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
September 9 Zoom meeting with Nancy Pelligrini
Nancy Pellegrini
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.
President’s Page – August, 2020
August is the month for Voting Rights. On August 26, 1920 the 19th amendment finally was ratified to give women the right to vote. Suffragettes worked for many years to achieve that right. A new book for middle school students titled, Finish the Fight written by the staff of the New York Times, remains a fascinating read for any age. It shows us how diverse the women were who helped make suffrage reality. It became, not only a white women’s struggle, as has been told in so many history books, but one for women of diverse cultures.
We learn that the Native American Haudenosaunee practiced a form of representative democracy that gave significant power to women. Mary Church Terrell, an African American championed both suffrage and civil rights. There were many other African American women, Latina and Chinese women who fought for the vote as well.
I suggest you buy a copy for all the young women in your families, one for yourself and one to donate to your local library.
APW Central has continued to present interesting speakers each month in Zoom format, so all members are invited to attend. APW Rim Country has monthly Zoom meetings and will be having speakers starting again next month.
Buckshot Dot just informed me that a long time Payson member, Rebecca George, has passed away. She was an author, book reviewer, philosopher, musician and naval veteran. We send her family our condolences.
Are you still practicing social distancing and wearing a mask outdoors? I hope so. I see others getting lax, but numbers of Covid cases continue to blanket our state and country.
Keep Writing,
Marie Fasano
President
Arizona Professional Writers
September 12 Zoom meeting with Karen Shiffman Lateiner
Our Central District September speaker will be Karen Shiffman Lateiner, M.A., M.Ed., author of Timeless Dance: A Story of Change and Loss
Zoom call on September 12, 2020 at 10 am
Zoom details will be emailed closer to the date. If you are not on the email list, contact Barbara Lacy at barblacyapw@gmail.com to be added to the list and to receive details and a reminder.
Karen Shiffman Lateiner, M.A., M.Ed., author of Timeless Dance: A Story of Change and Loss, has nearly twenty years of experience as a psychologist and infant/child development specialist providing service to vulnerable, at-risk children and their families.
As the parent of a transgender child who came out in the mid-nineties, she quickly became an advocate for gender minority youth, serving on the Affirmative Action Advisory Council and LGBT Task Force of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ), and the Stop Bullying AZ Task Force. Her book, part memoir, biography, and primer on gender diversity, has garnered many positive reviews, leading to speaking engagements in a variety of settings, from educational to corporate. Combining her love of the Sonoran Desert, and her desire to encourage and support other writers, she created and facilitates a Hike and Write program in Phoenix. Karen is a member of numerous organizations for writers and authors. In her spare time, she enjoys gardening, cooking, and baking sourdough bread.
See more about Karen at KSLateiner.com
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- Timeless Dance – Karen Shiffman Lateiner – https://www.amazon.com/Timeless-Dance-Story-Change-Loss/dp/171743794X/
President’s page – July 2020
Summer is half over and we continue in this COVID-19 crisis. Schools are in confusion about when and how to return, hospitals are overflowing with patients and limiting non-essential surgeries and businesses are partially open or closed. We, as writers, have many different stories to work on to help folks deal with all the anxiety. Are you including anything about these times in your stories or articles?
Are you creating, as our late great Representative and statesman John Lewis said, “Good trouble?” Because of the First Amendment, we writers have a responsibility to speak. and write to inspire others to make certain of justice for all as people in Arizona and throughout the nation peacefully protest the denial of rights and free speech.
I have been inspired by Lewis’ life and work from his time as a teenager on the lunch counters to old age at the Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, DC, where he never stopped speaking up for the rights of all peoples.
We would be celebrating the successful completion of another Payson Book Festival by now, but must wait until next year. We have been enjoying APW virtual meetings from Central with excellent speakers. Anne Videan regaled us with her ghost writing tales and the research involved. She gave us some great information about what to charge and what to include in a contract. Next month, Susan Anderson will share what it takes to write and illustrate children’s books. Rim Country members enjoy sharing their current projects. Be sure to take a look at what ASU offers to writers each month as I send information about their programs to you.
I spent some time walking and breathing in the clean, fragrant air of the pine forests in Northern Arizona this month with Mac and our dog, Louie. We even had the good fortune of watching some wild horses and yearlings nibbling grass in the meadow with the protective stallion eyeing our every move. A great time to refresh and renew.
Keep writing,
Marie A. Fasano
President
Arizona Professional Writers
August 8 Zoom meeting with Susan Anderson, children’s book author
To All APW Members: Join the Central Chapter in their ZOOM meeting.
August 2020 APW meeting Writing and Publishing Children’s Books
Susan Anderson moved to the Valley to help care for her grandchildren 11 years ago. She did art projects, cooked, helped with school. .. It was perfect but after a while she needed to do something for herself. . to fulfill her own ambitions. .She enjoyed painting animals and fairies . . so she decided to use what she enjoyed and write and illustrate children’s books. Now she has written and published three picture books and her first chapter book. She also created watercolor illustrations for APW member and author Jody Sharpe. And she is not done yet. . .
She will talk to APW members and guests via ZOOM, from 10-12 a.m., Saturday, August 8, 2020.
Barbara Lacy is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. To join the ZOOM meeting, see below . .call or email Barbara Lacy: 480-620-1358 or lacyarts@gmail.com Members were sent the Zoom link in an email dated 7/21/2020. A reminder will be sent.
APW Central Meeting
Topic: Guest Speaker Susan Anderson – Writing and Publishing Children’s Books
Time: Aug 8, 2020 10:00 AM Arizona
Susan Claire Anderson
In the Spotlight: Nancy Pellegrini
Nancy Pellegrini
A member of PEN (Professional Editors Network), Nancy Pellegrini, who spoke at the December 14, 2019 Central Chapter meeting, was featured in their June 2020 PEN Networking News.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Nancy Pellegrini lived in England, Ireland, and South Korea before spending 18 years in Beijing, China. For more than 15 years, she was the stage editor and writer for Time Out Beijing and Time Out Shanghai magazines; she also edited United Nations policy papers and has written and edited for Penguin Books. She started regular editing in 2011 and today runs Nancy Pellegrini Editorial Solutions, LLC, a writing and editing services company. She lives in Phoenix with her fiancé (COVID-19 postponed the wedding a year) and their three cats.
Read the rest of the Nancy Pelegrini PEN spotlight 6-20 interview here as Nancy talks more about editing, what it entails and how it fits into her life. Very interesting is how travel contrasts with her normal life!
Arizona Professional Writers 