Editor's Letter Archives

The Stand Up Desk|

October 18, 2023

Editor’s Letter: Our Food Team

A celebration of beloved neighborhood restaurants—and the many folks who cover food for Texas Monthly.

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Deputy editor Ross McCammon, executive editor Kathy Blackwell, creative director Emily Kimbro and executive editor Jeff Salamon review proofs of the October issue on August 28, 2023.

The Stand Up Desk|

September 13, 2023

Texas Monthly’s New Look

Starting in this issue, you’ll find visual delight from the first page to the last—and a whole new section.

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Senior editor Ben Rowen at Waco Surf in April.

The Stand Up Desk|

July 19, 2023

The Story Behind Senior Editor Ben Rowen’s Unusual Beat: Longboards and Legislators

He’s surfed in Waco, skied in College Station, and braved a karaoke bar where Texas lawmakers serenaded one another.

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Executive editor Michael Hall in Max’s “How To Create A Sex Scandal.”

The Stand Up Desk|

June 21, 2023

Meet Executive Editor Michael Hall: Rock Star, Award-Winning Journalist, and a New Documentary’s Leading Man

Decades of his dogged reporting are receiving well-deserved recognition.

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Megan Creydt at the Love & Death premiere, in Los Angeles, on April 26.

The Stand Up Desk|

May 17, 2023

How Texas Monthly Went Hollywood

Meet our executive producer Megan Creydt, who’s shepherding dozens of the magazine’s stories to the silver screen.

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Executive editor Kathy Blackwell and Texas Monthly’s July 2022 cover.

The Stand Up Desk|

April 12, 2023

Behind the Scenes of Our Lively New Hotel Package

Meet Texas Monthly executive editor (and travel and lifestyle guru) Kathy Blackwell.

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Photo editor Claire Hogan; Texas Monthly’s October 2022 cover.

The Stand Up Desk|

March 15, 2023

The Creative Whiz Behind Our Award-Winning Photography

Meet Texas Monthly’s photo editor, Claire Hogan.

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The Stand Up Desk|

February 15, 2023

Meet the Writer Behind Our March Cover Story

Mimi Swartz’s latest epic is a must-read tale of a decades-long attempt to sabotage Texas’s public schools.

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Letter From The Editor: A Very Texan Story

Texas Icons|

January 17, 2023

The Birth of Texas Monthly Is a Very Texan Story

On the occasion of our fiftieth anniversary, we reflect on how far we’ve come—and where we’re headed.

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Podcast producer Patrick Michels, senior editor Jack Herrera, and multimedia producer Brian Standefer in the Texas Monthly studio.

The Stand Up Desk|

December 14, 2022

The Making of Our New Podcast, ‘White Hats’

Meet the folks behind our latest audio project, which grapples with the complicated legacy of the Texas Rangers.

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Letter-From-Editor-Creative-Director-Emily-Kimbro

The Stand Up Desk|

November 17, 2022

From the Editor: Meet Our Award-Winning Creative Director

Go behind the scenes with the inventive force shaping our photography and design.

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Associate editor Kimya Kavehkar and executive editor Courtney Bond share a basket of crispy beef tacos at De Nada Cantina, in Austin.

The Stand Up Desk|

October 19, 2022

From the Editor: Top Chefs

Meet the editors and writers behind our award-winning food coverage.

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Associate editor Emily McCullar visiting the Barbadilla in Buffalo Gap.

The Stand Up Desk|

September 14, 2022

From the Editor: Writer on the Roam

For Texas Monthly’s latest cover story, our correspondent set out to capture the state’s plenitude of roadside quirks.

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Texas Monthly Archive Digitization Project

Press Room|

September 12, 2022

Explore Texas Monthly’s Five-Decade Longform Archive

We’re on track to have nearly all our longform features online by the end of 2022.

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The Stand Up Desk|

August 17, 2022

From the Editor: “Sparkle Plenty,” Chronicler of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Sarah Hepola’s cover story expertly examines the fifty-year history of the famous NFL cheerleading squad.

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Senior editors Rose Cahalan and Ben Rowen.

The Stand Up Desk|

July 20, 2022

From the Editor: Critters and Californians

Newly named senior editors Rose Cahalan and Ben Rowen elevate our coverage of Texas’s wildlife and wild politics.

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Senior editors Jason Heid and Michael Hardy.

The Stand Up Desk|

June 22, 2022

From the Editor: The Power of the Provisional

Texas Monthly makes it official with senior editors Jason Heid and Michael Hardy.

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Deputy editor for digital Sandi Villarreal; taco editor José R. Ralat.

The Stand Up Desk|

May 18, 2022

From the Editor: Boomerangs and Beards

Texas Monthly welcomes a new deputy editor for digital journalism and celebrates a strong awards showing.

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Senior editor Josh Alvarez, still in spa mode.

The Stand Up Desk|

April 13, 2022

From the Editor: Meat Sweats and Massages

Arts and entertainment editor Josh Alvarez gets into the spirit of the story, no matter what he's working on.

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The Stand Up Desk|

March 16, 2022

From the Editor: A Dan for All Seasons

Senior editor Dan Solomon reports on topics from the wacky to the weighty.

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Anna Walsh, Alicia Maria Meier, Melissa Reese.

The Stand Up Desk|

February 16, 2022

From the Editor: Taking on Fresh Challenges

Three Texas Monthly staffers step into new roles as our storytelling expands.

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Kelli and Bob Phillips of Texas Country Reporter

The Stand Up Desk|

January 20, 2022

Our New Partners in Video Storytelling

Texas Monthly has a deal with HBO and is the new owner of ‘Texas Country Reporter.’

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Emily Kimbro (left) and Victoria Millner at an airfield near Austin, scouting for an issue.

The Stand Up Desk|

December 16, 2021

From the Editor: Saluting Two Creative Natives

Our creative director, Emily Kimbro, and design director, Victoria Millner, keep Texas Monthly looking good.

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The Stand Up Desk|

November 10, 2021

From the Editor: Why So Many (Still) Move Here

Many new Texans quickly come to love what stirs the hearts of the native-born.

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Daniel Vaughn in front of the 22-foot-tall Bridle Bit Bull sculpture, about 10 miles west of Throckmorton.

The Stand Up Desk|

October 18, 2021

From the Editor: Food for the Soul

Barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn enlisted the largest group of tasters ever for this year's Top 50 BBQ list.

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Russell Gold near a field of windmills and pump jacks a little south of Sweetwater.

The Stand Up Desk|

September 15, 2021

From the Editor: An Energetic New Colleague

As Texas Monthly’s new energy editor, Russell Gold will dig deep into one of our state’s most crucial industries.

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Executive editor Michael Hall and contributing writer Casey Gerald.

The Stand Up Desk|

July 21, 2021

From the Editor: Powerful Storytellers

Mike Hall was recently honored for his incisive coverage of the Texas legal system, while Casey Gerald brought a singular voice to our cover story on Fort Worth singer-songwriter Leon Bridges.

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The Stand Up Desk|

June 23, 2021

From the Editor: Team Player

J. K. Nickell, features director for ‘Texas Monthly,’ was instrumental in bringing this month's cover story to life.

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Senior editor Paula Mejía, senior editor Josh Alvarez, and executive editor Courtney Bond.

The Stand Up Desk|

May 19, 2021

Chain Saws and Chicken-fried Steak

Senior editor Paula Mejía, senior editor Josh Alvarez, and executive editor Courtney Bond plan to pursue compelling stories in the coming months.

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The Stand Up Desk|

April 15, 2021

Crisis Manager

Executive editor Kathy Blackwell and her team have chronicled the pandemic's impact on the employees and owners of Texas’s hospitality companies.

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Associate editor Cat Cardenas, TexasMonthly.com’s editorial director Michelle Williams, and senior editor Paula Mejía.

The Stand Up Desk|

March 23, 2021

From the Editor: Neither Snow nor Gloom of Night . . .

In this month’s cover package on the late Tejana singer Selena, we offer readers what we hope will be a welcome change of pace from our disaster coverage.

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The Stand Up Desk|

March 2, 2021

From the Editor: Fans of the Cowdog

Two of our staffers have been ardent Hank the Cowdog fans since they were kids. Now they bring you this month's cover story on the creator of the beloved children's books.

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The Stand Up Desk|

September 16, 2020

From the Editor, October 2020: “Learning to Listen”

How Skip Hollandsworth does it.

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Eric Benson gets ready to smoke a butterflied chicken in his Austin backyard on November 20, 2016; Daniel Vaughn, champagne in hand, scarfs down brisket at Cattleack Barbeque in Dallas, on October 10, 2019.

The Stand Up Desk|

August 19, 2020

From the Editor, September 2020: “Knives Out”

The team behind this month's well-red cover story.

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The Stand Up Desk|

May 20, 2020

From the Editor, June 2020: “Investing in Talent”

We introduce you to Texas Monthly's newest editorial staff members.

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The Stand Up Desk|

April 17, 2020

From the Editor, May 2020: “It’s All Been a Blur”

When we started planning this issue, months ago, we had a fun lineup in mind. Then oil prices crashed and the coronavirus brought much of the state to a standstill.

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