"Pretty Average" by Arini Vlotman

First off, it is absolutely fun to get to meet so many different authors from small publishers. I had the pleasure of chatting with Arini Vlotman on her debut novel Pretty Average from Conquest Publishing and actually learned more about the writing and publishing process than I ever imagined!

Rebecca:  Pretty Average just came off the press.  Tell us what inspired it!

Arini: Writing the story itself was born from my own existential crisis at turning 39 and I can't complain about that! The story itself was based on one thing I adore - a feel good romance that will give you all the 'feels'. There's something about a romance that's comforting because you know what you're getting, but you want to enjoy the journey. I coupled that with what I've seen, heard and felt in my city. All the little roads and tastes and sounds that make Johannesburg made it easy for me to weave the romance and drama between Esha and Kane.

Rebecca:  You give a lot of detailed information about work life in a company.  Did you get your "research" firsthand?  Do you or did you ever work for a company like the one in your novel?

Arini: I've worked in corporate my entire professional life and it's been quite a ride! I haven't worked for a company like Dougal's thankfully, but with my experience of this company is an amalgamation of the absurd bits and pieces of different companies I've come across 

Rebecca:  I like the diversity in your novel. Did you grow up surrounded by this cultural diversity?  Is there also a large Indian community in South Africa?

Absolutely - South Africans are a mix of cultures and while the Indian community is small in comparison to others, there are no barriers or exclusivity in my experience. One minute you can be at a conference, come home and get ready to go to a traditional event.

Rebecca:  "Pretty Average" may be the first South African novel I've ever read, which is one thing that intrigued me. I noticed subtle differences in everyday life, but the plot of a love story fits in any setting.  What sets your novel apart from others in the romance genre?

Arini: I wanted a combination of the familiar and the new. When a reader picks up Pretty Average, they'll find the tropes that have read before but with a bit of twist and flavour and the bonus of being exposed to a different country. I specifically wanted to add a number of sub plots - the espionage/embezzlement angle, found family, etc. and then the openness of Esha figuring herself out. In the end, she 'saves' herself but she falls in love while doing so

Rebecca:  What's next?  Are you planning any other novels?

Arini: I'm hooked on writing! The book community have been incredibly welcoming to Pretty Average and myself. I've planned a series of stand alone romances that are set in the same 'world' as Pretty Average so readers can get a taste of different parts of South Africa from the Big five nature reserves to our beautiful coastal towns. Book 2 is in the publishing process and, I've just started writing book 3. 

During our chat, I asked Arini what she wish she had known ahead of time—immersive point of view when writing in 3rd person. It’s sort of like writing in first person, but you don’t have a narrator. You can really get inside the 3rd person “narrator’s” head. She also absolutely recommends working with small publishers because the process is very personal. Often, writers with big publishers don’t have a say in the changes that get made during the editing process. Arini’s publisher, Conquest Publishing, made sure she was part of the entire process from editing to the cover design. Check out Pretty Average for yourself!