December 5, 2020 APW Board meeting agenda
All members are invited to attend.
Date: Dec. 5, 2020
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Place: ZOOM (Contact Marie for the link)
Topic: APW Board of Directors Meeting
Agenda
Call meeting to order- President’s Report – Marie Fasano
Minutes from the May meeting- Secretary – Brenda Whiteside
Treasurer’s Report- Cheryl Kohout
Vice- President’s report- Bobbie Bennett
Membership Report- Connie Cockrell
Central Chapter report – Barbara Lacy
Rim Country Chapter report – Connie Cockrell
Southern Chapter report –
Webmaster report- Jaimie Bruzenak
Old Business:
Skirting Traditions Distribution of Book and new storage – Marie
Scholarship Committee
New Business
New APW Book Club- Barbara
Plans for April 2021 convention- Bobbie
Discussion of scheduling virtual meetings
Committee to select New Officers 2021-2022
Other Business
November 14 meeting with Betty Webb
Join Central Chapter’s virtual meeting on Saturday, November 14 at 10 a.m. with mystery author Betty Webb! Betty topic is “How To Keep A Series Going.”
Betty at La Rotonde Cafe in Paris, doing research for her third series.
Betty Webb is the author of the popular Lena Jones mystery series: Desert Redemption, Desert Vengeance, Desert Rage, Desert Wind, Desert Lost, Desert Cut, Desert Run, Desert Shadows, Desert Wives, and Desert Noir. Betty shows her softer (and more humorous) side in the Gunn Zoo mysteries, set a fictional California zoo. The first book in the Gunn Zoo series was The Anteater of Death, followed (in order) by The Koala of Death, The Llama of Death, The Puffin of Death, The Otter of Death, and The Panda of Death. Despite their titles, no animals are ever harmed in these books, but unpleasant humans die like flies. Betty’s work at the highly-regarded Phoenix Zoo was the inspiration for this series.
Before beginning to write mysteries full time, Betty was a journalist. Writing articles ranging from hard news to features, she has interviewed everyone from U.S. presidents to astronauts who walked on the moon, as well as Nobel Prize winners, the homeless, the hopeless, the dying, and polygamy runaways. Her Lena Jones mysteries are based on stories she covered as a reporter. She has been a syndicated book reviewer for 30 years, and taught writing at the university level. Betty is a member of National Federation of Press Women, The Authors Guild, Mystery Writers of America, and Sisters in Crime. She is starting a new mystery series, which involved a trip to Paris. The first book should be out next year.
You can learn more about Betty and her books at BettyWebb-Mystery.com and at BettyWebb-ZooMystery.com
APW members will be sent the Zoom link. Nonmembers are welcome to attend; request a link by sending an email to Central Chapter Chair, Barbara Lacy.
November 2020 meeting of the APW Book Club
Join the NEW APW Book Club for our second meeting November 28, 10:00 am on Zoom (url to be emailed a few days before the meeting), showcasing Marylee MacDonald’s new publication, Surrender.
APW members and nonmembers are welcome to download a 15-chapter sample of the book. If you’d like to join our group and discuss it, then Marylee will be happy to provide the FULL COPY of the book for free. Email Marylee for a copy. Maybe this will be an incentive for you to join! It’s so interesting to see the diverse perspectives everyone brings to a book discussion. We really enjoyed discussing Karen’s memoir, Timeless Dance.
Below is the Amazon book blurb for Surrender:
Her young life changed in an instant. Now she shares her story with the child she gave away.
Adopted at birth, Marylee’s parents told her she was a “chosen child.” She tried her hardest to make them proud, but her parents’ divorce sent her into the comforting arms of a handsome Catholic boy. Convinced that he was her Romeo and she a modern-day Juliet, she surrendered to passion. Unfortunately, it was 1961. Pregnant girls were sent away, and their babies given up for adoption.
Nature vs. nurture: Which plays a greater role in who we become? The family we were raised in, or the parents we never knew? In telling her adult son the story of his birth, can the narrator find compassion for her own wounded inner child?
If you like truthful accounts laced with the passion of youth and the wisdom of age, read Marylee MacDonald’s funny and poignant memoir about how we grow up, grow old, and learn to accept ourselves.
The ebook version of SURRENDER is available for preorder now on Amazon with a delivery date of November 19.
Important links:
- Download a 15-chapter sample at https://BookHip.com/GPKGG
- Here’s the preorder link. https://www.amazon.com/Surrender-Memoir-Nature-Nurture-Love-ebook/dp/B08F7CYSNY/
- If folks would like to know more about Marylee and this book in particular, then please visit her book launch page. https://booklaunch.io/maryleemacdonald/surrender.
- Obtain a free copy of the book if you plan to attend the Book Club Meeting by emailing Marylee at mm@maryleemacdonald.org
- If you are a member and would like your book to be discussed at a future meeting, email or call Karen Lateiner: kslateiner@gmail.com, 973-997-7204
- Zoom link: APW members will be sent the Zoom link a few days before the meeting. If you are not a member and would like to attend, email Marie Fasano at mfasano.apw@gmail.com Put “Nov 28 Zoom link” in the subject line.
November 11 Virtual meeting with Connie Cockrell
This month APW Rim Country’s guest on Wednesday, November 11 at 1:00 p.m. is our own Connie Cockrell.
Topic: APW Meeting -How to conquer Amazon Ads with Connie Cockrell
Date: Wednesday, November 11, 2020
Time: 1:00 PM Arizona (MST)
Zoom: The link has been sent to members though all are welcome. If you did not receive the link and would like to attend, send an email to Marie Fasano. You’ll receive the link a day or so before the meeting.
How to conquer Amazon Ads
Connie Cockrell has just immersed herself in Amazon Ads. Think it’s too hard? Think again. Some tips and tricks to start small and, perhaps, gain much. Plus, some links to help you along the way.
Connie Cockrell Bio
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 story-telling.
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, on Facebook, on Twitter or on Amazon.
President’s Page – October, 2020
We hear so much on the news about the upcoming election. Whomever you choose, your obligation is to vote. As writers we have the power of our pen to bring out injustices where we see them and to voice our opinion in a civil way. So be sure to vote.
I wrote an article that was published in the local paper honoring Ruth Bader Ginsberg for all she has done for gender equality.
We have a responsibility from the First Amendment to speak the truth and not feel cowered by negativity. I have had my candidate’s sign torn down three times and then defaced. I just keep putting one back up. I refuse to live in fear.
The NFPW Communications Contest is on! Go through all your published writings for 2020 and pull up your best material to enter the contests. There are numerous categories from which to choose. I’m sure one fits your writing style. Several of our APW writers have won awards over the years. Although we do not have an Arizona specific contest, you can enter the At-large section. Check it out at NFPW.org
Let’s see how many members we will have this year in the contest. See our website ArizonaProfessionalWriters.org or our Facebook page for more information. In fact, you can subscribe to our APW blog so you get notification whenever something new is posted. You’ll see the latest blog entry when you go to ArizonaProfessionalWriters.org. Look on the right-hand side for the signup.
Monthly meetings: I don’t understand why more members have not taken advantage of all our virtual meetings. We have had two guests a month from either Central or Rim Country chapter with all members invited. From my viewpoint, most are outstanding. They have created much discussion on a variety of topics.
Recently at the last Central meeting a Book review group was created. See it on the 4th Saturday of the month. Again check out the info on FB and our website. You will receive the zoom invitation before the program.
2021 Membership: APW is alive and thriving. Why not take advantage of all we have to offer. Membership renewal will be due soon. You will be receiving a notice from Connie Cockrell, state membership chair, for state dues or from NFPW if you are a national member.
APW Board meeting: Our next APW Board meeting is scheduled for December 5.It will be a virtual one and all members are invited. More informatioin in November.
Keep writing,
Marie A. Fasano,
President APW
New APW Book Club!
After a lively discussion during our October meeting, a few members expressed interest in forming a book group to read and review each other’s books. Book group meetings will be held virtually at 10 am on the 4th Saturday of every month. Karen Shiffman Lateiner has agreed to coordinate the group. If you are interested in participating, please email or call her: kslateiner@gmail.com, 973-997-7204.
The first meeting will be – Saturday, October 24, at 10 am. Timeless Dance: A Story of Change and Loss by Karen Shiffman Lateiner is the first selection. It is available in Kindle or paperback on Amazon. If you are unable to obtain it, please let Karen know and she will arrange for you to get a copy.
The November selection will be Surrender by Marylee MacDonald, and December’s will be one of Jody Sharpe’s books.
Looking forward to seeing you at the launch of our APW Book Group. Contact Karen to join and stay tuned for further details.
Karen
973.997.7204
Karen Shiffman Lateiner, M.Ed.
Author,
Hike and Write Facilitator
Gender Diversity Educator
October 14 Virtual meeting with Laurie Fagen
This month the APW Rim Country meeting will have an exciting guest – Laurie Fagen.
Laurie will talk about the challenges of writing crime fiction during the pandemic, and how she created a project that was more inspiring and positive.
Laurie Fagen had a great career in radio, commercial and cable television, video productions and print journalism. She has published two crime fiction mystery novels, Fade Out and Dead Air in her “Behind the Mic” mystery series, along with two audio books and two novellas.
She recently launched “AZ Creates!” and hosts the twice-monthly YouTube web series to highlight creatives in Arizona. Each show also includes an interview with a published writer who reads from their book; a highlighted arts nonprofit; and upcoming arts events in “Something to Look Forward to.” The episodes can be seen at https://is.gd/AZCreates, and her writing website is http://www.ReadLaurieFagen.com.
You may find out how to be a guest on Laurie’s show!!
Topic: APW Rim Country Guest Laurie Fagen
Time: October 14, 2020 01:00 PM MST
Members and nonmembers are invited to participate. Members have been sent the Zoom link. If you did not receive it contact Connie Cockrell, Rim Country Chapter Chair for the link.
October 10 Zoom meeting – change of plans
Central Chapter October Zoom Meeting
Saturday, October 10, 2020 —- 10:00 am
Our speaker, Martha Blue, had to cancel. Instead, we will have a round table discussion. Share what you are working on. If you have ideas for future meetings – speakers or topics – share those too. It will be fun to catch up and meet new and potential members too.
Please RSVP to Barbara Lacy. You will receive the Zoom link for Saturday’s meeting.
Join us at 10 a.m. this Saturday, October 10 on Zoom!
Barbara Lacy
Central Chapter Chair
PS – Martha’s talk will be rescheduled for a date in the spring.
Martha Blue
One of my favorite people, writer Martha Blue, will be our speaker at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 10, 2020. On Zoom, naturally!
Martha was one of our first friends when we moved to the Navajo Reservation in 1971 and although our lives and locations changed over years, our friendship was solid. Martha and her first husband came to the reservation as poverty lawyers and thus they worked with my husband who oversaw the Social Services office on the western side of the Navajo Reservation.
As we moved on with our lives we kept in touch when Martha had story ideas for me to follow up on. When my family moved to Phoenix in 1980, I took a full-time PR job with the state and regretfully did not follow up on her many of her ideas.
You can read more about Martha by click Martha Blue’s Resume . She’s amazing!
Marsha Ward’s new book: Surprising Charity
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- Marsha Ward
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- Marsha Ward – Surprising Charity
President’s Page – September, 2020
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg kept going even with a devastating pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Now she is gone. She was such an example to many. She fought for her beliefs for gender equality early in her career. She had no fear when she gave her dissenting opinion for a Supreme Court decision.
When I think of my own aches and pains and medical difficulties I think of Justice Ginsburg and how strongly she felt about continuing on despite her illness. How I need to do the same.
It reminds me of the many writers who are telling stories of their own adversities and how they overcame them. Stories they share with their readers. Often the readers are helped knowing others have experienced the same or similar experiences.
How fortunate we are as writers to have that gift of storytelling to share.
When you join us for our monthly meetings you will be enlightened by our guests and the discussion that follows after the telling of their own stories.
Please consider joining us each month. Now that we are virtual, members from any part of the state can take advantage of our speakers.
I learn something each time. I’m sure you will, too.
Keep writing,
Marie Fasano
President
Arizona Professional Writers
Arizona Professional Writers 