Six Questions with Brittany Pomales

Brittany Pomales wrote It Started with a P. Unless you didn’t find it funny; in that case, someone else wrote it. When she isn’t writing books, Brittany is often playing with, singing to, or reading to her son and daughter along with her husband and dog in their Arizona home. She has celebrated over thirty birthdays. Thankfully, none have resulted in a celebration crisis–yet! Connect with her at brittanypomales.com or follow her on X or IG at @brittanypomales.

1. What’s the best piece of advice a mentor has given you?

You can write a complex story in a simple way, or a simple story in a complex way.

2. What’s bringing you joy in your creative life right now?

I just joined a new critique group. I haven’t had a group in a while and have only been doing occasional swaps. There is a very specific energy about a critique group that motivates and inspires. The accountability is great too.

3. How do you define success for yourself at this stage?

I think right now, success for me is just forward movement. With two children under three years of age and my freelance work it can be easy to get and stay stuck. So as long as I keep showing up, I feel successful.

4. Was this always the title for this project? If not, what other titles did you consider and how did you land on this one?

The original title was The Land of Nothing because the initial seed of an idea was an abandoned kingdom.

I’ve heard it said that the title is a promise you make to the reader. Your story must then live up to that promise.

As I revised, it became clear that only some items were being pitched, so the story no longer held the same promise. Since the story shifted to a king forgetting what ruins his birthday, other than it starting with a p, the title became clear. 

5. Were there any scenes or illustrations you had to cut that you wish you could’ve kept?

The big reveal used to be much smaller and less satisfying but it was also sillier. Originally the pesky p was pineapples. The scene went like this…

“The problematic ‘P’ is…

PINEAPPLES.”

“Pineapples, your majesty?”

“Yes, someone put pineapple on the pizza and it ruined everything.”

The people gasped, “That IS a nightmare.”

“We must rid them at once.”

[Catapult filled with pineapples, pine trees and apples.] 

It’s definitely a much better story now so I don’t wish I would have kept it but I would have loved to see the illustration of them catapulting all the pineapples from the kingdom.

6. Who should read this book?

Of course, I would love everyone to read it but I could really see this book making a child’s birthday week special whether it’s reading it at bedtime in anticipation of the big day or during a birthday-themed homeschool lesson.