Press Releases
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