For 2018, I was pleased to win several writing awards, but the one dearest to my heart was winning the Bonnie Speer Crème de la Crème at the annual contest of the Norman Galaxy of Writers. Because my personal belief is that the winner of that award should sit out for a year, I volunteered to be the Contest Chair for next year. I've been the Contest Chair before, and one of the great advantages is that I get to read all the entries. Wow - we have some great writers in our club!
This is a place to store my list of some of the fantastic things that happened in my life in 2018:
OWFI:
Category: Technical or How-To Article, 2nd place, How to Keep Your Teeth
Category: Short, Short Story, 3rd Honorable Mention, The Facially Gifted Queen of Denial. This story was also later published in The Mensa Bulletin, which is the national publication of Mensa, the high IQ organization).
Category: Juvenile Short Story, 1st Place, Wesley Whistled While Working
Category: Play, Film, or TV Script, 3rd place, The Case of the Case Grocery Store
The Norman Galaxy of Writers:
Category: Short Story, 1st place, Peppers and Salt. This was also the Crème de la Crème winner.
Category: Rhymed Poetry, 1st place, I Refuse
Category: Unrhymed Poetry, 2nd place, The Choreography of Chlorophyll
Category: Juvenile Short Story, 2nd place, I'll Have That
Category: Nostalgia, 2nd Place, Greasy Spoon Boon
Category: Nonfiction Article, 3rd place, What's the Appeal?
OKC Writers:
Category: Unrhymed Poetry: The Choreography of Chlorophyll
Category: Juvenile Fiction, 3rd place, Eli Eats Eight Eggs Every Evening
Publications:
KDP, Nonfiction Book, Pirate's Treasure: A Sunken Chest
The September Mensa Bulletin (the national publication of the high IQ society, Mensa: The Facially Gifted Queen of Denial.
The June Mensa Bulletin, Best Conjugations
The February Mensa Bulletin, poem I Thought I'd Feel Older
The WriteLine: Monthly column, That's Puzzling
November mphoto: Vacation Tales (including publication of three of my photos)
March mphoto, three photos of signs published
Summer The Report (publication of OWFI, org), Terse Declaration of Doubt
Newsletter editor for Central Oklahoma Mensa for January, 2018, and March, 2018, through August, 2018
Speaker Engagements:
February, Speech to Norman Newcomers' Club regarding The Norman Galaxy of Writers;
February, The Norman Galaxy of Writers, speech about my book Mental States of Murderesses
Event planner for Central Oklahoma Mensa for January, 2018, through August, 2018. Events were:
January: Tour of Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Lab
February: Norman Mardi Gras Parade watch from my office, Dog Sports Activity Speaker
March: Music Night
April: Dine and Draw, Dinner at 3Sixty, Attendance at a play, Attendance at Rumble (movie at the Sam Nobel Museum of Natural History), Visit to the Innovation Hub at OU, trip to see the play On The Town
May: A day at the Oklahoma 1889 Territorial Schoolhouse, Survivor to Success Speaker
June: Paint Party, On The Way to the World Championship of Public Speaking Speaker
July: Trip to the Understanding Cheese Lecture, Rosie the Riveter Crashed Granddad's Plane Speaker;
August: College Sports Official Speaker
