Last weekend was quite busy. Saturday was the Fall Ozarks Writers League Conference, which was held in Joplin, Missouri, this year. I live very close to Joplin, so I didn't have to travel more than thirty minutes to the venue. As has been my task for the past year or so, I was in charge of the author book tables. That means I had to make certain we had enough tables set up and show authors to their spaces. I chose to sit with my good friend and critique partner, Mystery Auth

My husband and I went shopping for some Halloween decorations over the weekend. As I stood amongst the plastic skeletons, battery-operated jack-o’-lanterns, and cinnamon brooms, a memory from my childhood popped into my head. I hadn't thought about it in several years.   When I was in elementary school, around fifth or sixth grade, my building had a pumpkin carving contest. We had to do the carving at home under parental supervision, but we brought the fruits of our labor to

I spent last weekend in beautiful Eureka Springs, Arkansas, attending the Ozark Creative Writers Conference. The conference is held at Inn of the Ozarks every year. It’s one of my favorite events, and this year was particularly sweet.   I was invited to be the opening speaker this year. The first speaker of the year is tasked with discussing his or her journey as an author. My journey began in third grade, so that’s where I started my presentation. Mine is a convoluted journe

A big part of my vacation was riding two trains. I've ridden trains before, but they've never been so scenic. In fact, most of my train...

I've been dreaming of visiting Mesa Verde National Park since I learned of its existence during my first archaeology class in college....

You're getting Ozarks Maven early this week due my schedule for next several days. There will be no post on Monday. Sometimes a trip to...

Have you ever been overwhelmed by life and in need of a little breathing room? I sure have. I've been so busy that I don't know if I'm...

I attended my favorite writers' retreat last weekend. It was wonderful in so many ways, but I would like to share one sweet story with...

Happy Labor Day, everyone! I hope you are all having a great day. I'm having the strangest, most messed up Labor Day ever. I am...

As summer break fades away, parents and children across the nation are gearing up for the new school year. This time of year is filled...

My husband is an extreme guy. When he has a project, he works on it until it's finished regardless of weather. Last weekend, he had a...

I am frugal by nature. That personality trait has been galvanized by years of crushing debt, the expense of raising kids, inflation,...

Life has been a bit of a struggle the past few days. In fact, I've been on the struggle bus for nearly a week. My trouble began Friday...

As the temperature rises during summer months, many of us find ourselves battling against not just the heat outside but also the heat...

Zucchini is the summer squash that thrives in gardens around the world. While most people stick to sautéing or grilling their zucchini,...

Today, we have a great article written by Sasha Moody. She contacted me because she thought you, my wonderful readers, might find it...

I hope you all had a great Independence Day weekend! My weekend actually started on Wednesday because I had some contractors at my house...

I received an amazing education from my local public school. It wasn't fancy. We had nothing that was state of the art. However, what we...

As the bright summer sun shines down, fresh blackberries burst onto the scene, promising delightful flavor and wholesome goodness....

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a Happy Father's Day! My weekend was a flurry of activity. I ran around on Friday trying to take...