From the publisher, Summer 2008
The blur has finally come into focus.
The blur I’m referring to could otherwise be called our introduction to the world of magazine publishing and editing. Smoky Mountain Living came under new ownership as of March 14, and so our editors, writers, photographers, designers and advertising salespeople have been diligently working to produce this latest edition of the magazine.
For those who have been reading Smoky Mountain Living for years, you’ll find that the fundamental editorial philosophy — to celebrate the culture, heritage, arts and people who make the Smokies a special place — remains unchanged. We’ll continue to use the best writers and most talented photographers. We’ll challenge ourselves to infuse each edition of Smoky Mountain Living with material that is worth the time you take to read it.
We are also introducing new features that we believe will make the magazine even better. One of those will be an original, unpublished work of fiction by some of the most celebrated writers of the region. This issue it’s Ron Rash, a novelist and poet and the Parris Distinguished Professor in Appalachian Cultural Studies at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee. Rash’s work has in the past been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. This year he was a finalist for the Pen/Faulkner Award. His contribution, “Lincolnites,” starts on page 70.
Also, check out the list of new Departments in the first few pages of this issue. With each new magazine we’ll send writers out into the region to pull together stories about festivals, artists, music, crafters, books, the outdoors, mountain restaurants and cuisine, places to stay and much more. These shorter stories will be more timely than the longer features, and our goal is to provide you with ideas for ways to spend your time, places to go and things to see.
Smoky Mountain Living already enjoys an outstanding reputation. Started by Wade and Beth Reece in 2001, it has a wide readership and a successful focus on Appalachian heritage and culture. That mission will remain a mainstay of Smoky Mountain Living, but it’s one we’ll expand upon and one to which we’ll bring new energy.
There are magazines galore that focus on the Smoky Mountains region, but with this publication we will aspire to share a variety of voices and perspectives that make Southern Appalachia a thriving place to live and visit. We are aiming high, and we won’t settle for anything less than being a passionate voice for those who believe — as we do — that Appalachian culture is unique, dynamic and valuable.
Scott McLeod
Editor/Publisher