Clay Stafford

I’m a bestselling author and filmmaker. I used to be an actor for many years (“Days of Our Lives,” tons of touring companies, etc.), but find myself behind the computer more these days. Wal-Mart, Target, Sam’s, Costco and other Big Box Retailers have helped sell nearly 1,500,000 hardcover copies of my children’s classics adaptations (hoping to get kids introduced to literature at an early age). Trivia tidbit: You can see the books’ covers on the bookshelves behind actress Diane Lane in the feature film “Must Love Dogs.” My film work has been distributed internationally in over 14 languages (unfortunately, I only speak English, but my son is trying to teach me Spanish). Four of my five staged murder mysteries have had Los Angeles premieres. (I used to live there on Bedford Drive before the Northridge Earthquake sent me scurrying like a rat.) In the past, I’ve reviewed books, plays, and films for several national and international periodicals. Near daily, I review a book for Killer Nashville's Book of the Day. It still feels weird when I see my quotes on book jackets. Not only have I been a writer, but also an editor, namely for PBS companion books associated with national series. I’m the founder of Killer Nashville (http://www.KillerNashville.com) and I’ve served on the board of numerous nonprofits, including Nashville Adult Literacy Council (an organization that teaches illiterate adults how to read – very rewarding), Watkins Film School, and Mystery Writers of America. I have a B.A. and M.F.A., neither of which have helped sell any books to my knowledge (smile), but they did afford me the opportunity to be a professor or lecturer at several major universities including the University of Miami and the University of Tennessee. I love working in education and helping inspire the next generation of filmmakers and writers and still speak a lot at schools and for organizations when time permits. In my early executive life, I worked at Universal Studios in various positions and at PBS as Assistant Director of Program Development, greenlighting both local and national PBS productions and series. In addition to being a writer, I’m currently president/CEO at American Blackguard, Inc. (http://www.AmericanBlackguard.com), a film and television entertainment company near Nashville, Tennessee. More information about me (as if this hasn’t bored you enough) can be found at http://www.ClayStafford.com.