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New women’s magazine debuts
Published 6:00am Saturday, November 8, 2008Nearly everything in Diane Peterson’s life is a passion — football, cheerleading, the Wizard of Oz, fishing lures. And journalism.
As the editor of a new women’s magazine, “In Good Company,” published by The Daily Journal, it’s those passions and more that drive Peterson to work on the quarterly publication about “our neighbors, written by our neighbors.” The magazine, distributed free to residents in Otter Tail and surrounding counties, will be sent out Wednesday. It may also be found in clinics, various health care offices, real estate and insurance offices and banks.
“People will recognize the people in the stories, those taking the pictures, and those writing the stories,” she said. “It’s a good way for people to get to know their neighbors; (being new to the area) I need to get to know my neighbors.”
The partnering of Peterson and The Journal was coincidental — She was moving to Fergus Falls and the publishers had been considering creating a women’s magazine. Essentially, she pitched an idea whose time had arrived.
“We’ve known it was a good idea for a long time,” said Journal General Manager and IGC publisher Joel Myhre. “It’s always been in the back of our minds.”
When Diane’s husband, John, was named the CEO of the Fergus Falls Medical Group — the couple lived in the area in the early to mid-1970s — they made plans to move and that’s when Peterson thought to approach Journal leaders about a women’s magazine.
Her husband also has roots here — his grandparents used to own the resort on Crane Lake, not far from where the couple now lives.
“Coming back here is like coming home for him,” she said.
Peterson, who had lived in the Brainerd lakes area for the past 32 years, had written for a similar publication there over the years and knew how well it was received, and wanted to something similar here, she said.
“My desire was to try and do something that would be enjoyed and meaningful for the people of this area,” Peterson said from her home earlier this week. “I knew how very much it was appreciated and looked forward to (in Brainerd). “I did not expect to be the editor, though.”
It was her exuberance for the project and her familiarity with such a project that made her the perfect choice for the editorship, according to Myhre.
“Diane coming to us is what made it a reality,” he said. “She had the experience, didn’t have other priorities and had a real enthusiasm for it. She brought a fresh perspective. And we just felt like (the magazine) needed a woman’s touch.”
Indeed, though Peterson had experience with a similar project, she was new to the area and knew she needed the knowledge of others to help identify potential stories.
She put together an advisory board of women and tapped into local writing talent to ensure the magazine has a local look and feel.
While she surrounded herself with good people — one crucial element for success — Peterson also brings a wealth of life experiences and passion for many things to the leadership role. She labels nearly everything around her as “a favorite thing.”
She grew up in Clarion, Iowa, population about 3,000 at the time. She paired her love of football with her out-going personality and was a cheerleader for the sport.
With an early love of journalism apparent, she was named editor of her high school literary magazine, “Sketch,” with writing and drawings by and for students, as a junior. She came across a copy of it while unpacking recently. In it, she has an essay about football, from the pigskin’s battered perspective.
She attended Wartburg College, minoring in journalism — she spontaneously stands and performs the school’s fight song during our interview, “Yeah, I was a cheerleader there,” — and planned to teach speech.
While in college, she married her high school sweetheart and because they were broke, went to work.
“We had no money so one of us had to go to work,” she said. “John needed to be the one to continue his schooling.”
But at age 22, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and given a year to live. She was down to 82 pounds by the time it was diagnosed and her doctor, relatively unfamiliar with the illness, didn’t offer her a positive prognosis.
“When you can see the end of your life not very far out, it does change your perspective a great deal,” she said, during one of her more sobering moments. “It makes you want to not only enjoy life, but do something meaningful.”
That meaning has come in numerous ways over the years.
She enjoyed writing and has written for numerous publications, coached cheerleading for 12 in the Brainerd school system and served as the head rules interpreter for the Minnesota State High School League and on the National Rules Board for the sport. She was named National Contributor of the Year by the board.
Her husband served as the administrator of the Crosby Clinic during their time in the Brainerd area.
Peterson is a self-professed lover of antiques and points out favorites as she gives a tour of her Battle Lake home.
Entering the living room, she points out “Bullwinkle,” a monstrous moose head hanging on the only wall in the house big enough to accommodate the mammoth mounting.
She also points out the moose-motif picked up in the furniture and suggests the woodsy-outdoor theme is not really her decorating style.
“Bullwinkle sets the decorating tone,” she said, and punctuated the comment with a hearty laugh. Indeed, throughout the conversation, Peterson will pepper her conversations with contagious laughter.
Downstairs, she mentions another favorite — fishing and collecting fish lures — which are collected and displayed in the lower level bathroom. Also hanging on the wall, a pair of jaws frame a photo of Peterson deep sea fishing.
The story behind the photo goes something like this: Peterson was with her husband who was fishing when all aboard decided she should take the rod.
She quickly snagged a fish and was attempting to reel it in when it got so heavy she didn’t think she could pull it in alone.
“I had hooked a tuna,” she recounted, “which was eaten by a shark. I ended up with just the head of the tuna.”
When the reeling had gotten too heavy was when the shark was hooked on the tuna enjoying an easy lunch.
As the tour of her home continued, Peterson shared all her favorite things, sharing personal stories throughout as a picture or question prompted her memory.
Ending in one of her favorite rooms — her office — she shared her love of all things oz, the Wizard of Oz, that is. She had the script memorized and eventually condensed the entire story into a six-minute performance — she bursts forth with another song, this time the munchkin mayor song welcoming Dorothy to Oz — and laments missing the local performance staged in August.
She has also played a pilgrim — the traditional dress is nothing like what children draw today, she said — and proudly points out she is a certified 13th generation descendant of Edward Fuller, who rode the Mayflower over to the Americas.
With such a wealth of experiences and “favorites,” Peterson, with the help of IGC’s advisory board — “this magazine would not be happening without them, I know that for sure,” Peterson said — and writers, believes she will pack each edition of “In Good Company,” with articles and photos of interest to women and men in the area, but admits it is a monumental undertaking.
“I knew the first issue would require extra time,” she said, crossing her eyes at the mention of the time commitment. “I work on some aspect every day. But it’s interesting, creative and fun; the deadlines are a little stressful, though.”
With the stories written and photos laid in, design became the focus and fell to Deb Erickson, graphic artist at The Journal.
“Deb put in an incredible amount of time and effort to make the magazine colorful, interesting and eyecatching.” Peterson said. “Without Deb, IGC would not have been so creative.”
With all the elements in such good hands, Peterson is confident the magazine will continue to grow.
“I’ve worked on enough projects to know that the first issue won’t look like the fifth issue,” she said. “It will continue to evolve.”
In Good Comapny advisory board:
VJ Block
Rev. Kate Bruns
Megan Jensen
Lynne Olson
Jen Petersen
Sue Rinke
Sandy Thimgan
Lori Thorsen
Cathy Welle
Jill Williamschen
