7th ANNUAL KILLER NASHVILLE CONFERENCE
ANNOUNCES TOP TEN
2012 CLAYMORE AWARD FINALISTS
FOR BEST UNPUBLISHED NOVEL

Killer Nashville, the premier conference for mystery, thriller and crime fiction authors and fans, is pleased to announce the Top Ten 2012 Claymore Award finalists for best unpublished manuscript in the mystery, thriller and suspense genres.

“We had an incredible number of entries,” says Killer Nashville founder Clay Stafford. “Choosing only ten from among them was a difficult task for our judges. We extend our thanks to Jaden Terrell and all the judges for their hard work.”

Held this year from August 23-26, 2012 at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville, Tenn., Killer Nashville began the Claymore Awards in 2009. In only four years, it has become a preeminent award for authors in the mystery, thriller and suspense genres.

Newly published author Korey Kaul says, “The Claymore is largely responsible for ‘Jury Rig’ being published.” Author Michael Guillebeau agrees, “Killer Nashville was the source of the sale of my first book.

The 2012 Claymore Award selections are:

“Wicked Schemes” by Carol Baier
“A Twist of Hate” by V.R. Barkowski
“Murder by Misrule” by Anna Castle
“The Bronx Kill” by Philip Cioffari
“Hallowed Darkened Space” by Marianna Heusler
“Forgotten Treasures” Susan Lindgren
“The Last Death of Jack Harbin” by Terry Shames
“A Killer Past” by Maris Soule
“Again” by Jonathan Stone
“The Law of the Splintered Paddle” by Mark Troy

The Killer Nashville Claymore Award offers more than $1,500 in prizes, plus facilitation in agent representation, book advance, and book publication. Judges consider any subgenre of mystery or thriller, including political thrillers, cozy, legal, police procedural, private eye, romantic suspense, paranormal mystery and historical mystery. Any author may enter (published or not); however, the contest is limited to only unpublished manuscripts not currently under contract.

The top three and the 2012 Claymore Award winner will be chosen by Deni Dietz, acquiring editor for Five Star Mysteries, and announced at the Killer Nashville Awards Dinner on Saturday, August 25, 2012.

The Awards Dinner will feature presentations by bestselling authors Peter Straub, Heywood Gould, C.J. Box and Jeffery Deaver, whose XO Band (http://jefferydeaverxomusic.com) will also perform songs from the companion CD to the famed mystery and crime writer’s new novel “XO.” The public is welcome to attend. Seating is limited; for tickets visit: www.killernashville.com/guofhodi.html.

Submissions are now being considered for the 2013 Killer Nashville Claymore Award. Manuscripts for the 2013 competition may be entered at http://claymoreaward.com/enter.php.

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About Killer Nashville: Over the years, Killer Nashville has become the premier conference for mystery, thriller and crime fiction authors and fans. Held the fourth full weekend of every August, the event opened in the first year with 70 guests and has grown to attract more than 500 people, including budding writers, authors, editors, lawyers, publicists, publishers and fans from throughout the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Italy. For more information, visit www.killernashville.com.