An Interview with Casey Cline

Today I'm pleased to introduce author Casey Cline to the blog today to discuss her new book, An Island Intrigue. Welcome, Casey and thank you for your time today. Please tell my readers what inspired you to write your most recent book?

Thank you for having me on your blog today, Val, The novels in my Bird's Eye View series are inspired by the travels of real-life English explorer, Isabella Bird. In the case of this second book, An Island Intrigue, my fictional characters travel alongside Isabella on her 1873 trip to the Hawaiian Islands. But my stories are more than historical travelogues, they are stories of struggle and redemption centering around the theme that everyone is deserving of true love.

Who is your favourite character in this book and why?

Georgina. We are both passionate, determined, and are sometimes too impatient to fully think through things before we speak or act. It was vulnerable to put so much of me in her out there for others to read, but I find her growth over the course of the story inspiring, and I hope others do too.

What was the first piece you had published?

Early 2025, I self-published a novella, Incognito in Colorado, a few months before my first full-length novel,The Wayfaring Widow, was published with Scrivenings Press. This was a way for me to test the waters and learn about the publishing process. I mostly give the book away for free in exchange for signing up for my monthly author newsletter, though I still get surprised when every so often someone buys a copy off Amazon!

Do you have another story planned or in progress? When can we expect to see that?

Yes! Book 3 in the Bird's-Eye View series will be coming September 7, 2027. I do have a Christmas novella in mind as the second book in my novella series. I’d love to write and publish it in time for the 2026 Christmas season, but that’s a tall order with everything else I’m juggling, so we shall see. I also have a third novella in mind pertaining to Leap Day, and hope to publish that before our next Leap Day in February 2028.

Who is your favourite author?

I really love Mimi Matthews's books. We both write in the Victorian Era, and she is a fellow attorney, cat lover, and horse aficionado. Her writing is so impressive and immersive, and her characters so life-like. I always learn a new word or two when reading her work.

What do you like to do when you’re not planning or writing your next book?

In addition to spending time with my family (husband, two daughters, and three cats), I have a host of hobbies, some of which tend to resort in injuries or ailments. I do jiu-jitsu, and when both time and money allow, ride horses. I like to shoot guns, and sometimes do that while riding horses in a sport called mounted shooting. My more sedate hobbies are reading and quilting. I also mentor high school students during the school year and participate in my church too. Oh, did I mention I also have two, part-time paid jobs?

When did you know you wanted to write novels?

I’ve had the dream of becoming a published author for more than a decade, but due to life circumstances and just plain making excuses, it took me that long to overcome inertia and finally start writing seriously. I had no clue what I was doing, but took online courses and read books to teach myself. A lot of it was learn by doing, and sometimes, unfortunately, the hard way.

Do you write in other genres?

Historical romance is my main jam. I once wrote a short story about a mayfly’s life and another about a Cottonwood tree, both for contests, but that’s about as far outside of “kissing books” as I’ve gone.

What do you like most about being an author?

Creating something from nothing, bringing to life a story that others will read and (hopefully) enjoy and find inspiring.

Do you have a specific routine for writing?  Is there a special place or particular tool you use?

When we aren’t in the throes of summer when my daughters are home with me full time, I try to devote as much of my time to writing each weekday while they are at school, leaving evenings and weekends open for family time. Though I do have paid, part-time jobs that take precedence, and other responsibilities and commitments that fill that time rather quickly! Not to mention all of the admin and marketing that goes into running an author business. Between launching book 1 and editing book 2, I went 156 days without writing a single word.

What advice do you have for other writers?

My advice is don’t follow others’ advice ;) You do you! Yes, there are guidelines to know and so many strategies on word choice, dialogue, plotting, etc out there. But at the end of the day, do what works for you. Do what makes you happy. Do what you’re passionate about. This business is tough, so if you aren’t passionate about it, you’ll lose your “why”, the one thing that will truly keep you going.

If your book were to be made into an Audiobook, who would you choose to read it?

Well, this is an easy one, because it already is! The lovely and multi-talented Miss Noah Wall narrated both The Wayfaring Widow and An Island Intrigue. Listening to her bring my characters to life was a whole new and exhilarating way to experience my stories. Goose bumps aplenty (the good kind!)

If your book were to be made into a movie, who would you like to play the main character?

I’m so bad at this since I’m the WORST at knowing actors and actresses. After some (i.e. much) Googling, these would be my picks:

For Isabella, I would cast Emilia Clarke. She has that effortlessly funny and spunky side that encapsulates how I portray Isabella in my books. Isabella was also on the shorter side, so Emilia’s petiteness works perfectly! Plus, she’s already got the British accent.

For Georgina, I think Emma Roberts would be a good fit (assuming she’d consent to being a brunette for a time). She’s adorable, hilarious, and seems to embody Georgina’s zest for life and willingness to embrace adventure no matter the consequences.

Finally, Joseph. Tricky, since he has to be guarded at first, then gradually open up and be vulnerable. I think actor Luke Eisner would do a great job of bringing Joseph to life and out of his shell.  

The Author

Casey Cline collects hobbies and pursuits as quickly as she reads books. She likes to believe her degrees and licenses in business, law, and real estate aren’t entirely incongruous with writing historical stories about the ultimate adventure in life—love. Casey lives in Nebraska with her husband, two daughters, and three cats.