From time to time, I run a 6Ws feature to give fellow authors and their books a bit of promotion. Casey Cline is next. (With a nod to my former life as a journalist, I opted for the 6Ws of the business: who, what, when, where, why and how, which counts as it ends in W.) I will let Casey tell you about her writing, specifically about her book, An Island Intrigue. By the way this post is part of the Bittersweet Book Tour.
Who is Casey Cline?
Someone who doesn’t know what she wants to be when she grows up! A more euphemistic way of putting it is a “life-long learner.” I like to learn new skills and explore new things. There are so many things to do in this life, and I want to try so many, with so little time in which to do so.
At my core, though, I’m a wife, a mother, and a creator. I’m passionate and determined (sometimes to a fault), and will cry when any animal is in distress (even in movies). I’m at my happiest when on the back of a horse (though that doesn’t happen as often as I’d like) and absolutely adore peaches and pies and strawberries.
What is your latest book?
An Island Intrigue will be released Sept. 8! This is the second book in my Bird’s-Eye View series that is inspired by the travels of real-life English explorer, Isabella Bird. Taking place in the Hawaiian Islands in 1873, An Island Intrigue is full of real historical figures and events with opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine romantic chemistry between my fictional characters — the headstrong and adventurous, Georgina Wright, and her reserved and guarded medical escort, Dr. Joseph Livingston Jr. Amid active volcanoes, towering waterfalls, and tempestuous channel crossings, Georgina and Joseph discover how to trust each other with their true (and imperfect) selves. Hope, healing, and happily ever after in an immersive island setting.
When did you begin writing?
I’ve been a life-long bibliophile and wrote little stories growing up. I’ve had the dream of becoming a published author for more than a decade, but didn’t get serious about actually doing it until four years ago when I started writing Book 1 in my series, The Wayfaring Widow. I had NO clue what I was doing, but took online courses and joined author communities and attended conferences to teach myself the craft. It took a year to write, a year to find a publisher, then another nine months of even more editing to finally get it out into the world on Sept. 30, 2025.
How do you write?
Very slowly, apparently! I am a big plotter, so I start with my characters and the fear or flaw they have to overcome throughout the story to find their happily ever after. Then I read Isabella’s source document on the trip that particular novel centers around. I pull out scene ideas from her experiences that will try and test my characters and their flaws. (this sounds better than saying “tormenting and torturing them,” which is essentially what we authors do). I also have to make sure each individual character’s growth arc is natural and logical, as well as their romantic arc of falling in love — it can’t be too soon or too late. Then I write. Very slowly. It usually takes me a full year to finish a manuscript given the other commitments I have in life, though the third book I’m (almost finished) writing now has taken 18 months and counting.
Where do you write?
I usually have to write at my computer at my home office, which recently got an upgrade from the windowless basement to a room upstairs with a view (and sunlight!). I’ve been known to write on a mini fold-up keyboard that connects to my phone or a spiral notebook I stash in my purse if inspiration is really striking outside of time at my computer.
Why do you write?
I love to create! It’s amazing going from a blinking cursor on a blank page to a complete book I can hold in my hands. I have stories to tell and I love sharing them with others. Somedays, it’s admittedly harder to keep the “why” in mind. Being an author is more than just writing, it’s running an entire business, down to admin and marketing that eat up at writing time.
BLURB
A woman as untamed as the islands themselves. A guarded doctor who can heal every hurt but his own. Will their differences bind or break them?
For Georgina Wright, traveling to the Hawaiian Islands in 1873 with renowned explorer Isabella Bird is the adventure of a lifetime. After years of being watched over, protected, and quietly underestimated, Georgina is ready to see the world, fill her sketchbook, and prove she is capable of more than anyone believes.
But her journey comes with an unexpected condition: the presence of Dr. Joseph Livingston Jr.
Reserved, awkward, and determined to remain detached, Joseph believes his peculiarities make him a burden no woman should have to bear. Serving as Georgina’s medical escort is a duty, nothing more. The sooner he delivers her safely through the islands, the sooner he can return to the predictable comfort of isolation.
But Georgina’s spirited nature is difficult to ignore — and even harder to forget.
As stormy seas, volcanic craters, dangerous trails, and unexpected tenderness draw them closer, Georgina begins to see the man behind Joseph’s reserve. But loving him may require more than courage, and trusting her may cost Joseph the only safety he has ever known.
LINKS TO BUY
https://buy.bookfunnel.com/cfssz3cu6j
[Note: right now this only has the ebook since that is all that’s available for preorder at this moment. After Sept. 8 publication date, I will update the page so the other links show, but the source link itself shouldn’t change.
WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS
website, Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, Bookbub, and Goodreads
