On the latest episode of The Miami Book Hub, I had the pleasure of sitting down with bestselling author Rochelle Weinstein, a Miami native whose work, teaching, and generous support of other writers have made her a beloved figure in our local literary community.
Rochelle is one of those rare Miamians who can speak not only about the city’s transformation, but also about the literary roots that helped shape it. We began by reflecting on Miami’s evolution from a beach-and-sun destination into a true cultural hub. Long before Art Basel and the rise of major museums, Miami’s literary identity was already being nurtured through institutions like the Miami Book Fair, Miami Dade College, the public library system, Books & Books, and the many writers, readers, and booksellers who helped build that foundation.
For Rochelle, giving back to that community is part of the work. She has taught workshops, moderated panels, participated in book fair programs, and consistently championed other authors. But her own publishing journey began with uncertainty, rejection, and a determination familiar to anyone who has ever tried to write a book.
Before becoming a full-time author, Rochelle worked in marketing, advertising, and promotions, including a memorable stint in the music industry. After the company she worked for was acquired by MTV, she found herself at a career crossroads. With newborn twins at home and a story inside of her yearning to be told, she sat down and wrote her first novel.
What followed was not overnight success. It was years of rejection letters, frustration, and persistence. Her first book, What We Leave Behind, was self-published at a time when self-publishing still carried a stigma. But Rochelle understood marketing, believed in the work, and kept going. Eventually, she was able to parlay her self-published success into literary representation and a publishing deal with Lake Union Publishing, where she has now published multiple novels.
One of the most remarkable stories she shared was discovering, years after the fact, that What We Leave Behind had made the USA Today bestseller list. She had not known it at the time. No agent or publisher had been tracking it for her. She simply stumbled across the news later. For Rochelle, that made the lesson even more powerful: the accolade had not been there to carry her through the hardest years. What carried her was resilience.
That became one of the strongest themes of our conversation. The difference between the person still dreaming of becoming an author and the one with books on the shelf, Rochelle said, is often the refusal to give up. Rejection is part of the process, and impostor syndrome may never fully disappear, but the writer’s job is to keep writing.
We also discussed her current novel, We Are Made of Stars, which brings together eight lives over seven days at a mountain inn in North Carolina. Rochelle described the book as a story of strangers, friends, secrets, and connection gathered around a shared table. In her own metaphor, the table becomes the sun and the characters orbit around it like planets, each part of something larger.
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She also shared the exciting news that What You Do to Me, inspired in part by the song “Hey There Delilah,” has been optioned for film, something every writer dreams of. Like most things in publishing and entertainment, she approaches that possibility with gratitude, realism, and carefully managed expectations.
We closed the episode with a new segment, “Reading with Rochelle,” featuring her May book picks: Dog Person by Camille Pagán, Life, Death and Giants by Ron Rindo, and The Insomniacs by Allison Winn Scotch. Her love for reading and great appreciation for storytelling was on full display as she discussed each of the books with great fanfare.
Rochelle Weinstein’s episode was a reminder that Miami’s literary community is not only growing; it is deeply supportive. It is built by people who read, write, teach, encourage, and show up for one another.
And for every writer still waiting for permission to begin, Rochelle’s message was simple: know your why, keep going, and don’t let rejection have the last word.
I encourage you to learn more about Rochelle Weinstein and her many works by visiting her website: rochelleweinstein.com.
To view this full interview and other episodes of The Miami Book Hub visit my YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@J.AdrianBetancourt.
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