The Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc. is a multi-genre writers’ organization with more than 800 members from across the United States and around the world.
OWFI holds the oldest and most respected writers' conference in the Midwest. The year 2007 marked our 39th annual conference, which was held on May 4th and 5th at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Oklahoma City, and was attended by a crowd of enthusiastic writers. Our next conference is scheduled for May 1-3rd, 2008, when we'll celebrate our 40th anniversary.
The conference caps off Oklahoma Writer’s Week (as named by the Oklahoma State Legislature for all that OWFI has done for Oklahoma writers) and now draws nearly 500 attendees each year. Conference sessions covered topics of interest to beginning as well as more experienced writers, and are given by agents, editors, and published authors from across the United States and Canada. Conference attendees also have the opportunity to meet with one or more agents or editors, take their favorite speaker to lunch, or share Friday or Saturday night dining tables with published authors and speakers.
The Friday night “Famous Authors Banquet,” features a published author with enviable credits as the keynote speaker, and honors OWFI members who have had one or more of their books published during the past year.
The annual writing contest, which is open only to OWFI members, is held in conjunction with the conference. Cash prizes, given in 29 unpublished categories ranging from short poetry to novels, and trophy awards, granted in four published-book categories, are announced during the “Saturday Awards Banquet.”. In addition, each first place winner vies for the $500 crème de la crème grand prize.
If you are interested in learning more about or joining OWFI, please click on the various links found on this website.
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS
A special thanks to Gordon Greene for all of his efforts at researching, collecting, and putting together for OWFI publication the information contained in the following lists. We sincerely appreciate his hard work and diligence.
Following is the work-in-progress list of OWFI Honorary Life Members. (If you are aware of changes that may need to be made to this list, please notify the webmaster. Thank you.)
- Wayne Harris-Wyrick (2007)
- Kathy Moad (2006)
- Deborah Bouziden (2005)
- Ann Champeau (2004)
- Dusty Richards (2003)
- Inez Phillips (2002)
- Kathryn Fanning (2001)
- Anna Myers (2000)
- Gordon Greene (1998)
- Bette Ward Widney (1997)
- Marcia Preston (1995)
- Debbie Camp (1995)
- Peggy Fielding (1994)
- Stoney Hardcastle (1993)
- Dwight V. Swain (1986)
- Jean Hager (1985)
- Leroy Thomas (1984)
- Opal Hartsell Brown (1983)
- Bessie Holland Heck (1982)
- Arrell M. Gibson (1981)
- Wm. "Bill" Burkhardt (1980)
- Val Thiessen (1978)
- Ray Tassin (1977)
- Vera Holding (1976)
- Angie Debo (1974)
- Glenn Shirley (1973)
- Charles C. Campbell (1972)
- Foster Harris (1971)
If anyone can identify the year in which the following HLM's were granted this honor, please contact the webmaster. Thank you.
- Naomi Taylor Casey
- Edna May Couch
- Lt. Col. Charles W. Dutreau
- Lowell Long
- Wm A. McGalliard
- Grace Slaughter
- Bonnie Speer
- Lu Spurlock
- Lu Tehee
CREME-DE-LA-CREME AWARD WINNERS
Note: The 1980-1993 winners were cited in the 1994 Awards & Honors booklet distributed after the 1994 Contest. Other references were from OWFI Reports.
Following is the work-in-progress list of past Creme-de-la-Creme award winners. (If you are aware of changes that may need to be made to this list, please notify the webmaster. Thank you.)
- 1980 Maureen Temple
- 1981 Joan Shaddox Isom
- 1982 Betty Ann Ramming
- 1983 Bette Ward Widney
- 1984 Margaret Dobson
- 1985 Helen Butler, Tulsa Nightwriters, “The Best Fourth”
- 1986 Blanche A. Bell
- 1987 Deborah Camp
- 1988 Dick Donnelly
- 1989 Lu Tehee, Tulsa Nightwriters, “A Nice Cup of Tea”
- 1990 Darleen B. Beard
- 1991 Carol Johnson
- 1992 Sheila Bright
- 1993 Carol Knight, MAL, “The Suicide Burden: A Journey Through Grief”
- 1994 -------
- 1995 Sue McMurphy, Writers of the Purple Sage, “Legacy of the Rose”
- 1996 June Park, "Main Street"
- 1997 Carolyn Wall, OKC Writers, “With this Kiss, Wally Fishkin”
- 1998 -----
- 1999 Carolyn Wall, OKC Writers, "Rule of the Sacred Game"
- 2000 Faye L. Doege, Arkansas Ridge Writers, "Shelter"
- 2001 Lynn Carney, Arkansas Ridge Writers
- 2002 Velda Brotherton, Arkansas Ridge Writers
- 2003 Sue McMurphy, Writers of the Purple Sage
- 2004 Ruth Rakestraw, Arkansas Ridge Writers
- 2005 Linda Zook, Writers of the Purple Sage
- 2006 Judith Sexton, MAL
- 2007 Michele Bardsley, MAL
PAST OWFI PRESIDENTS
Following is the work-in-progress list of past OWFI Presidents. (If you are aware of changes that may need to be made to this list, please notify the webmaster. Thank you.)
- Charles C. Campbell
- Glenn Shirley
- Ernestine Gravley
- Opal Hartsell Brown
- Charles Mooney
- Mazie Cox Read
- Bob Kerl
- Bob Spraker
- Leon Beall -- 1982-1983
- Oneta Ryan -- 1983-1984
- Lowell Long -- 1985-1986
- Nancy Salisbury -- 1986-1987
- Ray Tassin - 1987-1988
- Linda Hathaway Steele – 1988-1989
- Gordon Greene – 1989-1990
- Nancy Salisbury -- 1990-1991
- Joye R. Swain -- 1991-1992
- Marcia Preston – 1992-1993
- Debbie Camp – 1993-1994
- Dawn Prater – 1994-1995
- Jan May – 1995-1996
- Sharon Martin – 1996-1997
- Paul Myers -- 1997-1998
- Jackie Bielowicz -- 1998-1999
- Rhonda Lunsford -- 1999-2000
- Deborah Bouziden – 2000-01
- Kathy Moad – 2001-2002 and 2004 (part year)
- Moira Wiley - 2003 and 2004 (part year)
- vickey malone kennedy - 2004-2005
- Dorothy Cady - 2005-2006
- Judy Snavely (part year) and Carolyn Leonard (part year) - 2006-2007