President’s page – September 2021
Hello and welcome to September. I do hope you all had a wonderful summer whether you did a stacation or you had the chance to travel. If you’re new, welcome to the Arizona Professional Writers!
July was a busy month for the Rim Country Chapter as they held their book festival on July 17th. We had about 50% fewer attendees this year and far fewer authors. However, everyone who did attend had a good time and there was a lot of feedback on how much both the attendees and the authors liked the festival.
August had both the Central and the Rim Country chapters return to regular meetings, continuing to being held on Zoom. The book club is also still meeting via Zoom.
We need help! We need volunteers. Many of the APW officers have been serving for years. The Payson Book Festival committee needs a new Media Manager as Marie Fasano must step down for health reasons. New people bring fresh, new ideas and we want to keep our organization both active and relevant. You can contact me at connie.cockrell@gmail.com to talk about it.
APW Board Meeting: My calendar has September 18th, 10 a.m., as our APW Board Meeting. The meeting is open to all members, and it’s being held via Zoom. Contact me if you’d like to attend.
Speaking of media, take a look at our Facebook page for APW. This is a great place to announce your newest book, magazine article, or speaking engagement. This is just one of the many perks you, as an APW member, have so take advantage! https://www.facebook.com/groups/ArizonaPressWomen
That’s it for September. Everyone stay safe, enjoy the upcoming autumn, and hope to see you at the next meeting!
Connie Cockrell, President
September 11 – Find your Tiny Ninja!
Susan Anderson of Central District is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
On Saturday, September 11 join Sasha Graham as she shares how to find your own “Tiny Ninja,” who is the most compassionate, brave, supportive version of us.
Topic: APW Central Meeting-Find your Tiny Ninja!
Date: September 11, 2021
Time: 10:00 AM Arizona
The Zoom link has been sent to all members. If you did not receive it, look in the Members Only section of the website. You can also email Susan at Susan.APW@hotmail.com for the link if you did not receive it.
Bio
Sasha Graham is the author of Milo Does Not Like Mornings (2019), A Milo no le gustan las mañanas (2020) and Whitney Wins Everything (slated for Spring 2022). Each of these books are part of the Tiny Ninja Books Collection (TinyNinjaBooks.com) where the central idea is that we are each born with our own Tiny Ninja who is the most compassionate, brave, supportive version of us.
Sasha grew up on a farm in Oregon with her three siblings, a horse named Jim and a barn cat named Peanut Butter.
She graduated from the University of San Francisco with a degree in Broadcast Communications and minors in Spanish and French, and then worked in the city as a film publicist, television writer and TV segment producer. Later, she moved to Los Angeles where she worked as the Vice President of National Publicity for the Walt Disney Studios.
Sasha is an avid writer and her work has appeared in magazines, newspapers and on television.
In addition to her career in television, film, and writing, Sasha is proud to have worked everywhere from a hair salon, to a grass seed farm, to The Olive Garden, to a Christmas tree farm, to a library, to a therapeutic horsemanship ranch and, most recently, at a doggie daycare & boarding facility.
Sasha and her husband, Alan, live in Scottsdale, Arizona with their three kids; Finn, Indy and Odessa.
August 11 – Share what you have been writing this summer
Connie Cockrell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. The APW Rim Country meeting for August will be a time for sharing what you have been writing this summer.
Topic: APW Rim Country August Meeting
Date: Aug 11, 2021
Time: 01:00 PM Arizona
Maybe the Book Festival inspired you! Maybe your travels! Let us know what you’ve been working on. APW members have been sent the Zoom link. Nonmembers are welcome to attend and participate as well. If you misplace the link or did not receive it, you can find it in the Members-only section of the website. Or, email Connie.
August 14 – Time to share!
Susan Anderson of Central District is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
On Saturday, August 14 we will spend time sharing our current work. Several folks have asked to talk about what they are working on and ask questions of the group. It will be a special day after our summer hiatus. Everyone in APW is invited to share. Nonmembers are welcome to attend.
Topic: APW Central Meeting-Time to Share –
Date: Aug 14, 2021
Time: 10:00 AM Arizona
The Zoom link has been sent to all members. If you did not receive it, look in the Members Only section of the website. You can also email Susan at Susan.APW@hotmail.com for the link if you did not receive it.
Come get feedback for your project and perhaps some new ideas!
President’s Page – July 2021
April was a month packed full of activity. First of all, Welcome! I’m Connie Cockrell, newly elected President for the Arizona Professional Writers. The biggest event was the April 17th Virtual State Conference. In our short business meeting, we elected new officers. I was elected President, Marie Fasano steps into the Past President role, Bobbie Bennett remains Vice President, and Brenda Whiteside remains Secretary.
Most importantly, we are in need of a Membership Director and a Treasurer. These are vital positions in any organization. Both areas are in good shape, we just need a couple of people to see the value in keeping our organization vibrant by stepping up to volunteer. You can contact me at connie.cockrell@gmail.com to talk about it.
June was the National Federation of Press Women virtual conference. In the national contest, Dianne Beeaff from Tucson, won second place in the category Collection of Short Stories, with her book titled On Traigh Lar Beach. See her website for info on the book. Wynne Brown, also of Tucson, won second place for the category Newsletter, Web, and Social Media. Her entry, Personal, The Sara Lemmon Project can be found at her website or contact her at wynne@wynnebrown.com. Congratulations to both as there were thousands of entries nationwide making competition very high.
Our Communicator of Achievement, Marie Fasano, attended the NFPW virtual award ceremony. We’re sorry to say that she didn’t win. Sherri Burris was selected. You can find her details at NFPW. Congratulations to Ms. Burris.
July features the Payson Book Festival. It is July 17th at the Mazatzal Hotel and Casino from 9am to 3:30pm. We have over 70 authors this year. We’ll have a shortened children’s program in the morning and entertainment by Marshall Trimble, Buckshot Dot, and a panel of Grand Canyon experts scheduled for the afternoon. I do hope you can make it to the festival even if you aren’t a “seller”. It will be a great time to catch up!
Speaking of the book festival, we’re doing a lot of posting on our Facebook pages for both APW and the book festival. Take a look at those pages and share the posts. Lots of people sharing creates a big boost in the number of people who get to see the post. It’s an easy way for you to get to know the authors appearing and to help us drive attendance to the festival. Payson Book Festival Facebook page and Arizona Professional Writers Facebook page.
That’s it for July. Everyone stay safe, enjoy the summer, and hope to see you at the book festival!
Connie Cockrell
APW President
APW president, Connie Cockrell, was interviewed by Randy Roberson of KRIM 96.3 regarding the Payson Book Festival to be held July 17. Connie’s interview is archived on 2021 NFPW Communications Contest winners
Congratulations to APWs two winners at the national level of the NFPS Communications contest! Both won first place in the At-Large Contest before advancing to the finals. We are very proud of them!
Dianne Beeaff (Tucson) – Second place – Collection of short stories written by entrant, On Traigh Lar Beach
Wynne Brown (Tucson) –Second place – Newsletter Web and Social Media – Electronic Newsletter – Personal, The Sara Lemmon Project
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- Dianne Ebertt Beeaff
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- Wynne Brown
June 9: Humor and the Author’s Platform
Connie Cockrell of Rim Country Chapter is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Rim Country Meeting – Guest Brad Graber: Humor and the Author’s Platform
Date: June 9, 2021
Time: 01:00 PM Arizona
Humor and the Author’s Platform
Everyone loves to laugh. So how can an author leverage a great sense of humor to sell books? Join us on June 9th at 1:00 pm to hear Brad Graber discuss the use of humor in building and maintaining relationships with readers.
Brad Graber is an award-winning author who writes novels because he grew up in a family where no one ever listened to him – so he made up stories about them. Brad’s latest release is What’s That Growing in My Sour Cream? – a collection of over seventy essays from Brad’s monthly humor blog: There, I Said It! Brad is also the author of two novels of contemporary fiction: After the Fall and The Intersect. Brad’s third novel Boca by Moonlight is scheduled for release January 2022. Brad currently lives in Phoenix with his husband, Jeff.
Contact: connie.cockrell@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
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- What’s That Growing in My Sour Cream? Brad Graber
June 12: Novel As A Second Act
APW Central District Guest Speaker Sheila Grinell “NOVEL AS SECOND ACT”
Susan C Anderson, Chairperson, is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Central Guest Sheila Grinell: Novel As A Second Act
Date: Jun 12, 2021
Time: 10:00 AM Arizona
“If you’ve ever contemplated leaving a job and starting something completely new, you’ve probably also thought about all the good reasons not to. Even so, there may be a benefit in forging straight ahead.” –Sheila Grinell, novelist and former CEO of the Arizona Science Center came to Phoenix in 1993 to build the Arizona Science Center. In her sixties, she took on a different challenge—to begin a second career as a novelist.
What was it like for Sheila to start over again? How does her experience compare to that of others facing a life transition? How does writing compare to running a museum? Sheila will share lessons learned, with time for Q&A.
Her debut novel, APPETITE, was published in 2016, and a second novel, THE CONTRACT, appeared in September 2019. Born in a taxi in Manhattan, she studied at The Bronx High School of Science, Harvard University, and the University of California at Berkeley. She lives in Phoenix with her husband, Tom Johnson.
To receive the Zoom link, contact Susan.APW@hotmail.com
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- Sheila Grinell
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- Sheila Grinell – The Contract
2021 At-Large Communications Contest winners
- Second place -Columns, general, Roaming the Rim Column – “WHO designates 2020 as Year of the Nurse and Midwife”
- Honorable mention -Feature story, Print based newspaper, “Homeless Give Back “
- Third Place- Autobiograpy or Memoir, Surrender
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Second Place-Collection of short stories written by entrant (published together in book form, including electronic books) Body Language
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Honorable Mention Nonfiction Book for Adult Readers – General Nonficton, The Big Book of Small Presses and Independent Publishers
Arizona Professional Writers 