I am honored to introduce you to author Arini Vlotman.

About the Author

Arini is romance fanatic, book worm, book hoarder and writer. Writers are her superheroes; readers are her tribe. She’s a people’s person and a wordy nerd so she can find comfort in almost any space but there is nothing quite like being at home with her husband, son and fur babies.

Living in Johannesburg, South Africa has given her a slightly quirky world view. One of her favourite hobbies is Fangirling musicians, books, movies or obscure characters. When she finds something she loves she delves into that world like Harry Potter diving into the Whomping Willow.

Her debut novel, Pretty Average, comes out in March of 2024 but is available now for preorder!

Pretty Average

When Esha asks for excitement, getting thrown in the deep end of a corporate scandal is not what she meant. Esha More is celebrating her 35th birthday and her quick fix of hair dye and champagne only leaves her with a hangover and more problems. 

Kane Mittal has been called in as a consultant to manage yet another crisis. Kane has enough women making demands, but after Esha tumbles into his life he can’t stop thinking about her. 

On a mission to save Esha’s career and Kane’s family business, together they navigate an inept flock of managers while faced with a mounting deadline, their powerful attraction, and a pandora’s box of secrets. 

Join Esha and Kane in their adventurous meet-cute, a workplace romance filled with laughter, and a hefty dose of intrigue. 

What is the story behind Pretty Average?

After a rather arb existential crisis on my 39 th birthday, the result of which was a furious writing sprint that lasted a month, I decided I was ready to be an author. At the end of that month, I held the beginnings of my first romance novel. The sense of accomplishment I felt was immense because this one thing, this document containing thousands of words, was all mine. I then set a further goal, to publish my book before I turned 40. Well, here I am, gearing up for the release date on 19 March 2024.

What was your journey to publication?

I had honestly read so many horror stories about the query trenches that I didn’t imagine myself getting picked up a publisher. I sent one email to an agent with a synopsis and blurb. Their response was that it would be very hard to sell and market a book by an African writer, with a book that has Indian and other BIPOC characters. The story was good, but I need to gloss over some of the BIPOC related elements. I was flummoxed and politely declined. I’m saying this here because I want people to know that your story won’t be for everyone and that’s OK. A few days later, I stumbled on Conquest Publishing. As soon as I read their views on fostering a community of authors, I was all in. I sent of my submissions package and the rest is history!

Are you a plotter or panster and what is that process like for you?

I am firmly in the Panster category. I’m trying to find a good medium between both but it’s been harder than I expected. I always used to see these memes about how the author has no control of the characters and I did not believe it—until now. There’s this creative space that I go into when writing and anything goes. I am a firm believer in going with my instincts so that creativity is what allows me to write and enjoy it.

What has surprised you the most about writing or publishing?

I honestly didn’t see myself enjoying the editing process but to my surprise, not only did I enjoy it, I was stimulated to write more. Knowing that I was getting better at my craft gave me confidence and I was able to look at the process from a different perspective.

What’s next for you?

I’ve enjoyed writing about this world so much that I’ve started working on two other books, which form part of a three book, standalone series. Each story is driven by women who are discovering themselves in their 30’s—what their life turned out like and what changes they need to make when thrown together with love.

I am romantic through and through, so I see myself always writing romance, it makes me happy and what’s better than being happy?

Where can people find you?

Tiktok, Instagram and Facebook are my main platforms. I thoroughly enjoy engaging with the bookish community. You can find all my links here—Arini Vlotman’s Linktree

There’s this creative space that I go into when writing and anything goes. I am a firm believer in going with my instincts so that creativity is what allows me to write and enjoy it.

Arini Vlotman