It all starts with passion…A Southern girl by nature. Born in Greenville, SC. Moved to Franklin, TN in 2000. Married her high school sweetheart, and is a mom to two adorable minions.

She has many passions and interests that she wants to pursue. She was born with a passion for performing and a love for the stage. We took some time to chat with Caroline recently about her debut novel that came out last Spring, and her sophomore novel that released just this month! 

Let’s start at the beginning, When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Goodness! I’m a middle child so I think I just wanted to be seen and heard LOL! Mostly I just wanted to do something “BIG!” Whether that was performing, (Musical Theatre Nerd!) or writing the next big Blockbuster. I just wanted to feel like I accomplished something big. It was always just a dream of mine as a creative person to do all the things I could ever dream of doing. For the most part I’ve been able to accomplish that in my own way. However, writing and creating is one of the most important and pertinent parts of who I am!

I LOVE THAT, DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE GENRE TO READ? IS IT THE SAME GENRE YOU WRITE IN?

I could NEVER choose one genre. It’s like when someone asks you your favorite song, movie or book! There’s so much good stuff out there. So much that has inspired me. I LOVE romance, obviously! LOL! However, I’m a big fan of biography, history and inspirational genres. I think it all connects somewhere!

IT DOES ALL CONNECT!! WHEN DID YOU ACTUALLY START WRITING?

I actually started writing when I was in elementary school. It was a memory I had suppressed as a child.

Don’t have enough time to go into the details but remembering writing scripts as a child and how I could see every scene in my head as I wrote and dreamed the stories out was a really sweet moment! I guess writing has just always been a part of who I am and what I love to do creatively. It’s an outlet for me for sure!

SPEAKING OF WRITING, LET’S CHAT ABOUT YOUR DEBUT NOVEL, AN L.A. LOVE STORY. HOW WAS THAT PROCESS?In April 2022, I published my debut novel. It’s called An L.A. Love Story: A Love Story, and it’s the first in a series I have planned. It was a big moment for me to see that through to fruition. Something that I not only enjoyed creating but also was good for me to accomplish. It was not the easiest process, but the writing community is an incredible group of not just women but also men! I do have to say, being a mostly women-led industry is incredibly inspiring and something I’m proud to be a part of!

So, what inspired this book? Where did the idea come from?

I’ve always been a big dreamer and I love to romanticize situations. At the time I was a nanny and I just used the “Drama Club Geek” in me to take that to a different place and time. Just like being at an airport. Next thing you know you’re writing a book about two people who meet at an airport. What comes next is all part of the dreaming what happens next phase!

Do you tend to write full time?

In a way, yes! Depends on what part of the writing process I’m in. When I’m in the zone and writing or doing edits I can write for 11-12 hours a day. I can’t turn it off. I eat, sleep and dream in my story. Right now, my second book is with my editor, so I’m doing other things. But I never stop dreaming and I never stop writing!

Let’s dig a little deeper into your PUBLISHING journey… what else can you tell us?

You know, when I first started on this journey it was August 2020. In April, of that same year I had been laid off at work, from a job I never thought I’d quit. We went through summer and, as I took it a day at a time, I felt this incredible urge to start writing again.

I’ve always written music and other types of pieces. However, I hadn’t thought about writing a book in a long time. My son started kindergarten and my daughter wasn’t in preschool due to covid, so we stayed home. I started writing that very day at the end of August and by the beginning of November I finished my 5th novel. It was cathartic for me. I took a break and got through the holidays.

I had NO idea what I was going to do, but as January approached I knew exactly what I needed to do. So I did it! I started the process of looking for an editor and after that I took it a step at a time. Some days it felt like the list of things to mark off my list to publish was insurmountable and I’d never get it all done. I tell people this all the time. Publishing is like ticking one thing off your list only to have five more tabs open up. So, my advice is to take your time. It’s not going anywhere and there’s only one you! 

The world needs more dreamers and doers! If I can do it! So can you!

What is the most surprising thing you’ve discovered while writing your books—about you, about readers, or about the process?

Me: I can do anything I set my mind to and I can encourage others to do the same. There’s enough space here for everyone and ever writer!

Readers: Every reader has an opinion and they are entitled to it. That doesn’t mean I have to change who I am or how I write for anyone. My favorite thing is when you can tell what kind of “romance” people are used to reading by their reviews. One person can read it and say, “Oh wow! This book was very sexual or made me blush. At one point I had to close my eyes! My husband sure appreciated me reading her book!” LOL! While another reader can say, “These sex scenes were boring. This book was too sweet!” The first reader has read Redeeming Love type books (A wonderful book, BTW). While the second reader is used to Fifty Shades and more erotic books (Both are great!) I just keep on doing my thing and staying on course!

Process: Just be you! There’s only one you! Your dreams and your ideas matter! You matter! Keep on taking it one step at a time and don’t neglect social media. There are so many writer communities to join that help and encourage you!

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