Today’s Meet a Mom is Brittany Wynne – local boy mom and wife who loves adventure and trying new things with her family + she’s an author of 2 published books with a 3rd in the works. Brittany has recently released her 2nd novel – Forgetting You. She writes Contemporary Romance both in the Young Adult and New Adult genres (NA is a genre that bridges the gap between YA and adult fiction). Brittany adores a good swoon worthy story and wants to help you find your next book boyfriend! Her first novel is a Young Adult romance called The Exception. It is perfect for anyone who loves a story about your first love and all the feels that encompass it. Her second novel, Forgetting You, is in the same world as her first novel (but can be read on its own). The characters are older in this story, so the content is slightly more mature making it New Adult genre instead of Young Adult.
Brittany is working on her 3rd novel, so make sure to give her a follow on Instagram for updates + she has a beautiful and truthful blog as well that is definitely worth a read – @brittanyewynne. Check out Brittany’s #meetamom interview below to learn more about Brittany, her love for writing, all about her 2 novels, and of course her local #momlife!
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the North Houston area?
I am originally from West Texas. My husband and I went to A&M and then came to the Houston area after graduation in 2010. We started In Kingwood for a summer. Then we moved to Spring to be closer to Conroe ISD. I taught science at an intermediate school for a couple of years before becoming a mom. Since then, we have moved slightly further North every five years. We are now in Conroe, though it feels more North Woodlands.
How many kiddos do you have and how old are they?
We have two boys, three including our Maltipoo who doesn’t realize that he is a dog. Hunter is 6. Lincoln Jude is 3. And Hank, a fluffy Southern Gentleman, will be 13 this year.
What are your favorite local things to do? (with kiddos or just for mom!)
We love a good adventure as a family. We definitely have the travel bug. But a new adventure can also be as simple as finding something new to do or a new place to explore locally. (Our latest find is the State Park of off 1488. It’s beautiful. It has great hiking, biking, and picnic spots. You might even run into a horse or two!)
If a new coffee shop or grocery stores pops up, we are always there to check it out after opening. We like change (maybe that’s why we move every five years) and exploring the new and unknown!
One of our more routine activities is grabbing Mexican food for dinner. We do that at least once a week. If there is live music for the night, we will settle in with drinks and dancing at our table with the kiddos!
If I had to describe our family in two words it would be Music and Adventure. They are a huge part of who we are!
As hard as it is to find the time, what’s something you do just for yourself?
There are several of these. I am a big believer in self-care especially after my Postpartum journeys which you can read about on my blog. I get very candid.
1. Morning Bible study. Starting a quiet morning before the house wakes up with coffee and Jesus makes me a better wife, mom, friend, and person in general.
2. I LOVE playing tennis and have found the most amazing group of women that I play with each week. I cannot say enough wonderful things about each woman in that group!
3. Learning Spanish. It has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time and I have final-ly committed to learning a new language. I spend time in an app each evening and make a point to watch something in Spanish when I can.
4. Reading of course! I have a physical copy as well as an audible book going at all times. As a mom, audible is the easiest way to fit in a book! I just pop in my headphones while I’m making dinner, folding laundry, or picking up the house.
5. Writing. This comes in so many forms. Writing is how I best express myself. I write poetry, what I call brain-dumps, novels, and a blog. My blog is where I get it all out when it needs a space other than my head. Sometimes it is personal and sometimes it’s light and airy like a recipe.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
This one is tricky. I am such an open book (no pun intended). Maybe that I sing…all the time. Loudly. And not well, bless my family’s heart. Especially when I get Taylor Swift stuck in my head. That’s gonna be on repeat for at least 24 hours.
What’s the best mom advice you have ever been given (or your own advice to mamas out there)?
To laugh and find joy. Teaching my kids to laugh and find the joy in a given situation is important to me. There is a lot that can happen in a day and the ability to step back and laugh about it or choose to find the joy in a situation helps frame a positive mind set and build resiliency. Both skills will serve my kids well through life and help them become positive and well-rounded adults. Choosing to laugh and choosing to find joy are two things that you can control in any situation. One thing we tell the boys is that they are in charge of flying their own spaceship. No matter what happens around them, at the end of the day they are in control of their spaceship and how it operates. How they choose to react, and respond, and the type of person they will be is their choice.
Tell us about your work as an author! When did you know you had a love for writing and what do you enjoy writing?
I write Contemporary Romance both in the Young Adult and New Adult genres. I adore a good swoon worthy story. It would bring me such pleasure to help you find your next book boyfriend!
My love for writing naturally happened somewhere along the way. That feeling of accomplishment you get after you have created something ignites a spark for a deeper love and appreciation of the craft. I have always been an avid reader and a creative type so I guess both of those things just organically evolved into writing stories. Same thing with my blog. The more I write, the more I find that I need to write. I express myself best with written words so I tend to gravitate towards writing every chance that I get.
Tell us about your published books – what are they about and who would enjoy them?
I currently have two books published and a third in the works.
My first novel is a Young Adult (YA) romance called The Exception. It is perfect for anyone who loves a story about your first love and all the feels that encompass it.
The Exception
The start of her junior year of high school, Emma Crawford seemed to have it all. The perfect family, great friends, and a top spot on her high school tennis team.
But when Emma gets a glimpse of Jake Reynolds, a handsome senior with a devastating smile, the course of her life is forever altered.
Caught up in Jake’s chivalrous charm and piercing blue eyes, she doesn’t notice the part of her life that begins unraveling. Or does she? Forced to make a decision between keeping her seem-ingly perfect world intact and the boy that has stolen her heart, which will she choose?
At seventeen the choice should be simple. After all, no one ends up with their first love.
If only she could get her heart to forget one thing:
There’s always The Exception to the rule.
My second novel, Forgetting You, is a New Adult (NA – a genre that bridges the gap between YA and adult fiction) It is in the same world as my first novel but can be read on its own. Though you might just get to say hi to a familiar character. The characters are older in this story and the content is slightly more mature.
Forgetting You
When Mckenzie Crawford learns that Ryan Bennet is coming home for the summer she does what any logical girl with a broken heart would do. She relocates as far away as possible. There is no way that she is going to be in the same town as his crooked smile and deep brown eyes. Nope, not going to happen.
Some things aren’t meant to last forever. In McKenzie’s case, some things aren’t even meant to begin, and it would be nice if her traitorous heart could get that memo. She needs a fresh start. She needs a chance for her conflicted heart to move on. She needs a Ryan free envi-ronment, to be surrounded by a new town and new people, and she is convinced that running from her problems is the best solution. Especially when that solution leads her straight to a hunky summer roommate that seems to be the answer to all her problems.
What McKenzie really needs is an antidote, and a strong one at that, to leave it all be-hind and forget ever meeting Ryan Bennet. Out of sight out of mind, right? At least, that’s what Mckenzie tells herself before learning that, try as you might, some people are simply unforget-table.
My third novel will be a continuation of The Exception world. It will also be able to be read as a standalone. It will be more in line with the New Adult genre in the Contemporary romance catego-ry than my previous novel.
What did you do before becoming an author (or do you still work outside of writing)?
I taught science at an Intermediate School before I began writing.
I am also a Beautycounter consultant and love sharing the clean beauty movement with woman!
What has been the most rewarding thing about your work?
Creating a story and characters that you get to share with others. It’s an amazing feeling. When people connect to your work and to the characters in your story it is incredible, and rewarding, and so special. I love when someone drops a note saying how much they enjoyed the book or how the characters spoke to/resonated with them. It is a huge compliment and means so much to me.
What has been the most challenging thing about publishing a book?
Marketing! There are so many people doing exactly what I am doing. It’s the same struggle every artist faces. To get your work out there and to get noticed has easily been the hardest part. Word of mouth is the best way to get a book into someone’s hands. Even if you’re not a reader but want to help, telling a friend or someone you know who likes to read about my book is so helpful!
Do you have any new book ideas for the future?
Absoulutely! Book number three is halfway through its first draft. You can follow along on my Instagram page for updates and news!
To learn more about Brittany Wynne:
Instagram: @brittanyewynne
Website/Blog: https://www.whenlifewynnes.com/