Authors at Art Walk during Springfield’s First Friday Art Walk – December 5, 2014

ORA is participating in yet another First Friday Art Walk with our signature event, Authors At Art Walk! It’s Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m., at BookMarx (325 E. Walnut St., Ste 101, Springfield, MO 65806, 417-501-1062). www.Facebook.com/BookMarxbooks Please show up, support our members, and make sure it’s a fun night.

Participating authors:

* BARBARA BETTIS, author of “Silverhawk” and “The Heart of the Phoenix” — http://barbarabettis.com/

* TERRI LEE, author of "The Bootlegger's Wife" and "Back to Austen" — http://www.terrileeauthor.com/

* S.J. MCMILLAN, author of The City of the Gods series, "City of the Gods: The Descendant" and "City of the Gods: The Betrayal", "Dark Light 3 Anthology", "Lillian's Christmas Surprise" and "An Author's Assistant" — http://www.mcmillansj.com/

* BRANDY NACOLE, author of "Uniquely Unwelcome", "Broken Faith", "Blood Burdens" and "Sacrifice: A New Dawn" — http://www.brandynacole.com/

There is no charge to attend First Friday Art Walk. You will have the chance to meet these authors, purchase their books, and have them signed. We look forward to seeing you!

Barbara Bettis hosts Amanda Barke for Writers' Wednesday on her blog

Two members of Ozarks Romance Authors are heating up the Internet today. Barbara Bettis has welcomed Amanda Barke to her blog for Barb's popular "Writers' Wednesday" feature. Click HERE to see the interview.

AMANDA J. BARKE Amanda J. Barke is an author, editor, freelance journalist, singer/songwriter, and motivational speaker. She lives in the Ozarks (southwest Missouri) with her family.

Her work as a freelance journalist can be found in Ozarks' Senior Living Newspaper, Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine, Missouri Life Magazine, and various other regional publications. Her other articles can be found online at ehow.com, livestrong.com/lifestyle, and amykitchenerfdn.org.

As a motivational speaker, she travels all over Missouri promoting literacy in schools, teaching fellow writers, and motivating teens to follow their dreams. In 2010, she served as president of Springfield Writers' Guild.

She has been a member of Ozarks Romance Authors since early 2011.

Visit Amanda online by clicking HERE.

Her children's book, "The Sleepy Little Sun," is available online by clicking HERE.

Her novel, "A Distant Rumble," is available online by clicking HERE.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers' groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb's blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb's blog for future Writers' Wednesday features!

Barbara Bettis welcomes Misty Burke for Writers' Wednesday on her Blog!

Barbara Bettis visits with fellow Ozarks Romance Authors member Misty Burke to her blog for Barb’s popular “Writers’ Wednesday” feature. Click HERE to see the interview.

MISTY BURKE Misty Burke lives in the romantic Ozark Mountains with her supportive husband and four children. When not enjoying family time, she loves to write steamy romances. Creating exciting fantasy worlds filled with dangerously handsome heroes is one of her passions.

Misty currently writes stories for Summerhouse Publishing, Evernight Publishing, Secret Cravings Publishing, and MuseItHOT Publishing.

She is an active member of Ozarks Romance Authors, Romance Writers of America, FF&P (Fantasy, Futuristic, & Paranormal Chapter of RWA), and ESPAN (Electronic Small Press Authors' Network).

Her novel, "The Madame of Gravestone," is available online by clicking HERE.

Visit Misty online by clicking HERE.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors. She is also a member of Romance Writers of America.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!

Author/Photographer Brenda Brinkley is today's guest at Barbara Bettis' blog for Writers' Wednesday

Have you discovered "Writers' Wednesday" yet? It is a feature on the blog of Ozarks Romance Authors member Barbara Bettis. Each Wednesday, she hosts a special guest to discuss their writing. It's always a quick, fun read. Click HERE to see today's interview with fellow ORA member Brenda Brinkley.

BRENDA BRINKLEY Writer/Photographer Brenda Brinkley has been a published writer since 1983. After taking sporadic breaks to raise a family, she now writes passionately. She has had more than 400 articles published, and her short stories have won awards and been published in a number of anthologies. Her photography has graced magazine and anthology covers, including the January 2011 launch of Ozarks Romance Authors' magazine (click HERE) and Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine.

Her latest project is a book for children titled "Cleveland the Green Camel."

Brenda's work has appeared in Ozarks Farm & Neighbor Magazine, Ozarks Mountaineer Magazine, and several editions of anthologies such as Mysteries of the Ozarks and Echoes of the Ozarks.

Visit Brenda's blog by clicking HERE.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!

Novelist Mia Marlowe visits Barbara Bettis' blog today

Barbara Bettis' guest today on her blog's "Writers’ Wednesday” column is fellow Ozarks Romance Authors member Mia Marlowe. Click HERE to see the interview.

By the way, Mia will be the guest speaker this Saturday, May 7, 2011, at the monthly meeting of Ozarks Romance Authors. Be sure to stop by! She will begin at 1:00 p.m. (Central Time) in the Frisco Room at The Library Station on North Kansas Expressway. We haven't seen her for many months, since she moved away from our area, and we are so looking forward to this visit and her words of wisdom.

MIA MARLOWE Mia learned much of what she knows about storytelling from singing. A classically trained soprano, she won the District Metropolitan Opera Auditions and has shared a stage with Placido Domingo. As she prepared for operatic roles, she devised back stories for her characters. Since she’s worn a real corset, and had to sing high C’s in one, she empathizes with the trials of her fictional heroines. But in Mia’s stories, they don’t die in a Parisian garret. They get to live and keep the hero!

Now an award-winning author, she writes historical romance for multiple publishing houses. Her debut title received advance ovations from romance luminaries. #1 New York Times bestseller Victoria Alexander says Mia’s Touch of a Thief has “adventure and heat and everything I want in a great story!” UK’s BooksMonthly has crowned Mia Marlowe “the queen of saucy historical romance.”

You can visit her at any of the following places: Facebook, Twitter, or her website.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!

Kaye Calkins is Barbara Bettis' guest today for Writers' Wednesday

It's Writers' Wednesday over at the blog of our very own Barbara Bettis! Today, Barb's guest is fellow Ozarks Romance Authors member Kaye Calkins. Barb's blog is always filled with interesting stuff from writers. It's a quick read, and you'll enjoy it.

KAYE CALKINS Kaye Calkins' first manuscript, "Deverell's Dilemma," was recently accepted by Avalon Books.

Selling your first (or any!) book is so incredibly exciting. Would you like to hear the story of how Kaye found out Avalon wanted to buy her first book? Then click HERE for the scoop. It's a great story!

Visit Kaye Calkins online by clicking HERE.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!

Writers' Wednesday with Novelist Tracy Garrett

It's Writers' Wednesday once again over at the blog of our very own Barbara Bettis!

TRACY GARRETT Tracy is an award-winning multi-published author, who says she always loved to disappear into the worlds created within the pages of a book. An accomplished musician, she merged her need for creativity, her love of history, and her passion for reading when she began writing western historical romance. An active member of Romance Writers of America, Ozarks Romance Authors, and Dallas Area Romance Authors, Tracy now resides in Missouri with her husband and their fuzzy pal, Wrigley.

Tracy's debut novel, "Touch of Texas," is available HERE, and "Touched by Love" is available HERE.

Visit Tracy online by clicking HERE.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!

Author Lisa Wells is the Writers' Wednesday guest over at Barbara Bettis' blog

Are you ready for another does of Writers' Wednesdsay? Our pal Barbara Bettis continues her series on her blog, with fellow member of Ozarks Romance Authors Lisa Wells as her guest.

LISA WELLS Lisa Wells' first book, "Dibs," is a spicy, fun read.

Everyone knows there are three things you don't take away from a woman. Her chocolate, her wine or her ability to have an orgasm. When fantasy coordinator Lacey Valentine finds herself in the unfortunate situation of not being able to reach the big O, she sets out on a mission to get it back. Hunky musician Covey James has just inherited millions of dollars. His wish is to live the life of a playboy. His grandmother's wish is to see him and his two brothers settled down while she's still living. His grandmother has a way of getting her way and he ends up on the hunt for Mrs. James. When he makes a pit stop to help a damsel in need of an orgasm, his plans go astray.

In addition to being a member of ORA, Lisa is a member of Romance Writers of America.

You can find "Dibs" online by visiting the web site of The Wild Rose Press HERE.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!

Author Jennifer Jakes makes an appearance on Barbara Bettis' Writers' Wednesday series

Barbara Bettis' popular blog series, Writers' Wednesday, continues! This week, fellow Ozarks Romance Authors member Jennifer Jakes is Barb's guest. To read the interview (including an excerpt from Jennifer's book, "Rafe's Redemption"), click HERE.

JENNIFER JAKES Jennifer Jakes describes herself as a chronic insomniac who got used to making up stories while waiting to fall asleep. "It was a lot more interesting than counting sheep. Maybe too interesting, because I started staying awake so I could figure out 'what happened' to my characters. For the sake of my health, I began writing the stories on paper - during the day. So far it's working out pretty good:)"

"Rafe's Redemption" was a 2010 Golden Heart finalist, grand prize winner in the Gateway to the Best contest, first place winner in the Gateway to the Best contest, and second place winner in ORA's Weta Nichols fiction contest.

In addition to ORA, Jennifer is a member of Romance Writers of America (RWA) and Missouri Romance Writers of America (MoRWA).

Visit Jennifer's web site by clicking HERE. Her blog, featuring Man Candy Monday, is available by clicking HERE. http://barbarabettis.blogspot.com/2011/04/writers-wednesday-welcomes-jennifer.html

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks. In addition to membership in Romance Writers of America, she is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!

Barbara Bettis launches Writers' Wednesday feature on her blog, with V.L. Gregory as her first guest!

Barbara Bettis, a long-time member of Ozarks Romance Authors, has launched a great feature on her blog called Writers' Wednesday. Each week, she will spotlight a writing tip from authors, both those published and those on the journey to publication.

This week, Barb is interviewing another long-time member of Ozarks Romance Authors -- Virginia Pohlenz, who writes as V.L. Gregory.

VIRGINIA POHLENZ / V.L. GREGORY Virginia Pohlenz spent three years as Book Talk Representative for the Gateway Region of Scholastic and uses that experience to inform her ‘written’ storytelling. An avid fan of Dr. Suess, she says, “My greatest writing thrill was winning Random House’s 'Ham It Up' Contest. The $100 gift certificate and $50 Seuss library were worth the effort. However, my pride and joy is the original Green Eggs and Ham serigraph that I won from the estate of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss).”

Virginia writes Young Adult westerns and western poetry.

Visit her online by clicking HERE.

BARBARA BETTIS Barbara Bettis is an award-winning author of historical fiction, and a long-time instructor of English and journalism at the college level.

She lives in the Missouri Ozarks and is active in several writers’ groups in the area, including Ozarks Romance Authors.

Visit Barb’s blog by clicking HERE. Her main web site is HERE.

Be sure to check Barb’s blog for future Writers’ Wednesday features!