Look, my first Parade cover! It was such a treat to reunite with my former People colleagues, Maggie Murphy and Andy Abrahams, for this cover on Downton Abbey. The whole thing came together so quickly that I barely had time to think. I immediately had to immerse myself in the minutia of the show so I could pull together this obsessive, A to Z look at the world of Downton Abbey. Thanks also to Downton creator Julian Fellowes, who shared all sorts of wonderful behind-the-scenes details, like this one for the “R” category, R.I.P.:

When actors Dan Stevens (Matthew) and Jessica Brown Findlay (Lady Sybil) broke the news that they would not return for a fourth season, “really, the grim reaper was the only option,” says Fellowes, who adds that “it’s easier when the servants leave,” because he can simply have them take another job.

I also wrote several sidebars for the story, including this one on the new characters being introduced this season. This cover story was a lot of work, but it all paid off in the end.