Thanks to Our Readers and Writers...
an online journal of women’s feminist writing. Happy Birthday, QME! A fifth birthday is an
accomplishment for any journal – print or Internet.
The pages at QME have been accessed well over 50,000 times – some articles over 3,000 times apiece -
proving that discerning Web surfers seek thoughtful, personal and academic feminist writing that
speaks to the serious side of their busy lives. I submit, too, that since Yahoo Webhosting occasionally
loses our page statistics, these visitor numbers are probably a lot higher. At any rate, considering that
these pages feature no photos of naked women or over-exposed figures of pop culture, or anything
else that the lowest common denominator of the world population surfs the Net to ogle, QME’s
readership numbers aren’t too bad!
I want to take this opportunity to thank QME’s readers, interviewees, and contributing writers, for the
journal’s continued existence and success. I especially wish to thank those who have contributed
financially. The readers and writers who have given of their hard earned dollars made it possible for
me to continue this endeavor when times have been personally tough.
Over the past five years, I've loved hearing from women who stumbled upon the site and sent emails
of praise and encouragement. Too, I’ve enjoyed hearing from new readers who were referred to the
site by contributors. Of course, I really love it when a QME reader becomes a contributing writer! But
best of all has been the friendships I’ve formed through running this site. Some of these new bonds
were formed with feminist writers whom I’ve published work alongside in other publications, but
never ‘met’ until I began QME. Other relationships are entirely new. I’ve met many wonderful
women writers from around the globe while working on QME – aren’t I the lucky one!
You may have noticed that for reasons of security and privacy, I do not publish personal contact
information for featured writers; however, letters emailed to the site are always welcome and are
forwarded to writers. In addition to connecting readers with writers, I have also assisted editors at
‘competing’ publications to connect with QME writers. I am proud to have become, through this site,
a valued general reference source for writers seeking publication opportunities. I love watching
writers grow both their readership and their career!
There are many paths QME could travel in the coming months and years. My hope is that the
journal will continue in a forward direction. I hope, too, that your trust and support of the Quiet
Mountain Essays journal will continue to deepen and grow. I can’t wait to see what happens next
within these pages, and what new support this 6th year brings for the journal and its writers. So,
please continue to read, write, donate – and, above all, Let Your Voice Be Heard!
Sincerely,
Suzanne Sunshower
QME Administrator
