What's Hot What's New

The good, the bad and the ugly. You'll find them all here. Each week you'll get my take on the intriguing, and sometimes peculiar, titles to recently hit the newsstand.

This week's What's Hot What's Not focuses on spin-off publications. It seems every publication is releasing a special issue attempting to capitalize on the success of established publications. Up first is U.S. News & World Report: Secret Societies.

U.S. News & World Report: Secret Societies Cover Price: $7.99 www.usnews.com/special If you are a fan of the Da Vinci Code, or if you just love uncovering mysteries, then you might want to pick-up a copy of Secret Societies, a special collector's edition of U.S. News & World Report. Secret Societies is attempting to capitalize on the success of recent books on mysterious organizations and their secret rituals. This publication is more of a history lesson on ancient societies and provides little new information. It has a niche and works as a one-time spin-off magazine. Articles on Masons, Scientology, and Mormons (are they really a secret society) provide potential consumers with enough content to satisfy their need for mystery.

Taste of Home: Kid Friendly Cooking and Crafts Cover Price: $5.99 www.tasteofhome.com Kid Friendly Cooking and Crafts is a special from the editors of Taste of Home and features 101 recipes for kids. This magazines niche is that not only does it provide recipes for kids but it also has recipes that kids can create themselves. The editors at Taste of Home did an excellent job of creating content that appeals to homemakers, who are always looking for ways to entertain and bond with their children. Everything from party ideas, after school snacks, and craft projects are covered in this publication, and the recipes are broken down by the seasons of the year. While this magazine would have difficulty establishing itself as a monthly or bi-monthly, it works extremely well as a spin-off special.

Trail Rider: Your Complete Trail-Breed Guide Cover Price: $4.99 www.trailridermagazine.com Your Complete Trail-Breed Guide is a special publication from the editors of Trail Rider Magazine. To say this publication has a niche would be an understatement. Your Complete Trail-Breed Guide qualifies as a specialized niche. This magazine provides information on 41 of the best trail riding horses from around the world and also details what type of trail each horse is best suited for. Your Complete Trail-Breed Guide is a bonus issue for the subscribers of Trail Rider. The content in this magazine builds off of the information provided in Trail Rider, which is why it works so well, even if it is only for subscribers.