Presidents’ Message – September/October
Gwen Larson & Marie Fasano at the Fall Conference
September was so busy; I didn’t get a message out. So, I’ll combine two months.
Fall Conference
The APW/ANA Fall Conference, “Freedom to Write,” was a success! The speakers were right on with their topics. I picked up insights with each one.
Mark Athitakis gave us ideas on the attributes of a successful freelancer with concrete information about publications and how to approach editors. Jodi Weisburg not only did a great standup comic routine but talked about different kinds of humor with examples of how to use them in your writing. Gregg Leslie and Gwen Larson inspired us with ideas about who will defend the First Amendment and how we can access information for our research.
General Meeting
At our General meeting at the conference we had reports from our Central and Rim Country Chapters. Central is starting monthly meetings again with the first on Oct 12, 2019 with guest speaker Connie Cockrell. (See the October 3 blog entry for more information.) Rim Country continues to conduct their monthly meetings with excellent speakers and some months with the group sharing their writing projects and getting help from each other. The 6th Payson Book Festival is getting started.
The Treasurer’s report showed we are solvent and well within our budget this year. Let me know if those members who were not present at the meeting want a copy of the report. I will send it to you.
Our membership has increased, and we now have 46 members! So, two goals of our current Board have been met – a Fall Conference and increase in membership. Great News!!
We have updated our Bylaws and they were sent out to all members with some comments in return. Since we did not have a quorum, even with proxies, we will vote on the Bylaws at the Spring Conference.
Yes, we will have a Spring Conference, the date to be set at our November 16 Board of Directors meeting in Tucson. That will be followed by a Southern Chapter meeting and get together.
Your President has been networking this year with several literary and journalism groups throughout Arizona getting the APW name out there. We partnered with the Arizona Newspaper Association for our Fall Conference and with the Virginia G. Piper Institute for Creative Writing sponsor our speaker, Mark Athitakis.
We plan to give scholarships to students in the field of communications and honor them at the Spring Conference.
NFPW President
We were honored to have Gwendolynne Larson, our NFPW President, attend our Fall Conference. Gwen interacted with our members and talked about NFPW as a Federation rather than an Association. It is an organization, comprised of a set of smaller affiliates which seeks to bring attention to issues that are of importance to its members. Each affiliate that comprises the federation maintains control over its own operations. She encouraged members to join the First Amendment Network to keep abreast of free speech issues. She also encouraged us to get involved in the NFPW Communications Contest.
NFPW Communications Contest
We encourage our members to participate in the “At Large” section of the 2020 annual National Federation of Press Women’s communications contest because APW currently does not have its own state contest. The contest is open to writers, authors, copy editors, public affairs professionals, photographers, publishers or others in the communications field. Entries must be published in 2019. If you win first place in the “at large” contest, you must join NFPW to advance to the national level. Check the NFPW website for more information.
There are over 120 categories and sub-categories! Some forget we are an affiliate of a national organization and that membership allows us to participate in this prestigious contest – a major benefit to our members. In 2019 four members won awards. Let’s increase that number in 2020.
We also plan to have an Arizona Communicator of Achievement Award, so be thinking of who you want to nominate.
As you can see, APW is the move. We have much to offer to members and to the community. If you have been inactive for awhile, won’t you come to one of our meetings and get involved?
Keep Writing,
Marie A. Fasano
President, Arizona Professional Writers
More At-Large Communication Contest winners!
APW had several winners in the National Federation of Press Women’s At-Large Communication Contest. Two members won honorable mention for their entries.
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- Dianne Ebert Beeaff
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- Jan Cleere
Dianne Ebert Beeaff won honorable mention in the category- “Short Stories- Single Story,” for A Packet of Arthritis Pills in the Potomac Review Issue 62, Spring 2018.
Jan Cleere won two honorable mentions in the category- “Columns/General.” Jan won for her articles in Western Women columns that she writes for the Tucson Arizona Daily Star.
Congratulations to both!
NFPW is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum, including print and electronic journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, advertising, radio and television.
Marie Fasano – 1st place in award in the NFPW At-Large Communications Contest
Firefighting helicopters gather at Payson Airport by Marie Fasano
Marie Fasano, Rim Country District member and President of APW, won a First Place Award in the National Federal of Press Women’s At Large Communications Contest. The First Place award is for Photographer-Writer, for her article and photo, “Firefighting helicopters gather at Payson Airport by Marie Fasano special to the Roundup May 11, 2018.”
From NFPW: In recognition of your outstanding communications efforts in 2018 you have won a First Place Award in the NFPW At-Large Communications Contest. Your entry was judged and ranked by professional communications experts from throughout the United States.
Winners of the national contest will be announced in Baton Rouge at the national conference in June.
Congratulations, Marie!
Marie Fasano – 2nd place in award in the NFPW At-Large Communications Contest
From the National Federation of Press Women, Inc. to Marie Fasano:
In recognition of your outstanding communications efforts in 2018, you have won a Second Place award in the National Federation of Press Women’s At-Large Communications contest in Non-Fiction Books for Adults, Biography . Your entry was judged and ranked by professional communications experts from throughout the United States.
This is what the judges had to say about your book: Tessie’s Tales: This was obviously a labor of love. Tessie’s stories helped me visualize a time and place I’ve never been. She describes easily what could have been a very discouraging world, with no anger. You can tell that trials only strengthened her love for her family. The author gave important context to these stories making the book an interesting read.”
Congratulations, Marie!
Marie is a member of the Rim Country District and is President of Arizona Press Women.
Brenda Warneka – A First-Place Winner in 2019 NFPW At-Large Communication Contest
Congratulations to Brenda Warneka – a First-Place Winner in 2019 National Federation of Press Women At-Large Communication Contest!
Brenda Warneka with her award-winning book, “Around Laughlin.”
Brenda Warneka, a member of Arizona Professional Writers, is the First-Place winner in the category of “non-fiction books for adult readers, history” in the 2019 National Federation of Press Women’s at-large communications contest. Entries were judged and ranked by professional communications experts from throughout the United States.
Warneka’s first-place winning entry was her Arcadia Publishing Company’s Images of America book “Around Laughlin.” At-large winners compete with first place state winners from throughout the United States in the national competition of the NFPW communications contest.
This is what the judge had to say about Warneka’s First Place entry: “This book used every means necessary to engage me as a reader. This author took an area of our country that held little to no interest to me and I was captivated. The pictures, illustrations, and excellent research of the very people who lived in the inhospitable land held my interest as I flew through the pages. I enjoyed this one immensely.”
NFPW is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum, including print and electronic journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, advertising, radio and television. Winners of the national contest will be notified in late March or early April. The winners will be honored at an awards dinner on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at the NFPW conference in Baton Rouge, LA
APW leader Marion Peddle passed away
Marion Peddle, a freelance writer and photographer who specialized in history and travel writing, died early Christmas morning, 2016, in Bremmerton,WA due to complications from hip surgery. She came to Arizona in 1970. A relative by marriage of Thelma Bonney Hal Towle, a founding member of Arizona Press Women, Marion kept that heritage alive, serving as APW state president for three years and as communications contest chairman for eleven years. Her interest in preserving the state’s pioneer history found her serving nine years on the board of directors for Pioneer Arizona Living History Museum and the Pioneer Arizona Foundation. Marion retired from working in the communication field with the city of Phoenix. She has had her writing and photography published in such magazines as AAA Arizona Highroads.
The family plans services on Jan. 16, which would have been the 57th wedding anniversary of Marion and Bob Peddle, an Air Force veteran who died in 2006.
Daughter Anne Lange writes, ” We respectfully request that in lieu of flowers any memorial donations be made to the Arizona Press Women scholarship fund in her name.”
June Payne & Marion Peddle
Recent photo of Marion
Cards can be mailed to APW treasurer, Beverly Konik, 4132 W. Kaler Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85051. She will pass the cards on to Marion’s daughter.
Her daughter, Anne Lange, asks those wishing to honor Marion’s memory, make a donation to the APW high school scholarship fund.
Please send any photos you have of Marion or memories to Lynda Exley for the next issue of the TypeRider.
First TypeRider of 2017 is here!
The January 2017 TypeRider is here. Registration is now open for the third Payson Book Festival. Read reports of recent meetings of the Colorado River and Rim Country District Chapters. Betty Webb, in her column, asks “What is a real writer?” See if you measure up! You’ll also find information on the 2017 NFPW convention in Alabama plus many other upcoming writing events.
Time to renew your membership!
Our membership year runs the calendar year from January 1 to December 31. If you haven’t sent in your dues, it’s time to do so!
Click on the ABOUT tab and then on Join. You’ll find the link to NFPW website to renew. You must renew by December 31 to be eligible to participate in the Communications Contest. For APW only members, you’ll find a link to download the application for renewal and instructions on where to send your application and check.
Don’t miss out!
First TypeRider of 2016!
Thanks to editor Lynda Exley, our January, 2016 issue – the first of 2016 – is here! Read about the December holiday parties and an intriguing article, “Do words, gemstones have anything in common?” by Marion E. Gold. Three APW districts are holding meetings this month so be sure to mark them on your calendar. You’ll find several APW members presenting elsewhere and many writing events to inspire you and add to your knowledge coming up this month and beyond. If you are considering participating in the 2nd Payson Book Festival, read more about it and act soon before all available author tables are gone! Information on the NFPW Communication Contest is also included.
August, 2015 TypeRider
The August, 2015 issue of the TypeRider is out! It’s 18 pages and full of photos from the first Payson Book Festival. The hard-working committee garnered all sorts of publicity resulting in an attendance of more than 500 people. Great turnout for a first-time event! See editor Lynda Exley’s attractive layout of photos contributed by several people and read the report.
Also in this issue, a report from the Board Meeting held the evening before, NFPW 2015 Communications Contest winners, and the winners of the June Payne Memorial Journalism Scholarship. Find out what members have been up to and peruse a long list of upcoming APW and writing events.
Arizona Professional Writers 