Gosh — if you're from Macmillan and made it this far into my application and portfolio, welcome to the part that usually isn't on my resume. It's not every day you find a Director of Social and Growth Strategy position at one of the top five publishers in the world. For most, this could be just another job. For me, it's another way to connect the constellations of my map — another opportunity to Cross The Realms, if you will...
If you haven't taken a look through my professional portfolio and resume, please make sure that you do.
Crossing the Realms really starts with my sister's and my love affair with fantasy books. I won't tell you all the details of how this project started — that's what this Substack and podcast episode are for. But what I can tell you is that this project is our love letter to the entire genre through the lens of leadership and learning. It's a project that lets us explore every avenue of fantasy literature together, under the moniker Crossing The Realms. We don't entirely know what it is yet — is it a podcast? A database? A self-directed PhD? A newsletter? It's all of those things and probably something we haven't even thought of yet.
Throughout these pages, you'll find all the ways we're dissecting fantasy through different lenses — including but definitely not limited to, the full origin story of CTR, its branding, a podcast, a tour of a database, a full fantasy literature curriculum, how I used AI to make this all happen...and below these pretty tiles, some notes on being vulnerable sharing this project beyond our small inner circle.
The thing I'm most vulnerable sharing with you on these pages is that no one is really listening to us yet. Our Crossing the Realms metrics are literally nonexistent. Should we post vertical videos on Instagram? Absolutely. Should we record more episodes? Also absolutely. Do I wish I had a TikTok account to show off to you? Um, yep. But this project is about my sister and me going on an adventure together. She's the reason I started it.
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Tolkien wrote that,
"It's a dangerous business, going out your door — you step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to." — J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
We got swept. And we're still going, and I’m sharing this project with you today because it matters a lot to me.
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Macmillan is looking for someone who can authentically connect with readers, authors, and influencers across digital communities — someone who can turn fans into customers by understanding what it means to be a fan. I'm your #BookTok girly. I'm your hobbit who left the Shire. I'm your Manon Blackbeak.
It would be an honor of a lifetime to join this team and continue helping spread the good word of all the authors under the Macmillan name.
Enjoy Crossing The Realms.
Teddi Tostanoski
🎙️Podcast | 👩🏼💻Substack | 📲 Instagram
📧 [email protected] | 🔗 LinkedIn