The Pen Woman - National League of American Pen Women

The Pen Woman
SUMMER 2015
Above: “Falling Off the Log” by Dorothy Atkins, Santa Clara Branch;
Also Cover art for “The Light Between Us” Anthology - See back
Biennial Contest Guidelines - Pgs 3 and 7
D.C. Garden Tour Info - Pg 4
Top Reasons to Attend the 2016 Biennial - Pg 6
New Bayou City II Branch in Houston, Texas! - Pg 11
Thank You to All Our Donors - Pg 21
The Pen Woman
book reviews Annie Laura Smith, editor
16 Buster the Bully • Colcha Embroidery Book II • Taste Life Twice
17 Muse on Madison
Pen Women in the
News pg 3
branch news & features
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CT Pioneer Hosts ‘May Magic’ Exhibition Carole Nipomnich Dixon
Santa Clara County Awards Scholarships
Atlanta President’s Art Hangs at Capitol
Iowa City Celebrates 50th Anniversary Mary Jedlicka Humson
Suffolk County Members Recognized Kathleen Powers-Vermaelen
Spring River Installs New Members Ina Gill
Tacoma Member Goes far with “Long Way from Paris” April Myers
Boca Raton Members Receive Awards Carol White
Greenwich Celebrates 60 Years Judy Crystal
Modesto Pen Women Receive Ina Coolbrith Poetry Awards
Houston’s NEW Bayou City II Branch! Treanor Baring
Pikes Peak Marks 60th Anniversary Virginia Campbell
Greenwich Member Best in Show
Minnesota Welcomes New Member
Welcoming is a Fine Art for Honolulu
league communication
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Letter from the President
Biennial Art Show Call for Entries
Bella Notte Performed at Pen Arts Building Ronni Miller
DC Garden Tour Oct. 21-25
Biennial Speaker Jacquelyn Mitchard
Top 11 Reasons Not to Miss the 2016 Biennial
Biennial Letters Competitions April 27-May 1, 2016
Biennial Music Competition Rules
Inspiration Interlude: Unity in Peace Christina Laurie
Obituaries Christina Laurie
NLAPW Contributes to Lincoln Commemoration
National Officers Candidate’s Application
NLAPW Survey Results Pat Setser
Board Proposes Amendments to League Bylaws
Thank You for Your Support
Biennial Speaker
Jacquelyn
Mitchard pg 6
Biennial
Competitions
Music & Letters
Guidelines pg 7
Branch News
pgs 8-13
music Virginia Franklin Campbell, editor
5 Louise Canepa: Phenomenal Composer
poetry Treanor Wooten Baring, editor
15 Nostalgia Susan Bassler Pickford
Goldfish & Paper Calder Lowe
Paradise Lost Mary Joan Meagher
Mere Things Cathmar Shaw Prange
Quietude Linda Newman Woito
Purpose-Driven
Writing
pg 14
From The President
Pen Women Are Born To Create
O
ne of the a-ha moments that brought new meaning to my five decade life as a “creative” happened during a painful,
introspective three-year wilderness after losing nearly everything in a theatrical venture. I asked deep questions about
life. “God, why is this journey so difficult?”
I have long been in awe of the brilliant laws the Creator put in the universe to provide order, direction and purpose to all of
creation, but I couldn’t for the life of me find the one that explained why those of us called to the arts seem to have such a hard
road. This one day, however, I found my “truth” in a simple seed, the basic building block of all creation.
CANDACE LONG
National President
As you can see by this diagram every seed has three parts:
#1 A Seed Coat that protects it from the elements.
#2 Fleshy Tissue that holds nutrients to sustain its growth.
#3 The Embryo that contains the genetic predisposition that tells what it is to be.
Understanding this last part was a key paradigm shift for me. This seed did not have an identity crisis.
It was not in angst wanting to be an apple! Rather, it was created, purposed and destined to be corn.
Period.
Why is this important to creative women?
Embrace your genetically intended purpose. Pen Women are not like other women. I recall one branch meeting I attended with a friend
and her husband. He made a very unusual comment afterwards. He said, “Your meetings are different from other women’s meetings.” I asked,
“What do you mean by that?” His reply: “You know who you are.” Think about it: most young people grow up programmed to answer these
questions: “What CAN I do with my life?” or “What SHOULD I do with my life?” Wrong questions. That corn seed does not wrestle with either,
because there is something inside of it that KNOWS that when put in fertile soil, with sunlight and water, it will become corn! Not so with
humans, unfortunately. Most people grind away at a half life because they never knew to ask the most important question of all: “What was I
BORN to do?” Most Pen Women not only ask this question, but they answer its call. Creating through the arts is who we are!
Stay true to your unique calling. As women, answering a call to create is difficult. Many fathers unwittingly derail a daughter’s destiny by
saying things like: “Don’t major in art....you’ll never make a living at it.” Or, “Why spend so much time writing poetry? That won’t put food on the
table!” A close friend of mine struggled in her creative career. Receiving little validation from her father, she chose to live away from family
to protect what little self-worth she had. During a difficult financially dry period, her father heard about her troubles and sent her a check
enclosed in a handwritten note that said, “Go get a real job!” Despite feeling heartbroken and shamed, she kept answering her inner beacon.
Pen Women gatherings offer needed times of encouragement. An elder Pen Woman came to a meeting looking particularly depressed. That
was totally unlike her, for at 90 years of age she was still writing and publishing novels for young people. We all marveled at her tenacity. This
day, another Pen Woman asked, “Evelyn (not her real name), you don’t seem yourself. What’s the matter?” Evelyn replied, “My son said something that really hurt. He said, ‘Mom, when are you going to quit writing those stupid stories nobody is ever going to read?’” The other woman
took time to encourage Evelyn and tell her how much we all admired her and that what she was doing mattered. Evelyn was intimately aware
of her “embryo’s call.” Even more heartbreaking was her son subsequently packed her things and moved her into a retirement home away from
our branch. We need to be especially sensitive to our older members who may now lack the encouragement they need and appreciation for their
gifts. Remember: Pen Women live longer than other women...and true art gets better with age!
Our 2016 Biennial Logo honors who we are as Pen Women. I asked NLAPW board member, artist
Jamie Tate, to translate this “Law of the Seed™” concept into what a fetus might look if its embryo
carried inside a destiny to create through the arts. You see her wonderful work as the “O,” an
explosion of color and movement depicting our uniqueness. A little graphic design skill transformed it
into the branding theme for our upcoming 2016 Biennial in Washington, DC April 28 - May 1, 2016. We
celebrate you as a creative woman whose imprint is one-of-a-kind.
Not many know what they were BORN to do. They die never doing it. For Pen Women, this inner knowing
to create is one of our greatest gifts. Remember our legacy! [
The Pen Woman
1
The Pen Woman SPRING 2015 • Vol. XCII No. 1
Department Editors
Submit all ads, art and branch news to:
April Myers, Editor-in-Chief
[email protected]
For questions or to place an
ad call: 360.271-9824
Chaplain’s Corner
Christina Laurie (for Dr. Bernice Reid)
33 Viewcrest Dr., Falmouth, MA 02540
Ph 508.540.0762, Cell 508.274.8090
[email protected]
Competitions
Kelly Ann Compton
3020 S. Glencoe St., Denver, CO 80222-6806
303-758-6713 • [email protected]
Fiction & Non-Fiction
Sheryl L. Nelms
PO Box 1374, Clyde, TX 79510-1374
817-760-8333 • [email protected]
Music
Virginia Franklin Campbell
5011 Cliff Point Circle West
Colorado Springs, CO 80919
[email protected]
Poetry
Treanor Wooten Baring
650 Diamond Leaf Ln.
Houston, TX 77079-6105
[email protected]
Book Review Editor
Publications Chair
Marilyn Lewis-Alim
3612 Greenbriar Drive
Huntsville,AL 35810
[email protected] • 256-694-3896
Please send all address changes in writing to:
National League of American Pen Women, Inc.
1300 17th Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036-1973
[email protected] • www.NLAPW.org
(202) 785-1997 • Fax: (202) 452-6868
Send Applications for
Membership To:
You must include your branch membership chair’s phone
number on your application.
Art
Linda Spencer
PO Box 1707, Tavares, FL 32778
[email protected]
Letters
Nancy Jurka
P.O. Box 1276, Palmer Lake, CO 80133
[email protected]
Music Composition
Nancy Bloomer Deussen
433 Sylvan Ave. #44, Mountain View, CA 94041
Ph 650.625.8572 [email protected]
Dance Composition
Bettie Jane Owen Wooten
Maryland Plantation, Box 47, Shelby, MS 38774
Ph 662.588.0759 • [email protected]
Annie Laura Smith
[email protected]
564 Farmingdale Road, Huntsville, AL 35803
Phone: 256-880-6213
Special Thanks to Ann Rosati for permission to
use her owl to mark the end of each article.
Submissions should be sent by e-mail as a Word document
(.doc or .docx) or directly in the body of the email. Include
your name and branch or M-A-L at the top of your submission. Photographs should be 4" along one side at 300dpi.
Fall 2015 Submission
Deadline: September 2
Reviewers Needed!
The Pen Woman (ISSN) 0031-4242 is published quarterly by The National League of American Pen Women, Inc., 1300 17th
Street NW, Washington D.C. 20036-1973, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. Subscription price for the magazine is included in annual dues to members. Professional and nonprofit organizations, libraries, museums, schools, women’s organizations:
$18 per year. Prices subject to change for special issues. Periodical postage paid at Washington, D.C. and additional mailing offices.
Copyright 2015, The Pen Woman, National League of American Pen Women, Inc., 1300 17th Street NW, Washington D.C. 20036-1973. All
rights reserved. All individual artwork, writing, and all articles are copyrighted by the artist/writer unless otherwise specified. No part
of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher. The National League of American
Pen Women, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, does not necessarily endorse the views of contributors to the magazine. Although reasonable care will be taken, neither The Pen Woman nor the National League of American Pen Women, Inc. is in any way responsible for the
accuracy and/or philosophy of any of the material published in the magazine.
2 Summer 2015
Pen Women
in the NEWS
Louise Wigglesworth, of the Southwest Florida
Branch, learned that her full-length play, Coercion, is
the 2015 winner of Playwrights Round Table new play
competition. The play’s premiere production took place at
the Lowndes Shakespeare Center in Orlando, FL. Her oneact plays, Real Art and Final Stage, had public readings at
The Laboratory Theater of Florida at Fort Myers, FL.
Carol White, of the Boca Raton Branch, was honored
to have her full-length play, Text “M” for Murder, produced
on June 22 at the Bailey Contemporary Arts, a new art
gallery and studio in Pompano Beach, as part of the South
Florida Theatre League’s Summer Series. One of Carol’s
short plays, A Perfect Stranger, is a finalist in the Cashiers
Playgroup in NC.
Ronni Miller, of the Sarasota Branch, did a signing
of her new book, Cocoon to Butterfly: A Metamorphosis of
Personal Growth through Expressive Writing, on April 20 at
Trade Roots boutique in Arlington, VA.
Patricia Daly-Lipe, former president of the DC
and La Jolla Branches, and her Hoof Tails short stories
were featured in the Discover Manassas, Haymarket &
Gainesville’s Values June magazine.
Corrections to the Spring Issue:
In the Honolulu’s 90th Birthday article on page 8,
the name of the Gloria Foss Award was incorrect in the
photo caption, which also incorrectly spelled the word
tryptic. The article also stated that the celebration was
for the National League of American Pen Women’s Honolulu Branch, the oldest continually operating arts
organization in Hawaii. The correct name for Hawaii’s
oldest continually operating arts organization is the
National Association of American Pen Women Honolulu Branch.
In the article titled, Announcing the 2015
Pikes Peak Branch Annual Flash Fiction Contest, on page 14, the very last line should read
“Flash Fiction Chair,” not “Flash Fiction Chai.”
In the Vinnie Ream Submission Guidelines on page
17, the date for Poetry submissions was wrong. Entries
were accepted beginning May 1. The postmark deadline
for entries was June 1, 2015.
In the book review, “Out of Step: A Diary to My
Dead Son,” on page 17, 1911 was incorrectly stated as
the year when author Suellen Zima began writing her
book. The correct year was 2011. The review headline
also omitted the word “A” from the book title.
We apologize for the errors.
Biennial Art Show Call for Entries
The Biennial Art Show will hang at the Woman’s National Democratic Club in Washington, DC, from April
20 to May 18. Pieces may be for sale, or marked Not For
Sale. After the club and NLAPW take their commission
(20% and 10% respectively), 70% of each sold piece will
be sent to the artist after the show. Sold pieces must remain until the end of the show. Buyers who cannot take
personal delivery will be asked to pay for shipping. The
Biennial Exhibiting Artist Fund will pay for the return
shipping of all accepted and exhibited unsold pieces.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to all active PenWomen in the
Artist category.
Submit up to 2 entries. All work must be original,
completed in the last three 3 years for 2D work and pottery, and 5 years for sculpture. Entries must NOT have
been previously submitted to previous Biennial Exhibits,
nor the Vinnie Ream competition.
FEE: $35 per artist – this fee includes BOTH entries
if you enter two pieces. The fee is payable to NLAPW, and
should accompany the entry form.
DEADLINE: Entries are accepted from October 2015
to January 31, and must be POSTMARKED no later than
January 31, 2016. Late entries not accepted.
CATEGORIES: Painting—all mediums, including oil, water media, pastel, mixed media. Drawing and
Graphics—Photography, Printmaking (original prints
only. NO GLICEE or other reproduction prints of work
done in other media). Three dimensional work—pottery
(hand or wheel thrown), sculpture, jewelry, fiber arts.
Maximum dimensions of 2-D work (including
frame) are up to 40 inches high, 36 inches wide, and under 20 pounds. All 2-D works must be framed and ready
to hang from molding hooks with D-rings no more than
3” from the top. Heavier pieces should have D-rings as
close to the top as possible. Gallery-wrapped canvas does
not have to be framed. No sawtooth hangers accepted.
(Tip: Due to wall space, narrower works are preferred.)
The WNDC Art committee reserves the right to not
hang art pieces due to space or structural issues.
3-D: Max of 3’x3’, and under 30 lbs; additional space
available for works under 8 inches and 5 pounds that fit
on glass shelves. All 3-D work displayed at Pen Arts only.
All entries must be in the form of digital photography (jpg format) at 300dpi. The file name should be the
title of the piece. Submit one image of 2-D work, and up
to three images of 3-D work (front, back, sides). CD must
be labeled with artist’s name, title of each piece, medium,
outside dimensions, and price. These CDs will not be
returned and should have only the entries for the April
2016 Biennial Art Competition on them.
JUROR and JUDGE: Nationally Renowned Artist
and Professor Lynn Sures, Chair of the Fine Art Department, Corcoran School of Art of George Washington
University in Washington DC.
For complete guidelines visit NLAPW.
Questions? Call Art Chair Sandy Huff, 727-420-6184.
The Pen Woman
3
Bella Notte Performed
at Pen Arts Building
By Ronni Miller, Sarasota Branch
Conceived in a grocery store, the Bella Notte musical
program by Linda Nash was performed at the Pen Arts
Building in Washington, D.C., on a Saturday, April 19.
It was a beautiful night as its title suggests, with the
last of the cherry blossoms scenting the warm evening
air. Linda Nash, a native Washingtonian, performed a
predominately Italian song program, featuring many of
her own compositions in preparation for an upcoming
musical excursion to Italy.
The program was “hatched,” as Linda said, one day
when she walked into the grocery store “and heard Andre
Boccelli singing an Elvis song in English with an Italian
accent.” What nerve, she thought to herself. “We’re going
to have to push back, and voila! Bella Notte!”
As one who gravitates to all and everything Italian,
having lived and worked there, the program of over
10 Italian selections sung and played on the guitar,
harp, oboe and piano fanned my imagination. The
first selection, Bella Notte, with Linda’s beautiful voice
accompanied by William Feasley’s melodic strumming
on the guitar, beamed me back to an evening on a
balcony in Venice while the moon shone over the Grand
Canal. I was hooked, as were those in the audience
from Washington, D.C., and the suburbs of Virginia
and Maryland, other professional artists, writers and
musicians, who along with the Pen Women Board
members from all over the country, packed our salon
with seating that spilled out into the vestibule. This
outreach program touched the minds and senses of many
and ended with O Sole Mio, which gave us, the audience,
a chance to express our enthusiasm for the delightful
entertainment and sing-along with Linda and William.
Linda Nash has performed and sung her songs
in England, Israel, India and Central America. In
Continued on page 14
Linda Nash, center, and her accompanists, Grace Reid on
piano and Nina Brooks on harp, perform Bella Notte.
4 Summer 2015
Garden
Tour Oct. 21-25
Tour the best gardens in the area, find inspiration, and
make new friends. If you wish, you’ll be able to stay after
most tours to sketch, paint, or photograph. In the evening,
learn how to take great photos, paint botanical pictures,
and how these gardens are kept looking so good.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS (more info at NLAPW.org):
•Award-winning photojournalist and travel writer Sandy
Huff will be your tour leader. National Art Chair Meletha Everett will be our den mother and snack chef.
•Your twin bed at PenArts in a shared room will cost $60
a night, $70 for non-members ($50/$60 if you stay the
full week!). Be aware that rooms are on the 3rd and 4th
floors and there is no elevator or maid service.
•You pay your own admission to sites (est’d $25 a day).
We’ll split cab fare (est’d $20 a day)
•Buy your own lunch and supper. Light breakfast is included.
Here’s a sample itinerary, subject to change:
Oct. 20, Travel day–Airfares are cheapest on Tuesdays!
Arrive in the afternoon, settle into your room and meet your
roommate. Then explore our historic 1890 mansion, which
once belonged to opera singer Sarah Adams Whitemore and
was home to Lincoln’s son and widow, Mary Todd.
Oct. 21–We’ll start with the U. S. Botanic Garden (free,
www.usbg.gov). Different rooms show rain forest, desert
and temperate plants. The orchid room alone is worth the
trip. Lunch at the Museum of the American Indian (www.
nmai.si.edu). Then on to Gardens of the Smithsonian
(www.gardens.si.edu). Photography tips in the evening.
Oct. 22–Hillwood House and Museum (www.Hillwoodmuseum.org). Lovely gardens, spotted with art treasures and quirky statues. A staff horticulturalist will lead
the tour. After lunch at the café, we’ll visit a lovely private
garden nearby ($5 donation). A Georgetown Master Gardener may be our evening speaker.
Oct. 23–Start with the National Arboretum (www.
usna.usda.gov.) After lunch, we’ll visit Tudor Estate (www.
tudorplace.org). Built by George Washington’s granddaughter and home to six generations of history collectors.
Oct. 24–Dumbarton Oaks’ (www.doaks.org) world famous collection of Mayan artifacts. Outside is a spacious
and famous garden. Evening speaker could be an artist
from Botanical Arts Society of the National Capital Region.
Oct. 25–Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market for a picnic
lunch. Then taxi to the Franciscan Monastery (www.Myfranciscan.org). The interior of the church is fabulous. After
picnicking, we’ll head to another church, the National Cathedral (free, www.cathedral.org) and visit a reproduction
of an ancient monastery garden. Watch for the Darth Vader
gargoyle. We’ll put on our own art and photography show.
REGISTRATION: Send below info & $100 deposit
to NLAPW, 1300 17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20036.
Name _________________________________________
Ph# ______________ Member? Y/N Branch __________
Address ______________________________________
Date of arrival _______ Companions _________________
You’ll receive a letter back with directions, links to our flyer,
entry code to the front door, and a liability contract/waiver.
Questions? Call Sandy Huff at 727-420-6184.
Louise Canepa: Perseverance, Talent and
Grateful Guidance Mark This Woman of Music
By Virginia Franklin Campbell, Music Editor
Mentors, like angels dropping petals on her way, kept appearing in Louise Canepa’s life, helping her become the phenomenal composer that she is today. Beginning at seven years
of age in her native California, she nagged her mother for
piano lessons, having experienced a piano at an aunt’s home.
Having seven children, including Louise, her mother thought
that she was too much of a tomboy to concentrate on practicing and taking music study seriously. It wasn’t until she was
15-and-a-half that her mother finally gave in.
In the intervening years, her familiarity with and love of
music were influenced by significant individuals. Her father
played guitar, and encouraged his children to sing along with
him and his fine tenor voice. He was not just creating a marvelous, enjoyable family happening; he was instilling the joy
of music in his young daughter.
Another occurrence made a significant impression on
this determined young girl. “When I was in the third grade,
my teacher played a recording of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the
Sugar Plum Fairy in class, and I was captivated by this wonderful classical piece,” she says.
Although she still wanted to study piano, she took the
saxophone in grade school, and in high school she sang in
the school choir. Her high school music teacher immediately
recognized her gift for music and took Louise, along with
his wife, to all the special classical concerts on the Monterey
Peninsula.
Louise began singing duets in her church, and the same
music teacher who took her to concerts saw to it that she
could sing in all of the major musical offerings on the Peninsula. Her mentor and teacher selected her first for every
music opportunity, giving her many lasting and meaningful
experiences.
Her mother, after all those years of pestering from Louise
about piano lessons, made an astute decision to not only have
Louise begin studying piano, but made an appointment with
Professor Hopkins, former music professor at Redlands University in Redlands, CA, now retired in Monterey, CA. Her
mother pled with the professor to accept her as a student. His
immediate response was that he only took students at the age
of seven or eight years old. She was too old!
But her mother persisted. Louise remembers, “He looked
at my long, unhappy face, and said sternly that he’d give me
a chance, but if I didn’t practice my lessons, or even missed
a lesson, he’d drop me immediately. I went on to study diligently with him for seven years! He later told me that I had
been an inspiration to him as a piano teacher, because I was
totally dedicated to absorbing all that I could.”
Professor Hopkins was another mentor along her journey, as he gave her extra time, without additional charges, and
he and his wife took her to classical concerts.
Louise enrolled in Monterey Peninsula College with
plans to continue her education at San Jose State College, in
Louise Canepa with members of the Rimsky Korsakov
String Quartet from St. Petersburg, Russia after the
quartet’s performance at the Signs Memorial Seventh Day
Adventist Church, in Yountville, CA..
San Jose, CA, but those plans were interrupted when her
mother had a heart attack and she was called home to assist
in her mother’s care.
Then she chose marriage, and for 13 years worked in
business with her husband. That marriage brought forth a
daughter, Roslyn. As a single mother, her daughter began
recording the music Louise composed, and so her music
was brought to the attention of another mentor, a lady lawyer friend, who enthusiastically organized the first concert
of her music. This launched Louise and her music down a
remarkable path of one success after another.
Louise has received first prize awards from NLAPW,
and her musical comedy, Over the Bridge, was performed at
the 2002 Biennial Conference in San Francisco, CA.
Particularly notable is the fact that Louise’s three CDs
have been recorded in St. Petersburg, Russia, with her professional musician friends there. The prestigious RimskyKorsakov String Quartet of St. Petersburg has performed
her music in Russia and in concerts in California. This
notable connection is especially remarkable in that one of
her first exposures to classical music had been the Russian
composer Tchaikovsky.
Louise says, “I could continue to tell innumerable serendipitous events and stories that involved my musical,
composing journey. But without question, my spiritual
faith and belief in God has shown me it’s a gift from above,
and I’m merely God’s instrument.”
Louise Canepa’s life and achievements are a testament
to determination, perseverance and dedication to excellence, as well as the wisdom to avail herself of the guidance
and support of others. She is a Pen Woman of distinction in
the musical world.
To buy her CDs, go to www.cdbaby.com; hear her music on iTunes, a special YouTube clip on her life and story,
all under her name, Louise Canepa.
The Pen Woman
5
April 27 – May 1, 2016 in Washington, DC
Top 11 Reasons Not to Miss the 2016 Biennial
By Nancy Godbout Jurka, National Letters Credentials Chair and Virginia Campbell
1. The opportunity to connect with brilliant professional
women members in art, letters and music from all
regions of the country.
2. Exchange of ideas for increasing branch memberships,
developing stimulating programs and engaging in PEN
Women Outreach.
3. Back by popular demand from the Biennial Conference
in 2014: “Painted Sounds.”
4. Dynamic Letters luncheon keynote speaker Jacquelyn
Mitchard. Meet her at a private cocktail hour, and be
one of 20 members to sign up for a “Pitch Session” with
Jacquelyn.
5. The concert! Professional musicians showcasing their
personal work and the creativity of other music members.
6. Professional
world-class exhibit
of members’
works of art.
7. First time ever:
Performance by the
Ballet Theater of
Maryland.
8. The premiere of the Vinnie Ream Awards.
9. Meet your new national PEN Women Board.
10. An opportunity to experience our nation’s capital.
11. The most important reason? Because you are a PEN
Woman!
2016 Biennial Speaker: Jacquelyn Mitchard
By Katie Witek, National Letters Chair
Join us for the 2016 Biennial in Washington, D.C., April
27 - May 1, where Jacquelyn Mitchard will be the keynote
speaker for the Letters Luncheon Banquet on Thursday,
April 28, and will be featured that evening at a “Meet the
Author” cocktail party. Conference attendees will also have
the opportunity to pitch their novels to Jacquie at a private
session with her.
Mitchard’s first novel, The Deep End of the Ocean, was
named by USA Today as one of the 10 most influential
books of the past 25 years — second only to the Harry Potter
series by J.K. Rowling (but second by a long shot, the author
insists that it must be said.) The Deep End of the Ocean was
critically acclaimed, won several awards, and was chosen
as the first novel in the book club made famous by the TV
host Oprah Winfrey. Later, her book was transformed into
a feature film produced by and starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
All her novels have been greater or lesser bestsellers —
and include The Most Wanted, A Theory of Relativity, Twelve
Times Blessed, The Breakdown Lane, Cage of Stars, Still
Summer, No Time to Wave Goodbye and Second Nature. Critics
have praised them for their authentic humanity and skillful
command of story. Readers identify because they see reflected
in her characters — however extreme their circumstances —
emotions they already understand.
Mitchard also has written seven novels for young
adults: Now You See Her, All We Know of Heaven, the
trilogy of The Midnight Twins, Look Both Ways and
6 Summer 2015
Watch for Me by Moonlight,
paranormal teen mysteries about
identical twin sisters born on New
Year’s Eve — one a minute before
and a minute after midnight. One
twin can see only events of the
future and one can see only the
past and its ghosts. Mitchard’s
most recent teen series is the story
of three teens who can never see
Jacquelyn Mitchard
the sunlight (not because they are
vampires, but because they have
the deadly genetic sensitivity to light called XP). They can and
do see the secret landscape of the night — and one horrific
secret in particular. What We Saw at Night was released in
January 2013, and What We Lost in the Dark followed in 2014.
She is completing her next adult novel to be published
by Simon & Schuster in 2016.
Mitchard recently became the editor in chief of Merit
Press, a mature Young Adult imprint under the aegis of F&W
Media. To date, she has acquired 20 novels, six of which
have enjoyed substantial critical acclaim. She is the editor
of Steven Parlato’s The Namesake, as well as the recounting
of Shakespeare Tempestuous and Exposure, by Kim Askew
and Amy Helmes. A longtime journalist, Mitchard is a
contributing editor for More magazine. With an MFA in
Creative Writing, she has taught at Fairfield University and
Southern New Hampshire University.
Biennial Letters Competitions April 27-May 1, 2016
General Guidelines
Open to all Letters members.
Previous Biennial contest entries not accepted.
No books or manuscripts will be returned.
Entries must be typed on 8½ by 11” white paper.
Prose should be double-spaced.
Poetry should be single-spaced with double spacing
between stanzas.
Decisions of the judges are final.
Winners will receive awards at the Biennial. If winners
are not present at the Biennial, prize monies will be sent to
the winners after May 1, 2016.
Winners notified in early April prior to the Biennial.
Entries accepted beginning Nov. 9, 2015.
Postmark deadline for entries is Dec. 11, 2015.
Specifics: Poetry & Prose
Submit two copies of each entry; submit only one copy
of a published book (either self- or traditionally published).
No book manuscripts will be accepted.
Place category number and title of each entry in the
upper right-hand corner of the cover sheet on both copies.
On one copy include name, address, telephone number,
and email address in the upper right-hand corner.
Entry Fees
Poetry: $10 per entry.
Article or Story: $15 per entry.
Books (hard or soft cover): $25 per entry.
Submit to: Katie Witek, Letters Chair
10575 153rd Place, Orland Park, IL 60462
Categories
A. MARION DOYLE POETRY AWARD. For “poets
whose aim is communication; who believe poetry to be a
medium of emotional release, of inspiration; that the mission
of poetry is to build spiritual morale; to enrich life with
perceptions, who have genius of expression and lack modern
cynicism”; 1st: $100; 2nd: $75; 3rd: $50.
B. MARJORIE DAVIES ROLLER NON-FICTION
AWARD. For best non-fiction article or book on any
subject. 1st: $100; 2nd: $75; 3rd: $50.
C. NORMAN E. AND MARJORIE J. ROLLER
AWARD. For best article, story or book on wildlife or
outdoor life, exclusive of physical contact sports. 1st: $100;
2nd: $75; 3rd: $50.
D. ANITA MARIE BOGGS MEMORIAL POETRY
AWARD. For a poem written in free verse. 1st: $100; 2nd:
$50; 3rd: $30.
E. DELLA CROWDER MILLER POETRY AWARD.
Established August 18, 1978. Awards for two categories:
1. Petrarchan Sonnets. 1st: $100; 2nd: $50; 3rd: $30.
2. Free Verse. 1st: $100; 2nd: $50; 3rd: $30.
F. CATHERINE CUSHMAN LEACH POETRY
AWARD. Established September 19, 1978. For a poem of
merit, published or unpublished. The poem may be on any
subject and in any verse with the exception of free verse. 1st:
$100; 2nd: $50; 3rd: $30.
G. ELIZABETH M. CAMPBELL POETRY AWARD.
For a poem written in traditional form. 1st: $100; 2nd: $50.
H. HELEN SUTTON BOOTH NATIONAL
MEMORIAL POETRY AWARD. For any traditional form
of poetry of any length. Established October 11, 1986. 1st:
$100; 2nd: $75; 3rd: $50.
I. THE ANNE MARX SESTINA AWARD. Established
April 9, 1998. For a poem in sestina form on the subject of
immigration and/or cultural exchange. The award shall be
in the amount of $250.
J. DAYTONA BRANCH SHORT FICTION AWARD.
For a story of 10 or fewer pages. 1st: $100; 2nd: $60; 3rd: $40.
K. THE EUDORA WELTY MEMORIAL AWARD.
For a book of adult or young adult fiction on any subject
suitable for general audiences. 1st: $100; 2nd: $50; 3rd: $35.
L. CENTRAL NEW YORK BRANCH 90th
ANNIVERSARY MEMOIR AWARD. For a personal essay
or memoir book excerpt (30 pages max.) 1st: $100; 2nd:
$60; 3rd: $40.
M. JOURNALISM AWARD. For a non-fiction magazine
or newspaper article. 1st: $75; 2nd: $50.
N. CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD.
1st $75; 2nd: $50.
Biennial Music Competition Rules
Music submitted must be:
1. Original and by the composer submitting it;
2. Written by an NLAPW member;
3. Between 3 and 15 minutes long;
4. May be orchestral, vocal, electronic, small ensemble,
choral and/or solo instrument.
5. Accompanied by a fee of $50.
6. Include two (2) scores of the music and two (2) CDs
of its performance. One copy should have the name of the
music and the composer; the other copy should have the
name of the music and no composer on it.
Mail submission no later than February 29, 2016 to:
Linda Nash, NLAPW Music Committee
5074 Twinbrook Run Drive
Fairfax, VA 22032
Materials may be returned if requested with a SelfAddressed Stamped Envelope.
First Prize Winner of the 2014 Biennial Award must
recuse herself from 2016 competition.
Winners will be announced at the Biennial Music
Luncheon on April 30, 2016.
Awards: $1,000 for 1st; $500 for 2nd; $250 for 3rd.
The Pen Woman
7
Branch News
Anika Uriza, recipient of the Junior Art
Award, who studied
with the Greenwich
Art Society’s
enrichment program
“Reaching In and
Reaching Out.”
CT Pioneer’s ‘May Magic’
By Carol Nipomnich Dixon, President, CT Pioneer Branch
On the evening of May 8, the Connecticut Pioneer Branch
hosted a reception for its “May Magic” exhibition by member
artists. The reception featured readings of poetry and prose by
Letters members and performances on the piano and harp by
Music members. Promising young students receiving awards
were Ellie Garland for Letters, Mariah Brown for Music, and
Anika Uriza for Art.
Owl Awards
In recognition and appreciation of their contributions to
the branch and the community, Greenwich residents Marcia
Preston and Elvira Sisca received Owl Awards last June.
Marcia has demonstrated leadership as past president, past
vice president and current music chair as well as co-treasurer
in charge of membership. She has planned and implemented
programs and concerts, performed piano at meetings, and Gallery viewer looks at oil paintings by Chapter President Carol
opened her home for get-togethers. Marcia has also served the Nipomnich Dixon, Festivity - May Pole (left) and Flora (right).
community by teaching water aerobics for more than 20 years,
using her own compositions for background music. She is a
member of the Schubert Club of Fairfield County, which has
offered premier performances of her music.
Elvira is being honored for her steadfast service as
Owl Award
former recording secretary and current vice president. She
winners
has planned, implemented and participated in numerous
Marcia
programs featuring Letters, Music and Art, often providing
Preston and
her home for meetings.
Elvira Sisca
Elvira’s has also served our community for many years
as a career counselor for the Westchester Library; Career
Resources, Inc.; the Greenwich YWCA and private practice.
Santa Clara Awards Scholarships
The Santa Clara Branch awarded seven scholarships to five
students at its May meeting. Congratulations to the winners!
Music—Genevieve Eckel, $1,000; Letters—Katelynn
Walke, $1,000 and Catherine Pugh, $500; ART—
Jenny Duong, $1,000 and Micaela Kieko Sinclair, $500;
Special Felicia Peters Pollock Memorial Scholarship—
Jenny Duong, $1,000; Special Vallie Chan Memorial
scholarship—Micaela Kieko Sinclair, $750.
Every year, the branch hosts its popular Celebrity Luncheon
to finance these scholarships. Two of our members, Felicia
Pollock and Vallie Chan, sadly passed away, leaving special
scholarships
to
help
emerg-ing
artists this
year. Our
com-mittee
does
an
Santa Clara Branch scholarship recipients.
amazing
job of coordinating this event. All our members work hard
with basket making and the silent auction to guarantee a
successful luncheon. Kudos!
Atlanta President’s Art Hangs at Capitol
The governor of Georgia selected President of Atlanta Branch
HONORED:
Ann Alexander’s painting, Cannas Near Amicalola Falls, for the
Ann Alexander,
prestigious “Art of Georgia” program. As one of the selections
(center),
for display, it will hang at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta for six
flanked by
months.
Georgia
Ann Alexander is a lifelong resident of Georgia and an alumni of
Governor
North Georgia College and State University in Dahlonega.
Nathan Deal and
Ann has received numerous local, regional, state and national art his wife, Sandra,
awards, including two awards at NLAPW biennial art shows.
who addressed
the 2014
Summer 2015
biennial gathering.
8
Iowa City Branch Celebrates 50th Anniversary
By Mary Jedlicka Humson, Co-President, Iowa City Branch
Valentine’s Day took on a new
meaning when guests and members of
the Iowa City Branch met to celebrate
their 50th anniversary.
A multitude of laughter, goodwill
and memories dominated the meeting
as members shared stories, pictures,
poems, blessings of love, and personal
remembrances.
Members also shared why they
joined and continue membership in
the NLAPW. Many attendees wore
hats in keeping with the tradition of
the first installation of the branch. Hot
tea and cheesecake were served on sets
of matching dishes and cups.
Prior to the celebration, two
members visited the Iowa Women’s Some of the attendees at the 50th celebration: Seated, left to right: Gayla Drake,
Archives at the University of Iowa Mary Jedlicka Humston, Truc Deegan. Standing, left to right: Martha Valainis, Joy Lyle,
Pat Noeth, Sandy Gleaves, Lois Eckhardt, Milli Gilbaugh.
Library to glean through our Iowa
City Branch’s donated minutes and
materials. They created handouts highlighting our unique
history, members participated in a display of mind-mapping
history that was enjoyed by all in attendance. Of note: the
to create a vision for our branch’s future.
first formal branch meeting was held in May 1964.
May the Iowa City Branch celebrate another 50 years of
As a perfect accompaniment to recollecting our
accomplishments, friendship and support!
Suffolk County Members Recognized
By Kathleen Powers-Vermaelen, Publicity Chair, Suffolk County Branch
The Islip Town Board honored Arts member Alma Pancir
for her contributions in visual and performing arts at their
Annual Women’s History Month celebration. Alma’s work
was exhibited at Islip Town Hall during the month of March.
Smithtown Historical Society commissioned Arts
Member Ruth Johnson to paint four paintings.
Arts member Jeanne Fields Rogers had a one-woman
art show at Patchogue-Medford Library in Patchogue,
NY, for the month of March. The theme of her show was
“Long Island
Scenes, Parks
and Historic
Places.”
Her
collection
in-cluded 22
watercolor
paintings depicting
the
unique beauty
of Long Island.
From left: Ruth Johnson, Alma Pancir, and
Jeanne Rogers at the Suffolk County
Branch’s Art Show reception last May.
Suffolk County Branch’s Alma Pancir at Islip Town Hall
(holding award, bottom row, third from the left) on March
3rd, 2015. Photo credit: C. Conrad.
As a Board member of Long Island Studies Council (LISC),
Jeanne finds that the group’s excursions to historic homes,
places and locations provide much inspiration.
Letters member Kathleen Powers-Vermaelen had two
of her poems, God’s Mother and Virago, published in the
inaugural issue of Suffolk County Poetry Review.
The Pen Woman
9
Branch News Continued
Spring River Installs New Members
By Ina Gill
The Spring River Branch of Cherokee Village, AR,
has installed two new members in the last three months.
These newest members have proven their credentials with
documentation of their work, as well as proof of payment
or sale.
Fay Guinn received her membership in Letters on
March 11. Fay has won numerous writing awards. She is
also an artist, and is considering applying for a dual art
membership.
Dianne Reidling has received ribbons, prizes and
awards in art contests, fairs and shows. She has developed
a line of cards with original design work on each.
Tacoma Member
Goes far with Long
Way from Paris
By April Myers
E.C. Murray
E.C. Murray, known to her fellow
Pen Women as “Elizabeth,” is one of
the newest Letters members, but a
veteran professional in her field. She
founded
www.writersconnection.org,
a networking organization for both
emerging and experienced writers. Her
articles have been published in Hybrid
Mom, Strokes and Spokes, ABILITY,
Peninsula Gateway, Tacoma Weekly and
Seattle Child.
A Long Way from
She is also the author of Life Kind
Paris was among of Sucks, which is a kind of “tool kit” of
the 1% of Indie
ideas for when you’re down and out.
“Off-the-BeatenHer successful short story, The
Path” books seUrban Goatherd, received an Honorable
lected as a “Kirkus
Mention New Millennium Writings,
Best Book.”
You can find it at and is included in a collection called We
Amazon.com. Came to Say.
Now Elizabeth has completed her
most ambitious project yet, after six years of research,
writing and editing. A Long Way From Paris was selected as
a “A Kirkus Best Book of 2014” even before it was published!
Based on her experience herding goats in France, Kirkus
Reviews called this one-of-a-kind book “a rich, lucid debut
memoir.” They added, “Murray writes with grace, complexity
and humor.” With more rave reviews pouring in, Elizabeth’s
schedule is now a whirlwind of book signings and author
events. We hope to see her in September.
10 Summer 2015
Left to right, President
Pat Dunlap, new member
Dianne Reidling, Treasurer
Pat Oplinger
Left to right,
Treasurer Pat Oplinger,
new member Fay Guinn,
and President Pat Dunlap
Boca Raton Members
Receive Art Awards
By Carol White, Publicity Chair and Recording Secretary
The Boca Raton Branch held its final luncheon of the
season on May 21. Program Chair Elaine Bossik arranged
quite a treat for everyone.
Pat Wilson and Pete Popenoe presented three art
achievement awards sponsored by NLAPW/Dori
Popenoe Foundation. The committee consisted of Pat
Wilson, Mary Twitty, Roberta Melman and new member
and Art Chair Lidia Tohar.
Selections were coordinated with Delesa Hinkle Morris,
assistant vice president of Annual Fund Development of
Palm Beach Atlantic University.
The three amazing winning artists: Kelsey Fox, 1st
place; Britta Martinez de la Flor, 2nd place; and Liana
Plunkett, 3rd place.
Guests were also treated to a creative program from
the Music Chair and President Sheila Firestone, who
played seven original piano pieces dedicated to her
grandchildren. The guests’ task was to match up the pieces
with the titles supplied.
Marlene Klotz tended the busy raffle table in Etta
Schaeffer’s absence, and Chaplain Barbara Lunde began the
meeting with one of her inspirational talks.
The art trio Delsey
Hinkle Morris, Britta
Martinez and Liana
Plunkett.
Greenwich Celebrates 60 Years Modesto Pen Women Receive
By Judy Crystal
Ina Coolbrith Poetry Awards
Sixty years young, Greenwich
Pen Women celebrated
the anniversary of its 1955
founding with an evening for
members and their spouses at a
backcountry home. Letters, Art
and Music members were all well
represented.
Now comprised of 90
active members, Greenwich
Pen Women is a force in
Branch President Deb the community, recently
Weir hosting the 60th sponsoring a concert of women’s
compositions at the Greenwich
anniversary meeting.
Arts Center. In addition,
Greenwich Pen Women enjoy monthly Letters and Art
critique sessions and unique workshops and field trips in
their fields.
Founder Evelyn Peterson attended the event. After the
annual meeting, local cartoonist and writer, Jerry Dumas,
spoke about the art of cartooning His talk was followed by
pleasant socializing. Program co-chairs Rosemarie Anner
and Joanne Swenson planned the evening, which also
included delicious hors d’oeuvres provided by members.
In 2013, Greenwich Pen Women published Women’s
Voices of the 21st Century. The poems were selected
through a nationwide contest for Pen Women members. To
purchase a copy, go to www.greenwichpenwomen.org.
News Submitted by Lynn M. Hansen, Branch President
April is poetry month, and what better way to celebrate
than by attending the 89th Annual Poets’ Dinner,
sponsored by the Ina Coolbrith Circle? Eighty-six poets
submitted 338 poems to this annual contest, and three
Modesto Pen Women received awards: Louise Kantro, 2nd
Prize in the category People for Our Father; Cleo Griffith
2nd Prize in the category Spaces and Places for Victorian
House, 1950 with Children; and Roberta Bearden, Third
Honorable Mention in the category Nature for We Paint
with Words. Lynn M. Hansen, President of Modesto
Branch, received the Ad Schuster Annual Citation for
outstanding poetic excellence as exemplified by the Grand
Prize winning poem for 2014, Coso Petroglyphs.
Pen Women who attended the celebration (left to right): Linda
Marie Prather, Louise Kantro, Nancy Haskett, Lynn M. Hansen,
Cleo Griffith, Roberta Bearden. Not pictured: Betty Provost.
New Branch Formed in Bayou City (Houston)
By Treanor Wooten Baring, National Web Editor, Poetry Editor
Amid the tragic news of lives lost and families displaced
by the May flood in Houston, comes some good news: a
new NLAPW branch in the Bayou City, TX! The photos of
the flooded bayou trail on the right show how Houston got
our nickname — bayous crisscross the city from downtown
out to the suburbs.
The branch, named Bayou City II, after a previous
branch with the same name that was once in the area, is
expected to have 11 members. Some applications are still
pending at press time — thank you to the Letters and Art
credentials officers Nancy Jurka and Linda Spencer for
working so helpfully with me, and more are on the way!
The new members include several young people (under
30) and more established artists and writers as well.
The new young members are especially energized about
community service and what they can do for our mission
— great news!
We have already set up partnerships with other women’s
art and writing groups in Houston, and good things always
come from collaboration.
Our first big project is an anthology of women veterans’
poetry spearheaded by NLAPW poet Barbara Whitmarsh
to be published by Pen Women Press in the Fall. If you
know of avenues for funding, let me know. We will be
fundraising in
order to publish
and distribute
this anthology
as widely as
possible. Know
any women
veteran writers?
Have them
A walking/bike trail before and after the
contact us. This
is an outreach
devastating floods.
project open to
members and
non-members.
Meanwhile,
kudos to
everyone who
has worked to
bring in new
members in all
our branches. All
for one and one
for all!
The Pen Woman
11
Branch News Continued
Pikes Peak Celebrates 60th Anniversary in Colorado Springs
By Virginia Franklin Campbell
On March 21, the Pikes Peak Branch celebrated its 60th
anniversary as part of the Colorado Springs community. The
branch was honored to have national President Candace
Long present for the celebration.
The event was held at the Village at Skyline, an adult
retirement residence, where Art Member Arvilla Rogers
resides. She has been a member of the branch for 33 years.
The branch presented a DVD titled, A Glimpse of Arvilla
Rogers’ Artistry, to recognize her lifetime achievements.
Among special attendees was artist Bonnie Benschneider
Olson, a Legacy member, as her late mother was also an Art
Member of the branch for many years. Susan Pompea, Branch
Friend, is also a Legacy member, as her mother was a Letters
member during the same period as Bonnie’s mother, and the
aforementioned Arvilla Rogers.
Archives showcasing
the creativity of charter
members and other
past Pen Women were
displayed, as was the
creative harvest of
present members.
Adding further to
Archives showcasing works by
the festivities was the
charter and previous members. introduction of the first
student member of the
Pikes Peak Branch, Abigail DeVries, and the attendance
of Ruthy Wexler, Denver Branch president, and Kelly Ann
Compton, Denver Branch member.
Candace Long presented President Virginia Franklin
Campbell with a congratulatory declaration.
While President Long was visiting, she also attended the
Branch’s “Poetry in the Schools Project,” celebrating Dr. Seuss
Day with second-grade students in a local elementary school.
Greenwich: “Best in Show”
Greenwich Branch Arts member Barbara O’Shea has
received the Best in Show Frances K. Brooks Memorial Award
at The Greenwich Art Society’s Annual Juried Exhibition at
the Bendheim Gallery in Greenwich, CT. for her photograph
titled, Girl Games, taken in Trinidad de Cuba.
The award is especially meaningful as Frances Brooks was
a distinguished artist and early member of the Greenwich Pen
Women Branch.
12 Summer 2015
Right: NLAPW
President
Candace Long
participates in
the “Poetry in
the Schools
Project” on
Dr. Seuss Day.
Below: Candace
Long presents
Virginia Franklin
Campbell with a
congratulatory
declaration.
Photos by Verne D. Campbell
Minnesota Branch Welcomes New Member
Barb
Bj or ns on
discovered
early that art
is filled with
magic. When
she was little,
she examined
every drawing
Barb Bjornson
and picture
before reading a single word of a book.
When she had any kind of report to do,
it always included artwork.
After high school, Barb got married
and started a family. It wasn’t until her
early 40s that she decided to pursue
formal training at a classical realism
school called Bougie School of Fine Arts
in Minneapolis, MN. There, she learned
to draw and paint as the old masters did.
“The work was intense,” she says.
“When I finished my training, I rented
Reminiscing, by Barb Bjornson.
my own studio and began painting
landscapes and people. It was all
very serious, and I found myself
yearning for something different.”
In 2005, she pursued her dream
of illustrating children’s books.
Her first project was a book called
Hope So, Too (Tristan Publishing).
She won awards for best cover
design and best illustration at the
Midwest Independent Booksellers
Association (MIPA). Since then,
she has illustrated more children’s
books, each with its own special
characters and stories.
Barb says, “I wear a pendant that
says, ‘Believe in yourself and magic
will happen.’ I pursued my dream,
and now I get to create characters
that come alive and touch others.
How magical is that?”
Welcoming is a Fine Art for Honolulu
President Ann
Gommers, Treasurer E. Shan Correa and Newsletter
Editor Erin Shishido all delighted by
adding their creative spirit of “Alo- On short notice, Marion Coste, far right,,
ha” to the short- and Sabra Rae Feldstein graciously welnotice celebration. come The Pen Woman editor April Myers
with a true Hawaiian fresh flower lei.
Everyone
brought delicious food, and the ideas flowed over lunch, including ways to create “evaporative art” that doesn’t pile up in
a corner. For the environment’s sake, they said their branch
would prefer to receive The Pen Woman electronically!
Honolulu’s
meetings draw up
to 60 people, with
many guests. As
you meet these
welcoming, creative women, it is
easy to understand
Clockwise from left: Branch President Ann Becker Gommers, Treasurer E. Shan Correa, Marion Coste, why.
“Minister of Happiness” Sabra Rae Feldstein, Vice President Marcia Zina Mager, Newsletter Editor
Erin Shishido and “Minister of Mischief ” Elsha Bohnert.
When The Pen Woman editor April Myers paid an impromptu visit to Honolulu, the local branch launched into
action to make her feel welcome. “Minister of Happiness”
Sabra Rae Feldstein — who is a graphic artist, clay artist
and painter — opened her beautiful view home as an impromptu meeting place.
Ka Palapala Po’okela award-winning children’s book
writer Marion Coste generously chauffeured. Author, journalist, poet, award-winning mixed-media artist, performance artist and Vice President Marcia Zina Mager presented pencils for National Pencil Day! Award-winning
artist and author Elsha Bohnert explained her role as “Minister of Mischief,” which both agreed should be a role to be
filled in every branch.
The Pen Woman
13
Bella Notte
continued from page 4
Washington, D.C., she has presented at Strathmore Hall,
the Historical Society of Washington and in many other
concert halls and churches in the area. In addition to her
singing, she has published two books, The Legend of the
Lilies, and A Tale of Three Trees. She also has two CDs,
Consider the Lilies and The Lilies of the Field. For three
years, she was music chair for the NLAPW. Anna Shakeeva
is the illustrator of Ms. Nash’s two books and was named
one of the Washington, D.C. area’s suburban artists. Raised
in Russia, she was a gold medal winner at the Ivanovo Art
Museum in Russia and her work has been shown in Berlin
and Florence. She now resides in Virginia.
The artists who accompanied Ms. Nash are
professionals in their fields as well. William Feasley is
a classical guitarist and the first guitarist to be awarded
the Peabody Conservatory’s coveted Artist Diploma.
He received the gold medal for the Pan Hellenic Guitar
Competition in Athens, Greece, the Baltimore Chamber
Music Award and Governor Citation for Outstanding
Achievement in the Arts in Maryland. He is featured on
the CBS special Eulogy of Segovia.
Our own Nina Brooks, National Music Chair, played
the harp accompaniment in Su Ali Dorate (“On Golden
Wings”), a song written and sung by Linda. Nina received
her master’s degree in music from Columbia College and
has performed with her harp at many venues including
entertainment on ships around the world.
14 Summer 2015
Oboist Noelle Drewes plays principal oboe with the
Apollo Orchestra and has performed with the National
Symphony Orchestra as well as many city, county and state
symphony orchestras including Richmond, VA, Annapolis,
MD, Fairfax, VA and Maryland, among others. She is the
founding member of the Capital Reeds Trio. The delicate
sounds of her oboe were heard in Aprile arranged by Ms.
Nash and Libertango (Free Tango), and Te acercas te llamo
yo with the music written by Ms. Nash.
Grace Reid, who is the President of the Washington,
D.C. Branch, is an accomplished composer, pianist
and accompanist and has a piano studio located in
Woodbridge, VA. We heard Grace’s nimble piano sounds
when Linda sang Guardate i gigli (“Consider the Lilies”)
and Presso i fiumi di Bablonia (“By the Rivers of Babylon”),
two songs written by Ms. Nash.
There is a tradition of entertaining the outside public
during “board meeting weeks” when NLAPW board
members from all over the country meet in Washington,
D.C., at the Pen Arts building. It is also an opportunity to
showcase the talents of our members as well as invite the
public to enjoy the hospitality of our home headquarters,
learn more about our League and be inspired to use the
arts as a means of creative and personal expression.
Refreshments were arranged by Meletha Everett, third
vice president; tea sandwiches, fruit and desserts were
served to guests in the dining room and spread out on a
beautiful white cloth along with choices of punch and soft
drinks. The public milled, smiled and talked, buoyed by the
enthusiasm sparked by the Belle Notte program.
Poetry
Goldfish & Paper
Treanor Wooten Baring • Editor
Nostalgia
From the Sanskrit nasate…. he approaches
and
the Greek nostos ….to return home
Nostalgia lays across my soul
Like a worn patchwork quilt
Swatches of colorful material
Stitched together without regard to pattern or design
My memories of youth are also
Held together haphazardly
Laying side by side
Happy and sad
One thought and emotion evoking another
Provoking happy tears and sad regrets
Life is a cruel irony
As a teenager I longed to grow up and move out
Beyond all smothering love
And now I want nothing more than to move back in
And slide under their warmth and understanding
My grandmothers and grandfather
My mom and dad
I miss them all so much
How I’d like to sit and chat
And ask their advice on life
How, I’d like to return home
As I approach old age
Alas, the Ancients knew the bitter sweet pangs of
Nostalgia.
Susan Bassler Pickford
Member-at-large, ME
This is not who I am,
this decrepit 67-year-old
who finds herself more overburdened
pack mule than vibrant, creative goddess
hardwired by sparks & sass & overweening
passion for the yet unspooled recording of the word.
I look at the parking lot pavement
& see a child’s goldfish cracker, a single
miracle of orange afloat on gray concrete
reminiscent of when I was six, lazily pumping
my legs on a swing set when my whole world
jolted to a standstill at the sight of an infinitesimally
small shred of white paper glowing on a vast expanse
of lawn, when my heart stopped at the sheer wonder
of it all — the solitary shining of the white, the lushness
of the green, the silence of a swing no longer in motion,
merely sedentary molecules of metal. In a nanosecond,
a goldfish & a particle of paper reignited a life.
Calder Lowe
Modesto Branch, CA
Mere Things
Mere things don’t matter,
or so we’d like to think;
Paradise Lost
The sky ends indoors.
A trapped hornet navigates the ceiling
like a lost pilot seeking landing lights.
There is no safety here.
Nullification waits in a human hand
Poised to stop the intruder.
I wonder if this is how Adam felt
When he and Eve walked away?
At least he had company.
Mary Joan Meagher
Minnesota Branch. MN
but on the brink
of forgetting,
of letting
go,
some mere thing
turns us
to remembering.
Cathmar Shaw Prange
Iowa City Branch, IA
Quietude
Campers close in space intrude on nothingness
in time, wanting to fade to forgetfulness,
un-remembering the day, the hour or week
when nothing moves except birds
tall flames, soft winds
soothing all of wastefulness
to purge remembering, reduced
to blamelessness, blending with trees,
cornfields, more trees to be alone
in simplest
silence.
Linda Newman Woito
Iowa City Branch, IA
Honorable Mention: 2014 Marion Doyle Poetry Award
Poetry submissions should be 36 lines or fewer.
Use the name of the poem as the file name, and
be sure it has a .doc or .docx extension. Include
your name and branch or M-A-L below the poem's text. Email to [email protected] with the
subject line Poem for the Magazine. If you wish
to be considered for both the magazine and the
website, please indicate so in your email.
The Pen Woman
15
Book Reviews
Annie Laura Smith, Book Review Editor
Buster the Bully
A change in the weather helps him change his ways
Author: Andrea Antico, Denver
Branch, CO
Reviewed by: Ruthy Wexler, Denver
Branch, CO
Bullying is a topic that’s in
the news. We have anti-bullying campaigns and anti-bullying speakers, yet kids still bully
each other with regularity. It’s a hard problem to address
but Buster the Bully manages to be both a delightful read
and a satisfying explanation of the cause, and cure, for
bullying.
The subject is addressed lightly, in rhyme reminiscent
of Dr. Seuss and delightful color illustrations by Virginia
Small. All was well in a little school until Buster arrived
on the scene, “tough talking and terrible, menacing and
mean.” At first, no explanation for his misdeeds is given.
In the pictures, the children appear perplexed as well as
frightened, as Buster steals their lunches, makes them
carry his backpack and laughs when they hurt themselves.
Then Buster’s rampages are suddenly cut short, when
the children are herded back into the school because a
tornado approaches. Buster begins to tremble: it turns out
that he is afraid. And thus a profound truth is introduced
in this book for young children: bullies, underneath their
bravado, are usually more scared than anyone.
We soon see that Buster’s fear stems from ignorance.
He’s never paid much attention in school and certainly not
in science class, so he doesn’t understand what a tornado
is. The funnel terrifies him. He starts to cry.
Then a young boy, no match for Buster in size or
strength, offers up his considerable brain power. The
youngster comforts Buster by explaining what a tornado is and how they can protect themselves. Surprisingly
soothed, Buster thanks the little boy. (The illustration of
him kissing the nerdy youngster is priceless.)
Armed with knowledge, Buster now is not much inclined to wreak havoc. In fact, he wants to learn more and
become a model citizen. Of course, most bullies don’t stop
so quickly. But the truths underlying this quick change are
real and form a solid base from which to start discussions.
Included are lists of books about bullying for kids
and for adults. Also included is a list of resources about
tornadoes!
2013, Kindereads, $15.00
ISBN: 978-0-98930-640-9
16 Summer 2015
Colcha Embroidery
Book II
Author: Esther Lujan Vigil,
Yucca Branch, NM
Reviewed by: Annie Laura Smith,
Huntsville Branch, AL
As noted on the author’s website, “Colcha means a blanket and it also defines the only
stitch they used to embroider. Colcha is a couching stitch
that comes from Crewel Embroidery that had been in existence for thousands of years in Europe.”
The Contents page describes the scope of this book
on embroidery. It begins with Brief History of Colcha
Embroidery and covers How To Do Colcha Embroidery,
Additional Basic Stitching Techniques and Advanced
Colcha Techniques. There are 22 new Colcha designs
included.
It is believed that this embroidery began with the
Spaniards, who colonized the area now known as New
Mexico in the 16th century during the first 82 years of
the settlement. The couching stitch, now known as “Colcha Embroidery,” is a fill-in stitch that provided two additional layers of wool for extra warmth.
The author’s mother, Maria Teofila Lujan, and 11 of
her friends formed a club, Arte Antiguo, in 1928 that focused on preserving Spanish culture and traditions with
an emphasis on preserving Colcha. Her mother’s work is
in museums in New Mexico, Colorado and other places.
Colcha is a dying art because of the limited supply
of wool yarn for embroidery and fabric with a woven
structure. There are also few instructions on how to do
Colcha. The author’s website (www.colchalady.com) contains exquisite examples of Colcha.
2010, $29
ISBN: 978-0-05721-7
Taste Life Twice
Author: Marsha J. Perlman, South West Florida Branch, FL
Reviewed by: Jody Glittenberg Hinrichs, Denver Branch, CO
Marsha Perlman begins her delightful, meaningful
memoir through entrance into her challenging 1983 assignment as a one-year British Fulbright instructor. A rollicking adventure of driving on the left side of the road in a
car purchased for $700 lets you know that she is a fearless,
funny writer with much to teach others. Her many cultural
blunders are hilarious but also mindful of how diverse our
world really is. How Perlman takes these bumps endears her
as a daring, emancipated woman.
Her remarkable composure is at its best when, as
was custom for all Fulbright recipients, she is a guest of
the Queen Mother. She abides by strict rules of protocol
by wearing the proper belowthe-knees dress, in dark colors
with sleeves, with a seasonal hat
with a narrow brim, a black or
brown purse with handle, button
type earrings, and no perfume.
Reading this account, I
could not hold back my laughter. Although the author speaks
of her newfound confidence, she
rather abruptly takes us to an
early part of her childhood, her
eighth birthday. Rapid changes
in the memoir were often sudden, and at times I was
uncertain why the swift transitions occurred.
Her exposition of Jewish family life in New York
City, explained in child-like, innocent one-sentence
paragraphs, as a writing technique, was brilliant and
underscored how simple life was before today’s instant
gratification lifestyle.
Perlman’s description of her parents’ rigid, culturally prescribed roles was searing. You could feel the tension arise as her depressed, unfulfilled father enters the
room. A quote (pg. 57) illustrates the fear evoked: “No
mother should allow anyone to punish her children the
way he did. She must have been afraid of his anger, also
. . . Possibly by keeping quiet, she was protecting the
three of us (includes Marsha’s younger brother) in the
only way she knew.”
Perlman gives voice to the plight of people of color.
She not only speaks out, but also puts concern into action by becoming a teacher in deprived schools. Here
she shows her mettle by performing remarkable risks to
empower those with few opportunities.
Adherence to the ways of her hard-working mother
bears witness to how women deal slowly with changing
roles in life, but she refuses to live like her mother with
an abusive man.
Marsha’s most heroic change occurs when she rejects the controlling attitude of her alcoholic, professor
husband who demands “she keep her place . . . as Fred’s
accessory. . . (pg. 185).”
Perlman does not accept his taunts that she ruined
his life, but rather she epitomizes a woman of valor, divorcing, teaching in China, becoming an award-winning poet, and loving again.
For those of us who have shadowed such a pioneer,
indeed this is the book to read.
2014, Create Space, $13
ISBN: 978-1-50071-326-3
Muse on Madison
Author: Bunny Shulman,
Boca Raton Branch, FL
Reviewed by: Marlowe Arnold,
Vero Beach Branch, FL
In Bunny Shulman’s most recent
book, Muse on Madison, the moving
plot keeps the reader wondering what
will happen next in the progressive
short chapters.
Not only does the title refer to the name of the bar on
Upper East Side of New York where the narrative begins, but
the word “muse” is also defining the main character’s trait of
musing over what paths she should choose in her life.
The plot begins with the protagonist, Natalie, meeting
Franklin at the Muse on Madison even though she was to
meet Brad, who was to be the prearranged date by her friend
and former mother-in-law, Natalie. This pleasant meeting is
followed, however, by a sudden taxi cab accident in which
Natalie is saved by Franklin, but with the resultant losing of
her memory.
The rising action and the anticipation of whether Natalie
will regain the knowledge of her past and whether she and
Franklin will fall in love becomes the thread which holds the
reader’s attention through a series of juggling events which
eventually resolve in satisfying solutions. The easy-flowing dialogue and the descriptive passages
lend to engaged reading. One of the minor characters, Shawnee, a nurse at the hospital, contemplates her life near the end
of the novel as she hears . . . “the trapped lobsters scratching
claws on the galvanized metal. She’d been trapped herself by a
relationship with an alcoholic and had scratched her way free
. . . . she watched as the ocean picked up in intensity. It
was high tide, and the waves crested and crashed onto the
shoreline.”
Poetic writing is interspersed during the unraveling
themes of defeat, triumph and love. It’s a satisfying read and I
found the delivery of events uplifting and fascinating.
2013, Gray Rabbit Publishing, $13.99
ISBN: 978-1-61720-942-0
All book reviews must include
reviewer’s name and branch affiliation
More reviews at NLAPW.org!
We currently have a backlog of books that need to be
reviewed. You can help by becoming a reviewer! For more
information about this volunteer position, or to request your
book to be reviewed, email to annielaurasmith@comcast.
net or call 256-880-6213. Due to space and other publishing considerations, we cannot guarantee your book will be
reviewed in the Pen Woman magazine or on the website.
The Pen Woman
17
Inspiration Interlude
By Interim Chaplain Christina Laurie
Unity in Peace
Some time ago, this passage from the Bible came to me
as important. And now it seems especially applicable to
our Pen Women at this time. I say this because the issue of
selling or not selling Pen Arts has elicited strong opinions
and many sleepless nights! Such differences can hurt us
unless we learn to address our differences by working
together to maintain peace.
In an effort to urge unification, I shared this phrase
from Ephesians 4:3 in our April board meeting:
“… making every effort to maintain the
unity of the Spirit
in the bond of peace.” —Ephesians 4:3
I think this echoes our motto, “All for one, and one for
all.” As creative women, we are pursuing our callings in
art, writing and music, and yet we hold a common ground
of creativity and appreciation of our talents. We need to
make every effort to maintain this unity of the spirit of
creation and support one another in our creative callings.
Obituaries
Mary Barrer
Belonging to “Old Bold Pilots,” redheaded Mary Barrer was a journalist who flew airplanes for the armed
services. A Letters member of the Palm Springs Branch
who became a member-at-large last year, she died at age
93 on April 11, 2015. During her career, she covered the
Bay of Pigs as a Florida broadcaster, where she became
involved with the Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Originally
from Florida, she was detained for two years because she
was suspected as a spy in her early 20s. Later she worked
in Juneau and then wrote for several monthly newspapers
in Florida. Once she was on a flight to China with Jackie
Kennedy Onassis, and both lost their luggage. Mary said
Jackie was not a polite, refined lady when she was mad!
Mary served as president of the Palm Springs Branch, following many years on the Board.
Fleur Cecile Byers
A lifelong artist and longtime Pen Woman, Fleur was a
member at large of New Cumberland, PA. She taught art
and worked in oil, watercolor, drawing and etching, but focused mostly on pastels. Her soft-edged but realistic style
captured cityscapes as well as landscapes. A social activist, she spent most of her art career in Boston, New York
and Pennsylvania. In Harrisburg, she co-founded as well as
18 Summer 2015
Send your announcements to Christina Laurie, Cape Cod Branch,
508.540.0762. E-mail to: [email protected], or Rev.
Christina Laurie, 33 Viewcrest Dr., Falmouth, MA 02540.
But this needs to spread to our work within the NLAPW
organization as well. It is important to remember why we
exist and to what our loyalties are bound: the organization
itself and its advancement in this new century. This means
to be able to work together with people who don’t always
agree. We need to respect our differences and work out a
common ground together.
In our efforts to be unified in the spirit of creation, we
need to be enveloped by a bond of peace, which comes
from the heart. May each of our hearts be joined in the
common cause of creation and support.
I encourage all of us to listen to each other, respect
each woman’s place and beliefs, and unify ourselves in
the support and growth (which includes bringing in new
members) of our wonderful organization.
I say this because I have been a member of Pen Women
for over 50 years, and it is dear to my heart.
—Christina
co-managed Arts for Peace and Justice for nearly two
decades. She won many prizes in Boston, New York and
Washington, D.C. She died October 9, 2014, at age 86.
Frances M. Chanon
A member of the Long Island Branch, Frances died in
September 2014 at age 83. A great source of inspiration to
her branch, she served as co-president and historian. She
did watercolor and acrylics and won a prize in nearly every contest she entered, according to her co-president. She
began her art career as a fashion artist in New York City,
retiring to Long Island to raise a family. Recently she spent
winters in Florida and taught sculpting there. A kindhearted, brave lady, she also was active with her husband in
the Jewish War Veterans.
Susan S. Darer
Artist member of Greenwich, CT, Susan Darer died at age
76 on March 17, 2015. She worked in the international television business for many years and traveled extensively for
the U.S. government. She was a travel agent in Stamford.
Her artistic pursuits included drawing animals and painting pet portraits. She also was a member of the Stamford
Art Association and of the interfaith New World Chorus.
Following the death of her husband, she organized a Memory Café. Her daughter, Sarah Darer, is a letters member of
the Greenwich Branch.
Rita Delores Durrant
After raising a family, Rita earned a BA and MA in literature at the age of 50, which inspired co-authoring a book,
College After 30. Although her first love was poetry, she
taught literature at Holy Family College in Philadelphia
and then poetry at William and Mary College following her retirement. She founded the Williamsburg Poetry
Guild and edited its publication, Images of Williamsburg.
Her own book of poetry, Dancing to the Marigold Mazurka,
was published in 2010 at the age of 91. A lifetime member of
the Chesapeake Bay Branch, she died at 95 on January 20.
Clara Nelson “Polly” Frye
With house, clothes, eye shadow and fingernails of purple, artist Polly Frye died March 21, 2015, at age 93. She
and her husband opened a photography studio in 1951.
The following year she was the first woman in Virginia
to receive a Certified Professional Photographer’s Degree. In February 2012 she was crowned “Queen of the
Convention” for her 60 years of dedication to the Professional Photographers of America association. She served
as president, its first executive secretary, and for 24 years
was executive treasurer.
As a Pen Woman, she served two terms as president of
the Valley of Virginia Branch and state president 199698. She also was president of the Toastmistress Club, the
Harrisonburg Club, a founding member of OASIS and
a Board member of the Virginia Quilt Museum. While
husband Charles was at sea in 1971, she was pinned “Destroyer Lady of the Cruiser-Destroyer Force of the US
Atlantic Fleet,” for which she organized the Navy wives
club, whose husbands were on the USS Stickell with her
husband.
Margaret Stroud Hixon
A former high school and community college English
teacher, Margaret was a prolific writer with an interest in
visual media. She worked as a scriptwriter for children’s
television, producing two documentaries. She also wrote
a biography of Queen Salote of Tonga, South Pacific. She
lived in Iowa City, Portland, OR, Mexico City, and, after retirement, in New Zealand for 24 years to be close to
family. She joined the Iowa City Branch when she moved
back in 2010. She died Feb. 20, 2015, at age 90.
Marybeth Weston Lobdell
Marybeth, a letters member of Greenwich Branch, was
an editor at Mademoiselle, where one of her interns was
Sylvia Plath. She wrote for the New York Times and was
garden editor of House and Garden in 1970-82. She wrote
four books and a play, which she performed at the LBJ
Ranch. A charter member of Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, she died at 88 on March 19, 2015, in Ponte
Verde, FL.
Muriel Edwards Stauffer
Muriel studied etching and oil painting in Tokyo and
color etching in Brussels while she and her husband lived
many years abroad. An artist member of the Diamond
State Branch since 1977, she received many honors in juried shows. Her work is in the permanent collection of
the DuPont Co. and the DuPont Hotel. She devoted many
hours to charitable organizations and died March 1, 2015,
at age 90.
Waimea Williams
A gifted singer and writer, Waimea Williams (born Sally
Ann Williams) was a beloved Letters member of the Honolulu Branch. She died March 2, 2015, at 72. Raised in rural
Kauai, she studied classical music and then studied opera
in Salzburg. She performed opera and chamber music in
Vienna and Dusseldorf for a decade. Following her final
concert in New York, she moved to San Francisco to study
creative writing. She served as a freelance editor of over 200
books of fiction and non-fiction. Back home in the islands
in 1990, she completed two novels, Aloha Kauai, published
in 2004 and Aloha Mozart in 2013. She loved Hawaiian culture and studied the Hawaiian language for many years.
Wanda Benton Stevenson
Wanda, a Letters member of the Napa Valley Branch, died
April 15, 2015, at the age of 85, after a second bout with cancer. A Pen Woman for many years, she wrote short stories
about her life and experiences while growing up in rural
Kentucky. She was an avid golfer and loved line dancing,
putting on her boots and long skirts and illustrating how
it was done.
NLAPW Contributes to
Lincoln Commemoration
There were many events in DC celebrating the 150th
Anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s death.
The NLAPW donated two dozen copies of our
Abraham Lincoln Anthology, Happy Birthday, Mr. Lincoln
to the Abraham Lincoln Association of the District of
Columbia.
Additionally, we donated four dozen books to the First
Baptist Church of Washington, DC for a special program
marking the anniversary of President Lincoln’s death, held
at the church on April 15.
Both groups were very pleased with our gifts.
Ad space available in
The Pen Woman From $25 to $350.
[email protected]
or call 360-271-9824
The Pen Woman
19
National Officer Candidate’s Application
National League of American Pen Women, Inc.
Any member wishing to run for office should submit this
application/photocopy with a 2”x2” photograph, a statement of
no more than 150 words describing and verifying the candidate’s
professional background, and qualifications to perform the duties of
the office, as listed in the bylaws and to participate in the fiduciary
responsibilities of the Board of Directors of NLAPW, a 501(c)(3)
corporation.
Send the application and credentials by US Postal Service
Certified Mail, postmarked between September 1 and October 1,
2015 to: Marge Dodge, Nominating Committee Chair, NLAPW,
Inc., 1300 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-1973
The Nominating Committee’s evaluation of qualifications and
selection of the official slate will be announced in the Winter issue
of The Pen Woman.
Applicants not selected for the official slate, or other candidates
wishing to run as write-in candidates, must send their application
and credentials as listed above before January 6, 2016 to assure
listing on the ballot. Send US Postal Service Certified Mail to:,
ShaRon Haugen, Chair, Elections Committee, NLAPW, Inc., 1300
17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-1973.
Name __________________________________________
Candidate for the office of:___________________________
Address _________________________________________
Telephone ________________________ Email _________
Branch Name or State M-A-L ________________________
Member since ______________
Offices held:
National ________________________________________
State ___________________________________________
Branch _________________________________________
I am willing to serve if elected, will attend the annual meeting
and the Biennial Business Meeting of the membership and at least
three other regular meetings of the National Executive Board of
the administration during which I am serving. I will perform
the duties of my office in accordance with the provisions of the
NLAPW bylaws, standing rules, and procedural manuals, and take
responsibility for the management and control of the business,
funds and property of the League in an ethical and professional
manner. I am an ACTIVE member of the League in good standing
(dues paid, no disciplinary charges pending.)
Printed Name____________________________________
Signature __________________________Date__________
NOMINEE QUALIFICATIONS
1. Nominees for the offices of national president and first vice
president shall have been Active Members in good standing
(dues current and no disciplinary charges pending) for the past
five years and have served on the Board of Directors in elected
offices for two terms, or one term in an elected office and two
terms as a Standing Committee chair.
2. Nominees for other national offices shall have been Active
Members in good standing (dues current and no disciplinary
charges pending) for three years.
3. Qualifications of applicants shall be assessed by the Nominating
Committee on the basis of information submitted by the
applicant, the duties of the office as stated in these bylaws, and
interviews with the applicant or her colleagues.
20 Summer 2015
NLAPW Survey
I Asked —
You Answered!
By Pat Setser, National Membership Chair
First of all, I wish to thank those who
responded to our survey. Your input was
important. Now we have more accurate
Pat Setser
information so NLAPW can better serve
you.
The survey was sent out to 1,417 members. Members
without email addresses were not contacted due to costs. The
response rate was 32%, which is a very successful response for
a communication of this kind. NLAPW is an organization of
very diverse, caring and talented women.
We were surprised to learn that most of us came to the
organization later in life. In fact, 74% of those surveyed were
between the ages 57-79. This survey included 89 branches
and former branches, as well as 2 Members-at-Large. About
5.5% of responders were not Caucasian. We definitely want
to increase this number.
Most branches are engaged in growing the membership,
but find it difficult. Thankfully, more branches are not
experiencing difficulty getting officers.
Only a few of our members (27%) have visited Pen Arts
and less (16%) have stayed overnight. Very few people were
recruited by family members, but those who have a family
link seem very proud of their ancestors. The varied careers
of our members include education, healthcare, business
owners, counselors, physicians and attorneys.
This survey also showed that 51% of the 206 responding
members are willing to recruit two new members by
May 2016. In addition, 17% (73 members) were willing to
voluntarily double their dues in 2015, and 21% (46 members)
were willing to send an additional $20 donation; 6% (13
members) are willing to send an extra $40 and 13% (53
members) are willing to be Member Angels and send an extra
$60 (for someone in our organization who cannot afford to
contribute). Some of the members are willing to recruit and
donate for themselves and others.
These totals show that we are an organization of women
who want to grow our membership, to donate money to
strengthen our operational needs and support other members
who cannot financially help. Our future depends on your
dedication to fulfilling these commitments. I will keep you
updated on your continued involvement.
Now our work is to identify what makes successful
branches and assist the struggling branches. I was able to
talk by email to members who had more they wanted to say.
It made me aware that respect and support of very talented
members is not always the norm and that newer members
need to be nurtured. Perhaps a mentoring program should
be instituted within branches.
We learned some new things, verified some information
we thought we knew, and we hope to serve our members better. Thank you again for participating.
Board Proposes Amendments to League Bylaws
Amendments to the Bylaws have been proposed by the
NLAPW Board of Directors and will be posted July 27 for
consideration by the League membership at www.nlapw.org.
Any member or branch may propose amendments
to these amendments, in accordance with the NLAPW
Bylaws, Article XIII, Sec. 1 and Sec. 2, and send them to the
Governance Chair (Elaine Waidelich) at ewaid110@gmail.
com by October 1, 2015.
Proposing Amendments
to Proposed Amendments:
Amendments to the proposed amendments may be
made by any member or branch. Here are the steps:
• Individual members and branches must obtain the
endorsement of 15 additional branches in order for your
proposed amendment to be placed on the ballot.
• An endorsement form must be filled out by each
endorsing branch (15). Amendments that do not follow
this process will not appear on the ballot. The form can
be downloaded from the website at: www.nlapw.org (click
“About” menu tab).
• Fully endorsed changes to the amendments will
appear on the Election of Officers ballot that will be mailed
individually to each member in good standing.
• An amendment will be adopted provided it has
received an affirmative vote by 2/3 (two-thirds) of the voting
members who send their ballots directly to the Elections
Committee.
• The amendments will go into effect following the
installation of the newly elected officers.
Important: Filling out an Endorsement Form does not
imply that the branch supports the amendment. It merely
indicates that the branch is in favor of putting it before the
entire membership for debate and a vote.
Note: Complete NLAPW bylaws are found on the
website (www.nlapw.org). Click the “About” menu tab that
leads you to the proposed amendments and the official
Endorsement Form. Submit proposed amendments by
October 1, 2015 via email to: Elaine Waidelich, Governance
Chair at: [email protected] or mail to NLAPW, Attn:
Governance Chair, 1300 17th Street, NW, Washington, D.C.
20036-1973.
THE PEN WOMEN PRESS
IS ACCEPTING MANUSCRIPTS
[email protected]
We publish for less than commercial
publishers and you own your inventory!
www.nlapw/penwomenpress.org
Thank You for Your Support!
As of June 22, 39 members and three branches sent in
donations totaling $3,595 in response to our appeal for
help with our cash flow challenge. We also want to thank
all our other wonderful friends who also sent gifts since the
last issue of this magazine. Our heartfelt thanks go to:
MEMBER DONORS WHO GAVE TO APPEAL
Jane Allen
Luanna Leisure
Deborah Anderson
Beverly Lewis
JJ Burris
Jean Mahavier
Louise Canepa
Marilyn Martin
Mary Pat Canes
Carolina Mueller
Cynthia Carroll
Carmen Noakes
Fran Chadwick
Joann Okeefe
Virginia Campbell
Mary Lou Osborne
Barbara Chamberlain
Amy Patterson
Camille Crandall
Arvilla Rogers
Luanne Faulkender
Sally Ruddy
Sheila Firestone
Pat Setser
Jan Fredrickson
Brenda Smith
Gainor@tampabay
Dawn Spitz
Therese Gump
Barbara Thompson
Jenny Gumpertz
Pat Underwood
Nancy Haskett
Rosalie Ungar
Ellen Hyatt
Esther Vigil
Linda Hodges
Carol Welsh
Helene Houge
Darlene Yeager-Torre
Elizabeth Lauer
MJ Zank
BRANCH DONORS
Central New York Branch Jacksonville Branch
Santa Clara Branch
D.C. Branch
Birmingham to Letters Scholarship Fund
(in memory of Emalyn H. Spencer)
COMMEMORATIVE ENDOWMENT FUND
DONORS (supporting upkeep of Pen Arts building)
Santa Clara Branch - in memory of beloved member
Vallie Chan
Evelyn Wofford - in memory of Richard Waidelich,
husband of Past National President Elaine Waidelich
Sandra Seaton Michel - in memory of Richard
Waidelich
Candace Long - in memory of Richard Waidelich
Katie Witek - in memory of Richard Waidelich
The Edna M. Carpenter Booker Trust (Iowa City
Branch) bequested $500 to this fund specifically.
The Niesline Nielsen Trust sent a gift of $5,262. Marie
Nielsen was a member of the Des Moines, IA Branch.
GENERAL OPERATING FUND GIVERS
James McGrath, longtime DC resident, donated $500.
His organization, D.C. Tenants’ Advocacy Coalition
(TENAC), desires to assist with fundraising for the League.
Robert Leardo, TENAC Director of Research, gave $100.
Jay Shankar (TENAC volunteer) gave $50.
We greatly appreciate the generosity of members and
friends of the NLAPW! We are genuinely touched by your
responsiveness and generosity. Thank you!
The Pen Woman
21
National League of American Pen Women, Inc.
1300 17th Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20036-1973
Periodical
425-140
(202 ) 7 8 5 - 1 9 9 7 • F a x ( 2 0 2 ) 4 5 2 -6868 • www.nlapw.org • [email protected]
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Copy Now!
The Light
Between Us
True Stories of Healing
Through Creative
Expression
AVAILABLE ONLINE at www.nlapw.org/bookstore
Cost: $11 per copy, plus $4/shipping & handling
Mail orders may be sent to:
Pen Women Press, NLAPW, Inc.
1300 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036-1973
Thanks to all the Pen Women
who contributed to this project!
Preorder
NOW!
National League
of American
Pen Women, Inc.
Photo by Judy Bingham
2016 Art and
Photography Calendar
22 Summer 2015
Available online to be shipped this Fall:
$10 ea. plus $4 S&H (up to 4 calendars)
Preorder at www.nlapw.org/bookstore or
mail check payable to NLAPW with
shipping info to: NLAPW, 1300 17th St. NW,
Washington, DC 20036-1973
Please repost this ad in your branch newsletter!