We’re almost at the end of our features for this month, but we still have spectacular authors for you to meet like…Roseanne Brown!
Roseanne A. Brown was born in Kumasi, Ghana before immigrating to the wild jungles of central Maryland as a child. Writing was her first love, and she knew from a young age that she wanted to use the power of words to connect the different cultures she called home. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where she both completed and was a teaching assistant for the Jiménez-Porter Writers’ House program.
Her debut novel A Song of Wraiths and Ruin received six starred reviews and was an instant New York Times Bestseller, an Indie Bestseller, a Goodreads Choice Award Semifinalist, and a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection 2021 among other accolades. Her debut middle grade novel Serwa Boateng’s Guide to Vampire Hunting launched as part of the critically acclaimed Rick Riordan Presents line and was a Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of 2022, a Michigan YouPer Award 2023 Top 10 Title, a Junior Library Guild Pick, and received three starred reviews among other accolades.
She has worked with Marvel, Star Wars, and Disney among other publishers. She joined the Shout Mouse Press Megaphone Board in 2024 to support their mission of amplifying the voices of marginalized youth. She was also a National PTA 2023-2024 Reflections Award Judge. Rosie was also the recipient of the 2025 William G. Wilson Maryland Author Award.
Rosie currently lives with her partner outside Washington D.C., where in her free time she can usually be found arguing with their dog, disappearing beneath piles of books, or thinking about musicals.
How I Got “The Deal”
Back in 2017, I took part in a mentorship program known as Pitch Wars where unagented authors would work with agented ones and other publishing professionals to edit their manuscripts. At the end, there was a massive showcase where literary agents could request to see full versions of the books they were most interested in.
The book I submitted for Pitch Wars was actually an early version of my debut novel A Song of Wraiths and Ruin–back when it had a completely different title! I rewrote the entire book in the span of two months with the guidance of my mentor Laura Pohl (Author of The Grimrose Girls). I signed with my first agent after that showcase in November 2017, then sold what would become ASOWAR in April 2018. This is an unusually quick timeline for publishing, and it doesn’t reflect the years of studying craft, the industry, and sharpening my skills as a writer that came before all of that. I knew I wanted to be an author from childhood, and every life decision I made was in service toward that goal.
Who and What Inspires Me
I was born in Ghana, where we have a vibrant storytelling tradition that dates back centuries. To me, a story has never just been words on a page. A story is a living, breathing experience one should be able to feel in their bones. I grew up reading more Western style stories like the Chronicles of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland alongside the folktales of Ananse and Asaase Yaa. This instilled in me a desire to see stories by and about my people given the same epic treatment and weight as the Western literary canon.
I remain inspired every day by people who find a way to make the most beautiful, life-affirming art even in the most difficult of circumstances. Every time the world tries to push us down, we get back up and create even more amazing things. Whenever I start to doubt myself and my work, I remind myself of the lineage I’m honored to be a part of as a Black creator and it refocuses my path.
The Process
Plotting vs. Pantsing is a huge debate in the writing community. I consider myself what some people refer to as a Roadtripper, with the idea being that when going on a road trip you might only be able to see what’s directly in front of your headlights, but that is enough to get you all the way to the end.
Every book starts with the characters. If I don’t have an MC I feel compelled enough to follow, then I don’t have a story. The emotional arcs serve as my guiding star throughout the creation process, and every other decision I make regarding world, plot, etc. is born from what best fulfills the emotional arc. This tends to lead to first drafts that are very satisfying emotionally, but that have a lot of logistical tangles to clear! The bulk of my edits then focus on braiding all the elements together in a way that truly makes the story sing.
THE BUZZ
A few highlights of reviews and media coverage of my work include:
https://www.marvel.com/articles/culture-lifestyle/asked-answered-women-of-marvel-roseanne-a-brown
https://thenerddaily.com/roseanne-a-brown-serwa-boatengs-guide-to-saving-the-world/
https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/rosanne-a-brown-discusses-a-song-of-wraith-and-ruin/
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/30/books/review/scary-childrens-novels-halloween.html
Under the Radar
I feel like there’s so many incredible Black authors working in the kidlit space that deserve all the love and more. Here’s just a few you should get behind if you haven’t already:
Namina Forna – The Gilded Ones
Leah Johnson – There’s Always Next Year
Terry J. Benton-Walker – Blood Debts
Bethany C. Morrow – A Song Below Water
Deborah Falaye – Blood Scion
Connect with Rosie
You can visit her online at roseanneabrown.com or on Instagram or Bluesky at @rosiesrambles.