2022 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Winners

The 2022 Silver Falchion award winners were announced on August 20. The awards are given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature.

Here are the Silver Falchion winners of genre interest. The complete list of winners is here.

2022 BEST SCI-FI / FANTASY FINALISTS

  • Tomb of the Queen by Joss Walker

2022 BEST SUPERNATURAL FINALISTS

  • Our Trespasses by Michael Cordell

2022 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award Finalists

Finalists have been announced for the 2022 Silver Falchion award given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature. The conference’s Reader’s Choice nominees also have been posted.

The conference takes place August 18-21. The awards dinner is on August 20.

Here are the finalists in Silver Falchion categories that include works of genre interest.

2022 BEST JUVENILE / YA FINALISTS

  • A Shadow on the Snow by JPC Allen
  • Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery 3) by Elizabeth Bunce
  • What Lies Beneath by Marissa Doyle
  • Rules of Falling by Leslie Tall Manning
  • A Stranger From the Storm by William Burton McCormick
  • Wonder Rush by Dan McKeon
  • Silence Speaks: A Sonny and Breanne Mystery #4 by James Paavola
  • Leisha’s Song by Lynn Slaughter

2022 BEST SCI-FI / FANTASY FINALISTS

  • Journey to the Past by Esteban Corio
  • Schrodinger’s Cat by Ronald Crittenden
  • Hall of Skulls by Jamie Eubanks
  • The Last Beekeeper by Jared Gulian
  • House of Bastiion by K.L. Kolarich
  • Beryl Blue, Time Cop by Janet Raye Stevens
  • Tomb of the Queen by Joss Walker
  • Consent, Vol. 1: Erdos by Wilson Whitlow
  • Missing on Orbital 4: A Jake Hemlock Adventure by Cory Wilcox

2022 BEST SUPERNATURAL FINALISTS

  • You Can’t Candle the Truth by Sarah E. Burr
  • Whisper Down the Lane by Clay McLeod Chapman
  • Our Trespasses by Michael Cordell
  • Dead & Buried by T.K. Eldridge
  • Swashbucklers by Dan Hanks
  • Rovers by Richard Lange
  • Annihilation by Kaylin McFarren
  • The Ghosts of Thorwald Place by Helen Power
  • A Moment After Dark by Janet Raye Stevens
  • Tidepool by Nicole Willson

2021 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Winners

The 2021 Silver Falchion award winners were announced on August 21. The awards are given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature. The conference’s Reader’s Choice nominees also have been posted.

Here are the Silver Falchion categories that include works of genre interest. The complete list of winners is here.

BEST SCI-FI / FANTASY

  • Odyssey Tale by Cody Schlegel

BEST SUPERNATURAL

  • Borrowed Memories by Christine Mager Wevik

2021 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalists

Finalists have been announced for the 2021 Silver Falchion award given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature. The conference’s Reader’s Choice nominees also have been posted.

The conference takes place August 19-22. The awards dinner is on August 21.

Here are the finalists in Silver Falchion categories that include works of genre interest.

BEST SCI-FI / FANTASY

  • Jeremy and the Witches Medallion by Randy Gauthier
  • Servant of the Crown by Duncan M. Hamilton
  • In the Shadow of a Valiant Moon by Stu Jones & Gareth Worthington
  • Otaku by Chris Kluwe
  • Odyssey Tale by Cody Schlegel

BEST SUPERNATURAL

  • Slipping into Darkness by D. M. Bourgeois
  • Borrowings of the Shan Van Vocht by Catherine Moore
  • Wonderland by Zoje Stage
  • Sisters of the Moon by Alexandrea Weis
  • Borrowed Memories by Christine Mager Wevik
  • Inn the Spirit of Competition by Becki Willis

BEST JUVENILE / Y.A.

  • The Crossingway by Lynn H. Elliott
  • Irish Town by Matthew John Meagher
  • Kassy O’Roarke Treasure Hunter by Kelly Oliver
  • Astrobia by James C. Paavola
  • Someone is Burning My Lord, Kumbaaya by Fiza Pathan and Michaelangelo Zane

BEST SHORT STORY COLLECTION / ANTHOLOGY

  • Crossing Borders by Lisa Brackmann & Matt Coyle
  • Judge Lu’s Case Files, Stories of Crime & Mystery in Imperial China by P.A. De Voe
  • Minnesota Not So Nice: Eighteen Tales of Bad Behavior by Barbara Merritt Deese, Pat Dennis, Michael Allan Mallory, and Timya Owen
  • Couch Detective Book 2 by James Glass
  • Children of the Fang and Other Genealogies by John Langan

2020 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Winners

The winners of the 2020 Silver Falchion award given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee were announced on August 22.

The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature. The conference was cancelled this year, but the convention’s Silver Falchion Awards were still presented.

Here are the winners in Silver Falchion categories that include works of genre interest.

Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror

  • Tosca Lee — The Line Between

Juvenile or Y.A.

  • James R. Hannibal – The Clockwork Dragon

2020 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalists

Finalists have been announced for the 2020 Silver Falchion award given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature. The conference’s Reader’s Choice nominees also have been posted.

The conference has been cancelled this year, but the convention’s Silver Falchion and Readers’ Choice Awards will still be presented.

Here are the finalists in Silver Falchion categories that include works of genre interest.

Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror

  • Tosca Lee — The Line Between
  • Tosca Lee — A Single Light
  • Valerie Nieman — To the Bones
  • Palmer Pickering — Moon Deeds
  • Maggie Toussaint — Dreamed It

Juvenile or Y.A.

  • Susan K. Flach — Daughter Undisclosed
  • Liana Gardner — Speak No Evil
  • James R. Hannibal – The Clockwork Dragon
  • Kelly Oliver — Kassy O’Roarke, Cub Reporter
  • Lori Roberts — This Dark and Bloody Ground

Short Story Anthology or Collection

  • James Glass — Couch Detective
  • Harpeth River Writers — Words on Water
  • Lindy Ryan — A Midnight Clear
  • Manning Wolfe & Laura Oles — Last Call
  • Bill Woods — The Muse of Wallace Rose

2019 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalists

Finalists have been announced for the 2019 Silver Falchion award given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature. The conference’s Reader’s Choice nominees also have been posted.

The conference is being held this year August 22-25. The Silver Falchion and the convention’s Readers’ Choice Awards will be presented on August 24.

Here are the finalists in Silver Falchion categories that include works of genre interest.

Sci-fi, Fantasy, and Horror

  • Dana Chamblee Carpenter, Book of the Just
  • Elizabeth Isaacs, The Scythian Trials
  • Julianne Lynch, Beneath the Lighthouse
  • Morgan Smith, The Shades of Winter
  • Maggie Toussaint, Confound It

Short Story Collections/Anthologies

  • Carmen Amato, The Artist
  • Marianne Donley, Untethered: Sweet, Funny, and Strange Tales of the Paranormal
  • Rhonda Gilliland, Cooked to Death III: Hell for the Holidays
  • Leslie Klinger, For the Sake of the Game
  • Jane Suen, Alterations Trilogy
  • R.L. Stine, Scream & Scream Again

Juvenile/Y.A.

  • Liana Gardner, The Journal of Angela Ashby
  • Julianne Lynch, Beneath the Lighthouse
  • Ted Neill, Jamhuri, Njambi & Fighting Zombies
  • Lynn Slaughter, It Should Have Been You
  • Alexandrea Weis, Death by the River

2018 Killer Nashville Awards

The 2018 winners of the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion, Claymore, Reader’s Choice and several other awards were announced by the annual conference on August 25.

Congratulations to Dana Chamblee Carpenter whose book The Devil’s Bible received the Silver Falchion in the Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror category and was named Best Overall Novel.

Killer Nashville 2018 Silver Falchion Awards

Silver Falchion Award: Best Overall Novel
Dana Chamblee Carpenter
The Devil’s Bible

Silver Falchion Award: Best Nonfiction
Shayla McBride
A is for Author

Silver Falchion Award: Best Juvenile Novel
James R. Hannibal
The Fourth Ruby

Silver Falchion Award: Best Suspense
Debra Gaskill
Kissing Fitz

Silver Falchion Award: Best Short Story Collection
Kathryn Lane
Backyard Volcano

Silver Falchion Award: Best Sci-Fi / Fantasy / Horror
Dana Chamblee Carpenter
The Devil’s Bible

Silver Falchion Award: Best Action Adventure
Linda Sands
Grand Theft Cargo

Silver Falchion Award: Best Mystery
Joseph L.S. Terrell
The Last Blue Noon in May

Silver Falchion Award: Best Cozy
Lori Robbins
Lesson Plan for Murder

Silver Falchion Award: Best Procedural
Henry Hack
Forever Young

Silver Falchion Award: Best Thriller
Christopher Greyson
The Girl Who Lived

Silver Falchion Award: Best Attending Author
Maggie Toussaint
Dadgummit

Killer Nashville 2018 Claymore Awards

Killer Nashville Claymore Award Winner
Cathy Perkins
The Body in the Beaver Pond

Killer Nashville Claymore Award / 1st Runner Up
Danny Lindsey
Murder in Choctaw County

Killer Nashville Claymore Award / 2nd Runner Up
Elena Melissa Hartwell
Under Fallow Ground

Killer Nashville 2018 Readers’ Choice Award
Baron R. Birtcher
South California Purples

Killer Nashville 2018 C. Auguste Dupin Detective Award
Amy Nygaard

Design of the award, this one presented in 2014.

The Killer Nashville 2018 John Seigenthaler Legends Award
Otto Penzler

2018 Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Finalists

Finalists have been announced for the 2018 Silver Falchion award is given by the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, Tennessee. The Silver Falchion award categories cover the spectrum of popular literature. The conference’s Reader’s Choice nominees also have been posted.

The conference is being held this year August 23-26. The Silver Falchion and the convention’s Readers’ Choice Awards will be presented on August 26.

(Click for full-size poster.)

How the winners are determined

SILVER FALCHION. All entries to the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award go through multiple rounds of judging that are performed by a collective of industry peers—writers, editors, agents, reviewers, etc. Each title is assigned a numerical score addressing multiple elements present within the submitted work. Scores are averaged together and the best-performing works move on to the next round of judging. This process is repeated until the judges are able to determine finalists and definitive winners in each respective category

READER’S CHOICE. The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice Award is given to the author who receives the most votes for his/her title. Voting is done online and is open to everyone. By submitting to the Silver Falchion Award competition, authors are automatically placed in the Reader’s Choice Award contest, as well.

Here are the Readers Choice nominees of genre interest —

Best Fantasy/SciFi/Horror

  • PIGEON by Daniel Zadow
  • UNTO THE THIRD GENERATION by Rosemary & Larry Mild
  • SHADOW MOUNTAIN by Tess Collins
  • TRIPLEYE by John Hegenberger
  • ALTERATIONS by Jane Suen
  • CHILDREN OF THE FIFTH SUN by Gareth Worthington
  • DESTINY by Matthew Mather
  • CHAOS UNBOUND by Brian Leon
  • THE DEVIL’S BIBLE by Dana Chamblee Carpenter
  • ANTITHEUS by G.A. Minton
  • BLACKWELL by Alexandrea Weis
  • DADGUMMIT by Maggie Toussaint
  • IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN by Andy Davidson
  • KNIFE’S TELL by Daniel Dark
  • THE GRIP OF IT by Jacob Jemc
  • VACANT EYES by Christine Wevik

Awards Presented at Killer Nashville

Winners of the Silver Falchion and the Readers’ Choice Awards were announced at the Killer Nashville Writers Conference in Franklin, TN on August 26. They cover the spectrum of popular literature; here are the winners in the categories of genre interest.

2017 SILVER FALCHION AWARD WINNERS

2017 Silver Falchion Award: Best Fiction Tween/YA Mystery/Thriller

  • James Hannibal, The Lost Property Office

2017 Silver Falchion Award: Best Fiction Tween/YA Horror/Fantasy

  • David Neilsen, Dr. Fell and the Playground of Doom

2017 Silver Falchion Award: Best Fiction Adult Horror/Fantasy

  • Andrew Peters, The City of Seven Gods

2017 Silver Falchion Award: Best Fiction Children’s

  • Delia Sherman, The Evil Wizard Smallbone

2017 KILLER NASHVILLE READER’S CHOICE AWARD WINNERS

2017 Readers’ Choice Award: Best Fiction Adult Horror

  • Eric Gardner, Awakening

2017 Readers’ Choice Award: Best Fiction Adult Fantasy / Sci-Fi

  • Barbara Barnett, The Apothecary’s Curse

2017 Readers’ Choice Award: Best Fiction Children’s

  • Janice Petri, Something’s Tuggin on my Claw

How the winners are determined

SILVER FALCHION. All entries to the Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award go through multiple rounds of judging that are performed by a collective of industry peers—writers, editors, agents, reviewers, etc. Each title is assigned a numerical score addressing multiple elements present within the submitted work. Scores are averaged together and the best-performing works move on to the next round of judging. This process is repeated until the judges are able to determine finalists and definitive winners in each respective category

READER’S CHOICE. The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice Award is given to the author who receives the most votes for his/her title. Voting is done online and is open to everyone. By submitting to the Silver Falchion Award competition, authors are automatically placed in the Reader’s Choice Award contest, as well.