From the managing editor, June 2017

One of the best parts of being the managing editor of Smoky Mountain Living is hearing from readers.

We spent some time on the road in the first part of this year connecting with you. We visited a tourism conference in north Georgia, a literary festival in east Tennessee and a quilt festival in Western North Carolina to name a few.

Everyone is always appreciative of the rich storytelling we offer about the Smoky Mountains. 

I got a message from a reader in northeast Ohio that perfectly sums up what we try to do with every issue of Smoky Mountain Living. She is from Johnson City, Tennessee, but has lived in Cuyahoga Falls, near Akron, for 34 years. She was in a bookstore when she came across Smoky Mountain Living in the travel section.

“Just really love your magazine. It tickled me to death,” she said. “It was like going back home.”

Going back home. That’s exactly what we try to do with each edition.

The talented writers, photographers, illustrators and designers at Smoky Mountain Living strive to bring you to the mountains with world-class storytelling.

If you’ve picked us up off the rack, thank you for your purchase. We hope you enjoy it. We encourage you to subscribe and allow us to deliver the stories of the mountains to your doorstep.

If you are already a subscriber, thank you. We encourage you to tell your friends and family about us. Give us a call at 866.452.2251 or subscribe online at smliv.com.

Smoky Mountain Living is not a corporate-owned magazine. We’re run by a small family business based in downtown Waynesville, North Carolina.

Our writers are freelancers spread across four states who have a passion for telling the stories of the Smokies. 

Many of the images in each issue are donated by photographers who simply love taking pictures of the mountains and sharing them with our readers.

Your subscription makes it possible for us to tell the story of the people, places and culture of the Smokies. It makes it possible for us to offer photographers and writers a national audience for their work.

You won’t be disappointed with this issue. From a keepsake cover on the once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse to a wonderful piece about the history of picnicking in the Smokies and a fun read on the 100th anniversary of the MoonPie, we’ve got plenty of stories to tell.

You’ll also notice a new layout this time. We’ve added a department called Good Reads for greater focus on book reviews, mountain lore and original fiction.

We’ve also renamed another department Outposts. Here, you’ll find our popular photo essay, a festival guide and a standing travel feature on a town in the Smokies called In the Neighborhood.  It’s a window on some great hometowns that would love to see you as a visitor. 

We’re expanding our coverage of the unique people and places of the Smokies with new department spotlights: Farm Life profiles agritourism and family farm ventures, In Good Taste showcases the craft beverage scene, Listen Here shares the musical traditions of the region and Arts celebrates our rich cultural landscape.

We’re adding to Smoky Mountain Living to make sure we bring you home. We hope you enjoy the stories and we thank you for your support.

— Jon Ostendorff, managing editor