We’re hearing senior writer Joey Bartolomeo has left Us Weekly, where she penned many a major cover story, for competitor People.

Bartolomeo was one of editor Janice Min’s favorites, and also co-authored, with Mara Reinstein, 2005’s horrific guidebook Brad & Jen: The Rise and Fall of Hollywood’s Golden Couple, which was thrown together in five days. And read like it.

Her departure is, inarguably, a major loss for Us, especially when she’s one of few people who can convincingly shape the discussion about a tragedy like California’s wild fires into a sob story about the privileged celebrity set who might lose their mansions.