Sometimes, all it takes is a spark to help you see things in a new way.

Last month, I had several. First, I had the opportunity to work with amazing young journalists at Hatch, a four-day creative festival in downtown Asheville. Not only did they write, film, Tweet and take pictures, but they also interviewed panelists and bigshots—sometimes in the drink line. Props to Davin Eldridge, a 24-year-old journalism groundbreaker and reporter for the Macon County News, who pulled out a notepad and interviewed Hatch’s founder, Yarrow Kraner, while they waited for drinks at a networking party.

Then, the sparks flew at Hatch itself, where I was delighted to talk with fellow journalists from Asheville and around the country—including Tim Windsor of the AOL news project Patch.com; Jeff Chu, an editor at Fast Company; Jody Evans, the new Executive Director of WCQS; and Kim Ruehl, a staffer at the website of one of my favorite magazines, No Depression.

I got involved with Hatch a few years ago when a friend pulled me in, and, though it can be a lot of work (Hatch is run almost exclusively by volunteers), it’s been a highlight of my Asheville experience. I’m always struck by what it brings to Asheville, which is nothing short of electricity—a rare excitement and new energy for all sorts of creative endeavors. (In such a creative town, that’s something.) I’ve made many friends through Hatch and connected others on Hatch projects. Read more at hatchexperience.com and see journalism groundbreaker Timothy Meinch’s photographs on page 14.

Finally, the sparks fly every time I work on an issue of VERVE, and this issue marks our third anniversary. When we published our first issue, in May 2008, I never could have imagined how much work and time such a magazine would call for. Nor did I know then how much I would enjoy putting out every single issue. Creating VERVE is a defining aspect of my Asheville life, and I’m grateful to everyone who contributes and offers their help and support.

Happy reading,

Jess McCuan

jess@vervemag.com