WILL ROGERS MEDALLION CEREMONY
Recently, I had the pleasure of attending the 2025 Will Rogers Medallion Awards ceremony at the Hard Rock Cafe Hotel in Catoosa, OK. As Managing Editor of Saddlebag Dispatches magazine, I had the privilege of accepting three medals along with the authors who won medals in their respective categories.
Here’s what Casey Cowan had to say…
“That’s a wrap for the 2025 Will Rogers Medallion Awards! Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates, Saddlebag Dispatches, and Young Dragons took home a combined six medallions, including four bronze, a silver, and a gold (and our buddy Reavis Wortham won silver in two different categories, too!).
To say I’m proud of these authors and their achievements would be the understatement of the year. There is no finer crew anywhere in this business. Here’s to all of our winners, all of our authors, and the hardworking crew behind the scene that helps make all of this possible.“
OZARK WRITER’S CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 18, 2025. I had a fantastic time being with WCCW members and good friends, and selling books at the Ozark Creative Writers Conference last weekend.
A good friend and faithful reader, Ron Zellner, shows off at my book table.
And totally unexpected, it was pretty humbling winning the Grand Showcase Award for my short story, Second Place is First Place Tonight. It was inspired by my high school English teacher, Patricia Stansbury.
Good times, great memories with wonderful people.
WRITER’S INK CONFERENCE
September 10, 2025. Hade a great time at the Writer’s Ink Conference in Paragould, AR and sold some books, too!
Great speakers, great food, but the best part was the wonderful old and new friends I enjoyed spending time with!
SPEAKING AT POINSETT COUNTY LIBRARY
AUGUST 30, 2025. The Poinsett County Library really rolled out the red carpet for my author talk last night! What a great group of readers. I look forward to the book club reading White & Black, the first volume in my historical fiction series, A Tale of Two Colors, and discussing the story together March 26, 2026!
A huge thanks goes to Angie Lacy for hosting such a wonderful event!
SPEAKING TO WRITERS INK
I thoroughly enjoyed sharing my writing journey, From Scribbler to Writer to Published Author, last Saturday with Writers Ink in the Greene County Library in Paragould, AR!
I got to rub shoulders with some very talented and encouraging writers! Thank you Debbie Archer and Patricia Blake for a wonderful experience!
One added bonus was my wife Lisa, mother-in-law Joan, and my niece and up and coming new writer, Kysha Davis, attended with me. And I sold books! What a fantastic day!
Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates announces…
BIG NEWS from bestselling author and Arkansas Writers’ Hall of Fame inductee Anthony Wood!
We’re thrilled to announce that Anthony has signed a three-book deal for his brand-new historical Western saga, THE ATALANTA CHRONICLES—coming Fall 2025!
Forged by fire—abuse, betrayal, and loss—the heroine of The Atalanta Chronicles is a woman with nothing left to lose and justice to deliver. Rescued from a brutal past, she becomes a bounty hunter on a mission to bring retribution to those who prey on the innocent. But when unexpected family offers her a second chance, she must choose: love and peace… or blood and vengeance.
Set against the rugged landscapes of the post-Civil War West, The Atalanta Chronicles promises a gripping ride of revenge, redemption, and reckoning.
Anthony Wood—Will Rogers Medallion Award-winning author of A Tale of Two Colors and countless acclaimed short stories—brings his powerful voice and deep historical insight to this bold new series. Stay tuned for more details as the journey to publication begins!
Atalanta was a Greek heroine, a renowned huntress, and athlete. She was associated with hunting, racing, and the wilderness, often paralleled with the goddess Artemis. She was known for her speed, strength, skill in archery, and her ability to overcome obstacles in her quest for independence. Atalanta’s story highlights themes of choice, personal sovereignty, and resilience against societal expectations, showcasing her desire for freedom and independence… and so it is with Marion Tullos.
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APRIL 24, 2025. Here are some recent images:
Two living history events in as many weekends. Turner’s Battery members wore gray at the Battle of Fort Blakeley reenactment near Mobile, AL, then portrayed McAllister’s Battery in blue at Vicksburg, MS. The point of living history is just that—to keep history living for today and future generations.
Sharing my writing journey with members of the Mt. Ida, AR Extension Homemakers Council a week or so ago, it’s always a pleasure. A great group of EHC ladies who do so much to bless their community
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MARCH 20, 2025. Had a great time visiting Robbers Cave State Park near Wiburton, Oklahoma. Beautiful place! Once a hideout for notorious outlaws like Jesse James and Belle Starr, this fortress of rocks will be the setting for the grand finale scene in my first western novel, Land of the Blind. Look for it to be released in the fall by the Hat Creek imprint of Roan & Weatherford Publishing Associates.
COVER PHOTO CONTEST WINNER
March 10, 2025. Look who lucked up and won the weekly cover photo contest for the Outbacks in Arkansas Facebook page yesterday!
It’s the first photo contest I’ve ever entered.
Honored to be a part of this wonderful group.
Hope you enjoy the photo—a dazzling sunset that evening.
BOOK SIGNING AT OUACHITA
Enjoyed a fantastic book signing for Red Sky Storm at my brother Larry’s gym—Ouachita Wellness and Sports Center.
My good friend, Pappy Scott, always drops by to get a signed copy of my latest release. This time was a little different.
As I signed his copy of RED SKY STORM, he had this to say… “I read The Name Tree in one sitting, and I cried. It touched my heart and shook me to my spirit.” A master carpenter and martial artist, a patriotic citizen and faithful Christian, I’m always grateful for his words of wisdom, and honesty. Thanks, brother.
AUTHOR TALK AT THE CHOCTAW COUNTY LIBRARY
I had a great time sharing about The Name Tree at the Choctaw County Library not long ago. A huge thanks goes to Cristin Chandler and gang for promoting and hosting this wonderful event. Librarians are the best!
I may not be “on the cover of the Rolling Stone,” as the old song says, but I’m very honored to be on the front page of The Choctaw County Plaindealer newspaper!
Wonder what my ancestors who pioneered Choctaw County think about that? Lol!
MISSISSIPPI BOOK SIGNING
I had a fantastic time sharing about The Name Tree with the good folks at the Carrollton and Vaiden, Mississippi libraries, then offering my books for sale at the Choctaw County Library Holiday Open House. Thank you Tiffany Wilson, Kathy Noah, and Cristin Chandler for being such wonderful hosts.
NAME TREE BOOK SIGNINGS
November 25, 2024. I enjoyed a great weekend sharing about my latest book release, The Name Tree.
First stop was at a church in Mt. Ida, AR and then a book signing at Ouachita Wellness and Sports Center with my brother, Larry.
And, I sold out of books!
MANNEQUIN DEDICATION
November 5, 2024. If you like history, you’re gonna this. I had the joy of helping dedicate a mannequin in honor of my ancestor, Private Jasper Newton Tullos, as part of a life-sized horse drawn artillery exhibit in the Starkville Civil War Arsenal in Mississippi. (Click an image below to view the gallery)
WILL ROGERS MEDALLION AWARD
October 12-14, 2024. As Managing Editor, I had the privilege of traveling to Ft. Worth, TX to accept the publisher gold and silver Will Rogers Medallion Awards for Saddlebag Dispatches western magazine along with the winners in the Western Short Story category. W. Michael Farmer and Michael Norman are two fantastic writers!
Stopped by Elwood Cemetery in Bowie, TX to honor Captain Henry P. Turner’s grave. In March, 1862 he organized the 1st Mississippi Light Artillery Co. C that my 2G grandfather Jasper Newton Tullos and his two brothers served with during the Civil War. I’m finishing a history of Turner’s Battery and registry of soldier’s profiles for each member of Company C. To be released in November, 2025.