WRMA CEREMONY WEEKEND EVENTS

2026 WRMA AWARD WEEKEND SCHEDULE

October 28 - October 31, 2026 

Claremore and Tulsa, Oklahoma

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Host Hotel: The spectacular River Spirit Casino/Resort (8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 74137) will serve as our host hotel. Rooms are available for a special rate of $159 per night. Please click here to make your hotel reservation. The hotel will provide shuttle service from the airport. Please contact River Spirit to make shuttle arrangements.

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Transportation: A bus will be available to transport you from the hotel to the museum in Claremore Thursday evening for the Meet & Greet. Cost is $25 round trip, but seats are limited. Please email Laurie and note your reservation on the form you'll return when you purchase your banquet tickets by September 15. Feel free to include this cost in your check.

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You will be responsible for any other travel arrangements during our award weekend.

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Looking for additional things to do and places to see while visiting Claremore and Tulsa? Check out our list of Oklahoma Visitor Suggestions.

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2026

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WILL ROGERS AUTHOR POSSE (6-8 pm) at the Claremore Museum of History, Claremore, Oklahoma   (121 North Weenonah Ave, Claremore, OK 74017)

A wine and cheese event will allow local residents and guests to meet selected WRMA 2026 award-winning authors, who will be available in stations throughout the museum to sign and talk about their books. This wonderful venue offers local history, including exhibits highlighting Lynn Riggs (author of the original play that became the musical "Oklahoma") and props and costumes from the film, singer Patti Page, astronaut Stuart Roosa, athlete Andy Payne, and other local artifacts. This is a free event.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2026

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​MEET AND GREET  (5:00 pm - 10:00 pm) at the Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore, Oklahoma (1720 West Will Rogers Boulevard, Claremore, OK 74017)  *Sponsored by RCB Bank and INSP Network

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Thursday night is the perfect night to reconnect with old friends and make new friends and memories. The wonderful Will Rogers Memorial Museum will be hosting the 2026 Meet & Greet. Celebrities in attendance will include Barry Corbin, Bruce Boxleitner, Mason Beals, and Dean Butler. Included in the evening is a screening of the film "Little House Homecoming," with its star Dean Butler (Almanzo) present to answer your questions.

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**Due to an overwhelming response and unprecedented interest, this year's Meet & Greet will be a ticketed event. In past years, we have proudly offered this reception free to the public. However, to ensure a comfortable and meaningful experience for attendees and guests, free admission is now limited and available only to WRMA 2026 award winners, their registered guests, and our valued WRMA sponsors. The remainder of the tickets will be available by advance purchase only for $90 per ticket. This includes a catered buffet, a cash bar, and opening mingling access with guests and authors. While we will set aside enough tickets for our winners, their guests, and our sponsors, the remaining 105 tickets will sell out quickly. Reserve your space today by emailing gvcenss@aol.com. **

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We always love to display copies of the winning books, CDs, and DVDs during our Meet & Greet. We ask authors to bring a copy of your 2026 winning entry so that other attendees at this event have the opportunity to see all the winners across all the categories. ​

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We will have one bus available for transportation from the hotel to the museum for $25 (round-trip). There is limited seating on the bus so please get your reservation to us as soon as possible (you will see a place on the reservation form where you can check that you'd like to reserve a seat on the bus and include it with your banquet payment). If you are not riding the bus, you will be responsible for your own transportation to the museum in Claremore. The distance is about 35 miles (45 minute drive), but all other events will take place at the River Spirit Hotel.

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**Please let us know if you are attending the Meet & Greet and reserve bus reservations by September 15.

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2026

CRAFT OF WRITING THE WEST CONFERENCE ​​ (8:30 am - 4:00 pm) at the River Spirit Casino Resort  (8330 Riverside Parkway, Tulsa, OK)

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Conference sessions include:

Craft of Writing Dialogue: led by award-winning author Meredith Blevins, who will dive into the art of making every word count, offering expert insights, practical exercises, and actionable strategies.

Craft of Writing a Fiction Franchise: led by New York Times bestselling author Anne Hillerman, who will explore the art and responsibility of sustaining a long-running fiction series, honoring established characters, evolving storylines, and keeping readers invested across generations.

Craft of Marketing: led by New York Times bestselling author Chris Enss, who will pull back the curtain on what it really takes to sell books in today's rapidly shifting landscape. She'll provide the tools, mindset, and practical tactics to thrive in this reality.

Craft of Research and University Archives: led by University of Tulsa Professors Bob Pickering (Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and former Dean of the McFarlin Library) and Jill Krefft (Ida McFarlin Dean of Libraries), who will offer rare insight into the incredible resources housed at the university and how to use the materials, how to find them, interpret them, and transform them into powerful storytelling.

Craft of Bridging Story and Scholarship: Led by New York Times bestselling authors Kathleen & Mike Gear and award-winning author and University of Chicago professor Art Burton, who will explore how writers can blend meticulous research with compelling narrative to bring the West vividly to life. Whether you write fiction, nonfiction, or simply love Western history, this conversation offers insight into balancing authenticity with storytelling craft.

Craft of Writing Characters Actors Want to Play: led by actors Barry Corbin, Bruce Boxleitner, & Dean Butler, who will offer insight into how actors evaluate scripts, what makes dialogue feel real, and why certain characters linger long after the curtain falls or the credits roll. 

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The event is free and open to the public. Please email Laurie and let us know if you will be attending one or both of these events so that we will have the proper number of chairs for the attendees. 

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AN EVENING WITH WILL (7:00 - 8:30 pm at the River Spirit Casino Resort in Tulsa, OK)

*Sponsored by CHEVRON

Barry Corbin, Bruce Boxleitner, Rob Word, Dean Butler, and Mason Beals will read five of Will Rogers' most popular radio commentaries before a live studio audience.  The evening will be hosted by Jennifer Rogers, along with KVOO radio personalities and News at 6 anchors.

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This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Laurie so that we have the proper number of chairs available.

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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2026

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WRMA AWARD BANQUET AND CEREMONY  (5:30-10 pm at the River Spirit Resort)

You'll enjoy a delicious dinner, followed by the annual WRMA award ceremony. Award category rankings will be announced and winners will receive their medallions. A professional photographer (Joe Ownbey of Ownbey Photography) will be on hand to take photographs, and we will hold a silent auction with treasures for you to take home! Musical entertainment will be provided by our winning songwriting artists and by Grammy award-winning singer Clint Black! You will need to purchase tickets for yourself and any guests by the date noted at the bottom of the ticket reservation form. Ticket reservation forms will be included in the winners' letter packets and you can also find the form here. We will be ready to receive your reservations following the announcement of the winners in June. Reservations are due absolutely no later than September 15.

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RSVP (for Meet & Greet, bus reservations, Writing Conference,

An Evening with Will, and Banquet) to:

laurie@magnificentsam.com

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Many thanks to our 2026 WRMA Program Sponsors:

Lone Star Literary Life * RCB Bank * Visit Claremore * Wolfpack Publishing

Claremore Museum of History * INSP Network * Frontier Justice * Bariso Press

Muscogee Nation * Deadwood History, Inc. * Chevron * Arcadia Press

Roan & Weatherford * Wild West Film Productions * River Spirit Casino Resort

Edward R. Jones * Quill Hawk Publishing * Oklahoma Arts Council * Oklahoma Today Magazine

JM Davis Arms & Historical Museum * Rodeo Life Magazine * Cherokee Nation Businesses

* Distinctly Montana Magazine * University of Tulsa * Gangster Museum of America

* Oklahoma Military Academy Museum

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