November 2, 2002
Got a big check in from Kable for July issue. Very sweet. And with the increase in newsstand copies starting with the Jan. issue, we should be in great shape for 2003.

Quiet in office. Ted and Stacy out. Waited all day for Jan. proofs to arrive from Kansas City but they didn’t show (printer once again used Fed Ex and they didn’t arrive).

Came home for lunch, had spaghetti. Went back into office at one, worked hard on In The Works (our Westerns section) copy. Many new Westerns in production (at least 7 movies and a half dozen tv shows). Got most of the info from Miles Swarthout. Thanks Miles!

Got an email from Mare Rosenbaum. Our former editor is in Brazil and it was nice to catch up on her life. She says she reads these entries, so Mare, here’s an update on items I know you are dying to know: the Jennifer Tilly issue did not do as well as we had hoped. In spite of the Leno hit, sales for that issue were below all the other collector’s editions. I know, I know, it’s mind-boggling. The cover was sexy, with the alleged Mrs. Wyatt Earp semi-nude image, we got Jennifer on Leno showing the cover to the camera but it did not translate into newsstand sales. On the other hand, the Scout issue is the biggest selling non-collector’s edition ever (500 mores sales than Tilly). I think the image was strong (a classic buckskin clad scout on a horse with a rifle) and it didn’t hurt that John Wayne was down in the corner. On the other hand, we are sold out of the Tilly issue in the office and we get calls almost every day asking for it. Go figure.

Sue H. completed the stats on the latest reader’s poll today and there are some interesting trends. Median age is 48, only 17% own horses, but 73% go to rodeos, 82% own a folding knife, 59% own a shotgun, 63% of our readers also read Wild West, 30% Cowboys & Indians, 28% American Cowboy, 22% Western Horseman. The most popular features in TW are Classic Gunfights-94% readership, Ask The Marshall-87% and the least read department is fashion (ranked dead last at #15). We think it was a mistake to put the word “fashion” in the poll because it is somewhat perjorative (especially to our readers), and perhaps “authentic western wear” would have polled somewhat better. Still, you’ve got to listen to the readers. Or not. Ha.


"There are lies, damn lies and then there are statistics."
—Mark Twain