It’s Time To Embrace Your Inner Fashionista With Sophia LaRocca

The Anticipated Diaries Of A Fashionista Is Here, and Here’s What Need To Know About The Feel Good, Romcom

By Sophia LaRocca

Published May 19th, 2025

Artist credits to Adduani on Instagram

“Step Into The World Of Glamour And Love With ‘Diaries of a Fashionista.’” -Authorhouse

What happens when Poppy Paxton’s Pink hued world collides with Atticus Mckeen’s messy and chaotic one? I’m inviting you to find out.

So it’s finally here.

I know I haven’t been here for a while and I do apologize for that. But this is what I’ve been working on. My life, my book, my baby. My first book, Diaries of a Fashionista.

A contemporary, new adult romcom set in the New York, the story revolves around Poppy Paxton; An upbeat and bubbly journalist for a big name fashion magazine who will do anything to get promoted to editor. She meets Atticus Mckeen, her new neighbor, who is the polar opposite of her. A wannabe rockstar with two left feet, Atticus has his own band and is quirky, clumsy, adorable, and the complete definition of a Golden Retiriver despite his dark outward appearance. He’s a mystery, and Poppy hates mysteries. It seems that it’s Atticus’s favorite thing to push his new neighbors buttons, and it both annoys and intrigues Poppy.

I won’t give too much away! But I’ll have the book linked so you can purchase if it peaks your interest!

I actually wrote the first draft of this book in my junior year of high school in my creative writing class, sourounded by friends I still have to this day. This book was—and still is—always dedicated to them and the lovely Mrs. Blasi. Because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be the writer I am today, Truth be told, they inspired a lot of the triumphs and relationships in this book. You seem to gain a lot of experience going though life with some amazing people. (And some not so amazing) I learned over the years that this is one of the things that make you a writer.

I’ve neglected the blog for a while, not because I wanted to of course, but because a couple of months ago I realized this book needed to see the light of day. This book needed a proper chance. So here we go. You got one chance, better make it worth while.

Story is, I actually finished this book my senior year—amidst Covid—and got it published right before I graduated High school. Self published. So I did everything on my own, thanks to the help of one of my amazing teachers who already has a book published. My friend did the original cover art, and I just put it out there. Although, I was too young to understand the ins and outs of the market. And the book did ok, but it wasn’t what it deserved. You see, marketing is extremely hard. Especially when you don’t have a team, manager, publicist, or traditional publishing company to lean on. So there I was. Eighteen years old and doing everything myself. Granted, it didn’t go as planned.

I understand every book isn’t going to be a total success, but I believe in this book more than anything. It has the gravitas, humor, romance, and characters to take it far. And I don’t say that about my work often. Confidence is something I normally need to work on, but I can proudly say this—if marketed right—can be a hit. Actually, it has no choice.

Earlier last year I contacted my self publishing company and asked about doing a revision of the first book. I had a new and improved version of the old one sitting in my doc, and it was amazing. I knew Poppy and Atticus needed their second chance. And so did I.

So I worked relentlessly—that included getting the most beautiful cover done I’ve ever seen— and here we are.

The first version no longer exists. It is off the market. Now it is just this one. A new chapter, a fresh start. (Literally.)

For a long time writing this book was extreamly painful, even looking at it was. And I know for a fact it is because I built a life in my head with my own Atticus, and that didn’t work out. So watching Poppy get to live her life with her Atticus how I invisioned my life to go was a pain I never felt before. But alas, isn’t that what writers do best? Turn tragedy into art. The truth is, we build our own world between the confines of a 400 paged novel. And for me sometimes it seems to be the only sense of control and peace I have. So I persist.

What happened to me may have been tragic, but what could happen between Poppy and Atticus can be triumph. And that was up to me. And at the end of the day, these characters healed me. And that’s why I went back to them. Because I truly believe that they can heal other people as well.

As I said, Diaries of a Fashionista is a contemporary, new adult, romcom that follows fashion journalist; Poppy Paxton. Inspired by romcoms of the past such as Confessions of a Shopaholic, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Sex And The City, it’s a very female driven romcom from the female lens like those. Which I love, because I noticed most romcoms on the market are mainly either dual pov or third person point of view. And how are you supposed to get to know the ins and outs of your main character like that? Especially with third person. It’s no fun! I want to feel like I am best friends with the main character when I’m reading a book, and this is truly what makes Diaries of a Fashionista stand out. The characters are so detailed and so filled with personality, it’s like they are jumping off of the page.

I think we need to bring back bias point of view stories. Especially driven by detailed female characters.

Poppy Paxton is a boisterous and bubbly blonde with a shopping addiction, intense drive, and work ethic. For all she is bubbly and fun through, she could be a little uptight and traditional. She has her heart very guarded after a breakup with her High school sweetheart and a deep fear of rejection. She is a character that is bubbly but also deep. Somewhat headstrong but it does not compromise her femininity. Her character goes full circle at the end of the book, and you get to read every emotion from her point of view. And that is something so dear to my heart.

As for Atticus, just because the story is not told from his point of view or third person does not make him any less of an eye popping character with a personality that bleeds off of the pages of the book. He is the complete opposite of Poppy! He is completely non traditional, and plans nothing. He is quirky and free spirited. A reformed bad boy if you will. A rocker. And Poppy is a rule follower and proper.

The supporting characters test the main one’s belifs and are surely not just ‘background characters.’ So much time was spent on them to make them not the generic boss, or not the generic best friend. They push the story just as much, either inspiring our main characters or pushing them forward. Weather it’s in a good or bad way. For example, Poppy’s ‘Urban Family.’ AKA her work friends are just as important as her best friend back home, but for different reasons. Her best friend is like her. Traditional. But very uptight. Whereas her friends at work make for an interesting opposing side. More diverse and free in their ways of thinking. Which leads Poppy to have to see things from both sides, ideally making her character better.

She has to learn to balance two different lives, much like many new adult stories.

This is very much a love letter to New York City as well. It follows Poppy through the three boroughs she resides in. The three most important ones to me. Manhattan-Where she works. Staten Island-Where she grew up and where her family resides. And Brooklyn-Where her and Atticus reside. Much like most New York residents, you can often hop borough to borough on the daily.

I want to thank Authorhouse publishing for making a beautiful press releases and helping the process of publishing, Adduani for the most amazing cover I’ve ever seen, and my parents who have always believed in this. As well as my friends, family, and anyone who’s read or helped with the first copy. Weather that be showing up to my first book signing, buying and reading the book, or simply just liking a post. This book is for you. (And so is the series. Yes, it is a series.)

So here we are.

Starting fresh.

Welcome if you’ve never read me.

And welcome back if you have.