Schedule – Friday, August 22nd, 2025
7:00 – 10:30 AM • Breakfast
Killer Nashville Network Breakfast
– Free to Those Staying at Embassy Suites (Atrium)
– $19.99 for Those Not Staying at Embassy Suites (Atrium)
7:00 AM – 6:00 PM • Registration
Registration Desk (Atrium) and Bookstore (Magnolia/Iris/Azalea) open to receive incoming consignment books
8:00 – 8:10 AM • Welcome
Welcome to Killer Nashville 2025 & Introduction of Former Killer Nashville Guest of Honor
– Clay Stafford, Founder Killer Nashville
8:10 – 8:30 AM • Keynote
Welcome Keynote Speech: Killer Nashville and My Publishing Journey – Kelly Oliver
8:35 – 8:55 AM • Agent / Editor Critiques
– Amber Meyer [EC1] (Athletic Club)
9:00 – 9:20 AM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC2] (Athletic Club)
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC2] (Athletic Club)
9:00 – 9:45 AM • Panels, Presentations, & Agent Roundtables
Panels & Breakouts
– The Importance of Research for Fiction and Non-Fiction / Research Techniques for Authenticity (Chestnut)
Panelists: Sharon Butcher, John Bukowski, Mike Tucker, Aliah Wright, Randy Overbeck
Moderator: Angela Greenman
– Writing Humor in Mysteries (Birch)
Panelists: JB Manning, Rick Glaze, Kari Bovee, Kemper Donovan, DP Lyle
Moderator: Marty Ludlum
– Plotting by Cornerstones (Oak)
Presenter: Wendy Gee
– The Roads to Publishing: Various Routes (Maple)
Presenter: Zelly Ruskin
– Presentism: Writing Historicals for the Modern Reader (Hickory)
Panelists: Mally Becker, Bradley Harper, Marcus Cloer, Elizabeth Crowens, Paula Gail Benson
Moderator: Shelley Blanton-Stroud
– Understanding Surveillance and Countersurveillance (Sycamore)
Presenter: Carmen Amato
– Clay Stafford and Sara Paretsky Talk About Writing (Redbud)
– How to Create an Audiobook (Poplar)
Panelists: Scott Ellis, Darin Werkmeister
– The Right Way to Get an Agent (Williamson)
Presenter: Lynette Eason
Agent Roundtable 1 (ART1) - Advance Registration Required
– Kristen Terrette (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino (Franklin)
– Ronald Gerber (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong (Franklin)
– Dean Krystek (Harpeth)
– Katie Monson (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier (Board Room)
9:30 – 9:50 AM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC3] (Athletic Club)
– John DeDakis [EC3] (Athletic Club)
10:00 – 10:20 AM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC4] (Athletic Club)
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC4] (Athletic Club)
– John DeDakis [EC4] (Athletic Club)
10:00 – 10:45 AM • Panels, Presentations, & Agent Roundtables
Panels & Breakouts
– Learning from True Crime (Chestnut)
Panelists: Christina VandePol, Carla Conti, Mark Zeid, Caitlin Rother
Moderator: Jessica Noll
– Book Blogs and Tours (Birch)
Panelists: Elizabeth Crowens, Steven Aberle
Moderator: Belinda Leigh Underwood
– The Perfect Setting (Oak)
Panel: Barbara Newhart, DL Mitchell, Christy J. Kendall, Alan Elliott
Moderator: Michael Rigg
– Crafting the Perfect Package: Cover Design, Blurbs, Descriptions (Maple)
Panel: Sandy Clements, Judith Gaines, Dianne McCartney, Charles D'Amico
Moderator: Cal Stone
– Marketing for Authors Allergic to Social Media (Hickory)
Panel: Traci Abramson, Kem Hinton, Ellen Kirschman, Lois Winston
Moderator: Lynn Slaughter
– Multi-Agency Investigations and Task Forces: Who Is Who in the Zoo? (Sycamore)
Presenter: Steve Stratton
– Writing the Supernatural (Redbud)
Panelists: Christine Mager Wevik, Mary Lynn Cloghesy, Mike Tucker, Terry Friedman, Amy Denton
Moderator: Rick Glaze
– Writing the Southern Noir: Crime Fiction with a Regional Soul
Panel: Roy Hiller, Thomas Burns, Steven Womack, Gregory Stout, Poppy Gee
Moderator: Jim Nesbitt
– Amazon, Facebook, and BookBub Advertising (Williamson)
Presenter: TO Paine
Agent Roundtable 2 (ART2) - Advance Registration Required
– Kristen Terrette (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino (Franklin)
– Ronald Gerber (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong (Franklin)
– Dean Krystek (Harpeth)
– Katie Monson (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier (Board Room)
10:30 – 10:50 AM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC5] (Athletic Club)
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC5] (Athletic Club)
– John DeDakis [EC5] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC5] (Athletic Club)
11:00 – 11:20 AM • Book Signings & Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques
Authors Book Signing
– Killer Nashville Bookstore – Free and open to the public (Magnolia/Iris/Azalea)
– Kemper Donovan
– Sara Paretsky
– Caitlin Rother
– Sharon Barnes
– Samantha Beal
– Venita Bonds
– John Bukowski
– Thomas Burns
– Elizabeth Crowens
– Kay DiBianca
– Frank DiBianca
– Angela Greenman
– D.W. Hogan
– Mary Jumbelic
– Christy J. Kendall
– Ellen Kirschman
– Tilia Klebenov Jacobs
– James L Hill
– John LaFalce
– Ernest Lancaster
– Marty Ludlum
– Christine Mager Wevik
– S.C. Merritt
– DL Mitchell
– T.O. Paine
– Jeffrey Philips
– Edward Pila
– Bruce Robert Coffin
– Zelly Ruskin
– K. Scott Culpepper
– BJ Sloan
– Alex Thompson
– Lois Winston
– Gay Yellen
– Mark Zeid
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC6] (Athletic Club)
– Kristen Terrette [AC1] (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong [AC1] (Franklin)
– Ronald Gerber [AC1] (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino [AC1] (Franklin)
– Katie Monson [AC1] (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier [AC1] (Board Room)
11:30 AM – 1:10 PM • Networking Lunch
Killer Nashville Networking Lunch
– Free to all paid attendees with ticket
11:35 – 11:45 PM • Presentation of Agents & Editors
12:00 – 12:20 PM • Keynote
Friday Lunch Keynote Speech: From Origin to Bestseller – Lisa Malice
Free to all paid attendees with lunch ticket (Birch/Chestnut)
12:30 – 1:10 PM • Guest of Honor Interview
Clay Stafford Interviews Guest of Honor Kemper Donovan (Birch/Chestnut)
1:20 – 1:40 PM • Book Signings & Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques
Authors Book Signing
– Killer Nashville Bookstore – Free and open to the public (Magnolia/Iris/Azalea)
– Kemper Donovan
– Sara Paretsky
– Caitlin Rother
– Samantha Beal
– Thomas Burns
– Elizabeth Crowens
– Kay DiBianca
– Frank DiBianca
– Terry Friedman
– Angela Greenman
– Bradley Harper
– D.W. Hogan
– Shannon Hrimnak
– Gregory J Stout
– Mary Jumbelic
– Ellen Kirschman
– James L Hill
– John LaFalce
– Ernest Lancaster
– Christine Mager Wevik
– S.C. Merritt
– DL Mitchell
– Brian Montross
– Jim Nesbitt
– Randy Overbeck
– T.O. Paine
– Jeffrey Philips
– Edward Pila
– Michael Rigg
– Bruce Robert Coffin
– Zelly Ruskin
– K. Scott Culpepper
– Alex Thompson
– Lois Winston
– Gay Yellen
– Mark Zeid
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC7] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC7] (Athletic Club)
– Kristen Terrette [AC2] (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong [AC2] (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino [AC2] (Franklin)
– Katie Monson [AC2] (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier [AC2] (Board Room)
1:50 – 2:35 PM • Panels, Presentations, & Agent Roundtables
Panels & Breakouts
– Beyond the Police Procedural: Alternative Sleuths and Investigators (Chestnut)
Panel: Deborah Dobbs, Frank DiBianca, Michael Rigg, Christy J. Kendall, Cal Stone
Moderator: Saralyn Richard
– Developing Series Characters (Birch)
Panel: Cathy Rueter, Kemper Donovan, Hal Gibbs, Lori Robbins, Mitchell S. Karnes, Steve Harms
Moderator: Teel James Glenn
– Writing True Crime (Oak)
Panel: Christine Mager Wevik, Carla Conti, Peter Houlahan, Caitlin Rother, Hal Gibbs
Moderator: Lisa Wysocky
– An Overview of the Military (Maple)
Panel: Jacob Moon, Dean Krystek, AM Adair, Steve Stratton, Chris Grall
Moderator: Mark Zeid
– Writing the Mystery (Hickory)
Panelists: Kay DiBianca, Carol Potenza, Amy Denton, K. Scott Culpepper, Chrissy Hicks
Moderator: Jeffrey philips
– Writing the Police Procedural (Sycamore)
Panelists: James Glass, Wendy Gee, Bruce Robert Coffin, Henry Kaye, Chris Berg
Moderator: Steven Aberle
– Writing Noir (Redbud)
Panelists: Gregory Stout, Warren Moore, JS Morrison, JL Hill, Avram Lavinsky
Moderator: Thomas Burns
– Publicizing Your Book in an Ever-Changing Media Landscape (Poplar)
Presenter: Tricia Hedman
– Crafting Killer Query Letters (Williamson)
Presenters: Lynette Eason & Amber Meyer
Agent Roundtable 3 (ART3) - Advance Registration Required
– Kristen Terrette (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino (Franklin)
– Ronald Gerber (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong (Franklin)
– Dean Krystek (Harpeth)
– Katie Monson (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier (Board Room)
1:50 – 2:10 PM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC8] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC8] (Athletic Club)
2:20 – 2:40 PM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC9] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC9] (Athletic Club)
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC9] (Athletic Club)
– John DeDakis [EC9] (Athletic Club)
2:50 – 3:40 PM • Panels, Presentations, & Agent Roundtables
Panels & Breakouts
– Writing the Short Story (Chestnut)
Panel: Paula Benson, Pam Ebel, Debra Goldstein, Warren Moore, TG Wolff
Moderator: PK Richard
– The Magic of Editing (Birch)
Presenter: Kelly Oliver
– Unique Marketing Ideas That Really Work (Oak)
Presenter: Lynette Eason
– 7 Tips for Writing Successful Scenes (Maple)
Presenter: Linda Whitaker
– Intelligence/Counterintelligence: Good Guys vs. Bad Guys (Hickory)
Presenter: Steve Stratton
– The Long Game: Tips for Staying Enthusiastic While in the Middle of Your Book (Sycamore)
Panel: Sam Severn, Becki Willis, Vladi Avdi, Marco Patitucci, Christy J. Kendall
– SEMWA Panel: Ticking Clocks & Twisted Plots: Building Irresistible Tension (Redbud)
Panel: Jeffrey Phillips, Jaden (Beth) Terrell, Steven Womack
Moderator: Carla Damron
– Creating Solid Character Backstories (Poplar)
Panel: Cathy Rueter, Alan Elliott, Leigh Hull, Lynn Slaughter, Gay Yellen
Moderator: Kit Sanders
– Different Types of Edits Explained (Williamson)
Presenter: Helen Thornton-Gussy
Agent Roundtable 4 (ART4) - Advance Registration Required
– Kristen Terrette (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino (Franklin)
– Ronald Gerber (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong (Franklin)
– Dean Krystek (Harpeth)
– Katie Monson (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier (Board Room)
2:50 – 3:10 PM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Miranda Darrow [EC10] (Athletic Club)
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC10] (Athletic Club)
– John DeDakis [EC10] (Athletic Club)
3:20 – 3:40 PM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Miranda Darrow [EC11] (Athletic Club)
– John DeDakis [EC11] (Athletic Club)
3:50 – 4:40 PM • Panels, Presentations, & Agent Roundtables
Panels & Breakouts
– Character Motives and Psychological Profiles (Chestnut)
Panel: Katherine Hutchinson-Hayes, Sateash Hime, Coranna Adams, Chrissy Hicks, AM Adair
Moderator: Kit Sanders
– Writing Fast (Birch)
Presenter: Amber Meyer
– Using Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power to Create a Villain (Oak)
Presenter: TO Paine
– Making Self-Publishing a Successful Venture (Maple)
Panelists: Frank DiBianca, Kay DiBianca, Tilia Klebenov Jacobs, S.C. Merrit, Cal Stone
Moderator: Ernest Lancaster
– Inside the CIA 2.0 (Hickory)
Presenter: Traci Abramson
– Writing Like a Pantser (Sycamore)
Panel: Charles D'Amico, Jim Nesbitt, Peter Rosch, Robert Mangeot, Mark Jones
Moderator: R. Weir
– Writing Nonfiction (Redbud)
Panelists: Kem Hinton, Mary Lynn Cloghesy, Carol Potenza, C.A. Rowland, Caitlin Rother
Moderator: Lisa Wysocky
– Time Management for Writers (Poplar)
Panels: Kemper Donovan, Sandy Clements, Ley Esses, JJ Cagney, Amy Denton
Moderator: Paul McHugh
– Create Your Best Author Bio (And Draw in Your Reader) (Williamson)
Presenter: Jeniffer Thompson
Agent Roundtable 5 (ART5) - Advance Registration Required
– Kristen Terrette (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino (Franklin)
– Ronald Gerber (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong (Franklin)
– Dean Krystek (Harpeth)
– Katie Monson (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier (Board Room)
3:50 – 4:10 PM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC12] (Athletic Club)
– Jaden (Beth) Terrell [EC12] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC12] (Athletic Club)
4:20 – 4:40 PM • Agent / Editor Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Amber Meyer [EC13] (Athletic Club)
– Jaden (Beth) Terrell [EC13] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC13] (Athletic Club)
5:00 – 5:20 PM • Book Signings & Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques
Authors Book Signing
– Killer Nashville Bookstore – Free and open to the public (Magnolia/Iris/Azalea)
– Kemper Donovan
– Sara Paretsky
– Caitlin Rother
– Samantha Beal
– Thomas Burns
– Elizabeth Crowens
– Kay DiBianca
– Frank DiBianca
– Wendy Gee
– Angela Greenman
– Julie Hatch
– D.W. Hogan
– Sara Johnson
– Christy J. Kendall
– Ellen Kirschman
– Tilia Klebenov Jacobs
– James L Hill
– Ernest Lancaster
– S.C. Merritt
– Sean Mitchell
– Brian Montross
– Jim Nesbitt
– Barbara Newhart
– T.O. Paine
– Jeffrey Philips
– Edward Pila
– Meredith R. Lyons
– Bruce Robert Coffin
– Zelly Ruskin
– Jennifer Sadera
– K. Scott Culpepper
– BJ Sloan
– Alex Thompson
– Lois Winston
– Gay Yellen
– Mark Zeid
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC14] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC14] (Athletic Club)
– Kristen Terrette [AC3] (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong [AC3] (Franklin)
– Ronald Gerber [AC3] (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino [AC3] (Franklin)
– Katie Monson [AC3] (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier [AC3] (Board Room)
5:20 – 8:00 PM • Dinner
Dinner on your own
5:20 – 5:40 PM • Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Helen Thornton-Gussy [EC15] (Athletic Club)
– Miranda Darrow [EC15] (Athletic Club)
– Kristen Terrette [AC4] (Franklin)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong [AC4] (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino [AC4] (Franklin)
– Katie Monson [AC4] (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier [AC4] (Board Room)
5:30 – 7:00 PM • Open Bar
Killer Nashville Open Bar
– Free to Those Staying at Embassy Suites (Atrium)
– Bar Tab for Those Not Staying at Embassy Suites (Atrium)
5:40 – 6:00 PM • Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques
Agent / Editor Manuscript Critiques – Advance Registration Required
– Miranda Darrow [EC16] (Athletic Club)
– Cathie Hedrick-Armstrong [AC5] (Franklin)
– Tara Gelsomino [AC5] (Franklin)
– Katie Monson [AC5] (Harpeth)
– James Mustelier [AC5] (Board Room)
6:00 PM • Registration Closes
Registration Desk (Atrium) and Bookstore (Magnolia/Iris/Azalea) close
9:00 PM • Film Screening (Birch)
Leviathan / Jaden (Beth) Terrell Discussion Q&A with Screenwriter Bradley Harper