Susan Hall Mahon Susan Hall Mahon got her start in journalism as a garden department intern at Southern Living in 2003, and has been passionate about researching, writing, and editing gardening, food, home, health, and travel stories ever since. Prior to going freelance, Susan was the editorial director at Allrecipes.com, the executive editor at MyRecipes.com and CoastalLiving.com, and the associate editor at Health magazine. Susan's writing has appeared in these titles as well as Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles and Flower magazine. Susan graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in journalism. Susan has written and edited hundreds of articles, galleries, and social posts in her nearly 20 years as a lifestyle journalist. She has interviewed culinary, nutrition, gardening, health, interior design, and travel experts to inform her stories. About Southern Living Southern Living, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, celebrates the food, homes, places, and culture of the South. We reach 7.2 million readers a month. Our content is written by experienced journalists and fact checked for accuracy. Learn more about us and our editorial guidelines.