President’s letter – April 2023
President’s Page: April 2023
It’s nearly time for the Arizona Professional Writers Annual Conference. There are only 12 days before the conference! This is where we elect new officers, celebrate member accomplishments, honor those who have passed on, and hear some really good speakers! This doesn’t even mention the time we get to socialize with our fellow journalists, authors, poets, screenwriters, oh, well, you get the idea. Here is the info:
It’s time to register for our upcoming State Convention on May 6 at the Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/arizona-professional-writers-2023-state-conference-tickets-601839336657
Speakers: We have two excellent speakers, lunch and a chance to see the venue – the Phoenix Indian School. Elena Selestewa will not only be speaking but will later answer more questions and give us a tour. Our other speaker, Debra Utacia Krol, is a dynamic journalist with the topic of “On the beat – through the eyes of an indigenous reporter.” See https://arizonapresswomen.wordpress.com/2023-apw-state-conference for our speakers’ photos and bios.
Business meeting at 9:15: APW members should plan to arrive in time for our 9:15 business meeting. We have exciting ideas to share for the upcoming year plus election of officers. Be there!
Lunch: Choice of 3 kinds of salad, water and cookies.
Register: Register at Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/arizona-professional-writers-2023-state-conference-tickets-601839336657 Members use APWmember10 as the promotion code to register for the member price of $50. Regular price is $60. Click on Get Tickets but then enter the code to receive the $50 price. If you’d prefer to pay by cash or Zelle QuickPay, contact treasurer RuthAnn Hogue at arizonaprofessionalwriters@gmail.com.Price at the door is $75. Students with student IDs are $25.
Share and publicize! Please share the APW FB post to your personal and writing or author pages as well as to any community or writing groups that you belong to. You can also help by asking them to post it on their calendar, if they have one. We also need your help posting copies of the flyer (attached) at your local library. If you have a relative that is a high school or college/university student here in AZ, ask them to take a copy to their English or Journalism teacher and invite their students to attend. The theme –Diversity – stories honor our many heritages– is a hot topic and could fit into many curriculums.
Location: The Phoenix Indian School Visitor Center is located in the Band Building, 300 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85012. Parking: free on the grounds. If you are coming from Payson, I have 2 seats left in my car. Call or text me at 928-951-0970 or email at connie.cockrell@gmail.com.
Morning coffee: Bring your own! Both some Starbucks and Dutch Coffee locations are within 3 or 4 minutes of the school.
For questions, contact Jaimie by email or by phone at 928-607-3181. (Text or leave a message) Contact RuthAnn Hogue at arizonaprofessionalwriters@gmail.com for questions about Eventbrite or to pay by check.
Go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/arizona-professional-writers-2023-state-conference-tickets-601839336657 to register now!
More information at https://arizonapresswomen.wordpress.com/2023-apw-state-conference
From Marie Fasano, an opportunity: 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
Finally, A reminder that the Payson Book Festival, this year called the Authors and Artists Festival, is July 15th at the Payson Mazatzal and Hotel ballroom. 9am – 2:30pm. Bring a friend!
Thank you everyone for your continued support of this historic organization.
Everyone stay safe, enjoy the upcoming warm weather, and hope to see you at the conference!
2022 State Conference is a wrap!
Our 2022 State Conference is over. It was special getting to see old friends in person; some we had only ever met on a Zoom call. We also had several guests plus our speakers and our 2022 scholarship winner and her father and brother.
President Connie Cockrell called the meeting to order. We accepted the slate of officers, welcoming Jody Sharpe to the Board and passed the budget. The winners of the At-large division of the NFPW Communications Contest who were in attendance were introduced.
Our morning speaker was Dr. Karen Bryson who spoke on “The Top Ten Reasons your Book Isn’t Selling And What To Do About It.” Everyone authoring a book should take these into account. Find help at Karen’s newest Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/motivatethemuse.
During lunch, Marie Fasano and Jody Sharpe presented our 2022 Scholarship winner, Elena Morrison, with a certificate and a check for $1000 to pursue a career in journalism. Elena is a student at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff.
Brad Graber spoke after lunch on “The Stories We Tell Ourselves: The Importance of Shifting Our Mindset.” Using personal stories and humor, Brad shared how we can limit ourselves. His website is BradGraber.com.
The last activity was a tour of the wonderful Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. Their collection of all things Western is second to none. Put it on your list to visit if you never have. https://scottsdalemuseumwest.org
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- APW President Connie Cockrell conducting the business meeting
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- 2022-23 Board – Jody Sharpe, Marie Fasano, Brenda Whiteside, Connie Cockrell, Cheryl Kohout, Bobbie Bennett, Jaimie Bruzenak
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- 2021 At-large communications contest winners in attendance – Chrissann Dawson, Marie Fasano, Jan Cleere, Bobbie Bennett, Jody Sharpe, Brad Grabor. (Not pictured – Rebecca Goodrich)
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- Dr. Karen Bryson
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- Elena Morrison, winner of the 2022 scholarship. Jody Sharpe and Marie Fasano presenting. (Kathleen Kelly not present). Thanks also to Brenda Whiteside and Brenda Warneka for assisting the committee.
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- Brad Graber
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- Attendees listening to Brad Graber’s talk
Marie Fasano -winner of COA!
Congratulations to Marie Fasano! She was named Communicator of Achievement for Arizona for 2021 at our APW Virtual State Conference on April 17, 2021. Her entry is being considered by NFPW at the national level. Her writing and community involvement credentials are impressive. Here’s a very brief summary of Marie’s career. And the photos are of our new president, Connie Cockrell, presenting Marie with a certificate and the traditional Navajo Storyteller figurine for her achievement.
Marie A. Fasano from Arizona had a career in nursing and as a photojournalist. As a pilot, she volunteered flying to clinics in Mexico and writing travel articles. Marie has published books in the health field and a memoir, Tessie’s Tales. She edited two nationwide magazines and wrote articles for newspapers and magazines. Currently, she writes a column for the Payson Roundup, “Roaming the Rim.”
We should note that a Communicator of Achievement is not named every year. So it is quite an honor for Marie to be selected and well deserved!
APW State Conference coming April 17!
Arizona Professional Writers Annual Conference Saturday 9:00am to 12:00 pm April 17, 2021
2021 APW Virtual State Conference
2021 APW Virtual State Conference
Making the Past Come Alive:
Stories from Days Gone By
Attend the 2021 State Virtual Conference
of Arizona Professional Writers
Saturday, April 17, 2021, 9 a.m. —12 p.m. on Zoom
The conference is presented by Arizona Professional Writers (APW), a non-profit statewide organization of professional women and men in the communications field. The Conference is being brought to members and nonmembers at no charge by APW. To reserve your seat and receive notification of the Zoom link, register at Evenbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/stories-from-days-gone-by-tickets-147437893709 You will need to register for both the Program open to the public and the general meeting, if you wish to attend both free sessions.
We’ll be holding our annual meeting from 9 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.; followed by a program with two excellent Arizona authors and speakers: Jan Cleere and Linda Pressman. Click here to see more details. Or, click on the navigation tab 2021 APW Virtual State Conference.
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- Speaker Linda Pressman
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
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
President’s Page – April, 2020
President’s Page
May 2020
This month has been an interesting one with many of us “sheltering in place” at home. How many more Zoom, Facetime or other virtual meetings have you had? I’m getting quite proficient at Zoom- even had a surprise 90th Birthday party for my husband Mac with his family for him!
Due to the COVID-19 virus issues, the APW Board has decided to cancel the May 30th Conference for this year. We have scheduled a virtual APW Board meeting for that day. Anyone who would like to attend can let me know. I will send you the ZOOM contact info. It might be a way to get more involved without traveling to a meeting. We will announce the Arizona Communicator of the Year. We are looking at some future virtual meetings and will keep you informed.
NFPW has also cancelled their National Conference in Arkansas. A conference will be held in 2021.
People are watching more TV, spending more time getting their news through newspapers and online. Have you thought about sending an article to these media outlets that include information about how the COVID-19 virus is affecting people? There are so many stories out there.
2020 has been designated as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife by the World Health Organization. Since one of my careers included nursing, my intention for my newspaper column “Roaming the Rim,” in the Payson Roundup included writing stories about nurses in various arenas. In the last article, I covered information about how the coronavirus affects the work of the home health nurse. I have some other ideas for articles because of the current situation. I imagine you can come up with some as well. What’s going on in your community?
Stay well. Keep your distance. Wear your mask and wash your hands often.
Keep writing,
Marie
Marie Fasano, President
Arizona Professional Writers
Presidents’ Message – September/October
Gwen Larson & Marie Fasano at the Fall Conference
September was so busy; I didn’t get a message out. So, I’ll combine two months.
Fall Conference
The APW/ANA Fall Conference, “Freedom to Write,” was a success! The speakers were right on with their topics. I picked up insights with each one.
Mark Athitakis gave us ideas on the attributes of a successful freelancer with concrete information about publications and how to approach editors. Jodi Weisburg not only did a great standup comic routine but talked about different kinds of humor with examples of how to use them in your writing. Gregg Leslie and Gwen Larson inspired us with ideas about who will defend the First Amendment and how we can access information for our research.
General Meeting
At our General meeting at the conference we had reports from our Central and Rim Country Chapters. Central is starting monthly meetings again with the first on Oct 12, 2019 with guest speaker Connie Cockrell. (See the October 3 blog entry for more information.) Rim Country continues to conduct their monthly meetings with excellent speakers and some months with the group sharing their writing projects and getting help from each other. The 6th Payson Book Festival is getting started.
The Treasurer’s report showed we are solvent and well within our budget this year. Let me know if those members who were not present at the meeting want a copy of the report. I will send it to you.
Our membership has increased, and we now have 46 members! So, two goals of our current Board have been met – a Fall Conference and increase in membership. Great News!!
We have updated our Bylaws and they were sent out to all members with some comments in return. Since we did not have a quorum, even with proxies, we will vote on the Bylaws at the Spring Conference.
Yes, we will have a Spring Conference, the date to be set at our November 16 Board of Directors meeting in Tucson. That will be followed by a Southern Chapter meeting and get together.
Your President has been networking this year with several literary and journalism groups throughout Arizona getting the APW name out there. We partnered with the Arizona Newspaper Association for our Fall Conference and with the Virginia G. Piper Institute for Creative Writing sponsor our speaker, Mark Athitakis.
We plan to give scholarships to students in the field of communications and honor them at the Spring Conference.
NFPW President
We were honored to have Gwendolynne Larson, our NFPW President, attend our Fall Conference. Gwen interacted with our members and talked about NFPW as a Federation rather than an Association. It is an organization, comprised of a set of smaller affiliates which seeks to bring attention to issues that are of importance to its members. Each affiliate that comprises the federation maintains control over its own operations. She encouraged members to join the First Amendment Network to keep abreast of free speech issues. She also encouraged us to get involved in the NFPW Communications Contest.
NFPW Communications Contest
We encourage our members to participate in the “At Large” section of the 2020 annual National Federation of Press Women’s communications contest because APW currently does not have its own state contest. The contest is open to writers, authors, copy editors, public affairs professionals, photographers, publishers or others in the communications field. Entries must be published in 2019. If you win first place in the “at large” contest, you must join NFPW to advance to the national level. Check the NFPW website for more information.
There are over 120 categories and sub-categories! Some forget we are an affiliate of a national organization and that membership allows us to participate in this prestigious contest – a major benefit to our members. In 2019 four members won awards. Let’s increase that number in 2020.
We also plan to have an Arizona Communicator of Achievement Award, so be thinking of who you want to nominate.
As you can see, APW is the move. We have much to offer to members and to the community. If you have been inactive for awhile, won’t you come to one of our meetings and get involved?
Keep Writing,
Marie A. Fasano
President, Arizona Professional Writers
It’s coming up fast! Register now!
Download and print the APW State Conference 2019 Flyer. The date is September 28 so get your registration in soon! Students can attend at a reduced rate.
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Arizona Professional Writers 