Connect with Sweet Romance Canadian Author Caroline Flynn

Caroline Flynn writes lovely romance books that are clean and sweet! So she's the perfect author to feature, as we get ready for February, the month of love and romance! Caroline is a Canadian writer from Northern Ontario. She doesn't have to imagine what small-town life is like--she lives it every day. Caroline loves everything book related, whether it's reading them or writing them, and she's the dog-mom of an eccentric brindle boxer named Jazz (who makes a special appearance in one of her books, The Forget-Me-Not Bakery!). Caroline uses her coffee addiction to fuel her writing passion, and the truth is, she can't imagine devoting her life to being anything other than an author! So let's hear from Caroline...

WOW: Caroline, thank you for taking time to talk to us about writing and your books today. Let's start with what you write. We know you have two books on Amazon that were published this year. Tell us about these books.

Caroline: Thanks so much for inviting me to chat with you! Yes, I have two books available at all major retailers, The Forget-Me-Not Bakery and The Winter Berry House. They are two standalone stories within the Port Landon series. I write sweet romance, and Port Landon is the fictional small town where this series is based. While my stories are light-hearted and fun, there's always a deeper, more emotional theme in them as well. For example, while The Forget-Me-Not Bakery is a sweet story about a city girl who follows her dream of owning a bakery and winds up in the Port Landon because of it, it's also a story about a resident of that town, the local veterinarian, who is the single father of a young boy since the tragic passing of his wife eight years prior. The same can be said for The Winter Berry House. While it's a heartwarming story of rekindling long lost loves, it's also a story about a man who has to return to his hometown after the loss of his beloved grandmother (who raised him). In that journey, he is forced to face the demons of his past, including the fateful mistakes he made that cost him the love of his high school sweetheart in the first place. It is these more emotional elements that make the characters more relatable, and make the HEA (happily ever after) that much sweeter.

WOW: I love small-town romance books and TV shows, like Gilmore Girls. I'm so excited to talk to you! We also know that you have an agent, Erica Christensen, because this is how we met you. Please tell us about your journey to securing an agent and how you knew Erica was the right choice!

Caroline: Erica is the best. The best advice I can give anyone about finding an agent is this: Find someone who is as excited about your manuscript as you are. Erica was, and still is, that person for me. Her energy, drive, and wholehearted passion when it comes to books are just phenomenal. She has shown excitement about my words since I first queried her, and that excitement hasn't let up. She works hard to get my stories in the hands of the right editors and publishers. Erica might very well be the best choice I've made in my publishing journey thus far.

WOW: That is great advice and so amazing! Let's talk a little about the writing process. Do you write every day? Are you a pantser, a planner, or a planser? Morning writer or late at night?

Caroline: I would love to tell you I write every day, but that would be somewhere between the truth and a lie. I DO write every day when I am actively writing a first draft. I tend to write my first drafts fast, though. I've completed first drafts within anywhere from 40-90 days, and I write feverishly every day during that period until it's done. That said, my outlines are detailed. I know what has to happen next and where I'm heading when I sit down to write every day. Unplanned things always end up in my manuscripts, but it always begins with a well-planned outline, so that I can get the first draft out of my head and onto paper as easily as possible. I tend to get most of my writing in during the late morning and afternoon. For me, evenings are when I read, not write. :)

WOW: Yes, we all know that reading is as important as writing--and honestly part of the career. We read in your bio on Amazon that you have a brindle boxer who made it into your book! And you both live in a small-town in Canada. So do you believe in the advice, "Write what you know." Is Jazz asking for a cut of the royalties?

Caroline: Anyone who's ever owned a boxer knows they're a high maintenance dog breed, so Jazz tends to get ALL the royalties (but I wouldn't change it for the world!). ;) That dog is my whole world, which is why I put her in a book--so the rest of the world could fall in love with her, too. As for writing what I know, I think it is easier, but I don't know if I believe in that advice completely. Researching something out of one's comfort zone and learning about things not yet experienced might make the writing process lengthier, and perhaps more difficult, but it's worth it in the end to broaden one's scope and see things through someone else's eyes.

WOW: I've owned a boxer, so I know exactly what you're talking about! And I agree--write what you know up to a certain point, and then learn something new--of course, then you know that, too right? So, what's next for you?

Caroline: I have recently completed the first draft of the third book in the Port Landon series, so I see a lot of editing on the horizon. The book is tentatively scheduled to release later this year.

WOW: Congratulations! Where can interested readers connect with you to find out more?

Caroline: I am most active on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/flynnromance), but I can be found on Facebook and Instagram as well under the same username, @flynnromance. I also maintain a newsletter that I send out on the 15th of every month (https://cutt.ly/bp4dbOA). I love chatting with readers!

WOW: Great--we will check that out! Thank you so much for your time!

Caroline: Thank you again for taking the time to put together this interview! Take care!