The Amateurs’ Digest Archive
“When you fall in love with succulents … one plant is never enough!” — Marina Welham, Editor
First, The Amateurs' Digest, and now The Cactophile Network:  "The Hobbyist's First Choice".
“The Amateurs’ Digest … what I liked about it was that it had a very ‘down to earth’ ethos ...” — Anthony Murphy, UK

Proof that Marina was both Owner and Editor of The Amateurs’ Digest

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In the opening paragraph of an op-ed on “editorial freedom” published in THE C&SSA EDITORS’ EXCHANGE Dedicated To Enhancing The Production And Role Of
Newsletters In Cactus And Succulent Societies, Vol. 1, No. 2, May, 1992, Co-editors W. McMaster Clarke, 3947 Harrison Pike West, Cleveland, TN 37311 and William J. Felts, 2305 NW 111th, Oklahoma City, OK, 73120 had this to say:

Excerpt:

“EDITORIAL FREEDOM

I was recently on the distinctly minority side of a spirited discussion of editorial freedom.  Someone said it was part of freedom of the press and I agreed.  On consideration, I was wrong.  Freedom of the press is the right to report news free from outside control.  Editorial freedom involves the extent of internal control.  Every news organ — newspaper, news magazine, radio, TV, even newsletters such as you and I edit — has both an owner and an editor.  Occasionally these are the same person (Marina Welham of the Amateurs Digest comes to mind).  Generally, they are not.  Your owner is the club in whose name you edit a newsletter.  Like it or not, your owner has the power to control what you, the editor, can put in “your” newsletter.”

William J. Felts (1924-2009)
William J. Felts (1924-2009)

This proves that it was well known that Marina was the real “sole proprietor” of her business.

What is the THE C&SSA EDITORS’ EXCHANGE?

The EDITORS’ EXCHANGE was a project and publication of The Cactus & Succulent Society of America (C&SSA). http://cactusandsucculentsociety.org/
The C&SSA describes itself in a single line in the header of its web site:

“Founded in 1929, The Cactus and Succulent Society of America is an international community dedicated to advancing the appreciation, knowledge, research, and conservation of cacti and succulents.”

It is thanks to the C&SSA that most digital issues of Marina’s Amateurs’ Digest (digital from 2008 onward) have been recovered and made available to read for free on this website that you are currently visiting.

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