Most Recent Releases

Editor and contributor to Killer Nashville’s bestselling and award-winning book Cold-Blooded: Killer Nashville Noir. https://www.diversionbooks.com/authors/clay-stafford/

Publisher and senior editor of Richard Helms’s incredible Shamus-nominated novel Paid in Spades. https://claystaffordbooks.com/paid-in-spades/

Screenwriter, producer, director of the award-winning feature documentary One of the Miracles. https://www.oneofthemiracles.com/

Music producer of the orchestral soundtrack One of the Miracles. https://www.oneofthemiracles.com/

Music producer, songwriter, composer, and arranger for the award-winning and A.M. regional Top 10 collaborative musical album XO with international bestselling author Jeffery Deaver. https://www.jefferydeaverxomusic.com/

Recent News

11/08/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest Column, Clay Stafford talked with Heather Graham about the habits of a prolific writer (Killer Writers)

09/28/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest Column, Clay Stafford talked with Abbott Kahler about how to write narrative nonfiction (Killer Writers)

09/03/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Andrews & Wilson about collaborating for Killer Nashville Magazine

09/02/2024 - Clay’s short story “A Short Garsh” appears in "Tales of Music, Murder and Mayhem: Bouchercon Anthology 2024" edited by Heather Graham

08/31/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest Column, Clay Stafford talked with Sara Paretsky about the writing process (Killer Writers)

08/08/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Tom Mead about writing locked room mysteries for Killer Nashville Magazine

07/28/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest Column, Clay Stafford talked with Brian Andrews and Jeffrey Wilson about how to write action thrillers (Killer Writers)

07/18/2024 - Clay Stafford is featured on the Killer Prose Podcast, where he discusses Killer Nashville and Breaking into the Industry

06/30/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest Column, Clay Stafford talked with Tom Mead about the popularity of locked room mysteries (Killer Writers)

06/28/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Cindy Dees about writing espionage for Killer Nashville Magazine

06/26/2024 - Clay Stafford is interviewed by Debbi Mack for the Crime Cafe podcast

05/31/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Maureen Corrigan about reading and reviews for Killer Nashville Magazine

05/25/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest Column, Clay Stafford talked with Cindy Dees about tropes and how to use them (Killer Writers)

05/19/2024 - Clay Stafford speaks with Dr. Katherine Hutchinson Hayes on Murder, Mystery & Mayhem Laced with Morality

05/03/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Robert Mangeot about “Short Stories and the Big Honking Moment” for Killer Nashville Magazine

04/30/2024 - Clay Stafford speaks with Rich Ehisen on The Open Mic. Listen either on Apple Podcasts or Youtube.

04/29/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest Column, Clay Stafford talked with Maureen Corrigan about the relationship between writers and reviewers (Killer Writers)

04/20/2024 - Clay Stafford presents on The Art of Storytelling at the Diamond Valley Writers’ Guild general meeting

04/02/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Dean Koontz about “The Secret of Selling 500 Million Books” for Killer Nashville Magazine

03/19/2024 - Clay Stafford was awarded the Old Glory Chapter Media Award by the Daughters of the American Revolution for his work supporting historic preservation, education, and patriotism

03/01/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Bruce Robert Coffin about “Using Your Life to Write a Police Procedural” for Killer Nashville Magazine

2/10/2024 - In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay talks with bestselling author Dean Koontz on Giving Yourself Five Years to Make it as a Writer (Killer Writers)

02/02/2024 - Clay Stafford has a casual conversation with Susan Isaacs for Killer Nashville Magazine

1/27/2024 - Clay presents on “The Art of Storytelling” to the regional Sisters in Crime Group, The Smoking Guns in Knoxville, Tennessee

1/14/2024 - Justin Cox talked with Clay Stafford about Clay’s background, where and when he writes, and overcoming writer’s block

01/02/2024 - Clay Stafford interviews Amulya Malladi on research for Killer Nashville Magazine

12/28/2023 - In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay talks with poet Matt Mason in the second of two interviews for “Writing Genre Poetry” (Killer Writers)

12/11/2023 - In Miss Demeanors, Marni Graff interviews Clay Stafford on writing and Killer Nashville

12/05/2023 - Clay Stafford interviews Chris Grabenstein on “Switching Genres and James Patterson’s Advice on How to Make a Million Dollars” for Killer Nashville Magazine

11/30/2023 - In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay talks with poet Matt Mason in the first of two interviews for “Writing Genre Poetry” (Killer Writers)

11/03/2023 - Clay Stafford interviews David Baldacci for Killer Nashville Magazine

10/28/2023 - In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay talks with author Bruce Robert Coffin on "Never Letting the Dream Die" (Killer Writers)

10/4/2023 - In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay talks with international bestselling author Susan Isaacs on Description (Killer Writers)

9/28/2023 - Canvas Rebel Magazine profiles Clay Stafford

9/13/2023 - Indie Crime Scene’s interview with Clay Stafford, founder of the Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference

9/6/2023 - National Public Radio (NPR) says, “since 2006, Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference has helped writers from all over the world build their careers.” Listen to the Interview.

7/6/2023 - In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay talks with international bestselling author Amulya Malladi on the Research Before Your Research (Killer Writers)

6/28/2023 - Clay converses with New York Times Bestseller Debbi Mack about writing, filmmaking, and Killer Nashville on Debbi's podcast "Crime Cafe"

4/24/2023 - Clay converses with Dean Rotbart, an award-winning business journalist and educator on Monday Morning Radio. “Given his many talents and occupations, any conversation with Clay would not be complete if we didn’t stray from the central topic,” Dean says. “So this week, he and I will also discuss the impact of artificial intelligence on authors and publishers; the state of the publishing market; the 12 habits of successful writers; and the one subject Nobel laureate William Faulkner — author of “The Sound and the Fury” — didn’t want to talk about.”

4/14/2023 - Clay chats with Kathleen Foxx on the #badasswriters podcast up-north in Canada. Topics covered include the plethora of things he’s involved in (writing, publishing, education, music industry, etc.), various forms of storytelling, how Killer Nashville began, what comprises ‘mystery, suspense, and thriller,’ why he loves doing what he does, diversity in books and in the conference, everything the conference offers, the awards and scholarships at available at KN, the generosity and Pay-it-Forward mentality of KN, volunteers, and the importance of networking.

3/15/2023 - Clay chats with Dean Rotbart on The Monday Morning Memo. Great quote: “If Clay Stafford were to put all of his titles on a single business card, that card would be the size of a movie poster.”

2/25/2023 - Clay speaks at Publishers + Writers of San Diego / 12:30-2:00 P.M. Central

2/19/2023 - Clay Stafford talks with Chris Grabenstein about “Writing for Kids” in Writer’s Digest https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/conversation-with-chris-grabenstein-on-writing-for-kids-killer-writers

1/25/2023 – Clay Stafford inks bestselling authors Cindy Dees and Kathryn Lasky as 2023 Killer Nashville Guests of Honor. https://killernashville.com/guests-of-honor

11/30/2022 - Clay talks with John Valeri on Central Booking https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQQidEtD7Ow

10/7/2022 - Clay talks with Alexia Gordon on Making Time to Write in Unconventional Ways (Killer Writers) https://www.writersdigest.com/write-better-fiction/a-conversation-with-alexia-gordon-on-making-time-to-write-in-unconventional-ways-killer-writers

9/5/2022 – In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay wraps up his three-part conversation with author Jaden Terrell on Career Choices https://bit.ly/3Ue1V4j

6/6/22 – What has helped Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference grow over the years? Clay answers that and more in his interview with Vanessa A. Ryan https://bit.ly/3x9NoMv

4/29/22 – AUTHORITY MAGAZINE’S Savio P. Clemente interviews Clay on “Becoming Free from the Fear of Failure” https://bit.ly/38054S5

4/24/22 – In his Writer’s Digest column, Clay Stafford talks with J.T. Ellison on “Voice: Hamburgers or Coq au Vin” https://bit.ly/3M2yvl3

4/7/22 – Cajun Momma Tie Interviews Clay Stafford ON THE ROAD WITH THE GOOD WIVES https://bit.ly/37pHJJ8

4/4/22 – Reporter John McBryde talks with Clay Stafford and three students about Clay’s Writer-in-Residence activities at Battle Ground Academy https://bit.ly/3uTfIS6

5/18/21 – Clay speaks with author Terry Ambrose on the subject “Behind the story of Killer Nashville” https://terryambrose.com/2021/05/clay-stafford-presents-killer-nashville/

4/28/21 – Clay talks with Ric Bratton (This Week In America) on 130 radio stations across the U.S. about his passion for educating the writers of tomorrow. http://www.bluefunkbroadcasting.com/root/twia/cstaffordom.mp3  Also available as a podcast on Amazon, Audible, Spotify, iTunes, Tunein, iHeart, Player, Google Podcasts, Deezer, Podomatic, and others.

4/27/21 – Clay joins Janet Rudolph on Mystery Readers Inc. to discuss author rejection. https://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com/2021/04/how-to-deal-with-rejection-guest-post.html

4/19/21 – Clay talks with Mindy McGinnis about the background of the Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference. https://www.mindymcginnis.com/blog/tag/conferences

4/12/21 – Clay jokes with Larry Matthews and 50,000 other listeners about the fun to be had a Killer Nashville.  https://pod.co/impact-radio-usa/matthews-and-friends-4-12-21

6/3/2020 –Paid in Spades by Richard Helms (published and senior edited by Clay Stafford and released through Clay Stafford Books) is nominated for a Shamus award. https://claystaffordbooks.com/paid-in-spades/