novelists

Hometown of Ozarks Romance Authors Voted 3rd-Most Romantic City in USA by Amazon.com

Springfield, Missouri -- where Ozarks Romance Authors is based -- was just ranked by Amazon.com as the third-most romantic city in the USA! Jill Slack, 2010-2012 President of Ozarks Romance Authors, a nonprofit Missouri writers' group Our local newspaper, the Springfield News-Leader, called to interview ORA President Jill Slack to see what we think of this honor. Jill is quoted in a story on the front page of the Saturday, February 11, 2012 edition.

We saved a screenshot of the story to share with you.

Click here to open the PDF and read: SNL ORA quote 3rd Most Romantic City 2-11-2012

What did Jill have to say?

Jill Slack, president of Ozarks Romance Authors, said she thinks the rating isn’t necessarily because Springfield is a romantic place all on its own.

“I think it’s more that it’s the people,” Slack said. “It’s more of a traditional area.”

Slack also said there are quite a few writers in the Ozarks, which might be why romance book sales are higher — purchased for inspiration.

“When you’re a writer, you’re also a voracious reader,” Slack said.

Here is a link to a press release from Amazon.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110208005991/en/Amazon.com-Announces-Top-20-Romantic-Cities-America

Excerpt from the original press release:

SEATTLE--Love is in the air. Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) today announced its list of the Top 20 Most Romantic Cities in America. After compiling sales data of romance novels and relationship books (Kindle Books and print books), romantic comedy movies (digital movies and DVDs), Barry White albums (CDs and MP3s), along with sexual wellness products, since Jan. 1, 2011, on a per capita basis in cities with over 100,000 residents, the Top 20 most romantic cities in the U.S. are:

Amazon.com’s Top 20 romantic cities 1. Knoxville, Tenn. 2. Alexandria, Va. 3. Springfield, Mo. 4. Orlando, Fla. 5. Cincinnati, Ohio 6. Vancouver, Wash. 7. Miami, Fla. 8. Murfreesboro, Tenn. 9. Dayton, Ohio 10. Columbia, S.C. 11. Pittsburgh, Penn. 12. Clearwater, Fla. 13. St. Louis 14. Erie, Pa. 15. Clarksville, Tenn. 16. Everett, Wash. 17. Gainesville, Fla. 18. Las Vegas, Nev. 19. Rochester, N.Y. 20. Tallahassee, Fla.

"Writing in the Ozarks" conference scheduled for August 2011 at novelist Janet Dailey's inn in Hollister, Missouri

Ye Olde English Inn, Hollister, Missouri Information about this conference is being provided by Ozarks Romance Authors because we support and encourage other writers' groups within our geographic region. In fact, many of our members overlap and are also members in these other groups.

Writing in the Ozarks: Writers' Conference at Ye Olde English Inn in Historic Hollister, Missouri August 18-19-20, 2011 (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) Sponsored by Ozark Adventures, Inc.

The renovated English Inn, of Downing Street in downtown historic Hollister, MO, is the exciting, yet relaxing, working getaway site for writers of all genres: Westerns, Mysteries, Horror, general interest articles, mainstream fiction.

This historic inn features on-site dining at the River Stone Restaurant and the Black Horse Pub. Comfortable and elegant rooms include free wi-fi. All presentations are on-site or nearby on Downing Street, or at the campus of The College of the Ozarks (Saturday events only).

PRESENTERS

Janet Dailey Janet Dailey introduced the “Western romance,” which focused on the female, who was often marginalized in traditional Western novels, and provided the “first look at heroines, heroes and courtships that take place in America, with American sensibilities, assumptions, history, and most of all, settings.” She is the author of the popular Calder Series, and she is now the owner of the English Inn! Visit Janet Dailey online by clicking here: http://www.janetdailey.com/blog.


Dusty Richards Dusty Richards has written dozens of Western short stories and novels. He is the only writer who has won two Spur Awards in the same year (for short story and novel) and was named by Readers Choice in True West magazine as the “greatest living American Western writer.” He is the author of "Writing the West: A Western Novel Roundup." Visit Dusty online by clicking here: http://www.dustyrichards.com.



Radine Trees Nehring Radine Trees Nehring is the creator of the popular mystery series “Something to Die For,” set in the Ozarks, and featuring the adventures of Carrie Culpepper McCrite and Henry King. Her latest novel, "A Journey to Die For," was the winner of the 2010 Silver Falchion award at the Killer Nashville Conference. Visit Radine online by clicking here: http://www.radinesbooks.com.




Fred Pfister Fred Pfister is a retired English professor and editor of The Ozarks Mountaineer magazine, and author of "The Insider's Guide to Branson and the Ozark Mountains" and "The Littlest Baby: A Handbook for Parents of Premature Children." Visit Fred online at the web site for Ozarks Mountaineer magazine by clicking here: http://www.ozarksmountaineer.com.



REGISTRATION & COSTS

Call Ozark Adventures at (417) 239-0203 to register. See program details in June on their website by clicking HERE. $60 ($70 at site) registration fee includes free, rest-of-year membership in the Ozarks Writers League (OWLs), to those not already members. (Click HERE for information about the group.)

Lodging and meals are at the expense of participants. Eateries within only two minutes walking distance of the English Inn are Vintage Paris, Little Hacienda, Japanese Kitchen, and Audi's #1 Pizza and Pub. Call Innkeeper Pam Hatch, 417-544-9056, and ask for special “Writer Rates” ($69 and $99). That rate includes breakfast at the Inn.

Visit www.oldenglishinnhollister.com for room views and information. Other lodging is located in the general area of Branson and Hollister. We would suggest the nearby Keeter Center on the campus of College of the Ozarks.

Read the article about “double Spur Award Winner” Dusty Richards in the forthcoming July-August issue of The Ozarks Mountaineer magzine. Subscribe and see sample articles and features at www.ozarksmountaineer.com.

This conference in Hollister coming up in August 2011 sounds fantastic! If you would like to attend, please post below or send us an email at OzarksRomanceAuthors@gmail.com so we can make plans to ride together or meet you there.

Ozarks Romance Authors is a non-profit, multi-genre group for writers and was founded in 1987. Meetings are held the first Saturday of each month at The Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway, in Springfield, Missouri.

Join us for critique group at 10:00 a.m., lunch at noon, and our meeting/guest speaker at 1:00 p.m.

Visitors are welcome. Your first three visits are free.

Our annual conference will be held July 23, 2011, at The Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Springfield, Missouri. To learn more about the amazing lineup of speakers and workshops, click here to visit our conference page.

If you have questions about our group, please email us at OzarksRomanceAuthors@gmail.com or call (417) 597-4716.

Ozarks Romance Authors Joins Springfield Regional Arts Council

Ozarks Romance Authors, a non-profit, multi-genre Missouri writers' group founded in 1987, has joined the Springfield Regional Arts Council. The Springfield Regional Arts Council (SRAC) connects people and the arts. It supports some of the most prominent visual, performing, literary and film/media arts organizations within 27 counties, the largest outreach of any in the state of Missouri.

The Arts Council launched Artsfest in Phelps Gove Park in 1980, and moved it to historic Walnut Street in 1990. In recent years, Artsfest on Walnut Street has attracted 35,000 people as a celebration of visual and performing art becoming the largest fine arts festival in Southwest Missouri.

In 1990, First Night Springfield launched to celebrate the performing arts on New Year’s Eve in a family-friendly atmosphere in downtown Springfield. This event attracts 5-7,000 people annually.

Since 1997, both festivals have been operated under a management contract with the Urban Districts Alliance and are the two largest fundraisers for the Arts Council.

In 2001, the Arts Council was given the opportunity to lead a Cultural Trust initiative, working with the Missouri Arts Council to build endowment for regional arts organizations. In October 2001, the Arts Council changed its name to the Springfield Regional Arts Council, with the goal of becoming a full-service Arts Council for the region. It also implemented the First Friday Art Walk.

In 2009, Springfield was recognized as the 2009 Creative Community by the Missouri Arts Council. The Arts Council also launched its third festival, the Missouri Literary Festival, to be held bi-annually as well as opened Fresh Gallery, a collective gallery of local fine art and fine craft in downtown Springfield. The SRAC accepted an agreement with the City of Springfield to restore an 1890s warehouse building in Jordan Valley Park. Plans were to renovate the building for use as an Arts and Culture Center, providing educational activities for the community. Staff officially moved into the partially renovated facility called The Creamery Arts Center in September 1, 2002. The official grand opening was held November 16-17, 2002. Currently, The Creamery houses the offices of the Arts Council, Springfield Symphony, Springfield Ballet, Springfield Regional Opera, Springfield Community Center, Care to Learn, as well as a board room, arts library, exhibition hall, film editing bays, shared costume and set design shops and shared costume and instrument storage.

The Arts Council partners with member organizations, the Springfield-Greene County Board, Springfield Community Center and Springfield Public Schools on various education programs that reach over 30,000 children a year. The Arts Council also supports the following programs by serving as their fiscal agent: Claymobile, First Friday Art Walk, Missouri Film Alliance of Springfield, Eclectic Endeavors and LemonDrop.

The SRAC has a 21-member board and has a full-time Executive Director, Finance Director, Programs/Exhibition Director and Executive Assitant/Facility Manager. In addition, there are several active volunteers who help with major events and projects. The SRAC has developed a solid internship program with local universities.

The SRAC's operations are funded through memberships, festival/event proceeds, grants, donations and a portion of the local hotel/motel tax.

The current mission of the SRAC is to transform lives and enrich our Community through the Arts.

Ozarks Romance Authors, a non-profit group for writers of all genres, was founded in 1987. The regional writers’ group holds its meetings the first Saturday of each month at The Library Station, 2535 N. Kansas Expressway, in Springfield, Missouri.

Join us for critique group at 10:00 a.m., lunch at noon, and our meeting/guest speaker at 1:00 p.m.

Visitors are welcome. Your first three visits are free.

If you have questions about the group, please email us at OzarksRomanceAuthors@gmail.com or call (417) 597-4716.

NOTE: When the first Saturday of the month falls on a holiday weekend, we often reschedule. If you’re thinking of visiting and it’s a holiday weekend, please email us to find out if we have rescheduled.

Deadline extended for 2011 Weta Nichols Writing Contest

There is still time for you to polish the first 10 pages of your work-in-progress to submit to our annual fiction writing contest, named in honor of the founder of our group, novelist Weta Nichols. Due to a PayPal glitch, we have extended the original deadline (May 16, 2011) to May 23, 2011.

The contest is open to published and unpublished writers, but the piece that you enter must be unpublished.

Any genre is welcome, not just romance fiction.

Winners will be announced at our annual conference in Springfield, Missouri, on July 23, 2011. You do not need to be present to win, and you are not required to be a member of our group to enter. Details about our conference are available here: http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/2011-annual-conference/

Final round winners will be judged by Louise Fury, literary agent with the L. Perkins Agency, and Lia Brown, editor with Avalon Books!

Prizes are: 1st place $100; 2nd place $50; 3rd place $25.

For full contest rules, guidelines, and links to submit your entry, visit: http://ozarks-romance-authors.com/annual-contest/

Ozarks Romance Authors is a registered non-profit corporation in the state of Missouri since 1987.