How a Charlotte author turned a situationship into a viral novel — and what's next

Why it matters: Modern dating is messy, and Charlotte hasn't been spared.

• It's fitting that one of the city's biggest breakout novels centers on the situationship, a dynamic so many singles know too well.

Catch up quick: Her 2023 self-published breakout, "Call It What You Want," follows college senior Sloane Hart, who stays tethered to her neighbor Ethan Brady for years without ever defining the relationship.

• While the characters are fictional, DeRogatis says a past situationship inspired her to write "Call It What You Want."
• Her novel went viral on TikTok's BookTok community and has since racked up more than 35,000 reviews on Goodreads.

State of play: The 29-year-old UNC Charlotte alumna, who also talks candidly online about dating and relationships, has another novel on the way.

What's next: "How to Find Love in the Cereal Aisle" is set to release in August 2026.

• Published by Cosmo Reads, the romcom follows Ainsley Green, a romance novelist whose heartbreak and writer's block push her to stage real-life "meet-cutes" for inspiration.