Connor Orion – President

One of Connor's earliest memories is sitting on their mother's bed, watching Night of the Creeps with her. The second one is of their grandmother reading The Lord of the Rings to them before bed. Summer nights were spent in the front yard of their grandparents’ house with their Papa and his telescope, watching the moon cross the sky. If stories were perfume, those would be the scent notes. Wet earth, rotting leaves, gold, ash, and humid night air.

Connor has had several short horror stories published under the name Adrean Messmer. Currently, they write haunted fairy tales and gross horror under the name Nor Amigone and dark paranormal romance as Cas Ciel.

Shannon Iwanski – Conference Chair

Shannon is a member of the Bartlesville WordWeavers and has been a member of OWFI for 14 years. An award-winning author at the age of 15, he enjoys writing in multiple genres, including sci-fi/fantasy, horror, mystery, and romance. His debut novel Ride the Train was published in 2014. Since then, he has published a second novel and a short-short story collection. Various short stories of his have been published in numerous anthologies under both his real and pen names. His upcoming queer supernatrual detective series will be published by Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates. Shannon enjoys speaking at events and conferences, sharing his love for writing. For OWFI, he has volunteered in the pitch room, registration, and Basket Wars.

Raised in Gage, OK, Shannon currently lives in Tulsa with his husband, Brent, a temperamental cat, two rescue dogs, and a blue-and-gold macaw. When not Vaguebooking about his upcoming series, he enjoys buying more books than any one person can ever read.

Vickey Malone Kennedy – Past President

Vck (pronounced Vick) writes across Science Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Erotica, with short fiction appearing in multiple anthologies. Her storytelling extends beyond the page, having co-written scripts for productions in the Oklahoma 48 Hour Film Festival and the 24 Hour Play Festival.

With a background in theatre, she earned her BA from USAO in Chickasha, focusing on Acting and Set Design, and continued her graduate studies at OSU in Stillwater, where she expanded into Acting and Lighting Design. That foundation in performance and visual storytelling continues to shape her work today.

Vck has long been an active force in the writing community, serving as a former president of OWFI, vice president of the Norman Galaxy of Writers, and co-founder of Rose Rock Writers. Her contributions to the craft have earned her numerous honors, including an OWFI Crème de la Crème award, the Darryl Award for Best Published Mid-South Short Story, and a first-place Writer’s Digest award in Genre Fiction.

Now retired from nursing, she spends her days writing, editing tall tales, and delighting in her favorite role—Granny, or “Ninnie,” to her four gorgeous grand-darlings. And every now and then, she steps back into the spotlight, appearing as an extra on film sets.

Amy Shojai – First Vice President

Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified animal behavior consultant, and nationally known authority on pet care and behavior. She began her career as a veterinary technician and is the award-winning author of more than 35 prescriptive nonfiction pet books, and a pet-centric thriller series. Amy loves bling, and making up "crappiocca" in her thrillers with the help of her furry muses.

Amy has also published more than 2000 articles and columns and today “channels her inner cat/dog” in her work. She has written widely in the pet field on training, behavior, health care (both allopathic and holistic), and the health benefits of keeping cats and dogs.

She is the founder and past president of the international Cat Writers’ Association, a certified member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants, a past president and honorary lifetime member of Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc., and a member of Dog Writer’s Association of America, Inc, Alliance of Independent Authors,  Sisters In Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She has won dozens of awards for her books and articles.

Note: Amy acquired her literary agent at OWFI, but after publishing traditionally with New York for many years, today she’s a hybrid author publishing both independently and traditionally. As a VO artist and actor in another life, she voices her own audiobooks and makes her titles available in all formats through her author direct store.

Amy frequently lectures at conferences about writing as well as a variety of pet-related issues. She has been featured on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and in USA Weekend, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Washington Post, Reader’s Digest, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Woman’s World, and many other leading newspapers and magazines. She regularly appears on national radio and television in connection with her pet writing, including as an expert on Animal Planet’s DOGS 101 and CATS 101. 

Frank Steele – 2nd Vice President

Frank Steele’s writing career began in college in the 1970s, when he picked up a book on how and where to submit stories in hopes of earning a little extra money. Armed with his newfound knowledge, he soon sold two stories to Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. And with that, he knew he was on his way—a real writer!

His next opportunity came when he began writing comedy for an up-and-coming performer. Frank produced seven carefully crafted minutes of topical, fresh, hip material and earned a glowing review of his work. The promised $550 payment, however, still has not arrived. Frank is beginning to suspect the check may not actually be in the mail.

Writing then took a brief, forty-year detour while Frank worked as an actor, musician, and theater teacher. Eventually, his friend and fellow writer Amy Shojai invited him to help develop an idea for a musical. Several musicals and a drama later, Frank has come full circle, a writer once again.

Frank is delighted to be part of OWFI and grateful for the friendship, encouragement, and generosity he has found in its writing community.

Christine Jarmola – Grants Director

Christine Jarmola, who writes mysteries as C.D. Jarmola, is the multiple award-winning author of The Merry Widow mystery series, a collection of cozy mysteries known for their humor, memorable characters, and clever storytelling.

A retired educator and former theatrical director, Christine brings decades of experience in teaching, leadership, and storytelling to her writing, workshops, and presentations. Her background in education and the arts has shaped a lifelong commitment to fostering creativity and encouraging writers at every stage of their journey.

Christine currently serves as Grants Director for the Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc., continuing a long history of volunteer leadership within the organization. A legacy member of OWFI, she has served as President twice, received the organization's Lifetime Member Award, and earned its prestigious Crème de la Crème honor. Her work reflects a longstanding commitment to literary education, mentorship, and strengthening Oklahoma's writing community.

Whether writing fiction, teaching, or serving fellow writers, Christine is passionate about helping stories—and the people who tell them—thrive.

Stephanie King – Treasurer & Jr. Grants Director

Stephanie King is an award-winning baker and writer whose love of small towns, homemade desserts, and unexpected adventures inspires her cozy mysteries.

When she isn’t baking or plotting her next book, she’s likely quilting, watching her comfort shows, or going to concerts. She lives in Smallville, Kansas, with her husband, three teenagers, three cats, two dogs, and a few adopted strays.

Peter Allen – Jr. Treasurer

More on Peter coming soon!

Nick Lyon – Publicity Director

Alva, Oklahoma native Nicholas Lyon is the author of the award-winning novel The Baptist Bootlegger, a historical fiction novel set during Prohibition in Oklahoma, as well as the soon-to-be-published Bookshop Soundtrack.

He has been writing since a college creative writing class first hooked him on storytelling. Along the way, he found community with writing groups Red Dirt Writers, Rose Rock Writers, and the Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc (OWFI). Since 2018, he has served on the OWFI board in several roles, including PR Director, President, Past-President, First Vice-President, and Junior PR Director. In 2024, Nick was presented with OWFI’s Honorary Lifetime Member Award.

Currently, he’s keeping up with his blog, I Wanted to Tell You a Story, and working on a sequel to Bootlegger.

When he’s not writing, he teaches high school English and speech to students who would rather be on their phones. He’s also a husband and dad, a guitar player in the band The Dead Armadillos, and a woodturner. He lives in Guthri

Dani Glidewell – Secretary & Jr. PR Director

Dani is a member of Rose Rock wRiters, an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy, a professional editor, a total science nerd, and a big fan of taking notes.

When she isn’t taking notes and sending emails for OWFI, she is running Glidewell Edits, copyediting both science and fiction. (And when she isn’t doing that, she is probably catching Pokémon.)

Dani completed her BA in professional writing and her MS in biology at the University of Oklahoma. She lives in Norman with her three dogs, four lizards, one turtle, and eleven adorable tarantulas.

Wayne Harris-Wyrick – Parliamentarian

Wayne is an astronomer by training. After 40 years working with children as the director of the planetarium in Science Museum Oklahoma, he decided to focus his energies in a new direction. He retired from the museum to become a full-time writer, concentrating mostly on books for children. He has five published books and three more in the works, to be released soon. He is the Non-Fiction Imprint editor and the Tweens & Teens for 4RV Publishing and the Proof-Copy editor for the company.

Wayne writes a monthly astronomy column for the Oklahoman, continuously published since 1984, and has also published a dozen astronomy and science articles and science fiction short stories in various national publications. He has published five children’s books with three more being illustrated by the publisher. Wayne offers editing services to novice authors.

Wayne has been involved with the creation of three organizations, including creating the Bylaws of the organizations.

Wayne also hunts ghosts with a paranormal investigation team, Insight Paranormal. This team is the Oklahoma affiliate of The Atlantic Paranormal Society, better known as TAPS.

Jennifer McMurrain – Editor

More on Jennifer McMurrain coming soon…

Aleasha Wales Shelnutt – Technology Director & Jr. Editor

Has passion, will travel.

Originally a Texas girl, Aleasha thrives on adventure. She’s lived in two countries, visited six others, and can’t wait to use her passport again! Adventure at home looks like rooms overflowing with fur babies, nightly Dishwasher Tetris tournaments, and the occasional “What’s That Smell” championship that occurs when the laundry baskets are overflowing. She currently provides creative and digital operations to authors and small business owners through her company, Studio Promessa.

Aleasha first stepped into OWFI through the side door, volunteering as a contest category chair before moving up to second vice president, then first. For the next three years, she collaborated with her fellow officers to streamline and modernize the annual writing contest, breathing new life into tradition. Next, she took up the reigns of conference coordinator, applying her love for event planning to the annual gathering of writers, agents, editors and other industry professionals. When Covid brought challenges to public meet-ups, she introduced OWFI’s first virtual conference, accepting the presidential gavel on livestream. She served double duty acting as technology director during her reign as president, and again as past president. In 2023, she went down in history for finally being at a loss for words when presented with the Honorary Lifetime Member award. Sorry if you missed it; that may never be repeated. Now, she is channeling her energies on taming the tech needs of our organization and making a spectacular program for the upcoming conference!

When she’s not chasing chaos at home, or technical errors for OWFI, Aleasha is still running after adventure—occasionally by plane, train or automobile— but most often between the covers of a great story. Visit her at The Nutthouse Diaries, and inspire her to share her stories more often!