Bianca Turetsky is the author of The Time-Traveling Fashionista trilogy, and co-author of the Magic on the Map series with Courtney Sheinmel. She graciously took the time to answer my questions about her love of fashion, co-authoring and more. Enjoy!

1. How did your first novel come about?

The inspiration for The Time-Traveling Fashionista came to me during a visit to this magical vintage shop in New Haven, Connecticut called Fashionista Vintage and Variety. It’s run by two incredible women, Todd and Nancy, who are just the loveliest, most creative people and true encyclopedias of fashion history. While trying on a dreamy pink party dress that had once belonged to a Mrs. Baxter from Newport, Rhode Island, I couldn’t help but wonder about her life. Where had she worn this dress? Was she in love? Was she happy? It struck me how these garments hold stories, almost like time capsules of the past.

I started writing the book purely out of love, without any certainty that it would become more than a Word document on my laptop. After many drafts and many rejections, I connected with a wonderful agent, Elisabeth Weed, who saw potential in the story. Eventually, after more revisions with her expert guidance, the book found its perfect home with Cindy Eagan at Little, Brown, who truly understood and championed the vision for the series. All these years later, I feel lucky to be able to call her one of my close friends.

2. What is it that draws you to vintage fashion?

I love the history woven into vintage clothing. Every piece has a story, a past life, and that always sparks my imagination. It makes me dream about the people who wore it before me and the lives they led. There’s also just something special about the craftsmanship; these pieces were made to last, with such attention to detail. It’s the opposite of fast fashion—timeless, unique, and full of character.

3. Favorite designers? 

I’m not sure if I have a favorite designer, but I would say my style is a blend of vintage and modern. I love mixing eras to create something unique. I never go for a head-to-toe look from just one time period or designer; it’s so much more fun to pair a perfectly worn-in vintage piece with something contemporary. Fashion should feel personal and a little unexpected!

4. How did you choose which historical eras to cover? 

I’ve been fascinated by the Titanic since I was a kid, so that was an easy choice. Writing the book gave me the perfect excuse to really dive into the history of that infamous voyage. And, of course, I wanted to put poor Louise in the most dramatic situation possible.

For the other books, I was drawn to eras with powerful, complex women at the center—Marie Antoinette, Cleopatra—figures who have been endlessly mythologized, but whose real lives were even more intriguing.

The research was honestly half the fun! I loved immersing myself in these different time periods and uncovering all the fascinating details that would bring Louise’s adventures to life.

5. The final book ends with Louise not receiving an invitation to the next Vintage Sale- I always wondered whether the books were supposed to stop at three to represent that Louise has everything she needs after all or if it was prematurely cancelled? 

I don’t think I’ve ever shared this before, but I actually have an idea for a fourth book that I would still love to write one day! When the series ended, I always envisioned more adventures for Louise. I do feel bad leaving readers on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I’d love the chance to give her story the continuation (and maybe even the closure) it deserves. So who knows? Hopefully, one day, I’ll get to complete the series! 

6. How did your co-author relationship with Courtney begin? 

We met at a book event at a school many years ago and became friends, and ultimately writing partners, from there! 

7. What is a typical day of writing for you and Courtney on your Magic on the Map series? 

Every day was a little different, but collaboration was always at the heart of our process. We would brainstorm ideas together, often over mozzarella sticks, which I personally believe makes writing much more fun 🙂

We would take turns writing and editing and rewriting and more editing. It was always really exciting to wake up and see what she added to the story and how I could take it from there. Kind of like a relay race.

You can learn more about Bianca and her work on her website, and all relevant social media.