APW Book Club 2/24/24 with Connie Cockrell
Save the date!
Connie Cockrell has graciously agreed to present her book for our review. If you are interested in presenting, send Karen an email and she will put you on the schedule.
APW Book Group with Connie Cockrell and First Encounter
Date: Saturday, February 24
Time: 10 am
Zoom link to follow
First Encounter: A SciFi, Young Adult, Post Apocalyptic Story by Connie Cockrell
Book Blurb:
It took a month of hard travel to find their first survivor community. After a cool welcome and a meager feast, Alyssa and Kyra find that the community has very restrictive roles they expect women to take. Imprisoned and starved, a young woman befriends them at great risk to herself. When the woman tells them the men of the community are bidding on Kyra to take to wife, they form a plan to escape. Weak, hungry and afraid, will Alyssa and Kyra have the strength to escape certain slavery?
Connie Cockrell Bio
Connie Cockrell
A 20-year Air Force career, time as a manager at a computer operations company, wife, mother, sister, and volunteer, provides a rich background for Connie Cockrell’s storytelling.
Cockrell grew up in upstate NY, just outside of Gloversville, NY before she joined the military at age 18. Having lived in Europe, Great Britain, and several places around the United States, she now lives in Payson, AZ with her husband hiking, gardening, and playing bunko. She writes about whatever comes into her head so her books could be in any genre. She’s published twenty books so far, has been included in five different anthologies and been published on EveryDayStories.com and FrontierTales.com. Connie’s always on the lookout for a good story idea. Beware, you may be the next one.
She can be found at ConniesRandomThoughts.com or on Facebook at: Facebook.com/ConniesRandomThoughts or on Amazon at Amazon.com/author/conniecockrell
You can purchase the book at Amazon on Kindle ($.99) or in paperback.
President’s Page – January 2004
I’m excited for this new year in the Arizona Professional Writers organization.
Our annual conference planning has begun. Mark your calendars. It’s going to be May 4th, which prompted us, obviously, to make the theme: May the 4th be with You. We had to. Really. We’re finalizing the location which allows us to set the price per ticket. We’ll keep you posted on that.
The conference also means it’s election time for the APW. We have some tentative candidates. For President – Carol Baxter, Nancy Marshall is volunteering for VP. We’re still looking for a candidate for Secretary. Our treasurer, Ruthann Hogue is staying on. Marie Fasano likes being our Membership Director but if you love reaching out to people, you can talk to Marie and see if the position might be a fit for you. Bobbie Bennett has graciously volunteered to stay on as our Conference planner.
The NFPW Communications contest is close to closing. Look over your published work for 2023 and enter the contest right away. There are so many categories, I’m sure you’ll find one that’s just right for you. You can check out the contest rules and enter the contest at https://www.nfpw.org/professional-contest, You do not need to be a member to enter. However, if you win, they do encourage you to become a member.
Also speaking of NFPW, their annual conference for 2024 will be in St. Louis. I attended the 2023 event and had a great time and learned so much! Just ask Jody Sharpe. She attended the last day and took the opportunity to attend the awards dinner. What a great time. You can look at the details for 2024 at https://www.nfpw.org/2024-conference-st-louis. We’d love to have more of our Arizona people attend as well.
My calendar has February 4th, 10am, as our next APW State Officer’s 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 meetings, the Rim Country chapter has started holding in-person meetings again. We are back at Majestic Rim Living, 1pm on the 3rd Wednesdays of the month, in their chapel meeting space. The next meeting is February 21st and I’ll be talking about how to write a bio. This piece of writing is used in so many different applications that you really need to have a good one. We’ll talk about what that means and do some practice writing one.
I will also be the featured author at the February 24th, 10am APW Book Group. I’ll be talking about my Young Adult, Post Apocalyptic, SciFi book First Encounter. If you’d like to join the conversation, contact Karen Lateiner, kslateiner@gmail.com, to get on the Zoom link list. One more benefit of being an APW member.
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
Almost the best for last, we have a new chapter forming in the Show Low area. The organizer is Kathleen Osborne. She’s a small publisher and author and has several people in the White Mountains area who want to join the group. Kathleen has been a Payson Book Festival author for quite some time. Welcome to her and all of her new group.
And, it’s membership renewal time. If you have already renewed, thank you! If you’ve renewed via the National Federation of Press Women, let us know to look for your renewal there. If you still need to renew, click on the “About” tab and then “Join.” Thank you everyone for your continued support of this historic organization.
That’s it for now. Everyone stay warm and hope to see you at the next meeting!
NFPW Communication Contest deadline 2/7
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Contest Entries Due at Noon on Wednesday, February 7
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It’s deadline time for NFPW’s annual communications contests!
Other contest details:
Visit the Categories and Requirements page on our contest site (nfpw.org) for a complete list of categories and entry guidelines. Each category and subcategory has specific guidelines and requirements. We enter the At-Large Contest!Questions? Questions relating to professional contest entries and categories should be directed to Helen Plotkin, NFPW Professional Contest Director, at haplotkin@outlook.com Questions relating to contest entries and categories in the high school contest should be directed to Teri Ehresman, NFPW High School Contest Director, at islandpark723@gmail.com Questions relating to issues submitting the entries and issues with the online contest should be directed to Savannah Callan at contest@nfpw.org. |
Save the date! May 4, 2024
Save the date – May 4!
May the Fourth Be With You!
APW Rim County Chapter 1/17/24 – Kent Thompson
Rim Country Chapter meeting – in person and on Zoom!
APW Rim Country Chapter meeting will be held at 1 pm on January 17th at Majestic Rim Retirement on E. Tyler Parkway in their meeting room off the lobby. The speaker is Kent Thompson. The presentation will also be on Zoom.
Connie Cockrell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Rim Country Chapter with Kent Thompson, author of historical fiction A Patriot’s Dream
Date: Wednesday, January 17, 2024
Time: 01:00 PM Arizona
Location: Majestic Rim Retirement on E. Tyler Parkway, Payson, AZ in their meeting room off the lobby OR
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86138644415?pwd=M0dnSnJsWWFyeHFqYlc3cW9ibnRkUT09
Meeting ID: 861 3864 4415
Passcode: 372235
One tap mobile
+12532158782,,86138644415#,,,,*372235# US (Tacoma)
+13462487799,,86138644415#,,,,*372235# US (Houston)
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kb0fAtAj6O
Bio: Kent Thompson grew up in Newcastle, Wyoming. After a few years in California, he met his wife and they moved back to Wyoming so Kent could finish college at the University of Wyoming, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in history.
Though his original career goal was to teach history and coach football and basketball, he ended up with a career in the oil industry back in California. Towards the end he supervised three offshore platforms and worked with Navy SEAL TRADET to plan SEAL training on those platforms. Kent and Susan now live in a small mountain town in Arizona. They will never actually “retire.” They have three grown children and two grandsons.
Kent is a lifelong student of the U.S. Constitution and the Federalist Papers and has authored the fiction book, A Patriot’s Dream: The Restoration. He’ll be talking about his book and writing historical fiction.
APW Central Zoom – 1-13-24 Words are Power with Jacque Hillman
Susan Anderson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Central – Words Are Power!
Date: Saturday, January 13, 2024
Time:10:00 AM Arizona
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89255011123?pwd=QmZWY21qRW5COWtkdjVrUlhGSlBYUT09
Meeting ID: 892 5501 1123
Passcode: 588274
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc69sTy2Ey
Words Are Power: Jacque Hillman, book editor and CEO of The HillHelen Group, says the right words zing into the readers’ minds. She shows how she plugs her writers into their power and how top writers view their success, sharing five tips to access the energy of words.
Bio- Jacque Hillman, of Mesa, Arizona, is senior editor and CEO of HillHelen Group Publishers LLC. A top writer and editor at The Jackson Sun for 23 years, now she edits and publishes books for authors nationwide. She also writes for her clients.
Hillman co-authored Captain of the Tides: Gunner Morgan, with Charles D. Morgan, a novel about his grandfather, US Navy hero, Charles “Gunner” Morgan, 1865-1959. The book won the Military Writers Society of America 2022 Bronze medal. Kirkus Reviews says: “An impeccably researched and engaging tale of an authentic war hero.”
Hillman edited and published the award-winning book, Why Can’t Mother Vote? Joseph Hanover and the Unfinished Business of Democracy by Bill Haltom. Joseph Hanover was a Polish Jewish immigrant from Memphis, who kept together the votes needed to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment in the Tennessee legislature. The book is up for the American Book Fest Legacy Award.
She’s a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, the Historical Novel Society, the National Federation of Press Women and the Mesa Art League. During her years living in Jackson, Tennessee, she was named a 2014 Sterling Award Winner: 20 Most Influential Women in West Tennessee. She served as president of Business and Professional Women of Tennessee. She is co-founder of the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Heritage Trail.
APW meeting 11/15 “How to do a Book Launch” with Gale Kittleson
Connie Cockrell is inviting you to a hybrid in-person/virtual meeting! We will meet in person as well as on Zoom!
The Rim Country APW will meet on November 15th, 1pm, at the Payson Library. Our guest speaker is Gail Kittleson. She’ll be talking about “How to do a Book Launch.” She’ll have books available for sale and signing. This is an open meeting, so curious-new-to-writing authors of all kinds are invited to attend.
Topic: How to do a Book Launch with Gale Kittleson
Date: November 15, 2023
Time: 1 pm AZ time
Location: Payson Library at 328 N McLane Rd, Payson, AZ or
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85347882563?pwd=aGJzbGJzbTJTRXBNRmZkL0NjUHpCQT09
Meeting ID: 853 4788 2563
Passcode: 243400
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kchF2uSpQP
Bio: Writing has always been both a joy and a survival tool for Gail Kittleson. When she instructed college writing classes, attending a writing retreat motivated her to pen a memoir. A decade later, this debut publication paved the way for writing historical fiction. Gail’s make-do characters, usually World War II era, rise above adversities to make a difference. She loves to encourage other authors through her workshops. She and her retired Army Chaplain husband enjoy grandchildren and creating a Northern Iowa cottage garden. In winter, they retreat to the beautiful Ponderosa forest of Arizona’s Mogollon Rim. You can learn more about Gail at http://www.gailkittleson.com
President’s letter – end of 2023
Connie Cockrell
Has 2023 been as much of a whirlwind for you as it has been for me? Whew! Makes my head spin.
November is what I call “gratitude” month. Every day I think about one thing I’m thankful for. It could be a rainy day, a meal out with friends, my husband, but whatever it is, I know individually and collectively, those little things are what make my life rich. So, I’m wishing you all a wonderful holiday season full of gratitude for all of the things that make your life full and complete.
For December, all the chapters are planning holiday luncheons instead of regular meetings. I know the time to just chat is as important as our meetings full of useful and delightful information. Enjoy!
We continue to call for volunteers. Elections are coming up in May at our annual conference. Would you like to take a more active role in the state organization? In addition, the Payson Book Festival committee needs a new Silent Auction manager and a person to head up Sponsorships. New people bring fresh, new ideas and we want to keep our organizations both active and relevant. Contact me at connie.cockrell@gmail.com to volunteer.
The NFPW Communications contest has just begun. Look over your published work for 2023 and enter the contest. There are so many categories, I’m sure you’ll find one that’s just right for you. You can check out the contest rules and enter the contest at https://www.nfpw.org/professional-contest, You do not need to be a member to enter. However, if you win, they do encourage you to become a member.
Also, speaking of NFPW, their annual conference for 2024 will be in St. Louis. I attended the 2023 event and had a great time and learned so much! Just ask Jody Sharpe. She attended the last day and took the opportunity to attend the awards dinner. What a great time. You can look at the details for 2024 at https://www.nfpw.org/2024-conference-st-louis. I’ll be going again and would love to have some of our Arizona people attend as well.
My calendar has January 6th, 10 am, as our next APW State Officer’s 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 meetings, the Rim Country chapter will begin holding in-person meetings again. I wasn’t able to find a location for October, but we do have a temporary meeting place for November. Mark your calendars for November 15th, at 1pm at the library. I’ve arranged for Gail Kittleson to come and talk about how she does a new book launch. She’ll be bringing her newest book, in the middle of her book launch, for us to look at and buy. After that, we’ll go back to Majestic Rim Living starting January 17th, 1 pm, in their chapel meeting space.
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
We are also happy to announce our Holiday Bazaar at our website: https://arizonaprofessionalwriters.org/holiday-bazaar-2023/. This is a terrific perk of being a member. It’s not too late to get your book listed. Send Jaimie Bruzenak a link to the book you want to list along with a jpeg of the front cover and your website link, and she’ll post it for you. Books make great presents!
And it’s membership renewal time. If you have already renewed, thank you! If you’ve renewed via the National Federation of Press Women, let us know to look for your renewal there. If you still need to renew, go to https://arizonaprofessionalwriters.org/about/join-2/ for the form. State-only membership is $30. Thank you everyone for your continued support of this historic organization.
That’s it for 2023. Everyone stay safe, enjoy the upcoming holidays, and hope to see you at the next meeting!
Connie Cockrell
APW President
2024 APW Scholarship applications available!
Applications for the 2024 APW $1000 scholarship are now available. Graduating high school seniors or current college students who will be attending an Arizona college in the fall of 2024, majoring in writing or communications are invited to apply. The deadline for submitting the application and accompanying materials is April 4, 2024. The winner will be honored at the May 4, 2024 APW State Conference.
The application can be found under the Competitions tab on our website or go to Scholarships.
APW Book Club 10/28/23 with Bobbie Scopa
Please join us for the October meeting of the APW Book Club. Bobbie Scopa will talk about her book, Both Sides of the Fire Line: A Memoir of a Transgender Firefighter.
Topic: Both Sides of the Fire Line: A Memoir of a Transgender Firefighter by Bobbie Scopa
Date: October 28, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. Arizona
Join Zoom meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88383180755?pwd=a1FlaDZ6M2JuVFhZYjJBYlhWR3Y2dz09
Meeting ID: 883 8318 0755
Passcode: 739048
Bobbie will talk about how she got to the point of writing her story and making it public. It was a long and circuitous route. After not talking about her gender issues for years when she was young, then in her marriage, then after transition while working as a firefighter. Now after 65 fire years, she was now going to make her story public. Writing her story took only a few months to put on paper. The stories were already in her head. She just had to sit and start typing. It wasn’t a cathartic process like some friends thought it might be. But rather it was just an important story that needed to be told.”
BOBBIE SCOPA is a retired firefighter/chief, author, podcast host, and public speaker. She has forty-five years of firefighting experience and has received numerous professional awards and industry recognition, including Firefighter of the Year (1990) from the Professional Firefighters of Arizona; the Governor’s Award, State of Arizona (1990); a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of New York for work performed at the World Trade Center in 2001; and the Unit Citation Award for efficacy in the US Forest Service (2014). She was a featured speaker at the US Forest Service’s Pride Outside diversity, equity, and inclusion event in June 2021. She is a popular keynote speaker for leadership and diversity. She is also the host of the podcast BobbieOnFire that has had over a million downloads and is the author of Both Sides Of The Fire Line. Scopa divides her time between Puget Sound, Washington, and Scottsdale, Arizona.
Arizona Professional Writers 