Nowhere is it written, that if you blog, you cannot be creative in other forms of writing. Sara Bartlett, pro-blogger from Bombshell Beauty is not the type of person to be boxed into one creative outlet. This month she released her first book of fiction from the Bombshell Blogroll series which will have a total of three books.
Who is Sara Bartlett
Besides sharing her fashion tips and tricks on her five year old blog, Sara is a popular TV personality on Twin Cities Live (a local ABC-5 daytime talk show ) where she gives valuable advice to viewers during her beauty segment.
What’s the Bombshell Blogroll About
In a nutshell, Bombshell Blogroll is a novella that follows plus size fashion blogger Elizabeth Weston and a few of her blogger friends as they transverse the world of the plus size clothing industry via a blogger’s conference. She expects to learn more about fashion but ends up learning more about herself; while making new friends (and an enemy) and finding unexpected love.
My Interview with Sara Bartlett
Moe: How long did it take you to write Bombshell Blogroll?
Sara: It took me about two months to sketch out the story, and then another five weeks to write and edit each novella in the series.
Moe: How much of each of the three main bloggers are in you: Elizabeth, Samantha, Anna?
Sara: I see a little bit of myself in each of the characters — even the less likeable one, Martha. I share Elizabeth’s desire to be relatable to the plus size women who follow her blog; Samantha’s bluntness (to a lesser extent!); Anna’s kindness; Dee Dee’s need to be herself, completely; and Martha’s insecurity.
Moe: I cannot help but feel that the retailer in the book, Plus Style, might be Lane Bryant?
Sara: You are right — Plus Style is inspired by Lane Bryant. I had my first big break as a blogger thanks to Lane Bryant, by being included in their first blogger conference. It is where I gained a lot of insight into the plus size retail world — and into developing relationships with other bloggers. Although, like a lot of plus size women, I have had an up-and-down relationship with Lane Bryant’s clothes — I have a lot of respect for what the people behind the brand are trying to do.
Moe: Elizabeth’s love interest, Josh, is he based on someone in your love life?
Sara: Josh is based on my husband, Dan. The emotions that Josh elicits in Elizabeth, my husband brings out in me: butterflies, confidence, and security. After reading Bombshell Blogroll, Dan commented that he was not sure if he was more Josh or Matt. I assured him that he will always be the inspiration for the good guy in my stories.
Moe: Will you write another fiction series?
Sara: I will. My next story will likely be another 3-novella series based on a trip I took to Guatemala to work on behalf of a non-profit organization. It will be a romance story, too.
Moe: You have been blogging for over five years, tell us three things you have learned about blogging that you wish you had known when you started out?
Sara:
The ins and outs of Search Engine Optimization — I had no clue what that was and why I should care, for much longer than I would like to admit.
Patience is key — if you keep producing good quality content, and you participate in the blogging community via comments, Facebook, Twitter, etc. then the readers will come.
Don’t ever apologize for your content… but always be sure that what you write is exactly what you think or believe.
Moe: Do you have any favorite trends at the moment?
Sara: I love the peplum trend. It is fun and flattering on a lot of figures. I also cannot resist color, and this year’s Emerald Green trend is a favorite. I’ll be hording green clothes all this year so when it is replaced by something else next year, I will have plenty of emerald in my closet!
Moe: Are there any stores you feel are getting it right at least 80%+ of the time?
Sara: I think Australian retailer, City Chic Online, gets it right most of the time. They offer pieces that are basic, and pieces that follow trends. Their clothes are affordable — they run really impressive sales consistently. And the quality of their pieces belie their price tags; skirts and dresses are lined, tops are well-constructed and made of good quality fabric. And although I have not seen them in US stores, their online shopping experience is terrific: free shipping both ways.
Moe: How about a shopping tip for women wanting to shop online for plus size clothing?
Sara: It’s important to verify your measurements on every single website that you shop – a size 18′s measurements at Lane Bryant aren’t necessarily the exact same in Forever 21′s plus size line
Moe: When you are not writing or blogging what do you do for fun?
Sara: My husband and I live in a fun neighborhood within downtown St. Paul, so we’ll spend time in the restaurants and shops near us. I drink wine with girlfriends and read a lot on my Nook. I also spend a lot of time thinking about and testing beauty products for my side gig as the Beauty Expert for a local TV talk show.
Thanks Sara!