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.
Marsha Ward’s new book: Surprising Charity
- Marsha Ward
- Marsha Ward – Surprising Charity
September 9 Zoom meeting with Nancy Pelligrini
APW Rim Country‘s September guest speaker, Nancy Pellegrini will enthrall us with stories of her two decades in Korea and China before coming to Phoenix in June 2018. She covered performing arts in China, mostly as the stage section writer/editor for Time Out Beijing and Time Out Shanghai magazines and many others. She is the author of The People’s Bard: How China Made Shakespeare Its Own (Penguin Random House, 2016). She came to Phoenix in June 2018 and set up Nancy Pellegrini Editorial Solutions, LLC, where she offers writing and editing services.
Nancy spoke earlier this year at a meeting but if you missed it the first time, join Rim Country for this fascinating talk.
Join us on Zoom Wednesday, 1:00 PM September 9, 2020.
Members have received the Zoom link in an email and will receive a reminder. If you are interested in attending and did not receive an email, contact Marie Fasano.
Rim Country Chapter June 10 Zoom meeting
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.
Carol Gail Osman Brown 1941-2020
Carol Gail Osman Brown 78, of Payson, AZ, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 6, 2020, in Los Angeles, CA with her sons by her side. Carol was preceded in death by her husband James Carrington Brown III (Bing) on Friday, May 31, 2019, in Phoenix, AZ. Carol and Bing are survived by their two sons, James Carrington Brown IV (Jim) and Bryan Lee Brown, wife Ronda Doyle and grandson, Asa of Los Angeles, CA and extended family. Carol was preceded in death by her parents Sidney A. and Natalie Constance (Charipper) Osman.
Carol was born in Schenectady, New York on September 28, 1941, to Sid and Natalie Osman. Carol and her parents lived in New York City as a child but due to her severe asthma, moved to AZ and settled in Phoenix, Arizona around 1949.
Carol attended Kenilworth Elementary School and West High School in Phoenix and graduated from Arizona State University.
Carol and Bing met while they were summer camp counselors in Prescott, AZ and were later married on November 3, 1961, in Phoenix, AZ. Both Carol and Bing were longtime residents of Phoenix and then Payson AZ where they both were intricately involved in the journalism community.
An award-winning journalist, Carol was a strong advocate of children’s literacy programs. Her long-term leadership involvement with Arizona Press Women (now Arizona Professional Writers) allowed her to spearhead the very successful annual Payson Book Festival featuring Arizona authors from throughout the state and is held in July in Payson, AZ. Proceeds support a variety of children’s literacy programs.
During her career, Carol drew public attention to other causes including historic preservation, education, health, Native American and women’s issues. She wrote for The Phoenix Gazette and Arizona Republic newspapers and taught journalism classes at her alma mater Arizona State University and Rio Salado College.
Her articles and photographs have appeared in numerous publications including Arizona Highways, Native Peoples, and Sunset magazines as well as publications of the United States Information Agency. She also worked for Associated Press and United Press International wire services.
She received a variety of awards throughout her 50-year career from organizations including the National Federation of Press Women, The Arizona Newspapers Association, the Public Relations Society of America, and Women in Communications.
Carol and her husband, Bing were a powerhouse couple in their community. They formed Carrington Communications LLC and worked as a team on writing projects that took them long distances throughout the United States, China, Mexico, Costa Rica, Africa, Australia, Europe and Canada. They were active on the Beaver Valley Water District board and the Arizona Association of Professional Writers.
Carol was born with severe Asthma and fought her lung disease her entire life. A lifelong commitment to researching her own medical condition, including using holistic medicine as a key component, enabled her to live a full, vibrant, and very productive life.
Due to the current Coronavirus (COVID-19), a Celebrations of Life will be held in Beaver Valley, AZ (Payson) and in Phoenix, AZ at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Payson Book Festival, Inc. or the charity of your choice.
See the home page of the Payson Book Festival website for details if you would like to donate to their children’s programs and literacy projects.
Welcome, Dianna DiMaggio!
Welcome to Dianna DiMaggio, new member, to the APW Rim Country Chapter!
Dianna DiMaggio tells us that as a child her favorite pastime was to create and draw clothing for her paper dolls. At age 20 she had her own custom design dress shop. Later, at age 40 Dianna began painting in her spare time. She sold her early works and drew note cards to sell. She felt she had been accepted in the marketplace.
She enrolled in the Scottsdale School of Art and studied under Judi Betts and others. A patron of one of the paintings she sold asked Dianna to write the story of what she painted. She now has a notebook of her paintings and writings. She has incorporated two of her gifts. Currently, she pulls her autobiography out of her soul. She says, “We must not die with our music still in us.”
Rim Country Chapter January 8, 2020 meeting
An Arizona Professional Writers meeting will be held on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 pm at the Majestic Rim on Tyler Parkway in Payson. Members and guests are welcome. Our guest speaker is Andy McKinney who will be speaking on the history of storytelling and will give some examples of first paragraphs that do or do not grab the reader.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Andy lived for thirty years in Alaska. The long winters gave him plenty of time to watch movies. He now lives in the Great American Southwest in retirement. He writes a regular newspaper column on current movies for the Payson Roundup. This is his second nonfiction work. He loves the flickers and finds zombie films fascinating and loads of fun. His book, A Gross of Zombies is his second non-fiction book after The Armed Forces of Iran.
DATE: Wednesday, January 8, 2020
TIME: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Majestic Rim at 310 E Tyler Parkway, Payson
SPEAKER: Andy McKinney, author, columnist and movie buff
Note: If you haven’t paid your 2020 dues you can bring your check to the meeting.
- Andy McKinney
- A Gross of Zombies by Andy McKinney
Welcome, Elsa Bobier!
We welcome new member Elsa Bobier to the APW Rim Country Chapter. Elsa has lived in the Rim Country area for the last 20 years. She enjoys the beautiful weather, nature and panoramic scenery. She has published poetry and writes many reports in her work as a senior Social Services Case Manager.
Rim Country Meeting October 9, 2019
Arizona Professional Writers Rim Country Chapter will host Marsha Ward, renowned Historical Fiction Writer at 1:00 p.m. October 9, 2019 at the Majestic Rim Retirement Home, Tyler Parkway Payson.
Marsha, an award-winning poet, freelance writer, journalist, editor, and novelist has over 900 pieces of published work, including her acclaimed novel series, The Owen Family Saga, and other works of fiction.
She will share how she researches her Old West themes.