British Columbia Magazine

Here at British Columbia Magazine, we’re always interested to hear about unusual places where people have spotted our magazine. Readers report from around the globe about copies, sometimes decades old, turning up in their doctor’s office in Australia, a third-world classroom where they are teaching English, and other surprising places.

Janina McLaren, our administrative assistant/photo coordinator, says her grandson recently noticed a copy in a waiting room in Phoenix, Arizona.”Grandma, I saw your magazine,” he proudly exclaimed over the telephone.

On a trip to London, Ontario earlier this summer, I scoped out copies of British Columbia Magazine for sale in a Chapters bookstore. It looked great there on the newsstand alongside Conde Nast Traveler, In Britain, Travel & Leisure, and Cottage Life.

But imagine my surprise at finding one in a cedar-shingled outhouse in the shadow of British Columbia’s Homathko Icefield. I was in Bute Inlet doing story research, and there was our Spring 2006 issue, on the floor right beside the toilet paper–every page intact, I might add.

How about you? Where have you seen British Columbia Magazine? We’d love to hear about your sightings.

Each time a new issue comes out, readers send a flurry of messages to our editorial e-mail box. “Loved the photography!” “What an amazing story!” “I can’t believe you didn’t include my small town on your map!”

Sometimes, we “behind the scenes” editors get to hear from our readers firsthand, as both Jane and I have in the past week. I was visiting my optometrist’s office (not time for bifocals yet, ha-ha!) when Nancy, one of the medical office assistants, waved me up to the front counter.

“Anita, I just wanted to tell you how much I’m enjoying the latest British Columbia Magazine,” Nancy said earnestly. She subscribes and always enjoys the magazine, she said, but the historical photo essay marking British Columbia’s 150th anniversary had really grabbed her.

“When my new issue came, I picked it up just to have a quick look, and an hour-and-a-half later, I was still reading it!” She particularly liked that our essay included stories from the entire 150-year period, from 1858 right up to present day.

Jane, who is visiting family in Toronto this week, found herself seated next to a reader on her outbound flight from Victoria. They introduced themselves and shared what they do, and when Jane told him she is the associate editor at British Columbia Magazine, he exclaimed, ““I just read the most amazing essay in that magazine!” He, too, had been wowed by “Our history in pictures.”

I asked Jane if the man had realized that he was speaking to the very researcher and writer of that article.

“Yes,” she admitted, “I did tell my seatmate, proudly, I might add, that I wrote that feature. He was all excited! I am famous! (In my own mind.)”

Grin! (She’ll choke me for publishing that.)

Positive or negative, we welcome our readers’ comments. And if you would like to share your feedback more formally, I encourage you to join our Reader Panel. Our research department periodically sends out surveys about the magazine, and you can opt to receive these. (No junk mail, ever; we promise.) A new survey will go out this month, so sign up now to take part!