Writer Spotlight Interview - Brittany Roshelle

Brittany Roshelle

Today, Brittany Roshelle is here to step into the spotlight. Brittany, welcome!!!

Brittany is a freelance writer from Colorado. Her articles on fashion, beauty, and style can be found in various women’s magazines, including BettyConfidential. She's also a food critic for The Coloradoan (yum), and writes social and health psychology articles on family, relationships, and the mind & body.

 On Brittany's blog, TheWrite Stuff, you'll find author and journalist interviews, plus giveaways. Great insight into the publishing world over there. Plus, her website is super-cool, too. A must see.

But of course Brittany also writes novel length stories, so on to the interview.

What manuscript would you like to tell us about today?

THE POPULAR GIRLS is a contemporary young-adult novel with a word count of 65,000.  It’s a phoenix tale of teenage wreckage and rebirth.

Follow the link to her website to read more about her YA.

Can you give us a three to four sentence pitch?

Everything Lily knew about the world she grew-up in has changed. Her parents have seemingly moved on and left Lily stranded in the past clutching old family albums. The next day, Lily discovers an old crush from the fifth grade, who had treated her like a princess, has turned up at her high school. The only thing she wants is someone who knows her. But Lily’s plans to talk to Nate are foiled when the most popular girl in school, Farrah, sits in his lap. Lily, a nerd to the core, can’t possibly compete with Farrah. Or can she?

We've all been there. Nice, Brittany.

Would you care to share the opening line or paragraph (up to 250 words)?

You know he’s not showing up, my brain chimed in. But my heart refused to hear it. I looked idly over at the busy waiters and laughing families littering the restaurant at lunchtime. I obsessively checked my cell one last time. It’s only 12:45. Fifteen minutes late isn’t that bad, right? No. He probably got stuck in traffic. That’s it. I scratched my wrist, hoping in some way it would distract me from the fact that I was staring at two empty plates, two pristine water glasses, and was the only one in the restaurant sitting alone.

Every few months I would get an email, like the one I got two weeks ago saying how sorry he was and how busy he had been. That we should meet for lunch. I tried not to think of the fact that he had done this very routine six times before. No contact. One email with “meet me” in the subject line and a time. No show. Each time I forgave him too. Thinking this was it. He had been busy. He wanted to see me. I yearned to see him as much as I hated that. But the fact that he took the time to write and send me an email always hit me. I mean, at least he hadn’t completely forgotten he has a daughter? That says something. I wasn’t invisible to him.

AW,  poor Lily. I want to read on.

How would your main character describe you? If you entered into a scene in your manuscript, how would you be introduced, how would the MC perceive you? (Give us a scene of 250 words or less : )

She entered the café like she owned the place. Manicured nails, sleek high heels, and hair so flat I could practically smell the iron. I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. She’s supposed to help me? Who on earth puts that much time into their looks? Not I said the skinny blonde cow.

LOL, good one.

What is your least and most favorite word? Use each in a sentence, writing in the voice of one of your characters from any of your manuscripts.

Favorite word? I think that may be one of the hardest questions to answer as a writer. A certain word can make the sentence feel right. So it really all depends for me, but if I had to pick…I’d say brownies. Wait, am I doing this exercise right? Maybe I can combine my favorite food and favorite word as in, “Lily’s senses were overwhelmed by the delectable aroma of her grandma’s brownies.”

Leave it to a food critique to pick food : ) Must go make brownies now. Yum.

My least favorite word is decaffeinated…maybe I should change my favorite word to coffee?!

LOL. Also my least favorite word, but one my doctor is making me use lately, grr.

What else are you working on while you wait?

I’m working on a new manuscript! It’s a women’s fiction novel about a woman who takes a few hard blows in her working and romantic life and decides to take on a whole new life. It’s very much like Sophie Kinsella except with a giant emotional punch to it.

I run a blog, The Write Stuff in which I interview authors and journalists for their tips into the publishing world and I host weekly book giveaways. I also write freelance articles for fashion, food, and healthy living. My minds always whirring!

Whirring in many different genres, too!! Good for you.

I see it’s an adult novel, why the switch? Did the story prompt it or was it a conscious decision? Do you find yourself writing things in a different way with your adult ms?

In order to write thousands and thousands of words, you really have to love the story your working on. I found a quote by Jennifer Weiner she said, “Tell the story that’s been growing in your heart…the characters you can’t keep out of your mind, the tale that speaks to you, that pops into your head during your daily commute, that wakes you up in the morning.”

Great quote!! So true!!

I find that’s very true for me. I tend to perceive people extremely well, like my older brother, I inherited this ability to see right through some people. It’s their stories I feel I have to tell. With my first novel, it involved young girls desperately seeking attention and validation from our society and the men, or I should say boys, in their lives even if it’s in a way they regret later. For my new novel, it’s the same. I feel compelled to tell the story. I have them in my mind and it’s almost like a detective trying to give a voice to someone who really needs one. 

I like that. Writer detective. Cool.

I am finding myself writing differently with this one. I’m definitely putting more humor and deep embarrassment into it as well as a lot of lies out of my main character, which only add to the funny.

Sounds great!! Good luck!!

What book have you read in the past six months that’s inspired you and why?

I am Number Four. You know it’s a good book when they can create a fake reality and you fall for it. It reminds me that fiction has no boundaries.

I enjoyed this book, too.

Any random fun-facts you’d like to share about yourself?

Let’s see….I can’t start my morning without a white mocha latte--an expensive habit to keep.

My father paid me a dollar for every story I wrote as a child. Isn’t that sweet? The funny thing is I can’t remember that, I only remember loving to write. I wrote imaginary tales that I thought my new puppy could go on while I was away at school.

I can never have too many purses or fabulous shoes. I have three sisters and we all share the same love for bags and heels. In fact, I once went rock climbing in high heels. What can I say? I was smitten in love with my future husband whom I had my eyes on…not the pain coming from my feet! In my defense, I thought we were going to a nice restaurant, not a hike. J

LOL, too funny.

Brittany, thanks again for sharing your works and yourself with us today. Best of luck finding the perfect home for THE POPULAR GIRLS. 

Be sure to check out Brittany's ultra-cool website here, and her blog, too!!!