Help select S-R's new advice columnist

It's impossible to replace Ann Landers.

The persona created by Eppie Lederer was such an icon, we certainly won't try. Lederer died on June 22, ending the Ann Landers name.

But now we must select a new column for IN Life's People page, and we'd like your help.

Starting today, and for the next five weeks, we'll run sample columns from a rotating batch of advice columnists. Some of them have been in the business a long time; others are newer writers. All of them share a desire to tackle readers' most intimate problems with solutions both compassionate and wise.

We hope you'll read these samples closely and let us know which you prefer. We'll weigh your choices as we select the column (or columns) that will permanently run in our section.

This week we start with a trio of columns offered by Creators Syndicate, which handled the Ann Landers column. Today's People page will feature the first of that group: A weekly feature called Dear Prudence. It's a straightforward, often irreverent advice column written by Lederer's daughter, Margo Howard. For the last four years the column has appeared online on Slate magazine.

Monday through Friday we'll run a daily column called Annie's Mailbox. It's written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, the team who helped Lederer research and edit the Ann Landers column in recent years.

And the third column, available once a week, will be a "classic" Ann Landers column, a repeat of one of Lederer's original pieces. It will appear Saturday.

In upcoming weeks, we'll run samples of Universal Press Syndicate's Dear Abby column by Jeanne Phillips, daughter of Dear Abby founder Pauline Phillips (who is Lederer's twin sister). We'll sample the Advice Diva from Knight Ridder/Tribune, written by Tara Solomon of Miami Beach, Fla.

Harriette Cole's Sense and Sensitivity column from United Feature Syndicate, and Carolyn Hax's "Tell Me About It" column from the Washington Post Writer's Group will round out our lineup.

Along the way, we hope to hear from you. Read the columns carefully and let us know what you think. You may e-mail features@spokesman.com, write Features Department Advice Column, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210 or leave a voice message at (509) 744-5650.

By Sept. 1, we'll make our selection, with your help.

Copyright 2002 Cowles Publishing Company
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