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In This Issue:
Commercial Air Travel: Navigating an
Uncertain Future
Aviation Week Editor-in-Chief to Speak at DPA Holiday
Luncheon
.jpg) Did
you know that the aerospace industry's newest emerging sector is homeland
security? In the struggle for balance between homeland security and ease of
airline travel, can the aviation industry survive both the cost and
inconvenience of doing that which may be required?
Tony Velocci, editor-in-chief of
Aviation Week & Space Technology, will have some answers to these and
other fascinating questions about how we will travel by air in the
future—for business or for pleasure—when he speaks at the DPA Holiday
Luncheon at Delaware National Country Club on Saturday, December 8. Mr.
Velocci also will talk about the balancing act that's required for
Aviation Week to live up to its nickname—"Av Leak"—while exercising
responsibility and self-restraint.
 Based
in New York City, Mr. Velocci has been with the magazine for 18 years. Prior
to joining Aviation Week, a McGraw-Hill Companies publication,
he worked for a variety of other business, financial, and defense-related
publications. A 1969 graduate of Syracuse University, Mr. Velocci has
received various awards, including the distinguished McGraw-Hill Corporate
Achievement Award for Editorial Excellence and the Royal Aeronautical
Society's Aerospace Journalist of the Year award. He has appeared numerous
times on CNN, BBC, CNBC, BizNet TV and other media outlets as a commentator
on issues pertaining to the aerospace and commercial air transport
industries.
Plan to do some holiday shopping during the social hour.
Beginning at 11:30 a.m., a number of DPA authors and editors will be on hand
to chat with members and guests and to sell their most recent books. There
will be books and manuals on a wide range of topics. Among the authors and
editors will be:
-
Howard Berlin, non-fiction (detective
films); reference (financial/numismatic)
-
Patrick Canfield, novels (sports, mystery,
suspense)
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Jan Churchill, non-fiction
(aviation)
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Ruth Fisher Goodman, young adult
-
Jean Hull Herman, novel (Hollywood
romance); modern mythology; poetry
-
Lise Monty, coffee-table photography
-
Clella Murray, mysteries; fun books with
recipes
-
Laura Messinger / Lillian Shah,
non-fiction (health information)
-
Vanessa Nesbit, poetry
-
Katherine Ward, military history
-
Bob Yearick, novel (suspense)
-
Claudia Young, children’s historical
fiction with teacher guides
-
Nancy Coale Zippe, cookbooks
 Following
the program, Katherine Ward, DPA’s 007 Communicator of
Achievement, will present the recipient of the 2008 COA award. The annual
COA
Award, given for outstanding professional achievement as well as for
service to DPA, NFPW and the local community, is the highest honor DPA
bestows on its members.
The Holiday Luncheon will be held in the Wooddale Room at
Delaware National Country Club, 400 Hercules Road, Wilmington. Social hour
with cash bar and book signings begins at 11:30 a.m. with lunch at 12:30
p.m. There is a parking lot adjacent to the club.
Cost: members $25, non-members $30.
Questions? Call 302-657-8387.
–
Make a Reservation –
^Top
From the President: NFPW Conference
Gateway to New Ideas, Experiences . . . and Colleagues
across the U.S.
by Beth Miller
 Many
journalists spend so much time trying to understand and explain their
communities that they wind up with far too little time to enjoy the people
in them. That being a frustration for me, I registered for the NFPW
Conference in September hoping to have a more leisurely chance to connect
with an even wider community of communicators.
The three-day conference was tightly scheduled—seminars and
workshops and meals and special speakers. At the end of some days, I felt
super-saturated, unable to take in another idea. But most of the discussions
and events I attended were remarkably relevant to both my work and my life.
The day Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine spoke was the same
day a shooting occurred on Delaware State University’s campus. I was able to
ask him questions about campus security and what he learned from the
horrific event his state went through after the Virginia Tech shootings.
Kaine’s keynote speech was on things he has learned about—and from—the
press. He had some suggestions for us, and I made note of his first rule on
how governors should deal with journalists: “Return all calls quickly.” Yes,
sir!
 The
seminars I attended included: how the small-town Farmville (Va.)
Herald succeeded in getting state-funded scholarships for minority
students denied access to public education after the 1954 Brown v.
Board of Education ruling, how siblings David and Sharon Baldacci became
successful novelists, myths about aging, and suggestions on how to get
organized (I may need remedial help with this one . . .).
I was proud of DPA and its reputation in this national
group. Whenever other conferees learned I was from Delaware, they asked how
we had built such a successful, growing affiliate. How did we put together
such a cool online newsletter? What a great promotional postcard we created!
I could only point to our executive director, Katherine Ward, and DPA’s
hard-working board. They put in long hours to ensure quality in every
endeavor.
DPA board member Karen Galanaugh, now NFPW’s national
contest director, added welcome humor to the awards banquet, where—by the
way—our affiliate won dozens of first- and second-place prizes. We were
delighted that new member Sue Frost, who took a first in the highly
competitive features category, joined us for the awards banquet on Saturday
evening.
 DPA
member Jean Lamensdorf was among the prize-winning authors present for book
signings. Her must-read book, Write Home for Me, recounts her
experiences as a Red Cross worker during the Vietnam War.
The days at the national conference were packed. I wished
for more time just to sit and talk—time probably available to those who went
on pre- and post-conference tours. But I came away with a much richer
appreciation for the role women have played in journalism, the resources
NFPW offers and the strengths of our own DPA.
You can check it out for yourself. Next year’s conference
will be held September 11–13 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, doorway to the famed
Yellowstone Park and Jackson Hole, Wyoming—just two of the exciting
destinations on the pre- and post-conference tours.
Hope to see you at the DPA Holiday Luncheon on December 8!
Beth Miller is a reporter for The News Journal. Contact Beth at
bmiller@delawareonline.com.
^Top
Spotlight: Nina Irene DeVoe
Improving the Quality of Life for Women in Delaware
 With
an infectious smile on her face, DPA member Nina DeVoe says, “I have been
blessed with having had some great people in my life—my parents, my
relatives, numerous friends, associates and neighbors, and the Mermaids I
swim with at the Y. And . . . I have a secret skill.” Once in Nina’s
presence, it soon becomes clear that her “secret skill” is the ability to
appreciate the beauty and importance in practically everyone.
That ability has been the key to Nina’s success as Community Relations
Officer for the Delaware Commission for Women. As an advocate for women and
families, she uses her abundant creativity and fresh ideas to collaborate
with many people at the community and state level, including business
executives and the general public. Adept not only in public and employee
relations,
 Nina
is also a whiz in graphic design, publishing, grant writing, event planning,
Web writing and design, audio visual training, e-learning and coaching. She
uses her many talents to author and publish an assortment of printed
materials, create displays and develop and lead special projects that have
the potential to change lives.
Whether in her job or as a community volunteer, Nina is most passionate
about creating substantial and sustainable projects that improve the quality
of life of citizens. She led the first statewide Online Learning Program
for Low-income Working Single Mothers in the U.S. (the program has been
replicated in other states); planned and organized refurbishment of a
nonprofit Montessori school; and planned and implemented “Tech Savvy,” a
training program for underserved Dover-area girls. The result: increased
resources and visibility for the Delaware Commission for Women. She is also
a volunteer board member on the Marketing and Public Relations Committee
with United Way of Delaware.
A self-described rebel and artist who challenges the status quo, Nina says,
“For the last ten years I’ve had one of the most interesting jobs in the
State with the
Delaware Commission for Women.
The Commission, whose issue priorities for women and children are economic
empowerment, work and family, violence prevention, women's health, civil
rights, and recognition and celebration, sponsors the Hall of Fame of
Delaware Women. I work really hard, although
it may not look like it because I have so much fun doing it.”
A typical week may start by getting to know two women veterans, one who
recently returned from Iraq, one who served in Vietnam; one older, one
younger; one white, one black. Their talk of transformation—from basic
training, to witnessing the realities of war, to the challenge of becoming a
civilian again—Nina says, “will be used to help market a symposium and expo
for women veterans and to create a workshop that targets their specific
needs.”
The next day centers on a brainstorming meeting with a government, business
and non-profit committee on how to provide information on strategies to
prevent foreclosure and steps to consider if one is going through the
process. Nina says, “The result will be a marketing plan with promotional
printed materials created with input from a diverse state-wide committee.”
Another day includes a tour of one of Delaware’s little-known museums with a
historic interpreter whose perspective on women’s roles (pre-Columbus) will
help shape ideas for an educational partnership exhibit for Women’s History
Month. “Then,” Nina adds, “there are the days when I spend hours in front of
the computer working on documents, research and graphic design.”
A
lifelong learner, Nina is interested in futuristic and cutting-edge ideas.
She attended the Chicago Public High School for Metropolitan Studies (a
“school without walls”—one of the first experimental high schools in the
country), Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington, and was graduated
from Columbia College in Chicago. She is knowledgeable about many crafts,
especially jewelry making—her hobby turned business. Prior to coming to
Delaware in 1997, Nina lived in Berkeley, California; Olympia, Washington;
and San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico. She led a water conservation
program for the city of Houston, Texas, and she spent two weeks in Senegal
on a photo expedition.
Nina counts her son first among her blessings. “As a single parent to one
fantastic Nicholas Edgar,” she says with a laugh, “I rely on a good sense of
humor. He’s currently going through his teen years and is more like me than
I’d care to admit. I’ve been able to manage because maturity, lifelong
learning and a variety of experiences have helped to create balance in my
life.”
“A couple of years ago,” Nina says, “I had the opportunity to work with
Katherine Ward on the Commission’s highly successful 25th anniversary
celebration of the Hall of Fame of Delaware Women. The collaboration with
Katherine and Barry MacMonegle of Immàgine Studio was amazing and further
raised the bar for all projects that have followed.” Nina, Katherine and
Barry received a first-place award in the 2007 communications contest for
their work on a PR campaign to orchestrate and promote the Hall of Fame
event. One judge said, “Incredible (!) high-quality materials. Excellent
product and campaign for relationship building.” From Nina DeVoe, no less
would have been expected.
Contact Nina DeVoe at
Nina.DeVoe@state.de.us.
^Top
Looking Great in 2008
Getting Underway with the Communications Contest
by Annie Nefosky and Jean Hull Herman, 2008
Communications Contest Directors
 Congratulations
to longtime DPA member Karen Galanaugh, who received the title—and
responsibilities—of NFPW’s National Contest Director for 2007 – 2009 at the
national communications conference in Richmond in September. Karen, who had
apprenticed with Donna Hunt, of Texas, for one year prior to taking over,
helped present the awards at the conference. Over the last few weeks, she
has revised both the national contest entry form and the guidebook for
affiliate contest directors and has updated the NFPW contest Web page.
 On
the local front, the 2008 Delaware Press Association Communications Contest
is quickly approaching, and we’re here to help. For the top of your "to do"
list: sift through your files and dig out your best work from 2007.
 Awards,
bragging rights and cash
prizes . . . you can win it all in the DPA contest.
It’s open to members and non-members of Delaware Press Association alike and
features dozens of categories, including print media, electronic media,
photography, broadcasting, public relations and advertising.
Awards: Out-of-state communications professionals
judge the entries to ensure impartiality. First, second, third and honorable
mention award certificates for the statewide DPA competition are presented
at the spring awards banquet. The first-place winner in each category may
enter the NFPW national communications contest, provided the entrant is an
NFPW member.
Sweepstakes: Cash prizes of $250, $200 and $150 are
given to the three entrants who earn the most points based on their winning
entries and the number of entries in each category. The winners are
announced at DPA’s annual meeting in the spring. The 2007 sweepstakes
winners are Andrea Miller, staff reporter, Community Publications, first;
Richard Gaw, special sections editor, Community Publications, second; Tracey
Bryant, assistant director, UD Office of Public Relations, third. Tracey
took second runner-up in the individual sweepstakes in the national contest
this year, garnering a beautiful plaque and a check for $100. DPA won the
national affiliate sweeps and received a check for $100.
 Entry
fees: DPA members pay $25 for the first entry and $10 for each
subsequent entry. For non-members, the rate is $30 for the first entry and
$15 for each subsequent entry. New this year: a flat rate of $40 for each
entry with multiple entrants, regardless of membership status.
Deadlines: The postmark deadline for book, fiction
and verse entries is January 8, 2008. The deadline for all other work is
January 15, 2008. Please carefully read all requirements for each entry and
include all information requested.
Keep an eye on your mailbox. Contest information, rules and
an entry form will arrive by mid-November. You also may download the rules,
the entry form and a complete listing of contest categories and descriptors
from the contest page of the DPA Web
site.
So take the time to submit your best work . . . and shine!
For contest questions:
Contact Annie Nefosky at 302-834-6779 or
annienefosky@yahoo.com
Contact Jean Herman at
jherman007@aol.com.
^Top
National First-place Honors for
Milford Student Journalist
by Barbara Roewe, 2007 High School Communications Contest
Director
 A
late announcement of the winners in a couple of categories in the 2007 NFPW
High School Communications Contest heralded the good news that DPA had
sponsored not two but three national winners. I am pleased to report that
Tyler Twilley of Milford High School won a national first-place award in the
Feature Photo category. His photograph, "Paper Football," originally
appeared in Milford High School's newspaper, The Jolly Roger. Tyler
was one of two national high school journalism winners this year for advisor
Czar N. Bloom. The other, as noted in the September 2007 NewsBreak,
was Kai Andersen who received a third-place award in the Sports Story
category for "Coach Carter Motivates, Educates Players."
Bloom observes, "Both Kai and Tyler have extremely creative minds and have
always been able to present that fresh, interesting angle in their writing,
photography and even page design. They
 dare
to be different and take risks routinely. They are true free spirits who
were able to excel in student journalism." Tyler Twilley is now a freshman
at Cornell University; Kai Andersen is a junior at Milford High.
DPA member Kathy Canavan was the journalism adviser for Megan Kissig, who
received an honorable mention in the highly competitive News category for
"Sick Infect Others." Canavan says of Megan, who was editor of the Charter
School of Wilmington's Blue Streak for 2006 – 2007, "She was always
thinking of stories as she talked with her many friends in Charter's senior
class. When Megan observed several Charter students coming to school sick
and spreading germs, she put the pieces together perfectly to show that the
traditional model of students feigning illness to get out of school was
turned on its head at Charter. Instead, many Charter students feign wellness
so they won't miss a single class." Megan Kissig currently is a freshman at
the University of Delaware.
Contact DPA Student Activities VP Barbara Roewe at
bcroewe@aol.com.
^Top
First Amendment Matters
The First State’s Fourth Estate Alive and Well
by Patrick Mairs, DPA First Amendment Officer
 The
word journalist doesn’t carry as much respect as it once did. In the wake of
Watergate, many aspired to be the next Bob Woodward or Carl Bernstein. The
power of journalism in changing public policy was palpable then.
In the years since, the reputation of our occupation has taken a hit.
Plagiarism scandals, 24-hour news channels with endless celebrity coverage,
and charges of bias have helped sink public perception of the craft. But if
our nation’s journalists need to look anywhere for inspiration, they can
find it right here in Delaware.
The state’s media outlets have met and exceeded their watchdog
responsibilities of late. Government investigations into conditions within
the state’s prison healthcare system and the Delaware Psychiatric Center
have been sparked by sharp print reporting and solid follow-up stories by
the electronic media.
By keeping government accountable for its actions (or inactions), local
media is demonstrating why the founders established a free press and why
journalists should be proud of their craft.
Patrick Mairs is Dover bureau chief for WHYY’s
Delaware Tonight and the DPA First Amendment officer. Please e-mail ideas
for exploring issues related to freedoms of the press and speech to Patrick
at pmairs@whyy.org.
^Top
WordPlay . . . for Wordsmiths
by Bob Yearick
 WordPlay
wonders . . .
Why do people refuse to use a spell checker? How can they simply ignore the
red squiggly line that appears under certain words in computer text files?
How else to explain the frequent misspelling of “minuscule” as “miniscule”?
Most recent example: a letter to the editor in the September 16 News
Journal. Here’s a suggestion: Think “minus,” not “mini.” Same goes for
pastime. Although it seems logical to insert an extra s, making it
"passtime," logic isn't always a reliable test when it comes to English
orthography. But a spell checker will catch that misstep—every time.
Abbreviation Aberration
Mike Pollock, managing editor of Out & About and CityLife
magazines (and proud DPA member), alerts us that Wilmington city government
insists on calling the entity established to address issues of public safety
the “HOPE Commission” – all caps – even though the individual letters of
HOPE don’t stand for anything. We’re informed by the Baker administration
that the word was chosen for its literal meaning. Then why not make it
initial cap only? Answer: PR hyperbole and politics.
BTW, if it did stand for something, it would be an acronym. An abbreviation
that is not a word – UAW, for instance – is not an acronym; it’s just
an abbreviation. But then, we all knew that, right?
Metrics – Trendy Again?
Anyone notice that Time has gone metric? Every measurement in
America’s biggest selling weekly is now converted to its metric equivalent
(in parens). At the now-defunct DuPont Magazine, we tried metric
conversions back in the mid-’80s. Mistakes abounded, and we gave it up after
about two years. Perhaps Time will have better luck.
Painful
A manuscript that recently came across this desk profiled a student who was
awaiting acceptance into a prestigious school. The waiting period was
described as a “tortuous” experience. Not likely. Winding roads, trails,
rivers, even arguments can be described as tortuous, but not a long wait.
What was meant, of course, was “torturous.”
Send your pet peeves, suggestions and questions for WordPlay to:
allwriter@comcast.net.
And remember: Always write right – and tight.
Contact WordPlay columnist Bob Yearick at
allwriter@comcast.net.
^Top
We're Bullish on DPA — and You
Should Be, Too!
Membership Renewal is Always a Winning Investment
by Allison Taylor Levine, APR
 Even
in a sometimes unpredictable financial market, DPA's value is always on the
rise. Last year, our membership topped out at 130; the year before, it was
120. Right now, our membership roster shows us at 167 members strong! We
have increased our ranks by 28 percent over the last year, a growth
rate even the savviest investor would envy.
The significant increase in our numbers brings with it a
forecast for even greater activity in the Communications Contest sector.
Will your work stand out amid the throng? Do you have what it takes to
withstand the competition and come out on top? You’ll never know the
dividends your membership will yield unless you are in on the action.
DPA membership can strengthen your professional portfolio in
other ways as well and remains a strong buy at $20. Membership affords you:
-
Great networking opportunities with communications
professionals from print media to broadcasting, from photography to the
Web, from PR to poetry
-
Professional development at six meetings throughout the
year
-
NewsBreak, DPA’s national award-winning member
e-newsletter
-
Timely e-blasts about job opportunities and events of
interest
-
And more!
A notice about DPA membership renewal will be e-mailed in
the next few weeks. Don't miss this easy opportunity to make a winning
investment in that most precious of commodities: You!
Renewing your dual DPA/NFPW membership is just as easy and
your yields are multiplied! If you did not recently receive an e-mailed
membership statement from NFPW, you still can renew either online or by
postal mail. Dual membership entitles you to state and national benefits and
to other privileges such as voting, holding office and serving as a delegate
to the annual NFPW Communications Conference. So renew now (www.nfpw.org/joinus.htm)
and lock in the dividends.
Meanwhile, be sure to keep your contact information in the
Membership Directory up to date. To access an online form to submit any
changes, click here to go to the
Members’ Area and scroll down to Contact Information for DPA
Membership Directory. If you don’t have the password for the Members’
Area, contact us at
DelawarePress@aol.com.
Allison Taylor Levine, APR, a public relations
consultant for Synchrogenix Information Strategies, Inc., is DPA’s
Membership Director. Contact Allison at
aljay89@yahoo.com.
^Top
DPA Welcomes New Members
 DPA
extends a warm welcome to each of our new members. If you are a new member whose
contact information has not been included in the 2007 DPA Membership
Directory, please click here and ask for directions:
DelawarePress@aol.com.
Noah Dzuba –
noahdzuba@hotmail.com
Copywriter, BGP Publicity
Tim Menton –
tmenton@communitypub.com
Page designer, Community Publications
Adam Zewe –
adam.zewe@communitypub.com
Staff reporter, Community Publications
^Top
DPA Media Mavens & Mavericks
 The
DPA Media Mavens column contains information about the personal and
professional achievements of our members. Names of new DPA members featured
in this column are starred.
Please send any information about your honors, achievements
and awards to
news@delawarepressassociation.org by the 1st of any month for
publication in the next issue.
DPA members featured in this issue:
Mellany Armstrong *
Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt
Gordon DelGiorno
Maria Keane /
Lora Englehart
Jean Hull Herman
Erica Mears
Sandra Michel
Clella Murray
Bill Lindsey
Georgi Marquisee
Vanessa D. Nesbit
Helen “Cookie” Ohlson
Akinwale Ojomo *
Ed Okonowicz
Rob Tornoe
• WDEL 1150-AM News Talk Radio’s news anchor Mellany Armstrong has
been honored with a national 2007 Radio-Television News Directors
Association Edward R. Murrow award for her five-part series on childhood
obesity in Delaware. She received a first-place award for best newscast in
the 2007 National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest. She also
won first-place awards from the Chesapeake Associated Press Broadcasters
Association for the obesity series, and for a series showcasing the
emergency preparedness skills of the Delaware Air National Guard. Her weekly
feature, "Delaware's Stories," which focuses on the "everyday people" of
Delaware, took top AP honors for Outstanding Feature Reporting. Mellany says
that what she loves about her job is “getting to try new things, like flying
in a C-130 with the Delaware Air National Guard, and getting my hands dirty
in a blacksmith's shop.”
Contact Mellany Armstrong at
marmstrong@wdel.com.
• Returning member Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt probably has
the longest commute to DPA events, as she currently lives in Buffalo, New
York. She says she’s missed the camaraderie of a professional writer’s
association, which Buffalo lacks. When Sheri moved from Delaware four years
ago, due to her husband’s job transfer, she primarily was writing local
newspaper and magazine articles. But when her relocation left her with no
established local markets, she turned her eye to national markets. “Who
knows if I otherwise would have made the leap,” says Sheri, whose work has
since appeared in The Washington Post, Family Circle, Ladies Home Journal
and in-flight magazines.
But in the last two years, Sheri’s focus has turned to
books. She has contributed to three books for adults, including a NASCAR
travel guide and a Ripley’s book of “zany” facts. She also has written five
non-fiction books for juveniles, including two activity books for the middle
school market. Her first children’s picture book, about a tooth fairy with
lots of attitude, You Think It’s Easy Being the Tooth Fairy?, was
published by Chronicle Books in August. Sheri invites you to listen to a
radio interview she did about Tooth Fairy with “Book Bites for Kids”
on October 29.
Hear Sheri’s writing and publishing tips on BlogSpotRadio.
While Tooth Fairy is enjoying success, Sheri hopes
that her agent is able to sell her first middle-grade novel by year’s end.
“The waiting game is tough,” says Sheri. “You feel like a total loser until
it gets purchased. That’s when I have to remind myself that Walt Disney was
turned down about a hundred times before securing financing for Disney
Land.” More information on Sheri is available at her two Web sites:
www.Bell-Rehwoldt.com
and
www.4kids.Bell-Rehwoldt.com.
Sheri will be staying in Wilmington from January 11–13,
2008, to attend the American Library Association meeting in Philadelphia.
Please contact Katherine Ward at 302-655-2175 or
KatWard1@aol.com, if you’d like to get
together with her while she’s in town.
Contact Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt at
Sheri@Bell-Rehwoldt.com.
• Independent filmmaker Gordon DelGiorno reports that
“Film Brothers Productions is working on a new movie script for summer 2008,
and we also have a special 21-years-old-and-over event coming up. The 3rd
annual Bad Hair sketch comedy show will be performed at 7 and
9 p.m.,
Thursday, November 29, at Theatre N at Nemours, 11th and Tatnall streets,
Wilmington. This popular comedy troupe from Philly has been a sell-out for
us at every show over the years. We are teaming up for this event with Deep
Blue Bar & Grill and the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition (DBCC). We’ll be
giving fifty percent of our advertising dollars to DBCC.
“By purchasing a ticket before the day of the show, you will
be invited to a pre-event party with complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres
at DBCC, across from Theatre N, at 5:30 or 7:30 p.m. Then enjoy
complimentary hors d'oeuvres at the after-party at Deep Blue, 111 W. 11th
Street. Your ticket includes everything for just $20. I hope you’ll you join
us for a fun night!”
For tickets to the Bad Hair comedy show, contact Gordon DelGiorno at
gordon@filmbrothers.com.
• Maria Keane is curating the Art Exhibition of the
Studio Group and the Diamond State Branch of the National League of American
Pen Women, celebrating visual artists and authors, at the Howard Pyle
Studio, 1305 Franklin Street, Wilmington. The collaborative exhibition opens
on Friday, November 2, and runs through Sunday, November 18. Maria offers
the following schedule of exhibition events featuring a number of DPA
members:
Friday, November 2, 5:30 – 8 p.m. Friday Night Art
Loop exhibit opening and reception will feature readings by authors Jean
Hull Herman and Erica Mears from 7 to 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, November 4, 1 – 4 p.m. At the Premier
Exhibition opening and reception, authors Sandra Michel and
JoAnn Balingit will read from 2:30 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, November 10, 1 – 4 p.m. Authors Caryl Huffaker and Clella Murray will read from 2:30 to 3
p.m.
Sunday, November 18, 1 – 4 p.m. At the Exhibition
Finale, Lora Englehart will introduce a dramatic presentation
by Evelyn Swensson on the subject of Ethel Pennewill Brown, a favored art
student of illustrator Howard Pyle, at 2 p.m.
Maria Keane is a member of the Studio Group and an Arts and
Letters member of the National League of American Pen Women. She is also an
Adjunct Professor at Wilmington University where she gives instruction in
Fine Arts. Her art works were included in the Juried Regional Art Exhibition
at the Rehoboth Art League and were on exhibition through October in
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and in the National Association of Women Artists,
National Members Exhibition held at the Monroe Center, Hoboken, N.J., in
September and October. More about Maria's work can be found at
www.mariakeane.com.
Contact Maria Keane at
mariakeane@comcast.net.
• Photographer Bill Lindsey is the Public Relations
Chair of the Delaware Chapter of People to People International (PTPDE). In
collaboration with local educational, religious and arts organizations,
PTPDE has been holding a series of public international, cultural
opportunities. The latest was a concert in October featuring Romanian piano
prodigy Sinziana Mircea, 14, along with pianist Adriana Tocasen and
violinist Raluca Stratulat. Bill understandably was enthusiastic about the
free, public event: "The three musicians are extremely talented and provided
a very worthwhile experience." For more information about the Delaware
Chapter of People to People International, see
www.ptpde.org.
Contact Bill Lindsey at
bill@lindseystudio.com.
• Mark and Georgi Marquisee of Arden Media
Resources continue production of their Families of the World programs
for children, documenting family life around the globe. Their latest
programs on Australia and Costa Rica bring the series total to twenty
countries. Each program documents two families, usually a rural and an urban
family, following their lives through a typical day, told as if from the
point of view of a child in the family. The programs are distributed
internationally, to PBS and to schools and libraries throughout the U.S. For
more information, see
www.familiesoftheworld.com.
Contact Georgi Marquisee at
ardenmedia@comcast.net.
• Vanessa D. Nesbit, Assistant Director of Biomedical
Research at Delaware State University, has announced the release of her
debut book of poetry, Fairy Tales and Stranger Love (Publish America
LLP). The book features approximately 60 pages of "unique poems about life,
love, the triumph of humanity, the struggle of faith and the process of
starting over again. A unifying theme found throughout the collection is the
prominent role that fairy tales, folk tales and moral stories play in
American culture, and the extent to which they have influenced the
Generation Xers who are coming of age in the 21st century." Priced at
$14.95, Fairy Tales and Stranger Love can be ordered online at
www.publishamerica.com by linking to the author’s page. Search on either
the book title or on Vanessa D. Nesbit. The book will be available for
purchase through booksellers on December 17. Meanwhile, Vanessa is working
on the completion of her second book, as yet untitled – a compilation of
selected short stories intermittently highlighted with new poetry.
Contact Vanessa Nesbit at
vnesbit@yahoo.com.
• This summer Helen “Cookie” Ohlson wrote an article,
“A Kayak Built for 2,” about a neighbor who takes his dog kayaking. It
became the cover story of the July issue of Delaware Pets and
appeared again as an almost full page feature story in the August 14 edition
of The News Journal.
Cookie, who is also a working poet, took time from writing
in August to serve as a chaperone at The Whale Camp (www.whalecamp.com)
on Grand Manan Island off the coast of Nova Scotia. Rose Krygowski, Cookie’s
former teaching colleague at the Norwood School in Delaware County, Pa.,
works with her students all year, performing community service protects to
raise money to make the annual visit to Whale Camp. As the trip is not a
school-sponsored function, Rose relies on friends who volunteer their time
and must pay their own transportation and lodging in order that the
youngsters may go. Cookie enjoyed spending time with students once more and
is looking forward to going again. And, yes, she saw plenty of whales.
Contact Cookie Ohlson at ardn@aol.com.
• Akinwale Ojomo’s interest in publishing was sparked
by serving as editor of the campus magazine Ripples at Ondo State
University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria, in the late 1980s. Now the publisher of
Ebo Magazine, which
promotes contributions to the global endeavor by those of African descent,
he says his “highest vision is to give the continental African a positive
image in the 21st century." Although published in Delaware, the magazine is
distributed to major cities around the world.
Akinwale attended the
2006
Clinton Global Initiative annual general meeting in New York, where he
reported on organizations doing humanitarian works in Africa. The article
appeared in the January 2007 debut issue of Ebo Magazine.
While in New Orleans in 2006 to present a paper at the sixth
International
Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations,
Akinwale saw the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina on the city. He was
inspired to lead a humanitarian project five months later to support those
who had relocated from New Orleans to Delaware. As that project influenced
his quest to promote the importance of diversity not only in the workplace
but in the community, he was a speaker at the 2007 New Castle Library Week
event focused on diversity in Delaware.
Aside from publishing, Akinwale—who earned master’s degrees
in business and in human resource management before emigrating to the
U.S.—is an apostle of volunteering. He serves on numerous boards of
not-for-profits and presently is working on a project to encourage
immigrants to give back to the community by volunteering. He has been an
annual Gold Recipient of the U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award since
2004.
Contact Akinwale Ojomo at
editor@ebomag.com.
• Award-winning regional author and storyteller Ed
Okonowicz, owner of Myst and Lace Publishers, Inc., has three new books
available: Annapolis Ghosts: History, Mystery, Legends and Lore; Haunted
Maryland (from Stackpole Books) and Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh: A
Tale of Love, Magic and a Miracle or Two. All three are available
through his Web site, from Amazon.com and from some local and chain
bookstores and area gift shops. See
www.mystandlace.com
for all the latest on Ed's books, book signings and other events. See the
NewsBreak Calendar of Events for a list of Ed’s book signings for the
new Christmas novel.
Ed and three other authors will discuss writing and
publishing for beginning writers at the Authors' Workshop at the Elkton
Branch of the Cecil County (Md.) Library, Wednesday, November 14,
7 – 9 p.m.
Contact Ed Okonowicz at
edo@mystandlace.com.
• On Friday, September 7, editorial cartoonist Rob Tornoe
(also the Web editor for Community Publications in Hockessin) covered the
New Jersey Democratic Party's Annual Conference in Atlantic City. He was
amused to find himself a focus of interest as he sketched Hillary Clinton,
Jon Corzine and other big names in New Jersey's political universe.
View Rob’s sketches from the Dems’ conference on his blog.
Contact Rob Tornoe at
rob@boltcomics.com.
^Top
Focus on Freelancing
Freelance Doesn't Have to Mean Being Paid Late
by Lise Monty
Editor’s note: This is the third article of a 4-part
series on freelancing.
 You
got the assignment and finished your article. Congratulations! But you’re
not done yet. Successful freelancers must keep complete, accurate records!
Any writer who meets a deadline deserves to be paid promptly. It’s worth
noting that if you don't make your editor's deadline, he or she will feel no
obligation to make your deadline on the invoice.
Establish yourself as a person who submits on deadline or even before when
possible. Also, establishing reasonable expectations and communications,
along with building good rapport, understanding and personal relations, are
vital bridge-building between the writer and the editor or publisher so that
one is not considered a "non-entity" who cranks out quality work but doesn't
have any particular needs or boundaries as far as payment limits.
It’s been said that short of refusing future freelance work from a
slow-paying publication, freelancers have little recourse. There are a
number of strategies, however, that help to ensure payment.
Suggestions for getting paid in a timely fashion
-
Research the buyer before committing yourself. Do a
credit check on the publisher or talk with other writers for the
publisher.
-
Again, keep complete, accurate records!
-
Always have a signed contract and know what the terms
are before signing. Make necessary changes to ensure payment that's
acceptable to you.
-
Develop a good relationship with the publication's
editor and get the name of the person who actually issues the checks so
the follow-up can be with the appropriate person.
-
Ask for payment on acceptance, rather than payment on
publication.
-
Invoice the publication either once the article has been
accepted or as soon as the article has been published. Bill
professionally: use a form invoice, not a typed note. Follow up each
month with reminders until payment is made.
-
Develop a business plan. Have a financial cushion. Don’t
appear desperate to be paid.
-
Get enough work going so that you have a steady income
stream and can afford to wait for the others. If not possible, get a
regular backup job.
-
Ask for partial payment part way through the job.
-
Ask for an agreed-upon run date for each piece, with the
understanding that something may bump you by an issue or two. But if the
article has not run within a reasonable amount of time (less time if
it's a daily, more if it's a weekly or monthly), ask for the work back
and offer it to others. Make it clear to the editor that you're offering
it elsewhere because payment is due for the good work you've done.
-
Copyright the article so it doesn't get stolen.
-
Never write on speculation for an unknown client.
-
The best (and highest paying) steady work is corporate
work.
-
Large publications usually pay better and more promptly
than smaller ones.
-
Always ask for a "kill fee" (usually runs about a third
to half of the payment for published work).
-
If someone is consistently late in paying, don't work
for them.
-
Withhold next assignment until current one has been paid
for.
-
As a last resort: beg.
Three years ago freelance writer Lise Monty retired after
ten years as external affairs manager for the Delaware Art Museum. While at
the helm of Delaware Today from 1987 to 1994, she won several
prestigious national awards for the magazine’s “general excellence.” Lise
was the first female Bureau Chief for Fairchild Publications in its Boston
Bureau and worked as Tokyo correspondent for Women’s Wear Daily. She
is the author of Images of Delaware and Wilmington: on the Move,
coffee-table books featuring photographs by Mike Biggs. Lise chaired the
pre- and post-conference tours committee for the NFPW/DPA “Brave New Media
World” conference held in Delaware in 2003 and was named Delaware Press
Association’s 2003 Communicator of Achievement.
Contact Lise Monty at
montyleary@aol.com.
Look for the final article in the Focus on Freelancing
series—on contracts and intellectual property—in the February 2008 NewsBreak.
^Top
Calendar of Events
NOVEMBER
02 Wilmington Art Loop Night, 5:30 – 8 p.m. At 7
p.m., DPA members Jean Hull Herman and Erica Mears will be
featured at the Art Exhibition of the Studio Group and the Diamond State
Branch of the National League of American Pen Women. The exhibition,
celebrating visual artists and authors, is curated by DPA member Maria
Keane (artist and poet) at the Howard Pyle Studio, 1305 Franklin
Street, Wilmington.
03 Delaware Book Festival, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., rain or
shine, in front of Legislative Hall in Dover. Meet more than 35
nationally-recognized authors and illustrators; learn how to write poetry,
create a blog and get published; and discover how to repair and appraise
books. Children can see favorite storybook characters and create fun crafts.
For more information, see the festival Web site:
http://debookfestival.lib.de.us/festival/BookFest2007.htm.
04 Art Exhibition of the Studio Group and the Diamond
State Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, 2:30 p.m. DPA
member Sandra Michel and JoAnn Balingit will be featured at a
collaborative exhibition celebrating visual artists and authors curated by
DPA member Maria Keane (artist and poet) at the Howard Pyle
Studio, 1305 Franklin Street, Wilmington.
07 DPA Board Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Methodist Country
House (Stirling Conference Room), 4830 Kennett Pike, Wilmington.
08 Bob Yearick will sign copies of his novel,
Sawyer, at Lieberman's Bookstore, 45 East Main Street, Newark, from 5:30
to 7 p.m. The book, published by Bay Oak Publishers of Dover, can be ordered
through the Bay Oak Web site
www.bayoakpublishers.com. It is also available on Amazon.com or by
contacting Yearick at
allwriter@comcast.net. The price is $14.95 plus $2 shipping.
08 Sixth Annual Cannes Lions Advertising Festival
Screening, 5:30 p.m., Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin
Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, Pa. Sponsored by the American Association of
Advertising Agencies Philly Council (www.aaaa.org)
and co-presented by USA Today, the 6th annual Cannes Lions Advertising
Festival Screening will bring together hundreds of industry professionals to
view the winning work of the Cannes Advertising Festival and celebrate the
Philadelphia region’s advertising community. The event begins with a
networking cocktail reception, followed by the screening and dessert. For
more information, contact Rachel Summers,
rsummers@stargroup1.com.
10 Art Exhibition of the Studio Group and the Diamond
State Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, 2:30 p.m. DPA
member Clella Murray and Caryl Huffaker will be featured at a
collaborative exhibition celebrating visual artists and authors curated by
DPA member Maria Keane (artist and poet) at the Howard Pyle Studio,
1305 Franklin Street, Wilmington.
10 Second Saturday Poets – Poetry reading by
Hannah McDonald, 5 p.m., Genelle's, 8th & Market streets, Wilmington.
For further information, contact Joe Allen
jopollen@hotmail.com or see the
group’s Web site at
www.2ndsaturdaypoets.com.
14 Authors' Workshop, Elkton Branch of the Cecil
County (Md.) Library, 7 – 9 p.m. DPA member Ed Okonowicz and
three other authors will discuss writing and publishing for beginning
writers. Contact Ed at
edo@mystandlace.com for further information.
14 Philadelphia Advertising & Business Show – ACT, 9
a.m., Holiday Inn, City Line, Philadelphia, Pa. Free. The Philadelphia
Advertising & Business Show is the longest-running advertising and business
show in the Philadelphia region’s history. It’s where buyers come to meet
companies that can provide income-producing ideas, services and supplies. To
attend this marketplace—where buyers meet sellers—contact the Philadelphia
Advertising & Business Show, 484-562-0063 or
adcomtimes@aol.com.
14 Panel Discussion: Database Marketing, Philadelphia
Direct Marketing Association, 11:30 a.m., DoubleTree Hotel, Plymouth
Meeting, Pa. Members $45; Non-Members $60. Join PDMA for a panel of database
marketing experts from various companies. For more information, visit
www.the-pdma.org.
14 PRSA Philly Presents Coach Phil Martelli. 11:30
a.m., Philadelphia Marriott, Philadelphia, Pa. Registration fee: $55 PRSA
Members, $75 Non-members. Guest speaker at this PRSA special luncheon will
be St. Joseph's University basketball coach Phil Martelli who will discuss
his new book, Don't Call Me Coach: A Lesson Plan for Life. Coach
Martelli will be staying afterward for a book signing. You will take away
some valuable lessons that can be applied to your business as well as to
your life. The price of the luncheon includes a copy of the book. For more
information, visit
www.prsa.philly.org.
18 Art Exhibition of the Studio Group and the Diamond
State Branch of the National League of American Pen Women, 2 p.m. DPA
member Lora Englehart will introduce a dramatic presentation
by Evelyn Swensson on the subject of Ethel Pennewill Brown, a favored art
student of illustrator Howard Pyle. This collaborative exhibition,
celebrating visual artists and authors, is curated by DPA member Maria
Keane (artist and poet) at the Howard Pyle Studio, 1305 Franklin Street,
Wilmington.
26 Philadelphia Speakers Series: Christiane Amanpour,
CNN's Chief International Correspondent, 8 p.m., Kimmel Center,
Philadelphia. Sponsored by Widener University and the Kimmel Center. For
further information or to order tickets, see
www.philadelphiaspeakersseries.org/amanpour.htm.
29 The 3rd Annual Bad Hair Sketch Comedy Show (21
years old and over event), Theatre N in Wilmington. This popular comedy
troupe from Philly has been a sell-out for every show sponsored by Gordon
DelGiorno’s Film Brothers Productions over the years. They have new material
for two shows, 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Film Brothers is teaming up with the
Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition and giving them 50% of the advertising
dollars. By pre-purchasing a ticket, you will be invited to an exclusive
pre-party at DBCC (across from Theatre N) at 5:30 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. with
complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Also included is an after-party at
the popular Deep Blue Bar & Grill with complimentary hors d'oeuvres.
Everything for just $20. For tickets to the Bad Hair comedy show, contact
Gordon DelGiorno at
gordon@filmbrothers.com.
DECEMBER
01 Book signings for Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, a
Christmas novel by DPA member Ed Okonowicz, (www.mystandlace.com/events.shtml):
-
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Christmas in Odessa,
Corbit-Calloway Library, Odessa, 302-378-8838.
-
3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Atlantic Books, Dover,
302-734-1699.
-
7 p.m. Borders Bookstore, Newark.
02 Book signings for Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, a
Christmas novel by DPA member Ed Okonowicz, (www.mystandlace.com/events.shtml):
-
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. Pearson's Suburban Flag
Headquarters, 2125 W. Newport Pike (Rt. 4), Stanton, Del., 302-994-4261.
-
2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. Kathy's Corner Shop, North
East, Md., 410-287-2333.
06 Pepperpot and Achievement Awards Banquet –
Philadelphia Public Relations Society of America, 5 p.m., Academy of
Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. Dinner registration fees are $99 for members
and $109 for non-members. Deadline to RSVP is November 15. Registration
information can be found at
www.prsa.philly.org.
07 Book signings for Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, a
Christmas novel by DPA member Ed Okonowicz, (www.mystandlace.com/events.shtml).
7 p.m., Barnes and Noble Booksellers, Bel Air, Md., as a fundraiser for
Friends of the Harford County Library Foundation.
08 DPA Holiday Luncheon. Guest speaker: Tony
Velocci, Editor-in-Chief, Aviation Week & Space Technology. Delaware
National Country Club, 400 Hercules Road, Wilmington. Social hour/book
signings 11:30 a.m. Luncheon, program and presentation of 2008 Communicator
of Achievement 12:30 p.m. Cost: members $25; non-members $30. For more
information, call 302-657-8387. –
Make a Reservation –
08 Ninth Annual John Milton Memorial Celebration of Poets
and Poetry, John Milton & Co. Book Shop, Milton, Del. The Fifth
Annual Dogfish Head Poetry Prize will be awarded for a chapbook written
by a Delmarva poet. For more information, contact DPA member Jamie
Brown, the event’s founder, at
johnmiltonandco@earthlink.net.
08 Second Saturday Poets – Poetry of, by, or for
Children, featuring Beverly Romain, 5 p.m., Genelle's, 8th &
Market streets, Wilmington. For further information, contact Joe Allen
jopollen@hotmail.com or see the group’s Web site at
www.2ndsaturdaypoets.com.
15 Book signings for Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, a
Christmas novel by DPA member Ed Okonowicz, (www.mystandlace.com/events.shtml):
11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Waldenbooks, Dover Mall, Dover.
15 Spring 2008 submission deadline for fiction/art/poetry
of the Delaware Valley. Philadelphia Stories, a non-profit
literary magazine and companion Web site publishes writing and artwork from
Pa.-N.J.-Del. and provides it to the general public free of charge. They are
looking for original fiction, essays, poetry, creative non-fiction, art and
photography from artists who either live in this region or originally were
from the area. For more information, visit
www.philadelphiastories.org.
2008
JANUARY
08 DPA Communications Contest deadline for Books /
Fiction / Verse entries.
15 DPA Communications Contest deadline for all other
entries.
28 Philadelphia Speakers Series: Madeleine Albright,
Former Secretary of State,
8 p.m., The Kimmel Center, Philadelphia.
Sponsored by Widener University and The Kimmel Center. For further
information or to order tickets, see
www.philadelphiaspeakersseries.org/albright.htm.
FEBRUARY
25 Philadelphia Speakers Series: Salman Rushdie, author
of The Satanic Verses,
8 p.m., The Kimmel Center, Philadelphia.
Sponsored by Widener University and The Kimmel Center. For further
information or to order tickets, see
www.philadelphiaspeakersseries.org/rushdie.htm.
MARCH
14–16 Writers at the Beach '08, Atlantic Sands Hotel,
Rehoboth Beach. For details, visit
www.writersatthebeach.com/index.html.
24 Philadelphia Speakers Series: Frank McCourt, Pulitzer
Prize-Winning author of Angela's Ashes, 'Tis, and Teacher Man, 8
p.m., The Kimmel Center, Philadelphia. Sponsored by Widener University and
The Kimmel Center. For further information or to order tickets, see
www.philadelphiaspeakersseries.org/mccourt.htm.
Send information for the Calendar of Events to
news@delawarepressassociation.org.
^Top
NewsBreak is the official newsletter of Delaware Press
Association.
Mary Leah Christmas, Editor
Katherine Ward, Copy editor/Layout
Submit editorial content to:
news@delawarepressassociation.org
Copy deadline for next newsletter: January 5, 2008
Contact Us:
Katherine Ward, Executive Director
Delaware Press Association
email: delawarepress@aol.com
phone: 302-655-2175
web:
www.delawarepressassociation.org
^Top
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