APW Typerider February 2026
Greetings!
You can get your ticket for the APW Writer’s Conference on EventBrite or you can mail a check c/o RuthAnn Houge, APW Treasurer, 39968 W. Jenna Lane, Maricopa, AZ 85138.
Final deadlines for the NFPW Communication Contest are in the next few days.
Carol Baxter, APW President
Email
Blazing New Trails
Arizona Professional Writers Conference
Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 9 am until 3 pm
Presentations by: Nick Russell, Maria Crimi Speth, and Nancy Hicks Marshall.
Early-bird: $60 through March 31.
Lunch, snacks, and museum tour included.
Location: Western Spirit Museum of the West in Scottsdale.
Get your tickets at Eventbrite!
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Membership
Renew now!
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To see the rest of the newsletter – Nominations for APW officers, February 28 Book Club selection and more about the NFPW Communications Contest, click here to read the full newsletter.
APW Book Club – February 28 with Bobbie Bennett
Karen Lateiner is inviting you to a Zoom meeting of the APW Book Club. (Link to follow)
Topic: Widowhood: The Next Chapter – I’m Still Here – Now What? By Bobbie Bennett
Date: Saturday, February 28 at
Time: 10 am AZ time
ZOOM: Link to follow
ABOUT THE BOOK: (Available on Amazon)
From rural Illinois farm roots to Phoenix community theater and TV commercials, Bobbie Bennett has collected three marriage certificates, two death certificates, and one divorce decree—a paper trail that taught her more about resilience than any self-help book. Her writing earned first place in Arizona and second place nationally from the National Federation of Press Women in 2024. Bobbie transforms life’s unexpected plot twists into unforgettable stories. Her philosophy? “If you can’t be a good example, at least be a colorful one.” Fair warning: keep spare underwear handy. Her tales of marriage, mayhem, and moving forward will leave you laughing until it hurts.
Summary
This heartfelt and candid memoir serves as an essential guide for anyone navigating life after loss. It recounts one woman’s journey through three marriages, two funerals, and one divorce, while offering valuable insights and practical wisdom for others on similar paths.
The personal narrative begins in the shadowy world of organized crime, where the author’s first husband, Tony, brought a sense of danger into Bobbie’s life. Dinner guests had to check their firearms at the door. She recalls one night, while Tony was away on business, a violent storm masked the gunshot that killed his prized quarter horse in the stable. At dawn, the terrified ranch hand delivered the devastating news. By morning, the front page featured a photo of Tony’s prized quarter horse, shot between the eyes in its stall.
A few years after losing her first husband, we’ll explore Bobbie’s brilliant decision to fall head over heels for Danny, a man ten years younger than her. Although he was often carded when they went out, Danny brought many years of fun and adventure into Bobbie’s life. Danny’s wandering eye eventually strained on their marriage, and they each went their separate ways.
The core of the story centers on Clayton, the author’s third husband and true soulmate. He’s a methodical engineer who fell in love with a free-spirited former go-go dancer and entertainer. They say opposites attract, and their relationship was living proof. While he kept busy recalibrating his 3D milling machine, she was rehearsing her lines for an upcoming stage role or television commercial.
What makes this book unique is its collection of shared wisdom. Fellow widows and widowers share their personal journeys, offering diverse perspectives on how to navigate grief and discover new paths. The self-help sections provide clear and useful advice addressing important questions, such as:
- To Date or Not to Date: Navigating relationships after loss
- Eliminating Skeletons: Cleaning out the closet
- Taking Care of Business: Managing legal and practical matters during bereavement.
This all-in-one guide, blending heartbreak and humor, shows that every ending can lead to a new beginning. It provides both emotional support and practical advice for anyone looking to write their next chapter after widowhood.
This book would make an excellent gift for someone you know who is navigating their personal journey of starting over.
I’m sure you will enjoy this great read. See you Feb. 28th
Karen
Welcome Fawzia Tung – new chapter chairperson
Fawzia Tung is our new Central Chapter Chairperson. Thank you for stepping up. We appreciate Susan Anderson’s many years of service!
A little about Fawzia:
Fawzia is a mother of 7 and grandmother of 11 (latest count), a retired psychiatrist, journalist and educator. She loves gardening and is growing a permaculture food forest in her front, side and back yard.
She has published a middle grade illustrated retold fairy tale, “The Wonderful Tale of Donkey Skin,” and Book 2 of her memoirs, “Mirror in the Sand.” Scheduled for publication this January (or February) are the second in the series of The May Fairy – “Little Jack and the Giants,” and Book 1 of her memoirs, “Rootless Orchid.”
Her website is FawziaMaiTung.com
White Mountains APW Meeting 1-27-26
Kathleen Osborne is inviting you to the January 27 White Mountains Chapter Zoom meeting.
Topic: Scott Harrington sharing about how to use fighting in your prose effectively.
Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Time: 6 pm to 7 pm AZ time
Zoom: The link has been sent to members. If you are a guest, contact Kathleen for the link.
Our guest speaker is author Scott Harrington who will talk about how to use fighting in your prose effectively.
Scott co-founded Phoenix Ninjutsu academy in 1992. Over the years he has taught hundreds of students in Phoenix and throughout Arizona. In 2000, he moved to the White Mountains of Eastern Arizona. He is a general building contractor, and a NAUI scuba dive master with countless dives. A member of the International Bujinkan, he has been to Japan several times to train and test. He studied many other martial arts but was looking for an art that didn’t rely on beating someone into submission when he stumbled onto Ninjutsu. While living in Santa Cruz, CA, Scott was also able to train with Filipino Escrima Master, Gilbert Tenio. He likes to travel and mixes locations from his trips into his novels. ScottHarringtonBooks.com
We will also be sharing about the upcoming Writers Contest, Writers Conference and Festival of Books.
Kathleen Osborne
APW Book Club 1-24-26 Whiteside and Proell
Karen Lateiner is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Book Club 1/24/26 with Brenda Whiteside & Joyce Proell
Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM Arizona
Zoom link: Contact Karen Lateiner for link. The link has been sent to members. Guests should contact Karen.
Lost puppies, endangered birds…The sisters are birddogs on a murder most fowl.
The sisters are thriving like mountain sage in an Arizona autumn. Nicole’s yoga business is gaining a foothold in Wyatt. Emma’s first mystery novel is scheduled for release. But a proposed, expansive building project in the pristine area of the bird sanctuary has the community in an uproar. It’s Environmentalists versus Big Business and the sisters are caught in the crossfire.
When one of Nic’s yoga students is found dead near the planned resort, the amateur sleuths are back on the trail of a killer. Who has the most to gain from her death—the morally challenged developer, the money-grubbing boyfriend, her jealous brother, a nasty neighbor, or a co-worker with dark secrets? And where has Skittles, the dog, gone?
While the Chocolate Martini Sisters sort through the litany of villains, they’re leaving no mystery unsolved. The stakes are escalating, throwing the sisters on divergent paths that all come together at a dangerous intersection. As they unsnarl the tangled mysteries, will they expose the murderer before the killer finds a way to silence them?
Brenda Whiteside & Joyce Proell
After hearing countless stories as a mental health professional, Joyce Proell retired to create her own tales. An award-winning author, she writes historical romance and cozy mystery where all endings are guaranteed happy. She shares her home on the prairie with a husband and a little dog with a big personality. When she isn’t reading or writing, she likes to swim and finds baking almost as relaxing as a day at the spa. Visit her at her website: JoyceProell.com
Brenda Whiteside is the award-winning author of romantic suspense, cozy mystery, and romance. She’s a born and bred Arizona native who sets fictional stories in imaginary, but recognizable, Arizona locations. She and her husband live in Central Arizona. They share their home with a rescue dog named Amigo. While FDW fishes, Brenda writes. Visit Brenda at BrendaWhiteside.com
APW Central Chapter Meeting – 1/10/26 with Karen Lateiner
Susan Anderson is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Central Chapter – The Importance of Telling Our Stories with Karen Lateiner
Date: Saturday, January 10, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM Arizona MST
Zoom Meeting: Members have been sent the link for the meeting. Guests are welcome and should contact Jaimie Bruzenak for the link if they desire to attend.
Bio- Karen Shiffman Lateiner, M.Ed. is an author and LGBTQ+ ally. Throughout her personal life and professional career as a developmental psychologist and mental health clinician, she has actively advocated for safe and nurturing school and home environments for all children, especially for those at-risk for marginalization and bullying. Karen served on the Affirmative Action Committee and LGBT Task Force of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, as well as the Phoenix Task Force on Bullying.
Understanding the transition of her own child from male to female during the mid-1990’s and then grappling with her new daughter’s tragic death two years later, motivated her to share what she experienced and what she learned about transgender issues, as well as life in general. Her compelling book, Timeless Dance: A Story of Change and Loss, is a memoir, biography, and primer on gender diversity. Since its publication in 2018, telling her story in a variety of educational, social, religious, and corporate venues, and appearing as a guest author at book groups, provides an opportunity to open important conversations about LGBTQ+ issues, past and present.
A native of New Jersey, she moved to New York City in her teens, where she later met and married her husband of more than fifty-five years. After spending a year living on a kibbutz in Israel, they returned to New York, then ultimately settled in Montclair, New Jersey, where they raised their two children. Upon retirement, she and her husband traveled the country for two years by motorhome before making Arizona their new home to be near their younger daughter. Combining her love of writing and the Sonoran Desert, Karen created a Hike and Write program to encourage others to write as a means of expressing their thoughts and telling their own unique stories. Currently, she is a member of Arizona Professional Writers where she manages a book group, and serves as president of her homeowners association. In her spare time she enjoys gardening and baking sourdough bread.
APW Typerider November 2025
Greetings and Happy Thanksgiving!
I am delighted to be a part of a professional writing organization with members who are so giving of their time, knowledge, and talent. Thank you!
Once you renew your membership, we have two new potential opportunities for you to shine in 2026.
Reginald Manning is the artist behind APW’s logo when we were Arizona Press Women. He was an American artist and illustrator, best known for his editorial cartoons. The Arizona Republic hired Manning as a photographer and artist in 1926. “Hats” won him the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 1951. (Thanks to Cheryl Kohout for his name.)
May your words flow,
Carol Baxter, APW President
P.S. The 2026 White Mountain Writers Conference date is July 31 (not the 3rd).
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Click on the link for the full President’s newsletter to read more including
- Opportunities to sell your books at 2 book festivals
- Registration opens for the Payson Book Festival
- 11/22 Book Club selection
- White Mountain chapter- open mic, contest, book festival and writers conference
- NFPW Communications Contest info
APW Book Club – 11/22/25 Beautiful Daughter! by Maria Greenhalgh
Karen Lateiner is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Book Club – Beautiful Daughter! with Maria J. Greenhalgh
Date: Saturday, November 22, 2025
Time: 10:00 AM Arizona
Join Zoom Meeting: The Zoom link has been sent to APW members
Beautiful Daughter! – ¡Te Quiero, Te Quiero Mucho!: A Story of Growing Up Different by Maria J. Greenhalgh
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A young mother hugs her baby girl and looks at her lovingly. She frequently tells her, ¡Te quiero, Te quiero mucho! (I love you. I love you very much!) This is a story of how that little girl goes through the stages of growing up to become her authentic self. She is different, not at all like the magical princess her mother expected her to be. The story is also about a mother’s love for her daughter and a parent’s journey to loving a child without the deeply rooted expectations set forth by culture and tradition. Beautiful Daughter is a book written for both children and adults to enjoy and shares the message of unconditional love and acceptanmce.
Maria will also spend a few minutes talking about her Kickstarter project in case any of you have considered running a campaign.
Bio: Maria J. Greenhalgh
Maria J. Greenhalgh is a bi-lingual author, a lifelong learner, wife, and mother of two. She writes children’s books in English and in Spanish. Maria left the corporate world to pursue her dreams, one of which was to become a published author. Literacy and love of nature, in particular anything ocean related, changed Maria’s life as a child.
She learned English at the age of ten, when her family immigrated to the United States. Maria fell in love with learning and credits her education for helping her find a career she loved, leading teams in the financial services sector. Now her focus is on inspiring children to love learning, as well as appreciate and take care of the world we live in. Her books also encourage adults to value and love the uniqueness of each child. With her newest book, she is hoping to inspire the youngest of readers to be advocates for marine life and for conservation. Her first book, Beautiful Daughter! – ¡Te Quiero, Te Quiero Mucho!: A Story of Growing Up Different focuses on unconditional love. It is available in English, Spanish, and in French.
APW Book Club – 10-25-25 Southern Woman by Kathleen Parrish
Karen Lateiner is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: APW Book Club – 10/25/25 Southern Woman by Kathleen Parrish
Date: Oct 25, 2025
Time: 01:00 PM Arizona
Join Zoom Meeting: The link has been sent to APW members. It is also listed in the Members only section. Otherwise, contact Karen Lateiner for the link.
Southern Woman by Kathleen Parrish
Kathy Whitaker works tirelessly to build a future for herself and her family in 1953 Cottondale, Mississippi. She’s turned Weaver Variety Store, inherited from Minnie Weaver, into a successful business, and despite her long hours, their family is thriving. Now, she eagerly waits for her husband, Towanna, to complete his last semester of medical school in New Orleans and return home to intern with a local doctor. However, two strangers arrive in town who threaten to upend her life: Richard Coswell, who claims to represent a large variety chain wanting to buy her store, and Ellen Mathe son, a single mother seeking a fresh start for herself and her daughter.
Kathy rejects Coswell’s offer but soon finds herself entangled in a legal battle when Coswell discovers the probate on her inheritance was never properly closed and fabricates a claim that could force her to sell. Worse, her new sales clerk, Ellen Matheson, claims to be Minnie Weaver’s long-lost, illegitimate daughter and only surviving blood relative, entitling her to a share of the Weaver estate.
Then Towanna calls home with shattering news. He’s been offered a five-year surgical residency—but only if he stays in New Orleans. Caught between Towanna’s dream of becoming a surgeon and the threats to her inheritance, Kathy must choose which path to pursue. Sell her store and give up her dreams, or risk losing everything that really matters.
APW White Mountains Chapter meeting 10/28/25 with Beth Freely
Kathleen Osborne is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Monthly White Mountains Chapter of APW with Beth Freely
Date: Oct 28, 2025
Time: 06:00 PM Pacific & AZ Time
Join Zoom Meeting: The Zoom link has been sent to White Mountain Chapter members. Other APW members and guests who would like to attend should contact Katherine Osborne for the link. It is also published in the Members’ Only section.
Bio: Beth is a prolific romance author with a career spanning her entire life. She has written over fifteen novels and several novellas, using her skill to blend romance, history, and detailed storytelling. Experiences from living in Great Britain, and her current residence in New Mexico influence her work.
Arizona Professional Writers 