Tag Archive | Arizona Professional Writers

Rim Country Chapter Hybrid Meeting 9/18/24

Connie Cockrell is inviting you to a scheduled hybrid in-person/Zoom Rim Country Chapter meeting.

Topic: Sharing and discussing our new work
Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Time: 01:00 PM Arizona
Location: Majestic Rim Living, 310 E. Tyler Parkway. Meet in the chapel off of the main lobby.
Or join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86577614978?pwd=QHZxOl5E0rcRUDX5cb1bQIZszqTX8J.1

Meeting ID: 865 7761 4978
Passcode: 987543
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcRQs4IRxr

Hope to see you there!

 

President’s message September 2024

Greetings and salutations!

In the early Roman calendar, September was the seventh month. By that reckoning, I am ten months ahead instead of sprinting from two months behind, trying to catch up to a deadline.

I participated in a writing sprint contest last week with one prompt per round, then five minutes to write a story that left the reader wanting more. The genre was up to the participants. The host played electronic music in the background with a distracting beat – so much so to me that it infiltrated one of my stories. We had 90 seconds to read our stories to the group before a vote via Survey Monkey. Unused writing muscles flexed? Check. Challenge accepted. Endorphins triggered.

Participants seemed to be:

  • Extremely good at using dictation to process their authorly thoughts, or
  • Possessed nimble keyboarding skills well above 60wpm, or
  • Had programmed their AI services to write from prompts – we could/should have a discourse about AI, but I will leave that for another time.

I was the only participant who wrote a rhyme and the only one who took one of the prompts literally. Color me surprised that my rhyme-on-the-spot and taking ellipses at face value, dot dot dot, earned me unexpected entrance to the next round as a runner-up.

Whether you are sprinting to catch up to a deadline or sprinting to finish your writing project I hope you enjoy the journey and stretch a less oft’ used writing muscle along the way.

Carol Baxter, APW President

Email Carol

To read the remainder of the Typewriter, click here.

APW Book Club selections 2024-25

APW BOOK GROUP SCHEDULE

Meeting via Zoom fourth Saturday of every month at 10 AM
Contact: Karen Shiffman Lateiner, kslateiner @ gmail.com, 973-997-7204

Mission: To support each other as authors (and authors in progress) by reading each other’s books, reviewing them on Amazon and/or Goodreads, and discussing them at our meeting.

2024-25 Calendar

February 24, 2024 First Encounter by Connie Cockrell
April 27, 204 The Downtrodden by Connie Cockrell
May 25, 2024 Candy, Cigarettes, and Murder by Brenda Whiteside
June 22, 2024 Leaning into Curves: Trusting the Wild Intuitive Way of Love
by Linda Sandel Pettit
July August No Meeting

*******************************************************************
Sept 28, 2024 MacKenzie Chronicles, Secrets of The Ravine by Brenda Whiteside

Oct. 26, 2024 Fairy Tales for Women Who Have Been Through the Mill by Elaine Auerbach

Nov. 23, 2024 Hidden Dragons by Kathleen Osbourne

December NO BOOK GROUP – Happy Holidays

Jan. 25, 2025 Timeless Dance: A Story of Change and Loss – an update by Karen Shiffman Lateiner

Feb. 22, 2025 California Missions Sketchbook by Robert Hershberger and Sandy Carver

Mar. 22, 2025 Finding Zachariah in a Community Garden by Nancy Marshall

April 26, 2025 The Guatemala Reader by Mark Walker

May 24, 2025 Title TBD by Kathleen Kelly

June 28, 2025 Southern Women by Kathleen Parrish

Books previously read and reviewed

  • October 24, 2020 Timeless Dance: A Story of Change and Loss by Karen Shiffman Lateiner
  • November 28, 2020 Surrender by Marylee MacDonald
  • December 26, 2020 Children with Special Needs: Angels on my Shoulder by Jody Sharpe
  • January 23, 2021 Everything by Susan Anderson
  • February 27, 2021 Skirting Traditions: Arizona Women Writer and Journalists 1912-2012.
  • March 27, 2021 On Traigh Lar Beach by Dianne Beeaff
  • April 24, 2021 Tessie’s Tales: Growing up Italian in New York City by Marie Fasano
  • May 22, 2021 What’s the Growing in My Sour Cream by Brad Graber
  • September 25, 2021 Miracle of the Salt River by Meredith Whiteley
  • October 23, 2021 – Nanise: A Navajo Herbal: One Hundred Plants From the Navajo Reservation by Barbara Bayless Lacy and Vernon O. Mayes
  • November 20, 2021 Joyous Lies by Margaret Spence
  • January 22, 2022 Boca by Moonlight by Brad Graber
  • February 26, 2022 Power’s Garden by Dianne Beeaff
  • March 26, 2022 Voices of the ER by Kathleen Kelly
  • April 23, 2022 Body Language by Marylee MacDonald
  • May 28, 2022 20 Moon Road, An Angels Tale by Jody Sharpe
  • June 25, 2022 No speaker due to technical difficulties
  • July 23, 2022 NO BOOK GROUP – Payson Book festival
  • August 27, 2022 A Rattler’s Tale by Nancy Hicks Marshall
  • Sept. 23, 2022 Democrazy, Version 2020 by Elizabeth Graham
  • October 22, 2022 Second Son: A Novel of the Deep South by Kathleen Parrish
  • November 26, 2022 NO MEETING HAPPY THANKSGIVING
  • December 24, 2022 NO MEETING HAPPY HOLIDAYS
  • January 28, 2023 My Saddest Pleasures by Mark Walker
  • February 25, 2023 Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver.by Robert Hershberger
  • March 25, 2023 Summer of Angels by Jody Sharpe
  • April 22, 2023 Elizabeth Graham presentation
  • May 27, 2023 Goodbye, Walter: A Reporter’s Notebook Ruthann Hogue
  • June 24, 2023 A Dry Hate: Power vs The People by Nancy Marshall
  • July August NO MEETINGS HAPPY SUMMER!
  • Sept 23, 2023 Dirty Linen: How Women Sued The Readers Digest and Changed History by Elaine Auerbach
  • Oct 28 , 2023 Both Sides of the Fire Line by Bobbie Scopa

President’s message August 2024

Arizona Professional Writers
Typerider Newsletter
August 2024

Have you taken to writing in the cooler hours of this neon-hot Arizona summer? I have! And I still seem to get more done pushed against a deadline.

The 9th Annual Payson Book Festival was a success although a bit quieter than in 2023. Rim Country Chapter President Connie Cockrell and her team put hundreds of hours into making the event worthwhile for authors and the public. Cue applause!

Next up: (Click here for pdf of flyer – White Mountain Book Festival 8-3-24

SURVEY RESULTS

To the 19 out of 75 members who responded to the survey, my humble THANKS!

I hope this information will assist our chapter presidents when they seek someone to speak at chapter meetings.

If have yet to respond, kindly look for it in your email (July 17th from carol@talesofalifetime.net) take a few moments out of your busy life to do so. What you want from APW matters to me.

This email and the survey are accomplished via MailChimp, the email services company I have used for more than a decade. I assure you Mail Chimp is a safe company.

Retreats and Online Workshops

“I think of a “writing retreat” as 2-7 days of mostly undistracted writing time at a lovely location that includes a few short writing classes, and optional interaction at other times. I think of a “writing workshop” as an interactive event with classes, writing prompts, panels, etc. These might not be your definitions, but please keep them in mind as you answer the next few questions. Are you interested in an overnight writing retreat in 2026?”

12 yes*, 8 no * Note that 14 people answered the next question!

To read the rest of Carol’s August message click here for the full message.

 

Carol Baxter, APW President.

Rim Country Chapter hybrid meeting 8/21 with Carol Baxter

For anyone who plans to promote themselves and their skills or writing, this is a must-attend meeting! Our very talented APW president, Carol Baxter, who created the graphics the past two years for the Payson Book Festival will have plenty of live examples of what not to do and what to do to showcase your work! Plan to attend either in person in Payson or via Zoom.
Details:
Connie Cockrell is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. In person option at Majestic Rim Living retirement at 310 E. Tyler Parkway.
Topic: Rim Country Chapter Hybrid Zoom with Carol Baxter. Carol will share how to get good pictures, headshots and book covers for websites, marketing and social media.
Date: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Time: 01:00 PM Arizona
Where: Majestic Rim Living retirement at 310 E. Tyler Parkway in the chapel off of the lobby. Or on Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82192534843?pwd=ImNUReBhkKcLqZlYcGoyAeIAYjuUOu.1

Meeting ID: 821 9253 4843
Passcode: 103077
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kklw37DIt

Bio:
Handmade quilts, home-baked rolls, and the meter of poetry filled my childhood and although it is a tossup as to whether the rolls or the poetry made the most impact, since 2005 I have made my living in print as a successful grant writer, marketing copywriter, editor, and award-winning features journalist. I am Carol Baxter and I have helped dozens of people write their memoirs, the truest family heirloom you can share with future generations. Isn’t it time to share yours?

Website: https://www.talesofalifetime.net/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caroljeanbaxter/

APW Rim Country Hybrid Meeting 7/17 – Jeff Robbins

Connie Cockrell  is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: APW Rim Country Hybrid Zoom meeting with Jeffrey Robbins

Date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Time: 1:00 PM Arizona

Where: Rim Country Living Retirement Center, 807 W Longhorn Rd, Payson or on Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88979917174?pwd=lJ7JbDUc9Ki6GbxKNef7CmktkhRR2z.1

Meeting ID: 889 7991 7174
Passcode: 770432
One tap mobile
+16694449171,,88979917174#,,,,*770432# US
+16699006833,,88979917174#,,,,*770432# US (San Jose)
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdCpVLslUr

Bio
I was the youngest staff photographer hired by the Los Angeles Times at age 22. I had been working for a local newspaper in Southern California for a couple of years. I was able to take numerous photo classes from top photographers. I had won numerous photo contests during my time there and after about 3 years with them, I heard of an opening at the Associated Press in Los Angeles.

I was hired by the head photo editor who asked me on the interview if I was better than when I had met him a year back. I told him I was and after looking at my portfolio was given the job as staff photographer for AP in Los Angeles. I worked in Los Angeles for about 5 years there covering all kinds of news events, doing some travel and was asked to help cover the returning POW’s from Vietnam in the Philippines in 1975. It was my first overseas photo assignment, and it was after a few years was asked to take the photo editor position in Bangkok, Thailand in 1978.

We moved to Bangkok, Thailand and was fortunate enough to cover major stories in Southeast Asia including 2 Pope trips, numerous coups and political deaths. I was the first American photographer to go to Kabul, Afghanistan after the Russians had killed an American ambassador and invaded the country. I was in Afghanistan for a week or so and returned to Thailand.

My biggest story in Thailand was the Cambodian refugee exodus from their country after Vietnamese invaded. It produced the largest refugee camp at the time called Khao-I-Dang. I covered this story from setting up the camp until refugees started to be sent to other countries including the US. It was there that I was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize for one of my single photos and general coverage of the situation there.

After about 3 years in Thailand, the AP in New York decided my area of the world news wise was slowing down so they sent me to Central America as photo editor. I covered Nicaragua, Honduras, San Salvador and most of South America when I wasn’t busy. I lived in Costa Rica at the time and loved the people and the country although they had dangerous neighbors. I stayed in Costa Rica for a little more than a year and was then offered the position of staff photographer wherever I wanted.

AP wanted to open a one-man bureau in Phoenix so I took the job and established a working photo bureau there. I was supposed to be able to travel from Phoenix and did to places like Argentina, Columbia, Peru and Chili. However, a lot of my time was being taken up with setting up photo coverage throughout Arizona and my travel slowed down quickly as sports teams moved to Arizona. I ran the photo bureau till 1998 and retired with a very bad back and 6 surgeries. Carrying more than 100 pounds of camera and darkroom gear had taken a toll. Nowadays, carrying a lap top and one camera sure sounds good to me.

In Phoenix I was put on long term disability and finally retired in 1998 and moved to Payson more than 24 years ago. I still shoot photos and have won local photo contests but I mostly shoot with my cell phone now although I have a good digital camera available if I remember to keep its batteries charged.

President’s message July 2024

(For the full newsletter, click here.)
A few of you may recall me as an APW member when my last name was La Valley and I was a reporter at the Payson Roundup Newspaper (2006-2008). Carol and Bing Brown were my mentors back then, and she was fond of telling me, “The ultimate inspiration is the deadline.” It’s much cooler in my office now than it was this afternoon so here I am, writing this newsletter sliding up to 10 p.m. on the final day of June.
My sincere thanks to outbound APW President Connie Cockrell for her service, both to our country and to the organization this past four years. Connie, the board members, and other helpers (Brenda Whiteside, RuthAnn Hogue, Bobbie Bennett, Marie Fasano, Jaimie Bruzenak, Jodi Sharpe, Susan Anderson, Kathleen Osborn, and Karen Lateiner are) to be commended. Each made effective contributions, making a pivot to hold Zoom meetings through COVID, so members were able to keep in touch.
Going forward, it is important to me to have your input. Mid-month I will email you a survey. I want to know how, as a member of APW, you wish to explore and embrace the future.
For now, may your word counts multiply if you are in draft mode and decrease if you are in edit mode,
Carol Baxter
APW President
To read the rest of the newsletter about what’s happening at APW, click here.

NFPW Communications Contest winners!

Congratulations to the winners from APW who won or placed in the NFPW Communications Contest! Each person had to win a first in their category in the At-Large contest before going onto the national contest. Again this year, APW had a great showing!
Carol Jean Baxter, At-Large – Arizona
· Honorable Mention — 52 – Brochure > Nonprofit, government or educational for “Authors & Artists Festival 2023 Brochure”
Bobbie Bennett, At-Large – Arizona
· 2nd Place — Publications Regularly Written by Entrant > Newsletter/other publication, nonprofit, government or educational for “Beaver Valley Estates Bulletins”
Nancy Marshall, At-Large – Arizona
· 1st Place — Writing > Fiction for Adult Readers > Novels for “A DRY HATE: Power Versus The People”
Janelle Molony, At-Large – Arizona
· 1st Place — Book Edited by Entrant for “The 1864 Diary of Mrs. Sarah Jane Rousseau”
Jody Sharpe, At-Large – Arizona
· Honorable Mention — Writing > Fiction for Adult Readers > Novellas for “Summer of Angels”
Jessica Votipka, At-Large – Arizona
· Honorable Mention — Specialty Articles > Social issues for “Tucson Unified offering its families emergency housing”
· 2nd Place — News Story > Print-based newspaper for “Gate at Tucson school needed repair 9 days before it fell, killing child”
· 2nd Place — Specialty Articles > Science or technology for “Students make prosthetic legs for developing countries”
APW winners (Not pictured Janelle Molony and Jessica Votipka)

 

APW Rim Country Hybrid meeting 6/19 – Holly Roberts

The monthly Rim Country Chapter joint in-person and zoom meeting is Wednesday, June 19th at 1 pm at the Majestic Rim Retirement Living facility. We meet in the chapel/meeting room off the front lobby. Join us in person or via Zoom to hear from Holly Roberts, award-winning author.

Topic: APW Rim Country Chapter Meeting with Holly Roberts
Date: June 19, 2024
Time: 1 pm Arizona

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85246901415?pwd=0VATRJn3HJ4jS0wN7S0apMP5als6TI.1

Meeting ID: 852 4690 1415
Passcode: 421164
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kd6LJ3T9wy

Topic: Holly will talk about: “From traditional publishing to self-publishing and everything in between.”

Bio:
USA TODAY Bestselling Author Holly S. Roberts has written over 40 books in a mixed-bag full of genres from non-fiction to thrillers. She’s the #1 bestselling author of the Detective Eve Bennet crime series published by Hachette Books. In her previous life she owned a bookstore then gave it up to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a police officer. She served as a sex crimes and homicide detective for eight years and obtained her forensic certification before retirement. She is now a full-time author who loves playing with her dogs and getting her hands dirty in the garden to relax.

APW Book Club 6/22 with Dr. Linda Sandel Pettit

Please join us for our next APW Book Group meeting scheduled for Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 10 am via Zoom.  It should be most interesting.

Topic: APW Book Club 6/22 with Dr. Linda Sandel Pettit and Leaning into Curves: Trusting the Wild Intuitive Way of Love
Date: June 22, 2024

Time: 10:00 AM Arizona
Zoom: Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85158772773?pwd=bji20TcP9wrDn393Wymaxp9h8eeF65.1
Meeting ID: 851 5877 2773
Passcode: 318479
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/ke2lnxYSP
Leaning into Curves: Trusting the Wild Intuitive Way of Love
International Speaker, author, and mentor, Dr. Linda Sandel Pettit has written a memoir, a compelling tale of an intuitive intelligence that guides us through life. This is a story of hope that our journeys through life can be sure-footed when we listen from and  follow the way of the heart, the beingness of love. It is a life raft.
Leaning into Curves is, first, a love story. It is a poignant tale of forbidden love between a 24-year-old woman and a Catholic missionary priest twice her age; of two souls who crossed the boundaries of religious beliefs and dogma to honor their hearts. It is a tale of crushing loss when a tragic car accident on Christmas Eve ends their earthly relationship. It is a tale of one woman’s trust in the spiritual wisdom unfolding from her soul to guide her through suffering and death to a new love.  It is an otherworldly tale, of a chance meeting with a Hawaiian Kahuna who forecasts that she will soon be handed the mystical keys to love by a “teacher of THOUGHT.”  It is one woman’s search for the sacred feminine, divine female power. It is a candid, insightful and lyrical story of transformation that explores:
  • judgment and forgiveness;
  • separation, and connection;
  • desire and surrender,
  • mystery and miracles,
  • intuition and synchronicity,
  • faith and love.
Bio:

Dr. Linda Sandel Pettit is an author, writer, speaker, and personal consultant to intuitive creatives. She is an influencer at the boundaries of psychology and spirituality.
In April 2024, Linda released an award-winning best-selling inspirational memoir/self-help book entitled, Leaning into Curves: Trusting the Wild Intuitive Way of Love.
Her second book, Beyond Brilliant: How Love turns Straw into Gold is due out in late 2024.  She has a doctorate in counseling psychology from West Virginia University, a masters in counselor education from Siena Heights University in Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University.  Linda was a therapist for 40 years and has been sharing the 3 Principles of understanding for 22 years. Linda loves writing, reading, bike-riding, walking and coffee. She lives in Phoenix, AZ with her husband, psychiatrist, Dr. Bill Pettit.