 Letter From the Editor It's May 31, 2003, 7:30 p.m. Frankly, I'm exhausted. I really just want to go to sleep but there are some people I have to thank first. First, Deborah (Deb) Simpson, of Deb's Boot-ique, my Art Editor. Deb taught me how to build websites. She created the HM logo and worked diligently to make the visuals of this magazine look outstanding. Believe me, if anything looks less than perfect, it's MY fault, not hers! Deb also spent many, many late nights Yahoo!® Instant Messenging with me to offer advice, encouragement, support and the occasional kick in the butt I needed! She solved many of my web-building dilemmas, as well as taking the initiative in creating logos, patterns, and many other aspects of this magazine that will appear in future editions. Even better, Deb is my good friend - they don't come better than her! Thanks Deb! Next is Maggie Labouisse. I'm still not sure exactly who Maggie is. But, I can tell you this; she is a force to be reckoned with! When I put up a sneak peek of the HM Table of Contents, Maggie, whom I did not know, immediately wrote to point out a typo. Seizing the opportunity, I asked her to be my Copy Editor! I belatedly realized that not only did I not know Maggie, I didn't even know if she was qualified to edit! Within hours, my fears were allayed as Maggie cranked out page after page of revisions, finding every single mistake I had made. Qualified? She is brilliant! She's blunt. She pulls no punches. The writing in this magazine has been significantly improved by her work! I'm not going to call it "hard" work because for Maggie, I think, it's a breeze! She dropped into my lap from out of the blue and I'll be damned if I'll let her get away! If Maggie weren't so much like me, I think I'd be scared of her! Tracy Weston and LeeAnn Bernard graciously allowed me to use their Esme, Sydney and Coco Wentworth Stories; filling my Entertainment section with tons of laughs! Whether they want to or not, I'm going to make sure they keep updating these fun-filled doll dilemmas! They sure know how to make our "girls" come to life! Next, I want to thank all of the people who trusted me to "tell their stories." I came away from these interviews enriched both by the people I met and by the friendships I was lucky enough to make! I tried really hard to "bring them to life" because each one is unique and wonderful in his/her own way. They all have very vibrant and entertaining personalities. I hope my articles convey this. Finally, to the many people who encouraged me to create this magazine: many expressed verbal support; many others implied their support by signing up on my mailing list. Thanks to all of you - I hope I have created something special that won't let you down. With that, I'm going to bed now! Lisa A. Lawrence |