Nancy Parker Brummett A Letters member, she is the author of four books published by Cook Communications: Simply the Savior, It Takes a Home, The Journey of Elisa, and Reconcilable Differences: Two Friends Debate God's Roles for Women, written with Alice Scott-Ferguson of the Pikes Peak Branch.  Their book was released in September 2006.  A former newspaper columnist, Nancy also writes an online newsletter, articles for several websites and publications, and greeting cards and other product copy for social expression companies.  Nancy frequently speaks to community organizations and church groups.  She also volunteers for Family Life Services, a residential facility for single mothers and their children.  Click here for her website.

Wendy Burt at 36, Wendy's credentials span more than 1,000 published pieces, including work in NewYorkTimes.com, The Writer, Family Circle, American Fitness, Home Cooking, Byline and MSNBC.com.  She teaches "Breaking Into Freelance Writing" and is the author of Oh, Solo Mia! The Hip Chick's Guide to Fun for One (McGraw-Hill, April 2001) and Work It, Girl! 101 Tips for the Hip Working Chick (McGraw-Hill, June 2003).  A full-time freelance writer and editor, Wendy's typical week includes editing several magazines, writing greeting cards, copy writing ads and writing articles.  She shares www.BurtCreations.com with her father, Steve Burt, an award-winning author.

Laurie Wagner Buyer  When she is not hiking in the high country or on the road presenting workshops, poet, novelist, essayist and memoirist Laurie Wagner Buyer lives in Woodland Park, Colorado.  The recipient of a Colorado Council on the Arts Literature Artist Fellowship, Laurie has worked with CCA as an artist in residence, with the Young Audiences Program, the Aesthetic Education Institute of Colorado, the Online Poetry Project and Writers on the Net.  Laurie has an MFA in Writing from Goddard College and is the award-winning author of three collections of poetry, Glass-eyed Paint in the Rain, Red Colt Canyon and Across the High Divide, which won the Spur Award in Poetry from Western Writers of America in 2007. Her first novel, Side Canyons, was published by Five Star/Thomson-Gale. Laurie won the Beryl Markham Prize for Creative Non-fiction from Story Line Press for Spring’s Edge, a memoir now scheduled for release in 2008 from the University of New Mexico Press.  Laurie’s freelance articles and photographs have appeared in dozens of periodicals, journals, reviews, and anthologies.  She also devotes many hours to her business Creative Adventure:  A Guide Service for Writers.  www.lauriewagnerbuyer.com

Virginia Franklin Campbell has been an Independent Music Teacher for 48 years, and is a Music and Letters member of The National League of American Pen Women.  Some of her publications are Make a Memory: Recitals Worth Remembering and Alfred’s Piano 101, Exercises and Applications for Kawai Digital Pianos and Ensemble Pianos.  Among her orchestrations for Keyboard Orchestra are Zum, Gali, Gali; Goldberg Variations: Number 3, Number 10 and Number 27 by Johann Sebastian Bach; and  Prelude: Ave Maria by Johann Sebastian Bach.  She has written an original solo for soprano and bass: Seasons of Life, and a musical setting of a poem by Anne DiBella, past National President, Dynamic, Time-Tested, We Survive, for and about Pen Women.  She has conducted piano pedagogy workshops, lectures, clinics and master classes in many states and in Germany.  She was President of the Pikes Peak Branch, 2000-2002, Fourth National Vice President 2002-2004, First National Vice President 2004-2005.

Pamela Cosel  is a freelance writer and event planner, who juggles words, projects and parties through her company, Carousel Communications.  She has a B.A. degree in Communication from Regis University and is a 2005 graduate of the CLASServices, Inc., Christian writers and speakers program.  Her work in the newspaper field includes stints in advertising sales beginning in 1977, which led to later work on the editorial side for daily and weekly newspapers as a staff reporter, editor and special sections stringer.  She has worked for non-profit organizations and city governments as a community relations director, marketing/sales director, and tourism manager, including United Way and the international event, World Youth Day ’93, held at the calling of Pope John Paul II.  Pam was a regular columnist for the online magazine, Sisters in the Lord, writing feature stories about women and their ministries called “Highlighting Their Service.”  She has been published in regional and national magazines, including “Outreach,” a publication targeted at pastors.

Kate Curry I grew up in the little town of Gardner, KS where I was editor of the high school newspaper, which was printed in the Gardner News.  I intended to be a reporter, but life took me in a different direction.  I spent fourteen years as Director of Food Service at Union Hospital, Terre Haute, Indiana before joining the original faculty in Dietetics and Nutrition at Florida International University, Miami, Florida.  While, there I published over 30 academic research articles, and two text books on Nutrition Counseling.  Upon retirement I came to live in Colorado Springs where my early dreams of writing are coming to fruition.  I publish in the Fence Post, and am submitting articles and stories to other venues.

Joyce Gregor  weaves her love of people, experiences, and faith into her writings.  Her poems have been published in several magazines and anthologies.  She lives in Westcliffe, Colorado with her husband Ben who is an amateur photographer and often captures her words through his photography.  Joyce holds a membership in the Pikes Peak National League of American Pen Women.  A listing of major publications: POETRY: Messenger of St. Anthony United Methodist Reporter, Colorado Mile High Anthologies, Anthology of Central Colorado Writers; Blind Man’s Rainbow, An Anthology, Hard Ground III, Writing the Rockies, Talking River, A Literary Publication.  ARTICLES: Teddy Bear Review Messenger of St. Anthony. SHORT STORY: Reflections Literary Journal.

Eve Guy Born in New York, grew up in the South.  Retired military officer.  Writes Southern short stories, novels and poetry.  Graduate of The Atlanta College Of Art, Atlanta, Georgia; Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia; and Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL.  Major: photography, art, sociology.  Major awards/recognitions ART: Winner: MARTA (Metro Atlanta Regional Transit) competition, ART IN THE PARK.   Winner: Jacksonville State University competition, first place photography.  Finalist: Huntsville, AL Museum Of Fine Art, photography division.  In 1992, her photos provided final input to legislators in Washington, DC to enact The Little River Canyon, AL, area as a wild and scenic river. Letters: Ozark Writers Conf: 2d place Flash Fiction.  Finalist, Black Mt. Center For The Arts.  Interests: photography, art, reading, music, travel.  Member: NLAPW, Pikes Peak Branch.  The Fine Arts Center, Colorado Springs.

Diane Hoover was born in NYC across from Yankee Stadium, which might explain her great love for the Yankees.  Grew up in the Washington DC metropolitan area, which certainly explains her great interest in politics.  Has spent the last 35 years living near the foot of Pikes Peak, which definitely has helped inspire her writing.  So far she has published several short stories and an occasional nonfiction piece, as well as placed in a number of contests.  But it’s her Haiku for which she is known—at least among a small set of friends and relatives.

Betty Howard is an active Letters member of Pen Women.  She has been a published reviewer in the Colorado Springs Independent and the Bloomsbury Review, a feature writer for The Colorado Springs Business Journal and The Springs Magazine, as well as The Star, El Paso County Sheriff’s newspaper.  She facilitates the Kerygma Writing Group, (associated with First United Methodist Church) is a member of the Eagle Rock Writing Group (UCCS) and Pen Woman Writing Group.  And she is the Coordinator of the “Shakespeare on a Sunday Afternoon” group.  She is also the admiration society for her daughter, son-in-law and six grandkids.  Currently she is working on a collection of short stories and is an avid designer knitter.

Jan Keller As a professional writer, over the past thirty years Jan Keller has worked in a variety of positions. She began her writing career on the staff of Ranchland News, a weekly newspaper in Simla, a small community on the eastern Colorado prairie. During her tenure with Ranchland News she wrote news stores, was a regular featured columnist, and served as the publication's advertising manager. At the encouragement of her readers, Jan published two books, Pieces From My Crazy Quilt and The Tie That Binds, both of which contain 25 of the most beloved of the more than 600 columns she wrote for Ranchland News. From the small town weekly newspaper, Jan moved on to work at a Colorado Springs design firm and then as marketing copywriter for a large direct to consumer corporation. All of Jan's various positions have provided the background and experience necessary for her to purchase and successfully publish The Country Register of Colorado, a bi-monthly publication distributed through advertisers and subscriptions. Jan became publisher of the Colorado paper in April, 2003 and in July of 2004 also began publishing The Country Register of New Mexico. "These publications are a delight for me to work on," says Jan. "Each edition features regional full-color art on the cover, usually by a woman artist who resides in Colorado or New Mexico. A spectrum of articles on a wide variety of topics of particular interest to women are also included, along with poetry and recipes."

Beverly Lewis was born in Pennsylvania Amish country and was both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician before becoming an award-winning, New York Times best-selling author of over 75 books of fiction for children, teens, and adults. With more than ten million copies of her novels in print, Lewis spends her free time touring and speaking. She and her family live in Colorado Springs.  Discover more about Lewis at: www.beverlylewis.com.

Joan Cameron Mitchell was born and educated in Glasgow, Scotland. She taught elementary school in Scotland, Montreal, Canada, Chicago and Colorado Springs, where she met and married her husband John. She became a military wife all over the world and became and patron of the arts. She continued to study painting and is now a professional artist specializing in portraiture. The couple's last assignment was Berlin, where Major General Mitchell was commander of US forces, just prior to the fall of the Wall. Joan kept a diary during their four years assignment and is now writing her Berlin Memoirs for publication. She has spoken at diverse conferences on art and "Life after Retirement", since the couple retired in Colorado Springs.

Denise Pomeraning I am a dog lover who was born and brought up in Chicago and moved to Colorado Springs in 1977, and would like to mention the Colorado Springs climate is better than that of my home town.  For eighteen years I was woman’s editor of the Park Ridge ADVOCATE and managing editor of the Niles SPECTATOR, Chicago suburban weekly newspapers.  For eight years I was a feature writer, community news columnist and reviewer of children’s books for the Colorado Springs SUN daily newspaper.  I am author of two chapter books for children, The Great Dog Disaster (Willowisp Press) and Operation Melody out of Augsburg Fortress. Stories and articles for adults and children have been published in many magazines and newspapers.  Along with being a Pen Woman, I’m a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and one of the founders and present member of the Park Ridge, Illinois Historical Society.

Arvilla L. Rogers is a Colorado native who grew up in Creede and attended college in Denver. She began painting while in the Philippines during her husband's military duty at Clark Air Force Base. She attended art classes in Iran, Massachusetts, Alabama, and Colorado Springs. She paints in oil and watercolor and also does pressed flower pictures. She has shown work in juried shows, won awards and sold paintings throughout the United States.

Lois E. Stewart has been a Letters member since 1983.  Offices and positions: Secretary for Colorado State Association NLAPW, 1986-1988; Chaplain for Colorado State Association NLAPW, 1988-1990; Piles Peak Branch Recording Secretary and Branch President, 1998-2000.  Works Published: Look for the Rainbow, a book of original poetry and inspirational thoughts (1984), now in its third printing; a song "I Found the Rainbow" published in l984; numerous greeting card verses published by Current and Leanin' Tree; numerous work-related guides, articles and handbooks for The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.  Recognitions/Awards: Sterling Silver Hershey Kiss for Outstanding Public Relations from the National NLAPW; nominated for Colorado’s Poet Laureate in 1997. Awarded the Grand Cross of  Color by the Supreme Assembly of the International Order of Rainbow for Girls, which has used and is still using Look for the Rainbow and I Found the Rainbow as a fundraiser internationally. Memberships: NLAPW; National Art Society; American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers; Fremont Center for the Arts, Canon City, Colorado; Pueblo Chapter #7 Order of the Eastern Star; First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Canon City, Colorado.  Interests/hobbies: calligraphy with artwork; taught calligraphy at the Pueblo Community College (Canon City Branch); displayed/sold original calligraphy plaques under the business name of Stellar Creations.

Cassandra Quinn Thomas is currently second vice president and membership chair of the Pikes Peak Branch of NLAPW, 2006-2008.  She is from a family of Coloradoans who homesteaded on the eastern plains in 1900.  She was editor of the Lever newspaper in high school as well as columnist for the Gazette Telegraph.  Cassandra initiated, named, designed logo, wrote all articles and photographed events for the corporate TRW Transmitter Company Newsletter as well as working as a technical writer-editor.  Her poetry has appeared in:  Riverrun Literary Journal, Wish Women-A Poetry Forum for Women and ByLine Magazine.  Her writing awards include honorable mention in the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest, and the NLAPW Flash Fiction Contest.  Recognition awards are the Colorado Scholars Award, El Pomar Scholarship and the Golden Key Honor Society.  Her professional associations are with Poetry West and Women Writing the West.  Charter member of Women in the Arts.  Outside of writing, her interests lie in reading, watercolor, calligraphy and film.

Marylin (Shepherd) Warner is a writer, editor and writing teacher. She has B.A. and M.A. degrees in English and communications, and was a high school English and creative writing teacher for 30 years. She has published fiction, creative non-fiction, essays and plays in numerous national magazines and anthologies including St. Anthony Messenger, Byline, Woman's World, Aim, Reminisce, The Writer, and The Phoenix. Her writing awards include "Best Short Story By a Published Writer" from Lamplighters Intl., "Best New Children's Story" by Highlights, and contest awards in mystery and horror writing. She created and judges the annual Flash Fiction contest for the Pikes Peak Branch, NLAPW, and she does private editing and teaches workshops and weekly fiction writing groups for adult writers.

Last modified: Monday August 18, 2008