I can finally post a blog about what’s been going on – and coming up at Everton’s. I’ve been waiting for 3 months to do this… It’s been a long three months.
At some point a few months ago (I have no idea of the date), I’ve been told that Everton’s had a loan called, effectively taking most of the money in the bank account. 
On February 17, I got a phone call from my boss and was informed that there was no money – so I could no longer be paid. I was effectively laid-off as of that moment. I was asked to keep my mouth shut, as the company was being put up for sale – and they didn’t want me interjecting myself into the process. Out of respect for everyone involved, I did so (and it’s hard for me to stay quiet.) (grin)
I’ve now been told that verbal agreements have been made to sell the Genealogical Helper, Handybook for Genealogists, and other assets of the Everton operation. Final paperwork has not been signed, but should be within a few days.
I’m pleased to also be able to inform my readers that I have been asked to again direct the publication of the magazine, which will be taking a change in direction – one that I think my readers will be happy with. We have verbal and rather broad agreements only at this moment. Again, I expect all this to be settled shortly – and I plan to immediately go about getting out the next issue of the Helper.
Great news! Glad to hear everything if finally coming to a close.
Thanks, Leland.
I wish you all the best with EGH. Or will it be just GH?
Dear Leland,
I’m so happy that you’ll be on the magazine again. I loved it when you were on it. Good luck, Joan
Congratulations, Leland! You and magazines like GH. You will infuse with knowledge and your unique personality whatever genealogical publication you direct in a very good way! What a wunderbar combination. Virginia Beach Genealogical Society is proud to have you as our 2010 conference speaker 20 March 2010.
Oh I am so glad it will continue. I began on my family history in 1980. As a young mother, at first it was a must at the library to grab the latest Genealogy Helper. I ran many ads and made many family connections back then. Family thought I was weird when what I wanted for Christmas was a subscription to the helper. My first Handybook was a birthday present.
Thanks for being there for the last 29 years and glad to look forward to many more.
Betty
No one does it better than Leland — I know, I’ve been working for him, on and off, for the past 25 years. – bill$hide
I have been a subscriber for several years off an on.
I hope the new changes will be successful to the Helpher and that this will be the last of the financial challenges.
Very relieved that Leland will continue at the helm!
Leland and Patty
Great news!! You have made the Helper a better magazine in the time you were the Editor.
I am so glad to see you back.
Leland,
Congratulations!! I am looking forward to your upcoming issue.
If you can make the new GH look anything like the old Heritage Quest, I’ll be one happy family history researcher!
Hello Leland & Patty,
This is such wonderful news! Many members of our genealogy society subscribe to Everton’s Genealogical Helper and we were just asking each other if it was time to renew. I have enjoyed the magazine for many years. Thanks for all the hard work and the staying power!
Wonder what will happen to those of us who had subscriptions?
Leland,
Was the March/April 2009 issue of Genealogical Helper ever mailed out? I never received a copy of it and I am now wondering whether it’s due to the fact that GH is apparently changing hands?
No notice to subcribers that the magazine would discontinue and no refund yes they are great yea right.
Congratulations Leland. It was good to see you again in Raleigh. I hope to work with you in the future.
Reba
I’ve been wondering what’s been going on since the “quarterly” issue is late. What good news for Leland! I’ve been a faithful reader of his through both of his magazines and I’m thrilled to know that both he and the Helper are still in business! I’m eagerly looking forward to the next issue. Anything Leland directs is an excellent publication!
I have been and on again off again subscriber since the magazine was a wee thin little thing. One thing that really annoyed me was my personal (yes I am living)informattion was put in by someone and to even access it I had to pay to do so. I hope there is some sort of balance regarding fees. Currently I am an online subscriber. I hope to continue as one. I wish you the very best in what has to be both a rewarding and frustrating business.
Wunnerful news!!! It was truly said above: nobody does it better than Leland!!! Along with Bill Dollarhide, I’ve known and worked with Leland for 25 years and what he does is tops. We all look forward to great, new, wonderful, exciting and timely things happening with the new Helper. Donna
I will agree Leland is GREAT as a researcher and wonderful talks. However the client service, lets just say is not at the top of the list. Hence should be since we do pay for a service and then get limited results “at best”.
This is good news since I just ordered a two year subscription. I’m still awaiting the first issue’s arrival.
Lelnad must be pretty bad when you delete all but the positive on your blog
I’ve been slammed by lots of negative comments this morning – on the blog – as well as by email. I just thank God that no one has seen fit to call on the phone and yell at me today. I really don’t know how to handle all this, as it’s out of my control. I can’t make anything happen on my own here. I had absolutely no control over the business side of Everton’s. I was their editor – and that was it. I did what I was asked to do, and I believe I did a fairly decent job of it. Now that there’s GOOD NEWS – and I can talk about it just a bit, it seems to have upset my readers. Oh, well.
Hi Leland and Patty:
Sounds like things may turn around for you personally and for the magazine. Both are positive moves especially in this ecconomy.
Remember you’re “just” the editor. Keep your head held high, let the negative “stuff” slide off your face and keep on smiling!!!
MIC
Leland –
How awful that you’re being “slammed” about all of this. You’re the editor and a FABULOUS one at that. Everyone should be pleased that the magazine will continue with you in charge of content – it will be a great magazine again in whatever form it takes. You had nothing to do with whatever the business issues were and I, for one, am thrilled that you will be the editor!
All the best to you – and keep your head up high where it belongs.
Leland, keep up the good work! I certainly hope you will keep Bill Dollarhide’s, “Net Family History” and Richard Hooverson “Musing and Gleanings”, which is always so entertaining and informative.
Congratulations, Leland! No one deserves a “good thing” more than you and your lovely wife Patty. “Helper” is such a great magazine… I can’t imagine it without you at the helm. Looking forward to the 2009 Salt Lake Christmas Tour with you and your terrific team.
Leland,
Will those of us with substantial time remaining on our GH subscriptions have our subscriptions honored and extended out by the new owner/publisher? What’s the story on when the next issue of GH will be distributed? Can customers cancel their subscriptions and obtain a refund?
It’s nice that GH appears to be saved by a new owner. It’s unfortunate, however, that customers have been left completely in the dark about the product that they’ve purchased.
Thank you Leland. I stand in awe of you and your staff. Glad to know the GH is going to live with your hand to guide it again. I love that magazine. It has been such a great help to me in finding family and trying new ideas. I look forward to everything smoothing out for everyone.
Steve,
These are the same questions that I have. And since none of these things have been so much as mentioned to me thus far, I have no answers. Keep in mind that I haven’t worked for the company in 3 months, and my conversations with the potential new owners have been limited to less than an hour. But I’m hopeful that all your questions will be answered in a positive fashion.
Thanks for the response, Leland. It’s appreciated.
Leland
Good to hear that the Helper will be up and running with you at the helm. Missed it.
I am a subscriber and had been wondering what was going on with the Genealogical Helper. The bad economy affects everyone sooner or later. I do hope things work out and the Helper can continue – I’ve really been missing it! This is good news if you will still be editing in it’s new form whatever it takes. Thanks for the great job you’ve done with the Helper in the past, Leland.
Leland, glad things will work out for you & Patty! See you a Jamboree! You’re the best!
Leland,
I’ve been with you since you were editor of Heritage Quest Magazine. I’ve had the pleasure of having you and your lovely wife Patty and your son here in my town (and in my home) on two occasions during your “road trips.” I am so sorry you’ve had to endure this “bumpy road” because of our sick economy. It’s much worse when you have no control over what is happening to you. You are the best and I’m so glad that you will be the editor/publisher of the Helper when things are straightened out. Please take care and God Bless!!
Hi Leland. I’m sorry you are getting the brunt of everybody’s anxiety about GH. All of a sudden issues have not arrived and we’ve heard nothing. We just want to know what has happened to our subscriptions, will they be extended, will we be given refunds, etc. You were the first person to say anything and thus the person who got all the flack. Sorry this has happened. I am so glad you are going to be back with the magazine.
Again, thanks to you, Leland, for answering my e-mail this morning and directing me to this blog. I am off for the summer and was going through the old stuff and happened upon your newsletter. At least you were a name I knew!
Thanks for the honesty, the respect and the decency you and your wife have — it shows and it will be rewarded. I know how frustrating this financial stuff can be; as I told you, I was billed for products in April and still haven’t received them. But this blog helps to ease the anger and the frustration I have been feeling for the last eight weeks.
(Too bad Everton’s ever had to move from Nibley…. Nothing but heartache for all concerned since then.)
Leland, thanks for the quick reply. Now things make sense. It would have been better if they had left a better message on their subscription phone line. But that is behind us.
I’m happy you have been asked to stay with the magazine. You have always done a magnificant job as managing editor. I always look forward to each issue. I hope you will keep all of us subscribers informed on your blog as to where the magazine goes so we can follow.
If it reorganizes under new ownership and keeps the magazine, will our current subscriptions be honored?
Harry – you asked about whether subscriptions would be honored… I’m sure they will – but honestly I’m beginning to get nervous… I was assured all was well and coming together – by the prospective buyer – but I’ve heard nothing for a month. Since I’m no longer an Everton employee, I guess no one owes me any assurances and explanations, but just to be left hanging as I am at the moment is rather disconcerting. My first loyalty is to the subscribers and I want to do what’s best for them. However, I’ve got to be hired by someone for that to happen… We will see…
I guess it is useless to ask since you seem to be left in the dark too, but is there anything new with the new magazine?
I’m told to expect a phone call today… Maybe I’ll have something to report… Here’s hoping. 🙂
Hi, Leland –
We’re all just as anxious as you are to see Helper in print again!!! Is there anything new since yesterday? I’m really looking forward to reading your work again – you’re the best!
Nothing new yet, other than I’ve been told that negotiations are now in process with the City of Logan. It seems that ownership is convoluted, and there are a number of parties involved… I’m back to holding my breath. 🙂
Thanks for the update, Leland. Do you have the telephone number for Walter Fuller? It’s a bit ridiculous that subscribers to GH have heard nothing from the publisher concerning the status of their subscription.
Walt Fuller no longer works for Everton’s either… As I understand it, there’s really no one there to contact the subscribers. However, I got a phone call yesterday from a representative for the prospective buyer, and he tells me that the purchase is moving ahead. I may be back to work in just a few days. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, but things are looking up.
Dear LKM,
It would be really good news if the Genealogy Helper were restarted and if you were at its helm, or wherever they install editors/managers. Since you are the big name in genealogy in this country (name recognition counts) with lots of connections, I can’t see how the new owners could expect to succeed with out you.
Maybe a name change is in the offing. Something like “Leland’s Genealogy Helper” or “Meitzler Magazine” would be good. I would even like “Heritage Quest.”
Tom
Leland;
My hopes and prayers are that you get the magazine up and running very soon.
Best wisher to you ,Patti and Dale.
Brverly
Leland,
I was very surprised to open my email this morning and find a message there from Everton’s advising me that my subscription to Genealogical Helper is about to expire! Apparently someone forgot to turn off the automatic email messages when they turned the lights out the last time. I do hope that publishing can get under way again soon as I really miss the Helper! I also hope that the new owners (if that happens) will make good on our remaining issues due us on our subscriptions.
Diane
Diane – Yes, you’re the second person to comment on an automated renewal notice going out. I’m praying the purchase of the company wraps up quickly.
Leland; Our prayers are with you. When one door closes on you another one opens. Good luck.
I’m a little frustrated since I saw my subsciption expiring and renewed it. I just today stumbled across this site today and now wondering if I paid for another years subscription and the money was wasted?