LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-September 2010

by Rebecca Falzano, Managing Editor,  Photography David Murray

I could tell you about all the remarkable content on the pages of this month’s issue—the rich stories behind the stories and the people behind those stories and the stories behind those people—but I’ll let you experience that for yourselves. Instead, I’d like to just leave you this month with a “day-in-the-life” of MH+D, and give you a glimpse of the inner workings of this incredible little engine—an engine powered by the minds and hearts of more than a dozen individuals who make it work, together.
8:30 a.m. Walking into the office, I remember a great quote from my interview with David Moser; make a mental note to mention it on our Facebook page later. At the reception desk, editorial assistant Kate Toye is busy gathering letters from readers which are arriving in droves.
9 a.m. Meeting about Portland Arts Guide led by Editor-in-Chief Susan Grisanti Kelley with our amazingly gifted Art/Production team Erin Flett, Ashley Bond, Kate Gable, and Jessie Lacey. Our summer intern, Justin Franz, is researching content. Susan’s eyes light up whenever art enters the conversation.
9:30 a.m. Melissa Coleman comes in to talk with us about her new column, Bright-Minded Home, which debuts in this issue (page 25). We love how she prefers the term “smart” over “green.”
10 a.m. Photographers Irvin Serrano and Trent Bell call to discuss upcoming deadlines. They are mind readers; their work makes our pages sing.
10:30 a.m. Publisher Kevin Thomas and Susan are talking about the Next Big Thing. “No” is not a word you hear often here.
10:45 a.m. Susan receives a house pitch from an architect and calls me in to swoon over it. She’s practically got one foot in the door of the home before I even leave her office.  
11 a.m. August’s First Friday Art Walk is coming together thanks to Marketing Coordinator Jodi Priest, Office Manager Emily McConnell, and our newest addition, In the Community Manager Clara McConnell. Larger-than-life paintings by Connie Hayes wait in our conference room to be hung, courtesy of Dowling Walsh Gallery.
11:30 a.m. Finalize editorial lineup for October issue with Susan; discuss shot direction and angles with writers and photographers. Photographer Nicole Wolf has some ideas about a shoot involving scrap metal and a warehouse. Writer Debra Spark is on board for two stories despite her schedule as a professor at Colby; she’s a superstar.
12 p.m. Meet with two architects over lunch whose work, and philosophy, leaves an impression. Discussed: next month’s AIA Design Theory column, industrial design, lobster traps, children’s games.
1 p.m. Edit Trend Watch column; fall in love with artist Susan Williams all over again.
1:30 p.m. Eat Maine books arrive hot off the press! Everyone is thrilled, especially Facebook food guru Chris Kast. A flurry of emails about celebrating somewhere ensues. (Of course, we know where to turn to find just the right place.)
2 p.m. Work out this month’s schedule with copy editor Steve Abbott. He and proofreader Amy Chamberlain are our behind-the-scenes, little-touted-but-much-deserved word heroes.
2:15 p.m. Will Bleakley, Maine’s assistant editor, asks to borrow my voice recorder. He’s about to go striper fishing on the Kennebec for a story. (He promises he won’t drop it in the river.)
2:30 p.m. Catch up with Associate Publisher Steve Kelly about the number of beautiful new home stores popping up in the Old Port. Somehow, conversation turns to cupcakes. Our other Sales team members Bob Ferro and Tom Urban are in Bar Harbor with Kevin making their mark downeast.
3 p.m. Close door and write, write, write.
5 p.m. Bus leaves for Boothbay for the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Antiques in the Gardens Gala, one of a slew of events in the community we’re sponsoring. We’re all in our Sunday (Thursday) best and excited about the night ahead. We’ll be at the gala until it ends at 8, but our nights have been known to last much longer when we’re all together…

This isn’t work for us. It’s love. The bus is waiting.