Valerie Fraser Luesse Senior Travel EditorValerie Fraser Luesse has been associated with Southern Living and its affiliates since 1988 or, as she puts it, "I predate voicemail." After a decade in corporate communications, she moved to Southern Living Editorial as creative development director in 2001 and was later a senior writer in the travel department. Valerie left the magazine to freelance for a while (Valerie hated freelancing) and returned in 2016. Since then, she has had many adventures in storytelling, online and on the road.The Alabama native lives in Birmingham and writes novels on the side, including Under the Bayou Moon, The Key to Everything, Almost Home, and Missing Isaac. 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.