth of prizes, plus a possible book advance and publication, plus possible agent representation, and – in the case of Jonathan Stone – a possible movie deal.

Judges will consider any subgenre of mystery, suspense, or thriller, including political thriller, cozy, police procedural, private eye, romantic suspense, paranormal mystery, and historical mystery.

Finalists will be posted on the Killer Nashville website and on our past winners page prior to the conference. Winners will be announced during the award ceremony at Killer Nashville on Saturday, August 23, 2014.

The Killer Nashville Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Literature Writers’ Conference, held annually on the fourth full weekend in August, was created in 2006 by author/filmmaker Clay Stafford to bring together forensic experts, writers, and fans of crime and thriller literature. The conference draws attendees from as far away as Portmahomack, Scotland; Rome, Italy; and Hadano, Kanagawa, Japan. For interviews or more information: www.KillerNashville.com, www.ClaymoreAward.com, Contact@KillerNashville.com, 615-599-4032. Click here to download a copy of this release.

Killer Nashville | c/o American Blackguard, Inc. | 314 Watercress Drive | Franklin, Tennessee 37064-3234