Susan Croce Kelly, an author of two notable books about Route 66, will be inducted Sept. 30 into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame during a special online edition of the organization’s annual Quill Gala.
The award will be presented during a virtual ceremony that will feature a live roundtable discussion with Kelly.
Kelly is the prize-winning author of two important books of Route 66 history: “Route 66: The Highway and Its People,” and “Father of Route 66: The Story of Cy Avery” (Amazon links), both published by the University of Oklahoma Press.
Today. her work is focused on Ozarks history and culture: she is managing editor of OzarksWatch Magazine, published by the Ozarks Studies Institute of Missouri State University, and she is working on final edits on “Newspaperwoman of the Ozarks,” a biography of longtime 20th-century reporter Lucile Morris Upton, which will be published by the University of Arkansas Press.
“We are proud to recognize Susan for her storytelling career and her contributions to the written word,” said Randy Berger, president of the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame. “Her work will stand as an inspiration to a new generation of writers who will use their talents to tell the stories of our region. We are honored to celebrate her legacy and her ties to Missouri.”
This year’s event will be broadcast live on Zoom at 7 p.m. Thursday. Viewers can join at this link, which also will be available on the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame’s Facebook page.
The Quill event raises funds for college scholarships for talented high school seniors. This year’s event is free to view, though donations are encouraged. Donations can be made during the broadcast, or any time, here. One also can donate by mailing a check to: Missouri Writers Hall of Fame, 411 N. Sherman Pkwy., Springfield, MO 65802.
Another Missouri-born author with strong Route 66 ties also is a member of the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame. That would be Michael Wallis, author of the seminal “Route 66: The Mother Road” (Amazon link), inducted in 1999.
Nobel Prize-winning John Steinbeck, the author of “The Grapes of Wrath” (Amazon link), was inducted in 2004.
(Image of Susan Croce Kelly courtesy of Missouri Writers Hall of Fame)