Renée Rosen Interview, plus links to author biography, book summaries, excerpts and reviews

An interview with Renée Rosen

BookBrowsers Ask the Author on our Community Forum.

BookBrowse: Thanks for joining us on the BookBrowse Community Forum for a few days, Renee! Please tell the group a little bit about yourself and your books.

Renee Rosen: Thanks BookBrowse and hello to all the BookBrowers. I'm coming to you from Chicago where I live downtown in a loft (built in 1909) with my partner and "book sherpa," John.

To date I've written 9 historical novels and am working on number 10. I tend to write about strong, trailblazing women like Helen Gurley Brown (Park Avenue Summer), Estee Lauder (Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl), Alva Vanderbilt (The Social Graces) and Ruth Handler (Let's Call Her Barbie). But I've also written a few books that feature mostly fictional characters (Dollface and White Collar Girl). I also jump around in time periods and have two book set in the Gilded Age, one in the Roaring Twenties, and several in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. I guess you could say I write all across the board.

My most recent novel, Let's Call Her Barbie has been out since the end of January and I've been on the road ever since, promoting from the West Coast to the East, so it feels great to be at home, sitting at my desk and having this time with all of you.

I truly appreciate this opportunity and please feel free to ask me anything. Nothing's off the table. Thanks again!!!

BB: For Let's Call Her Barbie what was your process for researching the history of the creation of Barbie? And then from there, how did you decide which pieces to fictionalize?

RR: The research for Let's Call Her Barbie was pure joy. Truly it was a trip down memory lane for me. As with most of my books, I usually start the research process by reading as much non-fiction, memoirs and biographies that I can get my hands on. I also watched some documentaries that were really helpful. But then I hit the jackpot when I attended the Barbie Collector's Annual Convention, which happened to be in Chicago that year. Usually they sell out on the day of registration with wait lists for the wait lists, but somehow, I got a ticket. While there I met a lot of Barbie experts and major collectors and influencers (several whom are mentioned in the back of Let's Call Her Barbie). Everyone was so helpful and while I was there, I was able to meet and interview Carol Spencer, one of the original Barbie designers. She was 90 years old when we met and is considered Mattel Royalty. They even put her on a pink throne. She started at Mattel in 1963 and worked closely with Ruth, Jack, Charlotte and Elliot. She was a wealth of information and truly a gift from the writing gods.

As for piecing it all together and deciding what and where to bring in fictional characters and elements…well, it's not a conscious decision. I don't outline my books. I've tried and it never works and only stymies me. Instead, I just start writing and let my characters take over and tell me their stories. As I'm writing I have no idea what is going to happen on the next line let alone the next page or chapter. I'm constantly surprised by who shows up on the page and what they do. I've found that when I try to control a character and impose my will upon them, I end up in a 20,000 word corner. It's taken years but I'm learning that my characters know what's best for them and they'll guide me a long the way.

BB: It sounds like you'd already decided on Ruth Handler/Barbie's creation as the subject of your novel before you went to the convention. Is that correct? If so, what led you in that direction in the first place?

RR: That convention was in 2022 but I actually got the idea to write a novel based on Barbie's creation long before that and long befor the Barbie movie hype swept the country (and the world). It was back in 2019 and I was on a panel about feminism with a woman who was very high up in the doll division at Mattel. She's the one who told me the story about Ruth Handler and why she created Barbie. I got goosebumps and knew I wanted to do a novel about this. The only problem was that I had two other books already in the pipeline. I remember I was about halfway through a first draft when the Barbie mania started taking hold. I had a lot of FOMO while writing away! LOL.

BB: Did you have similar "goosebump" experiences with any of your other subjects? I'd love to hear where the inspiration came from for some of the other women you've written about. Did one of them end up being your favorite, or was one easier to write about than the others?

RR: I have to say that the "goosebump" factor has been rare. I think the only other time I felt it was when I was working on Windy City Blues. That's a novel about an interracial love story, wrapped around the birth of the Chicago Blues and the Civil Rights Movement. We were doing research at the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis and I was so overwhelmed by the time we finished that I had to sit down. That was when I realized how intertwined the music was with the times and the pain and struggle of the era. That was a big and important moment for me. Very different from the goosebumps I got with Barbie, but a significant realization just the same.

I don't think I had that same WOW factor with Estee Lauder or Helen Gurley Brown because I already knew a little something about them. I had never heard of Ruth Handler before and honestly, never thought about who was behind Barbie simply because she'd just always been a part of my life for as far back as I can remember. So Ruth's story really took me by surprise and I suppose that's why Let's Call Her Barbie is my favorite, followed closely by Windy City Blues

BB: What led to the creation of Stevie, the only fictional character among the principals in Let's Call Her Barbie?

RR: She just kind of appeared on the page and refused to leave. I really mean it when I say that I let the characters lead the way. But as it turned out, I think Stevie served a really important purpose in the book. Actually, a number of important purposes. Through Stevie I could explore what Mattel was like for the young designers that worked there. Her perspective would have been much different than Ruth's or someone else in management. She also served as a portal into the women's movement and lastly, she was there to show how Jack could cast a magical spell over women. Luckily for Stevie, she didn't stick around too long for that.

BB: In Let's Call Her Barbie, is there a scene that's your favorite, or one you're particularly proud of?

RR: One of my favorite scenes in the book (just because I think it's funny) is when they're all in the board room discussing Ken's anatomy. There is a scene that I'm really proud of and that's the scene in the Finding The Muse chapter, after Stevie runs into an old classmate and returns home, determined to reboot her career as a fashion designer. I remember when I wrote that scene. It was a Sunday afternoon and the words and images just flowed. Oh, if only an entire novel could write itself that way!

BB: One of the questions that came up in our discussion of Let's Call Her Barbie concerned our experiences with the doll. I see she's had over 200 careers in her "lifetime," and you've also mentioned that writing the book was a trip down memory lane for you. Do you have a specific recollection about playing with Barbie as a kid, or any specific Barbie model, profession, outfit or accessory you particularly enjoyed?

RR: Oh, I was a very serious Barbie player. I still have my Barbies and brought them out of storage when I started working on this book. Growing up, Barbie was my constant companion. I never went to Ellie or Steffi's house without my Barbie case in hand.

In many ways, I think I became a writer because of Barbie. I made up very elaborate story lines. For example, Barbie and Ken couldn't go to Paris because Ken had a gambling problem and they were broke. Also, each doll had to have a narrative arc. They had to have learned something, grown in some way by the end of that day's play. I'm sure my friends were frustrated with me and just wanted me to put on the pretty outfits and have mad make-out sessions with Barbie and Ken.

BB: Of your nine novels, which was your favorite to write? Which one are you most proud of? Which was the most challenging?

RR: My favorite book to write by far was Barbie. Everything about that book was pure joy and nostalgia. I was reliving my childhood every day when I sat down to write. Even during the editing when I had to cut about 100 pages, it was still fun. I loved every minute and have loved being able to share this story with readers.

The most challenging book was definitely The Social Graces. It was so hard to find the humanity in these people who seemed to only care about balls and social etiquette. I had to dig really deep and ended up rewriting that book top to bottom three times before it was in good enough shape to start the editing process. Thankfully I have a very patient editor who never lost faith that we'd get there.

It funny but each book requires its own approach and presents its own challenges. Each time I start a new book I'm convinced that I've forgotten how to write a novel!

BB: Was it your decision to cut 100 pages or did an editor encourage that? If it's not too difficult to describe, I'd be interested to know what you cut - was it a bit here or there, or an entire plot thread, or…?

RR: The decision to cut 100 pages came from my editor, but she was right. For the most part, I cut any and every unnecessary word, every redundant point where I was hitting the reader over the head with something say, "See? Get it? Did you get it?" In the end, I did pull back on some of the business dealings at Mattel. I found them fascinating but that could have been a separate book. I think cutting those 100 pages really helped the pacing and made the book stronger and the themes more poignant. Turns out I didn't need to hit the reader over the head, after all.

BB: How many iterations do your novels go through before they're "done"?

RR: I do a lot of revising and editing. It's my favorite part of the process and each book is a little different. Usually, I'll do a minimum of about 10 drafts. Some of them have probably been through closer to 20 drafts. And of course, I never feel like a book is ever "done". If I didn't have deadlines, I'd probably continue revising.

BB: How has your writing itself changed over the years, if at all?

RR: I've tried not write the same book twice, meaning that I often play with POV, with voice, with the overall structure. For example, I've done some books that are first person present tense, others are third person past tense. I've also written books that are two and three different POV. Let's Call Her Barbie was the biggest leap for me because that was written using the third-person omniscient narrator which means I could be every character's head at any time. It's tricky but I loved working in that POV. The one thing I've never been able to breakout of is my linear storyline. My brain doesn't work any other way.

BB: Do you generally have an audience in mind when you write, or do you just write the types of books you, yourself, would like to read?

RR: That's an interesting question. I really don't think about the audience. I know that you can't please everyone so I think I'd fail miserably if I tried to write what I think others wanted. Basically I let the story unfold. It's almost as if the characters have a destiny they're trying fulfill and I'm just the vehicle, writing down what they tell me.

BB: Do you write every day, and do you have a minimum amount you expect yourself to write when you do sit down (number of pages, amount of time, etc.)?

RR: I do write every day with few exceptions. I start early in the morning and write until four or five. Sometimes I take breaks to read, to workout, meet people for lunch or meditate on tricky scene. When I'm drafting something new, like I am now, I usually I write a minimum 500 words a day, but aim for 2000. I always keep track in terms of word count, rather than pages, since that can be manipulated with font, point size, margins, etc.

BB: What do you think of book reviews? Do you read the reviews of your works? Do you find them helpful?

RR: I do read reviews, especially early on when I'm trying to get a feel for how a book might be received. Sadly, I don 't think they're as helpful as they were a few years ago. In today's viral/social media/ podcasting tunnel vision, I think traditional reviews have a lot of competition and are easily overlooked in opt of more flashy platforms. This makes me really sad for the bloggers and reviewers who put so much thought and care into crafting their reviews. Whether they like my books or not, regardless of the number of stars they may or may not grant a particular title, I always appreciate the effort that goes into the reviews.

BB: Has becoming a writer changed the way you read others' books, and if so, how?

RR: That's a great question. It absolutely has, which is both good and bad. I pay close attention to a book structure, POV, tense, etc. It's inspiring to see what some authors can do on the page. At other times, I swear I can hear the editor in my head saying, "Just give us a few sentences here about _____." I'm a much more critical reader now than I was because I know all the things my editor thankfully flags. She's tough but I'm so grateful for her.

BB: What are you doing when you're not writing, reading or attending book events? Have you been able to enjoy any other hobbies now that there's less pressure on your writing?

RR: I'm really terribly boring on paper! I work out and have started doing yoga. I love music and like to see bands perform whenever possible. I've recently started on what I can only describe as a "spiritual journey" so when I do have downtime, I like to meditate, go quiet and give my mind a break from thinking!

BB: Do you ever see yourself retiring or do you think you'll keep writing until you drop?

RR: I can't ever see a time when I'd retire. I love writing and it's a big part of my life. I suspect I'll keep writing until I can't.

BB: What's it like going on a book tour? Are you on the road (in the air?) non-stop for months at a time or do you get breaks? What's your favorite part about touring, and what's your least favorite part? Can you work on your next book while touring or does that put it on hold?

RR: I can't speak for other authors but being on a book tour is every bit as exhilarating as it is exhausting. Lots of early morning flights, lots of late nights hanging out with friends who stopped in to support you. My Book Sherpa and I have done a lot of driving, too. I think we easily put about 6,500 miles on our car with this book.

It's hard to write while on the road, but you still have to do it. Sometimes, I'll get to an airport early just so I can sit at the gate and write. (I really go into a zone and block out just about everything–even a busy airport).

The best part of touring for me is meeting readers and visiting with the booksellers and librarians. Book people are just the best!!!

BB: Are there any stories from the road you'd care to share? Anything that was particularly funny/touching/scary/etc.?

RR: I've had a blast promoting Barbie and meeting readers and doll collectors from across the country. Along the way I've been really touched and surprised to see people showing up to my events dressed in pink and some have even brought their own Barbies. I love when people told me the book gave them a much needed escape and brought back childhood memories. That does my heart good!

BB: Are you done touring for Barbie now, or are you headed off somewhere soon? I know you were in Cleveland. Do you ever get back to Akron?

RR: I still have a pretty full Barbie schedule, but it has slowed down a bit. I just returned home from doing three events in Ohio–Cleveland, Columbus and Hudson. I have events coming up in Milwaukee, Las Vegas and several local/regional and virtual events.

I did get back to Akron (twice!) Last week we were there celebrating my mother's 91st birthday! She's amazing–still lives alone, still drives, still so much fun to be with! Back in March I was there to do a hometown event and that was fantastic. Always so great to see my high school friends and family. They did such a great job of promoting the event and we had a fabulous turnout.

BB: I know you're a full-time writer now, but I'm sure that wasn't always the case - you didn't wake up one morning and say, "I'm going to be an author starting today" and immediately quit your job or abandon your children or what-have-you. It looks like your first book, The Crooked Pot, came out in 2007. What enabled you to take the time to write the novel in the first place? And then it was another six years or so before Dollface was published, so I'm assuming you were still struggling to carve out time to write. Is that fair to say?

RR: My road to becoming a full-time writer was long and winding. I always knew I wanted to be writer and ended up in advertising as a copywriter. I would get up at 4am to write before going into the office, devoted my weekends and saved up vacation days to write. I spend 17 years writing and re-writing my first novel which was rejected by over 300 agents before Every Crooked Pot found a home. The book did not perform especially well and my publisher didn't want my second novel. On top of that, my editor left the business and my agent and I parted ways. I was back to square one. It took about 5 years and several failed manuscripts before I found my agent and my team at Berkley. We have all been together ever since. Still, it took time to be able to support myself as a writer. I left my advertising joy and freelanced, worked for an interior designer. All I wanted to do was be able to spend my days surrounded by words, books, and writing. (Sounds really boring, but that was what I wanted.) So I got fired from the interior design job (thank goodness) and slowly stopped looking for new freelance work. To survive financially, I cut my overhead, deciding that it was more important to write than get my nails done or have a cleaning service. I stopped my monthly hair appointments, never bought new clothes and rarely went out to restaurants. I was so happy though, that I didn't miss any of it. It was a gamble but eventually it paid off. I feel very lucky and grateful that I get to do this every day.

BB: What about your family and Book Sherpa John? Or your friends? Did you have any support system in place to help keep you motivated? I'm sure there must have been times when you were contemplating giving up your pursuit.

RR: Honestly, I didn't have a Plan B. I had pretty much let my freelance business dwindle to nothing and I had no other marketable skills. I had no choice but to persist. My family has always been supportive, though I'm sure there were times along they way when they were worried I'd starve to death.

I do remember one time when I thought about throwing in the towel. I had been very close to signing with a powerful agent and at the last minute (due to some personal issues with her family) she withdrew her offer. That was a crushing blow and I remember shedding copious amounts of tears. But, as I mentioned, I had no Plan B. I couldn't handle going back to advertising and frankly, I had been out of the buisness for so long, I doubted I would have been able to get back in. So yes, there were some dark times, scary times, discouraging times.

BB: At what point did you think to yourself, "I've made it!"? And if you're not at that point yet, what do you think it'll take for you to feel like you're a successful writer?

RR: That's such a hard question to answer. I have a tendency to "compare up" so in that respect, I'm still striving to get to the next level and probably always will be. But that said, I'm extremely grateful for the success that I've had. In an industry with a such a high failure rate anyone who is publishing has to take stock of that.

BB: Do you have a community of authors that you meet up with - a group that might offer advice or support?

RR: Some people may be surprised to learn what a small circle the writing community really is. Especially the historical fiction writers. We all seem to know each other either online or in person.

I consider myself very lucky to be part of a historical fiction group called The Lyonesses (because we're all agented by Kevan Lyon). We have a weekly Facebook chat and hold annual writing retreats and gathering for various Zooms chats. It's a powerhouse of talent in that group and everyone is wonderfully supportive and generous about brainstorming, critiquing manuscripts, offering advice on everything from covers to marketing plans. I honestly don't know what I'd do without my agency sisters!

BB: I looked up her website just now, and I was surprised how many authors she represents. That's quite a group! How many people are members of The Lyonesses?

RR: Kevan is an AMAZING agent and we are all so lucky to be represented by her. I believe we have a total of 42 Lyoness members and I think each of us would agree that publishing is a tricky business. You have to have a thick skin and the fact that I'm able to do this at all, let alone full time, is never lost on me. I'm still in the pinch-me phase of it all. Thankfully it has never felt like a job, but rather a labor of love. It's always a wonderful feeling when you come up with an idea that your team is excited about. Gives you a little added confidence when it's time to face the blank page.

BB: I take it you do most of your writing on a computer - no longhand or typewriter.How do you organize your research documents? Do you have a filing system you use? Is it mostly hard copy, or is the information generally digitized as well?

RR: I guess most of us are just old school when it comes to books! As for writing, I do most of my work on my computer except for a paper edit which I always edit by hand. In terms of organization, I'm a big fan of Scrivener. It's a really powerful software program designed for writers. It allows me to keep all research (which for the most part if digitalized) and is great for drafting. It tracks word count, lets you switch back and forth between chapters, scenes. It's really pretty genius. But… it's not at all intuitive, so I always tell people to watch the tutorials.

John, my Book Sherpa, didn't come along until a little later but now I can't imagine working on a book without his support. He helps with research, with travel, he reads early drafts and NEVER sugarcoats it. He's my secret weapon!

BB: Most of your books have been made available in audiobook format. Do you get involved with the production of those at all? Are there any movie or television adaptations of your novels in the works?

RR: When it comes to audio books, I generally get a say in the narrator(s) which is wonderful. They'll send me audition tapes and we go from there. In terms of the production, I'm consulted only on pronunciations, certain tricky elements that might come up, that sort of thing. I've never been invited into the studio while they're recording.

I've had a few nibbles in terms of film and TV though the years but nothing I can really share. It's always such a long short so I try to manage my expectations and not get too excited about any of that stuff.

BB: Do you read ebooks or are you strictly a hard copy person?

RR: It's funny, but I've never quite warmed to the idea of reading digitally. Although I have fully embraced audio books. I think it might be that I spend so much time staring at a screen that I need to give my eyes a break. Plus, I just love the feel of a book in my hands, love being able to find the perfect home for it on my bookcase. For all those reasons, I'll take a print book over digital every time.

BB: What advice would you give to the aspiring writers out there?

RR: Along with the usual, write, read, write, revise, I think it's important to believe that it's going to happen for you. Get a very clear vision of what you want to see happen and hold that thought and believe in it. That belief will carry you through the inevitable rejections that come with the industry. For every one pass I got from an agent, I sent out five more queries and I held to my vision that I was going to be published author and be able to support myself as a writer. It didn't happen overnight by any means, but that was my method all along and that's always the advice I share whenever anyone asks.

BB: Do you always have ideas for books rolling around in the back of your mind, or are there times when you're just not sure what comes next?

RR: Oh how I wish I had a stock pile of ideas rolling around in the back of my head. I do keep a file of possible ideas but it's been a while since I've added to that. There have been times when I just have no idea what comes next. It's a little scary and I've worried that I'll never have another book idea again. But I've found that sometimes, I just need to take a little break, walk away, read, meditate, relax and that when the ideas start to flow again. Some of them are awful but out of twenty or so possibilities, there's usually one that stands out and my agent, my editor and I all go, "Yes! That's the one!"

BB: Can you tell us a little about Novel #10 (subject, era…)?

RR: Thanks for asking about novel #10!!! I'm still in the early stages and am reluctant to say too much, but what I can tell you is that it takes place in August of 1969 during the Woodstock Music Festival.

Thank you so much for being here, Renee! We really appreciate your time and your willingness to answer our questions. You've been an amazing guest! We wish you the best and look forward to your next release.


This Q&A was held with the author May 4 - May 6, 2025. It has been edited for clarity and flow.

Unless otherwise stated, this interview was conducted at the time the book was first published, and is reproduced with permission of the publisher. This interview may not be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the copyright holder.