Member Biographies

The following are biographies of members in the Missouri Writers' Guild. This is one of the privileges of membership in the Guild. If you are a current member and would like to list your writing credentials here, please email your information to Barri L. Bumgarner, e-mail: barribum@aol.com

Honorary Lifetime Members

• Evan S. Connell, Jr., Santa Fe, N.M.

• Elaine Derendinger, Franklin,Mo.

• William Barnaby Faherty, S. J., St. Louis, Mo.

• Charles Guenther, St. Louis,Mo.

• David Harrison, Springfield, Mo.

• W. C. Jameson, Woodland Park, Colo.

• Veda Boyd Jones

• Dr. Leland May, Maryville, Mo.

• Linda L. May, Maryville, Mo.

• Edith McCall, Albuquerque, N.M.

• Augusta Reid, Columbia, Mo.

• Charlotte Sherman, Pittsburg, Texas

• Jory Sherman, Pittsburg, Texas

Short Cuts: A-E    F-J     K-O    P-T     U-Z

A

Arruda, Suzanne Middendorf. The author of the Jade del Cameron historical mystery series including: MARK OF THE LION, STALKING IVORY, and THE SERPENT'S DAUGHTER published by NAL-obsidian. She is also the author of young adult biographies: From Kansas to Cannibals: The Story of Osa Johnson; Freedom's Martyr: The Story of Jose Rizal, National Hero of the Philippines; and The Girl He Left Behind: The Life and Times of Libbie Custer. Suzanne has published science and nature aticles for adults and children. Raised in southeastern Indiana and trained as an ecologist at Purdue University and Kansas State University, Suzanne is a former zookeeper turned science teacher and free-lance writer. She is an avid hiker, and member of the National Wild Turkey Federation's "Women In The Outdoors" organization. She currently resides in southeast Kansas with her husband. For more information, visit the author's website at http://www.suzannearruda.com and her blog, "Through Jade's Eyes", at http://suzannearruda.blogspot.com/

B

Banks, Joan, Joplin, Mo. Joan’s first sale was an article about chiggers inspired by a merciless attack by 200 of the little buggers. Her publications include The Christian Science Monitor, Woman’s World, Missouri Conservationist, Missouri Life and more. She has four suspense novels from Berkley Publishing Group: Death Claim, Edge of Darkness, and Gently Down the Stream (also published in Norway), plus Blood Ties under the pseudonym Alexa Brix. Her short fiction has appeared in Potpourri and Woman’s World. Her children’s books are Song of La Selva: The Story of a Costa Rican Rain Forest (Soundprints and The Nature Conservancy); Peter Stuyvesant, Dutch Military Hero (Chelsea House), and The U.S. Constitution (Chelsea House), with additional publications in Ranger Rick. National Geographic Kids, SuperScience and Seventeen. She contributed a short story to a The Worst Cakes in the World (by Highlights for Children.) The Wright Group/McGraw Hill has scheduled two of her books for publication in 2005: James Madison and Squanto. A native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, she has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of New Mexico and a master’s in library science from the University of North Texas. She has taught writing for the Long Ridge Writers Group, a correspondence-based program. She now works as a writer for Petfinder.com, an online database of homeless pets. Her current project is Matches Made in (Dog) Heaven, a book of dog adoption stories.

Bauer, Nona Kilgore, LaBelle, Mo., has written hundreds of newspaper & magazine articles and 24 books for several publishers, including Complete Idiot's Guide to Golden Retrievers, Golden Retrievers for Dummies, and Dog Heroes of September 11^th.

Bobo, Erv, Florissant, Mo., has published several dozen short stories in different genres: action, humor and western. “The Velvet Brand,” published by Echelon Press, is an amalgamation of these themes and one chapter “The Hanging” was nominated for the Western Writers of America “Spur Award” for best short fiction. He also did extensive writing in the fields of computers and software, serving as contributing editor for both “Computer Shopper” and “Computer Monthly” magazines.   A member of the Western Writers of America, his short stories have twice been nominated for the prestigious Spur Award. He has also won several regional awards for short fiction. A short memoir of his father “Bronco Buster” was chosen in a worldwide competition for inclusion in the anthology “Sea of Voices, Isle of Story.” Action and humor stories have been published in “Adam,” “Adam Bedside Reader,” “Spree,” “Sir Knight,” “Hi-Life,” “Gent” and other men’s magazines. Western and western humor stories were published in “Far West” magazine. He lives and works in St. Louis, Mo.

Doris Briggs, Prairie Village, Kan. began writing in 2004 after working 30 years in art and design. A part-time graphic designer with Hallmark Cards, she has had two short stories and several personal essays published. She enjoys writing poetry and is working on a romance novel.

Brotherton, Velda. Velda is a native of Arkansas, and is the author of several western historical romances. She also writes a weekly historical column for a local Arkansas newspaper: Wandering The Ozarks, and a monthly column: Pioneers for American West Magazine on the Internet. Her current books are Springdale: The Courage of Shiloh; Washington County Arkansas: An Images of America Series; and a re-issue of her first book, Wandering In The Shadows of Time: An Ozarks Odyssey. She is a member of OWLs; Romance Writers of America; Women Writing the West; Arkansas Ridge Writers, an affiliate of Oklahoma Writer's Federation, Inc.; and Northwest Arkansas Writers Workshop.

Bourque (Miner), Chalise. Kansas City, Mo., author of children's book Rain Forest Girl. Chalise expects to sell her YA novel, One Right Thing, during 2008 and will begin a new novel this year. Chalise is sometimes co-leader of the Kansas City Writer's Group and started a similar group in Oklahoma City during the 15 years that she lived in OKC. Through her freelance writing and editing business, Chalise lectures, edits, teaches writing, and markets her own work, numerous articles, stories and poems, which she's published in such publications as Kansas! Magazine,Teen Life, St. Anthony's Messenger, The Family, Magazine for Christian Youth, GRIT, Denver Post, Kansas City Star, and the former Potpourri. Chalise is a member of SCBWI, and the Oklahoma Writers Federation Inc. Email: chalise@kc.rr.com

Buckstaff, Kathryn. Kathryn is the Branson Bureau Chief for the Springfield News-Leader, and has been covering the vacation destination for the past ten years. Buckstaff has had three books published by St. Martin's Press including Branson and Beyond: A Country Music Lover's Guide to Branson, Nashville and Pigeon Forge; and murder mysteries No One Dies in Branson and Evil Harmony.

Buckstaff also is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in magazines including Rotarian International, All Roads Lead to Branson, Country Weekly, International Traveler and Country Music News. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in Shiftless Stone, Type Literary Magazine and Ozarks Watch. Her writing and photography has been honored by awards from Gannett Newspapers and the Missouri Writers Guild. Buckstaff lives near Branson, and may be contacted at kathrynbucks@aol.com.

Bumgarner, Barri L.Barri L. Bumgarner's third novel, Dregs, touches on a topic most Americans have first-hand experience with: peer pressure.

Second place in the Walter Williams Major Work Award, Dregs is her first young adult novel, and Bumgarner tackles the tough issues of bullies, steroids, and what it takes to push a teenager to bring a gun to school. The book has already received attention from other notable award committees, including the American Library Association and the Gateway Readers Award.

Slipping, her second novel, received Missouri Writers' Guild Best Fiction 2005, runner-up. Slipping has received rave reviews from national radio host Jim Bohannon and Tyrone Banks of the Washington Post. Her short story "Retribution" currently appears in Mysteries of the Ozarks, Vol. II.

Bumgarner's debut novel, 8 Days, is currently in its second print-run. Barri also freelances for Crescendo and Family magazines. In 2005, she received Best Technical Article honors for her education articles, awarded by the Missouri Writers' Guild, and in Writer's Digest 72nd Annual Writing Competition honors. Playing the Line—a prequel to 8 Days—will be relleased in late 2008.

Ms. Bumgarner, a former junior high English teacher, is an instructor at the University of Missouri while completing her Ph.D. She is a graduate of Long Ridge Writers' Institute, learning under the tutelage of Edgar Award winning author Carolyn Wheat. Along with nearly forty poems, Barri has published over fifty articles for statewide magazines and short fiction in Rock Springs Review, Missouri Teachers Write, Every Day is Father's Day, and Well-Versed. She is the Publicity Chair for the Missouri Writers' Guild, is a board member of Missouri Center for the Book, and is at work on her sixth novel. For more information, visit her website at: www.barriLbumgarner.com.

Burch, Lynda S. Lynda is an author of adult fiction, romantic suspense, and children's musical e-picture books. She has one suspense Edge of Paradise out now, and current works in progress are Evil Eye and Ghost Riders.

She have written dozens of musical e-picture books for preschool, toddler & primary ages, and has six coming out this winter. She created a genre of kids book by writing original music for each book, and using lyrics and pictures to tell the story. The books are meant to be shared on the computer and the computer plays the music for the readers.

Visit her website at www.lyndasburch.com.

C

Carrillo, Connie Lynne, Kansas City, is a freelance writer and author. Her articles and commentary have been published in numerous magazines, The Kansas City Star newspaper and online media.  She is the author of Vanished Glory: A Family in America, the saga of an Irish-American family's journey through America.  It is available at most online bookstores including Amazon.com; Barnes & Noble; your local bookstore or library.   Her website can be found at www.connielynne.com.

Lorri Cardwell-Casey, Marshfield, Mo., has freelanced for 16 years, with material published in four books. She has 450+ non-fiction, fiction, and poetry magazine credits in such publications as Woman’s Day, Family Circle, FamilyFun, Highlights for Children, Humpty Dumpty’s, Guideposts for Kids, and Eating Well. She does freelance editing, as well, and her critique company is called “reVISION.” Her in-progress website is at www.lorricardwell-casey.com.

Childress, Karen, Liberty, Mo., is a freelance writer, published in magazine (Country Collectibles, Antique Trader, Bridges Magazine), newspaper (Maryville Daily Forum, Dispatch Tribune) and poetry (poetry.com), various newsletters, and a columnist on cataromance.com (Karen’s Top Ten). She is a current member of Romance Writers of America and past-president of Heartland Romance Authors, and the moderator of MissouriWritersGuild@yahoogroups.com, a chat group for members of Missouri Writers Guild. For additional information about Karen, go to www.karenchildress.net

Dr. Jeanetta R. Chrystie, Springfield, Mo., began writing as a teen to express herself. Her experiences with polio and cancer led her to further develop writing skills to encourage and inspire others. During a 25-year career, her publishing credits include over 500 magazine and newsletter articles in publications such as Discipleship Journal, Christian History, Clubhouse, and Church Libraries; over 140 newspaper columns for the Northwest Christian Examiner/Times/Journal; book and booklet contributions, including NCWA’s “The Write Start,” published in 2004; two college textbooks; over 50 poems; and several professional websites. She teaches Business Management and Leadership online courses for Southwest Minnesota State University. Her writing web site is  www.ClearGlassView.com.

Connolly, Peter K., New Haven, Mo., is a freelance writer and author. His articles and columns have appeared in The St. Louis Cardinals Magazine, Show-Me Missouri, St. Louis Suburban Journals, New London Day, Washington Missourian and others. He is the author of The Last Slider, an adult thriller set in a Connecticut submarine construction yard. It is available at most online bookstores including Amazon.com, at local bookstores or directly from the author at his Web site: www.thelastslider.com.

Cox, Vicki. Vicki is currently an adjunct instructor at Drury University in Springfield. She is the author of Rising Stars and Ozark Constellations; Diana: Princess of Wales, and Marion Jones: Racing the Wind. Vicki has written hundreds of features for magazines and newspapers including St. Louis Post Dispatch, Missouri Life, Rural Missouri, Ozarks Mountaineer, American Cowboy, and others. She is a retired teacher and currently Missouri Writers' Guild vice president and conference chair.

Crabtree, Maril. Maril lives in the Greater Kansas City metro area and writes poetry, essays and creative nonfiction. Her poetry has won awards from Writers Digest, Passager, Ozark Writers League, OWFI, MWG, KS Authors Club and Potpourri. Poetry publications include New Works Review, Flint Hills Review, DMQ Review, Mangrove Review, Moondance, Kansas City Voices, and numerous anthologies. She is editor of Sacred Feathers: The Power of One Feather to Change Your Life (Adams Media, 2002) and three other nature-based anthologies. Her latest published nonfiction is in Chicken Soup: A Tribute to Moms (2008). See www.marilcrabtree.com for a complete list of publications.

Upcoming presentations:

• Poetry reading at The Writers' Place, 36th & Pennsylvania, KC, MO, August 8 , 2008 at 8 pm
• Poetry reading at The River City Festival, Main Library, Lawrence, KS, September 27, 2008
• Ongoing - Flow Writing Class every 2nd Tuesday, the Landon Center, 36th & Rainbow, KC, KS. - free to anyone over 50.

D

Davis, Diana. Diana holds an undergraduate degree in writing from University of Missouri-St. Louis climaxed by a Bronze Quill award from the International Association of Business Communicators for her student campaign in public relations. She also earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from UM-St. Louis in creative fiction writing, winning numerous awards for her poetry and short stories. Her feature articles, short stories and poetry have been published in the Current, Evening Tide, Herstory, HingeStone, Watermark, Words and Dreams Part 12, An Archer's Dream, The Torch, HerStory, and St. Louis Events magazine. She continues to use her business writing talents at University of Missouri-St. Louis where she is employed as assistant director of admissions. She free-lances in her spare time, writing feature articles, and giving guest lectures and presentations.

Jo "Corkie" Davis, Arcadia, Mo., is an award-winning speaker, writer and photographer, who has worked as a newspaper and magazine editor. Her work has appeared in "Driving Force," "The Trucker," "Women in Trucking, " "The Scene" newspaper and "Down Home" magazine and others. She has photo credits in "The War Cry Magazine" and "The Scene." She has won awards for poetry, essays and literary excellence. Her biography appeared in the 2004 "Who's Who in America" and the "2005 Who's Who in the World.
Email: jdavisnow@aol.com.

DeClue, Pat. Pat is from De Soto, MO and has been a member of the Missouri Writers' Guild since 1993. She's the founder and president of the newly formed Writers' Society of Jefferson County, a chapter of the MWG. She has served as a board member for the MWG for the past two years and was appointed to serve as a citizen advisor for the Missouri Arts Council in Literature for 2003.

Pat was an elementary classroom and art teacher in St. Louis County for 28 years and holds a master's degree in Guidance & Counseling. She belongs to the Missouri State Teachers Association and serves as the Missouri State Representative for ByLine magazine.

A regular freelance writer for the Leader Publications in Festus, MO she has more than 200 magazine and newspaper articles to her credit. She also writes a regular column in the Leader called "Head of the Class," which profiles teachers in Jefferson County.

Dill, Margo, Champaign, Ill., is an experienced teacher, speaker, editor, and freelance writer.  Her articles, stories, lesson plans, essays, and poetry have appeared in publications such as Grit, SuccessLink, On the Line, Pockets, ByLine Magazine, The Storyteller, God Allows U-Turns Vol. 4, The Mailbox Magazine, and Living by Faith. Her on-line picture book, Operation Color Change, has been accepted by Reading A-Z.  She is also known as Editor 911: "Your projects are my emergency!" Margo can help with any editing, critiquing, proofreading, and typing. www.margodill.com 

Downing, Kerry, is a meteorologist by training, a computer programmer by profession, and a lifelong astronomy and science fiction fan. He has been
self-employed as a computer systems analyst and programmer for the last 15
years and has been working in the computer field for more than 20 years. Kerry has written one novel (so far), and several short stories, four of which have been finalists in the Heartland Writer's Guild Great Beginnings Writing Contests.
www.kerrydowning.com.

DuNard, Dorothy. Dorothy graduated from the MU Journalism in 1939, receiving the Gamma Alpha Chi Award. During her career she served as assistant ad manager for St. Louis' Streckfus Steamers, ad manager for The Bon Marche in Yakima, WA, sales for the Columbia (MO) Daily Tribune, and ad manager for Parks Department Store in Columbia.

Dorothy has been a great supporter of the Missouri Writers' Guild, and previously served as president 1985-86, vice president 1984-85, and editor of the Guild News, from 1979-81. She also was a columnist for AAUW from 1987-89.

She has worked as a freelance writer since 1972. She has been published in Lady's Circle, Women's Circle, Unity, Healthways, Sunshine, Let's Live, Boulder Camera Magazine and Midwest Motorist. One of her haikus was published in Missouri Women Writers, in 1987. An article on Sally Rand was published in 1989 in the book, Show Me Missouri Women. She also has a story in Fifth Portion of Chicken Soup for the Soul, published in 1998. She has won a variety of poetry awards, and was listed in Who's Who of American Women, 1972-73. Even so, she considers her greatest career "productions" to be five children, six grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

E

Earhart, Julie Failla. Award-winning fiction and non-fiction author Julie Failla Earhart has a bachelor's degree in journalistic and creative writing and a master of fine arts degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. In 2002 she won first place in the essay category in Amy Kritchen's Angels Without Wings Foundation's "Born-Again" American Literary Competition; became co-host of WGNU's (920 AM) weekly radio show, The Writer's Hour; founded Write it Right!, her own company that specializes in teaching writing classes, and conducted workshops and lectures on all aspects of the writing craft. She offers editorial services for writers of all levels and has been selected to be on the faculty of the New York College for Advanced Studies' Etech Programs.

Julie has written for Frontier Airlines (in publications 2003), Sauce Magazine (cover story, Oct 2002), Saint Louis Events Magazine (of which she is the former editor-in-chief), Cahners Business Information, St. Louis Public Library, The Tunica Times, The 1904 World's Fair Society Bulletin, Spirit Seeker, Oakland House, St. Louis Writers Guild, the MFA Program at UM-St. Louis, The Historic Daniel Boone Home and Boonesfield Village, and The Women's Voice of Saint Louis and has been a reviewer of fiction for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Charlotte Austin Review, Booksights (in the UK) and Amazing Authors Showcase as well as have written a plethora of newsletters and brochures. In 2000, she was a runner-up in Book magazine's "Don Quixote Essay Contest."

She has published a short story that was included in Milliken Publishing Company's CD-ROM Knowledge Works. Her work has been also been published in Steps Astray; An Archer's Dream; Words and Dreams, Part XII; Watermark; Gigantic; Palimpsest; and Stirrings: A Literary Collection. She has recently put together a collection of short stories, Home Sweet Home & Other Dangerous Places, that is currently making its way around the publishing houses.

Before starting Write it Right, Julie taught feature writing at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Currently, she is a freelance writer, teacher, speaker, and editor working in the St. Louis area.

F

Fanning, Fred. Fredericksburg, Va., is the author of the book Basic Safety Administration: A Handbook for the New Safety Specialist, published by the American Society of Safety Engineers in 1998 and 2003; Hazard Control Management, a training curriculum published in 2005; and has authored or co-authored 20 articles. He has received four Silver Quill Awards and won first place in the Army Management Staff College professional article competition sponsored by the Federal Managers Association. Fred is profiled in the 2006 edition of Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare.  Fred earned master’s degrees from National-Louis University and Webster University. Email: fanningf@netscape.com

Fivecoat-Campbell, Kerri. Kerri is an award-winning freelance writer, photographer and writing coach. She has written more than 2,000 articles for local, national and international publications including The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Homes and Gardens, KC Voices, Entrepreneur Magazine, Women in Business and Fate. She's a past regional director for the Society of Professional Journalists and a past president of the Kansas City Press Club. She belongs to the American Society of Journalists and Authors. Her first book, No Immediate Threat: The story of an American Veteran (ASJA Press) was released in September 2005.

Foard, Sheila Wood. Sheila has sold stories, articles, essays, and poems to more than 60 publications, including Cricket, Spider, Cicada, Ladybug, Highlights for Children, WeeOnes, 'TEEN, ByLine, Country Home, Albuquerque Journal, and the Missouri Conservationist's (Outside In). She designed and wrote a 20-page Junior Ranger activities booklet (1999) for Ozark National Scenic Riverways, headquarted in Van Buren, Missouri, near her home. She also designed and wrote several waysides for the Slough Trail at Big Spring. Her biography for teens of Mexican muralist Diego Rivera will be out from Chelsea House in 2003. Her historical novel manuscript for middle grade readers took second and third places in contests sponsored by the Heartland Writers Guild (HWG) and SouthWest Writers (SWW). She earned a bachelor's degree in English and Communication Skills and a master's degree in Education from the University of New Mexico. She taught high school English, creative writing, and journalism for more than twenty-five years in New Mexico. Currently, she is a freelancer and an instructor for the Institute of Children's Literature.

Forbes, Sylvia, is an award-winning, full-time freelance writer and speaker. She has published almost 300 articles on travel, lifestyle, business, nature and Midwest destinations in AAA Midwest Traveler, Southern Traveler, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Herb Quarterly, Missouri Life, Illinois Magazine, Grit, Paddler Magazine, Association News, Outdoor Guide Magazine, Columbia Home & Lifestyle, Mid-Missouri Mature Living, Columbia Business Times, Sedalia!, Howard Electric Coop News, The Fayette Advertiser, Nevada Daily Mail, Centralia Fireside Guard, and other publications. In 2005 Sylvia founded Snowflake Press, which annually publishes the Bylines Writer’s Desk Calendar. She serves on the Literary Panel for the Missouri Arts Council and belongs to Midwest Travel Writers Association, Missouri Outdoor Communicators, Cooperative Communicators Association, and SCBWI. www.bylinescalendar.com.

Diane Bailey Frook, Lawrence, Kan., has written for several children’s magazines, including Cricket, Highlights for Children, Spider, Ladybug and Appleseeds.  She is finishing a middle grade non-fiction book and recently teamed up with her stepfather to write an adult murder mystery novel.  As an entertainment journalist in Los Angeles, she specialized in celebrity profiles and freelanced for national and local publications. She has also worked as a TV reviewer for The Hollywood Reporter, a children’s book reviewer, and a restaurant critic. 

G

Gordon-Bramer, Julia. As former director of the Writers Voice literary center in St. Louis, Julia Gordon-Bramer has worked with luminaries in literature such as Ken Kesey, Allen Ginsberg, and Gloria Steinem, to name just a few. She is second place winner for Carve Magazine's 2007 Raymond Carver short story contest (judged by Ben Fountain, winner of 2007 PEN/Hemingway Award and recipient of an O. Henry prize and two Pushcart prizes), First and Second place for the St. Louis Writers Guild's Deane Wagner Poetry Contest (judged by Richard Beban), a 2002 finalist for the national William Faulkner Pirate's Alley Novel-in-Progress Creative Writing Award (judged by Stuart O'Nan), a board member of River Styx literary magazine, and a Member of Distinction (2005, 2006, 2007) with the St. Louis Writers Guild and author of a memoir, NIGHT TIMES, currently seeking publication. Her award-winning poetry and prose has or will soon appear in Cornell University's Rainy Day, Carve magazine, Santa Fe Writers Project, Clemson Poetry Review, Moondance, Appleseeds, Shine Journal, and more. She is a graduate student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, working toward a MFA in Creative Writing, and holds a Bachelor's degree in English with an emphasis on writing as a profession from Webster University.

Graveman, Dianna an editor for Ligouri Publications, is a former elementary and middle school teacher, college English instructor, and corporate training designer. She is the recipient of several awards, including four Missouri Writers Guild Awards, a Catholic Press Association Award, the 2007 St. Charles Community College Distinguished Alumni Award, and the 2007 Missouri Community College Association Distinguished Alumni Award. Dianna graduated Summa cum laude from University of Missouri - St. Louis in 1997 and earned an MFA in Writing from Lindenwood University in 2005. She is currently co-authoring a book about St. Charles for Arcadia Publishing's "Images of America" series, to be released in 2009.

Grissom, Tricia. Tricia Grissom,Wentzville, MO, has published in various food and lifestyle magazines including Missouri Life, Fiery-Foods & BBQ Magazine, Babble.com., and Sauce Magazine. She has also worked as a freelance writer and photographer for The Travel Channel.

Her "This I Believe" essay was read on NPR's St. Louis on the Air, and she writes book and product reviews for the website MotherTalk.com. She also teaches English at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO, serves as publicity chair for the Saturday Writers chapter of the Missouri Writers' Guild, and manages the Coffee and Critique Writers Group blog. For more information, see her website at TriciaGrissom.com.

Gruber, Loren. Loren won third prize in the 2001 Juvenile Fiction contest for "Spoon Boy." Old Icelandic, Old English, and Native American cultures form his prize-winning middle grade and young adult short stories. He is revising his young adult historical novel series, a northern Minnesota family saga that ranges from 1832 to 1976.

While conducting research for his fiction, he was commissioned to write World War in Miniature: The Cass County Fur Trade for Cass County, Minnesota, Heritage to help commemorate that county's centennial in 1999.

Gruber began his writing career in third grade when he attempted to write a short story sequel to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, but Montgomery Ward was not interested. Neither was Gene Autry. Even his mother had laundry on her mind.

Washing his hands of fiction for the time being, and helping his mother fold clothes, he turned to other forms of expression. Building Lincoln Log forts and conceiving skirmishes. And lying about washing his hands and helping his mother.

But successful submissions to Science World and The Upper Room during high school made him think there was something to professional writing after all, although he was sidetracked his senior year trying to master the craft of poetry. That effort netted the publication of poems in the United States and Iceland, and the indifference of Joseph Pulitzer.

Undaunted, but not content with living in a garret, Gruber nevertheless kept his beard and re-discovered the joy of writing fiction: he created and voiced ADDY Award-winning radio advertisements featuring the adventures of several of his characters.

Gruber also scripted other forms of fiction - radio news and continuity, reviews (book, not musical), newspaper articles, and scholarly articles for international publication. He edited, with Meredith Crellin Gruber and Gregory K. Jember, Essays on Old, Middle, Modern English and Old Icelandic for The Edwin Mellen Press.

Additionally, he has written less-than-scholarly interviews, along with historical, travel, and prize-winning nostalgia pieces for Capper's, Heartland View, and The Ozarks Mountaineer.

Gruber's humorous filler appeared in Elizabeth Clarkson Zwart's "Front Row" column of The Des Moines Tribune and, more recently, in the Reader's Digest. Many other editors found his writing laughable.

Founding chair of the Indianola, Iowa, Writers Workshop and founding secretary of the Indianola Fine Arts Commission, he was also the Business Manager of Laurel Review. Gruber has served as a board member of The Writers Hall of Fame, and as president of both The Iowa Poetry Association and The Missouri Writers Guild. He has served as a board member of the Guild.

Dean of Missouri Valley College's Arts and Humanities Division, Professor of English, and professional muskie guide, Gruber dreams of writing fishing articles.

H

Hale, Jane. Jane Shewmaker Hale resides on the Hale family farm in Buffalo, Missouri. She combines Family, business, community & Alumni enterprises with her addiction to writing. Hale and her late husband, Bob, have four sons, Rick, Reg, Mitch, and Lucas, and ten grandchildren, Chase, Cali, Colby, Nick, Chayla, Austin, Blaine, Nathan, Zachary, and Jacob. Grandchildren range from infant to eighteen years. They provide inspiration for new books in Jane’s children’s land series of holiday mysteries.

Jane is an active partner in family business, Hale Fireworks and Sportswear. She helped establish the Dallas County R-1 Alumni Association and has served as President since 1971. She is a charter member of Ozark Writer’s , Inc., President, Springfield Writer’s Guild, VP ‘97; Ozark Writers league, and Missouri Writer’s Guild, VP and Conference Chairman, 2003-04.

Writing consists of weekly column, "Buffalo...As I Remember it" in County Courier since 1993 which has won numerous awards. Free Lance feature articles for major publications. "Wonderland", 1997, "Heartland", 1999 and "Foreverland", 2001, Boomland, 2003. Two more will complete the series, "Spookland" and "Homeland." Mollycoddles, a collection of plush animals, are designed and manufactured as book companions by Rainbow Publishing/Toys, Hale’s Publishing house and Toy Company. "Every Day Is Mother’s Day" 2003, by Skyward Publishing, is the first in Hale’s "Every Day"series. "Every Day Is Father’s Day" is in progress. "Lucky Stiff" a short story in the first of the Ozark Writers Inc. Mystery Anthology series, is published by Skyward Publishing.

Hale is available as a speaker at youth conferences, schools, and organizations, through "Recycling Reading" a Rainbow Publications development program. Publicity for Hale’s publications through Skyward Publishing are handled by Kevin & Kristine Tanzillo of Dux Public Relations of Dallas, Texas.

Visit Hale’s website at http://www.firecrackerlady.com/and find out more about her busy life and ambitions. Constant vigilance in all areas of her life bears witness to her motto, "Why be less, when you can be more?"

Henderson, Betty.

Heywood, Karen, is a freelance writer/poet and current president of the Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writer’s Guild.  She freelances for several Mid-Missouri publications including the Columbia Business Times, Jefferson City Business Times, Inside Columbia, Columbia Home and Mid-Missouri Mature Living.  Heywood writes a monthly “Local Journey” piece and a monthly “Top Picks” column for Mid-Missouri Mature Living, as well as a monthly “Artist Profile” for Inside Columbia magazine.  Her poetry has been published in several anthologies and she is currently at work on her first chapbook of poetry.  Heywood won an International award for writing an academic case study sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa and USA Today. The case study is published on the USA Today Collegiate Web site: http://www.usatoday.com/educate/college/student-home.htm

Heywood resides in Sturgeon, MO. with her husband of 30 years, four children still at home, three dogs and two cats.  She is the mother of six, Nana of three and has an Associate of Arts degree from the local community college where she is collaborating with the English Department on an English Composition textbook.  Heywood is an alumni of Phi Theta Kappa and a 2005 All-State Academic First Team winner.

Hirsch, Maurice L. “Bud”, Jr., Chesterfield, Mo., . began writing poems in 2000 after a career in academia. His first two collections of poetry are Stares to Other Places and Roots and Paths. He is the author or co-author of several books and many journal articles, both in management accounting and in oral and written communication skills. He is a Professor Emeritus of Accounting who received an MBA and Ph.D. in Accounting from Washington University and taught management accounting at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville until his retirement in 1999. Hirsch is an avid horseman, having bred, trained, ridden, and shown Paso Fino horses for over thirty-five years. He is also an accomplished photographer; his photos illustrate his two books of poems. He served for over thirty years as a board member of The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. He is a founding board member of Chesterfield Arts, a community-based arts organization. He also serves on the City of Chesterfield’s Planning Commission and was named the city’s 2007 Citizen of the Year. He currently serves as treasurer of the Missouri Writers Guild. Hirsch and his wife of 47 years, Marian, live in Chesterfield, Missouri. Contact Bud at hirschwrites@sbcglobal.net and his web page is http://www.hirschwrites.com

Hobson, Patsy Bell, is a freelance writer specializing in travel, and gardening features. Patsy Bell has been published in AAA Midwest Traveler, Kansas City Homes & Gardens, 50 & Better, Ozarks Magazine, The Kansas City Star, Green Prints, Missouri Life, AAA Southern Traveler, ByLine Magazine and the 2006 ByLines calendar. Her gardening success has inspired the many recipes that have been published in Southern Living Magazine, Woman's Day, Herb Companion, Southern Living Annual Recipes Cookbook, and The Best Of Country Cooking Cookbook. She is a graduate of the College Of The Ozarks, a  Master Gardener emeritus and is retired from the University Of Missouri Extension. Recent speaking engagements include Organic Gardening, Tomatoes in Containers and Herb Gardening for Beginners. Memberships include Missouri Writers' Guild, Oklahoma Writers' Federation, National Garden Writers Association, Society Of Professional Journalists. http://patsybell.com
president@missouriwritersguild.org

Hoy, Teresa www.teresahoy.com

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Sally Jadlow, Overland Park, Kan.,  writes poetry, short stories and personal essays. She serves as a chaplain to corporations in the greater Kansas City area and is a creative writing teacher at Christ Prep Academy. “Sonflower Seeds” is her first collection of poetry and inspirational short stories. She has been published in both the Christian and secular market. Her web page is http://hometown.aol.com/sonflowerseeds/myhomepage/business.html

Jaeger, Susan. Currently a Professor of English, Susan previously served as the Baptist Bible College’s PR Correspondent, writing articles, press releases, an Annual Donor Report, and grant proposals. She has also edited a number of books, completed research for consultation (“Writing in the Workplace”), written English/Language Arts curriculum and web pages, and team written Bible Truths: The Servant’s Heart (BJU Press). Her poetry and other creative genres are her greatest passion in writing. Her work can be found in Baptist Bible Tribune, Ozark Christian News, Southwestern American Literature, and elsewhere.

Johns, Paul, Springfield, Mo., is the author of two books: Unto These Hills; True Tales from the Ozarks and A Century of Eagles and A Historical Account of Nixa Schools.  He is currently writing a young adult novel.  Johns is also a former syndicated newspaper columnist (Ghosts in the Hills) which ran weekly for several years in various county newspapers.  His feature articles, columns and opinion pieces have appeared in Ozark Headliner, Nixa Enterprise, Republic Monitor and the Cassville Democrat, Buffalo Reflex, Springfield Business Journal, OzarksWatch, Springfield News-Leader, Springfield!, White River Historical Quarterly, Christian County Historian, Missouri Life and The Ozarks Mountaineer, as well as national publications.  His short stories have appeared in such anthologies as Ozarks Panorama. Johns’ awards include the MWG’s Walter Williams Major Work Award and both the ‘Cliff Edom Award’ (for a nonfiction feature article) and the ‘Dan Saults Award’ (for a short story) from the Ozarks Writers League. Johns has served as an officer of the Missouri Writers’ Guild and as president of the Ozarks Writers League.  He has also been a member of the Springfield Writers Guild, the Heartland Writers Guild, Sisters in Crime and Western Writers of America. He also served on the board of directors of the Writers Hall of Fameâof America from 1995 until 2004, when he was hired as the organization’s first National Executive Director.

Jones, Veda Boyd enjoys the challenge of writing for diverse readers. She is the author of thirty-eight books: four children’s historical novels, twenty-one children’s biographies, two children’s nonfiction books, a picture book, nine romance novels, and a coloring book. Other published works include over 300 articles and stories in children’s and adult magazines (Cricket, Highlights, Humpty Dumpty, The Writer, Writer’s Digest, Woman’s World, Children’s Writer, etc.), articles in reference books, and five romance novellas. Jones earned an MA in history at the University of Arkansas, has taught writing at Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, and now teaches for the Institute of Children’s Literature. She is a past president of Missouri Writers' Guild and has served on the Missouri Arts Council panel for literature. She is currently president of the Joplin Public Library Board.

Her newest biographies are on Abraham Lincoln, Sandra Day O'Connor, and Langston Hughes. Coming out soon is a biography of JFK for Scholastic's Rookie Reader series and three other bios in Wright Group/McGraw-Hill's lineup. She's currently working on an historical novel for middle-grade readers, Nellie the Brave, which will be in the Sisters in Time series from Barbour Books. E-mail: vbjones@cableone.net

Web site: www.vedaboydjones.com

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Kamberg, Mary-Lane. Mary-Lane, from Olathe, KS, has published nonfiction books on health and child care topics, as well as an online children's picture book. Her work has appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Christian Science Monitor, Healthy Kids and other national magazines. She is a contributing editor to Hydro Review, a magazine for the North American hydroelectric industry. She also writes for Transaction Trends, the official magazine for the Electronic Transactions Association, and Women in Business, the magazine of the American Business Women's Association. She is an award-winning poet and co-leader of the Kansas City Writers Group. Email her at kamberg202@comcast.net.

Kinder, Rose Marie

Kirkland, David Lee "Kirk." When not dancing in his kilt, tending his fruit trees,or practicing either tai chi or fiddle, Kirk writes tanka, short fiction, and works on two as-yet unpublished novels. His work has been accepted by numerous publications including Tangled Hair, New American Review, and The Storyteller. Further details and even a few photos appear at his immodest writer website: www.davidleekirkland.com

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Ledgin, Norm. Ledgin is a retired country weekly newspaper publisher/editor and former traffic safety educator. His first book, “Diagnosing Jefferson” (Future Horizons, 2000), was one of the 10 top-selling Jefferson biographies for two years after its release and is in its second hardcover printing. Another nonfiction work, “Asperger's and Self-Esteem” (FH, 2002, also HC), contains analyses of another dozen famous people.  "I hope to break into print as a mystery writer and have a co-author on board.  It's an artistically demanding learning process but well worth pursuing." Norm has degrees from Rutgers in journalism and political science.  He lives in Stilwell, KS.

Mark L. Lee, Bonner Springs, Kan., started writing articles in 1974 for his junior high school newspaper. Since then, he has written several thousand sports journalism article for greater Kansas City area newspapers like the Kansas City Kansan, The Kansas City Star, The Leavenworth Times, The Osawatomie Graphic and The Bonner Springs Chieftain. He has also self-published a journal writing book, been published in ByLine Magazine and The Metro Voice newspaper and has been honored for light poetry and children’s literature. He received a bachelor’s of general studies from the University of Kansas (1983) and a master’s degree of communications from Eastern New Mexico University (1984). For nearly 20 years, he served as an adjunct instructor in English and speech at Kansas City Kansas Community College.

Lenzi, Christy, of Columbia, is published in Newsweek, Cricket, Pockets, Sesame Street Parent, Today's Christian Woman, Positive Thinking, and Chicago Parent. Her poem "Making Molasses" won first place for poetry in the UMR/ArtsRolla 2000 literary contest and is published in Now & Then regional magazine. Christy enjoys writing historical fiction. Her story "False Impressions," set in ancient Babylon, has been serialized in Cricket. Forthcoming in Cricket are "The Bushwhackers," a story set in Rolla, Missouri, during the Civil War, and "Loki and the Apples of the Gods," a retelling of an Old Norse myth.

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Laura Manivong, Lenexa, Kan., has publishing credits that include “One Smart Fish” (Children’s Press, 2006),  Highlights For Children, Skipping Stones Magazine, and regional literary magazines. She is a senior writer/producer at a Kansas City TV station where she was awarded an Emmy for individual achievement in television writing, and four Telly awards for commercial production. She is currently marketing a tween novel, “Potholes,” and a middle grade historical novel, “Sticky Rice.”

Massey, Ellen Gray. Visit her websites at www.ellengraymassey.com andwww.ozarkwritersinc.com.

May, Jeff Penn. Jeff Penn May has published short stories, poems, and articles in the US, UK, and Canada, and he has won several short fiction awards. Jeff rafted the Mississippi, searched for artifacts in Mexico, and climbed mountains from Alaska to Colombia. Recent work appears in The Rambler, a magazine of personal expression and Untamed Ink, and his novel Where the River Splits is to be released Summer 2008. Jeff currently teaches writing and fly-fishing in and around St. Louis, Missouri. Visit his website www.askwritefish.com.

Debra McArthur, Kansas City, Mo., teaches at Park University and has written children’s stories and articles for over a decade. Her history books for young readers include “The Dust Bowl and the Depression in American History,” “ The Kansas-Nebraska Act and ’Bleeding Kansas,’ “Desert Storm: The First Persian Gulf War,” and “Raoul Wallenberg: Rescuing Thousands from the Nazis’ Grasp,” all published by Enslow Publishers. Her  biography and reader’s guide on Mark Twain was released in 2005 by Benchmark Books. Her web page is http://kidd.park.edu/debramcarthur/ 

McCann, Shirley, Springfield, Mo. Has published fiction in Woman's World Magazine, Nefarious, Orchard Press Mysteries, Monarch Mysteries, The Writers Ezine, Laughter Loaf, and Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine. A member of Mystery Writers of America and The Romance Writers of America, Shirley also is the founder of Sleuths' Ink, a mystery writers group in Springfield, Mo. Shirley also appears with The Lethal Ladies presenting talks on various topics of interest to writers.  Contact her at fictionrus@aol.com.

Mulford, Carolyn. Formerly a magazine editor in Washington, D.C., and Vienna, Austria, Carolyn divides her time between writing nonfiction and fiction in Columbia. Since opening her own editorial business in 1982, she has written thousands of articles and miscellaneous other materials and provided writing, editing, and training services to such clients as the Library of Congress, American Red Cross, and National Institutes of Health. Her books include The Feedsack Dress (a middle-reader historical novel), Adventure Vacations in Five Mid-Atlantic States, and Elizabeth Dole, Public Servant. She gives readings and talks related to her novel and offers workshops on nonfiction writing.

Murphy, Lee Ann (Sontheimer). Lee Ann currently lives and works in the Missouri Ozarks, but is a native of St. Joseph, Missouri. Her non-fiction, poetry, and fiction has appeared in publications that include Country Woman, The Ozarks Mountaineer, Country Folk, Capper's, Backwoods Home Magazine, Byline, 2Am, and many other small press publications. She has also written columns for both The Joplin Globe and The Neosho Post newspapers.

Her novel Rich Mountain is currently being marketed. She is now working on a new novel, The Deer Woman.

She also worked for seven years in small market radio broadcasting. She has a B.A. degree in English and History from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin as well as an A.A. degree in Journalism from Crowder College in Neosho.

Lee Ann lives near Neosho, Missouri with her husband of ten years, Roy, and their three children, Emily, Megan, and Patrick.

Murphy, Marli. Marli is senior copy editor for National Seminars Group, Inc., and a 25-year newspaper columnist with a personal column in the Sunday edition of The Kansas City Star. She is also a freelance writer for newspapers and magazines and has won more than 100 first place awards at the national, state and local level for her writing, editing, and layout work. She is currently the editor of the quarterly MWG News for the Missouri Writers' Guild, of which she is a 20-year member.

Myers, Sophia. Sophia Myers is a professional writer and author of fiction and nonfiction books who has worked as a cartographer, foreign language translator, and illustrator. She has had poetry, short stories, essays, and articles published in numerous magazines, anthologies, and newspapers. She has won numerous national awards in poetry, descriptive prose, and short stories. Sophia is an active member of The Kansas City Writers' Group, Society of Professional Journalists, The Missouri Writers' Guild, The Kansas City Press Club, The Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. Sisters in Crime, Partners in Crime, and is presently being inducted in The National League of American Pen Women, Inc. She has served as art editor and illustrator for Red Herring, a mystery magazine, and as president and art editor of Potpourri, a literary publication with subscribers in twenty-seven countries. She is a member of The Kansas City Art Coalition, The Association of Community Arts Agencies of Kansas, and is nationally known for painting fresco walls. She has been featured in the 2000 issue of The Artists' Magazine and Renovation Style.

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North, Patricia J. , Clinton, Wash., After a lifetime in Missouri Patricia moved to Washington state, but keeps her Missouri ties. She has been writing since she was seven years old. Her subject was her pet cats. She “graduated to writing” PTA and Alumni programs, club skits,  petitions to the government to save our local post office, and poems for special occasions. Today she writes poetry, nostalgia and essays, some humorous. Her background is in news writing, and she earned a B.S. in Political Science with a minor in Journalism as an older student.  Her credits include The Disciple, Mature Living, Capper's, The Secret Place, The Upper Room, The St. Joseph, Mo. News-Press, and Good Old Days. Awards include the Springfield, Mo., Writers Guild Literary Contest: First place Jim Stone Grand Prize Memorial Award, Poetry – 2001; Third place in published poetry – 2003; Honorable Mention in Rhyming – 2003;   Angels Without Wings Foundation Born-Again America Contest: honorable mention, poem, 2001; Saturday Writers One-page Poetry Contest:  Judges "notable entry" designation, 2003; Washington Poets Association:  Honorable mention in one category of poetry contest, 2005. Her goal is to learn more, write more and publish more!

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Park,Therese, came to the United States to be a cellist with the Kansas City Philharmonic (now the Kansas City Symphony) in 1966. After 30 years, she retired and began writing full-time. Her first novel, “A Gift of the Emperor,” published in 1997, is about a Korean schoolgirl forced into military prostitution by the Japanese government during World War II. This book was selected in the reference volumes Reading Groups Choices for 1998 and Contemporary Authors 2001. It was also published in Turkey in 2001. Her second novel, "When a Rooster Crows at Night: A Child's Experience of the Korean War," was published in 2003.  This story is based on what she witnessed during the Korean War. Her essays and articles have been published in “The Kansas City Star,” “The Sun Publication”, “Best Times,” “The Sun,” “Our Family” (Canada), “Korea Bridge”
(South Korea) and more.

Parrott, Wanda Sue. Wanda, a member of MWG since 1989, was born in Kansas City in 1935 but grew up in Southern California. She returned to Missouri in 1988, settling in Springfield, where she soon became active in writers' organizations. She is past president of Springfield Writers' Guild and is an honorary life member of Ozark Writers League, Sleuth's Ink, and Writer's Challenge. She is honorary life member of Missouri State Poetry Society as well ac active member of both Meeting the Muse and Missouri Poets & Friends chapters of MSPS.

She began her writing career as an aerospace technical writer with Hughes Aircraft Company, serving on the staff of Vectors Magazine at HAC. From there, she becae a reporter with the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner in 1968. After moving to Missouri, she served as contributing editor and writer for Senior Pages and Senior Living newspapers, and was a syndicated writer with Senior Living News Syndicate and magazine columnist with FATE Magazine until two years ago.

Her short stories, poetry and non-fiction have all won local and national awards. She was named Best Feature Writer in the Hearst Corporation chain of newspapers in the 1960s and 1970s and, more recently, a winner in the Christian Science Monitor haiku contest.

Her career plan was to write books later in life.She is author of Understanding Automatic Writing (Sherbourne Press), How to Try Your Own Case in Court--and Win! with Hon. Mel Red Recana, presiding judge of Los Angeles Municipal Court, and There's a Spirit in the Kitchen with Jackie Dashiell (both Galde Press, Inc.). She is currently completing two books to be published by Galde Press if and when she ever gets them finished. One is titled Life After Roswell (effects on human consciousness after the flying saucer flap of 1947) and Path of the Prophet (also called Meeting the Muse Within One's Self).

She is co-founder of the National Annual Senior Poet Laureate Poetry Competition for American poets age 50 and older, and, with Vera-Jane Goodin, is coproducer of "Golden Words" chapbook containing the best poetry by seniors who are winners in the annual SPL categories. She serves as founder-director of Amy Kitchener's Angels Without Wings Foundation, a non-profit literary society based in Springfield.

Wanda has published under 18 pen names, including Swamiwanda, Edgar Allan Philpott, Diogenes Rosenberg and Susanina of Veice West (during a brief stint as a beatnik poet during college years while trying to decide between an acting or writing career).

Pfister, Fred. Fred recently won first place in the 2003 Missouri Writers Guild Essay Contest for "Overalls: Our National Icon?", his examination/history of the development and evolution of America's "work uniform." He won second place in 2003 for the best historical article with "Langston Hughes: Missouri's American Original," and placed second in best religious article, with third place standings for best magazine column and best nostalgia article.

In past MWG contests, he placed second in 2001 contest the best magazine column for his "Ozark Meanderings" in The Ozarks Mountaineer and third place in the Walter Williams Major Word Award for his book, The Insiders' Guide to Branson and the Ozark Mountains. In 2002, he won first place in the MWG contest for his essay/column, "Worrying About Our Water."

Fred is a native Ozarker, raised on the old Emmett Kelly farm (Weary Willie of circus clown fame) in Houston in Texas County, Mo. He could brag--until the last census, when Cabool gained population superiority--that Houston was the biggest town (2000 population) in the biggest county (in area) in Missouri--as big as the entire state of Rhode Island.

Fred is a retired English professor who edits The Ozarks Mountaineer, a bi-monthly regional magazine that covers the Ozarks. He spends non-editing time writing, teaching special classes, and giving lectures throughout the state for the Missouri Humanities Council on Missouri place names, folklore. and other language and literature topics. He also portrays poet Walt Whitman in a Chautauqua presentation, the reason for the "gray beard look" he wears.

He has a degree from The School of the Ozarks (where he was in the college's first graduating class and where he taught for 26 years). He worked his way through college as a radio announcer and as an actor in the college's local Beacon Hill summer stock theater. He has an M.A. from the University of Arkansas and a doctorate from the University of Mississippi . He is the author of The Littlest Baby: A Handbook for Parents of Premature Children, published by Prentice-Hall. In addition to The Ozarks Mountaineer, he also edits All Roads Lead To Branson, a magazine for those who are interested in the Branson entertainment and tourist scene. He's also the author of various scholarly articles and poetry.

Fred lives only a block off Branson's strip with his wife Faye, retired art teacher from the Hollister Public Schools and his teenage daughter Falecia, the former pound and a half preemie who is now a student at Southwest Missouri State University. Sharing the wooded acreage in Branson with the family are household cat J. R. Mewing and over a half million honey bees.

Phillips, Authorene Wilson, Marshall, Mo., recently has had Arrow Rock: The Story of a Missouri Village published by the University of Missouri Press as part of the Missouri Heritage Readers series, She has enjoyed making numerous talks related to her book and writing. Previously, her stories, poems, and activities for children were published as Sunday school leaflets; numerous mission, family and farm wife articles have been published as well as a class reunion plan book. Authorene is cofounder and facilitator of the Marshall Writers’ Guild and served as publication editor for the Missouri Writers’ Guild in 1996. She has been a guild member since 1995 when she retired as a Marshall High School teacher of English. Recently, she encouraged a group at John Knox Village in Higginsville, MO, to organize and continue writing. She is a 1960 graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and in 1986 completed her masters from the University of Missouri, Columbia. Authorene can be reached at phillips57@murlin.com.

Potter, Jacqueline is a nature-loving writer from the Carthage, Mo. area whose work has been translated into five languages and sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide. Poet, essayist, storyteller and speaker, she published two novels under a pen name for Berkley/Jove and is a member of Ozarks Writers League. Click on Hot New Releases to find out about her third and latest book "By Surf and By Stream, Illustrated Poems, Stories and Reflections", released in March, 2007, with historic photos and pen-and-ink drawings by Elliott Potter. To purchase, visit local shops, www.jacquelinepotter.com, www.newrenbooks.com , or www.amazon.com.

Povich, Becky

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Richards, Dusty. Western writer Dusty Richards remembers the saturday matinees, the stacks of westerns he read from the library and the twenty-five cents paperbacks he devoured. He spend his teen years in Arizona, working on ranches, rodeoing and worrying his mother to death he'd turn into a saddle bum. His writing career took a back seat, while he ranched, rodeo announced, did a radio show, doctored chickens for Tyson Foods, auctioneered and even anchored a morning TV show. Then his teenage daughters began to bug him about selling his stacks of hand written novels in three-ring note books that they read and enjoyed. So like a slow dawn, he began to pursue the notion. He decided real quick that he should have paid more attention in English classes. Secondly, he had to learn to type--since this businesss was no sure money maker, he couldn't afford a secretary. That meant learn enough about a computer to survive and early computers were well--a mess.

He sold his first western novel, Noble's Way, in 1992. Since then he's sold over fifty-five books under his name and various pseudonyms. Currently he is working on three books in a new series for Pocket Books, Burt Green Special U S Marshal series, under his own name, and two books for Signet under the Ralph Compton Trail Drive series, also under his name.

A member of the Western Writers Of America and board member, past president of Ozark Writers League, Ozark Creative Writers Conference, vice president of Oklahoma Writers Federation, he heads the Arkansas Ridge Writers. A sought-after speaker, he speaks all across the US on writing.

Dusty has a "how to write' column in Story Teller Magazine. He also is very active in his home town's PRCA rodeo, The National Chuckwagon Racing Championship. a rural electric board member and a trout fisherman. Dusty and Pat live on an abbreviated ranch in northwest Arkansas.

Current books include: Lawless Land, Servant of the Law, and Rancher's Law. The Natural, a book about contemporary rodeo, was published in 2002. His latest work, Deuces Wild, is scheduled to be released in 2004.

Check out www.dustyrichards.com for more.

Ridenour, Eva. Eva Ridenour, who grew up in Central Illinois, currently lives in Armstrong, MO. She has published articles in magazines such as Boys’ Life, Grit, MidWest Motorist, Family MotorCoaching, Persimmon Hill and religious publications as well as various newsletters. Her professional quality photography has been published in many of these magazines and have won prizes in art contests.

She has written five novels under the pen name of Elizabeth Butler: The Colonel’s Widow, Trailboss, J.D.’s Rustler, Master of the Night and Calico Queen. All were published by B & E Publishing Company. In the year 2000 she was placed on the All About Romance, online reviewers’ newsletter, Over the Back Fence list of "Hidden Treasures". This is for authors with small publishers who show promise in the romance genre. In November 2003, her non-fiction article "The Woman Behind the Fence" received an honorable mention in the ByLine Magazine contest.

She received her bachelor’s degree in 1989 from Eastern Illinois University. She is currently a member of the Creative Writing Group in Boonville, MO, Columbia Chapter of the Missouri Writer’s Guild and the Missouri Writers Guild as well as Western Writers of America. She is a former member of Romance Writers’ of America in which she served as a local chapter president for two years.

Eva loves to travel and lived in Arizona for ten years in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. She has traveled frequently to the west particularly to Wyoming and Montana and thus, the setting for much of her work. In addition to travel, she loves to read, plays golf and enjoys being a spectator for college football and basketball. She is the mother of one grown daughter and has two grandchildren all of whom live in Fayette, MO.

She is currently working on her sixth novel, Libby, which has an anticipated release date of Summer 2004. She is also writing a book about her hometown, Arcola, Illinois’ history that she plans to have done by Summer 2005. For more information, visit her web sites at http://members.socket.net/~bepub or http://www.geocities.com/eridenou/. Her e-mail address is: bepub@socket.net.

Ryan, K. James, Ph.D., St. Louis, Mo., is an avid writer featured in an array of media, including: The Discovery Channel (travel); Missouri Police Chief’s Magazine (law); Writer’s Digest (humor); The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (commentary); The Mildred Bastion Theater (humor), and Black Tie St. Louis (critique). While not busy serving as president of STS International, LLC, a firm that designs intelligence systems and structures for government, he writes humor, mysteries, commentary and the occasional textbook. He has a Ph.D. in Political Science from Washington University.

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Sanders, Tricia

Schade-Brewer, Susie, Adrian, Mo., accepted writing as her profession after nine of her 11 children moved away.  She has written two historical fiction novels of the American West (sequels) entitled The Sacrifice of the Sage Hen and Passion’s End.  She has also authored several award-winning short stories, as well as essays and articles. 

Schreck, Mary Kim, Osage Beach, Mo., now lives at the Lake of the Ozark but is previously from St. Louis County, where she taught high school English at Francis Howell North in St. Charles County. She has recently published two books of poetry, Pulse of the Seasons and The Red Desk, with Tigress Press in Columbia, Mo. Mary Kim is currently serving as editor of the Missouri Teachers of English literary magazine, Missouri Teachers Write. She has published numerous articles in National Council of Teachers of English publications, as well as The Missouri Reader, Missouri English Bulletin; as well as poetry in Well Versed, Missouri Teachers Write, Wild Life Officer, and Life Span Learning. After retiring from the Missouri Public Schools, Mary Kim has been serving as a free-lance educational consultant for organizations such as Missouri National Education Association, Consolidated School District, Trice Enterprises (Houston), Gateway Writing Project, the St. Louis Public school system and the Kansas City, Mo., school system. Over the last five years Mary Kim has given more than 200 writing and reading workshops across the state.  She can be contacted at marykim@aol.com.

Sherman, Jory. Jory, a full-time writer for over forty years, began his writing career as a poet in San Francisco. He has published widely in such journals as: Epos, Quicksilver, Renaissance, The New York Herald Tribune, Laugh, Literary, Signet, The Black Cat Review, The Ozarks Mountaineer, Flame, The Galley Sail Review, and many other publications and anthologies.

Sherman has had four books of poetry published, all of which went through multiple printings. A Professor of Literature (University of Florida) Warren French, noted: "Jory Sherman has a strange and powerful knowledge of language and an almost perfect ear." Jory began writing at age 8, when he was grief-stricken over the death of his puppy, Doopers. He read James Joyce's Ulysses at the age of 10 and fell in love with language.

Sherman has published more than 1000 articles and 500 short stories. Recently, his story, COMES THE HUNTER, has appeared in Tales of the American West, the WWA Spur Winners Anthology, published by NAL, Richard S. Wheeler, editor. Another story, THE SNOWS OF AUGUST, appeared in the WWA Short Story Anthology, American West, Loren D. Estleman, editor, published by Forge Books. Read the West, an electronic magazine, published his original short story, THE FILLY, in its April, 1999 ezine, and his original story, SHADOWS AT SUNSET, Steve Law, editor, was published in the Read West ezine.

Jory's venture into ebooks is represented by The Hills of Home, a collection of pieces on the Ozarks published electronically by Hard Shell Word Factory in August, 2000, and Chill #1: Satan's Seed, published in October, 2000 by HSWF, and Visions of a Lost Girl, published in August, 2001.

Sherman has published more than 300 books since 1965, with Doubleday, Zebra, Avon, Berkley, Walker & Co., Tor, Forge, Bantam, Major Books, Pinnacle, The First Ozark Press, White Oak Press, and others. He has created and packaged series for Avon, Harlequin Gold Eagle, Pinnacle, Paperjacks, Zebra, Bantam, and others.

A recent novel, Grass Kingdom, Tor/Forge, hardcover, 1994; paperback, 1995, was nominated for Pulitzer Prize in Literature. Other recent novels include The Barons of Texas, The Baron Range, The Baron Brand, The Baron War, The Ballad of Pinewood Lake, The Dark Land (Winner of the 2001 Missouri Writers' Guild "Best Book" Award), and The Sunset Rider.

Sherman created and hired the writers for the Rivers West series for Bantam and wrote the following novels for the series: The Arkansas River, The Rio Grande, The Columbia River, The South Platte, and The Brazos. Other recent novels written by Sherman include: The Medicine Horn, winner of the 1991 Western Writers of America Spur award, Trappers Moon, Song of the Cheyenne, Winter of the Wolf, and Horne's Law.

Jory Sherman lives in Pittsburg,Texas on Lake Bob Sandlin. He can be emailed at: jorytex@aol.com. Visit his webpage at http://www.jorysherman.com.

Simmons, Jane. Jane is a freelance writer, recognized for her unique "prose portrait" style of profile biographical writing. She has served as a former State President of the Missouri Writers' Guild, founded in 1915 by and for published professional writers. Jane is an author of three books (two used in schools), award-winner for essay and travel writing, editor of two non-profit organizaions' monthly newsletters, and a writer of speeches, promotional brochures, in-house newsletters, legislative reports (both federal and state levels), conference reports, radio political commentary, documentary film scripts, and organizational pamphlets. Janes is the editor-writer of weekly political "insider" newsletter read by the top partisan political Missouri "movers and shakers" in the state and in the U.S. Congress, and editor of a national company's weekly confidential federal legislative report to its key officers. She has been a reporter in Washington, D.C. and at Missouri's Capitol in Jefferson City and has served as Capitol Bureau Chief for a Missouri newspaper. Other positions include serving as Associate Editor of a national weekly insurance newsletter, and as a mentor & trainer in an annual intern program for university students majoring in journalism and/or government.

Also, Jane Simmons is a professional charity auctioneer who does fundraising for organizations with her entertaining persona, "E. B. Livingsfun," first warming up the audience. She is a member of the National Association of Auctioneers. Currently writing her fourth book, she still finds time for volunteer work and playing golf. Her work in corporations, the federal government, non-profits organizations, political campaigns, and as a member of the Fourth Estate, has created in her a solid fully rounded perspective that wraps around writing assignments quickly. Her workshop training on "The Dynamics of Politics" is fun, informative and personally empowering, as is her "English Enhancement Power Skills Seminar." Jane has owned two businesses in the past. Her current business since May 1992 is: Jane Simmons Lecturer & Free-Lance Writer.

A list of publications carrying her work is available upon request, along with references.

Marilyn K. Smith, of Fair Grove, has won numerous awards for her writing, poetry and photos, including the Best Ozark Historical article, in the Missouri Writers' Guild contest, in 2004, for "Ozarks Silos: Monuments to a Farming Past." In 2006, she won 2nd place, in the Best Ozarks Article category, for "One-Room Country Schools, a Rich Educational Heritage." Her column, "A Tale or Two," approaching its 22nd year, appears weekly in the Buffalo Reflex newspaper, and a ten year span of articles have appeared in the Ozarks Senior Living newspaper. Additional writing credits: The Ozarks Mountaineer magazine, Springfield! Magazine, Ozarks Watch (published through MSU), Reminisce, Springfield News-Leader newspaper, Fair Grove Heritage, Marshfield Mail, Fair Grove Interchange, Fair Grove Gazette, The Possum Trot Quarterly, Hodgepodge, Golden Words, Geniis At Work, The Index and Keys magazine. In addition to being a member of the Missouri Writers' Guild (a former board member), Marilyn is a former secretary and current member of the Springfield Writers' Guild, secretary of Poets and Friends Springfield chapter, member of the Missouri Poetry Society, president of the Fair Grove Sunshine Club and secretary of the Fair Grove Historical and Preservation Society. e-mail: msmith_writer@att.net

Smith, Mary Nida. Mary has written for newspapers as a feature writer, book reviewer, essayist and columnist. She has been published in Grit, Northwest Living, Farm Lines, Falls Street Journal, Pentecostal Evangel, Good Old Days Specials, Rural Arkansas, The Ozarks Mountaineer, Inside Stories, Buzzwords, and more.

She is the founder and President of the Twin Lakes Writers and the editor of their newsletter.

Smith is a member of the Society of Children's Book Authors & Illustrators, Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc., and the newly appointed Vice-president of the Ozarks Writers League. Email her at marynida@lakeviewnet.com .

Stewart, Jeanie. Since leaving the teaching profession in l995, Jeanie Stewart has written sixteen books for juveniles and young adults. She has also published poems, short stories, and articles. In addition to being a member of the Missouri Writer’s Guild, she is also a member and past president of the Heartland Writers Guild and a member of SCBWI. Jeanie is presently employed as the director of the Conran Memorial Library.

Stewart, Shirley, has written many articles and short stories for such varied publications as "Woman's World", "Springfield! Magazine", and "True Romance". She has also written novels under the name S. J. Stewart. Two of them, "Beyond the Verde River" and "Blood Debt" have won awards. Besides the Missouri Writers' Guild, she is also a member of Western Writers of America.

Stratmann, Henry G. (H.G.) , M.D. is a cardiologist and writer. He is Clinical Professor of Medicine at St. Louis University and currently is in private practice in Springfield, Missouri. He is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiology, and nuclear cardiology. Henry is the author or co-author of nearly seventy publications in medical journals, one book chapter in a cardiology textbook, and the book Sex and Your Heart Health: A Cardiologist Tells All. He has had four science fact articles and fourteen science fiction stories in the magazine Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Find more information at the author’s website, http://web.mac.com/hgstratmannjr.

Janet Sunderland, Kansas City, Mo., Janet grew up on a Kansas homestead in Marshall County, Kansas - a homestead that remains in the family and is now planted to native prairie.  She and her husband Cliff Kroski retreat to the quiet of wind and tallgrass in the summer.  In the years between the farm and teaching in Kansas City, she lived throughout the U.S., in Europe, Mexico, and the Caribbean.  She moved to Kansas City in 1999.  She holds a BFA from Kansas State University, a graduate degree from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, and teaches writing and literature at Avila University.

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Theiss, Robin (Moore) is a writer, photographer, and speaker with authorial credits that include short stories, newspaper and magazine articles, essays, poetry, and a wide range of business communications. Her photography has been published in magazines, literary journals, and Internet websites. A former marketing executive in the insurance industry, Robin has devoted her energies full-time toward furthering writers' organizations since 2001, serving on the boards of the Writers' Society of Jefferson County, Missouri Writers Guild, Missouri Center for the Book, and most recently, St. Louis Writers Guild where she held the position of president for 2005-2008. (www.stlwritersguild.org).

Contact Robin at robin@robintheiss.com

Thornton, Carolyn Gray. Carolyn, from Nevada, Missouri, is the wife of a retired United Methodist Minister, mother of four, grandmother of seven and great grandmother of six, a retired social worker, and has had her third book published in 2002. For Everything There Is A Season follows A Funny Thing Happened on the Road to Senility and Family Fun and Games, which she co-wrote with sister, Ellen Gray Massey. All are published by Skyward Publishing of Dallas. Her web site address is www.carolyngraythornton.com.

Tiner, John Hudson. John Hudson Tiner is the author of textbooks and character-building biographies. He is well known for his books for youth including the Sowers Series for Mott Media and the Exploring and Champions series for Master Books. He has a master’s degree from Duke University and graduate study in the sciences from five other universities. He has written more than 800 published manuscripts, including 60 books, for all age groups.

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Varno, Susan. Susan Varno retired to Izard County, Arkansas, in 1999, from Chicago's South Suburbs. Since 1990, she's been a staff writer and columnist for Video Views magazine. Her writing credits include articles in Rural Arkansas, Country, Byline, Cappers, Romance Writers Report and Women's Household and short stories in True Confessions, True Love and Modern Romance. She is the author of the book Trimble Campground Church, the First 150 Years.

Volkenannt, Donna Duly.St. Peters, Mo., and her husband, Walter, are raising their grandchildren, Cari and Michael, who give great joy to her life. She is the 2005-2006 president of the Missouri Writers' Guild, a founding member and past president of Saturday Writers, and past secretary of the Ozark Writers' League. Her work has appeared in several commercial and literary magazines.  She has received numerous writing awards, including Honorable Mention in the Fourth Annual Steinbeck Short Story Competition. In 2003, her creative non-fiction piece "Julie's Gift" won first place in the MWG’s Religious/Inspirational Category. dvolkenannt@charter.net.

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Ward, Dayton. Ward got his start in professional writing by placing stories in each of the first three Star Trek: Strange New Worlds anthologies. He has collaborated with friend and co-writer Kevin Dilmore on several installments of the Star Trek: S.C.E. e-Book series, articles for Star Trek Communicator Magazine, the Star Trek: The Next Generation novels A Time to Sow and A Time to Harvest, and the short story “Field Expediency” in the Tales of the Dominion War anthology. On his own, he is the author of the Star Trek novel In the Name of Honor, the science fiction novels The Last World War and The Genesis Protocol (the latter to be published in early 2006), as well as short stories in the Star Trek: New Frontier anthology No Limits, Kansas City VoicesMagazine and the forthcoming horror collection Family Plots.Though he currently lives in Kansas City with his wife, Michi, he is a Florida native and still maintains a torrid long-distance romance with his beloved Tampa Bay Buccaneers. www.daytonward.com.

Warner, Wayne E., Springfield, Mo., is the retired director of the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center (Assemblies of God), having served in that capacity from 1980-2005.  . He is a past president of the Missouri Writers' Guild and the Springfield Chapter. He has specialized in Christian articles and books.  For 10 years he wrote a history column for the Pentecostal Evangel.  He is the author or compiler of 12 Christian books, including Maria Woodworth-Etter, For Such a Time as This, which received the 2005 MWG Best Non-Fiction award.  He also won first place awards for the Best Religious Article in two previous Guild contests. Several of his books are in foreign languagesBefore joining the Assemblies of God staff in 1968, he served as an Illinois pastor and editor of a weekly newspaper.  His wife Pat is a retired Sunday school curriculum editor for the Assemblies of God. 

West, Diana. Diana, from Joplin, Missouri, has been writing since 1981. She has penned poetry, essays, and non-fiction articles, and often takes photos to accompany her articles. She has been published in local, regional, national, and foreign publications. Those include Show Me the Ozarks, Ozarks Mountaineer, Grit, American Profile, Wild West, and History magazine.

Awards include First Place at the Arkansas Writers' Conference, Little Rock, in 1988 and 1995 in the Feature Article category. She won two First Place awards at the Missouri Writers' Guild Contest for 2002 in Best Magazine Article and Best Article/Photo Package. Ms. West placed in the Top 100 in the Non-fiction Article category with #40 and #32 respectively in 1999 and 2002 in the Writer's Digest Annual contest.

She completed a B.A. degree in English with a minor in journalism at Mo. Southern State College, Joplin.

West, Mary I. Mary writes for a variety of magazines and newspapers. Her particular interest is to use her writing skills as an advocate for children's rights. She has been active in Missouri writer groups for many years, serving several terms as Secretary/Treasurer for the Missouri Writers' Guild and is a member of the board. She is presently Treasurer for the Springfield Writers' Guild.

She and her husband Bill live in Springfield, Missouri where they raised 6 children, and have 12 grandchildren and 8 great-grand children. Bill and Mary recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

White, Sandra. Sandra, from Springfield, MO, began her writing career over 40 years ago as a newspaper reporter/editor in Midland, Michigan. After a 20-year career in the training and development field, she turned to writing fiction. Her novel, The Album, the story of a victim of elder abuse, was published by The Fiction Works in 2002. Her story, I Am Mortal, appears in the recently released Chicken Soup for the Sisters' Soul. She became interested in social issues of the elderly while conducting research for her doctorate in adult education. Her second novel, On the Street, a story about a mentally disturbed woman who spends the last 15 years of her life as a homeless street-person, is currently making the rounds of publishing houses and literary agents.

Sandra can be reached at sandra@whitefamilyweb.com.

Sandra Whittaker (formerly Spooner) Wentzville, Mo., Sandra was born and raised in the Kansas City area and spent much of her free time muddling around Turkey Creek in Merriam, Kansas or hanging out in her tree house. Her passion for writing began with a third grade assignment to write about being invisible for a day. She has honed her craft through the years and has been published in Children’s Ministry Magazine, The Mid Rivers News Magazine, and the poetry anthology, No More Silent Cries. She has self-published a book of her original poetry and photography titled, Five-Dollar Therapy. The title references the cathartic experience of open-mike night.  Sandra works as a technical writer and occasionally steals time to write articles, poetry, and research material for her historical fiction book. Other interests include hiking, Frisbee golf, and giving back to the community. You can reach Sandra at 2ndvp@missouriwritersguild.org or sandrajeanpoet@yahoo.com

Wilde, Sher. Sher Wilde lives cozily with husband Ian and 95-pound yellow Labrador, Lance, at Lake Waukomis, an 80-acre lake community that is part of the greater Kansas City area. Sher is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a double emphasis in journalism and advertising. She is an elected member of the Kappa Tau Alpha Honorary Society. Her background includes on-air work in radio and television as well as writing for newspapers, magazines, and media sales. For more than ten years she has owned The Marketing Dept., a homebased business specializing in the promotion of small businesses, professionals, retail operations and educational institutions. Much of her work involves writing media releases and feature articles for her clients.

Throughout her career, Sher has worked as a freelance feature and news writer, as well as advertising copywriter and photographer. She has written for daily and suburban newspapers, magazines and promotional piece production agencies. Her roster of writing clients includes The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Business Journal, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers, Park University Alumniad, Spelman Medical Foundation, Peak magazine, Platte County Citizen Newspaper/KCI News, and At Home in the Northland magazine.

Winters, C. J., C. J. has nine novels in print and electronic formats published by Hard Shell Word Factory, www.hardshell.com, with two more contracted.  A mainstream/paranormal romance series includes: Foredestined Summer; Fires of War and Winter; A Dazzling Spring; and Autumn in Cranky Otter. Time-travel romances are: Right Man, Wrong Time; Sleighride; Moon Night, and its sequel, A Star in the Earth. Show-Me Murder is a cozy paranormal mystery trio.  Titles to come are a contemporary romance, Mai’s Ties, and with co-author Jennifer DiCamillo, a paranormal anthology, Deadknots. C. J. also has stories in anthologies published by Mundania Press, Skyward Publishing and Cave Hollow Publishing, with stories to come in Jewels of the Quill anthologies published by Whiskey Creek Press. Visit C.J.’s website, www.cjwinters.com, and read excerpts of her books, as well as her essay, "From Death to Life," about her family’s experience with organ transplantation, and helpful articles for writers.

Witherington, Melissa. Melissa  is a freelance writer in Columbia, MO. She was published 40 times in two years, mostly non-fiction for regional publications.

Wood, Larry. Specializing in historical nonfiction, Larry Wood has written articles for many national and regional publications, including America's Civil War, Blue and Gray Magazine, Gateway Heritage, Harris' Farmer's Almanac, Kansas Heritage, Missouri Historical Review, Missouri Life, Reader's Digest, The Ozarks Mountaineer, True West, and Wild West. He is the author of two books entitled The Civil War on the Lower Kansas-Missouri Border and The Civil War Story of Bloody Bill Anderson.

Larry has published fiction in magazines ranging from True Confessions to Western Digest, and he has won numerous writing awards, including four first places in the 2003 Missouri Writers' Guild contests. Wood is a retired public school teacher, and he currently works for the Long Ridge Writers group.
He may be reached at lwood@joplin.com.

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Yeagley, Joan. Joan is the retired chair of hispanic ministries for the Episcopal Diocese of West Missouri. Joan has been the Great Books Coordinator for the Kansas City Public Library/Great Books Foundation, Chicago; Program Consultant for Northeast Kansas Library System - Invitation Series; and taught English and creative writing at Missouri Southern State College in Joplin, MO and Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri. She is fluent in Spanish.

Career highlights include being chosen for the Artist in the Schools programs in Kansas and Missouri; giving readings and workships at many locations, including Missouri Press Women's Annual Convention, Simpson House Readings, Riverfront Readings, Midwest Poetry Festival in Michigan, Mark Twain Writer's Workshop, Florida Writer's Conference, Missouri Valley Writer's Conference, and the Ozarks Writer's Conference.

Her published works include two books of poetry, The Studs of McDonald County, and The Blue Hole, both published by BKMK Press, UMKC. Her magazine credits include the Saturday Review, Kansas City Star, Poetry Now, Focus/Midwest, and Midwest Quarterly. Awards: Kansas City Star Award 1965-67; Missouri Writers' Week 1994-95; Sager Creek Arts Center- Best Poem - 1996 and Best Traditional Poem - 1995; Missouri Writers' Guild - Best Poem - 1997. Her work has been reviewed in the American Book Review.

Email Joan at hayeagley@juno.com.

Young,  Judy.  A full time author, Judy’s R is for Rhyme, A Poetry Alphabet received a starred review in the Kirkus Review. Also author of S is for Show Me, A Missouri and Poetry & Paint: Selected Works, Judy specializes in presentations and poetry writing workshops for students and is a frequent speaker at educational conferences. With 20 years teaching experience, Judy’s presentations and workshops are directly related to school curriculum. www.judyyoungpoetry.com.

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