Our professional writing team takes every assignment to heart and strives to uncover untold stories. Do you have a story that needs telling? Let us know!
Richelle Putnam
Managing Editor/Writer
Richelle Putnam received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing Management from Western Governors University. She is a Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC) Teaching Artist/Roster Artist (Literary), a Mississippi Humanities Speaker, and a 2014 and 2020 MAC Literary Arts Fellowship recipient. Her YA biography, The Inspiring Life of Eudora Welty, received the 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards Silver Medal. Her non-fiction books include Lauderdale County, Mississippi; a Brief History, Legendary Locals of Meridian, Mississippi and Mississippi and the Great Depression, which received the Bronze Award – Regional Category – 2017 Foreword INDIE Book Awards. She writes for many publications. Visit her website.
Susan Marquez
Writer
Susan Marquez is a freelance writer based in Madison, Mississippi and a Mississippi Arts Commission Roster Artist. After a 20+ year career in advertising and marketing, she began a professional writing career in 2001. Since that time, she has written over 2000 articles which have been published in magazines, newspapers, business journals, trade publications. “I love to learn to meet new people and learn about interesting places and things, so I love this writing life of mine!” She is a member of several writing organizations and attends writing workshops throughout the South.
Kara M. Bachman
Writer
Kara Martinez Bachman is an author, book and magazine editor, entertainment journalist, and former news reporter. Her music and culture reporting has appeared in over 80 magazines and newspapers and she’s interviewed many performers over the years, from emerging musicians to A-List celebrities. She’s a native of New Orleans and lives just outside the city in St. Tammany Parish.
Stephen Pitalo
Writer
Stephen Pitalo has been an entertainment journalist for more than 30 years, having interviewed everyone from Joey Ramone to Bill Plympton to John Landis. He is the world’s leading authority on the The Golden Age of Music Video (1976-1993), mining inside stories from interviews 70+ music video directors and countless artists of the pre-internet music era. You can check out his blog GoldenAgeOfMusicVideo.com.
Shelby C. Berry
Writer
Shelby C. Berry found her passion in journalism and design at The University of West Alabama where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. While at UWA, she served as the Advisor for the Media Committee for the American Marketing Association, UWA Ambassador, and Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society member. Shelby was a writer and photographer for the school newspaper and a field reporter for the school newscast, covering events like Board of Trustee meetings across the state. One of her proudest accomplishments was placing first in the competition for Best Multimedia Journalist at the Southeastern Journalism Conference. She also has her own lifestyle photography business, Shelby Campbell Photography, in Foley, Alabama.
Emerald Butler
Writer
Emerald graduated from Middle Tennessee University in May of 2018 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Business. During her time at MTSU, Emerald interned at Nashville based roots label, Compass Records. She has worked with legends like Bob Kingsley, Bobby Osborne, and Alison Brown. Emerald released her heartfelt single “Kansas” and joined Chattanooga Country super group Queenston at the first of 2020.
Candace Nelson
Writer
Candace Nelson is a marketing professional living in Charleston, West Virginia. She is the author of the book “The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll.” In her free time, Nelson travels and blogs about Appalachian food culture at CandaceLately.com. Find her on Twitter at @Candace07