Magazines Archives - Linda Jenkins

OUT NOW: Traveling and Learning

May 23, 2016

My latest article, Plan a STEM Spring Break: Head to the Tri-Cities for science and fun, is out now in March/April issue of 425 Magazine and the April/May issue of South Sound Magazine.

MCBONES Dig Site, Tri-Cities, Washington. © Linda Jenkins.

MCBONES Dig Site, Kennewick, Washington. © Linda Jenkins.

I’ve generally been lucky when I travel with my family. I think the many choices we have for destinations in the beautiful Pacific Northwest have a lot to do with that. There’s nothing so disheartening for travel-loving moms as groans and foot-dragging during a lovingly planned family getaway that just falls flat.

With that in mind, I was looking for a trip to engage my science-loving twins. I hear a lot about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) as a focus for school-age kids, and I wondered if I could find an interesting destination for an experiential travel piece.

We had a great time exploring and learning together, and I got to flex my scene and dialogue muscles a bit, too. Most of all, this was a personal story, one that I described to my editor as a love letter to my babies. That’s the real reason I write about family travel, no matter where we go.

Check it out now.

OUT NOW: Romance and Weddings

February 7, 2016

My latest article, 2016 Northwest Wedding Trends, is out now in the January/February issue of 425 Magazine and the February/March issue of South Sound Magazine.

2016 Northwest Wedding Trends in 425 Magazine. The photo in the magazine is by Jon Anderson.

As a writer, I’m drawn to wedding stories for lots of reasons. Nowadays it can seem like a very brave thing to surrender to a belief in lasting romance. The contrast of new and old ideas is a hallmark of modern wedding stories. I’m also fascinated by rituals and tradition, and beautiful things catch my eye as much as anyone. Weddings are a show of creativity, individuality, and of course, love. Here in the Northwest, our natural beauty often has a starring role.

I’ve been married a while, which makes it fun to cover weddings and see what’s new and fresh out there. There is a skill to gathering up and telling a story from someone else’s viewpoint, with mostly their needs in mind. As always, I was thinking of my own experiences when I was writing, but here I was picturing the reader most of all.

Check it out now.

#AmReading: This week’s highlights in books and magazines

August 20, 2015

As a freelance writer, I love nearing the end of the month because the new magazines come out. September in the world of magazines is a big month, with big issues and lots of fresh content and ideas.

I’m also studying the book world. I’m focused on learning the industry, getting better at my craft, reading and learning from the best and most talented writers in the Northwest and beyond.

These are my #amreading highlights this week:

Portland Monthly Magazine, September issue. Portland means food in the travel writing world and I’m loving Portland Monthly‘s new food issue. My friends in #PDX have so much fun eating out, celebrating the success of small food and drink businesses in the capitol of weird, fun food.

The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac: A Novel by Sharma Shields. Sometimes you read something and you want to quit writing because you may never be that good. This book is like that. It’s by a Spokane, Washington, writer, and I’m having so much fun suspending my disbelief, being scared, disturbed, and laughing.

The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master by Martha Alderson. This book has great tips about getting organized to write your best story, finding the key elements of a plot, and getting motivated to get to work writing. The writer’s “Universal Story” is something that I’ve always believed in, too.

What are you reading this week? Leave a comment and let us know.