2026: Scholarship Winner and Contest Winners of Enid Writers Club

Posted on June 7, 2026 by peggylchambers

The Enid Writers Club ended their 2025-2026 season with an annual banquet, scholarship contest, and inner-club writing contest this May. We will resume meetings in September.

The Enid Writers Club, in conjunction with St. Matthews Episcopal Church, hold an annual writing contest for senior high school students every year; 2000 words for $1000. The scholarship winnings are paid to the institute of higher learning that the graduate plans to attend in the fall. This year’s scholarship winner was James Mills, a recent graduate of Chisholm High School who will be attending the University of Oklahoma in the fall. Congratulations James!

The Enid Writers Club inner-club writing contest winners for this year were:

Short Story category:

1st place: Peggy Chambers for The Adventures of Katie and Thag

2nd place: Bobbie Mardis for The Stowaway

3rd place: Martha Draper for Philately Anyone?

Juvenile Short Story category:

1st place: Kristi Miller for The Magic Tree

2nd place: Bobbie Mardis for Purple Haired Man

3rd place: Martha Draper for McNutty

Flash Fiction category:

1st place: Kristi Miller for White Blanket

2nd place: Bobbie Mardis for Ripples

3rd place: Martha Draper for Buyers and Sellers

Poetry category:

1st place: Paula Benge for Dare I Go

2nd place: Carly Taylor for Haunted

3rd place: Kristi Miller for Fat and Chubby

Humor category:

1st place: Bobbie Mardis for Christmas Day Plans

2nd place: Peggy Chambers for Lizard on the Roof

3rd place: Kristi Miller for What a Day!

Article Inspirational Category:

1st place: Martha Draper for Hemingway

Memoir category:

1st place: Martha Draper for A Special Fellow in my Life

2nd place: Carly Taylor for Confessional Line

The Enid Writers Club is 102 years old this year, the oldest writing club in the state of Oklahoma, and we meet on the first Thursday of each month, September through May at NWOSU. The Enid Writers Club is open to all who aspire to improve their writing and join with like minds. All skill levels and age groups are welcome. Membership dues are $15 annually.

Congratulations to all the winners and hope to see you again in the fall.

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2025: Smugglers of Sandhill Island

Posted on May 31, 2026 by peggylchambers

Dani, a stressed-out tour boat captain, attempts to save her brother, Cody, from the local drug dealers only to find she and her boat will be their next victim. This time, Cody owes some big money, and the only person he knows to help him is his sister.

That was the caption I wrote for a Famous Authors celebration at OWFI this year. I had a new book, and I hoped I might have a few new readers.  There are four Sandhill Island books, one a novella under the One Scoop or Two anthologies for The Wild Rose Press and three novels. They cover the residents of the tiny tourist island and their daily lives, some good and some bad. But always interesting.

Then I wrote a blurb for the back of the book hoping someone would be interested enough to pick up a copy.

Dani Brown grew up poor and hard working. Her brother, Cody, only grew up poor. Always wanting the easy way out, Cody ran drugs and lived his life on handouts. When they were young, Dani and Cody were inseparable, now Dani only sees him if he’s desperate. The drugs he samples and sells have started to rot his brain.

This time, Cody owes some big money, and the only person he knows to help him is his sister. When the cartel realizes she owns a boat that could run even more drugs for them, she is torn between saving her brother and living her life. The final Sandhill Island story pits sister against brother in a life-or-death struggle.

And some people did read the Sandhill Island series. They’re available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble in paperback or electronically.  You can also find them electronically several places from https://books2read.com/u/mdeZ85 .

Really you can find them lots of places because The Wild Rose Press makes them available. They’re just that good. 

The Sandhill Island series can be read in any order because they are stand-alone stories about the island and you are bound to run into some of the same characters as you read along. And you’ll be happy to see them again and find out how their lives are working out.

Pick up a copy of Smugglers of Sandhill Island and as always leave me a review on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads or anywhere you visit. The people of Sandhill Island are waiting for you!

 What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: The Taj Mahal

Posted on May 24, 2026 by peggylchambers

I am writing a new children’s book about world-wide artifacts and places of honor. The main character of the book visits many ancient ruins and learns lessons wherever she goes. And I am learning so much! Lately I’ve been researching the Taj Mahal. I had no idea how much work went into this shrine, how old it is, and how it has withstood the test of time. It makes me wonder about the construction of Oklahoma roads. Hmmmm.

But writing requires research and you are bound to learn something no matter what you write. One thing writing does is it makes you sit down and do the work, if you ever want to accomplish your dream. Look up that subject! Get an idea in mind about how it would look! And then put it on paper with the words in an order that is equally as beautiful as the subject you researched. Or try to.

Did you know that the Taj Mahal is made of white marble that changes color with the light? Depending upon what time of day you visit, the shrine can be pink, yellow, or white. So, it is open to the public for long hours to view those colors. It’s not a 9-to-5 kind of museum. Now I want to visit the shrine.

Writing can be a learning experience for the writer as well as the reader. When I began thinking of this project, I wanted to show children the wonders of the world and to teach them respect for the work that went into them. And instead, I taught myself. I wanted to get the information right and not just invent facts. I had very little information in my head about the Taj Mahal other than I could name it if I saw a picture. Now I am in awe of the workmanship as well as the original idea which began in 1632. There is a lot to learn there about workmanship and engineering that went into the building of that shrine.

I’m thrilled to get back on this project.  I always have more than one story floating around in my head, but sometimes, you need to get back to the ones you love instead of the ones that are bogged down in the back of your mind. I’m welcoming myself back to the story I fell in love with even though the other one isn’t finished.

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: 30th Anniversary of Twister Movie in Wakita, Oklahoma

Posted on May 17, 2026 by peggylchambers

I spent the day in Wakita, Oklahoma yesterday and had a wonderful time. It was the 30th anniversary of the original Twister movie that was filmed there and the fans were everywhere. I was there with 7000 of my best friends (that was someone’s estimate of the number of people in town over a two-day period.)  It was hot and crowded. It was noisy and crazy. And it was fun.

Martha Draper sold copies of the special edition of the Wakita Hearld from 30 years ago. Martha is from Wakita and her father owned the local newspaper. She still has copies of his old, yellowed newspapers and the Twister museum was happy to copy them and sell them to the public. I sold a few of my books set in Oklahoma.

There were actors from the movie and trucks that were in the filming 30 years ago. There was a costume contest and the lines to the T-shirt sales and museum were blocks long. I never did see the porta-potties or food trucks though they were there. There were at least 3 EMT runs with what I assume were heat related accidents.

They have this celebration every year but I’m sure the fact that it was the 30th anniversary made things even more crazy. There is no ATM in the small town of Wakita, population 340, but there was cash everywhere. Advertisements in advance mentioned that cash was king. And it was.

When we had endured the heat as long as we could a nice man helped us get our stuff to the car a half-block away. The parking place was not bad and people were kind. It is an hour’s drive back home and there was not even a place to get a cold drink along the way. We brought our own and our lunch. It was fun, but I’m getting too old for the heat and sitting on a park bench.

Congratulations, Wakita, and I hope you did well with T-shirt sales and museum entries. I know you did. Who knows what it will be like at the 50th anniversary!

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: Happy Mother’s Day

Posted on May 10, 2026 by peggylchambers

It’s Mother’s Day! And a day of remembrance. My mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother are long gone, but not forgotten. I’ve been thinking of them this week probably because of the upcoming holiday. I went to see a woman who was like a second mother to me yesterday. She is bedridden these days and her children take turns taking care of her not wanting to put her in a nursing home. That is love—to spend your days looking after the woman who looked after you. And it is as it should be.

My grandmother raised eight children during the depression on a cotton farm in northeast Arkansas. She had little education, but the woman grew a garden that fed the county and cooked the most wonderful meals. I remember her wringer washing machine on the back porch and having to use the outdoor toilet (which I hated and feared!). She was a wonderful woman, kind but strict, and if you worked and did what you were told, you’d get along fine. Oh, and attend church on Sunday with her.

My mother raised three kids in the city and was hardworking as well. She cooked, cleaned, sewed our dresses, and taught me the love of books. She read when the day was done and she liked nothing better than to send her girls to the library during the summer when school was out. It probably gave her a break from all the noise and was a short walk for us.

Today’s mothers live a different life. Most work outside the home as well as keeping house and raising kids. She might come in the door with a pizza she picked up on the way home from work, but she still takes care of her family. But the love is still there and so is the work.

Hats off to all the mothers who toil from daylight until dark for those they love. Happy Mother’s Day!

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: OWFI Annual Writing Conference

Posted on May 3, 2026 by peggylchambers

The annual OWFI writing conference was this weekend, and I had a wonderful time, as usual. I placed in a couple of writing contest categories and there were four of us representing the Enid Writers Club. Two backed out at the last minute but still we almost filled a table at dinner!

Our keynote speaker was Mercedes M. Yardley who writes horror. She had just had a part of her foot amputated due to a flesh-eating bacteria and STILL she showed up. She was in a wheelchair with someone helping her, but she wore an emerald sequined dress and spoke like the professional she was. She didn’t have any books for sale in the book sales room, but I will get one. If her writing is as good as she was, I want to read them. She was uplifting and professional.

One of our club members was a newbie at the conference this weekend. She was so thrilled to be there and made friends wherever she went. I was so happy for her, and I know she will do well and continue to make friends and improve her writing. She’s already talking about next year.

The food was wonderful and I ate too much. I was thrilled to get certificates for my writing, and I will continue to enter the contests. It always makes me feel like I’ve accomplished a lot when I win the contests against such writers as the ones I rubbed shoulders with this weekend.

So here’s to next year and the writing along the way.

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: Craft Show Weekend

Posted on April 26, 2026 by peggylchambers

Yesterday I spent the day with my sister at the Spring Craft Show at the Stride Center in Enid, Oklahoma. Lots of people came through and I got to pet some therapy dogs! Cute babies in strollers came along and we spent the day people-watching and catching up. She sold some of her wares and we talked to a lot of people.

I love these craft shows and the people who set up. It is fun to get acquainted with them and see what all they have to offer. There was a lot of talent in that room!

They normally have food vendors for lunch, but not yesterday. I had to call my husband and ask him to deliver some burgers. Otherwise, lunch was going to be cinnamon rolls and cheesecake. If anyone is interested, serve lunch next time and you might sell some things!

If you read the news, Enid had a tornado last week, but we were lucky that only about 50 properties were affected and there were 15 injuries, no fatalities. When you live in Tornado Alley, you take the wins. Enid has been my hometown for a long time, and I don’t see myself anywhere else.

I will be attending the OWFI Conference next weekend and then the Wakita 30th anniversary of the Twister movie on May 16. The movie was shot there, and they have great memories of that time. They have a museum and there will be actors from the movie, memorabilia, and storm chasers set up for the public to interact with.

Spring can be a busy time for craft shows and book sales. I will be busy and I hope you drop by my table.

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: Enid Author Fest

Posted on April 19, 2026 by peggylchambers

Yesterday was the annual Enid Author Fest at the Public Library of Enid and Garfield County. There were over 30 Oklahoma authors in attendance and many people attended from the community and beyond. I was set up with my books on a table for the Enid Writers Club. It was a great time. I met new authors, sold some books (bought some books, of course) and read from my latest novel Smugglers of Sandhill Island. I gave away a beach bag with the purchase of my newest book and they were adored. Cynthia Martinez of Oklahoma City is a long-term friend and makes beautiful bags. I was thrilled to have them to give away to the public.

I think I have been involved in this festival for at least 10 years, and I plan to attend from now on. I love meeting new people and discussing our love of stories.

The author fest hosts authors from all over Oklahoma, and some local ones. Surely you will meet someone new or get reacquainted with someone from your past.

I will attend the Stride Craft show with my sister next weekend and then the annual OWFI conference in May followed by the 30th Anniversary of the Twister Movie in Wakita, OK later that month. As usual, when things start to hop, they do it in groups.

I’d love to see you at some of these events and I’m sure you would enjoy the camaraderie.

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: Rumba Nightmares

Posted on April 12, 2026 by peggylchambers

I write science fiction and fantasy, and I love to read it. M y mother used to get so mad at me if I watched a scary movie because I’d have nightmares and then she’d have to get up with me. I still do that. What is it with people who loved to be scared? Now, I am a great Stephen King fan and love to read his work. But who knew my Rumba vacuum cleaner could be a nightmare!

As kids we were allowed to watch The Jetsons on TV. Fantasy and comedy cartoons, not horror, and they stuck with me. When my husband bought me a Rumba vacuum cleaner, I was in heaven. I could pair it with my phone, but that seemed a little too technical. Instead, it had two buttons on top, “clean” and “dock.” Simple commands for a complicated machine. So, we set up the new automatic vacuum cleaner and I named her Rosie after the Jetson’s maid who was always upset at the messes she had to clean up after the family.

I could sit and read, write, watch TV and the Roomba could do the work.

Then one night, at about 2 am I woke to a noise, and the Rumba was busy vacuuming beside my bed! I had used it the night before and it went back to the dock to recharge. Evidently, fully charged in the night, it decided to vacuum again! I had to turn on the light, find my glasses, and push the “dock” button. Then she went home and back to sleep. She was taking care of business!

She needed a hard reboot, like we all do sometimes. She’s better now. She will still do her work for me, and all her filters are clean. She’s still on the job when I need her. But I hope she never wakes me up again. Just clean during the day, dear, rest at night.

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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2026: Easter Renewal

Posted on April 5, 2026 by peggylchambers

It’s Easter! And the beginning of spring once again. I know because Oklahoma had at least six tornadoes in the Oklahoma City area the other night, I saw a bunny in my backyard this week, and the first of the irises are blooming. I attempted to take my cane outside and rake the leaves out of a small flowerbed and my herb garden. I didn’t do too well, but no one was hurt in the making of a spring garden. I have Cala Lilies and Easter Lilies up (they never bloom at Easter), and the Grape Hyacinths and Forsythia have already bloomed. We really need some rain. I guess I’ll have to water the artificial way with a hose.

But spring is a time of renewal—of nature and hopefully the human spirit. I am still rehabbing. The cane is for balance. I can walk; it’s just tough and I look like a toddler. I attend classes at the YMCA and work on getting my strength back because according to the therapist, muscle strength will bring back coordination and balance. I need that. But like I said, spring is a time of renewal. At least that is the plan.

As I sit here writing this, my Rumba is vacuuming for me while the washing machine washes my clothes. My grandmother is rolling over in her grave. That superwoman had eight kids, and fed them all, and their kids, and a few neighbors from her garden and the chickens in her yard. There was also the occasional catfish, hog, and venison from her freezer. I actually remember using the outhouse at her place before she had running water. She was one of the last to get that modern convenience in the early 1950s. But she never used a cane, nor did she have spinal surgery. She might have been smarter than me. Certainly stronger.

But renewal of the spirit, mind, and body is something humanity needs—constantly. Not just in the spring. So let it begin with the flowers, warm weather, the scent of newly mowed grass, and a glass of iced tea.

Happy Easter!

What are you reading, writing, supporting, or creating this week?

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