Hey Mounties,
Today is my last official day as the Publishing Assistant for Ackerly Green.
Writing these words feels more than a little surreal, as the Briarverse has been such a huge part of my world for over two and a half years now.
I still remember so crystal-clearly how nervous I was to come into the office for my second interview, how I’d packed myself a PB&J for lunch that morning and stuck it in my inside jacket pocket, knowing full well that I’d be too nervous to eat it. I hadn’t even gotten all the way down the subway stairs after the interview before CJ’s previous assistant, Devin, called to offer me the job, and I then met my friends straight off the train to celebrate, who were more than a little confused to see me pull a sandwich out of my pocket at happy hour.
[photographic evidence of me, starving, on the phone with my mom to tell her the news]
I never really knew how to explain my job to other people. I mean, sometimes I’d be doing regular office work like answering emails and putting merch orders through, but other days I’d be researching spells and writing magimystic horoscopes and trying to keep up with your lightning-fast puzzle-solving. It’s been a whirlwind in the best sense. I’ve learned so much that I never thought I’d ever need to know, from how to run a Facebook ad, to the best way to structure a compelling story arc, to which candle scent oils just smell like magic.
This knowledge, and this whole experience, has been absolutely invaluable. And the one constant, ever since day one, has been the sense of magic and wonder that you all bring to this world every single day.
When I accepted this position, I had no idea that it was a package deal with a whole community of truly amazing people. It has been such an incredible honor to get to know so many of you in my time here, to share these stories with you and to watch you grow in your studies, your jobs, your hobbies, and just generally as people. I’ve loved getting to see your faces and hear your voices at the community hangouts, and have been so inspired reading your thoughts and hopes and goals here on the forum every day. I’ve gotten some of my best book and recipe recommendations, and some of the best crafting and gardening advice from you all, and I will definitely still be popping in to squeal about my current reads and make you look at pictures of my plants and my almost-finished crochet bucket hat, in case you thought this was the last you were seeing of me.
I felt weirdly conflicted for a long time about calling myself a Mountaineer. Which is not to say that I didn’t feel accepted by you guys, because you all welcomed me with open arms from my very first post. It was more that I sometimes felt like I was above the action instead of immediately a part of it. I knew too much and had seen too far behind the curtain; it wasn’t unlike being the TA for a class, instead of a student.
Now, more than anything, I’m looking forward to embracing the next chapter of my life as a regular old Mountaineer. I’ve got a few behind-the-curtain secrets that I’ll hang onto, of course (and which I’m bound to keep secret by an NDA so don’t even think about it; I’m not as loose-lipped as @CJB), but mostly, I’m just excited to be a part of the magic. I’m excited to get my hands on a copy of The Book of Briars as a reader, excited to follow the many mysteries of the Briar Society, and excited to see where all the stories of the Briarverse—yours and mine included—go from here.
Cheers to the next chapter, Mounties. Thank you for everything—for the love, the laughs, the support, and most of all, for all the magiq. 
s for this. It won’t be the same without you …
