Writer ~ Editor ~ Choreographer of Words
For 12 years, Blythe Thimsen was the Editor-in-Chief of Spokane Coeur d’Alene Living, the premier glossy regional lifestyle magazine for Spokane, Washington, and she is also the author of Spokane's Stories: 28 Stories of the People, Places and Events That Shaped Spokane (released November 2014).
As the Editor-in-Chief of Spokane Coeur d'Alene Living, Blythe was responsible for seeing each issue of the publication from the beginning concept to the printed product. Her responsibilities include planning the content of each issue, personally writing five to six feature stories and several smaller pieces per issue, assigning additional stories to a staff of writers, managing freelance writers and story pitches, planning the editorial budget and editing the entire publication. Additionally, she coordinated and attended photo shoots, and worked with the art department to select quality photos and create layouts that were aesthetically pleasing.
As the sole editor for the publication, her ability to manage her time and work efficiently on several tasks at once helped her to successfully plan, produce and edit a 200-plus-page magazine every four weeks without a team of support editors, which are found at most publications.
In her time as Editor at Spokane Coeur d’Alene Living, the magazine grew from a 108-page, staple-bound publication to an over 200-page perfect-bound publication with increased production frequency and ad revenue. An understanding of the industry and a passion for the job made Blythe a skilled and effective writer and editor. What counts most in a publication is vibrant writing and flawless editing by committed and talented employees. She was able to deliver both of these.
Through her work at Spokane Coeur d'Alene Living, Blythe developed a knowledge of, and interest in, Spokane's history. Spokane's Stories: 28 Stories of the People, Places and Events That Have Shaped Spokane, is Blythe's first published book, and takes readers back to the early days of Spokane, to learn about the incredible stories tucked into its past. With stories of bold steps, daring defeats, life altering tragedies and divinely appointed blessings, Spokane is a town that has seen it all. Add to it a hearty dose of zesty personalities, strong characters and determined individuals, and it is easy to get lost in the rich and riveting history of Spokane. This town has a story to tell; it has many stories to tell. These are Spokane’s Stories.