What's OWL?
OWL MISSION STATEMENT
(Adopted Nov. 2018)
Ozarks Writers League, informally known as “OWL,”supports the desire of writers, artists, and photographers throughout the region to expand their knowledge of the craft,and to connect with and encourage the creativity of others. In addition, OWL endeavors to provide a resource of regular conferences and gatherings with an emphasis on promoting literacy, writing, and art in the Ozarks.
More details of bylaws see our Bylaws page.
OUR MEETINGS
The Ozarks Writers League is a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to promoting writing, literacy, photography, and art. Since 1983, OWL has welcomed individuals at all stages of their development, whether they be an aspiring writer or seasoned author. We emphasize mutual assistance and fellowship among our membership.
Meet OWL President
Duke Pennell
Originally from southern Illinois, Duke and his wife Kimberly fell in love with, and moved to, Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 1985.
In 2010 Duke joined a critique group led by the late Dusty Richards, a name well-known to most Western lovers. When he had finally polished a Western short story to the point it was worth submitting, he asked Dusty where to send it. Dusty told him the sad news that publishers were not buying Westerns because, they said, no customers were buying them. Duke didn’t believe that no one wanted to read Westerns anymore and, being stubborn and a computer engineer by trade, he decided to create a website where anyone could submit their Western story. And so Frontier Tales was born. The e-zine—www.FrontierTales.com—brings both new and old Western authors to a wide audience with the monthly publication, now in its 12th continuous year.
Duke is a many-year member and current president of OWL which meets in Branson, Missouri—when it’s safe—and via Zoom when it’s not. He and Kimberly also founded Pen-L Publishing (www.Pen-L.com) in 2012, and have now published over 120 fine fiction and non-fiction books. (Note they are closed for submissions at this time.)
Named one of the Top Ten Editors of both Novels and Ezines by Preditors & Editors, Duke has shepherded books by many authors to win national and regional awards. Himself an award-winning author, Duke has written both fiction and nonfiction but finds more time for editing than writing at this point.
By the way, Duke is his real name, and his advice to writers is “Push harder, learn more, and dig deeper into yourself. That’s where the gold lies.”
2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OFFICERS
Duke Pennell, president
Larry Wood, vice president
Cindy McIntyre, secretary
Veda Boyd Jones, treasurer
MEMBERS
Linda Runnebaum, Historian
Bonnie Tesh, Adult writing contest coordinator
April Brock, Youth writing contest coordinator
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields, Art contest
Ronda Del Boccio, Social media coordinator
Ricky Yates, Web master
Russell Gayer, Member-at-Large
Diana West, Member-at-Large
Media & Newsletters
Douglas County Herald - "Ozarks Writers League Showcases Southern Authors"
Harrison Daily News - "OWL To Share Author Tips at Upcoming Meeting"
KRZK Radio - Interview with OWL President Karen Nelson about February 2014 meeting
Branson Daily Independent, September 27, 2013
Taney County Times, February 19, 2014
Press Releases
2014 Art & Photo Contest Winners
