"Pretty Bossy" by Arini Vlotman

Today features my first repeat author! I interviewed Arini Vlotman last year about her debut novel, Pretty Average, set in South Africa, and today she’s back! This one continues the pattern of a South African setting and the “pretty” series name.

Rebecca: I always ask first what gave you the idea for your novel.-

Arini: In Pretty Bossy the only thing I knew for certain was the growth ARC Zarna, our main character was going to go through and the story weaved around her. The setting was inspired by a holiday I'd taken with my family in a mountain range, surrounded by nature and animals and the rest was history.

Rebecca:  Also, how did you come up with a celebrity fighter as the love interest?

Arini: That's a first for me! In this story Zarna is strong, she's not one to be messed with. But a few bad experiences and years off negative reinforcement made her doubt herself. Having a physically strong love interest in the form of Mayan, who had to win her over and help her realise that her strength wasn't a weakness was ironic and fitting. Then my husband switched on an MMA match and Mayan was born.

Rebecca: I especially liked the first meeting between the two main characters. Zarna gets her hair stuck in a suitcase in her hotel, and Mayan hears it and rushes in thinking she's being attacked. It set the tone for the chemistry between the two. (And is hilarious). Any other tips for making characters believable?

Arini: Everyone has an embarrassing moment, or set by doubt or low self-esteem at some point in their lives. The trick is find relatable themes which are intrinsically rooted in reality, and give them a fun, dramatic or absurd twist.

Rebecca: You definitely succeeded here! I'm still delighted by the fact that this is set in South Africa with its diverse cast. I see so few novels available in the US by South African authors.  Please tell me your next novel will be set here too and have several characters with Indian heritage.  (Hints for your next novel?)

Arini: I love this question because I'm so very proud of country and heritage. I've written a Christmas romance novella, Pretty Unexpected which is set here and I'm definitely going to following that theme. I'm seeing my home through new eyes and thoroughly enjoying it

Rebecca:  Your cover has the same style as your first novel, Pretty Average.  Did you have any input on that?

Arini: Absolutely. When Conquest asked me for my ideas on the cover I was over the moon. I'm not a visual person but I knew that theme of the South African setting in the series would run throughout all the books. My cover designer took my hodge-podge of descriptions and created the beautiful covers. We tweaked until we had every element and colour just right and she didn't give up on me lol until I was happy.

Rebecca: What was your favorite scene to write?

Arini: The hot air balloon scene. I had written an entirely different ending, without the third act breakup but I wasn't satisfied. If I wasn't satisfied, my readers wouldn't be either. And then a memory of a sea of hot air balloons floating above (which I allude to in the Dear Readers dedication), came to mind, and the scene was born. I wrote the last few chapters in a day and once I wrote the The End, this time I knew it was final.

Rebecca: Check it out, readers!