In the Spotlight: Nancy Pellegrini
Nancy Pellegrini
A member of PEN (Professional Editors Network), Nancy Pellegrini, who spoke at the December 14, 2019 Central Chapter meeting, was featured in their June 2020 PEN Networking News.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Nancy Pellegrini lived in England, Ireland, and South Korea before spending 18 years in Beijing, China. For more than 15 years, she was the stage editor and writer for Time Out Beijing and Time Out Shanghai magazines; she also edited United Nations policy papers and has written and edited for Penguin Books. She started regular editing in 2011 and today runs Nancy Pellegrini Editorial Solutions, LLC, a writing and editing services company. She lives in Phoenix with her fiancé (COVID-19 postponed the wedding a year) and their three cats.
Read the rest of the Nancy Pelegrini PEN spotlight 6-20 interview here as Nancy talks more about editing, what it entails and how it fits into her life. Very interesting is how travel contrasts with her normal life!
July 11 Zoom speaker Ann Narcisian Videan shares secrets of Ghostwriting!
How Ghostwriting Books Led to the Mutilation of Marilyn Monroe
Don’t worry about masks, social distancing or driving anywhere. Join us in your jammies, grab a latté and fire up your computer for the next Zoom-at-home presentation as Author Ann Narcisian Videan explores this intriguing topic!
You can even sleep in! The meeting will start a 10.a.m., Saturday, July 11, 2020. RSVP via email to Jaimie Bruzenak We’ll send out the Zoom link the day prior.
ANN NARCISIAN VIDEAN
Ann Narcisian Videan
See this grin? That’s me, sharing creative works and ideas with you, and a cup of tea.
Book Shepherd, editor, author, illustrator, composer Ann guides peers through the writing, editing, publishing and word-of-mouth marketing of both fiction and non-fiction titles.
A professional writer since 1981, she opened her own award-winning home-based marketing firm, vIDEAn Unlimited, LLC, in 1996. She has served as an editor for corporations, visionary entrepreneurs, and national publishers. She is also a novelist and is just starting a new business—Absolutely Wild! Enchanted Faerie Portals & Other Whimsy—inspired by the Fae characters in her Song of the Ocarina novel. She composed and recorded an original music soundtrack to accompany her first novel Rhythms & Muse.
Ann showed up in this world with a pen in her hand, a song in her heart, and the desire to share with you. She adores creativity of all types, and especially the people who live it. She “gathers” friends like flowers, including authors, musicians, and artists. The Colorado native lives in Mesa, Arizona, with her husband, two-grown-up children, and numerous invisible friends including mythical creatures and story characters.
Marketing Career Highlights
- 2007: Selected by peers for the Public Relations Society of America’s top honor: the PERCY Award
- 2005: Selected by a national panel for The Crown Jewel Award (top U.S. home-based business)
- 2004: Served as the catalyst to reintroduce white rhinos to the Phoenix Zoo 1996: Enticed 15,000 extras to Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ, to film football movie scenes for Jerry Maguire
- 1995: Earned a Gold Quill honorable mention from the International Association of Business Communicators, for RealTime tabloid news magazine
The Books
- In 2016, Ann wrote and illustrated Absolutely Wild! Enchanted Faerie Portals Coloring & Creative Writing Pages, inspired by the Fae characters in her first sci-fi/fantasy novel Song of the Ocarina.
- Song of the Ocarina, Ann Videan. Her 2014 fantastical adventure Song of the Ocarina, is book 1 in the Delfaerune Rhapsody series. It tells the story of Lark, a New Zealand teen, who discovers she’s the “Maestra” in the realm of Delfaerune, and the only Noble Fae with the musical prowess and Earth connection to save humans from Dark Fae magic. She’s up against mythical creatures and Dark Fae who pattern themselves after burned-out rock stars.
- Ann is also the author/singer/songwriter of a 2011 women’s fiction novel Rhythms & Muse, along with its complementary soundtrack of five original songs inspired by the story. You’ll follow Grammy-winning vocalist Alex on her journey toward fulfillment when dreams guide her to forego her glamorous, yet stressful, Hollywood lifestyle and return to her roots and first love in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Contact Ann:
602-769-8316
anvidean@videanunlimited.com
Ann online: itsmyurls.com/avidean
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- Enchanted Faerie Portals
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- Song of the Ocarina
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- Rhythms & Muse
Communicator of Achievement Award – Connie Cockrell
Connie Cockrell was named “Communicator of Achievement” for 2019, APWs highest award. Her certificate and original “storyteller” carving made by a Pueblo Native American were displayed at our virtual State Conference in May. Connie was also honored at the virtual awards NFPW Awards Ceremony. She will receive a stipend to attend the 2021 NFPW Awards Ceremony.
“Local writer wins Communicator Achievement Award,” written by Marie Fasano, tells more about Connie and the award and appeared in the 6/30/2020 issue of the Payson Roundup. Photo by Randy Cockrell.
Connie Cockrell, winner of the Communicator of Achievement Award
President’s page – June 2020
Our APW Annual meeting was a success. We had a quorum and were able to make some important decisions. If you were there, thank you, if you missed it, try again next year.
We honored our Arizona APW Communicator of Achievement, Connie Cockrell, and gave her a gift of the Native American Storyteller doll. Connie has done so much for the Rim Country chapter as Chapter Director and coordinating the Payson Book Festival for six years. She started writing novels in 2011 with a NaNoWriNo project and now has 20 to her name! Congratulations to Connie.
We purchased a ZOOM PRO virtual account that members can use for their own promotion. All you need to do is let me know when you want to schedule an event to promote yourself and your work. Since someone had to be the Administrator of the account, I got the job. This is an excellent perk for members. I am willing to schedule a one-on-one with any member if they want to learn the process. It worked really well for the APW Annual meeting with shared documents, a power point presentation and discussion among those present.
We have updated the Bylaws so they are consistent with our current goals. Go to the website to the member-only section. You will need the code to get in and can contact Jaimie Bruzenak, website coordinator, or me for the latest code.
We are promoting our book, Skirting Traditions. The book, written by APW members, has wonderful accounts of early women Arizona writers. It is available on Amazon and from other booksellers. In addition, members can purchase copies for personal use or for resale at a discounted price by contacting your Chapter Director or Marie Fasano. One idea to promote the book would be to give a copy to your local library.
With COVID-19 cases increasing and hospitals ICU’s filling up, please stay well, wash your hands, wear a mask and encourage others to do the same. A friend gave me a button that I wear. It says,” I wear my mask TO HONOR AND PROTECT YOU.”
Enjoy your summer and keep writing.
Marie A Fasano
President
Arizona Professional Writers
Helen Ruth (DeFouw) Cornell 1933-2020
Helen Ruth Cornell
Long time APW member Helen Cornell passed away June 20, 2020. She was president of APW in 1980. In 1994 she was APWs nominee for the NFPW Communicator of Achievement Award. The Communicator of Achievement (COA) award is the highest honor bestowed by NFPW upon those members who have distinguished themselves within and beyond their field. Nominees are chosen for exceptional achievement in the communications field, as well as service to NFPW, the affiliate organization and the community.
A Memorial Service will be held later in the summer to celebrate her life. Anyone who is interested in receiving an update on this email her daughter, Kathy Hanrahan, at kchanrahan@yahoo.com
You can read her obituary at Legacy.com.
APW 2020 Virtual State Conference – June 20
Greetings all APW members,
The APW Board has decided to have a short virtual conference this year in June in place of the May one that was cancelled. We hope you are all well.
Date: Saturday June 20
Time: 10:00 am to about 12 noon.
Zoom information will be sent prior to the meeting.
Our agenda will include:
- Vote for new incoming officers (Ballots to be sent out shortly).
- Brief reports from Board Members and Chapter Chairs.
- Approval of the Revised Bylaws (Copies will be sent out for your review prior to the meeting.)
- Presentation to honor our APW 2020 Communicator of the Year, Connie Cockrell.
- Notification of winners of the At-large NFPW communications contest.
- Ceremony honoring our members who have passed.
We encourage all members to be present for this short meeting.
If you have any questions about the Zoom meeting, please contact me at mfasano.apw@gmail.com.
Marie Fasano, President
Rim Country Chapter June 10 Zoom meeting
Speaker Jan Cleere
We are inviting all members of APW to join us for our next meeting. Nonmembers are welcome too.
Join APW Rim Country for a virtual Zoom meeting on June 10 at 1:00 pm for a presentation by author, historian and lecturer Jan Cleere. Be sure to mark your calendars to save the date. The Zoom link will be forthcoming prior to the meeting.
Jan writes extensively about the people who first settled in the desert Southwest. She travels around the state presenting the stories of early pioneers who were instrumental in settling and civilizing Arizona Territory. Jan is a Roads Scholar with Arizona Humanities and her monthly column, “Western Women,” appears in Tucson’s Arizona Daily Star newspaper detailing the lives of Arizona’s early amazing women. Her freelance work appears in national and regional publications. Jan latest book, From Reveille to Taps: Military Wives on the Arizona Frontier is scheduled for release by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers (TwoDot) in March 2021.
Research comes second nature to Jan Cleere who just completed her sixth historical nonfiction book, the stories of women who came west with their military husbands to live on early army posts. But whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, every book requires research. What have you found helpful? Where do you find subjects or check important details of a location or time period? Jan will be sharing her research methods in locating important documents for her latest book but would also like to hear how others find resources necessary for creating storylines. Join in a round-table discussion of research tools and techniques that will benefit the writer of every genre.
RSVP to Marie Fasano The link for the ZOOM will be sent to your email address prior to the meeting.
Marie Fasano – 2020 At-Large Contest winner
Marie Fasano
Congratulations to Marie Fasano who won second place honors in the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) Communications Contest. Her article, “Riding Horses at the Deuker Ranch,” was published in Story Monsters INK Magazine.
The article was about the Deuker Ranch folks and their horses working with young people with disabilities. You can read about the program in Marie’s article at https://www.storymonsters.com/book-briefs/riding-horses-at-the-deuker-ranch
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- The Deuker Ranch Equine Assisted Adaptive Riding program is located in Star Valley, Arizona.
Dianne Beeaff – 2020 At-Large Contest winner
Congratulations to Dianne Beeaff! A Grand Madness, U2 Twenty Years After has taken Second Place honors, Autobiography/Memoir, in the National Federation of Press Women’s 2020 At-Large Communications Contest!
“An enjoyable romp through the eyes of a U2 superfan, filled with telling details of the band and punctuated by lyrical descriptions of extraordinary concert moments and fascinating scenery along the road . . . . my head will be filled with U2 tunes for some time!” Judge, National Federation of Press Women
President’s Page – May 2020
Arizona is opening after the shelter in place orders for several weeks due to the COVID-19 virus. How are you coping? Are you ready to join the crowds on the streets and in the stores? I’m not. I wear a mask when I’m out in public and keep social distancing within a group. Family and friends from the East Coast and California are being very cautious. Here in Payson, not so much.
My home town of Elmhurst, New York has been particularly devastated, with overcrowding in the hospitals and funeral homes. Family members who are doctors and nurses in New York have talked of the lack of PPE equipment, wearing the same mask several days in a row. Maybe that’s why I’m still cautious and not ready to join the throng.
Are any of our APW members writing stories that have to do with the corona virus? I would love to hear from you. What have you been doing at home? Writing more? I’m reading lots more. I put down one book and pick up another, or turn on my Kindle and think. “I should be writing more not just reading.” Alas, my energy level has been low, but hopefully, coming back soon.
Here in Rim Country we started our monthly meetings via ZOOM and had some good interactions with our members, catching up on what they are writing. I love the way Marsha Ward talks to her characters. This time she is asking them how to end the story. Each author has her tricks to keep the writing flowing.
Our virtual APW Board meeting will be May 30th. Contact me at mfasano.apw@gmail.com if you want to attend and I will send you the ZOOM information. We will have a virtual celebration of our Communicator of the Year and APW meeting this summer. We hope many of you will join us. We will email you with more information later.
Keep Writing,
Marie A. Fasano
President
Arizona Professional Writers
Arizona Professional Writers 