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The Smoking Guns offers local support to crime writers in East Tennessee. We host speakers from diverse career fields of interest to mystery, crime, thriller, and suspense writers, as well as writing workshops, networking opportunities, and promotional events.
We are a chapter of the national organization, Sisters in Crime. For writers of all genders, we offer professional education, career development, mentoring, promotional opportunities, networking and lively forums within a supportive community of mystery lovers. Readers, publishers, agents, booksellers, and librarians are also welcome.
We are a chapter of the national organization, Sisters in Crime. For writers of all genders, we offer professional education, career development, mentoring, promotional opportunities, networking and lively forums within a supportive community of mystery lovers. Readers, publishers, agents, booksellers, and librarians are also welcome.
Membership
Current Meeting Information
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When: The fourth Saturday of every month from 1-3 PM or as noted at Facebook or Meet-up. Format: Hybrid In-Person/Zoom. Where: In person and Zoom - Please email sincsmokingguns@gmail.com for the Zoom link. Bearden Branch Library, 100 Golf Club Road, Knoxville, TN 37919 September 23 : What's Your Spice Level? Meet Jaden Terrell in person, author of the Jared McKean Mystery series, on the Levels of Graphic Sex in Crime Genre (Mysteries, Thrillers, Romantic Suspense, ect) Novels and How to Label Them - Shamus Award nominee Jaden Terrell is the internationally published author of the Jared McKean private detective novels. She’s also a contributor to Now Write! Mysteries, a collection of exercises published by Tarcher/Penguin for writers of crime fiction. Her short stories have been included several anthologies, including Killer Nashville Noir: Coldblooded and Eight Mystery Writers You Should be Reading Now. Terrell is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Private Eye Writers of America, International Thriller Writers, and Sisters in Crime. The former special education teacher is also a recipient of the Magnolia Award and the Silver Quill for service to the Southeast Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, and of the Builder Award for ten years of service to the Killer Nashville Thriller, Mystery, and Crime Fiction Conference. While researching the Jared McKean series, Terrell attended the Citizen Police Academy, FBI Citizen Academy, and the TBI Citizen Academy. She took the medical examiner to lunch, and became a certified Equine Sports Massage Therapist–the perfect pastime for a nervous rider with a passion for horses. Terrell is a writing coach who offers live workshops and online courses for writers. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee. |
Prospective members are welcome to attend public meetings before joining. National members can request a zoom link at the public FB group when we have Zoom meetings, we just need your member name: https://www.facebook.com/groups/391058174841953 Photo by Dylan Hunter on Unsplash |
2023 Board of Directors
President
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Vice-President
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Secretary
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Treasurer
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Noir Crime Author Ernest Lancaster retired from the Memphis Police Department as a Captain in 2006 after a fascinating career that spanned multiple facets of the crime-fighting underworld. From beat cop to expert marksman, he’s been around the block a few hard times. As a cop for thirty-three years, Lancaster researched his crime-fiction stories on a daily basis as no ordinary author could. He didn’t just observe the police life, he lived it. For twenty-six years, he served as a long-range marksman with the TACT squad, where he also assisted the Secret Service with Presidential-protection details. And retired as a Captain. Read the Memphis M.O. series and visit Ernie at his website.
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Erika Engelhaupt is a freelance science writer and editor. Previously, she was the online science editor at National Geographic in Washington, D.C. As a freelance editor, she has brought her sharp editing eye to National Geographic News and other clients including Scientific American and Science News. Her writing has appeared in newspapers, magazines, and websites including National Geographic, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and NPR. She also loves storytelling, and has appeared on-stage and in podcasts such as The Story Collider. Read her non-fiction book Gory Details: Adventures from the Dark Side of Science and visit her website.
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Member at Large |
Member at Large |
Member at Large |
Award-winning author Leanne Tyler writes sweet and somewhat sensual romances whether historical, contemporary, or romantic suspense. Her newest series the Chicago Protection Task Force is part of the Brotherhood Protection World. Leanne lives in East Tennessee with her son and frisky Yorkie. For more information about her books and to sign up for her newsletter, please visit Leanne's website
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Kelley Griffin is a Romantic Suspense author, mom to five sons, wife to a marine and a teacher to tiny humans plus the occasional hostess, cheer coach, and youth group leader. She often spends writing time in her closet (and sometimes home office) with characters you’ll ponder on long after the last page. Check out her Kirin Lane suspense series and standalones and visit her at her website.
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Jeffrey "Hammerhead" Philips has been scuba diving since 1967. He and his wife, Kitty, operated Seascape Charters, a dive charter service, and Mermaid DiveGuides, arranging international dive trips in the Bahamas, Lands End, Fiji, and other Caribbean destinations. In West Palm Beach, he joined Jim Abernethy’s Scuba Adventures [JASA.] Their team is widely known for its famous shark expeditions, National Geographic photoshoots, and flying boat adventures. But the mountains were calling and now Jeffrey and Kitty live in Tennessee, where they are learning the art of cattle farming. Read his underwater Jesse Stoker Mystery series and visit him at his website.
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