Sylvia's Bio

Tales
from the
Heartland

Sylvia has published over 600 non-fiction articles in AAA Midwest Traveler, AAA Southern Traveler, The Christian Science Monitor, Alabama Living, Illinois Magazine, Missouri Life, Show Me Missouri, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Herb Quarterly, Grit, Paddler Magazine, Outdoor Guide Magazine, Columbia Home & Lifestyle, Mid-Missouri Mature Living, Prime, and a variety of other publications and websites. She has also published six books.

About half of her writing is on travel topics, though her other specialties include herbs and gardens, nature/outdoors, Missouri, the arts, health and profiles. She is also a history buff.

Organizations

Midwest Travel Writers Association

Garden Writers of America

Ozarks Writers League

Society of Environmental Journalists

Springfield Writers Guild

Columbia Freelance Forum

Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators

Missouri Writers' Guild

Oklahoma Writers' Federation, Inc.

Awards

2012- finalist - Women on Writing fiction contest

2011- 1st Place - Nonfiction Article, Ozarks Writers League annual writing contest

2011- HM - Flash Fiction, San Antonio Writers Guild annual writing contest

2011- Norman (OK) Galaxy of Writers, annual writing contest

3rd Place - Short Story
HM - Un-rhymed Poem

2011- 2nd Place - Travel Column, Prime Magazine, North American Mature Publishers Association

2011- 3rd Place - Essay, Arizona Authors Association Literary Contest

2011- Springfield Writers' Guild Contest

1st place - Essay

HM - Nonfiction

HM - Short Story

2011 - 1^st Place - Best Business Reporting - Great Plains Jounalism Awards

2011 - Bronze Award - Best Business Reporting - Heart of America Awards/Kansas City Press Club

2011- HM - Essay - Whispering Prairie Press

2011 - Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

3rd place - Best Article in a Newspaper or Magazine

HM - Best Profile

2010 - 79th Annual Writer's Digest Magazine Feature Writing Contest (one of the largest writing contests in the U.S.)

1 feature article placed in top 10

2 more feature articles placed in top 100

2010 - Fellowship from the Association of Health Care Journalists

2009 - 78th Annual Writer's Digest Magazine Feature Writing Contest (one of the largest writing contests in the U.S.)

2 feature articles placed in top 100

2009 - Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

2^ndplace – Best Travel Article

2^nd place – Best Essay

2^nd place – Best Restaurant Review

3^rdplace, Highways & Byways

Honorable Mention – Best Historical Article

2008 - Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

2^nd place – Best Historical Article

2^nd place – Best Restaurant Review

2007 – Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

1^st Place for Best Article/PhotoPackage

2007 - National Federation of Press Women,
Missouri Chapter

1^st Place for Best Slogan

2007 - Springfield Writer's Guild Contest

2^st Place for Best Prose Article

2006 – Missouri Writers' Guild

2^nd Place, Walter Williams Major Work Award, for Bylines 2006 Writer’s Desk Calendar

3^rd Place, Best Article/Photo Package

2006 - Byline Magazine Contest

1^st Place for Best Short Nonfiction

2006 - Heartland Writer's Guild Contest

1^st Place, Best Young Adult Manuscript

2^nd Place, Best Young Adult Manuscript

2005 - Midwest Travel Writers Assn

3^rd Place, Best Magazine Travel Article

2005 - Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

2nd Place, Best Article/Photo Package

2004 - Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

2^nd Place, Best Magazine Article

2003 - Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

3^rd Place, Best Newspaper Article

2002 – Missouri Writers' Guild Contest

2^nd Place, Best Magazine Article

2002 – Heartland Writers' Guild Contest

Finalist, Best Children's Manuscript