It’s confession time this morning, as I finish my first cup of coffee.
They used to be on shelves in groceries stores: True Story, True Romance, etc., etc. But, no more. Confessions magazines have gone the way of dinosaurs and World Book.
My mother would never let me read one of those magazines, although they were readily available in stores. They contained stories that weren’t appropriate for young eyes. But because they were taboo, my curiosity grew. Why were they so bad? So, I’d sneak peeks at the intriguing cover pictures and wonder just what terrible deeds people had confessed.
After I grew up and started writing, I looked for markets for my work and, I confess, I considered Confessions. Would they be a possible market? Someone told me there were two “brands”, the nice and the not-so-nice. I decided I’d take a peek at one of the nice ones.
I wasn’t shocked nor did I blush and feel guilty as I read. The stories were just stories.They were a little boring, due to their tendency to ramble. Most of them could have ended about halfway through. But, were they really true? I doubted it.
Lo and behold, they contained more than fiction (excuse me, true stories) heretofore unknown to me, helpful tips for homemakers and articles about babies and raising children. What a surprise! No harm in giving that a try. I sent in an article about books being the best gift for newborn babies. They bought it!
Poems were scattered throughout the magazines and featured on the back. Just for fun, I sent in a couple of poems. They liked them too! Whee! This was great. But, just when I was on a roll, suddenly, they weren’t there. The market closed.
Confession magazines are sort of like soap operas. Maybe readers and viewers, like the confessions and the soaps, are a dying breed. That’s kind of sad.
What stories were contained within the covers of the not-so-nice Confessions Magazines? Alas! I’ll never know.
SO cute! I loved cleaning house for my Grandfather as he was single at the time, and he had those magazines lying around in his dining room. What a great thing for a teenage girl. He may have had the worst of the magazines too, but I don’t recall beyond True Story and True Confessions and something like The National Enquirer!
I’m glad you liked the post, Carol. That was a bonanza to find al those magazines.
Before computers and so many TVs, we read a lot more!
Sorry, Carol, I inadvertently put my reply under “comments” and cannot delete it. Anyway, it should have gone here, under “reply.”
Great story, Blanche. There are still Good Housekeeping, Southern Living, Real Simple, Country Home, and many more! Sounds like a fun project, if you’re inclined.
Right. Good magazines, all. Thanks for writing, Kimberly.
Once in a while I’d glance at one of the magazines while waiting in line at the grocery store, but never bought one! lol
Well, they certainly had some intriguing headlines!